Second GREAT GREY SHRIKE in a week following one at Sandy Heath RSPB

The adult GREAT GREY SHRIKE was present until dusk at Streatley, commuting between the middle hedgerow and the hedgerow that runs east directly away from Swedish Cottages (TL 075 278) along the Icknield Way Path (LGRE, Darin, Jo & Charlie Stanley). It was ranging up to 600 yards down this track and was favouring the pylons. Always distant, I managed these record shots.......

As you can see, the bird was a very long way away (see first two shots to get an idea of range - perhaps 600 yards)

BRENT GOOSE, PINTAILS and more

A DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was present at Peacocks Lake, Broom, for a while this morning, while Pintails were noted at Blunham lake, Chimney Corner South lake, and six more in Quest. Additionally, a juvenile Arctic Tern and Little Gull at Brogborough Lake.

WHITE-FRONTS

Two juvenile SIBERIAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE arrived at Broom GP this afternoon and eventually ended up with the large Greylag flock. The juvenile LITTLE STINT was also still present on Gypsy Lane East.

I finally caught up with a LITTLE STINT whilst 3 LITTORALIS ROCK PIPITS were an added bonus

TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER

 

The first day of October dawned grey and overcast, with a fresh SE wind and above average temperatures. It stayed like this for the remainder of the day, the forecast rain not arriving prior to dusk.

 

I spent much of the morning at WILSTONE RESERVOIR (TRING) where the only 'new' arrivals were 2 DUNLIN and a juvenile RINGED PLOVER (both feeding on the exposed islands in the NW corner). Five juvenile BLACK-TAILED GODWITS remained on the reed-fringed mud of the south shore, along with 4 Common Snipe.

 

Still large numbers of waterbirds present including 15 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Grebes (see pix), 11 Little Egrets, 8 Grey Heron, 20 Sinensis Cormorant, 52 Mute Swans (including orange-ringed 679 initially ringed in Berkhamstead on 5 May 2012), 31 Greylag Geese, 160 Mallard, 21 Gadwall, 330 Eurasian Wigeon, at least 6 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 560 Common Teal, 152 Shoveler, 124 Tufted Duck, 211 Northern Pochard, 552 Coot and 25 Moorhens, whilst 216 Lapwing, 214 Black-headed Gull, 3 first-year Common Gull and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull completed the inventory.

 

Otherwise, 3 Pied Wagtails, Stock Dove, 9 Woodpigeon and a roving feeding flock of 340 Common Starlings in fields in Cemetery Corner. A pair of Collared Dove and 25 Jackdaw were in the vicinity of Wilstone Great Farm.

 

I then headed north into BEDFORDSHIRE and replaced Jim Gurney and Martin Palmer at BROOM GP. The juvenile LITTLE STINT was showing well on a small muddy island with a Green Sandpiper (record shots below) on GYPSY LANE EAST whilst a group of 3 SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPITS was performing well on the west shoreline of the neighbouring PEACOCK'S LAKE (also illustrated below).