Selected records for May and June 1999
LITTLE EGRET River Lea, East Hyde, 1 lingered all afternoon on 7th May (MR).
PURPLE HERON An adult was reported near Watford on 2nd Jun (AGr).
WHOOPER SWAN Wilstone, 5 present on several dates throughout (FoTR).
BLACK SWAN Bury Lake, 1 present throughout period (PL/HB/JTh).
BAR-HEADED GOOSE River Chess at Sarratt Bottom, 2 on 31st May (BT).
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Amwell GP, 2 on 29th May, with a juv on 4-5th Jun (DL/JH).
SHELDUCK Near St Albans, a pair on 1st-2nd May (SM). Sleapshyde, 2 over on 3rd May (BL). Rye Meads, max 6 in May (RMRG). Amwell GP, a pair with 1 yg on 19th Jun (CS).
MANDARIN Wilstone Res, a male on 3rd May (AL), and a female on 23rd Jun (BF). Bury Mead Springs, Hitchin, a female with 4 small young at 4th June (RW). River Colne, Oxhey, a drake on 3rd Jun (JTh).
PINTAIL Wilstone Res, a female on 23rd Jun (BF).
GARGANEY Rye Meads, a drake on 30th May (RMRG).
AYTHYA HYBRID Hilfield Res, a drake thought to be Tufted x Ferruginous Duck was present throughout June.
LONG-TAILED DUCK Startops End Res, a 1st-S male on 11th-16th May (LGRE).
GOOSANDER Stocker's Lake, a female on 1st May (JTh).
RUDDY DUCK Hilfield Res, max 5 in May (HRBR). Maple Lodge, max 4 on 11th Jun (PL). River Lea, East Hyde, a pair from 7th-13th May, and a male on 10th Jun (MR/PH). Rye Meads, a male on 30th May, and 5th and 19th Jun (RMRG). Wilstone Res, 4 on 11th Jun (GW).
RED KITE Stocker's Lake, 1 over on 6th, and 2 on 22nd May (TSt). Albury, 1 flew over mid May (per HC). Near Hertford, 1 on 17th May (AG). Cassiobury Park, 2 on 24th May (PT). Harpenden Common, 1 over on 28th May (PW). Jockey End, Gaddesden Row, 1 over on 1st Jun (MR).
MARSH HARRIER Wilstone Res, 1 on 4th (PS), and an imm for 30 mins on 14th May (GW).
HEN HARRIER Wilstone Res, a ringtail on 3rd May (DH).
MONTAGU'S HARRIER Watton-at-Stone, 1 hunting over a set-aside field on 9th Jun (PS).
COMMON BUZZARD Porters Park, Shenley, 1 on 2nd May (PU). Offley, a pair on 3rd May (MK). Woodhall Park nr Watton at Stone, 1 on 9th May (NS). East Hyde, 1 on 16th May (MR). Prae Wood, max 4 on 16th May (TS), and 6th Jun (SM). Amwell GP, 1 on 21st May (BR). Darney Wood, 1 on 31st May (per HC). Stocker's Lake, 1 over on 30th Jun (SH). Panshanger, 1 on 30th Jun (GW). HOBBY Wilstone Res, up to 10 in May (FoTR), and 11 on 11th Jun (GW). Offley, a pair on 3rd May (MK). Maple Lodge, 2 on 6th May (JTh), and 1 on 7th and 11th Jun (PL). Cowheath Wood, 1 on 9th May (DL). Stocker's Lake, 1 on 16th May (PL). Tyttenhanger GP, max 3 on 15th May (TS). Hilfield Res, 1 on 18th May and 5th Jun (HRBR/SM). Bayfordbury, 2 on 19-20th May (RS). Rye Meads, max 2 on 24th May and 26th Jun (RMRG). Bucks Hill, Langleybury, a pair on 5th Jun (SM). Harpenden SF, 1 on 13th Jun (MR). Prae Wood, 1 on 13th Jun (SM). Deadmans Hill, Sandon, 1 on 16th Jun (JTh).
QUAIL Sandon area, up to 4 calling from 15th Jun (SM/JTh/MR/DC}, with an adult and young reported from there on 23rd Jun (per NS). Slip End, 2 calling on 18th May (RM).
WATER RAIL Rye Meads, 2 on 15th May (RMRG).
OYSTERCATCHER Tring Res, 1 on 15th May (BP).
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Hilfield Res, max 2 from 2nd-23rd May, and 3 on 5th Jun (HRBR/GW). Merchant Taylors School, 2 on 3rd May (JTh/AM). Stocker's Farm, max 4 on 1st and 14th May (JTh/PL). Rye Meads, max 3 on 3rd May (RMRG). Amwell GP, 3 pairs throughout, 2 yg fledged in Jun (GW). Near St Albans, max 3 on 24th May, and 2 on 27th Jun (SM). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 10th Jun (RF). King's Meads, 5 on 23rd Jun (GW).
RINGED PLOVER Near St Albans, max 8 adults, with 5 broods (12 yg). The colour ringed bird was still present on 17th Jun (SM). Amwell GP, max 4 on 16th-30th Jun (DL/GW).
DOTTEREL Near Ashwell, 1 on 10th May (B).
GREY PLOVER Amwell GP, 1 on 18th May (BR).
SANDERLING Hilfield Res, 1 on 31st May (TB/GE/SM).
DUNLIN Amwell GP, 1 on 6th May (GW/BR). Near St Albans, 3 on 8th, and 2 on 22nd-24th May (SM/JTh). Hilfield Res, 1 on 8th, 2 on 9th and 17th May (HRBR/SM).
RUFF Near St Albans, a flock of 7 briefly on 2nd May (SM).
COMMON SNIPE Rye Meads, max 3 on 1st May (RMRG), and 30th Jun (GW).
WOODCOCK Danemead, 1 on 4th May (GW). Cowheath Wood, 3 on 20th May (DL).
BAR-TAILED GODWIT Amwell GP, 1 over on 18th May (BR).
WHIMBREL Stocker's Farm, 1 over on 2nd May (HB). Wilstone Res, 1 over on 3rd (MC), and 3 on 16th May (FoTR). Patmore Heath, 5 flying E on 4th May (ME). Near St Albans, 2 on 8th and 1 on 9th May (SM/JTh).
CURLEW Waterford Heath, 3 on 7th May (GW). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 over on 24th Jun (BF).
REDSHANK Amwell GP, 2 pairs in May, a brood of yg was eaten by a Grey Heron in Jun (GW). Rye Meads, max 2 on 1st-2nd May (RMRG). Hilfield Res, 1 on 3rd May (SM), and 6th Jun (HRBR). Near St Albans, max 4 on 13th May, and 3 on 17th Jun (SM). Stocker's Farm, 1 on 15th May (PL). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 16th May (BF).
GREEN SANDPIPER Stocker's Farm, 1 on 5th May (AM/JTh). Beech Farm GP, 1 on 16th May (BF). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 16th and 24th Jun (RF/BF). Amwell GP, 1 on 25th Jun. Rye Meads, 1 on 26th Jun (RMRG).
COMMON SANDPIPER Hilfield Res, 1-2 present on several dates from 2nd-17th May, and 3 on 29th Jun (HRBR/SM). Wilstone Res, 2 on 3rd May (MC). Rye Meads, singles on 3rd and 5th May (RMRG). Fairlands Valley Lake, 1 on 8th May (AF). Startops End Res, Tring, 1 on 13th May (JTh). Stocker's Farm, 1 on 27th May (PL/AM), and 30th Jun (JTh).
TURNSTONE Hilfield Res, 1 on 2nd-6th May (JF/GE).
SANDWICH TERN Startops End Res, 1 on 11th May (LGRE). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 27th Jun (SP).
COMMON TERN Hilfield Res, max 14 on 5th May with 3 broods (9 yg) in Jun (HRBR). Stocker's Lake, max 10 on 7th and 16th May, with 7 yg in Jun (JTh/PL). Fairlands Valley Lake, max 4 on 22nd May (AF). Tyttenhanger GP, max 8 on 25th Jun (RF).
ARCTIC TERN Hilfield Res, 1 on 8th, and 3 on 15th May (HRBR). Smallford Lake, 2 on 15th May (TS). Tyttenhanger GP, 2 on 23rd May (AMo).
BLACK TERN Tring Res, 1 on 2nd (IE), 9 on 5th (RA/MC), and singles on 9th and 20th May (FoTR). Hilfield Res, 2 on 3rd and 1 on 18th May (MW/SM).
TURTLE DOVE Amwell GP, 1 on 2nd May (CS). Pixies Mere, Hemel Hempstead, 3 on 2nd-3rd Jun (BF). Peters Green, 1 on 13th Jun (MR). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 14th Jun (AG). Sandon area, several on 23rd Jun (MR). Amwell GP, 2 on 23rd Jun (RF). Macrye End, 2 on 26th Jun (MR). Northchurch, 2 juvs visiting a garden bird table from 28th Jun (KJ).
NIGHTJAR Hemel Hempstead garden, a male spent the morning of the 19th May, roosting in a willow tree before disappearing at 2 pm (per AF). Central Herts, a churring male heard on one date in May (TG).
SWIFT Hilfield Res, 1500 on 10th May (SM).
LSSR SP WOODPECKER Widford, 1 drumming on 2nd May (SM). Rye Meads, 1 on 15th May and 12th Jun (RMRG). Haberdashers School, 1 calling on 9th Jun (SM).
TREE PIPIT Therfield Heath, a singing male on 6th Jun (DC). Berkhamsted Common, a singing male on 16th and a pair on 26th Jun (SD). Potters Crouch Plantation, a singing male on 26th Jun (SM).
WHITE WAGTAIL Near St Albans, 1 on 2nd May (SM).
WHINCHAT Tyttenhanger GP, a female on 1st May (TS). Nettleden Lodge, a male on 3rd May (SD). Tyttenhanger Farm, 1 on 23rd May (RS).
STONECHAT River Lea, East Hyde, a male briefly on 2nd May (MR).
NIGHTINGALE Smallford Lake, 2 singing males on 1st, and 1 on 8th and 15th May (TS/RF/SP).
REDSTART Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 1st May (TS/RF). Central Herts, four singing birds with at least two breeding pairs (TG).
WHEATEAR Amwell GP, 1 on 1st May (BR). Redbournbury, 1 on 1st May (CS). Sleapshyde, 1 on 5th-10th May (BL). Stocker's Farm, 1 on 6th May (JTh). Haberdashers School, 1 on 6th May (SM). Hilfield Res, 1 on 6th-7th May (HRBR). Near St Albans, 2 on 8th May (SM/JTh).
CETTI'S WARBLER Rye Meads, 1 on 3rd May (RMRG).
GRASSHOPPER WARBLER Wilstone Res, 1 on 1st May (GW). Rye Meads, 1 present May-12th Jun (RMRG). Potters Crouch Plantation, a male on 20th May-14th Jun (SM). Royston-Barley Road, 1 reeling on 31st May (DC).
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Little Hadham Church, 1 on 20th May (DL). Perry Green, 1 on 15th Jun (HC). Redbourn Common, 2 pairs on 13th Jun (EL/JFi). Rickmansworth Garden, 1 on 13th Jun (AM). Berkhamsted gardens, 3 pairs nesting in Jun (SD). Rye Meads, 1 on 13th and 19th Jun (CS/RMRG). Stocker's Lake, 1 on 19th Jun. Hatfield House, 1 on 25th Jun (CS). Harpenden SF, 27th Jun (MR). Rothamsted Exp Stn, 1 on 30th Jun (MR).
PIED FLYCATCHER Wilstone 1 at the dry canal on 9th May (DW).
WILLOW TIT Wilstone Res, a pair on 1st May (GW).
GOLDEN ORIOLE Tewinbury NR, a male passed through on 30th May (GW).
TREE SPARROW Tyttenhanger Farm, 1 on 4th May (RS). Colney Heath Lane, 1-2 from 9th-28th Jun (BL). Coursers Road, max 40 on 23rd Jun (GE).
List of observers
Rob Andrews, Helen Baker, Birdnet, Tony Blake,Roger Broadie, Mike Campbell, Duncan Coates, Hugh Coe, Dave Cording, Chris Dee (Rye Meads Ringing Group), Stuart Downhill, Mick East, Rob Egan, Gary Elton (Hilfield Park Reservoir), Lee G R Evans, Ian Eyre, Brendan Fagan, Ann Farrer, Jack Fearnside, J Fisher, Ricky Flesher, Allan Ford, Friends of Tring Reservoirs, Alan Gardiner, Tom Gladwin, Andrew Graham, Paul Halford, Sezar Hikmet, Derek Holt, James Horgan, Ken Jackson, Martin Ketcher, Earnest Leahy, Basil Lewis, Paul Lewis, Derrick Ling, Arthur Livett, Anna Marett, Lee Marshall, R Middleton, Adrian Moss, Steve Murray, Steven Pearce, Bill Pegram, Barry Reed, Mike Russell, Nick Sampford, Terry Smith, Clifford Smout, Rob Souter, Peter Stanford, Tony Stride, Joan Thompson, Pam Tompkins, Barry Turner, Paul Unwin, Richard Web, Mic Wells, Graham White, Dave Wingrove, Paul Wiseman.
Lee Marshall
Bird sightings summary for May/Jun 1999