Yellowhammer today in the glorious weather

Inkombe Hole

Inkombe Hole can be accessed from the main car park. It is on the opposite side to the Beacon summit and is an excellent funnel for migrants, particularly warblers, Ring Ouzels, Redstarts and flycatchers

A new wave of COMMON REDSTARTS

TUESDAY 30 AUGUST

Dave Bilcock did his usual Bank Holiday Monday roundup of the IVINGHOE HILLS and found at least 8 COMMON REDSTARTS present, clearly indicating a marked arrival and mirrored elsewhere in the region with up to 14 on Quainton Hill. Anyhow, I followed up Dave's sightings today, traversing the entire recording area from Gallows in the east to Inkombe Hole in the west and found at least 7 still showing - 3 on the Ringshall Slope in bushes close to the top gates, 1 in the bottom hedgerow, 1 near the S Bend and at least 2 in Inkombe Hole. Surprisingly little else of note though, with just 4 Common Chiffchaff, a single Common Whitethroat, a single Barn Swallow west and a first-year Sparrowhawk, along with resident species such as Red Kite, Green Woodpecker, Yellowhammer, Linnet and 2 Bullfinch.

Four of the 'new' Common Redstarts photographed by Dave Bilcock

 Nothing of note at the reservoirs despite a drop in water levels and the long-staying RUFF still present at COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT

WHINCHATS

I love WHINCHATS - such beautiful little birds - and we are spoilt for choice for them in the Chilterns. In good years, we can get up to 50 birds per autumn, passing through between mid August and mid September. Three were present today.....

Overnight rain produces birds at Pitstone Hill

25 AUGUST 2016

 

Overnight saw quite a bit of rain so I was out bright and early birding the hills. The rain had stopped and the skies were now clear but the wind was still in the east....

 

PITSTONE HILL looked promising and after working my way through the 60 Goldfinch, 14 Yellowhammer, 9 Meadow Pipit and 8 CORN BUNTING not far along from the gate, was very pleased to see a pair of GREY PARTRIDGE on the first hill, with a further male calling from the field below with the manure heap in it - my first in Buckinghamshire this year! Two migrant NORTHERN WHEATEAR were also in this  same area and as I followed the perimeter fence around, a further single was noted and 3 WHINCHATS. Two migrant juvenile Common Whitethroats were also seen, while in the scrub in the gully area, at least two COMMON REDSTARTS and a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER were noted - not a bad fall in all.

 

Over at TRING RESERVOIRS, Dave Bilcock's juvenile ARCTIC TERN had relocated to MARSWORTH, traversing both the Bucks and Herts section of the reservoir, while other noteworthy birds included an adult Common Tern, 1-2 Grey Wagtail, Common Kingfisher, 62 Coot, 2 HOBBIES and best of all, a migrant COAL TIT in the wood - my first in the Recording Area this year. I see Mute Swan 4ABL has a family, standing with her 4 cygnets on the bank at STARTOP'S. The only Tufted Duck family I noted was of 5 ducklings on TRINGFORD. There was no sign of the Ruff that Ian Williams had at WILSTONE last night, nor of what was presumably the same long-staying bird at College, although 11 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Little Egret, 44 Mute Swan, 130 Greylag Geese, Barnacle Goose, 70 Teal (a notable increase), 18 Shoveler, 100+ Lapwing and a single GREEN SANDPIPER were noted.

 

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT was very quiet, with just the adult Ringed Plover, juvenile Common Redshank and solitart Common Snipe remaining, 12 Teal, 170 Black-headed Gull and 6 migrant European Barn Swallows through

Poor visibility sees fall of HOUSE MARTIN and flyover TREE PIPITS

Thursday 18 August

 

SE wind; misty with poor visibility to the Northeast

 

A major fall of HOUSE MARTIN with a flock lingering in the Beacon area all morning, peaking at 62 individuals. Also 2 TREE PIPITS over to the southwest, just a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR lingering on the fenceline down to the sheep-pens and a 'new' COMMON REDSTART in the scrub below the car park, calling loudly. A single COMMON WHITETHROAT present for its third day by the two stiles at the bottom of the car park slope and 2 LESSER WHITETHROATS on the north side of Gallows Hill but otherwise regular fare, although a single Marsh Tit and Nuthatch were unexpected. Just singles of Yellowhammer, Bullfinch and Linnet noted, with 37 Jackdaw west, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 9 Common Starlings.

 

Very quiet at neighbouring PITSTONE HILL, with COMMON RAVEN, a juvenile CORN BUNTING, & Yellowhammers, a single Barn Swallow and 15 Common Starling highlighting. The family flock of 5 Meadow Pipit remain. Still lots of butterfly activity, primarily Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Common Blue.

More Chats arrive....

Walking down to the sheep pens from the main car park produced 3 WHINCHATS on the fenceline and a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR - all different to last week's birds and sign of movement in these light easterly winds. Nothing else of note though, although the juvenile RUFF remains at College Lake BBOWT