Eveneing walk along Barnes Lane (11th August)

My dad, brother and I decided on an evening walk with Theo (the dog) along Barnes Lane.  As usual I brought my bins just in case I could find anything despite the fast decreasing visibility.  The first bird to reach our ears was a calling Tawny Owl, in the front garden of one of the houses were Barnes Lane joins Love Lane.  Almost from the beginning of Barnes Lane we were greeted with occasional flyover bats chattering just meters above our heads.  I decided to walk a little ahead to check the branch on which I have twice encountered Little Owls.  Nothing was there so I allowed the others to catch up when suddenly out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed a grey flash fly up from the ground onto the horizontal perch.  To my surprise it turned out to be a Little Owl, the only visible part was a grey outline of its head chest and belly, it didn't stay long either as it soon flew down through the aisle of poplar trees.  In the same field we also had an excellent view of a Red Fox skulking through the grass oblivious to our presence.

KL Woods (9th August)

Whilst walking our dog at 7pm I heard a calling ♀ Tawny Owl.  Only three "kee" shrill notes were uttered in the northern corner of the woods.

Tring and Ivinghoe (9th August)

Another great day out to Wilstone with my brother, this time with a lift to the reservoir at 6am and arriving about 30 minutes later.  Little Egret are still rising in numbers and our total count reached 24 Little Egrets (whilst we also located a second group of 9 in the northern corner of the reservoir, probably from the original 24 birds), 2 Dunlin (1 adult winter, 1 juvenile) were also feeding on the newly exposed spit leading to the jetty.  From the hide we gained excellent views of 8 Greenshanks, several Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers and 1♂ eclipse Wigeon.  The definite highlights was the recent arrival of a juvenile Spotted Redshank and a summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit (both feeding at times close to the hide).  The pair of feral Whooper Swans were also present in the northern corner of Wilstone and a Red Admiral was about.The next stop was Startop's End and Marsworth Reservoir were we encountered 2 Red Kites, and a Buzzard circling over the western corner of the reservoir.  A pair of Red-crested Pochard were also on Startop's (the male being in eclipse plumage).

Black-tailed Godwit at Wilstone Reservoir

COLLEGE LAKE

College Lake was almost empty and it seems as Wilstone has drawn all the waders and other birds to congregate there into larger numbers as winter flocks are beginning to gather.  As a result the only birds of note were 57 Canada Geese and a surprise Hobby that banked over the hide outside the visitor centre but then flew out of sight in a southerly direction.

IVINGHOE HILLS (INCOMBE HOLE)

The plan was for us to sit at the edge of Incombe hole for the rest of our trip and try our luck for the long-staying but temperamental Redstarts that were apparently present on the south-western side of the downs.  The first birds to turn up were 2 Ravens (a surprise site for the location and my first ever local bird), 3 Kestrels, 1 Red Kite and Yellowhammers.  Unfortunately we also came across a dead Polecat that seemed to have died of natural causes as no signs of injury or blood were present, the number of flies and variety of detritus feeders already feeding on the carcass indicated it had died relatively recently as early as yesterday or the day before, it was situated on the northern bank of Incombe Hole just under a kilometer from the nearest road (I'm open to any opinions as to its cause of death).

dead Polecat at Steps Hill

After searching since 1:30 and waiting for over an hour we were eventually rewarded with spectacular views of a ♀ Redstart perched in a hedge in the very northern most corner of the Valley!

footage of the female Redstart taken by my brother and I in Incombe Hole

Playing fields behind the KL School (8th August)

25+ Pied Wagtails (my highest count so far for this location), 1 juvenile Green Woodpecker and 1♀ Kestrel were the main birds of note when I visited the playing field behind the KL School in the late afternoon.  Gull numbers are also gradually increasing but still only consist of Black-headed and occasional Lesser Black-backs.

Cycle trip to Stockers Lake and other sites (3rd August)

The day started early and I was already at my first destination (up a small lane leading up from M25 roundabout just outside Watford) at around 6am, I was surprised at the number and variety of birds that I encountered despite the relatively normal location, the trick was obviously the early timing.  At least 5 Bullfinches were in the hedgerows including 3 fly over birds.  A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and calling Green Woodpecker were also present as well as a small flock of Linnets and the old oak trees lining they way hosted flocks of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits and Chiffchaff.  A pair of Buzzards also congregated at the Hunton Bridge.  Whilst cycling along the canal a pair of Kingfishers darted past before I arrived at my next stop, a small park just south of the M25 roundabout into Watford.  Here I saw 1 Reed Warbler, and other commoner species such as Goldfinch and Chiffchaff and a calling Bullfinch.

CASSIOBURY PARK

I cycled further into Watford to Cassiobury Park.  2 Ring-necked Parakeets (with dozens more heard), 3 Bullfinches, several Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a pair of Mistle Thrush's with 1 juvenile were the main birds of note.  I also heard a distinctive "plop" and crunching noise on reeds that is characteristic of a Water Vole, heard along the river Glade within the nature reserve of Cassio. Park.

CROXLEY COMMON MOOR

As usual several warbler species were present at Croxley Common Moor, including Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats and Reed Warblers (skulking in the reed margin on the north western side of the moor).  Reed Buntings were also throughout the area.

STOCKERS LAKE

Very little of interest at Stockers Lake except 2 Little Egrets, several sightings of a flypast Kingfisher and along the southern bank and a ♀ Sparrowhawk was circling with prey whilst being mobbed by House Martins uttering a distinctive "treew" alarm call.

Tring and Ivinghoe (1st August)

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

A relatively early start at Wilstone was definitely, and as usual, worth the effort as several long staying migrants have dropped whom I was hoping to encounter.  I counted in total 4 Common Sandpipers, feeding along the south-eastern bank, Lapwings were also present in 100's mainly on the newly ploughed fields behind the reservoir.  Dozens of Common Terns were also feeding over the reservoir together with 15+ roosting/feeding Little Egrets.  3 Green Sandpipers were the highlight of the day mainly on the south-eastern band of mud on the reservoir.  A surprising number of 20+ Mistle Thrushes were in a single dead tree on the north-western side of the reservoir and 5 Greenshanks were actively feeding infront of the hide.  Viewing from the hide also produced 1 Red Kite, 2♂ eclipse Wigeon and 2 Chinese Water Deer.  Commoner birds present included Teal, Gadwall and 2 Sparrowhawks (1 adult♂ and 1 juv.) in the woods behind the hide, the juvenile being mobbed by a Woodpigeon.  On the way round from the hide to the jetty I had 2 separate sightings of an adult and juvenile Water Rail on the muddy south-eastern bank, occasionally running for cover when a Lapwing would arrive but generally fed in the open.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR

Later in the day I bypassed Startop's End Reservoir were 2 Red-crested Pochard, and 2 feral Whooper Swans were the only birds of note.

COLLEGE LAKE

The next stop was only a mile away at College Lake, the breeding season had calmed down and there were no signs of the summering Redshanks.  The main birds of note here included a Little Ringed Plover, 1 Red Kite, and c. 60 gulls (mainly black-headed).  A surprise came in the form of a Red Underwing moth that flew into the hide, outside the visitor centre and landed on the window, making it rather difficult for focusing using the digital compact camera.

Red Underwing

siting on the glass window of the hide overlooking the nature reserve

 DUNSTABLE DOWNS

I then headed further towards Dunstable to the ridgeway path near Steps hill.  Only 1 Corn Bunting was seen as well as the commoner birds of prey such as 1 Buzzard, and 2 Kestrels.  The rising temperatures meant most birds remained in shaded cover or were at the local reservoirs for the lack of water as a result only 2 Stock Doves and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were the only other birds of note.  Butterflies on the other hand were more numerous and were mainly present on the downs including Peacock, Large White, Chalkhill Blue, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Small White.

Back home and birding behind the KL and RSSKL (31st July)

Playing field behind the KL School

After the holidays in Scotland it was nice to come back to my local patch.  I first headed out behind the KL school were I encountered 1juv. Green Woodpecker feeding on the playing field and a Gatekeeper Butterfly.

Behind the RSSKL

Dozens of Starlings were viewed in the fields along Chipperfield Road from the cow field just over the A41.  An unusual encounter of 5+ Spotted Flycatchers (including 3 adults and 2 juveniles) was also an unexpected and good find.