Bits and bobs at Heartwood

Today at Heartwood quiet apart from a lovely Stonechat in the thistles plus Red Kite being mobbed by crows, only 1 Buzzard and a few Chiff-chaffs around.

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College Lake

On Sunday had a nice walk with my local RSPB group to College Lakes in Buckinghamshire started well with a Kestrel over the car park. The main reserve had very high water despite this from the first hide had views of a Snipe and Finches and Tits and just outside had great views of a Kingfisher fishing.

Then from the second main hide had further views of the Snipe which turned out to be 3 of them which were very well blended into the reeds. Out on the main Scrape had various ducks and geese with the highlights been Gadwall, Wigeon and a beautiful male Mandarin Duck.

Then walked round to the field section where we had a good view of a Hobby overhead along with a family group of Buzzards and a Red Kite. In the fields themselfs had very big flocks of Linnet and Goldfich and a lovely male Whinchat and a few Chiff-chaffs a good end to a great day.

Great day at Graftham Water

Seen all week that a Grey Phalarope and an adult Sabine's Gull had been around and as both were new birds to me though i see if i could get some views. I was't to be dissapointed as both birds was giving great views at first from the dam before the first lot of the rain come down.

Grey Phalarope in the sunlight

Grey Phalarope wading

Sabine's Gull happy doing not a lot

Then after the first lot of heavy rain the Sabine decided to fly off which i can't blame him for but it did bring in a Dunlin and a young Ringed Plover and quite a few small bird feeding with Meadow Pipis, Pied Wagtails and Yellow Wagtails feeding along the shoreline.

Dunlin

Meadow pipit in with the moss

Young Ringed Plover

Finally caught with the Sabine's Gull feeding along the shoreline nearer the top of the reservoir where it was giving good view before a thunder storm came in which hot me quite hard with with Rain and Hail but that bird watching for you.

Sabine's Gull on the edge

Sabine's Gull in the rock pool

Autumn Transect

Did my butterfly transect though quite warm and sunny very windy due to a certain hurricane so not many butterflies today with only 2 Large whites, 1 Small White, 1 Specked Wood and 1 Peacock seen on the insect front.


The birds helped make up for the insect winding down with 2 new site records for me with a Yellow wagtail seen in the hedge and Reed Bunting in the the big thistle patch. Also nice to see the Swallows and House Martins happily feeding in the high winds always a joy to watch.

A day of migration

Headed to Wiltstone Reservoir as a Pectoral Sandpiper had been reported there for the last 2 days and i got there was told that there was also a Whimbrel out on the main lagoon along with a pair of Black-tailed Godwits before flying off at around 11am. Then went along to the jetty were the Pectoral Sandpiper was feeding though quite distance along with the Little Stint, and about 10 Ringed Plovers till it vanished about 11.30 after the flocks got spooked.

Every now and then the Birds seemed to be spooked by various bird of Prey with Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Red Kite getting the flock up with one of these in the gulls that went went had a view of a Yellow-legged gull. Wondering back walking along the hedge had a briefe view of a spotted flycatcher in the hedge.

Spotted Flycatcher in hedge

Some nice migration

Some nice migration birds today with a nice pair of Stonechats at Heartwood forest in almost exactly the same spot as last september when there was up to 5 showing, still early days so maybe more on the way. Also of note at heartwood was a family group of Kestrels hunting with 4 together at once.

Then this afternoon at Tyttenhanger had 1 Whinchat and 3 Wheaters in the field near Willow farm though very hard to see at first. Also around was 1 Red Kite and 2 Black-backed Gulls.

Time for autumn

A new calender month but still fairly dry but headed to Wiltstone Reservoir as there had been reports all week while at work of Little Stint at Wiltstone he did't dissapoint with some good view from the jetty along with a nice family of 4 Ringed Plovers. Also around of note were a few pochards, last of the common terns hunting, a few Little Egrets hunting and a few Pied and White Wagtails.

Then headed to Hatfield Aerodrome where quite a few flighty bird with quite a few around the sand mound lots of Meadow Pipits, 1 Skylark, few young Red-legged Partridge and big flocks of Linnets and Goldfinch. Aroundthe back of the site the had Birds of prey with Red Kite, Buzzard and Kestrel and a brief sighting of a Spotted Flycatcher.