Early wander

An early morning wander from Hadham Industrial Estate around the back of Hadham Hall, a check on the ponds and to the lagoon. Rather quiet, withthe first house martins of the year being observed over the Hall. Swallows were also evident. A pair of linnets were on the powerlines and 2 blackcaps sang from trees along the Causeway. On the lagoon a pair of tufted duck were photographed. All they had for compnay was 2 coots. The water is high at present, dashing any chance of catching a migratory wader on the mud.

A pair of coots have bred successfully on one of the Hadham Hall ponds, presently having 6 chicks. These looked to be no more than 3 days old. Wonder how many will make it to fledgling status? Two photos here.
Rest were just the usual fare: great and blue tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, rooks, jackdaws and carrion crows, skylarks and house sparrows etc.

25th April: A morning birthday wander

Out by 7.30 this morning, over the golf course and back through Westland Green and Chapel Lane. Most of the action happened in the last 20 minutes, with firstly 13 unseasonal fieldfares feeding in field of Chapel Lane and then further down, first hearing and then observing first lesser whitethroat of the year. Almost immediately after, a female wheatear at Home Farm. Two photos here, if somewhat distant.
In all 39 sp. with good numbers of chiffchaff and blackcaps, along with 1 willow warbler and 2 whitethroat. Swallow numbers continue to rise, with over 10 seen but no martins or a cuckoo as yet.
Final birds were 2 herring gulls heading south in the heavy drizzle around 9.30am, hence no early morning butterflies. Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis) was a first for the year, shown here, along with a yellowhammer in poor light and a splendid male blackbird atop the hedge at The Ford.

23rd April: Brick Kiln Hill and Hoecroft Lane

A splendid evening walk between 6.30 - 8.00pm up the hill opposite the pub and returning via Hoecroft Lane and Ford Hill. Nothing outstanding observed, just a pleasant evening stroll. Several blackcaps sang along the lanes as skylarks called from above. Green woodpeckers appeared to be "yaffling" all over the village. 2 mallard headed north and a pair of long tailed tits were busy constructing their intricate nest.

Photos depict a view from above Brick Kiln Hill, cowslips (Primula veris) and a well lit war memorial at the bottom of Ford Hill.

Wheatear 21.04.10

I received a report today of 2 wheatears at Ash Valley Golf Course. Coincidentally I happened to be there before I received the email and was lucky enough to record 1 female near the 5th fairway. An early morning wander tomorrow morning is in order to try and catch a few with the camera.

Visit to Amwell. Evening 21.04.10

This evening I popped over to Amwell Nature Reserve, a local habitat some 8 miles from home. Excellent facilities and great birding. Always good to be there at this time of the year to see and hear new arrivals. The light was superb and I left my camera at home! Immediately, was into a whole pile of sand martins, with a couple of house martins and 2 swallows mixed in. In all, I reckon 275 sand martins. Later a huge flock came through, including 5 swifts.
Reed warblers, blackcaps, chiffchaffs and a solitary garden warbler sang and in the distance a cuckoo could be heard. Redshanks piped as ringed plovers flew over the water along with the usual resident birds such as cormorants, grey heron, tufted duck, pochards and lapwings.
A few gulls, 5 lesser black backed and 1 herring, came into wash and roost as more sand martins piled over. A little ringed plover remained stationary on the island as a snipe appeared in front of the view point. From here, I also recorded a single white wagtail, my first for the year. A super 1.5 hours in warm conditions. A full list of the birds:
great crested grebe, cormorant, grey heron, mute swan, greylag goose, canada goose, shelduck, mallard, gadwall, shoveler, teal, pochard, tufted duck, sparrow hawk, pheasant, moorhen, coot, little ringed plover, ringed plover, lapwing, redshank, snipe, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, wood pigeon, stock dove, collared dove, cuckoo, swift, green woodpecker, sand martin, swallow, house martin, white wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, song thrush, blackbird, garden warbler, blackcap, reed warbler, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, greenfinch and reed bunting.
Just goes to show what an excellent place it is for a good variety of birds. Over 50 species in less than 2 hours. The birds in bold signify first sightings for 2010. Next time: camera!
More details can be viewed at http://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/NatureReserves/Flagship/amwell

2nd Dawn chorus Walk

9 of us congregated at the village hall car park in frosty conditions at 5.00am. The route was to take us up Brick Kiln Hill, through Millennium Wood and around Bury Green on paths that led to Great Hadham G.C and Danebridge before completing the circuit via the river valley. A super walk with good bird song and some most pleasant company. 38 species in all, with several highlights, none more so than flushing 2 mandarin ducks from trees near Much Hadham. A moorhen flying over a field near Bury Green also raised a few eyebrows and we were all pleased to record the first swallow of the year, over houses at Bury Green at 6.00am.

Another first for the year was recording a willow warbler in Millennium Wood and with both tawny and little owl heard calling a most successful wander.

Bird List: canada goose, mandarin duck, mallard, pheasant, moorhen, wood pigeon, collared dove, little owl, tawny owl, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, swallow, wren, dunnock, robin, song thrush, blackbird, blackcap, whitethroat, willow warbler, chiffchaff, great tit, coal tit, blue tit, nuthatch, magpie, jay, jackdaw, carrion crow, rook, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, bullfinch and yellowhammer.

Photos depict the early morning sunrise around Bury Green.

The next walk is planned for Sunday 16th May: 5.00am at the village hall. Please contact me for further details and to register your interest so we don't leave without you.

Saturday 10th April. Midday walk

A gloriously bright day, the hottest of the year so far, found me hunting out recently arrived birds as well as butterflies emerging from their hibernation. All was successful, with the 1st whitethroat of the year recorded as well as 5 chiffchaffs and 1 blackcap. Other notable birds included 5 nuthatches around Chapel Lane footpaths and near the golf course, 1 garden goldcrest, a flock of 8 late fieldfares, a common buzzard over the club house at Ash Valley G.C., a coal tit in local conifers. In all, 33 species.

Butterflies were all new for the year. 6+ peacocks, 2 brimstones, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 comma and 1 common blue. All, apart from the peacocks were too fast and flighty to permit photos.

Plants are now beginning to flower, with plenty of colt's foot (Tussilago farfara), white dead nettle (Lamium alba), common dog violet (Viola riviniana) and germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) all evident on the golf course and in the hedgerows.

A super 4 hour wander. Photos show 1 of the nuthatches, a flyover kestrel, dog violet, a 7 spot ladybird, germander speedwell and a peacock butterfly

Morning walk 03.04.10

Pleasant morning walk that began in sunshine and finished in drizzle. 31 species of birds recorded with the first blackcaps of the year. 1 singing in Ford Hill whilst another was heard and observed in Millennium Wood. Other migrants were 4 chiffchaffs, whilst other good birds were 3 bullfinches at Millennium Wood, 1 treecreeper in Muggin's Wood and a solitary grey partridge in fields near Brick Kiln Hill.

Photos show a singing yellowhammer and dog mercury, a woodland plant that prefers deciduous copses where it thrives in the shady ground. One of a few British plants with green flowers. Still no butterflies to report. One warm sunny day should rectify this.

A quick view of 3 soaring birds, high, had me thinking and hoping for a migratory bird of prey, but it became obvious that unfortunately they were 2 lesser black backed gulls soaring with a buzzard. 3 of the latter were seen in total over the 2 hour observation period.

April 1st

Recorded 1st garden warbler today, whilst working in a garden at Westland Green. Singing male accompanied by another bird, presumably female.
Needless to say, great views as it sat in the open, singing and no camera! Also recorded: green woodpecker, 2 great spotted woodpecker, blue tit, blackbird, song thrush, robin, long tailed tit, goldfinch, blue tit, jackdaw, wood pigeon, carrion crow, pheasant, collared dove, robin, dunnock, nuthatch and chiffchaff. Busy garden.