Hampshire - 25.1.26

Killdeer

I joined Brendon Fagan for a trip down south and our first stop was a new site for me. Ripley Farm Reservoir had held a drake Baikal Teal a few years ago but this time it held something from the other side of the planet in the shape of a Killdeer. It was almost 20 years since I’d seen my one and only in the UK with one at Blakeney Freshmarsh. It showed well on the far bank of the small reservoir though occasionally disappearing behind some furrows.

Also on the water was an adult Little Gull which I failed to see last year.

Little Gull

After our fill of these two we headed down the road to the village of Avon where after a bit of a wait we finally saw our intended target when Brendon picked out the big lump of a White-tailed Eagle as it headed south. It was one of the Isle of Wight introduction birds but it’s good enough for the year list!

White-tailed Eagle

News of a Red-necked Grebe at Hythe marina saw us heading over but upon arrival a strong wind and heavy showers made looking for it tricky and as such we didn’t see it. I did however find a Great Northern Diver so it wasn’t a total loss.

Great-tailed Grackle

Our final stop was in the village of Holbury where after a short wait staring into a small front garden out popped a cracking male Great-tailed Grackle. It’d first been seen on the coast but had moved inland after a couple of days. It was a wild bird from America but as they’re not known as a long distance migrant and it most likely arrived on a boat docking at Southampton it isn’t tickable though if I’d not seen them before in America it would’ve been a world tick but not a UK tick! 

 

Watford

The next few days things were added to the list whilst at work including 3 Redpoll, 2 Egyptian Goose and Peregrine.

Great Gaddesden - 4.1.26

After a message from George Moreton letting me know he’d had as many as 6 Jack Snipe at his local patch I decided to join him the following night to see if we could find any. I arrived first and added Stonechat and Tawny Owl to the year list before we wandered out into the flooded field but sadly despite it being dark and below freezing a woman was walking her dog right through the area as we arrived! With the use of my thermal monocular we still managed to pick out 2 birds along with a couple of their common cousins.

Hemel - 2/3.1.26

 Coal Tit and House Sparrow on the garden feeders made the year list. 

Tring - 1.1.26

Great White Egret

So another year’s birding begins and after my biggish year in 2025 which finished on 250 species (my 2nd highest total) this year wasn’t going to be as busy/manic. I started the year at Tring Reservoirs slowly going around the 4 reservoirs year ticking everything I saw. From the hide at Wilstone a Great White Egret was the highlight though 3 Black Swan tried hard to be notable!

Black Swan

At Tringford another Great White Egret was showing on the far side along with 9 Little Grebe.

Great White Egret

Tundra Bean Geese

The real highlight of the day was 5 Tundra Bean Geese in a field viewed from the canal between the reservoirs and Bulbourne. These were part of a National influx and were the first birds around Tring since the 14 birds 20 years previously. The day ended on 64 species.