WHINCHATS and RUFFS - LGRE Diary Notes

MONDAY 15 AUGUST

Still warm (70 degrees F) in the sunshine but an increasing westerly wind bringing rain in the evening...

GRAFHAM WATER (CAMBRIDGESHIRE)

When I was on site today, the juvenile WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN was favouring the orange part of the long pontoon in front of the Harbour View Restaurant, immediately east of the Mander Car Park, roosting with up to 25 Common Terns. When not there, I watched it fishing in front of the settlement lagoons, up to 400 yards to the east. The views afforded were excellent.

At the Settlement Lagoons, a single GARGANEY was with the 18 Common Teal present, along with several Little Egrets, 12 Common Terns and 6 Green Sandpipers.

The BLACK-NECKED GREBE was in amongst the large flotilla of birds in the bay in front of Plummer Car Park.

Most impressive was the gathering of 330 House Martins, over 100 of which were sat on top of the Sailing Club building. Little else of note other than a juvenile YELLOW WAGTAIL

SANDY SMITH NATURE RESERVE, CLOPHILL (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Thanks to Pip Housden and directions from Jim Gurney, I was able to add my 176th species in the county this afternoon - WHINCHAT. An adult male and two juveniles were in keeping with a family party of Common Whitethroats along the fence line bordering the well vegetated footpath that leads east from the Speedsdairy Farm, up to 150 yards beyond the third isolated tall Oak at approximately TL 114 390. The male was still in good plumage. The site also yielded the regular LITTLE OWLS.

ROOKERY PIT (BEDFORDSHIRE)

At 1822 hours, there was little change from recent days: the 4 juvenile RUFFS were still present, 2 COMMON GREENSHANKS, a Common Sandpiper and 9 Ringed Plovers.

TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS)

No sign of either of the two juvenile MEDITERRANEAN GULLS present earlier in the afternoon but the 2 Green Sandpipers were still present on the sandy spit