Tring, College Lake And Pitstone - 9.4.23

Willow Warbler

Shelduck

Common Tern

 After the excitement of the day before I was up early to put some chocolate eggs in the garden on behalf of the Easter bunny for the kids to find once they’d woken up. I arrived at Wilstone at 7am and while putting my boots on a Yellow Wagtail flew east. A walk round added a pair of Shelduck, Mandarin, Treecreeper, six Swallow, a handful of Sand Martin, pair of Bullfinch and a late Fieldfare. 

At Marsworth were another two Mandarin, two Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Tern and a screeching Water Rail.

Tringford was quiet and back full of water but a Lesser Redpoll flew over the hide.

College Lake held another/the same pair of Shelduck and a couple of Willow Warbler.

Pitstone Quarry failed to produce any LRP but there was a single Redshank.

ALPINE SWIFT Garden Mega! - 8.4.23

 As the weather continued to be reasonable I decided to weed the shrub beds in the back garden as I’d been lazy last year and not bothered. Four hours in and only a couple of Linnet going over I suddenly heard the raucous calls of Black-headed Gulls. As I’d not had one over the garden for a few weeks I looked up and saw twenty birds circling around. 

Presumably non breeding birds I thought I’d better check them through the bins just in case the group contained something better like a Mediterranean Gull.  I walked up to the patio to get my bins and looked through them but they were all BH Gulls.  But while watching them I picked up a bird behind them flying fast and erratically and my initial thought was it was going to be one of the towns Peregrines hunting but it then dawned on me it that I was watching an Alpine Swift!! The characteristic deep powerful wing beats and large white breast patch were clearly noted. I watched it for around a minute as it zoomed about but as it was heading away towards Hemel town centre I then lost it behind my neighbour’s house and frustratingly didn’t pick it up again from the other side.

This was my second self found Alpine Swift for Herts (though the first one wasn’t accepted, not that that bothered me!) and my first in the UK for twenty years after seeing one at Minsmere back in 2003. I’m not sure I’ll beat that as a garden tick but if I do it’ll be some bird!

Four Swallow flew north while trying to see it again but alas that was it.

Hemel - 7.4.23

 As the weather was amazingly nice for a bank holiday I thought I’d a sit out on the patio and see what flew over. A Swallow headed north and was on the year list. A couple of Linnet and a group of three Stock Dove were also noted but while scanning over the town centre through my scope I noted Peregrine, two Sparrowhawk, ten Red Kite and a kettle of nine Buzzard. That group was one more than my biggest group in Herts. 

Cassiobury Park - 22.3.23

Mandarin pair and Wood Duck

With a Drs appointment mid morning I spent a couple of wet hours litter picking the park. A pair of Mandarin flew over Cha Cha cafe and down around the nature reserve the song of Chiffchaff filled the air  with at least 6 birds singing. A duelling couple of Treecreeper were so busy fighting each other they nearly flew into me but they were a year tick. On the lake at Cassiobury Farm were two pairs of Greylag Geese and from the hide were a pair of Mandarin and with them was a smart drake Wood Duck. Although an escape it was the first record for the park.  A Little Egret was in the river and a further three Mandarin flew over the canal.