Tring - 24.4.17

1 of the 2 Black Tern

A quick dash up once Carey had got home saw 2 adult Black Terns make it onto the year list along with Sedge Warbler and Swift.

Garden Mega - 23.4.17

5 hours of gardening was made more bearable when a Hawfinch flew NE over as I was putting the tools back in the shed. One of the best birds I've had on any of my garden lists.

Tyttenhanger - 17.4.17

A tweet saying that a Hooded Crow had been seen by my mate Ricky as it headed over Tyttenhamger GP's got me out the house and on site but despite a good bit of searching this county mega had obviously gone straight through. But I did see my first Whitethroat and White Wagtail of the year along with 4 LRP and 2 Yellow Wagtail.

Patch Again - 16.4.17

Yellow Wagtail

No sooner had I arrived at the viewpoint at College Lake than I heard my first Reed Warbler of the year singing from the path to the Octagon hide. As I walked around I heard some terns and once on them I was delighted to find they were 4 Arctic Terns. They didn't stay long and soon headed off towards the reservoirs. A Lesser Whitethroat was rattling at The Twist but the rest of the walk round was uneventful.

Wilstone was my next stop and from the hide I got onto the Common Sandpiper feeding out at the base of one of the trees on Drayton bank. At the jetty I almost stood on a stunning male Yellow Wagtail.

Startops had another Common Sandpiper and not a lot else!

Cassiobury Park - 15.4.17

Despite it being a Saturday I was up fairly early and into (work!) but it was for a good reason. Last years Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that I'd found had reappeared in the same spot and drawing in birders from afar to come see it. Unfortunately on arrival a military fitness type group were nearby with a very noisy instructor which possibly lead to the bird being elusive and only being seen in flight. What was good is that I saw a female too which raises hope of breeding. Others had also seen another male! This became my 150th species for the year.

Cattle Egret! - 12.4.17

Cattle Egret

An after work visit to the patch proved to be very fruitful. On walking out to the viewpoint at College Lake I noticed a white bird on the left hand island. Thinking it's probably a Little I was stunned to find upon looking at it through my scope that it had an orangey bill and crown. It was a Cattle Egret! I quickly grabbed a record shot in case it flew and then ran into the centre to inform the staff of my find. A 1st for the reserve no less! Next it was to get the news out and inform the locals. Quite quickly they started to appear and get a view. It was flighty but stuck around until closing ending up on the tern raft on the far side of the reserve. It also became my first self found 3 pointer for the patchwork challenge thereby giving me 3 bonus points!Willow Warbler and 2 Little Ringed Plover also made it onto the year list.

Marsworth was my next stop. A House Martin was a year first as were the pair of Mandarin that I'd managed to walk past without seeing them. On Startops Common Tern and 3 Yellow Wagtail were also year firsts and finally a pair of Red-Crested Pochard were on Wilstone.

Summer? - 11.4.17

A single Swallow flew over Vicarage Road cemetery this afternoon.

Home - 29.3.17

A Sand Martin flew over the garden as I was sat looking out of the window. A nice garden tick.

Wilstone + College Lake - 11.3.17

Whilst trawling through my Twitter feed I stumbled across a post informing us of Garganey up at Wilstone. Soon I was on site and enjoying the sight of 4 Garganey (2 pairs). These were my earliest ever in the UK by almost a week. It was while watching these that a bird called from behind me as it flew overhead. It took the old brain a second or two to register that it was a Curlew! This was only my 2nd ever in Herts!

Before heading home I popped into College Lake and was rewarded with 3 new patch ticks for the year in the shape of Shelduck, Redshank and Oystercatcher

Wilstone Reservoir - 6.3.17

Kittiwake

A message on Twitter came to my attention from @Tringbirds saying there were 35 Kittiwakes on Wilstone! Thinking it maybe a fat thumb moment and he meant 3 or 5 I headed up anyway and on arrival ! was told that there was at least 1 on show and that 35 was correct but almost all of them had flown of into Bucks! In the end I managed to see 5 birds of varying age and plumage and as a result get a Tring tick.