Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm/Lynsters G.P

The cold snap continues with much of the reserve frozen. Small areas of open water remain at the top end of the Clubhouse Lake and at the Sluice. There was approx 50% ice coverage at Lynsters G.P and at Lynsters Farm the cattle were out on the field feeding and taking on water at Lynsters G.P.
Species of interest as follows;
Maple Lodge
Little Grebe (1 at the clubhouse lake), Moorhen (31 on cricket pitch), Pheasant (cock flushed from it's alder roost near rotunda hide), Mistle Thrush (1 over calling), Goldcrest (1 calling), Siskin (1 over calling).
Lynsters Farm
Egyptian Goose (2), Wigeon (pair grazing), Common Buzzard (2 over briefly), Moorhen (18), Black-headed Gull (22 feeding among cattle), Lapwing (1), Pied Wagtail (2), Fieldfare (5 over), Jay (1), Jackdaw (56).
Lynsters G.P
Water Rail (1 calling from bank), Teal (6).  

Lysters Farm, Troy Mill G.P & North Troy G.P

An afternoon visit in freezing conditions produced the following species of interest;
Lynsters Farm
Canada Goose (31), Egyptian Goose (2), Wigeon (38 grazing on the bank of Lynsters G.P), Jackdaw (c150 feeding among cattle).
Troy Mill G.P
Little Grebe (1), Kestrel (male), Common Snipe (1 circled overhead before dropping into marsh at north end of troy cutting), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Jay (1), Siskin (1).
North Troy G.P (Helicon G.P)
Greylag Goose (1), Wigeon (4), Teal (12).
While writing this c50 Lapwing have just passed over the house heading south towards West Hyde.

Colour ringed Canada Goose update.

The colour ringed Canada Goose I observed at Bury Lake on the 24th November seems to be a bit of a resident at the site. I am surprised by it's age, these geese live longer than I anticipated. 

Below is a detailed breakdown of all the sightings of this bird that I have recently received.

 

Ring       Colour                  BTO Ring No                       Date                      Site                                                                        Grid Ref

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                04/07/01              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                15/08/01              Stocker’s Farm                                                  TQ054935

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                01/01/02              Rickmansworth Aquadrome                       TQ0593

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                21/02/03              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                18/09/03              West Hyde Fields                                            TQ027915

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                06/01/04              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                19/06/06              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                04/07/07              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                24/06/08              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

FSD        Orange                 5219356                                24/11/10              Bury Lake                                                            TQ053938

Maple Lodge Close

Watching the sun rise from my bedroom window a Red Kite appeared into view and circled above the playing field before drifting south. A great start to the day. 

Stockers Lake, Stockers Farm & Bury Lake

A morning visit to Stockers Lake produced the following species list;
Little Grebe (1), Great-crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose (including ringed bird at Bury Lake, Left/Orange/Black FSD), Gadwall, Teal (pair), Mallard, Shoveler Duck (24), Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye (4 inc 3 males), Pheasant (5 hens), Water Rail (2 from Kingfisher Hide), Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing (6 on tern raft), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull (3), Herring Gull (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Ring-necked Parakeet (3), Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail (on tern raft), Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush (3), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch (female), Siskin.
Stockers Farm
At Stockers Farm a single Little Owl was present low down in a large Crack Willow on the once flooded field.
Bury Lake
A pair of Red-crested Pochard and 11 Wigeon were observed on Bury Lake.  

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

A cold, quiet day with little in the way of waterfowl present at the reserve although a calling Water Rail was noted from Rotunda Hide. At the Sluice a single Kingfisher put in a brief appearance.
From Lynsters Hide a total of 10 Wigeon were noted on Lynsters Gravel Pit with a single Grey Wagtail observed over briefly. At Lynsters Farm 10 Meadow Pipit and 6 Stock Dove were present near the muddy pool.

Woodoaks Farm

A late morning/early afternoon visit produced the following species of interest;
Common Buzzard (2), Kestrel (male hunting above manure pile), Black-headed Gull (c60), Common Gull (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Collared Dove (c50), Green Woodpecker (1), Skylark (4), Meadow Pipit (3),
Fieldfare (1), Redwing (2), Jay (2), Chaffinch (c50 feeding among barns), Linnet (10 feeding on paddock below old orchard).