Lemsford Springs

A slightly warmer day and the sun was even out on my day off so headed down to Lemsford Springs, not many springs around but still a nice cast of winter birds with 4 Green Sandpipers feeding around the lagoons quite fiesty at time along with a Teal, a Little Egret and a collection of Moorhen. Around the woodland edges had 3 Goldcrests, a Siskin in with a mixed Tit Flock and a Treecreeper feeding up the tree and in a distance field a lovely brown hare was seen feeding.

Walk around tring

Despite it been march really did't feel like it at the moment but on my day off on thursday had a winter feeling walk around the Tring Reservoirs where the main acitivity was on Startop's End Reservoir mainly due to fact that Wiltstone and Marsworth are so waterhigh unreal when campared to 12 months ago when it was almost dryed out. Around Startop's End Reservoir had quite a few Pied Wagtails at least 4 and a 4 of the flock of Red-crested Pochards. Also on the shore edge was the wintering Water Pipit and a Grey Wagtail, out in the fields flock of 12ish Redwing and out on the water a few Teal and Shovelers hanging on. At Wiltstone not too much around apart from 16 Fieldfare and a few Wigeon out with the ducks and a few Red Kites overhead.

Feeding Water Pipit

Male Red-crested Pochard

On the way home stopped off at Heartwood Forest to search for the Corn Bunting which had been reported the day off no sign off any but did have the added bonus of 15 Golden Plovers Flying over a new bird on the site for me.

Snipes about

With reports of Jack Snipe though i head down to this local reserve on thursday and what not disappointed with 3 Common snipes, 2 Jack Snipes though only realised there were two after reviewing my photos around a pair of Little Grebes and a few kingfishers around seen threes time though could have been the same bird and over the nearby woods had a pair of Buzzard displaying which is always great to see.

Common Snipe

Jack Snipe but distance

Image showing there 2 jack snipe with the size difference

Male Little grebe

Birding through the lunch hour

On monday it felt a bit spring so on my lunch hour had a nice walk around Verulamium Park good numbers of Black-headed gulls, Coots and Tufted Ducks and singing robins around the park. On the Herons nest quite empty with just a single bird on the nest. While sitting to have my lunch had a nice view of a magpie showing off its intresting tail which i never noticed before. Then while walking back caught a nice view of a female pochard out in the lake.

Female Pochard on the lake