COMMON REDSTART in Cranfield

Female COMMON REDSTART at traffic master building on Cranfield Aerodrome in
hedgerow next to large grass area, per Paul Nye.

Spectacular evening 27/4

Arrived at Broom at 6 ish, SB present and not a lot happening, tried catching swallows as the highest number of the year present, no joy and heavy rain in patches.

SB left at 6.45hrs and I put up my scope for the first time in the evening. I scanned the edge of peacocks island with the bins and on the right hand edge was a striking white bird with a black cap partially concealed amongst the green weedy vegetation half way up the bank, the bird looked to be asleep but the striking black and white puzzled me, looking almost Avocet like.

I moved to the scope and at that moment the bird flew, it was a tern ! I then switched back to bins and saw it land on the T tern post. Going back to the scope I immediatly saw there were two terns sat side by side, a clear Common and a smaller strikingly gleeming white tern with a pink washed breast and an all black long and rather thin bill. I instantly thought Roseate Tern and looked at the legs as I remember the previous Broom bird had double rings on each legs - no rings but surprisingly long red legs, clearly longer than the Common next to it.

At this point I called SB and said get back here quick unbelievably I think I have a Roseate Tern. I then looked up and the both terns had just flown off the perch, I got straight on to the pale bird which going away looked to have very short wings but as it banked it clealy had very long 'sticking up' tail streamers. As the bird flew back in to the island I noticed dark edges to the the outer primaries of the upper wings which clearly formed a dark panel to the outer wing. The bird came back in and landed quite bizzarely low down on the wooden log on the front of the island, side on the tail was very long and the birds upperparts were all snowy white with little contrast between the back and body. At this point with the bird fixed in the scope on 50x zoom I spent the next 30 seconds looking for a camera in the car. On going back to my scope the bird had gone and there were no terns flying around on the entire lake. I am 100% certain the bird was a Roseate Tern.

As if that wasnt enough at 1955hrs I was stood with Martin Stevens, Jim Gurney and Stuart Warren when Stuart called out a raptor over the wood in the SE corner. Stuart described the bird as it came closer but it took all parties few seconds to get on. It was clearly a big raptor, Stuart called harrier?, I got on it with bins and suggested it might even be a big accipiter, the most prominant structural feature was its long tail, it was bulky but not in the proportions of a Common Buzzard. On getting the bird in the scope it had dark carpal wing patches and as it started to go away it clearly had a pale uppertail, I began shouting its a Rough-leg Buzzard. The bird held its wings almost horizontal but slightly arched at the hand, its flight was regular and not heavy or light. It continued over the lake in direct flight straight towards Shuttleworth. The right wing had one or two missing primary feathers. The ID was not based on any plumage paleness such as confusion with pale Common Buzzards. This was a totally different bird in structure, shape and flight action.
Mark Thomas

Rarities abound.......

At Broom GP this evening, Mark Thomas located a ROSEATE TERN briefly before it flew off east, and watched a ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD fly over.

In the south of the county, Rob Dazley, Lol & Bob had a singing male WOOD WARBLER briefly in Dunstable and Andy White a male BLACK REDSTART at 57 Ravensbank in Stopsley (Luton).

Lots of WHEATEARS were grounded, including 15 on Blows Downs (RD) and 5 at Ridgeway Wood (DJO)

Blows Downs this morning

The male Redstart this morning (the first male of the year I think) was
using the fence line which crosses the southern paddock parallel to the
green lane and centre path - it was favouring the end of the fence nearest
to the houses

Also - at least 16 Wheatear through the site with up to 19 (if I didn't
double count some) - this included a fly - past group of 10 by the chalk
pit.

Phil Hendon's female Ring Ouzel on the Tesco slope was very elusive.

Elsewhere on the site a couple of Common Whitethroat in and singing plus a
vocal Lesser Whitethroat - a flyover Cuckoo was my first for the year.

An excellent morning

cheers

Rob

All happened at BROOM early afternoon

After such a disastrous lunchtime birding excursion and news of Mark
Ward's substantially better late lunch, I decided to take some leave and
hit Broom again. Walking up to the main lake, the first bird I saw was
particularly bright - Sandwich Tern! Then turning to the smaller terns,
I'd say there were at least 35-40 Arctics and maybe twenty Commons.
Over the next ten minutes my peak estimate of Arctics was 55. I noticed
the Sandwich was then perched on the Peacocks boon so attempted some
photography. Don't hold your breath.

I was then joined by John Dingemans. Ten minutes later, there seems to
be fewer terns, maybe 30 in total, but then they increased to over 50
again including at least 30 Arctics. Sandwich seen in flight around
2.30 but not again. A small wader headed towards us low over the water
- Sanderling! It veered right and gained height heading towards Gypsy
Lane East but gaining height so perhaps did not land there but worth a
look. Returning to the road and MJP we counted around 50 terns so
numbers changing all the time. Two Swifts over - first time I can
remember seeing Swift before House Martin...

Richard Bashford

NIGHTINGALES back

Two Common Nightingales singing at 23.30 (22.30 GMT) at the Tempsford Station Road rail crossing (traditional site) at TL179543 and TL179540, but none at the other nearby traditional site, near Cold Arbour at TL193547. - Tim Sharrock

ARCTIC TERN arrival

TUESDAY 24 APRIL

 

Another day of topsy-turvy weather. Initially, winds were blowing from the Northeast and it was cold and grey then, by early afternoon, the cold front had been matched by higher pressure from the south, clearing the skies and inducing temperatures to virtually double to 13 degrees C. There was no rain during the afternoon

 

The big story of the day was the ARCTIC TERN passage, with over 500 being recorded over the Midlands Region today, peaking at a flock of over 115 in the Northamptonshire Nene Valley. COMMON SWIFTS were also notable by their arrival........

 

CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)

 

The first-summer Sinensis Cormorant was still present in the Chess Valley, this morning roosting on the island at Bois Mill Lake.

 

THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)

 

At WILSTONE RESERVOIR from 0900-0945 hours in a cool Northeasterly, no less than 22 ARCTIC TERNS were present, many of which were in full breeding attire with full tail streamers. Significant also was the large arrival of HOUSE MARTIN - 76 being click-counted.

 

Otherwise, fairly standard-fare and no wader passage - 12 Great Crested Grebes, 10 active Sinensis nests, 5 Mute Swans, 14 Greylag Geese, 8 Gadwall, 8 Common Teal, 98 Tufted Duck, 53 Common Terns, pair of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 45 Barn Swallows and 55 Sand Martins.

 

At MARSWORTH, no luck with the earlier Cuckoo, but a 'new' singing Common Chiffchaff along the causeway, 3 singing Western Reed Warblers and another pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. By Lock 41, the reeling male GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was still present (see Lucy Flowers fabulous new shots above).

 

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR held a single COMMON REDSHANK, 5 Black-headed Gulls and a House Martin.

 

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)

 

Most noteworthy was a COMMON SANDPIPER on the 'beach' in the NW corner of the marsh - my first of the year in Bucks. Other waders, mostly actively breeding, included 9 Common Redshanks, the OYSTERCATCHER pair (now sitting) and 12 Lapwings.

 

Three Shoveler remain, as do 1 pair of Gadwall, the 2 COMMON SHELDUCKS and the drake Red-crested Pochard, whilst 2 pairs of Greylag Geese were present (1 female sat on eggs), 2 Common Terns and 2 singing male WESTERN REED WARBLERS.

 

GROVEBURY SANDPIT (BEDFORDSHIRE)

 

Both COMMON SHELDUCK remain, with 15 Herring Gulls, 10 Common Terns and at least 120 Sand Martins.

 

BROGBOROUGH LAKE (BEDS)

 

No evidence of much movement, with 2 Common Terns and a singing male Willow Warbler at the west end.

 

MARSTON VALE MILLENIUM PARK (BEDS)

 

At the Pillinge Lake, OYSTERCATCHER (pair), LITTLE RINGED PLOVER and Common Redshank were present, with a nice male LESSER WHITETHROAT 'rattling' away and showing occasionally in bushes and Hawthorn scrub along the NW bank (my first of the year).

 

In fact, a wealth of warbler activity was apparent, with 2 CETTI'S WARBLERS, 11 SEDGE WARBLERS, 5 WESTERN REED WARBLERS, 13 Willow Warblers and 15 Blackcaps. Hirundines included 4 Barn Swallows and a party of 9 House Martins that quickly flew through.

 

STEWARTBY LAKE (BEDS)

 

With vastly improving weather. Stewartby Lake held 17 ARCTIC TERNS and 4 Common Terns at 1230, the former part of  a widespread movement in the county that included 40+ at Broom and 3 at Priory Country Park.

 

FENLAKE MEADOWS NR, BEDFORD (BEDS)

 

Parking up behind the Oasis Swimming Pool, I walked the 400 yards east along the Ouse to the main lagoon at Fenlake, where in the short sedges at the NE corner, 2 reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLERS were performing exceptionally well early afternoon; there were also 2 singing male COMMON WHITETHROATS alongside the riverbank.

 

GALLOWS BRIDGE (WEST BUCKS)

 

After hearing of 2 Whimbrels on site at 1115 hours, I decided to try my luck with them but with most records of this species in the county, their stay was short-lived and they had already departed by the time Tim Watts arrived an hour earlier than me. A few EURASIAN CURLEW were in the vicinity, a nice male YELLOW WAGTAIL, a singing WILLOW WARBLER, a singing COMMON WHITETHROAT and several Blackcaps.

 

CALVERT LAKES (NORTH BUCKS)

 

On the main Sailing lake at 1634 hours, 19 ARCTIC TERNS was present, many of which were sat on the water washing and bathing. TW had found them much earlier in the morning. Nothing much else though, apart from 3 singing male WILLOW WARBLERS.

 

AYLESBURY (BUCKS)

 

One of the adult PEREGRINES was sat on the nest

 

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)

 

A return evening visit in the company of Mike Campbell and Mike & Ted Wallen. A total of 78 sterna terns was present including at least 25 ARCTICS, along with a single LITTLE RINGED PLOVER by the hide and 7 newly arrived COMMON SWIFTS - my first of the year.

 

A Sparrowhawk flew high across the reservoir, with 5 Red Kites in the vicinity. Sand Martins numbered 70+ with 25 Barn Swallows.