2008:
Wed 31 Dec Wilstone: Adult Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (David Bilcock)
Wed 31 Dec Marsworth: 12.30: Bittern (preening itself in the reeds to the left of the lone tree immediately behind the red float closest to the reeds (John Hale)
Tue 30 Dec Marsworth: Bittern (perched about halfway up the reeds not far right of the isolated tree at the back of reed-bed), 153 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 7 Great Crested Grebes, Water Rail, 2 Common Kingfishers, Green Woodpecker (Lee Evans)
Mon 29 Dec Wilstone: 3 Goldeneye ( 2 M, 1 F), Peregrine through (Mike Collard); Little Egret (flew in to roost in the bushes in front of the hide), Chiffchaff (feeding along the res. edge just above the water near N corner), plus Red Kite over Wilstone village (Roy Hargreaves)
Sun 28 Dec Wilstone: Chiffchaff (near N corner) (Roy Hargreaves);
Sat 27 Dec Marsworth: Bittern (about 4 feet back from the water just left of centre of the new "island" of reeds) (Howard Clarke)
Fr1 26 Dec Wilstone: 2 Goldeneye (1M 1F), Red Kite flying near car park (Philip Tyler)
Wed 24 Dec Wilstone: 20 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mute Swans, 145 Greylag Geese, 322+ Common Teal, 49 Northern Shoveler, 538 Eurasian Wigeon, 264 Tufted Duck, 161 Northern Pochard, 2 F Common Goldeneye, 2 M Ruddy Duck, 378+ Common Coot, 1 Herring Gull (juv), 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult) (Lee Evans)
Wed 24 Dec Startopsend: 1 first-winter Mute Swan, 76 Coot, 42 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard and 1 drake Shoveler (Lee Evans)
Wed 24 Dec Marsworth: 3 Great Crested Grebes, 174 Shoveler, 4 Coot and Song Thrush in full song (Lee Evans)
Wed 24 Dec Tringford: 2 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Mute Swans, 4 Grey Herons, 4 Gadwall, 7 Tufted Duck and 34 Coots (Lee Evans)
Tue 23 Dec Wilstone: 3 Shellduck, Greylag flock still in fields near Cemetry (Roy Hargreaves)
Tue 23 Dec Marsworth: Bittern (in the reeds left of the first cut ride, but extremely elusive and low down in the reeds, only visible when preening), plus 2 Water Rails (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 22 Dec Wilstone: 3 Canada Geese (briefly), possible Lesser Redpoll heard - res. now full, with water spilling over overflow (Roy Hargreaves)
Sat 20 Dec Wilstone: c120 Greylag Geese in fields between res. and cemetery (Keith Evans)
Sat 20 Dec Marsworth: Bittern (see above), also a single Daubenton's bat was hunting low over the water nearby (David Bilcock)
Thu 18 Dec Wilstone: am: Little Egret (vainly looking for mud?) (Roy Hargreaves)
Tue 16 Dec Wilstone: am: F Smew, 2 M Goosanders over (Roy Hargreaves); plus 5 Goldeneye (1M 5F), 19 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 16 Cormorants, 12 Mute Swans, 117 Greylag Geese (plus two hybrids), 14 Canada Geese, 32 Mallard, 3 Gadwall, 553 Eurasian Wigeon, 273 Common Teal, 9 Northern Shoveler, 112 Tufted Duck, 67 Northern Pochard, 1 M Ruddy Duck, 227 Lapwings, 5 Common Snipe, 40 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls (adult & first-winter), 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd-winter), Jay (over), Song Thrush (near car park) (Lee Evans)
Tue 16 Dec Startopsend: 70 Tufted Duck, 20 Northern Pochard, 5 Pied Wagtail (in horse paddocks), 1 Meadow Pipit (Lee Evans)
Mon 15 Dec Wilstone: late am: 1 Song Thrush, 1 Jay, 33 Long-tailed Tits (in the bushes near red life buoy), 119 Greylag on reservoir near jetty, 12 Mute Swans, 256 Lapwing, 4 Goldeneye (2M + 2F), Kestrel near Cafe, Red Kite over car park (Adrian Condon)
Sun 14 Dec Wilstone: 13 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 32 Cormorant, 15 Mute Swan (incl. 1 first-winter), 117 Greylag Geese (in sodden field north of Cemetery), 513 Eurasian Wigeon, 231 Common Teal, 4 only Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 87 Tufted Duck, 86 Northern Pochard, 2 F Common Goldeneye (by jetty), 241 Lapwing, Common Kestrel (female by road) (Lee Evans)
Sun 14 Dec Startopsend: 23 Tufted Ducks plus one 'Greater Scaup-like' hybrid (with a flat crown and striking white blaze on the forehead & a hint of a tuft at rear of crown), 2 F Common Goldeneye (Lee Evans)
Sun 14 Dec Marsworth: 3 Great Crested Grebe, 213 Shoveler ( feeding around the algae bunds), 3 Pochard, 2 squealing Water Rail, Common Buzzard (the usual adult), M Bullfinch (in the 'wood'), 258 Common Starling (flew in to roost), 2 Reed Bunting (to roost), 164 Corn Buntings (a complete roost count, birds arriving between 15:17 and 15:48, a further reduction in numbers and continuing the year-on-year fall at this only traditional roost in the region) (Lee Evans)
Sun 14 Dec Tringford: 3 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, 3 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 23 Eurasian Coot (Lee Evans)
Sat 13 Dec Marsworth: 1 Water Rail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, only a very small Starling roost (c.50 birds) (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 11 Dec Startopsend: Little Owl (above Piggeries Pine) (Lynne Lambert)
Wed 10 Dec Wilstone: am Little Egret (Roy Hargreaves)
Sun 7 Dec Wilstone: 85 Common Gulls in gull roost (Steve Rodwell); early pm, reservoir partly frozen: 11 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 19 Mute Swans (including a first-winter), 10 Greylag Geese, 67 Mallard, 516 Eurasian Wigeon, 241 Common Teal, just 5 Gadwall, an outstanding 235 Northern Shoveler (in two groups of 104 & 131), 114 Tufted Duck, 71 Northern Pochard, 4 female Common Goldeneye (in the open patch near the hide) and 3 Lapwings(Lee Evans)
Sun 7 Dec Startopsend: 2 Goldeneye amongst Tufted Ducks and Pochards (David Bilcock); 2 Redhed Goosander, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Shoveler, 68 Tufted Duck and 78 Coots (Lee Evans)
Sun 7 Dec Marsworth: Chiffchaff behind res., 2 or 3 Water Rails calling, plus a much reduced Starling roost (2-300 only) plus M&F Blackcap in Marsworth village (Steve Rodwell); Cetti's Warbler singing, Little Grebe with Great Crested Grebes (Ben Miller)
Sun 7 Dec Tringford: 6 Mute Swans, 2 Shovelers, 3 Great Crested Grebes and 11 Coot (Lee Evans)
Sat 6 Dec Wilstone: juv Peregrine & Goosander through, plus possible Caspian Tern through (David Bilcock/Warren Claydon)
Tue 2 Dec Wilstone: 12 Great Crested Grebe, 27 Cormorant, 9 ad. Mute Swan, 498 Eurasian Wigeon, 296 Common Teal, 6 Shoveler, 102 Tufted Duck, 92 Northern Pochard, 4 Ruddy Duck, 408 Eurasian Coot, 816+ Black-headed Gull (with more still arriving), 73 Common Gull (predominantly adults), 1 Mistle Thrush (Lee Evans)
Tue 2 Dec Startopsend: 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Mute Swan, 27 Mallard, 1 Teal, 75 Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard, 68 Coot (Lee Evans)
Tue 2 Dec Marsworth: 5 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mallard, 12 Pochard, 224 Shoveler ( mass-shovelling by algae bunds), 4 Coot, 1 F Sparrowhawk, 2 squealing Water Rail, 8 Redwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler singing, plus 52 Corn Buntings, 3 Reed Buntings and just 500 Common Starlings going to roost in reeds (Lee Evans)
Tue 2 Dec Tringford: 10 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 8 Mallard, 1 M Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 7 Pochard, 21 Coot (Lee Evans)
Mon 1 Dec Wilstone: 25-30 Fieldfare and Redwing and 1 Mistle Thrush (in field near overflow) (Jim Heron)
Fri 28 Nov Wilstone: c2,000 Black-headed Gulls in gull roost (David Bilcock); plus 2 F Goosander (Jim Heron)
Thu 27 Nov Wilstone: 134 Lapwings, 21 Golden Plover, 500+ Wigeon (244 of them near hide), 2 Goldeneyes, 100+ Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, 100+ Shovelers (Adrian Condon)
Tue 25 Nov Wilstone: probable immature marsh Harrier hunting low over reed-bed, Meadow Pipit (Derek Girvan)
Sun 23 Nov Wilstone: pm: 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull (briefly), 3 Herring Gulls, also a ringed juvenile cormorant roosting on the rocks in the centre of the reservoir - it had a white darvic ring (green lettering) on its left leg - HELP! if anyone can read the lettering please let us have the details - contact details above (David Bilcock)
Sat 22 Nov Wilstone: early am: 3 F Goosanders (briefly), 5 Goldeneyes, 1 Red-crested Pochard (David Bilcock)
Sat 22 Nov Marsworth: Another splendid disply from the 1,000+ Starlings swirling against the pink sunset sky before going to roost mostly along the NE side this time (Keith Evans)
Sat 22 Nov Tringford: early am: 1 drake Goosander with the Tufted ducks (David Bilcock)
Fri 21 Nov Wilstone: am: M Pintail (Sue Rowe) pm: 1 Mediterranean Gull in Gull roost (David Bilcock)
Wed 19 Nov Wilstone: 16 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 15 ad. Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 94 Greylag Geese, 332 Eurasian Wigeon, 256 Common Teal, 5 Gadwall, 85 Northern Shoveler, 59 Northern Pochard, 97 Tufted Duck, 1 F Red-crested Pochard, 3 F Common Goldeneye, 1 M Ruddy Duck, 432 Lapwings, 243 European Golden Plovers, 2 ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Little Owl (roosting in bush behind car park), 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 25 Redwings (in hedge near overflow) (Lee Evans)
Wed 19 Nov Startopsend: 26 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Mute Swan (2 adults with 1 first-winter), 63 Tufted Duck (Lee Evans)
Wed 19 Nov Marsworth: 166 Shoveler (in feeding frenzy inc. 50+ birds all 'shovelling' together in mass), 9 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 squealing Water Rail, 1 Little Grebe, 6 Fieldfare (over), 4 Redwing, 4 Common Gull (over), 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk (hunting near dusk), 7 Grey Wagtails (in communal roost at edge of reed bed), 3 Reed Bunting, 120 Corn Buntings to roost (between 15:30and 16:09), 1,600+ Common Starling wheeling around between 15:50 until going to roost around 16:05 (Lee Evans)
Wed 19 Nov Tringford: 3 Great Crested Grebes, 13 roosting Cormorants, 5 ad. Mute Swans, 4 Gadwall and 4 Pochards, plus Common Treecreeper, Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 12 Long-tailed Tit (in two parties), Wren, 5 Goldcrests, 15 Common Blackbirds, 3 Redwings, 2 Common Stonechats (a pair by the canal and horse paddocks), 7 Goldfinch, 3 European Robins (all behind reservoir and along to Little Tring) and 25 Feral Pigeons (on the flour mill) (Lee Evans)
Tue 18 Nov Wilstone: 2 (feral) Whooper Swan & 6 Ruddy Dk (S Blackmore HBC)
Mon 17 Nov Wilstone: mid pm: 2 male Pintails, 100+ Lapwings, 11 Snipe, 2 Whooper Swans, and 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Meadow Pipit on mud, plus 3 Goldcrest, 5 Chaffinch behind hide, plus 44 Redwing, 23 Fieldfare, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Song Thrush and 100+ Starlings from trees and hedge by new outflow (Adrian Condon)
Sun 16 Nov Wilstone: 1 third-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 5 Herring Gulls in gull roost, F Red-crested Pochard (Steve Rodwell with David Bilcock)
Sat 15 Nov Wilstone: female Goosander, female Red-crested Pochard (David Bilcock); plus Dunlin (still), 2 Whooper Swans (still), and 16 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 5 Grey Heron (making a total of 17 overall), 10 ad. Mute Swans, 311+ Eurasian Wigeon, 235+ Common Teal, 16 Gadwall, 158 Northern Shoveler, 127+ Tufted Duck, 56 Northern Pochard, 300 Coot, 458 Lapwing, 302 European Golden Plover, 6+ Common Snipe (Lee Evans); possibly second F Goosander (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 15 Nov Startopsend: female Goosander am until 09:20 (Mike Wallen); 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 adult Mute Swans, 63 Tufted Ducks, 2 Ruddy Ducks (Lee Evans)
Sat 15 Nov Marsworth: 3.45-4.15pm: Fabulous displays from the >1,000 Starlings wheeling and swirling before diving to roost in the reed-bed near canal, 150+ Shoveler feeding in several dense groups (Keith Evans); and earlier: 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Mute Swan (2 adults and a first-winter) (Lee Evans); 1 Water Rail (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 15 Nov Tringford: 5 drake Red-crested Pochards (David Bilcock); 6 Manderin Ducks (5 drakes and 1female) by in SW corner, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 12 Grey Heron (roosting), 18 Cormorant, 4 ad. Mute Swans, 3 Common Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 1 ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Lee Evans); 40+ Siskins. 2 Stonechats still in fields behind (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 14 Nov Wilstone: Goosander - the 'redhead' still in NW corner (Lee Evans); plus early pm: 26 Snipe in front of hide, 42 Cormorants, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Siskin near Tea Rooms, 2 Song Thrushes (Adrian Condon)
Thu 13 Nov Wilstone: Goosander - a single 'redhead' roosting NW corner, plus 16 Great Crested Grebe, 51 Cormorants roosting, 9 Mute Swan (all adults), 19 Greylag Geese, 43 Mallard, 587+ Eurasian Wigeon, 334+ Common Teal, 33 Gadwall, 22 Northern Shoveler, 145 Tufted Duck, 96 Northern Pochard, 1 Ruddy Duck (winter drake) (Lee Evans)
Thu 13 Nov Startopsend: 28 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Mute Swans (inc 1 first-winter), 8 Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 65 Tufted Duck, 11 Pochard, 68 Coot, 1 adult Common Gull, 4 Common Blackbird, 3 Goldcrest (Lee Evans)
Thu 13 Nov Marsworth: 6 Great Crested Grebe (including 2 first-winters), 18 Mallard, 1 Common Kingfisher, 1 Redwing (over), 1 Wren, 1 Cetti's Warbler (still near overflow), plus a staggering feeding 'frenzy' of 197 Northern Shovelers, 'shovelling' around the algae bund floats (Lee Evans)
Thu 13 Nov Tringford: 2 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Grey Heron (roosting in trees), 3 Mute Swans (adults), 8 Tufted Duck, 34 Coot (Lee Evans)
Wed 12 Nov Startopsend: 24 Great-crested Grebes (Lynne Lambert)
Wed 12 Sep Marsworth: Another good Starling display of 1,000-1,500 birds before dropping down to roost in reedbed at 4:15pm, also c15 Corn Buntings, Water Rail calling, 197 Shoveller feeding in small groups (Lynne Lambert)
Mon 10 Nov Wilstone: 90 Golden Plover, 255 Lapwing, 12 Snipe, 1 Little Egret (Lynne Lambert)
Sun 9 Nov Wilstone: Black-headed Gull roost contained 28 Common Gulls, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 3 Herring Gulls (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 9 Nov Marsworth: 1000+ Starling in swirling flocks going to roost in reed-bed being harrsassed by a M Sparrowhawk (Lynne Lambert)
Sat 8 Nov Wilstone: 21 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, 51 Cormorants roosted, 19 Mute Swan, 19 Greylag Goose, 1 Canada Goose, 400+ Wigeon, 264 Teal 272, 125 Tufted Duck, 125 Shoveler, 41 Mallard, 93 Pochard, 9 Gadwall, 2 Ruddy Duck, 1 Pintail, 64 Moorhen, 484+ Coot, 379 Lapwing, 400+ Golden Plover, 2 Grey Wagatil, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Herring Gull (second-winter); later 2000+ Black-headed Gulls, 41 Common Gulls, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 adult Mediterannean Gull (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 8 Nov Startopsend: 22 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Mute Swan (+1 on adjacent canal), 2 Greylag Goose & 1 Canada Goose all on adjacent canal, 3 Teal, 62 Tufted Duck, 16 Mallard (+32 on adjacent canal), 6 Pochard, 10 Moorhen, 55 Coot, 2 Grey Wagatil, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Siskin (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 8 Nov Marsworth: 8 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Tufted Duck, 15 Mallard, 3 Moorhen, 3 Coot; plus at dusk: Starlig roost and 1 Daubenton's Bat (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 8 Nov Tringford: 6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 10 Mute Swan, 5 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Shoveler, 22 Mallard, 12 Gadwall, 5 Moorhen, 6 Coot; plus 2 Stonechats in field behind & 81 Feral Pigeons at flour mill. (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 7 Nov Wilstone: late am/early pm: Northern Pintail M, 2F Common Goldeneye, 404 European Golden Plover, 6 Ruddy Duck, 1 Red Kite over plus others: 15 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Little Grebes, 41 Sinensis Cormorants, 18 Mute Swans (plus unusually a family group of 9 birds - adult pair with 7 cygnets - flew around the reservoir at 1241 hours and then headed off east; and a dead first-winter killed overnight (presumably by a Red Fox), 18 Greylag Geese (inc 1 sick juvenile), 332 Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Gadwall, 235+ Common Teal, 105 Northern Shoveler, 71 Northern Pochard, 597 Eurasian Coot, 96 Moorhen, 428 Lapwings, 3 Common Snipes, 154+ Black-headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull (adult), 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull (adults), 2 Common Pheasants (in front of hide), 1 Common Buzzard over, 5 Meadow Pipits on North Bank, 2 Grey Wagtails (first-winters) in front of hide, 1 Common Chiffchaff by hide, 21 Long-tailed Tits (two groups 8 and 13) (Lee Evans)
Thu 6 Nov Wilstone: mid pm: 1M 1F Pintail, 1 Wren in front of hide; 2 Whooper Swans; 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Rock Pipits & 3 Pied Wagtails (all on mud), 14 Snipe, 24 Greylag Geese, 1 Kestrel, 2 Red Legged Partridges in field near the old outflow; Redwings in bushes on NE side, Song Thrushes in bushes on Cemetery side; 200+ Lapwings, 450+ Golden Plover, 50+ Shovelers, 35+ Woodpigeons (25+ on tree in middle of field & 10 on a boundary tree (Adrian Condon)
Wed 5 Nov Wilstone: Gull roost contained 1,500-2,000 Black-headed Gulls, 13+ Common Gulls, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 adult Herring Gull and 1 first-winter Greater Black-backed Gull, plus 1 Goldeneye and 1 Little Owl (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 5 Nov Startopsend: 43 Cormorant (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 5 Nov Marsworth: 41 Shoveler, 1 Little Owl, 1 Water Rail, 17 Long-tailed Tits (including several ringed birds), plus , several bats pm including probably a Daubenton's Bat (medium sized, flying low over the water) (Steve Rodwell)
Tue 4 Nov Wilstone: early/mid pm: 4 Whooper Swans (2 regulars joined briefly by 2 more), and 22 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Little Grebe, 45 Sinensis Cormorant roosting, 4 Grey Heron, plus >1,000 wildfowl: 20 Mute Swans (inc 2 first-winters), 19 Greylag Geese, 43 Mallard, 277 Common Teal, 316 Eurasian Wigeon, 13 Gadwall, 112 Shoveler, 3 Northern Pintail (2M 1F), 122 Tufted Duck, 86 Pochard, 1 Common Goldeneye, 6 Ruddy Duck, plus large rise in waders: 344 Lapwings, 594 European Golden Plover, 9 Common Snipe, and 77 Black-headed Gulls, 1 adult Common Gull, 4 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Eurasian Sparrowhawk (female over), c200 Woodpigeon (36 in tree near car park, with 150+ in flight over fields to north), 8 Collared Doves (near Wilstone Great Farm), Green Woodpecker (in Poplars near Hide), Common Kingfisher (near overflow), 14 Pied Wagtails, 3 Grey Wagtails, 2 Meadow Pipits (all on exposed mud), Mistle Thrush, 24 Fieldfares over, 35 Common Starlings, Brambling near overflow (Lee Evans); 2nd Goldeneye also seen (Adrian Condon)
Tue 4 Nov Startopsend: 29 Great Crested Grebes, 23 Cormorants feeding, Little Grebe, 2 Greylag Geese, 5 Common Teal, 44 Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard, 15 Long-tailed Tits (around the car park) and 9 Fieldfare (Lee Evans)
Tue 4 Nov Marsworth: 6 Great Crested Grebes (including the 2 noisy juveniles), 8 Northern Shovelers, 2 Cettio's Warblers calling/exploding from the reedbed (Lee Evans)
Mon 3 Nov Wilstone: 20 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, 24 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 17 Greylag Geese, 34 Mallard, 7 Gadwall, 263 Eurasian Wigeon, 297 Common Teal, Chiloe Wigeon (an escape - it natively breeds in southern Argentina/Chile/Falkland Islands, migrating to winter in Paraquay/Uruquay/southern Brazil), 1 Northern Pintail, 148 Northern Shoveler, 117 Tufted Duck, 72 Northern Pochard, 2 Common Goldeneye, 5 Ruddy Duck, 484 Eurasian Coot, 107 Moorhen, 303 European Golden Plover, 341 Lapwing, 1 Dunlin (flew off south at 1215), 14 Common Snipes, 5 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Collared Dove (at Wilstone Great Farm), 11 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtails, 7 Meadow Pipits, 9 European Robin (surrounding hedgerows), 8 Common Blackbird (in the small wood next to East Bank), Song Thrush (male singing in the small wood) (Lee Evans)
Mon 3 Nov Startopsend: 22 Great Crested Grebe including 1 with 2 juveniles, 15 Pochard, 1 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 32 Black-headed gulls, 6 Cormorants, 45 Tufted Duck, 38 Coot, 4 Mute Swan (Lynne Lambert)
Sun 2 Nov Wilstone: Grey Plover (David Bilcock); plus small numbers of Herring Gulls over throughout the day - 21 in 4 hours inc 2 adults in the roost, up to 5 Greater Black-backed Gulls (inc 2 adults, 2 first-winter & 1 third-winter of which 1adult & 1first-winter in roost), 1 first-winter Mediterranean Gull, 21 Common Gulls, 48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 15 Dunlin pm, 1 Rock Pipit near overflow late pm, plus 1 Daubenton's Bat and 1 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell) plus others (late am/earlypm): 19 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 23 Cormorant, 21 Mute Swan, 2 Whooper Swans back, 15 Greylag Geese, 43 Mallard, 250+ Eurasian Wigeon, 1 Chiloe Wigeon (adult M moulting out of eclipse), 298+ Common Teal, 125+ Northern Shoveler, 76 Northern Pochard, 105 Tufted Duck, 2 Northern Pintail, 5 Ruddy Duck, 169 European Golden Plover, 6 Common Snipe, Common Kingfisher, Yellowhammer (Lee Evans)
Sun 2 Nov Marsworth: at least 1 Daubenton's Bat plus several other species of bat (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 1 Nov Wilstone: am: Rock Pipit, Redshank, Goldeneye; pm: 2 Herring Gulls gull roost and 3 Dunlins with Lapwings (David Bilcock); and a possible Chiloe Wigeon or hybrid resembling one with Eurasian Wigeon (Roy Hargreaves); plus 258 Teal (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 1 Nov Startopsend: 18 Teal (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 31 Oct Wilstone: early pm: 12 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 29 Cormorant, 32 Mute Swan (inc. 2 first-winters & 4 cygnets), 13 Greylag Geese, 220 Eurasian Wigeon, 9 Gadwall, 312 Common Teal, 135 Northern Shoveler (many later moved to Marsworth and Startopsend - see below), 5 Northern Pintail (2M 3F), 133 Tufted Duck, 76 Northern Pochard, 5+ Ruddy Duck, 2 Common Goldeneye, 100 European Golden Plover, 222 Lapwing ( 135 on reservoir & 87 in Cemetery Corner Fields), Dunlin, 4 Common Snipe, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Yellowhammer (in hedgerow bordering north end of reservoir (Lee Evans)
Fri 31 Oct Startopsend: 27 Shoveler (Steve Rodwell); plus 23 Great Crested Grebes, 2 drake Common Teal, 8 Northern Pochard and 78 Tufted Ducks (Lee Evans)
Fri 31 Oct Marsworth: 85 Shoveler, 46 Black-headed Gulls (until dark), 1 Water Rail plus1 Daubenton's Bat - rather surprising as the temperature was 5 C (Steve Rodwell); plus 1 Little Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 1 adult Mute Swan, 1 Grey Wagtail, plus 1 very vocal Cetti's Warbler near overflow (Lee Evans)
Fri 31 Oct Tringford: 7 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 4 adult Mute Swans (Lee Evans)
Wed 29 Oct Wilstone: am: winter-plumage Dunlin, Redshank and Common Sandpiper amidst reduced Golden Plover flock, plus the Stonechat
by Rushy Meadow (Roy Hargreaves) and also at Rushy Meadow c20 Redwing (Doug Helsby); plus 29 Great Crested Grebes (large influx totalling 70 in total on all reservoirs), 6 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 15 Cormorant, 23 Mute Swan, the 2 Whooper Swans, 88 Eurasian Wigeon, 11 Gadwall, 200+ Common Teal, 4 Northern Pintail (4M 3F), 138 Northern Shoveler, 69 Northern Pochard, 107 Tufted Duck, 7 Ruddy Duck (4M 1F 2juv), 238+ Lapwing, 93 European Golden Plover, 5 Common Snipe, plus 24 Fieldfares (in field near Cemetery), 3 Skylark (west), 1 Chaffinch (west) (Lee Evans)
Wed 29 Oct Startopsend: 29 Great Crested Grebes (Lee Evans)
Wed 29 Oct Marsworth: 7 Great Crested Grebes (Lee Evans)
Wed 29 Oct Tringford: 5 Great Crested Grebes (Lee Evans)
Tue 28 Oct Wilstone: Goldeneye, M Stonechat, c200 Golden Plover (Roy Hargreaves); plus Richard's Pipit flew SW over Miswell Farm SE of reservoir at 0753 (BN HBC and Roy Hargreaves); plus am: Common Sandpiper & pm: Redshank and 1,000+ Black-headed Gulls in roost (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 27 Oct Wilstone: Goldeneye plus M Stonechat on hedge near Rushy Meadow (Roy Hargreaves); 6 drake Pintail and 7 Ruddy Duck and 'plenty' of Golden Plover (Mike Wallen); mid pm: 214 Golden Plover and the single Dunlin (Charlie Jackson)
Sun 26 Oct Wilstone: am: juv. (Greater) Scaup (David Bilcock); am: Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, pm: 1 Herring Gull, 1 Dunlin (Steve Rodwell); plus 3 Little Grebe, 24 Mute Swan, 2 Whooper Swans, 235 Common Teal, 78 Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Gadwall, 7 Northern Pintail, 86 Northern Pochard, 5 Ruddy Duck, 235 Eurasian Golden Plover, 208 Black-headed Gulls pre-roosted, with several Common Gulls, the 1 Herring Gull and 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher (Lee Evans)
Sun 26 Oct Tringford: Kingfisher (Howard Clarke)
Sat 25 Oct Wilstone: 215 Golden Plover (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 25 Oct Startopsend: 8 Siskins (Steve Rodwell)
Tue 21 Oct Wilstone: 25 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Little Grebes, 18 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 201 Common Teal, 87 Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Northern Pintail, 118 Northern Shoveler, 85+ Northern Pochard, 92 Tufted Ducks, 537 Common Coot, 512 Lapwings, 202 European Golden Plover, 1 Dunlin, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Common Buzzard over (Lee Evans)
Tue 21 Oct Startopsend: 9 Great Crested Grebes, 19 Common Teal , 49 Shoveler, 24 Northern Pochard (Lee Evans)
Sat 18 Oct Wilstone: Rock Pipit (near jetty) (Roy Hargreaves); plus early pm: 20 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 41 Greylag Geese, 9 Northern Pintails, 122 Northern Shovelers, 84 Northern Pochards, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 153 European Golden Plover, 498 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 4 Snipe, 3 Grey Wagtails (Lee Evans) late pm: 2 Dunlin, 160+ Golden Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk sitting on post near reedbed (Keith Evans)
Fri 17 Oct Wilstone: am: up to 106 Golden Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper and now only the 2 feral Whooper Swans, 14 Common Snipe, 7 Northern Pintail (inc 4 M), plus 31+ Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes, 12 Mute Swans, 56 Greylag Geese, 116 Eurasian Wigeon, 298 Common Teal, 37 Northern Shoveler, 88 Northern Pochard, 72 Tufted Duck, 6 Ruddy Duck, 302 Lapwing, Common Kingfisher, several Common Buzzards and Red Kites overhead and 20 Chaffinch over (Mike Wallen/Lee Evans); pm: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover numbers up to 140 (Joan Thompson)
Thu 16 Oct Wilstone: Red Knot (on mud between old and new overflow), 5 Whooper Swans (the 2 usual birds and 3 'new' prob. migrant birds), 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Sandpiper (Roy Hargreaves); plus 85 Golden Plover, 13 Mute Swans, 9 Northern Pintail, 14 Common Snipe (Lee Evans)
Thu 16 Oct Marsworth: 5 Great Crested Grebes (inc 1 juv), 10+ Shoveler (Keith Evans)
Wed 15 Oct Wilstone: c100 Golden Plover (Roy Hargreaves)
Tue 14 Oct Startopsend: early am: 3 Redpoll over (Mike Wallen)
Mon 13 Oct Wilstone: pm: 1 Dunlin, 1 Little Egret, 2 Whooper Swans, 6 Northern Pintail, 9 Common Snipe, 106 European Golden Plover, 422 Lapwing, and 34+ Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes, 16 Mute Swans, 5 Gadwall, 336+ Common Teal, 127 Eurasian Wigeon, 56 Shoveler, 72 Pochard, 103 Tufted Duck, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Red Kites over, 6 Kestrels in area (Lee Evans)
Mon 13 Oct Startopsend: 11 Great Crested Grebes, 43 Shoveler, 65 Tufted Duck (65) (Lee Evans)
Sun 12 Oct Wilstone: 61 Golden Plover, a few Redwing plus 1 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 12 Oct Marsworth: dusk: 2+ Water Rails, 2 Cetti's Warblers (1 in the Bucks section), 2 Corn Buntings (may have been more earlier) and 140 B.h Gulls stayed until dark before leaving, both juv Great Crested Grebes, F Red-crested Pochard plus good numbers of bats (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 11 Oct Wilstone: 1 Little Egret, 2 Dunlin, 1-2 Common Sandpiper, 7-8 Snipe, 30+ Golden Plover, and a Marsh Tit (ring on right leg), with a Tit flock in the trees by the western path down from the dry canal (Roy Hargreaves); and 1 Herring Gull (Steve Rodwell); plus am: 33 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Little Grebes, 19 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 322 Common Teal, 127 Eurasian Wigeon, 198+ Lapwing with visible migration including 1 Jay, 2 Redwings (off south), 1 Song Thrush (off south), 14 Meadow Pipits, 5 Skylarks, and at least 22 Goldcrests in surrounding hedgerows (Lee Evans)
Sat 11 Oct Startopsend: 106 Mallard, 18 Common Teal, 29 Northern Shoveler, 75 Tufted Duck and 33 Northern Pochards, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Mute Swans (1 juvenile) (Lee Evans)
Sat 11 Oct Tringford: 11 Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers, several Siskin (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 10 Oct Wilstone: 2 Dunlin, 57 Golden plover, 3 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret (Francis Buckle/Charlie Jackson)
Wed 8 Oct Wilstone: 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 40 Golden Plover,1 Dunlin, 30 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, plus 1 possible White Wagtail in front of hide - definitely lighter in colour and had a larger area of white on it's head than the other local Pied Wagtails (Adrian Condon); & up to 3 Snipe (D Girvan HBC)
Wed 8 Oct Marsworth: 2 Little Gulls still present (Keith Evans/Johne Taylor/Mike Collard)
Tue 7 Oct Wilstone: juv Spotted Redshank, juv Dunlin, juv Ruff, Rock Pipit, plus others: 1+ Little Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, 2 imm Ruddy Duck, 47-50 European Golden Plover, 9 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Common Snipe, and 33 G reat Crested Grebes, 4 Little Grebe, 30 roosting Sinensis Cormorant, 6 Grey Heron, 23 Mute Swans, 98 Eurasian Wigeon, 303 Common Teal, 32 Northern Shoveler, 33 Northern Pochard, 86 Tufted Duck, 300+ Black-headed Gulls, up to 39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing (Lee Evans with others)
Tue 7 Oct Marsworth: 2 juv Little Gulls (Lee Evans)
Mon 6 Oct Wilstone: dusk: c800 Black-headed Gulls roosting, 49 Cormorants roosted, 11 Snipe, 1 Water Rail, 2 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 6 Oct Marsworth: 2 Little Gulls - and at one stage the GCG pushed its single young under the water as one of the Little Gulls hovered over them both! (Mike Collard and others)
Sun 5 Oct Wilstone: 1 Little Egret, 1 Ruff, 2 Pintail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Common Gulls, 20 House Martins plus 1 Water Rail, Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers (Lynne Lambert/Steve Rodwell), and at dusk: c640 Black-headed Gulls with 46 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 5 Oct Marsworth: 2 juv Little Gulls were still hawking over the water (Rob Andrews)
Sat 4 Oct Wilstone: Ruff, Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers, 6 Golden Plovers (David Bilcock) plus 5 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 1 Yellow-legged Gull (2nd winter), c140 Lesser Black-backed Gulls including a few juvs and 2 Herring Gulls (Joan Thompson)
Sat 4 Oct Tring WTW: Little Egret over (M Wallen HBC)
Fri 3 Oct Wilstone: Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers, Dunlin and c70 Black-headed Gulls in the roost, 1Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 3 Oct Startopsend: 1 first year (juv) Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 32 Shoveler and 22 Cormorants from Wilstone feeding (Steve Rodwell); plus White Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail (Mike Wallen also HBC) and 1 Dunlin (David Bilcock)
Fri 3 Oct Marsworth: 2 Little Gulls still (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 2 Oct Wilstone: am: 2 Little Egrets, 1 Ruff, 1 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper and 7 Pintail plus 10 Grey Partridge (in Bucks field north of dry canal adjoining Bucks County border) (Roy Hargreaves); noon: plus 8 Golden Plovers, 1 Snipe, 1 Water Rail (Steve Rodwell); plus Grey Wagtail nr carpark (Pete Collins)
Thu 2 Oct Startopsend: 1 White Wagtail and 9 Siskin (Steve Rodwell); Common Sandpiper, 3 Grey Wagtails, 51 Shoveler (M Wallen HBC)
Thu 2 Oct Marsworth: am: 2 juv Little Gulls still, Cetti's Warbler (Steve Rodwell) plus 30 House Martin, 2 Swallows (Joan Thompson)
Wed 1 Oct Wilstone: am: Ruff, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 1 Dunlin (same first year bird I think), 2 Golden Plover and lots of Lapwings (Steve Rodwell) late pm: 1 Water Rail, 81 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell); plus 2 Little Egret, 2 Whooper Swans, 19 Mute Swans, 9 Northern Pintail, 34 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Little Grebes, 19 Sinensis Cormorants, 3 Grey Heron, 8 Greylag Geese, 1 Canada Goose, 173 Mallard, 19 Gadwall, 118 Eurasian Wigeon, 276+ Common Teal, 77 Tufted Duck, 76 Northern Pochard, 5 Ruddy Duck, 630 Common Coot, 345 Lapwings, increase to 9 European Golden Plover, 421 Black-headed Gulls, 1 adult Common Gull, 3 Grey Wagtails, 4-c10 Barn Swallows, 12-c20 House Martins (mainly juveniles) (Lee Evans/Mike Wallen)
Wed 1 Oct Startopsend: am: 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans (2 cygnets), 10 Shoveler, 6 Northern Pochards, 22 Tufted Ducks and 1 M Grey Wagtail (Steve Rodwell/Lee Evans); plus 2 Pintail over, 64 Shoveler & 2 Grey Wagtails (Mike Wallen/HBC)
Wed 1 Oct Marsworth: am: 4 Great Crested Grebes (only one juv, haven't seen the other one for a week), 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs (Steve Rodwell); pm: 2 juvenile Little Gulls (Mike Collard and others); plus later: 2 juv Little Gulls, up to 8 Great Crested Grebes, Mute Swan cygnet, 18 House Martins (Lee Evans)
Wed 1 Oct Tringford: 5 Great Crested Grebes (Steve Rodwell); plus 4 Mute Swans (Lee Evans)
Tue 30 Sep Wilstone: 1 Ruff, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper (could have been 2), 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 11 Golden Plover (Joan Thompson); late pm: 9 Pintail, 9 Golden Plover, 41 Cormorant, 1 Dunlin,1 Ringed Plover, Ruff, 750 Black-headed Gulls (all but one left between 18.10-18.50), 1 Common Gull, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 39 Great crested Grebes, 23 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans and 130 Jackdaws on the spit and banks (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 27 Sep Wilstone: Marsh Tit (feeding on thistle heads by the track from Cemetery Corner), 2 Little Egret, Ruff, Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, Rock Pipit, 12 Golden Plover, 7 Pintail, 2 Whooper Swans (Roy Hargreaves/David Bilcock/Mike Wallen); also (later): 4 Snipe, 19 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Little Grebes, 22 Mute Swans, 142 Eurasian Wigeon, 238 Common Teal, 11 Gadwall, 72 Tufted Duck, 53 Northern Pochard, 3 Ruddy Duck, 250+ Lapwing, Water Rail, 2 Common Kingfishers, 2 Greater Black-backed Gulls through (adults), 13 Barn Swallows through, 3 Stock Doves, 12 Meadow Pipits over (Lee Evans)
Fri 26 Sep Wilstone: Osprey over, Ruff (possibly a different bird), 2 Whooper Swans (via Mike Collard); plus 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Hobby, Red Kite, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Golden Plover (D Girvan HBC)
Thu 25 Sep Wilstone: noon: 5 Common Buzzards & 1 Red Kite soaring over (Geoff Young); lunch-time: 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Ruff, 2 Golden Plovers and 2 Ringed Plovers amongst the Lapwings, a low flying Red Kite in front of the hide & later a Peregrine (Francis Buckle); late pm: Ruff still present along the exposed shoreline in Cemetery corner and the 8 Black0tailed Godwits were feeding amongst the Lapwings near the new overflow, plus an adult Yellow-legged Gull was amongst the Black-headed Gulls, but it flew off at 18:45(David Bilcock)
Wed 24 Sep Wilstone: evening: 2 European Golden Plovers with the 527 Lapwings, Common Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plovers, Common Snipe, Water Rail, 2 Whooper Swans, 5 Northern Pintails; others: 19 G reat Crested Grebes, 8 Little Grebe, 34 Sinensis Cormorant (with 3 dead birds - reasons unknown), 163 Eurasian Wigeon, 228 Common Teal, 21 Gadwall, 41 Northern Shoveler, 57 Tufted Duck, 39 Northern Pochard, Common Kingfisher, 5+ Common Gulls, plus a flock of 108 Common Starlings on plough by Cemetery Corner (Lee Evans/Steve Rodwell)
Tue 23 Sep Wilstone: pm: Peregrine through at 17:29, 2 Little Egret, Gargeny, 5 Northern Pintail, 2 Ruddy Duck, 2 Whooper Swans, 2 adult Water Rails (near Cemetery Corner), Common Kingfisher, 15 Barn Swallows, others: 17 Great Crested Grebes, 8 (inc. a first-winter), 8 Little Grebes, 40 Sinensis Cormorants, 31 Mute Swans, 122 Eurasian Wigeon, 236 Common Teal, 11 Gadwall, 61 Northern Shoveler, 58 Tufted Duck, 38+ Northern Pochard, 1 Common Buzzard, 516 Lapwings, 79+ Moorhens, 388+ Common Coot, Common Gull (sub-adult), 303+ Black-headed Gulls, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Lee Evans with others)
Tue 23 Sep Startopsend: Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans (2 cygnets) (with 4 more adults on the adjacent Grand Union Canal), 22 Northern Shovelers, 5 Tufted Duck, 33 Common Coot, 10 Moorhen, Grey Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail and a Common Chiffchaff (Lee Evans)
Tue 23 Sep Marsworth: 6 Great Crested Grebes (including the two small stripy young), adult drake Northern Pochard and two vocal Cetti's Warblers (Lee Evans)
Tue 23 Sep Tringford: 8 Great Crested Grebes (including a first-winter), 6 adult Mute Swans, 4 Northern Shovelers and 31 Common Coots (Lee Evans)
Mon 22 Sep Wilstone: 2 Whooper Swans, 1 Common Sandpiper, plus 18 Great Crested Grebe, 5+ Little Grebe, 27+ Mute Swans, 168+ Eurasian Wigeon, 225+ Common Teal, 11 Gadwall, 31+ Northern Pochard, 45+ Northern Shoveler, 84 Moorhens (Lee Evans)
Mon 22 Sep Marsworth: Great Crested Grebe (pair with two small stripy young) and Cetti's Warbler vocal in reeds (Lee Evans)
Sun 21 Sep Wilstone: dawn: Osprey flying along SE side of reservoir & flew off to S, plus the 4 Little Egrets, 3 Pintail, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Water Rails and 1 Red Kite, and a male Muntjac in velvet on mud to right of the hide (Roy Hargreaves); 1 Dunlin, 10 Siskins, 2 Hobbies (adult & juv), plus a large passage of Swallows and House Martins (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 21 Sep Startopsend: Sky-watching late am revealed several Buzzards soaring over Steps Hill, Tring and North of the reservoir as well Red Kites, Sparrowhawks and a single Hobby; 7 Common Buzzards were soaring E of Gubblecote, plus 1 Honey Buzzard (a mottled pale phase juvenile) near Wilstone village and later a dark phase juv Honey Buzzard towards Marsworth/Bulbourne (David Bilcock)
Sat 20 Sep Wilstone: 3 Water Rails showing well, 3 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Gull (first winter), Yellow Wagtail, juv Hobby still (Steve Rodwell) and 2 Wheatears (Johne Taylor and others via Steve Rodwell)
Sat 20 Sep Startopsend: a late Swift over and a Spotted Flycatcher in hedgerow by horse field (David Bilcock)
Sat 20 Sep Marsworth: Red-crested Pochard, Cetti's Warbler (very vocal), 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Water Rail (heard) (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 20 Sep Tringford: Red-crested Pochard (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 19 Sep Marsworth: dusk: 1 Water Rail calling, and a very late flying Hobby and good numbers of bats (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 18 Sep Wilstone: pm: 4 Little Egrets (Don Otter); late pm: first winter Mediterranean Gull, 3 Water Rails (2 near Cemetery Corner, 1 right of the hide), 2 Hobbies (adult and juv.) (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 18 Sep Startopsend: F Red-crested Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 13 Wigeon over, 8 Cormorant (Mike Wallen)
Wed 17 Sep Wilstone: 2 Water Rails on the edge of the reeds towards Cemetery Corner, 4 Little Egrets, at least 3 Pintail (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 17 Sep Marsworth: Cetti's Warbler calling, Kingfisher, Ruddy Duck, Buzzard (P Tyler HBC)
Tue 16 Sep Wilstone: late pm: 1 Common Sandpiper (vocal at dusk), 4 Little Egrets, 4 Northern Pintails, 2 Whooper Swans, M Ruddy Duck, also 19 Great Crested Grebes, 5+ Little Grebes, 34 Sinensis Cormorants, 41 Mute Swans, 140+ Eurasian Wigeon, 210+ Common Teal, 25 Gadwall, 72 Northern Pochard, 102 Tufted Duck, 81 Northern Shoveler, 403 Lapwing (Lee Evans)
Mon 15 Sep Wilstone: Lapwings still present, but otherwise no waders remain, also 4 Little Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, 3 Northern Pintail, M Ruddy Duck, 19 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Little Grebe, 42 Mute Swan, 63 Greylag Geese, 140+ Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Common Buzzards over, 3 Red Kites, 8 Common Gulls (3 ad 5 first-winter), Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, noticeable passage of Grey Wagtails, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 33+ Barn Swallows, 15 Mistle Thrushes over (Lee Evans)
Sun 14 Sep Wilstone: 4 Little Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny, 7 Northern Pintail, Water Rail seen on mud, Ringed Plover (briefly), Common Greenshank (briefly), 3 Common Gulls over, 1 Herring Gull over, 2 White Wagtails, also 19 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Little Grebe, 33 Sinensis Cormorant, 48 Mute Swans, 32 Greylag Geese, 131 Eurasian Wigeon, 29 Gadwall, 228 Common Teal, 93 Northern Shoveler, 78 Northern Pochard, 107 Tufted Ducks, 2 Ruddy Ducks (M & juv.), 3+ Red Kites, 2 Common Buzzards over, 647 Common Coot, Stock Dove, Little Owl calling from near car park (Lee Evans, Steve Rodwell and others)
Sun 14 Sep Startopsend: European Honey Buzzard (dark morph juv.) over (WC/RH via Lee Evans) also F Red-crested Pochard, 6 Yellow Wagtails (Lee Evans)
Sun 14 Sep Marsworth: 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 juv. Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cetti's Warbler singing (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 13 Sep Wilstone: early a.m.: Bar-tailed Godwit (David Bilcock via Mike Wallen); mid pm: 3 Little Gulls (Richard Birch); 4 juv Black Terns late p.m., 4 Little Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, Common Sandpiper, 3 Common Greenshank, 1 Ringed Plover (briefly), 7 Northern Pintail, also 19 Great Crested Grebe, 47 Mute Swans, 96 Eurasian Wigeon, Little Owl calling from behind car park, 2 Grey Wagtails, 5 Mistle Thrush (Lee Evans with others); also Green Sandpiper (D Wheatcroft HBC)
Sat 13 Sep Startopsend: early a.m.: F Red-crested Pochard, 2 Yellow Wagtails over, c50 Swallows, 2 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler (Mike Wallen)
Fri 12 Sep Wilstone: early am: Gargeny, 4 Little Egrets, 2 Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 2 feral Whooper Swans, Wheatear (on jetty) (Roy Hargreaves); plus later a.m.: 3 Greenshank, a Hobby calling from left of hide, 67 Teal, plus 1 Chinese Water Deer in the mud to the right of the hide (Mike Collard) and 4 Arctic Terns through (Michael Islet via Lee Evans) plus 7 Northern Pintails, 23 Greylag Geese, 63 Eurasian Wigeon, 78 Northern Pochards, 2 Hobbies, later 3 Greenshanks, Common Kingfisher, 35 Barn Swallows (Lee Evans)
Thu 11 Sep Wilstone: Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Greenshanks (Ben Miller/Roy Hargreaves & others); plus 4 Little Egrets, 1 Water Rail in reeds to right of hide but elusive (Jack O'Neil) plus 1 Hobby, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine (juv) (Joan Thompson); plus the pair Whooper Swans, 12 Eurasian Wigeon, 4 Northern Pintails, 84 Northern Pochards, (Lee Evans)
Wed 10 Sep Wilstone: 3 juv Common Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail (flew west), Spotted Flycatcher (near overflow), others: 19 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes, 29 roosting Sinensis Cormorant, at least 4, possibly 5 Little Egrets, 47 Mute Swans, 2 Whooper Swans, 228 Common Teal, 31 Gadwall, 5 Eurasian Wigeon, 71 Northern Shoveler, 7 Northern Pintail, 93 Tufted Duck, 9 Northern Pochard, 5 Ruddy Ducks, pair Common Kestrel (near car park), 1 Hobby, 296 Lapwing, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 60+ House Martins, 15 Barn Swallows, 10 Long-tailed Tits (Lee Evans)
Tue 9 Sep Wilstone: early a.m.: 4 Black Terns (arrived from Startopsend) (Steve Rodwell); 3 Little Egrets (Joan Thompson); late p.m.: 8 Black Terns (majority were adults), 3 adult Common Terns, 1 first-winter Mediterranean Gull over (Steve Rodwell) plus later a.m.: now 4 Little Egrets, 3 juv. Common Greenshanks, 1 Hobby (Lee Evans)
Tue 9 Sep Startopsend: early a.m.: 5 juvenile Black Terns plus 4 more (some adults) but they flew straight off towards Wilstone (Steve Rodwell); plus 18 Northern Shoveler, 60+ House Martins, 10+ Sand Martins, and a feeding flock of at lease 105 Common Starling at NW corner (Lee Evans); c100 Sand Martins (M Wallen HBC)
Mon 8 Sep Wilstone: early a.m.: 2 Little Egrets, 4ish Greenshanks, 5 Pintails, 5+ Wigeon and 16 Siskins flying over (Roy Hargreaves); plus Sandwich Tern through (David Bilcock via Lee Evans); late a.m.: 2 Ospreys circling (Lee Evans); plus late a.m./early p.m.: 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 juv. Greenshanks, up to 7 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Hobbies, others: 5 Little Grebes, 2 Whooper Swans, 184 Common Teal, 90 Northern Shoveler, 56+ House Martins and a huge westerly passage perhaps involving 400 or more Barn Swallows (Lee Evans)
Sun 7 Sep Wilstone: Grey Pharalope arrived mid pm (Richard Woodcock and others) but it was seen to be taken by one of the Hobbies at about 5.50pm - it was just lifting off the water as the Hobby went past (Si Nich/Rob Andrews); 4 Little Egrets, 8 Wigeon (Steve Rodwell); plus F Goosander (briefly), 4 Pintail, 4 adult and 1 juv Common Terns (briefly), 5 Spot Flycatchers near the new outflow, and 2 Chinese Water Deer were to the right of the hide (Mike Collard)
Sun 7 Sep Startopsend: Grey Pharalope (in "Bucks" corner and Herts) - flew off west at 14:00 (David Bilcock via Ben Miller and others); 4 Common Terns over (Mike Wallen); plus c50 Sand Martin, c80 House Martin (sev obs HBC)
Sat 6 Sep Wilstone: 2 Little Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Common Greenshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, 5 Northern Pintails, 1 M Ruddy Duck, 1 am then 4 pm Ringed Plovers through, 1 Common Tern (briefly), 3 Hobbies (including a noisy juvenile), and 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Willow Warbler (all in the tall hedgerow leading north from the new overflow); others: 19 Great Crested Grebes, 48 Greylag Geese, 150+ Common Teals, 5 Eurasian Wigeon, 95+ Northern Shovelers, 33 Northern Pochard, 209 Lapwings, 520+ House Martins, 50+ Sand Martins (Lee Evans); plus Yellow Wagtail (Steve Rodwell); & up to 5 Common Terns (R Collard HBC)
Fri 5 Sep Wilstone: 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Egrets and 5+ Greenshanks (David Bilcock via Ben Miller); plus 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny, 5 Northern Pintails, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Hobbies (including juvenile) and at least 800 House Martins; others: 26 Sinensis Cormorant, 196 Common Teal, 4 Eurasian Wigeon, 86 Northern Shoveler, 458 Lapwings (Lee Evans)
Thu 4 Sep Wilstone: 1 Wood Sandpiper (on the spit viewed from the car park), 6 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Pintail, Hobby, 2 Little Egret, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Feral Whooper Swans and Loads of Martins (Mike Wallen and others); plus late p.m.: 58 Mute Swans, now 48 Greylag Geese, 5 Eurasian Wigeon (3 drakes, 2 females)(present since 1st - MW), at least 107 Common Teal, now 5 Northern Pintail, at least 83 Northern Shoveler, 1 Common Sandpiper, Common Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker (in Poplars near Hide) and at 1815 hours, a minimum 584 hirundines in the sky, including 344 Sand Martins, 198 House Martins and 42 Barn Swallows (the latter mostly juvenile) (Lee Evans); and at 19:00 4 Common Terns (Jonathan Nasir)
Thu 4 Sep Startopsend: 1 White Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail (Mike Wallen)
Wed 3 Sep Wilstone: 3 Spotted Flycatchers in bushes near overflow (11:10am), 1 Whitethroat (noon) , 2 Pintail (female), 2 Whooper Swans, 1 Little Egret (Peter Kirby/Adrian Condon/Peter Griffin); plus now 2 Little Egrets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks, 1 Hobby, 1 Cetti's Warbler (in hide!) (Steve Rodwell/Mike Campbell) plus late p.m.: 2 Little Grebe (adult & juv.), 2 Little Egrets, 58 Mute Swans, 21 Greylag Geese, 3 Eurasian Wigeon (3 drakes), now 3 Northern Pintails (all eclipse-plumaged), 2 Common Sandpipers, 50+ Sand Martins, 27 House Martins, Grey Wagtail (Lee Evans)
Wed 3 Sep Startopsend: 277+ Sand Martins, 50+ House Martins, 81 Barn Swallows, 8 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail (first-winter), 2 Yellow Wagtails (Lee Evans)
Tue 2 Sep Wilstone: Gargeny, 2 Little Egret, 5 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit & 1 Common Sandpiper (David Bilcock/Roy Hargreaves); later Common Sandpipers up to 3, plus c500 Black-headed Gulls (Joan Thompson); plus Hobby, Kingfisher (J Bailey HBC)
Mon 1 Sep Wilstone: 2 Little Egrets, 4 (later 5) Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover and a very showy Chinese Water Deer (Mike Wallen/Lynne Lambert); 1 juv. Yellow-legged Gull (Steve Rodwell); plus 2 Black-tailed Godwits, the Gargeny, 1 Ringed Plover through; others: 5 Little Grebes, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 26 Sinensis Cormorants, 8 Grey Heron, 2 Whooper Swans, 69 Mute Swans, many Greylag & Canada Geese (not counted), 238 Mallards, 21 Gadwall, 56 Shoveler, 2 Eurasian Wigeon, 83 Common Teal (later up to 107 (Steve Rodwell), 36 Northern Pochard, 93 Tufted Duck, 1 F Ruddy Duck, 1+ Hobbies, Common Kestrel, 106 Moorhen, 634 Coots, 299 Lapwing, 211 Black-headed Gulls, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Tern, 25+ Sand Martins, steady passage of Barn Swallows, perhaps 30, 40+ House Martins (Lee Evans) plus 5 Grey Wagtails, a 2nd Ruddy Duck and up to 5 Wigeon (HBC)
Mon 1 Sep Startopsend: 3 Great Crested Grebes, 22 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Mon 1 Sep Marsworth: Red-crested Pochard, 53 Mallards, 1 Common Teal, 1 M Northern Pochard, 1 F Tufted Duck, 3 Great Crested Grebes (including the adult feeding its single, growing young); plus in the wood behind: a large, noisy and active tit-flock, of 12+ Long-tailed, a few Blues, Goldcrest and at least 3 moulting Common Chiffchaffs (Lee Evans)
Mon 1 Sep Tringford: 1 Great Crested Grebe (Lee Evans)
Sun 31 Aug Wilstone: peak of 29 Black Terns, 2 Yellow Wagtails; 2 Curlew (until just after 10:00), 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Egrets, now 6 Red-crested Pochards, 1 Turnstone passed through, 3 Ringed Plovers (1 at 12:00 and 2 through at 12:25); others: 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Grebes, 18 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Whooper Swans, 158 Canada Geese, 12 Greylag Geese, 2 Eurasian Wigeon, 107 Common Teal (a huge overnight increase), 19 Gadwall, 66 Shoveler, the Gargeny, 137 Tufted Duck, now 39 Northern Pochards, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 702 Coot, 14 Grey Herons, 199 Lapwings, 7 Common Terns, 2+ Hobbies, 25+ House Martins, Common Chiffchaff near hide, and 3 Yellow Wagtails (in ploughed field in East Corner -present for 2nd day), 7 Common Pheasants in ploughed field near Cemetery Corner (Jonathan Nasir/David Bilcock/Lee Evans & others)
Sat 30 Aug Wilstone: early a.m.: 2 White-winged Black Terns (1 juv. 07:48 to 08:35 and second juv. 8:34 to 09:02), up to 27+ Black Terns - 6 briefly at 06:45, 27 from 07:00 to 07:35 and 7 more from 07:48-08:03), 1 Sandwich Tern (briefly), juvenile/first winter Mediterranean Gull (present 09:40 to 10:56), Yellow Legged Gull (briefly), 23 Black-tailed Godwits (David Bilcock with others); plus 5 Greenshanks, 1 Common Redshank (flew west), 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Ringed Plovers (2 adults and a juvenile) (flew off south at 1100 hours), 1 Little Egret joined by a second bird that flew in at 18:45, Yellow Wagtail (flew NE at 18:40)12 Herons (10 stood in group on mud), 2 Red Kites, 3 Sparrowhawks, 4 Hobbies (inc. the locally fledged juv.), 1 Buzzard, F Ruddy Duck, 3 Red-crested Pochards, juv. Gargeny, M eclipse Wigeon, 67 Shovelers, 2 feral Whooper Swans, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and lots of Long-tailed Tits about, plus M Pheasant at edge of reeds and 9 Pheasants in field at NE side (3 M all had skinny grey heads & necks), and the Red Fox was lazing about on mud near reedbed; and 33 Cormorants (including 16 together 'fishing'), 75 Mute Swans, new F Eurasian Wigeon - new female arrived in evening, 51 Common Teal, 19 Gadwall, 17 Northern Pochard, 274 Lapwings, 3 Common Terns (including an odd-plumaged juvenile late a.m.), 1 Common Swift, 15+ Barn Swallows, 36 House Martins (Dan Forder/Lee Evans)
Sat 30 Aug Marsworth: Red Kite, 2 (feral) Whooper Swans (K Hornby HBC)
Fri 29 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny, Little Egret and 3 Greenshanks, and 2 Sandwich Terns flew around until 06:50, then left to SW (Roy Hargreaves); late p.m.: now 4 Greenshanks, plus 4 Wigeon, i Common Sandpiper, I hobby (Ben Miller)
Thu 28 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny, Little Egret, 3 Greenshank, Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plovers (Roy Hargreaves); plus 3 Common Sandpipers, the pair of feral Whooper Swans, 1 Swift (Mike Wallen); and 3 Buzzards (including one Osprey look-a-like, 3 Sparrowhawks and a Hobby, and the Red Fox lounging around (Steve Rodwell); and later 2 Yellow Wagtails on north bank (Jonathan Nasir)
Thu 28 Aug Marsworth: Cetti's Warbler singing from reeds near canal, Kingfisher, Buzzard (P Tyler HBC)
Wed 27 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny, Little Egret (Roy Hargreaves); and 1 Juvenile Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Greenshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, the pair of feral Whooper Swans, 1 Swift (Mike Wallen); and 2 Red-legged Partridges in field behind outflow (Adrian Condon); and Northern Wheatear in fields; plus 13 Grey Herons, 78 Mute Swans, 94 Canada Geese, 27 Common Teal, 64 Shoveler, 610 Coot, 1 Herring Gull, Common Buzzard, juvenile Hobby, 23 Sand Martins, 63 House Martins, 15 Barn Swallows (Lee Evans)
Tue 26 Aug Wilstone: mid p.m.: adult Little Egret, 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny, 4 Greenshanks (juveniles), 3+ Hobbies; plus 78 Mute Swans, 1 Greylag Goose, 45 Common Teal, 63 Northern Shoveler, 17 Northern Pochard, 196 Lapwing (on bund), 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers (juveniles), 3 Common Buzzards, 1 Common Swift, 56+ House Martins (Lee Evans); max 3 Common Sandpipers (Mike Wallen HBC)
Tue 26 Aug Startopsend: 3 Yellow Wagtails (Mike Wallen); 4 Mute Swans - a pair with two dark cygnets, 25 Barn Swallows, 13 Pied Wagtails (Lee Evans)
Tue 26 Aug Marsworth: female Red-crested Pochard still present with Mallards, 4 Great Crested Grebes including an adult carrying one very small, stripy young bird on its back - a late fledging (Lee Evans)
Mon 25 Aug Wilstone: Little Egret, 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny, 4 Greenshanks, 1 Common Swift, 5 Yellow Wagtails (flying east), Whinchat near overflow (recorded by Stuart Wilson), 4 Common Crossbills over (recorded by Warren Claydon) (Lee Evans and others); Wheatear near jetty (David Bilcock); plus Common Sandpiper, 4 Common Terns, Hobby
Sun 24 Aug Wilstone: Little Egret, 1 Greenshank (Mike Wallen/David Bilcock); late am/eve: Whimbrel over (flew into Bucks 10.00am), 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Swift, 2 Common Terns, 4 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Whooper Swans, Gargeny plus 1 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell); 2 Whooper Swans, 1 Common Swift, 1 Yellow Wagtail (Lee Evans)
Sun 24 Aug Startopsend: early a.m.: juv Arctic Tern (in Bucks and Herts) plus a metre-long Pike holding onto an already dead young adult-sized coot - an amazing sized prey for a fish of this size - which it dragged underwater after about 20 mins! (Mike Wallen)
Sat 23 Aug Wilstone: 1 juv. Yellow-legged Gull with c.30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Hobby, 1 Common Sandpiper (Steve Rodwell); 2 Whooper Swans (the adult feral pair which had over-summered at Dunstable Sewage Farm), 1 Common Swift (Lee Evans)
Fri 22 Aug Wilstone: early a.m.: 2 Curlews (but did not land), Gargeny, Little Egret and 3 Greenshank (David Bilcock); plus late a.m.: 2 Red Kites, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Red-crested Pochard, 1 or 2 Common Terns plus a Red Fox on far beach in front of reedbeds (Keith Evans); 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Buzzards together (Steve Rodwell); plus 2 Wheatears (D Pratt HBC)
Thu 21 Aug Wilstone: eve: 3 Greenshank, the Gargeny still present, 6 Common Tern (Jonathan Nasir); later: Common Terns up to 8, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Steve Rodwell); plus 5 Yellow Wagtails (via Lee Evans)
Wed 20 Aug Wilstone: early a.m.: Little Egret, Gargeny, 1 Barnacle Goose flew in with the Canadas, 2 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpiper & 2 Ringed Plovers - as well as Hobby taking a pop at the hirundines (Roy Hargreaves); later a.m./p.m. 2 Hobbies caught one martin and had a go at several others and even chased the Ringed Plovers (juv's), plus still 3 Swifts and 4 Common Terns (Steve Rodwell)
Tue 19 Aug Wilstone: late a.m./early p.m.: 1 Ringed Plover over (chased by Hobbies), 24 Swifts, 32 Teal, 30 Cormorants, 330 Black-headed Gulls, Treecreeper behind hide, 2 Hobbies caught a martin (Steve Rodwell); Gargeny, Little Egret, (present all day) late p.m.: 4 Black-tailed Godwits (briefly), Curlew (did not land) (David Bilcock); plus Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper (Jonathan Nasir); plus Barnacle Goose (of unknown origin) (Lee Evans)
Mon 18 Aug Wilstone: early a.m. Gargeny, 2 Greenshank (Roy Hargreaves); plus late p.m. 25+ Gadwalls, M Eurasian Wigeon, 29 Common Teal, 21 Northern Shovelers, the 3 Red-Crested Pochards, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Greenshanks (juveniles), 31 Tufted Ducks, 4 Common Terns, 3 Hobbies (inc. the juvenile), 44 Common Swifts, 20+ Sand Martins, 57+ House Martins, 2 juvenile Willow Warblers in hedge near overflow (Lee Evans)
Sun 17 Aug Wilstone: early a.m. 2 Greenshanks plus 37 Bar-tailed Godwits & 2 Ringed Plovers over (did not land) (David Bilcock); plus p.m. 4 Wood Sandpipers (all juveniles, present 1720 to 1745), juv. Yellow-legged Gull (flew W at 1313), juv Marsh Harrier (at 1835 - flew fairly low across the reservoir before gaining height and slowly flying SSE towards Tring at 1841), Spotted Flycatcher in hedge N of overflow, Lesser Whitethroat in hedgerow; others: 16 Great Crested Grebes including 1 juvenile, 5 juv. Little Grebes, 8 Grey Herons, 41 (Sinensis) Cormorants, 72 Mute Swans, M Eurasian Wigeon, F Mandarin Duck (looking unwell), 12 Common Teal, Gargeny, 17+ Gadwall, 13 Northern Shoveler, 7 Northern Pochard, the 3 Red-crested Pochards, 4 Ruddy Ducks (2M 2F), 250+ Lapwings, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Terns (including 2 juveniles), 5+ Red Kites, 3 Hobbies (inc. 1 juv.), immature Peregrine again, Little Owl (roosting in tree behind car park), Common Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtails, 9 Common Swifts, 60+ Sand Martins (inc. 26 flying south in evening), 70+ House Martins (Lee Evans)
Sat 16 Aug Wilstone: early a.m. Wood Sandpiper from hide, Peregrine (immature M) on post along far shore (David Bilcock); late p.m. 2 White Storks over (also over Startopsend but did not land, eventually landing near Tring Station) (David Bilcock & others); plus late a.m. 3 juv. Little Egrets (present from 0748-0810), eclipse M Eurasian Wigeon, 7+ Northern Shoveler, M Ruddy Duck, 269 Lapwings, 1 Common Snipe (briefly), Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Terns, 5+ Red Kites, 3 Eurasian Sparrowhawks (including a recently fledged juvenile from the local nest), 3 Hobbies, 1 Swift, 72 House Martins, juv Grey Wagtail, plus adult and juvenile Chinese Water Deer , running along the mud to the right of the hide; late p.m. flock of 55 Swifts over (Lee Evans)
Fri 15 Aug Wilstone: p.m. 6 Black-tailed Godwits (Icelandic race - arrived at 0715 left 1915), 27 Cormorants (Sinensis race - 4 pairs bred this year fledging 9 young), 67 Mute Swans, F Mandarin Duck, M Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Common Teal, 20+ Gadwall, 2 Red-crested Pochards (1 M 1 juv), 7 Northern Pochard, Marsh Harrier (juvenile drifted high south over the reservoirs 1722-1732), 7 Common Buzzards, 2 Red Kites, 3 Hobbies, Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper (adult), 2 Dunlins (juv's), 14 Common Terns (up to 5 on reservoir and up to 12 high overhead), Common Kingfisher (Lee Evans); plus 5 Swifts (Joan Thompson)
Thu 14 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny, 3 Red-crested Pochards, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper (Roy Hargreaves); Whimbrel present 1115 to 1530 (Richard Birch & others); plus mid-p.m. 16 Great Crested Grebes, 71 Mute Swans, eclipse M Eurasian Wigeon, 29 Gadwalls, 7 Common Teal, 8 Northern Pochard, the 3 Red-crested Pochards, 2 M Ruddy Ducks, 2 injured Moorhens just left of hide - one with a broken wing (briefly bothered by a Hobby) and another with a broken leg, 317 Lapwings, but worryingly just 9 were juveniles, Common Kingfisher by hide, 2 Green Sandpipers, 6 Common Terns including the two juveniles, 2 Hobbies, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Common Swifts, 62 Sand Martins, 47+ House Martins and late p.m. 2 Dunlin, 29 Red Knot over but didn't land (Lee Evans)
Wed 13 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny still present to left of hide, Green Sandpiper in creek by hide (Roy Hargreaves); plus eclipse M Eurasian Wigeon, - eclipse drake still present, 13 Northern Shoveler, 17 Gadwall, 7 Common Teal, 8 Northern Pochard, all 3 Red-crested Pochards still present, 2 F Ruddy Ducks, 2 Green Sandpipers, juvenile Common Sandpiper, 6 Common Terns, Common Buzzard over, 47+ Common Terns, 45 House Martins, 27 Sand Martins, 13 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Common Chiffchaffs, Red Kite over Wilstone Cemetery and a huge flock of corvids flushed from a field bordering the north bank of the reservoir: 298 Jackdaws and 109 Rooks (Lee Evans)
Tue 12 Aug Wilstone: Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (briefly only!), the Gargeny had moved to the far bay from the hide, Redshank (David Bilcock); plus 17 Great Crested Grebes including a juvenile, 69 Mute Swans, eclipse drake Eurasian Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 7 Common Teal, 3 Northern Shoveler, 8 Northern Pochard, 2 Red-crested Pochards, 3 Ruddy Ducks (all M), 74 Moorhens (including 11 juveniles), 211 Lapwing, juvenile Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Terns (including 2 juveniles), juvenile Hobby (which successfully caught a Sand Martin in flight, flying with the bird in its talons to the Poplars by the hide), Common Kingfisher, 31 House Martins, 8 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Tue 12 Aug Marsworth: The adult female Red-crested Pochard was still consorting with 64 Mallards (Lee Evans)
Tue 12 Aug Startopsend: Adult Great Crested Grebe, 3 Common Terns (Lee Evans)
Tue 12 Aug Tringford: 2 Mandarin Ducks (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 11 Aug Wilstone: 3 Red Kites in the air at once, 2 Buzzard, 1 Hobby and Sparrowhawk (Joan Thompson); plus Gargeny still present (David Bilcock); plus 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 150+ Lapwings (Keith Evans); plus 2nd Green Sandpiper, 3 Red-crested Pochards, 40+ Sand Martins, 8+ Swifts (I Bennell HBC)
Mon 11 Aug Marsworth: Red Crested Pochard - a different bird to the 3 on Wilstone (Joan Thompson); 2 Water Rails calling (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 10 Aug Wilstone: Adult Peregrine from hide as it made several passes at the waders and wildfowl present (earlier seen by Mike Illet to strike and injure a Moorhen), the Gargeny was feeding on the mud to the left of the hide (David Bilcock); plus late a.m. 5 Whimbrel (all juveniles - from 1015 to 1050), 1 Dunlin, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Grey Heron, 21 Sinensis Cormorants, 71 Mute Swans, 17 Gadwall, 1 Eurasian Wigeon, 7 Common Teal, 10+ Northern Shoveler, 87 Tufted Duck, 5 Northern Pochard, 3 Red-crested Pochards, Eurasian Sparrowhawk - at least one juvenile still 'crying' from Poplars, 1 adult Hobby, 167 Lapwings, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpipers (both juveniles), 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Common Terns, 9 Common Swifts, 10 Sand Martins, 56 House Martins, 3 Common Chiffchaffs behind hide including one in song (Lee Evans)
Sat 9 Aug Wilstone: juvenile Mediterranean Gull amongst the roosting gulls on the exposed bank from the hide and occasionally feeding with the Black-headed Gulls to the right of the hide (David Bilcock/Warren Claydon); plus late p.m. 16 Great Crested Grebe, Mandarin Duck (female still present), Eurasian Wigeon (eclipse drake newly arrived - first this autumn), 4 Common Teal, 16 Gadwall, 13 Northern Shoveler (large increase overnight), 7 Northern Pochard, 3 Red Crested Pochard (the resident eclipse drake has been joined by two new eclipse birds - seems likely they are the adult female and single juvenile present in early July), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (juveniles still being fed in Poplars near hide), 4 Hobbies, 799 Coots, 293 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 232 Black-headed Gulls, Mediterranean Gull still present, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Common Terns still present, Great Spotted Woodpecker (near car park), 26 Common Swifts, 27 Sand Martins, 62 House Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail (juvenile - first this autumn), 2 Common Chiffchaffs, 173 Common Starlings on wires south of dry canal plus 25 over reservoir (Lee Evans)
Fri 8 Aug Wilstone: Gargeny early a.m. near Cemetery corner, 2 Redshanks over (Roy Hargreaves); late p.m. - juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the shore between the old and new overflow, before being pushed onto the mud opposite, Gargeny had returned (David Bilcock); plus 1 juvenile Little Gull, 1 juvenile Hobby, 1 adult Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe (Steve Rodwell); plus 16 Great Crested Grebes, 8 adult Little Grebes (3 adults near Cemetery Corner and 2 adults with 3 juveniles by central causeway), 69 Mute Swans, 4 Greylag Geese (juveniles), 17 Gadwall, 6 Common Teal, 7 Northern Shovelers, 158 Tufted Duck, 7 Northern Pochard, Red-crested Pochard (eclipse drake still present), 4 Ruddy Ducks (2 pairs), Red Kite (adult in heavy wing moult flying SW), 200+ Lapwing, 5 Common Terns still present, 2 Collared Doves, 3 Barn Swallows, Robin family group (by car park), 2+ Sedge Warblers, 7+ European Reed Warbler in reeds, 1 Common Starling, 1 Chaffinch (Lee Evans)
Thu 7 Aug Wilstone: 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, several sightings of Hobbies (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 6 Aug Wilstone: 4 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits all adults still retaining full breeding plumage, 314 Lapwings, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 72 Mute Swans, 2 Common Teals, 4 Northern Shovelers, 78 Tufted Ducks, 7 Northern Pochard (inc 1 juvenile), Red-crested Pochard (eclipse drake still present), F Mandarin Duck, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 729 Coot, 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull over, 6 Common Terns still remaining, Eurasian Sparrowhawk - family party (2+ juv's) in Poplars near hide, 1 Red Kite overhead at 1215, 115 House Martins, 10 Sand Martins, 4 Common Starling over (Lee Evans); plus 2 juvenile Shellducks early a.m. (David Bilcock); plus adult Oystercatcher a.m. (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 6 Aug Marsworth: adult pair Mute Swans & 2 cygnets, 8 Coots (Lee Evans)
Wed 6 Aug Startopsend: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Coot, 3 adult Common Terns (Lee Evans)
Wed 6 Aug Tringford: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 34 Coot (Lee Evans)
Tue 5 Aug Wilstone: Eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard, juvenile Little Egret and a single Green Sandpiper (Roy Hargreaves); plus 2 Dunlin over late p.m. (Steve Rodwell) plus 4 Common Sandpipers (D Girvan HBC)
Mon 4 Aug Wilstone: a.m. - the male Red-crested Pochard, 1 Black tern & 1 Ringed Plover (Roy Hargreaves); p.m. - Raven, 1 Dunlin, evening - 5 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 4 Aug Marsworth: Cetti's Warbler calling from reedbed early am., Red Kite over (P Tyler HBC)
Sun 3 Aug Wilstone: 2 Black-tailed Godwits (to right of hide), 2 Common Sandpipers (David Bilcock); plus 73 Mute Swans, 2 eclipse Northern Shovelers, 97 Tufted Ducks, eclipse M Red-crested Pochard, 3 Ruddy Ducks (2 adult drakes & a female), 2 Green Sandpipers, Sparrowhawk, 133 Black-headed Gull, a moulting adult Black Tern (at app 11.36), 2 Common Swifts, 93 House Martins (Lee Evans)
Sat 2 Aug Wilstone: 2 Black-tailed Godwits in front of hide (both adult islandica's moulting out of breeding plumage, Dunlin in breeding plumage roosting amongst the gulls (David Bilcock and others); plus 17 Great Crested Grebes, 65 Mute Swans, 2 Common Teal, 22 Gadwall, 8 Northern Pochards including 2 juveniles, eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard still present, 6 Ruddy Ducks (bred this year, with two females fledging 5 and 2 young respectively), 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 202 Black-headed Gulls including 37 juveniles, 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 8 Common Terns still present, 24 House Martins, 4 Common Chiffchaffs, Sparrowhawk (Lee Evans)
Fri 1 Aug Wilstone: Black Tern, 2 Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, Hobby (J Bailey HBC)
Thu 31 Jul Wilstone: 8 Black Terns dropped in before 7.00am (stayed for about 30 minutes without settling) and a Spotted Redshank was on the mud to the left of the hide, but soon left (Ian Williams/Roy Hargreaves); 3 Little Terns & 4 Black Terns (BN HBC, Mike Wallen); plus 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Green Sandpipers (Mike Collard); plus 2 Turnstones (Steve Rodwell); otherwise: 69 Mute Swans including 1 first-summer, 1 F Common Teal, 17 Gadwall, 2 Northern Shoveler, 157 Tufted Ducks, 12 Northern Pochard including the two juveniles (both fledged at the site), eclipse M Red-crested Pochard still present, 6 Ruddy Ducks (3 adult drakes, 2 females and an immature drake), 141 Lapwing, 2 adult Ruddy Turnstones, 96 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls (flew NW), 1 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Common Terns still present, 1 Stock Dove over, Great Spotted Woodpecker - in Poplars by car park, 2 juv Grey Wagtails, 37 House Martins (Lee Evans)
Tue 29 Jul Wilstone: a.m. Eclipse M Red-crested Pochard still with the Tufted Ducks, adult summer Little Gull flying around among the Common Terns and one Common Sandpiper (Roy Hargreaves); evening 2 moulting adult Black Terns (both roosting on the algae buns), 19 Great Crested Grebes, 2 juvenile Grey Herons still in nest, 26 Sinensis Cormorants, 69 adult Mute Swans, juvenile Mandarin Duck, 17 Gadwall, 115 Tufted Ducks, 16 Northern Pochard (including 2 well-grown juveniles), eclipse M Red-crested Pochard, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 136 Lapwings, 2 Common Sandpipers, 109 Black-headed Gulls roosting (including 21 juveniles), 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in pre-roost gathering (including 1 juvenile, a 2nd-summer & 3 adults), 13 Common Terns, 75 Common Swifts, 8+ Pied Wagtails on island (including 7 juveniles), 27 House Martins (Lee Evans); plus Black-tailed Godwit, Hobby (J Bailey HBC)
Tue 29 Jul Startopsend: 8 Barn Swallows at Startop's Farm (Lee Evans)
Mon 28 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse M Red-crested Pochard, Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper (Heard) plus a Raven flying over calling at 6am (Roy Hargreaves)
Sat 26 Jul Wilstone: 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 1 Red Kite, 1 Buzzard from hide, Pair Stock Dove behind hide, 1 Hobby high over far side from bank near car park, Kingfisher fishing from tree in centre, from jetty, plus Whitethroat, Yellowhammer along canal (Graham Shortt)
Fri 25 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse male Red-crested Pochard still present and a Greenshank on the mud to the left of the hide (Roy Hargreaves)
Thu 24 Jul Wilstone: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull with Black Headed Gulls (Roy Hargreaves); A single Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper (David Bilcock)
Tue 22 Jul Wilstone: 21 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Cormorants, 74 Mute Swans, 13 Gadwall, adult F Gargeny roosting on spit, 2 Northern Shovelers (both eclipse birds), 104 Tufted Ducks including some early, well grown and self-sufficient juveniles, 6 Northern Pochard (2 M 4F - no young noted), eclipse M Red-crested Pochard, 3M 1F Ruddy Ducks, Red Kite, 777 European Coots including 49 juveniles, 47 Moorhens including 17 juveniles, Common Sandpiper, 151 Lapwings including 9 juveniles (and 1 dead), 44 Black-headed Gulls including 1 juvenile, 18 Common Terns including 11 juveniles, 2 juvenile Grey Wagtails, juvenile Common Chiffchaff, vocal family of Spotted Flycatchers (Lee Evans with David Bilcock/Roy Hargreaves)
Mon 21 Jul Wilstone: pair of Blackcaps, Garden Warbler & Goldcrest feeding with flock of about 10 Long-Tailed Tits in hedgerow besides path on east side of reservoir (Geoff Young); 2 Common Sandpipers in front of the hide, plus a flock of sixteen Curlew flying over (Roy Hargreaves)
Sun 20 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse M Red-crested Pochard, F Mandarin on rocks forming spit from reed bed to islands, 1M 1F Pochard, a few hundred Sand Martins over water & adjacent fields with scatterings of House Martins & a Swallow, Oystercatcher on jetty, c60 Lapwings above reservoir then C25 on rocks in middle later, pair of Ruddy Duck. at least 1 Hobby, Bullfinch heard, plus possible (but unlikely) 1st winter White Wagtail; c4 Grey Wagtails and c5 Pied Wagtails, c1,000 Sand Martins (per HBC) (Dan & Steve Forder)
Fri 18 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse male Red-crested Pochard still present and an adult Dunlin (Roy Hargreaves)
Thu 17 Jul Wilstone: M Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, 62 Lapwings, plus: 24 Great Crested Grebe adults, 15 Cormorants (most likely all Sinensis) including some adults, Grey Herons - one nest still containing three well grown young plus 4 further juveniles, 59 Mute Swans including 1 first-year, 9 Canada Geese, 37 Greylag Geese all adults, many Mallards (not counted with several family groups), 9 Gadwall, 1 Common Teal (an eclipse drake), 3 Northern Shoveler (all in eclipse plumage), 44 Tufted Ducks, 5 Northern Pochard, 1 Red-crested Pochard (an eclipse drake by Drayton Bank), 2+ Ruddy Duck, 2 adult Red Kites drifting over, 1 adult Hobby, Moorhen (not counted but numerous juveniles), a high count of 618 Eurasian Coots, 9 Black-headed Gulls including 1 fresh juvenile, 23 Common Terns including 4 juveniles, 215+ Common Swifts, an exceptional July count of 147 Sand Martins (high numbers have been present for 19 days according to RH & SR), 8 House Martins, 15 Barn Swallows including some juveniles, 2 Grey Wagtails both juveniles, 6 Pied Wagtails also juveniles (Lee Evans with others); up to 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 15 Lapwing (J Baker HBC)
Thu 17 Jul Marsworth: 3 Great Crested Grebes (including 1 still on nest), Tufted Duck (female with 7 well grown young), Coot and Moorhen (not counted but several young birds of both species noted), Common Tern (3 juveniles), Common Kingfisher and 15 Common Swifts; plus on the Paddock fields adjoining: 33 Canada and 17 Greylag Geese with 2 Greylag Geese accompanied 13 juvenile Canada Geese on the Grand Union Canal (Lee Evans)
Thu 17 Jul Startopsend: Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan (pair with two cygnets), 27 Coot plus 4+ over-flying adult Common Terns (Lee Evans)
Thu 17 Jul Tringford: Great Crested Grebe, 4 Grey Herons, Mallard (with 2 young), Tufted Duck (female with 7 small young), 22 Coots, 16 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Wed 16 Jul Wilstone: Green Sandpiper, Oystercatcher (Steve Rodwell)
Tue 15 Jul Wilstone: 2 Dunlin on the exposed mud in front of the hide (David Bilcock); 12 Dunlin from hide, 11 Hobbies (J Bailey HBC)
Sun 13 Jul Wilstone: Oystercatcher & Curlew over (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 7 Jul Wilstone: 3 Redshanks over, 2 Common Sandpipers near the jetty (Roy Hargreaves)
Sat 5 Jul Startopsend: Little Ringed Plover (David Bilcock)
Sat 5 July Marsworth: Tufted Duck with 7 chicks, Barn Owl over fields behind res. (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 4 Jul Wilstone: Common Sandpiper on rocks in the middle, eclipse M Red-crested Pochard still present (Roy Hargreaves)
Fri 4 July Startopsend: Gadwall with 1 chick and Tufted Duck with 3 chicks (Steve Rodwell)
Fri 4 Jul Tringford: Tufted Duck with 9 chicks (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 3 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse M Red-crested Pochard and an Egyptian Goose (Roy Hargreaves)
Tue 1 Jul Wilstone: Eclipse M Red-crested Pochard and a Redshank (Roy Hargreaves)
Mon 30 Jun Wilstone: Common Buzzard feeding in fields at back of reservoir 15.30, Yellowhammer, singing, on wires nearby (Geoff Young); Oystercatcher and 12 Lapwing flew through during evening (Jonathan Nasir)
Sun 29 Jun Wilstone: 2 Buzzards (observer not recorded HBC)
Sun 29 Jun Tringford: Tufted Duck with 9 ducklings (Lynne Lambert)
Wed 25 Jun Wilstone: Common Sandpiper (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 23 Jun Wilstone: 2 Red Kites over hide end of reservoir (Keith Evans), increased to 5 later! (Lee Evans)
Thu 19 Jun Marsworth: Red Kite over (P Tyler HBC)
Mon 16 Jun Startopsend: F Red-crested Pochard had one chick (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 15 Jun Wilstone: Pochard with brood of 3 young (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 14 Jun Wilstone: Little Egret (observer not recorded HBC)
Tue 10 Jun Tringford: Little Egret (P Tyler HBC)
Mon 9 Jun Wilstone: Icterine Warbler still present (several observers HBC)
Sun 8 Jun Wilstone: Icterine Warbler near Cemetery corner (Roy hargreaves and others); also Black Tern (David Bilcock); plus 2 Spotted Flycatchers (Mike Collard) and pair Blackcaps (Geoff Young) both near Cemetery corner
Sun 8 Jun Startopsend: Little Owl on wires (Mike Collard)
Thu 5 Jun Wilstone: Gadwall brood down to 2 (or could only see 2) (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 2 Jun Wilstone: 3 Arctic Terns (1 first summer) (Roy Hargreaves/Dave Bilcock)
Tue 3 Jun Wilstone: Gadwall with brood of 8, just a few days old (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 31 May Wilstone: F Pochard with 8 small chicks and 2 pairs of Shoveler displaying (Rob Andrews)
Sun 25 May Wilstone: Turnstone, 6 Hobbies, Red Kite (J Bailey HBC)
Wed 21 May Wilstone: M Ruddy Duck (J Baker HBC)
Tue 20 May Wilstone: 9 Hobbies (D Girvan HBC)
Sun 18 May Startopsend: The tame male pintail now has a tame female in tow! (Roger Merrison)
Fri 16 Wilstone: Black Tern, 200+ Swifts and 4 Hobbies (Rob Andrews)
Fri 16 May Startopsend: M Pintail (Kitty Thomas); c1,000 Swifts (22 ringed) plus 250 Sand Martins and Swallows using the new reed rafts to rest (Johne Taylor)
Thu 15 Sep Wilstone: M Gargeny, 1 Arctic Tern flying over, 1 Common Sandpiper (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 14 May Startopsend: 100+ Swifts (Ben Miller)
Tue 13 May Wilstone: Spotted Flycatcher feeding from top of bushes in Rushy Meadow, Cuckoo being mobbed by small birds sitting in bush Rushy Meadow, Pair of Egyptian Geese, male displaying (Sally Douglas); Pair Yellow Wagtails (Steve Rodwell); Bee Eater (Stuart Wilson via Roy Hargreaves - no other reports)
Mon 12 May Wilstone: Hobby numbers peaked at 16 just before it got dark (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 11 May Wilstone: Seen on FoTR's Hobbies Walk: 2 Black Terns, 4 or 5 Hobbies, Pair Shovelers, Whitethroat, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, Common Terns (possibly nesting), 2 Red Kites (1 over the water), Greylag Geese with 3 chicks, Cuckoo singing, 6+ Pochard, 20+ Tufted Ducks, 1pr Gadwall, plus others, a total of 30 species (Peter Hearn/Keith Evans); plus Hobbies 5+, 24 immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls through, c10 Gadwall, 19 Common Tern, 2 Kingfisher (sev obs HBC)
Sun 11 May Startopsend: Little Owl, esc M Pintail, Kingfisher (sev obs HBC)
Sun 11 May Marsworth: CUckoo, 5 Reed Warbler, 3 Reed Bunt (J Baker HBC)
Sat 10 Mat Wilstone: 4 Black Terns, Arctic Tern (Mike Wallen/David Bilcock)
Sat 10 May Marsworth: Cuckoo (Mike Wallen HBC)
Fri 9 May Wilstone: 7 Black Tern, c20 Common Terns, 1 imm Common Gull through, 3 Little Grebes, 1 Hobby (Mike Wallen); up to 5 Hobbies by evening plus 40 Common Swifts, i Common Sandpiper (Lee Evans); plus, esc M Pintail, 3 Little Grebe, (sev obs HBC)
Thu 8 May Wilstone: 8 Black Terns early a.m. (per Ben Miller)plus 3 Hobbies (E Leahy HBC)
Wed 7 May Wilstone: 35 Black Terns early a.m. (Ben Miller); up to 38 at 19:00, plus 44 Common Swifts 1 pair of displaying Ruddy Ducks, 2 M Northern Pochards (Lee Evans)
Wed 7 May Startopsend: Red-created Pochard (Ben Miller)
Wed 7 May Marsworth: Cuckoo was singing and showing well in the trees behind the reedbed (Ben Miller)
Tue 6 May Wilstone: 53 Black Terns - numbers building all day, 1, pos 2, 1st summer Little Gulls passing through, 1 Redshank (Roy Hargreaves/Sue Rowe and others); Osprey low over water, but flew N via Startopsend (Ian Williams); plus 12 Hobbies fly-catching over the reedbeds, 6 House Martins, 1 (Common) Cuckoo, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 M (Northern) Pochard (Lee Evans); plus 69+ Common Terns (HBC)
Tue 6 May Marsworth: 2 M Cuckoos seen and heard near WTW Lagoon (Roger Merrison)
Mon 5 May Wilstone: 8 Black Terns, 2 (dubious) M Pintail, F Wheatear (Roy Hargreaves); plus 2nd summer Little Gull (David Bilcock); Black Terns up to 11 by mid afternoon, also Yellow Wagtail over and a couple of Hobbies (Rob Andrews); plus 2nd-s Mediterranean Gull (?), 24 GBB Gulls (?), 3 Hobby (I Bennell HBC)
Sun 4 May Wilstone: 4 Black Terns (Mike Wallen and others)); plus Turtle Dove, 2 Hobby, c40 Common Tern, 3m Shoveler (sev obs HBC)
Sun 4 May Startopsend: Common Sandpiper (Mike Wallen)
Sat 3 May Wilstone: 2 Common Sandpipers at Wilstone, and the Oystercatcher (David Bilcock); Oystercatcher up to 2 plus 2 Yellow Wagtails, Common Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler (K Hornby HBC); 4 Hobby, Red Kite (E Leahy HBC)
Fri 2 May Startopsend: Common Sandpiper, 200+ Sand Martins with a few House Martins and Swallows (Rob Andrews)
Thu 1 May Startopsend: 30+ House Martins with c50 Swallows & c20 Sand Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail (Mike Wallen)
Wed 30 Apr Wilstone: Common Sandpiper (D Pratt HBC); 50+ Swallow, Yellow Wag, Hobby (C Smout HBC)
Wed 30 Apr Marsworth: F RC Pochard, M Ruddy Duck (C Smout HBC)
Tue 29 Apr Wilstone: Black Tern (David Bilcock)
Mon 28 Apr Wilstone: Whimbrel over (observer not recorded HBC)
Sun 27 Apr Wilstone: Good numbers of low flying Swifts (Francis Buckle); Cetti's warbler singing, Cuckoo, 2 Common Buzzards, 50+ Swifts, 3 Hobbies, 1 Yellow Wagtail, plus Lesser Whitethroat and 18 + Common Whitethroats on dry canal above (Charlie Jackson); Stone Curlew flew NE calling in evening (observer not recorded HBC); Oystercatcher (Scott Usher)
Sun 27 Apr Marsworth: c45 Swifts (M Wallen HBC)
Sun 27 Apr Startopsend: F Pintail (probably also escape) feeding with Mallards (Rob Andrews)
Sat 26 Apr Wilstone: 1 drake Pintail (probably an escape), 2 Swift, and 3 Red Kite, plus Lesser Whitethroat on dry canal above and other Whitethroats (Jonathan Nasir); Sandwich Tern, Black Tern (per Joan Thompson); plus Turtle Dove, Curlew, Swifts to 20+, 3 Whitethroat, 30+ Common Tern, Sedge Warbler (sev obs HBC)
Sat 26 Apr Marsworth: 2 Little Terns (Stuart Wilson via David Bilcock)
Fri 25 Apr Wilstone: Arctic Tern with other terns (Mike Wallen); plus 44+ Common Tern, Whinchat near dry canal, Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler in meadow, Garden Warbler, Common Sandpiper, 2 Hobbies, and the escaped M Pintail (sev obs HBC)
Fri 25 Apr Startopsend: White Wagtail, 6 Common Terns (Mike Wallen - also on HBC)
Thu 24 Apr Wilstone: Wood Warbler in wood near NE corner, 2 Swifts, 3 Hobbies, 27 Arctic Terns (David Bilcock/Ben Miller); plus 43 House Martins, 230 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Wed 23 Apr Wilstone: a.m. Black Tern (David Bilcock via Mike Campbell); p.m. Black Tern, 3 Sandwich Terns, several Arctic Terns, many Common Terns (Joan Thompson + Ben Miller); plus 68 Common Terns, Arctic Terns up to 12, 2 Hobby, 2 Red Kite over, 8 House Martins (Lee Evans plus others)
Mon 21 Apr Wilstone: 2 Hobbies, 2 Little Gulls, 1 Arctic Tern, 80+ Common Terns plus many high flying hirundines, mostly Swallows (Mike Wallen/Francis Buckle); plus 2 House Martins, 25 Barn Swallows, 71 Sand Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Common Teal, Sparrowhawk and 3 nesting Cormorants (Lee Evans)
Mon 21 Apr Marsworth: Brambling, 2 Cetti's Warblers singing (Lee Evans)
Mon 21 Apr Startopsend: White Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wagtails (Mike Wallen); 340 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Mon 21 Apr WTW Lagoon: Bullfinch, Willow Warbler singing, pair Ruddy Ducks (Lee Evans)
Sun 20 Apr Wilstone: a.m. Cuckoo (Warren Claydon via DB); 6 Little Gulls (Sue Rowe); p.m. 9 Little Gulls, 70+ Common Terns, Arctic Tern (Ben Miller/David Bilcock/Lee Evans); Curlew over (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 20 Apr Marsworth: p.m. Little Gull (Ben Miller)
Sun 20 Apr Startopsend: 7 Little Gulls (Dave Bilcock and others), 10 Yellow Wagtails (Ben Miller)
Sat 19 Apr Wilstone: Whimbrel flying east at 0545; Arctic Tern, 20+ Common Tern (sev obs HBC)
Sat 19 Apr Startopsend: 12 Yellow Wagtails on reservoir banks (David Bilcock)
Fri 18 Apr Wilstone: Pair of Gargeny (David Bilcock/Lee Evans); plus 40+ Common Tern, 14 Yellow Wagtails, 200+ Sand Martins, F Brambling in wood by start of path to hide (sev obs HBC)
Fri 18 Apr Startopsend: 22 Yellow Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail in horse paddocks as before (Joan Thompson)
Fri 18 Apr Tringford: 13 Yellow Wagtails in horse paddocks (Joan Thompson)
Thu 17 Apr Wilstone: 1M Common Goldeneye, 3 Common Scoter (1M 2F) briefly at 0925, 352 Sand Martins, 71 Barn Swallows, 11 House Martins, 1F Marsh Harrier disappeared down into the reeds noisily mobbed by Sand Martins (Lee Evans); and later 42 Common Terns, 2 Hobbies, 1 Common Swift (Lee Evans/Jeff Bailey); plus Arctic Tern, 12 Yellow Wagtails, Red Kite (sev obs HBC)
Thu 17 Apr Tringford: M Gargeny (Lee Evans via Francis Buckle)
Thu 17 Apr Startopsend: Greenshank early a.m., Common Tern (Ben Miller); 1M Gargeny, the F Red-crested Pochard, 296 Sand Martins, 11 House Martins, 27 Barn Swallows plus several singing Blackcaps (Lee Evans)
Thu 17 Apr Marsworth: 7 Yellow Wagtails in horse paddock (Ben Miller); Cetti's Warbler singing from reedbed (Jonathan Nasir); Gargeny tucked into reeds, Sanderling over with c7 waders(presumably Dunlin) & 3 Turnstones over (Ben Miller/Ian Williams); late p.m. 5 Shoveler, 27 Yellow Wagtails in horse paddock (Ben Miller/Lee Evans)
Wed 16 Apr Wilstone: M Ring Ouzel in field is just above the Dry Canal (just west of footpath to Miswell Farm) with a small group of Fieldfare, plus Whitethroat singing in the hedge, plus Bramblings & Red Kite (Roy Hargreaves); Pied Flycatcher between Wilstone Cemetery Corner and Little Tring (per Ben Miller); 1 Whimbrel flying over from the direction of Marsworth, plus 5 Yellow Wagtails (Steve Rodwell) 33 Common Terns with 1 Arctic Tern (prob. the one seen at Marsworth) 2 first-summer European Herring Gulls, 235 Sand Martins, 3 Barn Swallows (Lee Evans)
Wed 16 Apr Marsworth: Arctic Tern over, White Wagtail, 10 Yellow Wagtails the horse paddock, 2 Reed Warblers& 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Common Terns (per Ben Miller) plus 6 Whimbrel in the paddocks (Lee Evans via Ben Miller) Yellow wagtails peaked at 13, 10 Bramblings (Jonathan Nasir), Sedge and Reed Warblers, singing Cetti's Warbler, 2 Common Terns, 1 Arctic Tern, pair Grey Wagtails, 6 singing M Reed Buntings present, 5 singing M Blackcaps and 3 Shoveler and the resident pair of Ruddy Duck (Lee Evans)
Wed 16 Apr Startopsend: Red-crested Pochard (Ben Miller/Lee Evans)
Tues 15 Apr Wilstone: 2 male Pintails, 4 Yellow Wagtails plus1 Chinese Water Deer (Steve Rodwell); Plus 20+ Common Terns (Roger Merrison); Firecrest singing in woodland on SE corner of reservoir (cemetery side) (P Thrush HBC)
Tues 15 Apr Marsworth: 14 Yellow Wagtails including 1 male Blue-headed Wagtail (Steve Rodwell); Plus Sedge Warbler calling from reeds by sluice, 3+ Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps (Roger Merrison)
Mon 14 Apr Wilstone: 18 Common Terns and 200+ Sand Martins (Charlie Jackson); 2M Pintail, 2 Hobbies, 2 Buzzard (D Girvan HBC)
Mon 14 Apr Marsworth/Startopsend: 1M Redstart moving along the hedge on the far side of the canal, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 2 male White Wagtails and c20 Pied Wags in the Horse fields, 3 Sedge Warblers singing with one seen well, 1 Cetti's Warbler singing and 3M Blackcaps, 100+ Sand Martins, 20+ Swallows, 4 House Martins, 1 Kingfisher plus the M Red-crested Pochard and 2 (feral?) Whooper Swans; ; Plus 2 or 3 Bramblings near overflow, 7 Common Terns; plus the Terrapin (Several Observers)
Sun 13 Apr Wilstone: 13 Common Terns, 1 Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 1 White Wagtails, c200 Golden Plovers plus a further 40 later in the evening (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 13 Apr Marsworth: 2 Common Terns, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Yellow Wagtails, Red- crested Pochard (Roger Payne); 13 Yellow Wagtails, 3M White Wagtails and c30 Pied Wagtails, all in paddock beside canal (David Bilcock)
Sat 12 Apr Marsworth: Common Sandpiper (David Bilcock); 4 Yellow Wagtails in paddock over canal (Lynne Lambert)
Fri 11 Apr Wilstone: Great White Egret present briefly around 07:00 (Roy Hargreaves, Sue Rowe, David Bilcock); Osprey, plus c30 Golden Plovers (Steve Rodwell); plus Osprey over heading east at 2pm, Osprey over heading north at 7pm (obs not recorded HBC)
Fri 11 Apr Marsworth: 5 Brambling, Great White Egret, plus 1calling Cetti's Warbler, 3 Common Terns, 1 Redwing, 2 singing Blackcaps, 2 singing Willow Warblers, 1 Kingfisher (Jonathan Nasir)
Thu 10 Apr Wilstone: White Wagtail (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 9 April Wilstone: Curlew over at 19:15 (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 9 Apr Marsworth: Water Rail, 3 singing Willow Warblers, 1 calling Cetti's Warbler (Jonathan Nasir)
Tue 8 Apr Wilstone: c150 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow (fairly high) with 3 Buzzards (Richard Birch); Goldeneye, Pochard, Firecrest behind hide, 6 Snipe in front of hide, 1M 1F Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, all in woodland (Rob Clarke); plus Red Kite over, 1 Common Tern, 1M (Common) Goldeneye, 1F (Eurasian) Wigeon, 29 Shoveler, several Ruddy Ducks and 7 (Common) Snipe, the F (Northern) Wheatear still present on jetty, 15+ House Martins, 306 Sand Martins, 38 (Barn) Swallows, 1 singing Chiffchaff (Lee Evans); 2 Swifts flying high, northwards over fields north of Reservoir - yes they definitely were swifts (Keith & Chris Evans)
Tue 8 Apr Marsworth: Willow warbler singing from hedge alongside water works, (tame) Red Crested Pochard pair still there -seen mating yesterday, plus Terrapin basking at edge of reeds by sluice. (really!) (Roger Merison); numerous Sand Martins and Swallows, 1 Yellow Wagtail in the paddocks with 2 White Wagtails associating with the Pieds, plus 4 Grey Wagtails, 2 Common Terns flew through (Jonathan Nasir); plus 7 Chiffchaffs, 3M Blackcaps, 1F Ruddy Duck (Lee Evans)
Tue 8 Apr Startopsend: Buzzard hunting over the back fields, the pair of Red-crested Pochards plus 1 Common Sandpiper (Jonathan Nasir); plus Swallow (M Wallen HBC)
Mon 7 Apr Wilstone: 1F Wheatear on the jetty, 200+ Sand Martins, a handful of Swallows and a Sparrowhawk (Charlie Jackson); Marsh Harrier reportedly seen over the reed bed (noted by David Bilcock - with several sightings on HBC); plus Blackcap, Common Buzzard (sev obs HBC)
Sun 6 Apr Wilstone: 434 Sand Martins, many roosting on the small pontoons, 9 (Barn) Swallows, 2 House Martins, plus 1F (Northern) Wheatear, 1F Linnet on the reservoir bank, and 10 Fieldfares in fields to east, plus 7 (Eurasian) Wigeon and 4 Common Goldeneye (1 drake), with 3 Grey Wagtails, a singing Common Chiffchaff (NE corner) and a Mistle Thrush (Lee Evans)
Sun 6 Apr Marsworth: 1M Ruddy Duck, 1F Northern Pochard plus 3 singing M Common Chiffchaffs (Lee Evans)
Sun 6 Apr Startopsend: 106 Sand Martins, 24 (Barn) Swallows, plus the pair of Red-crested Pochards (Lee Evans)
Sat 5 Apr Wilstone: Kittiwake early a.m. plus c80 Sand Martins with a few Swallows and a Chinese Water Deer in field (Roy Hargreaves)
Sat 5 Apr Marsworth: Common Sandpiper, Blackcap, Kingfisher - all early a.m. (Charlie Jackson)
Fri 4 Apr Wilstone: M Brambling in the trees by Cemetery Corner (Roy Hargreaves)
Thu 3 Apr Wilstone: 2M Blackcaps, 3 Common Chiffchaff, 1 Common Buzzard, Little Owl (Charlie Jackson); c80 Sand martin, c6 Swallows and 2 pairs of Goldeneye, plus 2 Kingfishers (from HBC) (Mike Wallen)
Thu 3 Apr Marsworth: 3M Yellow Wagtails in the paddocks by the canal this evening, Cetti's Warbler heard briefly (Steve Rodwell)
Thu 3 Apr Startopsend: 1 singing Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 (Barn) Swallows, 1F Sparrowhawk and the 2 (dubious) Red-crested Pochards (Charlie Jackson)
Tue 1 Apr Wilstone: 2 House Martins in amongst 71 Sand Martins and 2 (Barn) Swallows, 8 Common Gulls, plus 63 Shoveler, 38 Gadwall, 18 Eurasian Wigeon, 11 Common Teal, 14 Northern Pochard and 2 adult drake Common Goldeneyes, 2 adult intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Lee Evans); 3M 3F Goldeneyes late p.m. (Rob Andrews); Common Tern (BN HBC)
Mon 31 Mar Wilstone: 2 Common Terns, 7 Goldeneyes (3M 4F), 2 Cormorants nesting (Lee Evans)
Sun 30 Mar Tringford: Osprey over (via Nick Goss; also reported on HBC and seen at Dancer's End by Steve Rodwell); also Bewick's Swan (reported by D Pratt, but as yet unconfirmed) HBC
Sun 30 Mar Wilstone: Common Tern, adult Peregrine over heading towards Wilstone village (via Ben Miller); Oystercatcher on one of the tern rafts a.m., Blackcap in wood behind reedbed (Sue Rowe); plus Barn Owl later (Steve Rodwell)
Sun 30 Mar Startopsend: pair of Red-crested Pochards, c.30 Sand Martins including 1 House Martin (Ben Miller)
Sat 29 Mar Wilstone: adult Little Gull (Joan Thompson); House Martin seen with Sand Martins, but gull roost appears to have finished although good numbers of Common Gulls were constantly passing through (David Bilcock)
Fri 28 Mar Wilstone: 2M 3F Goldeneye, 1 Shellduck plus handful Sand Martins (Rob Andrews)
Fri 28 Mar Marsworth: 4 Swallows (Michael Burbidge)
Thu 27 Mar Wilstone: c.150 Golden Plover landed near Puttenham (Steve Rodwell); Barn Owl over cornfield behind HBC
Wed 26 Mar Wilstone: 10 Black-tailed Godwits briefly early a.m. (Dave Bilcock); 3 Curlews over flew noon (Steve Rodwell); Osprey over HBC
Tue 25 Mar Wilstone: second winter Mediterranean Gull present again in gull roost (David Bilcock)
Mon 24 Mar Wilstone: 2 Black-necked Grebes, c115 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, 2 Greater Black-backed Gulls, 3 Goldeneye HBC
Mon 24 Mar Startopsend: Peregrine over towards Little Tring; F Goldeneye, 60+ Sand Martin, Swallow, 2 singing Chiffchaff (I Bennell) HBC
Mon 24 Mar Marsworth: 4 Swallows with the Sand Martins (Roger Merrison); Cetti's Warbler heard from reedbed (I Bennell) HBC
Sun 23 Mar Wilstone: second winter Mediterranean Gull still present in gull roost (David Bilcock) also HBC
Sat 22 Mar Wilstone: second winter Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (David Bilcock)
Fri 21 Mar Wilstone: Little Gull passed through before 07.00 (David Bilcock); Black-necked Grebes still present, Swallow with Sand Martins, pair Goldeneye, pair Buzzard (Don Otter): plus further Goldeneye, M Pintail, Chiffchaff (ringed), Kingfisher, 4 Little Grebes - one of which tried to swallow a fish which appeared to be just a bit smaller than the Grebe itself, but it gave up after 5 minutes! (Mike Collard)
Thu 20 Mar Wilstone: 3 (Barn) Swallows and 115 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Thu 20 Mar Startopsend: 9 Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-crested Pochards (Lee Evans)
Wed 19 Mar Wilstone: 2 Black-necked Grebes at still present, plus 1w Little Gull and Wheatear still on Jetty (Ben Miller); 20 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, 8 Goldeneye (4 pairs, with males displaying), 1 Black-necked Grebe, 50+ Fieldfare in tall poplars at back, 2 Grey Wagtails (Lynne & Colin Lambert); plus 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Swallows (Mike Collard); plus 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 White Wagtail (Adam Hartley)
Wed 19 Mar Startopsend: a.m. (Barn) Swallow, Kingfisher (Ben Miller); noon 2 Swallows, app 50 Sand Martins (Roger Merrison); pair Red Crested pochard by hide, 100 Sand Martins and 2 Swallows (Ben Miller - reported by Dick Bodily); plus 4 Reed Buntings, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail (BN) HBC
Wed 19 Mar Marsworth: all in wood near reed bed: 5 Chiffchaff, 2M Reed Bunting, 2M Grey Wagtail, app 20 (+) Goldfinches, 1 Green Woodpecker flew from poplars over res. (Roger Merrison)
Tue 18 Mar Wilstone: 2 snipe in front of hide, Red kite over Wilstone cemetery, 2nd kite over pumping station area at the same time (Howard Clarke); the 2 Black-necked Grebes showing well, plus Wheatear on the jetty, 1 M Stonechat near the dung heaps, 3 Common Chiffchaff (2 by hide and 1 in trees near jetty, 1 White Wagtail on left hand bank, Little Owl and over 50 Sand Martins. 30 plus Fieldfares, 2 male and 2 female Goldeneye (Charlie Jackson)
Tue 18 Mar Marsworth/Startopsend: 2 (Barn) Swallows amongst approx 50 Sand Martins, 5 Chiffchaff in wood by entrance and along causeway, Buzzard flew into ivy covered tree by waterworks, Red Kite and Sparrowhawk flying over waterworks, 6 Fieldfare over, 1m Reed Bunting, 1 Treecreeper, 6 Pied Wagtails (Roger Merrison); Red kite over horse field twixt Manor House Farm and Marsworth, Kingfisher on fallen tree in water behind cottage at lock 42 (Howard Clarke); down to 1 Swallow & 10+ Sand Martins at Startopsend by p.m. (Geoff Young)
Mon 17 Mar Wilstone: 2 Black Necked Grebes (several observers), Northern Wheatear near Jetty, ; female Stonechat by Rushy Meadow and about 40 Sand Martins increasing to over 50 p.m. (Roy Hargreaves/Roger Merrison) plus adult male White Wagtail in with 14 Pied Wagtails in fields down from Cemetery Corner, 18 Great Crested Grebes, 156 Eurasian Wigeon, 38 Common Teal, 36 Gadwall, 15 Northern Pochard and 108 Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Ducks, 1m 2f Common Goldeneye, a flock of 270 Common Starlings and 1 Red Kite early p.m. (Lee Evans)
Mon 17 Mar Startopsend: 37 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Mon 17 Mar Marsworth: 3 Chiffchaffs singing (Lee Evans)
Mon 17 Mar WTW Lagoon: 2 Ruddy Ducks, kettle of 6 Buzzards overhead (Lee Evans)
Sun 16 Mar Wilstone: At around 08.00, 24 Sand Martins flying really near the water surface, plus 30 Goldfinches in the sheltered elder bushes of the dry canal at Bridge 4 (Sue Rowe); By evening, Sand Martins increased to 41, plus a first-winter Great Black-backed Gull in gull roost (David Bilcock); 3 Goldeneye HBC
Sat 15 Mar Wilstone: 7 Sand Martins (Charlie Jackson)
Fri 14 Mar Wilstone: male Stonechat still by Cemetery Track, male White Wagtail on the bank (Roy Hargreaves); adult Little Gull, 4 Common Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff, pair of Mandarin Duck (Charlie Jackson); Ringed Plover on bank next to steps HBC
Thu 13 Mar Wilstone: 2 Whooper Swans had returned (so looks like they are the Wardown Park pair) (David Bilcock)
Thu 13 Mar Marsworth: Bittern still present in reedbed (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 12 Mar Wilstone: adult Kittiwake flying west over reservoir at 06:45, briefly flirted with settling on the water before flying off into Bucks; plus 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (Roy Hargreaves/David Bilcock)
Tue 11 Mar Wilstone: 2 Long-tailed Tits, F Goldcrest (Mike Collard/Geoff Young); Kingfisher, Water Rail, Ruddy Duck (Geoff Young); First winter Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (Steve Rodwell)
Mon 10 Mar Wilstone: 111 Northern Shoveler, 302 remaining Eurasian Wigeon, adult drake Ruddy Duck, Water Rail, 6 Long-tailed Tits, a single F Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaffs (1 bird in full song) and the M Firecrest (Lee Evans); 4 Goldeneye (1male, 3fe) (Rob Andrews)
Sun 9 Mar Wilstone: M Firecrest (David Bilcock)
Sun 9 Mar Marsworth: Barn Owl, Bittern (at 18.45), plus a few bats (Dave Lee)
Sat 8 Mar Wilstone: 2 Stonechats near the dung heap at Cemetery corner, 1 Little Owl flying between trees in the paddock the other side of the
road from the car park, 2 Sand Martins high over the reservoir plus 2 Little Owls in the hedge near the heap of soil at the end of the
canal at Little Tring (Sue Rowe); Second winter Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (David Bilcock); Red Kite HBC
Sat 8 Mar Marsworth: 2 Water Rails calling (Ben Miller)
Fri 7 Mar Wilstone: Adult pair of Whooper Swans (whether or not these are the returning pair from Wardown Park, Luton, or the Calvert pair on the move is unknown - only time will tell), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in gull roost (Lee Evans)
Fri 7 Mar Marsworth: Kingfisher on branch above overflow twixt Startopsend/Marsworth, Common Buzzard soaring (then settled on tree behind Tringford) Kestrel soon mobbed and saw buzzard off, Sparrowhawk flying over small wood across road from sewage works, scared off be what sounded like shotgun (Howard Clarke); 52 Corn Buntings, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Sparrowhawks hunting the far hedgerow, 11 Northern Pochard, the 2 Barn Owls and at 1834, with very little light left, 2 Bitterns flew out of the reedbed and spent the next ten minutes or more flying and circling high over the reservoir, 'barking' loudly every 30 seconds; plus a Pipistrelle (Lee Evans);
Thu 6 Mar Wilstone: Redshank on bank near jetty, 2 Sand Martins (David Bilcock)
Thu 6 Mar Marsworth: At dusk, Bittern (possibly 2), 2 Barn Owls quartering the fields behind the reed bed, a Common Buzzard flying home to roost, a couple of Water Rails 'squealing' from the reeds, and a flock of 20+ Corn Buntings, plus a few Bat spp. flying around catching insects (Jonathan Nasir)
Thu 6 Mar Startopsend: Common Buzzard soaring over reservoir banks a.m. (Keith Evans)
Wed 5 Mar Marsworth: 82 Corn Buntings going to roost & 2 Sand Martins (Lee Evans)
Wed 5 Mar Wilstone: 2 Sand Martins (Mike Campbell); Little Owl - hunting from the dead Willow (in the field opposite the jetty), Red Kite - soaring over Drayton Beauchamp, 2 Skylarks in fields behind hide & also a Sparrowhawk flying in front of hide (Geoff Young); 2 Goosanders this evening , but they only did one circuit of the reservoir before flying off (David Bilcock)
Good numbers of gulls roosting again tonight but nothing of note
Tues 4 Mar Wilstone: Adult Mediterranean Gull in gull roost, Little Owl (Charlie Jackson)
Tues 4 Mar Marsworth: 82 Corn Buntings flew in to roost, along with 6 Reed Buntings, 9 Fieldfares and 2 Sand Martins (the earliest ever in Hertfordshire) plus 2 Sparrowhawks quartering the reedbed at dusk, and the regular pair of Grey Wagtails, Common Kingfisher, 2 drake Shoveler, a female Pochard, a pair of Common Kestrels, a Common Snipe and 7 Great Crested Grebes, plus 1 Bittern (Lee Evans)
Mon 3 Mar Wilstone: Adult Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (David Bilcock)
Mon 3 Mar Marsworth: Bittern flew over to Bucks part of reedbed, plus 2 Barn Owls (Rob Andrews and others); 2 Sand Martins (hopefully finding some insects and a safe roost in the reedbed with the Corn buntings) and later, the Bittern, a Barn Owl and a late roosting Buzzard (Francis Buckle and others)
Sun 2 Mar Wilstone: Adult Mediterranean Gull in gull roost (Mike Collard)
Sun 2 Mar Marsworth: 2 Bitterns (at around 18.05) and earlier, 100 Corn Buntings, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, plus a few (probably) Pipistrelle bats over the reservoir (Mike Collard)
Fri 29 Feb Wilstone: 3 Mediterranean Gulls, in breeding plumage, in amongst gull roost (David Bilcock)
Thu 28 Feb Wilstone: Male Stonechat still present (see below), 18 Great Crested Grebes (4 pairs in dancing display), 31 Mute Swans, 60 Greylag Geese (59 on the field), 486 Eurasian Wigeon, 43 Northern Shoveler, 88 Gadwall, 102 Common Teal, 29 Northern Pochard, 122 Tufted Ducks and best of all, two adult drake and an adult female Common Goldeneye. In the Grey Heronry, 17 nests are now occupied, including 10 in the 'big' tree, 5 in one of the smaller ones along the Drayton Causeway and two single nests in that same line (Lee Evans)
Thu 28 Feb Tringford: 2 Great Crested Grebes, 24 Mute Swans, 24 Common Teal and 32 Tufted Ducks were counted and at Startopsend Reservoir, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 59 Tufted Duck, 16 Northern Pochard and another pair of Common Goldeneyes were encountered. Two Kingfishers were noisily displaying on the stream between Startopsend and Marsworth, whilst 3 territorial male Goldcrests were in full song in the small wood there (Lee Evans)
Thu 28 Feb Marsworth: 13 Fieldfare flying to roost in the Poplars and in the reedbed, 109 Corn Buntings came in to roost (in groups of 31, 8 & 70) and 6 Reed Buntings (two males in song), with a pair of Grey Wagtails (male adorning his summer black throat), 4 squealing Water Rails and 6 Northern Shovelers. Our wintering Bittern put on a spectacular performance as it jostled with reed stems in order to create its platform bed just in from the edge of the reeds, just behind the first obvious promontory (Lee Evans plus David Bilcock and others)
Wed 27 Feb Wilstone: Oystercatcher on bank at around 12.00 (Steve Rodwell); Pair of Stonechats still along wire fence near Cemetery corner (Mike Campbell); 6 Goldeneye, Pintail, M Ruddy Duck (D Girvan) HBC
Wed 27 Feb Marsworth: Bittern flying over reedbed at app. 17.05 (Sue Rowe)
Tue 26 Feb Marsworth: 2 Bitterns, both on far bank at app. 17.30 - 18.00. also 56 Corn Buntings (Steve Rodwell & Charlie Jackson)
Tue 26 Feb Wilstone: Pair of Stonechats by the Cemetery Track and Buzzard in field above the dry canal (Roy Hargreaves)
Mon 25 Feb Wilstone: 2 Goldeneye, Pintail, Water Rail, Buzzard (D Girvan) HBC
Sun 24 Feb Marsworth: Bittern flew into reeds (Paul Dancer) and went to roost along the far bank of the reservoir around 17.50, plus 1 Daubenton's Bat (Steve Rodwell)
Sat 23 Feb Wilstone: A M Stonechat has joined the female flitting between the fence and the dung clamp along the track near Wilstone
cemetery (Sue Rowe); Oystercatcher circled for 10 mins (earlier at Startopsend) (I Williams) HBC
Sat 23 Feb Startopsend: Oystercatcher (David Bilcock)
Sat 23 Feb Marsworth: Bittern showed very well from 5.40-6.00 pm, plus a Barn Owl flying around the field behind the reservoir (Steve Rodwell)
Wed 20 Feb Wilstone: F Stonechat on fence by the cemetery corner with loads of winter thrushes and starlings in that arable field, along with about
54 Greylags (Sue Rowe)
Mon 18 Feb Wilstone: 38 Great Crested Grebes (many pairs now in 'dancing' display), 4 Little Grebes (again, whinnying display heard), 17 Grey Herons, 124 Gadwall, 604 Eurasian Wigeon (notable decrease), 3 Northern Pintails in SE corner (2 drakes and a female), 103 Common Teal, 41 Shoveler, 175 Tufted Ducks, 68 Northern Pochard, 2 Common Goldeneyes (adult male and female) and Ruddy Duck (present), plus a sizeable gull roost, with 998+ Black-headed Gulls and 54 Common Gulls and the regular adult Mediterranean Gull (now bearing much of its summer hood and summer bill), and one tree on the north bank held 19 Redwings, 2 Mistle Thrushes and 4 Goldfinch. (Lee Evans); 3M 10+F Ruddy Duck, 3M 1F Pintail, 1M 1F Goldeneye, 6 Little Grebe, 1 Red Kite, 1 Buzzard, 1 Bittern in reeds to right of hide (also reported by David Bilcock) 1 Kingfisher, 1 Snipe, plus 10+ Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Lapwing, in adjacent sheep field (Roger Merrison).
Mon 18 Feb Marsworth: 123 Corn Buntings flew in to roost, with 4 Water Rail squealing, the regular marauding Eurasian Sparrowhawk at dusk, 35 Fieldfares and 27 Shoveler and most unusually a Common Buzzard, flying north to roost at 1755 hours (almost dark) (Lee Evans)
Sun 17 Feb Wilstone: 2 Bitterns in reeds to right of hide, Mediterranean Gull in gull roost, almost in breeding plumage (David Bilcock)
Fri 15 Feb Wilstone: 2 male Pintail, plus big flock of winter thrushes and starlings on the pasture near Miswell farm (Sue Rowe)
Thu 14 Feb Marsworth: The Bittern briefly flew across the back of the reedbed at 5.36pm (Steve Rodwell)
Tue 12 Feb Marsworth: Barn Owl over reedbed (Johne Taylor); 140 + Corn Buntings, 2 Water Rail calling, 35 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtails and a bat - a small one so possibly a Pipistrelle (Lynne Lambert)
Tue 12 Feb Wilstone: 2nd Winter Mediterranean Gull still present in gull roost (David Bilcock)
Mon 11 Feb Wilstone: 2 Goldeneye, 2 Red-crested Pochard (D Girvan) HBC
Sun 10 Feb Wilstone: Water Rail, Snipe & Ruddy Duck from hide (P Tyler) HBC
Sat 9 Feb Wilstone: Cetti's Warbler showing very well by hide, also 4 Goldeneye (2m) (I Williams) HBC
Thu 7 Feb Wilstone: 3 newly-arrived immature/female Common Shellduck, 17 Great Crested Grebes, 44 Mute Swans, 80 Greylag Geese, 798 Eurasian Wigeon, 52 Gadwall, 24 Mallard, 33 Shoveler, 23 Teal, 99 Northern Pochard, 137 Tufted Ducks, a drake Common Goldeneye, 2 adult drake Ruddy Ducks and 242 Coots, plus 22 Grey Herons with 11 nests now actively being used. And Cetti's Warbler heard by Mike Frosdick (Lee Evans); Barn Owl over fields between reservoir & Drayton Beauchamp Manor (observer not recorded) HBC
Thu 7 Feb Marsworth: 7 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Pochard, 3 Shoveler and 14 Coot, plus the Bittern, which flew into its favoured area of reeds at 17.31), 4 squealing Water Rails (1 seen well), Grey wagtail and 36 Fieldfares. And 23 Corn Buntings flew in (although 100 or more had roosted earlier) (Lee Evans)
Thu 7 Feb Tringford: 21 Mute Swans (including 4 first-winters), 49 Mallard, 17 Teal, 2 Tufted Ducks and 2 Great Crested Grebes, whilst Startopsend Reservoir, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 37 Coot, 44 Tufted Ducks, 10 Mallard and 17 Northern Pochards (Lee Evans)
Wed 6 Feb Startopsend: Second winter Mediterranean Gull - in evening; then flew off with Black-headed Gulls towards Wilstone (Peter Daltry)
Tue 5 Feb Wilstone: In the gull roost were 2 Mediterranean Gulls (the adult winter and 2nd-winter) amongst 806 Black-headed Gulls (of which 15 were fully chocolate brown-headed), plus 87 Common Gulls (including 11 first-winters) and 1 graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull (Lee Evans)
Mon 4 Feb Wilstone: 5 Snipe in front of hide, 4 Common gulls amongst large Black-headed Gull flock, 1m 1f Goldeneyes, 1m Ruddy duck (may have been females too) (Phillip Walker)
Sat 2 Feb Wilstone: Bittern disturbed in the reedbed (Mick A'Court, reported by Lynne Lambert)
Sun 27 Jan: Marsworth: Bittern, flushed in reedbed (Mick A'Court, reported by Lynne Lambert)
Sun 27 Jan Wilstone: 8 Snipe, 1 Water Rail in front of hide, plus 1m 3f Goldeneye, 60+ Lapwing, Kingfisher (Keith Evans)
Sat 26 Jan Wilstone: 7 snipe in front of hide, also 2 goldeneye (Robin Pearson)
Fri 25 Jan Marsworth: A census of the Corn Bunting roost recorded a total of 159 birds (the initial 9 at 1603 hours, the largest single flock of 43 birds, with the last 3 at 1644).The highest roost count last winter was 178 birds, so this represents a shortfall of just over 10%. Also the resident pair of Eurasian Sparrowhawks were busy scattering roosting birds at the back of the reedbed, and a Common Buzzard spiralled up high from the sewage farm unusually late at 1640. Common Kestrels were hovering for last minute offerings over the back, and flyover finches from the Bulbourne direction included 3 Bramblings. Roosting Fieldfares numbered just 7 and Redwing 1, whilst an active flock of Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit moved quickly through (Lee Evans)
Wed 16 Jan Wilstone: 2 Goldeneye, 2 Kingfisher, Snipe, 6+ Long-tailed Tit, 50+ Lapwing, 20+ Shoveler, 50+ Wigeon (P Tyler) HBC
Mon 14 Jan Tringford: 134 Gadwall, 42 Common Teal, 22 Pochards and 65 Mute Swans, 10 Stock Doves (attracted to the grain), plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming and a Robin in full song (Lee Evans)
Mon 14 Jan Startopsend: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 26 Tufted Ducks plus a female Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid (with an extensive white blaze to its forehead, a broad, flat head but with a tuft, golden-yellow eye, chocolate-brown overall body plumage but with extensive grey sides and fore flanks on its right side only - the blue bill was tipped with a broad black 'nail' extending on to the flange) (Lee Evans)
Mon 14 Jan Wilstone: Red Kite & flew off towards Tring (Keith Evans); 2 Snipe in front of hide (Howard Clarke); 122 Northern Pochard, 898 Eurasian Wigeon, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Gadwall (Lee Evans)
Sun 13 Jan Wilstone: 3F Goldeneye, Egyptian Geese, 3 Chiffchaff (M Collard) HBC
Thu 9 Jan Wilstone: Red Kite over, Kingfisher (P Griffin) HBC
Wed 8 Jan Tringford: 3 Egyptian Geese (Lee Evans)
Wed 8 Jan Startopsend: 11 Pochard and 2 Teal (Lee Evans)
Sun 6 Jan Marsworth: Bittern Roost Watch day: c120 Corn Buntings going to roost and (yes) 1 Bittern (sadly after most visitors had left) (Keith Evans, Johne Taylor and others); Earlier, Woodcock (Warren Claydon (reported by LL))
Sun 6 Jan Wilstone: Mediterranean Gull in Black-headed Gull roost (reported by several Tring birders)
Wed 2 Jan Wilstone: Gull roost contained 2 adult Common Gulls and 1adult Lesser Black-backed Gull; 2 Common Snipes in front of the hide and 2 female Common Goldeneye (Lee Evans): 2 Red Kite over (observer not recorded) HBC
Wed 2 Jan Marsworth: Bittern, Buzzard (observer not recorded) HBC
Tue 1 Jan Wilstone: 37 Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebe, 37 Mute Swans (8 first-winters), 615 Eurasian Wigeon, 124 Common Teal, 41 Shoveler, 62 Tufted Ducks, 38 Pochard, 2 pairs of Northern Pintail, a female Red-crested Pochard, 6 Ruddy Ducks and a Little Owl. At 1530, along with Dave Bilcock, Roy Hargreaves, Ian Williams, Francis Buckle and JT, I finally connected with the 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull in the Black-head roost (Lee Evans)
Tue 1 Jan Marsworth: Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, 2 squealing Water Rails, Goldcrest, 2 Eurasian Sparrowhawks, a whistling Common Kingfisher, 33 Fieldfares and a single Corn Bunting. Best of all however was our single wintering Common Bittern (Lee Evans)
Note: HBC indicates sightings taken from Herts Bird Club website.
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