Selected records for July and August 1998
BLACK-NECKED GREBE Hilfield Res, adults had left by 27th Jul, 4 yg present until 10th Aug. Wilstone Res, a juvenile from 26th Jul-1st Aug.
CORMORANT Maple Lodge, a French colour-ringed bird on 10th and 18th Aug (PL).
BITTERN Amwell GP, a Minsmere radio-tagged bird was present from 17th-23rd Aug, and was back at Minsmere on 25th Aug (MI).
LITTLE EGRET Amwell GP, 1 reported briefly on 20th Aug.
BLACK SWAN Tring Res, 1 throughout period.
BARNACLE GOOSE East Hyde, 1 present throughout Jul (MR).
BAR-HEADED GOOSE Tyttenhanger GP, 2 on 27th Aug (LM).
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Tyttenhanger GP, 8 on 26th Aug (MB/JTh/LM).
SHELDUCK Amwell GP, 1 juv on 10th Aug (DL). Nr St Albans, 3 juvs on 29th Aug (LM).
RUDDY SHELDUCK Verulamium Park, a tame bird on 22nd Aug (CE).
MANDARIN Kimpton Mill, 4 on 29th Jul (LM).
GARGANEY Maple Lodge, 1 on 29th Jul and 5th Aug (PL). Rye Meads, a male on 13th and 28th Aug. Amwell GP, 2 on 15th-18th Aug (MI).
BLUE-WINGED TEAL Hilfield Res, an eclipsed drake on 25th Aug (GE/JF/SM).
RED-CRSTD POCHARD Hilfield Res, a female with 2 juvs on 27th Jul, with 2 remaining until 31st. The female remained throughout Aug, joined by a juv on 5th.
RUDDY DUCK Hilfield Res, a brood of 6 yg on 31st Jul, with a max of 57 on 26th Aug. Tyttenhanger GP, 1 male on 5th-6th Aug (AG). Verulamium Park, 3 juvs throughout period (CE).
RED KITE One flew over St Albans on 8th Aug (BD).
SPARROWHAWK Tyttenhanger GP, 6 yg near fledging in Coppice Wood on 10th Jul (LM).
COMMON BUZZARD Lilley Bottom, 1 on 19th Jul (CS). Leofield Grove, Whempstead, 1 on 19th and 2 on 20th Jul (DL). Nr Whitwell, 3 on 23rd Jul (MK). Prae Wood, 2 on 25th Jul (LM) and 24th Aug. Nr Preston, 1 on 13th Aug (MK).
HOBBY 1-2 birds recorded at 11 sites, with breeding confirmed near Sandridge.
QUAIL Nr Great Offley, 1-2 calling on 4th Aug (TF).
WATER RAIL Purwell Ninesprings, 1 calling on 18th Jul (MK). Amwell GP, 1 on 30th Aug.
OYSTERCATCHER Wilstone Res, 1 on 2nd Aug.
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Amwell GP, 2 on 1st Jul (DL). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 juv on 1st Jul (LM). Nr St Albans, max 4 (2 juv) on 10th and 12th Jul with single juvs on 4th and 16th Aug (LM/SM). Hilfield Res, 1 on 7th and 14th Jul. Beech Farm GP, 2 on 17th Jul (LM). Tring SF, 1 juv 3rd-12th Aug.
RINGED PLOVER Tyttenhanger GP, singles on 1st and 26th Jul, and 20th and 29th Aug (LM). Amwell GP, max 2 in July, and a juv on 21st and 31st Aug (DL). Hilfield Res, 1 on 2nd Jul. Nr St Albans, max 8 on 8th Jul (SM), with a colour-ringed bird present until the 14th. A late brood of 2 yg was seen on 11th Aug (LM).
DUNLIN Hilfield Res, 1 over on 13th Jul. Wilstone Res, 1 on 26th-27th Jul, and 15th Aug. Nr St Albans, 2 on 22nd Jul (SM) and 1 on 11th Aug (LM).
RUFF Rye Meads, a juv on 28th Aug.
SNIPE Rye Meads, max 15 on 15th Aug. Maple Lodge, max 2 on 20th and 22nd Aug (RM). Tyttenhanger GP, 3 over on 27th Aug (LM).
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Tring Res, 1 on 23rd Aug.
CURLEW Wilstone Res, 1 on 12th Aug (SM). Tyttenhanger GP, 19 on 27th Aug (LGRE).
SPOTTED REDSHANK Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 31st Aug (LM).
REDSHANK Amwell GP, 2 (1 juv) on 1st Jul, with singles on 11th/15th Jul (DL). Nr St Albans, max 3 from 5th-8th Jul, a pair + 1 juv 14th-16th and 26th Jul (LM/SM). Tyttenhanger GP, 2 on 29th Aug (LM).
GREENSHANK Maple Lodge, 1 on 10th Aug (PL). Tyttenhanger GP, max 5 on 10th (AG), with 2 on 29th (CS) and singles on 14th, 21st and 28th-29th Aug (LM/TS/BG). Tring Res, singles on 11th and 24th with 2 on 31st Aug. Nr St Albans, 2 on 29th Aug (LM). Amwell GP, 1 on 31st Aug (DL).
GREEN SANDPIPER Amwell GP, 1 on 1st and 17th Jul (DL/AF). Tyttenhanger GP, singles on 6th and 24th-25th Jul, and 2 on 11th and 21st Aug (LM/AG). Nr St Albans, max 3 on 6th Jul and 10th Aug (SM/LM). Beech Farm GP, 3 on 17th Jul, and max 4 on 16th Aug (LM). Tyttenhanger GP, singles on 24th Jul (AG). Wilstone Res, singles on 22nd and 24th-25th Aug. Maple Lodge, max 8 on 27th Aug (JTh).
COMMON SANDPIPER Savacentre, London Colney, 1 over calling at 23.09 hrs on 14th Jul (LM). Fairlands Valley Lake, singles on 20th Jul and 20th Aug (AF). Hadham Hall, 3 on 14th Jul (HC). Tyttenhanger GP, max 2 on 21st Jul and 6 on 16th Aug (LM). Wilstone Res, max 3 on 27th Jul. Hilfield Res, max 6 on 31st Jul. Beech Farm GP, max 4 on 6th Aug (LM). Kings Meads, 4 on 2nd and 4th Aug (CC). Amwell GP, max 2 on 26th Jul (CS) and 25th Aug (DL). Nr St Albans, 1 on 31st Jul and 2nd and 12th Aug (SM/LM). Maple Lodge, 1 on 15th and 22nd Aug (RM/PL). Rye House Marsh, 1 on 25th Aug (AF).
LITTLE GULL Wilstone Res, a juv on 29th Aug.
YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Tyttenhanger GP, an ad on 15th Jul (LM). Hilfield Res, an ad on 27th Aug (JF).
SANDWICH TERN Wilstone Res, 1 ad on 13th Aug (PW).
COMMON TERN Amwell GP, max 10 on 11th and 15th Jul (DL). Tyttenhanger GP, max 11 on 14th Jul, and 10 on 4th Aug (LM). Hilfield Res, max 6 throughout Jul. Fairlands Valley Lakes, max 6 on 14th and 16th Jul (AF). Tring Res, 6 on 24th Aug.
TURTLE DOVE Amwell GP, 1 on 17th Jul (AF). Nr St Albans, 2 on 11th Aug (LM).
COCKATIEL St Albans, 1 roosted on 3rd Jul (LM).
CUCKOO Tyttenhanger GP, a juv on 17th Jul (LM).
LSR SP WOODPECKER Barnfield Road, St Albans, 2 on 6th Jul (TM). Hilfield Res, 1 on 13th Aug (SM).
HOUSE MARTIN Nash Mills, 36 complete nests on industrial buildings is possibly now the largest colony in the county (CE).
TREE PIPIT Berkhamsted Common, 1 singing on 6th Jul (SD).
REDSTART Lilley, 1 on 23rd Aug (MH).
WHINCHAT Moor Mill, Radlett, 2 on 11th Aug (CE). Nr St Albans, 1 on 13th Aug (LM). Tyttenhanger GP, 1-2 seen most days from 19th-31st Aug. Rye Meads, 2 on 22nd Aug. Colney Heath Lane, 2 on 27th Aug (BL). Blackbridge Landfill, 7 on 31st Aug (LM). Tring Res, 1 on 31st Aug.
WHEATEAR Flamstead, 1 on 2nd Aug (EL). Nr St Albans, 1 on 6th Aug (SM). Hilfield Res, singles on 14th, 23rd, and 25th, with 3 on 22nd Aug. Wilstone Res, 1 on 24th Aug. Rye Meads, 1 on 29th Aug.
GRSSHPPR WARBLER Singing males were at Tyttenhanger GP on 4th-5th Jul (LM), Sandridge on 26th Jul (LM), and Wilstone Res on 30th Aug.
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Stapleford Church, 1 on 3rd Jul (DL). Little Hadham Church, 1 on 4th Jul (DL). Ickleford, a pair on 15th Jul (MK). Temple Dinsley, 1 on 19th Jul (CS). Nr Great Offley, a family party on 21st Jul (MK). Youngsbury, 1 on 26th Jul (CS). Scot's Hill, Rickmansworth, 3 (1 juv) on 27th Jul (PD). Darley Hall, 1 on 30th Jul and 1st Aug (MR). Wheathamsted, a pair and 3 fledglings on 7th Aug (MR). Kings Langley, 4 on 9th Aug, (BC). Nr Hitch Wood, a family party on 13th Aug (MK). Aspenden garden, 2 from 20th-27th Aug (TF). Tyttenhanger GP, a family party of up to 6 from 19th Aug. Amwell GP, 4 (3 juvs) on 31st Aug (DL).
WILLOW TIT Berkhamsted Common, a juv trapped and ringed on 22nd Jul was the first record for the site since 1995 (SD).
TREE SPARROW Tyttenhanger GP, 2 pairs feeding yg at Bowmans Farm on 3rd Jul, and a family party of 4+ at Tyttenhanger Farm on 26th Jul and 7 on 19th Aug (LM). Beech Farm, 2 (1 feeding yg) on 10th Aug (LM).
REDPOLL Tyttenhanger GP, 15 on 26th Aug (JTh).
CORN BUNTING Singing males were at Coursers Road (2) on 1st Jul (LM), Hillend Farm, Sandridge on 12th Jul (LM), Nomansland Common on 17th Jul (EL) and Flamstead on 2nd Aug (EL).
Observers
Marcus Brew, Clive Chapman, Hugh Coe, Bob Cripps, Barry Day, Peter Delaloye, Stuart Downhill, Gary Elton (Hilfield Park Reservoir), Lee G R Evans, Colin Everett, Jack Fearnside, Ricky Flesher, Ted Fletcher, Alan Ford, Friends of Tring Reservoirs (Tring), Alan Gardiner, Brendan Glyn, Mike Ilett, Martin Ketcher, Earnest Leahy, Basil Lewis, Paul Lewis, Derrick Ling, Anna Marett, Lee Marshall, Dick Middleton, Terry Murphy, Steve Murray, Barry Reed, Mike Russell, Rye Meads Ringing Group (Rye Meads), Terry Smith, Clifford Smout, Joan Thompson, Paul Wright.