Herts Bird Club Bulletin, summarising May-June 2007

The most unusual May records were a Hoopoe (last accepted record 1993) which was seen at Bishops Stortford from the 9th to the 17th which gave many people the opportunity to see it. An Arctic Skua (last record 2002) was seen flying through Beech Farm, St Albans on the 28th.

Unusually large numbers of Shelducks were seen in May with 16 at Rye Meads on the 16th. Garganeys were quite scarce with a single bird at Rye Meads from the 2nd to the 4th and one was seen on 4 separate days at Maple Lodge NR: a drake Scaup was at Wilstone reservoir on the 21st and the 25th. Marsh Harriers were seen twice near Ashwell on the 1st and the 23rd and once at North Mymms Park on the 6th and Wilstone reservoir on the 20th. There were two Osprey records from Hilfield reservoir on the 6th and Tyttenhanger GP on the 14th. There were five Peregrine records, three from Rye Meads on the 4th, 24th and 25th and Wilstone reservoir on the 6th and Tyttenhanger GP on the 20th. Up to two Oystercatchers were seen at Tyttenhanger through the month where a Little Stint was seen between the 25th and 30th. A good record for Hilfield reservoir was a Sanderling seen on the 14th. A Whimbrel paid a brief visit to Norton Green tip on the 6th, a Greenshank was at Amwell on the 1st and the 2nd and Tyttenhanger on the 5th. A Turnstone was present at Amwell on the 7th. Arctic Terns were present at both Wilstone and Hilfield reservoir on the 7th and at Startop’s End reservoir on the 13th with Black Terns present at Hilfield reservoir on the 1st and the 14th and at Amwell NR from the 22nd to the 24th. A Nightingale was seen north of Welwyn north station on the 28th; two were present in the Cheshunt area on the 3rd, a pair of Stonechats bred successfully at Beech Farm. St Albans and Whinchats were seen on the 11th at Norton, Stevenage and Piccotts End and at Wilstone reservoir on the 13th. Cetti’s Warblers were resident at Amwell NR and Marsworth reservoir and Grasshopper Warblers were heard reeling at Redbournbury and Rye Meads. Firecrests were present at Therfield on the 8th and North Mymms Park on the 9th.

There were no exceptionally unusual records in June. A pair of Egyptian Geese was seen with six large goslings at Kimpton Mill; the parents were very aggressive towards other birds and killed two domestic ducks. A pair of Shelducks was seen with a duckling at Tyttenhanger; however the young bird did not survive for than about a week. A pair of Garganey was seen at Wilstone reservoir on the 8th and the drake Scaup first seen at Wilstone reservoir in May seems to have toured around Hertfordshire as it was seen at Amwell, Hilfield reservoir, Aldenham reservoir and Tyttenhanger in June. A Marsh Harrier was seen at Rye Meads on the 2nd and in the Baldock/Royston area on the 3rd, 15th and 20th; an Osprey was seen over Wadesmill on the 23rd. Peregrine Falcons were at Rye Meads on the 2nd and the 25th and at Redbournbury on the 13th. A Quail was heard calling near Breachwood Green on the 13th and Oystercatchers were seen at Tyttenhanger with two there on the 28th with a Black-tailed Godwit present at Amwell on the 29th. Grasshopper Warblers were present at Croxley Common Moor, Hilfield reservoir, the River Stort and Beech Farm, St Albans and a Firecrest was at Essendon on the 11th. A young Hawfinch was seen in a Hertford garden on the 5th so perhaps this species is still breeding somewhere in the county.

Weather for May and June

May was an exceptionally wet month with the entire county receiving between 100 and 150mm of rain which is around twice the average amount. I personally recorded almost 120mm in my back garden and it was the wettest month I have recorded since I set up my station in 2001. It was by no means a cold month as the average temperature was around 1 degree above the average partly as a result of mild temperatures at night rather than high maximum temperatures during the day.

June was also quite wet with 50 to 100mm of rain over the county; my personal total was 67.1mm. Temperatures were around a degree above the 30 year average for the month with maximum temperatures during the day in the low 20s.

Alan Gardiner, Bulletin Editor