Recording Area Annual Totals

97 Species in 2013, 99 in 2012, 94 in 2011, 108 species were recorded in 2010;



Wednesday 30 September 2009

Influx of non-naturalised Canada Geese yields real surprise

Another dry day with cloudy conditions and a light NW wind.

CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT

Large numbers of House Sparrows now visiting the feeders and birdtables, averaging 34-37 birds
Long-tailed Tits (family group of 9 birds moved quickly through)
Robin (two males in song)
Great Tit (1-2)
Collared Doves (peaking at 22 birds)

LOWNDES PARK, CHESHAM (SP 958 015)

Full inventory of wildfowl present on lake

Mute Swan (adult pair)
Atlantic Canada Geese (massive influx; 211 present)
GREYLAG GOOSE (a single was located in with the large flock of Canada Geese, the first occurrence in my Recording Area for at least 12 years)
Muscovy Duck (4)
Embden Geese (10)
Mallard (discounting the motley group of Khaki Campbells and other horrid hybrids) (33)

CHESHAM FISHING LAKES

Mute Swans (1 2nd-winter, with ana dult nearby at Waterside)
Tufted Duck (2 females)
Coot (20)
Moorhen (2)
Robins (at least 4 males in full autumn song)

Wednesday 23 September 2009

RING-NECKED PARAKEET in Beaconsfield

At 1015 this morning, a RING-NECKED PARAKEET was seen in Forty Green Road, Beaconsfield (Bob Jackson)

Monday 21 September 2009

GADWALL numbers slowly increase

MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER

Well it was a very excited Steve Blake on the phone mid morning after he had just witnessed the first-ever GLOSSY IBIS to be recorded in the county since 1887 ! The bird had flown several circuits of Tyttenhanger GP Main Pit in an attempt to land on the spit but its efforts were scuppered as its archaic profile frightened the roosting gull flock and it was consequently chased away to the NW by two persistent individuals. It never did land and local patchworker Steve was in the unenviable position of being the only observer to witness this colossal event. One could argue that with over 37 juvenile Glossy Ibises touring Britain at the moment, it was perhaps inevitable that one would finally overflow Hertfordshire airspace.

Anyhow, along with Steve, I spent the next several hours trying to intercept it and perhaps second-guess where it may have landed. Sadly, both of us failed in our quests. Steve took the option of continuing to scour the Tyttenhanger complex and neighbouring gravel pits, ditches and fields whilst I drove out to Tring Reservoirs and environs, where conditions offer the best feeding prospects for a tired and hungry vagrant ibis.

Weather today saw a change in wind direction - from northeasterly to westerly - but temperatures remained high and skies were predominantly clear.

SHARDELOES LAKE
(1500-1600 hours)

Little Grebes (11)
Great Crested Grebe (family party of 5 birds)
Mute Swan (family party of 6 birds)
GADWALL (4 pairs)
POCHARD (1 female)
Coot (high count of 126 birds)
Black-headed Gull (6)
Red Kite (7)
COMMON KINGFISHER (1)
Greenfinch (5)
Jay (2)

PIED FLYCATCHER surprise

On Sunday 20 September, the two RING-NECKED PARAKEETS were still present at Bullscroft Farm but of more interest was a first-winter PIED FLYCATCHER in scrub by the blackberry-picking area - showing well until at least 0845

Monday 14 September 2009

VizMig produces 2 COMMON RAVENS !!

On Sunday 13 September, I did a visible migration study from Bullscroft Farm, near CHENIES, from 0600-1130 hours.

Two records stood out - that of 2 RING-NECKED PARAKEETS in Wyburn Wood (TQ 024 980) and of the Chess Valley pair of COMMON RAVEN flying east into the London Recording Area over Turveylane Wood at 0800 hours.

There was a miniscule passage of Barn Swallows, 3 Meadow Pipits flying north, a single Grey Wagtail south and 12 Linnets south (Lee Evans)

Thursday 10 September 2009

LAPWING flock surprise

THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

A fresh NE wind blowing, bringing temperatures down a tad to 17.5 degrees C. Some cloud cover but generally bright and clear.

Sadly, my day started off on a sour note with two overnight Badger casualties - one of my local resident adults on the Latimer Road at SU 993 987 and another on Northfield Road near Bulbourne, by Park Hall Farm at SP 946 134.(records for Mic Wells)

SHARDELOES LAKE

Great Crested Grebe (all 5 birds showing well)
Little Grebe (8+ including an adult still feeding a small youngster)
Continental Cormorant (1 near-adult roosting on the island)
Mute Swans (family party of 6 birds)
Canada Geese (33)
GADWALL (4 present, including 3 adult drakes now rapidly attaining full plumage)
*LAPWING (a flock of 44 commuting between crop fields either side of the A413 - the largest flock recorded this year)
Jay
Red Kites (3)
Common Chiffchaffs (3)
Common Treecreeper (2)
*SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS (3 birds showing well in Willow scrub at the west end of the lake)

Tuesday 1 September 2009

SHOVELERS increase to two at Shardeloes





















TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

With autumn now officially upon us, the first day of September dawned fairly calm and bright. Freshening winds soon moved in though, veering from SSW to due SW during the course of the morning and increasing throughout the afternoon. This change of weather was also accompanied by darkening cloud with a few short showers and occasional thunder. Temperatures remained quite high.

As it was my first chance at local birding since Wednesday, I decided to do a full sweep but despite being out from early morning until early evening, results were fairly spartan. With the new month upon us, I did a complete inventory of the reservoirs. With 5 Pied Flycatchers being located in the London Area and SE region, I fully expected one to be at Shardeloes, but despite painstakingly checking all of the Willows and the tall trees bordering the practise cricket green, I drew a blank. I could not find any Spotted Flycatchers either.

SHARDELOES LAKE (0900-1100 hours)

Great Crested Grebes (family group all doing fine with the three youngsters developing well, only one now being fed by the parents - see Ashley Stowe's images above)
Little Grebes (7 present, all youngsters now having fledged and feeding independently)
Grey Heron (2) (photographed above by Ashley Stowe)
Mute Swans (no sign of the resident family group)
Canada Geese (21)
Mallard (just 1 drake)
SHOVELER (2 present at the west end including an eclipse drake)
Tufted Duck (1 female)
Coot (66)
Moorhen (14)
Black-headed Gulls (10 roosting on lake)

Common Pheasant (1 male)
Red Kite (2)
Common Buzzard (1)
Wren (1)
LESSER WHITETHROAT (1 in the Willows adjacent to the lake)
Common Chiffchaff (4)
Blue Tit (6)
Jay (2)
Rook (1)
Greenfinch (4)
Goldfinch