Wednesday 10 September 2008

GREY PHALAROPES AT TRING RESERVOIRS




Juvenile Grey Phalarope moulting into first-winter plumage, Startopsend Reservoir, Bucks/Herts border, 7 September 2008 (Rob Andrews (top) & Mike Collard (bottom two)
GREY PHALAROPES AT TRING RESERVOIRS
Grey Phalarope is a rare vagrant at Tring Reservoirs with just 14 previous records. Most have occurred in the months of October and November with records also in late August and in September.
A juvenile was shot at Tring on 20 October 1891.
A female was shot on Marsworth Reservoir on 2 November 1904.
A female was shot on 18 November 1911.
A juvenile was at Marsworth Reservoir on 29 September 1919.
A first-winter remained on Wilstone from 29-31 October 1948.
A first-winter remained at Wilstone from 15-23 November 1953.
A juvenile was present from 17-19 September 1961.
A first-winter remained from 11-12 November 1982.
Following the great 'Hurricane' in October 1987, two birds were present on Wilstone on 16-17, with one remaining until 19th.
A moulting adult was present for one and a half hours in front of the Drayton Bank Hide on Wilstone on 25 August 1989.
A first-winter visited Wilstone on 31 October 1994.
A first-winter was found on Wilstone on 5 October 2003, staying for only a short period before flying off later that day.
A further first-winter remained on a largely drained Wilstone Reservoir from 23 October to 9 November 2003
*All information taken from the forthcoming publication - Evans, Rare Birds and Scarce Migrants in Hertfordshire

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