Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

An early morning visit to conduct a wetland bird survey count in mild but windy conditions produced the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe (13), Great Cormorant (18), Grey Heron (6), Mute Swan (37), Canada Goose (66), Domestic Greylag Goose (1), Gadwall (17), Mallard (45), Hybrid Duck (2), Northern Shoveler (13), Common Pochard (37), Tufted Duck (161), Red-crested Pochard (15), Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Common Moorhen (13), Eurasian Coot (544), Northern Lapwing (1), Black-headed Gull (263), Common Gull (6), Lesser Black-backed Gull (6), Herring Gull (8), Feral Rock Dove (3), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (3), Common Kingfisher (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Cetti's Warbler (singing male), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (2), Eurasian Siskin (10).

                                                Red-crested Pochard at Stockers Lake.

                                                           Grey Heron at Bury Lake.

Black Park Country Park

An afternoon visit in unsettled conditions provided the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe (1), Mute Swan (2), Greylag Goose (1), Canada Goose (13), Mandarin Duck (19), Mallard (28), Common Pochard (4), Tufted Duck (3), Red Kite (1), Common Kestrel (1), Common Moorhen (5), Eurasian Coot (13), Black-headed Gull (15), Herring Gull (1), Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Grey Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Redwing, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit (c20), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Common Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow.

                                          Eurasian Jay collecting Acorns at Black Park.

                                                           Autumn at Black Park.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

An early morning visit in mild, sunny conditions produced the following species:-
Little Grebe (2), Great Crested Grebe (2), Great Cormorant (1), Grey Heron (1), Little Egret (2), Greylag Goose (90 Lynsters Farm), Common Teal (20), Mallard (20), Northern Shoveler (2), Common Pochard (1), Tufted Duck (4), Red Kite (1), Common Buzzard (1 Lynsters Farm), Common Moorhen (22), Eurasian Coot (4), Black-headed Gull (62), Feral Rock Dove (c40 Lynsters Farm), Stock Dove (3 Lynsters Farm), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (3), Common Kingfisher (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit (1), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin (6).

                                        Little Egret fishing in front of Long Hedge Hide.


 

Broadwater Gravel Pit

A late morning visit in dull, mild conditions provided the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (c45), Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose (22), Eurasian Wigeon (c50), Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (2), Red Kite (1), Common Buzzard (1), Common Pheasant, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (30), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull (5), Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (4), Woodpigeon, Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Grey Wagtail (2), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Redwing (3), Goldcrest (9), Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin (c20), Common Bullfinch (3).

    The River Colne at Broadwater Lake choked in places by invasive water weed.

Hangar birds

While at work this evening I discovered a singing male European Robin singing it's winter song and calling too while inside our warm hangar. I decided to conduct an experiment and played back a recording of a male singing its summer call. After a minute or two the bird in our hangar began to respond with a summer song of its own. Also a dead male Goldcrest was discovered in the hangar and I suspect an unfortunate recent arrival.

07-11-15 Maple Lodge Nature Reserve in the rain.

A very wet morning at the reserve wasn't totally unproductive as these photos by Tony Hulls prove. Prior to my visit Tony had viewed a wonderful pair of Mandarin Duck from the Teal Hide. From the Long Hedge Hide I discovered a female Northern Pintail that was busily feeding among a small group of Mallard.  

Photos courtesy of Tony Hulls.

                                          Pair of Mandarin Duck viewd from Teal Hide. 

                                         Northern Pintail viewed from Long Hedge Hide.

31-10-15 Chalfont Park, Buckinghamshire

A morning visit along the River Misbourne provided the following species:-
Little Grebe (3), Grey Heron (1), Gadwall (13), Mallard (9), Tufted Duck (8), Red Kite (1), Common Kestrel (1), Common Pheasant (5), Common Moorhen (8), Eurasian Coot (8), Black-headed Gull (29), Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Common Kingfisher (1), Pied Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Fieldfare (4), Redwing (25), Mistle Thrush (1), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (1), Eurasian Siskin (1).

                                                Gadwall on the River Misbourne