Tuesday 10 January 2012

WATER PIPIT still

TUESDAY 10 JANUARY

Another very mild day with temperatures reaching 12 degrees C. Dry too, with some bright periods. Negligable wind.

Steve Blain's chiffchaff find was my main target bird of the day and Water Pipit......

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Quickly responding to Roy's posting, I drove over to Startop's and checked the north bank. No sign of the Water Pipit nor of the Snow Bunting - the latter obviously now gone. The House Sparrow flock (13 birds) was back at Startop's Farm and a fortuitous meeting with Andy Grimsey provided me with an update on the pipit - it was back in its usual place on Wilstone......

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Minutes later I was upon the east bank of Wilstone and after a couple of sweeps of the bank, caught the WATER PIPIT in flight as it was flushed by a dogwalker from the bay immediately north of the jetty. It flew a short way to Cemetery Corner, where it joined 3 Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail. I got closer to it and then enjoyed excellent views as it walked further and further away from the mud and into the vegetation and much closer to the bank. I was very pleased indeed at finally catching up with it, as disturbance around the banks renders its appearances erratic at the very least.

Closeby, all 54 Linnets were feeding in the weeds, whilst 2 LITTLE EGRETS were roosting on Drayton Bank, the 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE were still present and the DARK-BELLIED BRENT was still with the Canadas.

WESTEND HILL, CHEDDINGTON (BUCKS) (SP 915 170)

Two Red Kites lingering

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