Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A late afternoon visit provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (21), Common Teal (2), Northern Shoveler (4), Northern Lapwing (30), Eurasian Oystercatcher (1), all present on the flooded field.
Stockers Lake
Grey Heron (at least 11 occupied nests), Little Egret (3), Northern Shoveler (c60), Red-crested Pochard (pair), Common Goldeneye (6), Ring-necked Parakeet (1).

23-02-13 Great Northern Diver at Staines Reservoir

A brief visit on route to work late afternoon in very cold conditions paid off when the immature Great Northern Diver appeared close to the causeway on the north basin. The female Scaup was again seen although distant and a single Little Grebe busily fed at close quarters.

                                                          Great Northern Diver

Stockers Farm, Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

A mid-afternoon visit in cold conditions provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (56), Common Teal (4), Northern Shoveler (2), Northern Lapwing (17), Eurasian Oystercatcher (1), Mistle Thrush (1).
Stockers Lake
Common Goldeneye (5), Red-crested Pochard (male), Mistle Thrush (1).
Bury Lake
Northern Shoveler (46), Common Goldeneye (3). 

                                         Eurasian Oystercatcher at Stockers Farm.
 

Barn Owl again at Heathrow Airport

Early this evening at approx 20:00 I noted a single Barn Owl in flight at the engineering base near Hatton Cross adjacent technical block J. This is probably the same bird that I saw back in December.
It looked rather odd as it quartered the concrete taxiway no more than two or three feet up before drifting towards the fields at Cranford. If it continued along the same route it would eventually end up at Osterley Park, possibly it's roost site.

12-02-13 Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A brief afternoon visit provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (39), Northern Lapwing (28), Fieldfare (20).
Stockers Lake
Smew (male from shoveler hide), Red Kite (1), Marsh Tit (1 at east side of lake), European Goldfinch (8 feeding on burdock), Eurasian Siskin (c40).

                                          Record shot of Marsh Tit at Stockers Lake.

 

Troy Mill Gravel Pit

A brief afternoon visit in cold, wet conditions provided the following species of note:-
Little Egret (1), Common Kingfisher (1), Lesser Redpoll (3).

                                                         Lesser Redpoll.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

A late morning visit in dull, damp conditions produced the following species of note:-
Maple Lodge N.R
Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Eurasian Jay (3), Eurasian Bullfinch (pair feeding on blackthorn buds in long hedge).
Lynsters Farm
Greylag Goose (30), Canada Goose (124), Snow Goose (1), Egyptian Goose (5), Common Gull (1).
 

Amwell Nature Reserve

An afternoon visit produced the following species:-
Little Grebe (1), Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Muscovy Duck (1 on bank of canal), Eurasian Wigeon (28), Gadwall, Common Teal (8), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (3), Smew (3 redheads), Common Buzzard (2), Common Kestrel (male), Common Pheasant (2), Water Rail (1), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (43), Common Snipe (1), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing (1), Mistle Thrush (1), Goldcrest (1), Coal Tit (2), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (2), Eurasian Siskin (1), Eurasian Bullfinch (1), Reed Bunting (7).
Mammals:-
Muntjack Deer (1), Grey Squirrel.

                                        
                                                                Northern Shoveler

   

Lynsters Farm

A very brief afternoon visit with Steve Carter via Maple Lodge N.R provided the following species of note:-
Greylag Goose (37), Canada Goose (115), Egyptian Goose (3), Snow Goose (1 of presumed captive origin).

Stockers Farm, Stockers Lake and the Withey Beds Nature Reserve

An afternoon visit in cold windy conditions provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Northern Shoveler (4), Northern Lapwing (41), Woodpigeon (30), Green Woodpecker (1), Pied Wagtail (3), Mistle Thrush (1), Redwing (2), Fieldfare (5).
Stockers Lake
Grey Heron (at least 11 occupied nests), Domestic Greylag Goose (2), Eurasian Wigeon (2), Common Teal (4), Red-crested Pochard (male), Common Goldeneye (7), Goosander (male), Red Kite (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Siskin (1).
Stockers West (Inns Lake)
Common Goldeneye (2).
The Withey Beds Nature Reserve
Grey Heron (1), Mallard (2), Common Moorhen (2), Eurasian Coot (2).

                                         A quiet afternoon at the Withey Beds Nature Reserve. 

Broadwater Gravel Pit

With the exploratory piling continuing at the lake in readiness for HS2 the footpath following the river is now in a terrible state. Almost impassable in places with deep furrows cut in to the wet soil I almost slipped over on several occasions. And with the constant din of the piling rig banging away and the movements of the dumper truck up and down the footpath I was concerned that I wouldn't see too much in the way of birdlife. There was one small bonus though and that was the presence of animal tracks visible in the mud, notably Badger and Muntjack. I wonder if or when HS2 is given full backing any of this wildlife will remain. One thing is certain, the landscape will change immensely with a planned viaduct spanning the lakes and river  and crossing the A412 on its way north. With trains planned to pass by every 15 minutes or so there will no longer be peace and quiet and I suggest another wildlife refuge will be lost forever.     
A list of species encountered as follows:-
Little Grebe (1), Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant (at least 10 occupied nests), Grey Heron (at least 1 occupied nest), Little Egret (2 on troy mill viewed from river bank), Mute Swan, Canada Goose (5), Egyptian Goose (1), Eurasian Wigeon (10), Gadwall, Common Teal (7), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (7), Goosander (4 including 3 male), Red Kite (3), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (15), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (3), Common Kingfisher (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Pied Wagtail (2), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush (singing male), Redwing (1), Common Chiffchaff (5 including 3 singing male), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (1), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (4), Eurasian Siskin (1), Common Reed Bunting (female).
I bumped into the bailiff  en route who informed me that a Great Bittern had been seen recently but it did not show during my visit.

                                                       The muddy footpath.

                                                      The piling rig at work.

                                                       The River Colne, site of planned HS2 crossing.

                                          Badger footprint in mud.

                                                       Muntjack track.

 
    
 

West Hyde and Maple Cross

A morning out and about my local patch provided the following species of note:-
Troy Mill G.P
Little Egret (1 over heading east), Common Kestrel (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Grey Wagtail (1).
Pynesfield North Gravel Pit
Eurasian Wigeon (15).
Lynsters Farm
Greylag Goose (17), Stock Dove (20).
Chalfont Road
Common Buzzard (1), Common Skylark (4), Feral Rock Dove (19 on M25 lamp posts).
Beechen Wood
Coal Tit (1).
Bottom Wood
Common Buzzard (2), Western Jackdaw (4).
Woodoaks Farm
Black-headed Gull (c400), Fieldfare (51), Mistle Thrush (1), Common Starling (c100), Western Jackdaw (26).  

Pallas' Leaf Warbler at Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve

I headed off to Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve in Berkshire in hope of seeing the long staying Pallas' Leaf Warbler. I arrived just after noon and was immediately informed by other birders that it had been showing well all morning on the far bank of the river. I made my way along the footpath and headed towards the conveyor belt bridge where the bird had last been seen. Arriving at the bridge some ten or so minutes later I could see a group of birders ahead on the track viewing the bird, and a minute or two later I had added a new tick to my life list. The bird was associating with a gathering of Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests that were feeding above the far bank of the river all of which were very mobile.