Troy Mill Gravel Pit & Woodoaks Farm

A visit to Troy Mill G.P, West Hyde produced the following species of interest;
Little Grebe (4), Sparrowhawk (1), Pheasant (11 on ploughed field, West Hyde), Lapwing (1 over briefly), Herring Gull (40), Lesser Black-backed Gull (5), Meadow Pipit (1 over briefly), Jay (2).
I then spent an hour at Woodoaks Farm where the following species of interest were observed;
Common Buzzard (1), Common Gull (1), Collared Dove (c80 in old orchard), Pied Wagtail (22 on ploughed field), Meadow Pipit (5), Skylark (1), Jay (2 in old orchard), Jackdaw (6), House Sparrow (13), Linnet (c30 very mobile).

                                          Common Buzzard at Woodoaks Farm
 

Woodoaks Farm

An afternoon visit to the farm produced the following species count;
Common Buzzard (2), Red Kite, Black-headed Gull (c150 following tractor), Common Gull,
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon (88), Collared Dove (18), Green Woodpecker,
Pied Wagtail (4), Skylark (9), Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare (5 flushed from apple tree),Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie (3), Jackdaw (60), Rook (5), Carrion Crow (11), Starling (c50 on pasture), House Sparrow (2), Chaffinch, Linnet (c50 feeding on thistles among pasture).

Woodoaks Farm

An afternoon visit to Woodoaks Farm with improving weather conditions produced the following species;
Sparrowhawk (1), Collared Dove (c100 in old orchard), Little Owl (1 in old orchard), Green Woodpecker (1),
Pied Wagtail (14), Meadow Pipit (2), Skylark (4), Jay, Jackdaw (23 on ploughed field), Chaffinch (20 feeding along track leading to manure pile), Linnet (c50 very mobile), Yellowhammer (1).

Lapland Bunting at Staines Reservoir

I made a brief trip away from Maple Cross to Staines Reservoir where for the second day a Lapland Bunting had been reported. The bird was present on railings on the East end of the causeway where I managed to capture a reasonable image through my scope. I also observed another saddle ringed Tufted Duck on the North basin of the reservoir.

                                          Lapland Bunting (immature) at Staines Reservoir.

Saddle ringed Tufted Duck at Lynsters Gravel Pit, update.

I have just received information from Alain Caizergues regarding the saddle ringed female Tufted Duck that I observed on the 15th October. Alain captured her on the 15/01/10 at Saint-Philbert-De-Grand-Lieu, south of Nantes. At the time of ringing she weighed 840g and was 2 years old.
Oddly enough I have observed colour ringed Cormorant's at Maple Lodge Nature Reserve in the past and they too have originated from this area in France, obviously an established migration route. 

Troy Mill Gravel Pit, Lynsters & Woodoaks Farm

I decided to make a late morning visit to Troy Mill G.P and was rewarded with excellent views of a female Goldeneye. This bird is almost certainly the same individual that I discovered over-summering at this site on several occasions earlier in the year. Overhead a single Red Kite was noted briefly as it made its way North with 5 Common, 22 Herring and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull at rest on the lake. At North Troy G.P (officially Helicon G.P), a duck Wigeon was observed with several Tufted Duck. Making my way back towards Maple Cross I stopped briefly at Lynsters Farm where I noted a single Egyptian Goose at the muddy pool.
At Woodoaks Farm species of interest observed were as follows;
Red Kite (1), Lapwing (19 feeding on lower pasture), Little Owl (1 in old orchard), Linnet (mobile flock of c20), Meadow Pipit (7 at manure pile), Redwing (1 over calling).

Woodoaks Farm

A quiet mid-afternoon visit to the farm with a single Little Owl at the old orchard and several Meadow Pipit at the manure pile the only birds worth a mention. While at the manure pile I did observe a Clouded Yellow Butterfly briefly my first and probably last of the year.