GYPSY LANE last night

Mornin’ all, RE, MSt, JP, PH and I “did” the roost at GLE y’day evening, c7.20 to 8.35pm. 600 L B Backs at dusk with a few hundred more having left earlier or flown directly over west. Amongst them MSt picked out an adult YLG flying in very late on and earlier I had found 2 juveniles. Also present were 2a 2j Herring Gulls and 1 juv Common Gull. The 2 Curlew were present again plus a juv Shelduck, 3 Pochard, 10 Shoveler, 3 Gadwell, a few hundred Mallards and Greylags, several Teal and other usual species inc a Stock Dove. I’d passed by at lunchtime too when a Ringed Plover was noted on a small island opposite the gateway. A walk around the New Heath at The Lodge this morning gave a showy trio of Hobbies and 2 Ravens. MJP

A wave of COMMON REDSTARTS

Keith Owen reports Marsh Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat,
Hobby, 4 Turtle Doves, and the male COMMON REDSTART still all around the
first pool from Marston Thrift car park this afternoon. Other COMMON REDSTARTS are also to be found at Brogborough Hill, Streatley and Pegsdon Hills

Juvenile CASPIAN GULL roosting for fourth night

Juvenile CASPIAN GULL again at Broom GP this evening. This time it was with
a modest group of large gulls in the ploughed field to the east of G&M
Growers from around 20:30. Also two Curlews in again at GLE, several
Yellow-legged and Herring Gulls, as well as around 100 Swallows
roosting in the G&M Growers pits, and at least three Swifts.

Steve Blain/Martin Palmer/Darren Oakley-Martin/Jim P

OSPREY in East Beds

OSPREY, one juvenile perched in dead tree on the Bedfordshire side of the hedge (conveniently) that forms the county boundary at Myers Farm Reservoir, (TL228510), calling persistently between 20:05-20:20. It was calling when I phoned Richard with news, but my phone is rubbish and I don't think he heard it...it then flew towards Little Heath Fishing Lakes, Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire (TL230513), presumably to roost, at 20:20. Confiding, it wasn't at all bothered by my presence.

- COMMON RAVEN, four. Initially picked up over Gamlingay STW, Cambridgeshire, (TL233509) between 19:55-20:00, flew over Myers Farm, Bedfordshire, calling, then towards Sandy Heath transmitter and maybe onwards to The Lodge to roost. I would put money on them doing the same thing at the same time tomorrow night. They did the same thing this time last year.

- COMMON GREENSHANK, two have been commuting between Myers Farm and Little Heath Fishing Lakes for the third consecutive day. 

Also Hobby (1), Swift (1), Little Egret (1) and Common Sandpiper (1).

Atb,

DOM

--

Darren Oakley-Martin

First TURNSTONE of year

A TURNSTONE in breeding plumage spent the day at Grovebury Sand Pit on Sunday, the first of the year in Bedfordshire

COMMON REDSTARTS at Brogborough Hill

The male and female COMMON REDSTARTS  found at Brogborough Hill recently by Neil Wright were both still present this afternoon at 4.10pm (MJP and PH) and had been showing earlier in the afternoon as well (per JG). Park at Hill Crescent/Ridgeway Road, Brogborough TL964383 and take public footpaths generally east to south-east to area with two concrete blocks and a fallen brick pier some 50m or so from the footbridge over the Bedford-Bletchley railway line – in the general vicinity of bushes to the rear, north-east, of the nearby Fed-Ex depot – TL97113810. Showing well on and off the birds could be tracked by their a la Chiffy pueet calls.

MJP