Birthday Birding (19th December)

I've just turned 21 and there was nothing I wanted to do more than go and revisit my old haunt, the Tring Res's!  I got dropped off at Wilstone Reservoir where I spent my time locating and watching the Water Pipit followed by the Little Stint on the spit.  Other than these two species there was little else to catch up on so it was off to the hide for a little relaxing birding which involved checking through the Golden Plover and Lapwing flocks (both numbering into the hundreds).

Water Pipit

Little Stint

A Black-tailed Godwit in front of the hide was a nice surprise and the usual wintering species littered the reservoir, including Goldeneye, Snipe, Water Rail and a Kingfisher.

As the afternoon wore on, I made a trip over to Marsworth and Startop's End Reservoir where a small group of us assembled on the causeway where we were treated to the awesome spectacle of the Starling murmuration.  It was a brilliant way to end the day and my birthday!

Starling murmuration over Marsworth Reservoir