Selected records for September and October 1999
Selected September/October records
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Flamstead End, 1 was taken into care on c24th, and released at Walton-on-the-Naze on 26th Sep (from a newspaper article perDrMB).
BLACK-NECKED GREBE Hilfield Res, 1 on 11th Sep (TB/JTh). Wilstone Res, 1 on 12th Sep (MC).
BITTERN 1 in the Lea Valley from the Pochard Hide on 29th Oct.
LITTLE EGRET East Hyde, 1 on 9th Sep (PT).
WHOOPER SWAN Wilstone Res, 1 on 5th Oct (MC).
BARNACLE GOOSE East Hyde, 1 on 12th Sep and 10th Oct (MR). Fairlands Valley Lake, Stevenage, 1 on 19th and 28th Sep (AF). Wilstone Res, 1 on 16th Oct (JTh).
BRENT GOOSE Hilfield Res, 1 on 14th Oct (SM).
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Amwell GP, 2 on 12th Sep (DL). Bury Lake, a tame bird on 22nd Oct (PL).
SHELDUCK Beech Farm, a juv on 12th Sep (RF). Tring, 2 on 4th (MC), 7-8th (CB/DR) and 14th Sep (PL).
MANDARIN Letchmore Heath, a male on the village pond on 12th Sep (CE). Wilstone Res, a male on 24th Sep (DR) and 8th and 16th Oct (JTh).
PINTAIL Wilstone Res, max 6 on 4th Sep (MC), and 9 on 24th Oct (DB). Near St Albans, 2 on 16th, 18th and 22nd Sep and 1 on 13th Oct (SM).
GARGANEY Amwell GP, 1-2 birds present from 1st-24th Sep, and 1 on 3rd Oct (BR). Hilfield Res, 3 on 8th-9th Sep (SM). Rye Meads, 1 throughout Sep/Oct (RMRG). Wilstone Res, 1 on 6th, 10th, 16th and 18th Oct (DB/JTh).
RED-CRESTED POCHARD Wilstone Res, 1 on 10th Oct (JTh).
COMMON SCOTER Hilfield Res, 6 (5 males) on 15th Oct (SM).
GOLDENEYE Amwell GP, 1 on 26th Sep (BR).
RUDDY DUCK Hilfield Res, four new broods in Sep, and max 83 on 24th Sep, and 120 on 22nd Oct (SM). Maple Lodge, max 8 including a brood of 4 yg on 23rd Sep (PL).
RED KITE Ver Valley, Shafford Mill, a wing-tagged bird on 19th, 26th, and 28th Sep (MT).
MARSH HARRIER Amwell GP, 1 on 21st Sep (BR). Stockers Lake, 1 reported on 3rd Oct. Wilstone Res, 1 on 12th Oct (PW).
HEN HARRIER Maple Lodge, a male over on 18th Oct (PL).
COMMON BUZZARD East Hyde, singles on 2nd Sep and 16th Oct (MR). Stevenage, 1 on 5th Sep (RHo). Stockers Lake, 1 on 6th Sep (JTh). Lilley Bottom, 1 on 18th Sep (MR). Nuthamstead, 6 on 23rd Sep (JH). Ver Valley, Shafford Mill, max 8 on 26th Sep (MT). Chiltern Green, 2 on 30th Sep (MR). Prae Wood, 2 on 2nd Oct (SM). Coursers Road Fields, 1 on 10th Oct (SM). Offley, 3 on 10th Oct (MK). Rye Meads, 2 on 13th Oct (RMRG). Kinsbourne Green, 1 on 14th Oct (MR). Whitwell, 3 on 30th Oct (MK).
OSPREY Amwell GP, a juv from 8th-28th Sep (BR). Rye House Marsh, a juvenile on 10th-11th Sep (DL). Rye Meads, 1 staying in the area for c10 days from 10th Sep was presumably the bird seen at Amwell, etc (RMRG). Wilstone Res, 1 reported on 10th (FoTR), 1 on 13th (LGRE), and 20th Sep (MP). Hilfield Res, 1 over on 12th Sep (SM). Radwell, 1 on 25th Sep (GW). Moneyhill, Rickmansworth, singles over on 4th and 20th Oct (SY). Stockers Lake, 1 on 17th and 19th Oct was presumably the Moneyhill bird.
HOBBY Around 40 birds were reported from 16 sites, with the last being 1 on 28th Sep at Maple Lodge NR (PL).
PEREGRINE Wilstone Res, 1 on 11th (RH) and 29th Sep (LE).
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Wilstone Res, 2 on 12th (SR), and 1 on 18th Sep(DR).
RINGED PLOVER Wilstone Res, 4 on 18th Sep (DR), and 2 on 8th and 10th Oct (JTh).
GOLDEN PLOVER Near St Albans, 1 on 23rd, 10 on 26th, 55 on 28th Sep and max 300 on 10th Oct, with the leucistic bird returning on 23rd for its 4th winter (SM). Hatfield Garden Village, 330 on 12th Oct (JM). Woodoaks Farm, 40 on 15th Oct (PL). Rye Meads, 28 on 16th Oct (RMRG). East Hyde, 17 on 17th Oct (RS). Beech Farm, 7 on 29th Oct (WH). Coursers Road Fields, 519 on 31st Oct (SM).
GREY PLOVER Wilstone Res, singles on 11th-12th (FB) and 27th Sep (SR), and 7th and 11th Oct (SR/MC).
LITTLE STINT Wilstone Res, 1 on 17th Sep (FB).
CURLEW SANDPIPER Wilstone Res, 1 on 5th-6th (DB/DO), 14 on 7th Sep (CB), and 1 on 15th Sep (SR), and singles on 20th (RH) and 22nd-25th Oct(MC/DR).
DUNLIN Wilstone Res, 2 on 3rd Sep (MC), and 6th-7th Oct (PC/CB), 8 on 8th, 4 on 10th (JTh) and singles on 20th (RH) and 30th Oct (PC). Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 4th Sep (RF/TS). Wilstone Res, 2 on 4th Sep (SM). Fairlands Valley Lake, Stevenage, 3 on 15th Sep (AF). Rye Meads, 4 over calling on 6th Oct (RMRG). Hilfield Res, 1 on 16th Oct (SM).
RUFF Wilstone Res, 2 on 14th, 4 on 15th Sep (SR), and 1 on 22nd Oct (MC). Near St Albans, 1 on 21st Sep (SM).
JACK SNIPE Rye Meads, 1 throughout Sep/Oct (RMRG).
COMMON SNIPE Tyttenhanger GP, 3 on 10th Sep (RF). Redbournbury, 35 on 17th Oct (RS). Amwell GP, max 50 on 24th Oct (DL). Rye Meads, max 110 on 29th Oct (GW/RMRG). Near St Albans, max 7 on 30th Oct (SM).
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Wilstone Res, 1 on 13th Sep (FB).
WHIMBREL Wilstone Res, 2 reported on 1st Sep (FoTR).
GREENSHANK Tyttenhanger GP, 2 on 1st, 10th, 23rd and 26th Sep (RF). Wilstone Res, 19 on 4th (SM), 18 on 7th (CB), 24 on 8th (GW), 3 on 14th (PL), 6 on 18th and 1 on 24th Sep (DR) and 15th Oct. Hilfield Res, 1 on 9th and 12th Sep (HRBR). Rye Meads, 3 over calling on 11th Sep and 1 on 31st Oct (RMRG).
GREEN SANDPIPER Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 4th, 10th, and 28th Sep (RF/TS). Amwell GP, 2 on 5th Sep (DL). Near St Albans, 1 on 7th-9th, 2 on 14th, 1 on 17th, 19th, 25th Sep (SM).
COMMON SANDPIPER Tyttenhanger GP, 1 on 1st Sep (RF). Hilfield Res, 2 on 2nd-3rd and singles on 7 dates in Sep (HRBR), 1 on 3rd Oct (SM). Wilstone Res, 3 on 4th (SM), and 1 on 24th Sep (DR). Amwell GP, 1 on 5th and 4 on 12th Sep (DL), and 1 on 4th Oct (BR). Aldenham Res, 1 on 12th Sep (CE). East Hyde, 1 on 4th Oct (MR). Rye Meads, max 5 on 31st Oct (RMRG).
MEDITERRANEAN GULL Hilfield Res, a 1st-w on 10th and 23rd Oct (TB/SM). Near St Albans, a 1st-w on 29th Oct (SM).
LITTLE GULL Wilstone Res, a juv on 6th Sep (DO), and 2 1st-w on 30th Oct (DB).
YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Hilfield Res, a juv on 6th, an adult on 11th Sep (HRBR) and 24th Oct (TB). Amwell GP, a 3rd yr on 20th Sep, and an adult on 20th and 24th Oct (BR).
LITTLE TERN Wilstone Res, 1 reported on 12th Sep (FoTR).
BLACK TERN Hilfield Res, 3 on 10th Sep (JTh).
COLLARED DOVE Woodoaks Farm, 200 on 8th Sep (PL). Offley, 98 on 10th Oct(MK).
TURTLE DOVE Rye Meads, 2 on 4th Sep (RMRG). Amwell GP, 2 on 11th Sep(RF).
RING-N PARAKEET Rye Meads, 1 on 26th Sep (RMRG).
BARN OWL Tewin, 1 on 12th Sep (LB).
SHORT-EARED OWL Beech Farm, 2 on 29th, and 3 on 31st Oct (SM/WH).
SWIFT Rye Meads, 1 on 10th Sep (RMRG). Amwell GP, 1 on 2nd Oct (GW).
WRYNECK Stockers Farm, 1 from 3rd-8th Sep (PL/SH/AG). Kimpton, 1 found dead (apparantly killed by a dog) on 10th Sep (BN).
SAND MARTIN Hilfield Res, 100 on 27th Sep (SM). Rye Meads, last on 3rd Oct (RMRG).
SWALLOW Garston, 374 on 26th Sep (CE). Rye Meads, last were 11 on 12th Oct (RMRG). Shaw Wood, 1 on 13th Oct (DW).
HOUSE MARTIN Puckeridge, young still being fed in the nest on 30th Sep (NS). Hilfield Res, 300 on 1st (SM), and 100 on 2nd Oct (HRBR). Colney Heath Lane, 8th Oct (BL). Cheshunt GP, 3 on 24th Oct (RSo).
ROCK PIPIT Hilfield Res, 1 from 17th-23rd Oct (SM/PM). Wilstone Res, 1 Scandinavian race littoralis on 23rd Oct (DB).
WATER PIPIT Rye Meads, 2 on 29th Oct (RMRG/GW).
'WHITE' WAGTAIL King's Meads, 1 on 3rd Oct (JF/GE).
PIED WAGTAIL North Watford, 150 roosted at ASDA superstore on 16th Sep(CE).
REDSTART Wilstone Res, 1 on 4th (RH) and 13th Sep (LGRE).
WHINCHAT Woodoaks Farm, 1 on 4th Sep (PL). Wilstone Res, singles on 4th (RH), 13th (LGRE), and 25th Sep (RH). Stockers Farm, 4 on 8th Sep (JTh). Near St Albans, 1 on 10th, 17th, 2 on 18th, 1 on 26th Sep (SM). Beech Farm, 3 on 11th, and 2 on 12th Sep (SM/RF). Rye Meads, 1 on 29-31st Oct (RMRG/GW).
STONECHAT Croxley Moor, 1 on 3rd Oct (SY). Stockers Farm, a male on 12th and 16th Oct (JTh/MRo). Rye Meads, 1 on 29-30th Oct (RMRG/GW). Beech Farm, 2 on 31st Oct (SM).
WHEATEAR Stockers Farm, 1 on 4th Sep (MR). Stevenage, a female on 5th Sep (RHo). Wickham Hall, 1 on 19th Sep (AH). Near St Albans, 1 on 8th, 23rd, 25th, and 28th Sep (SM). Hilfield Res, 1 on 12th Sep (HRBR). Ashwell, 1 on 25th and another found dead on a road on 26th Sep (RW). Therfield Heath, a male on 25th Sep (RW). St Ippolitts, 1 on 29th Sep (DR). Bloodhound Wood, 1 on 6th Oct (DW).
REDWING Berkhamsted Common, 5 on 6th Oct (SD). Rye Meads, 415 west on 16th Oct (RMRG).
FIELDFARE Rye Meads, first were 2 on 5th Oct (RMRG).
FIRECREST Rye Meads, 1 on 6th Oct (RMRG). Whitwell, 1 on 17th Oct(MK).
MARSH TIT Berkhamsted Common, 1 controlled on 27th Oct was first ringed there in 1995 (SD).
WILLOW TIT Rye Meads, 1 on 23rd and 29th Oct (RMRG).
TREE SPARROW Coursers Road Fields, max 41 on 12th Sep (SM), and 25 on 9th Oct (GE).
BRAMBLING Amwell GP, 2 on 13th Oct (BR). Bishop's Stortford, 1 from 10-16th Oct at least (AH). Rye Meads, a male on 16th Oct (RMRG). St Albans garden, 1 on 24th, and 2 on 26th Oct (GB). Hertford Heath, 1 on 29th Oct(DD).
REDPOLL Garston, 1 over on 22nd Sep (CE). Amwell GP, 1 on 3rd Oct (BR). Rye Meads, 6 on 9th Oct (RMRG).
COMMON CROSSBILL Ware, 1 flew south on 24th Oct (BR).
HAWFINCH Saw Tree Farm, Cold Christmas, 1 on 8th Sep (NS).
List of observers
Helen Baker, Glen Barnes, Dr Michael Baverstock, Dave Bilcock, Birdnet, Tony Blake, Les Borg, Crispin Boylan, Francis Buckle, Mike Campbell, Hugh Coe, Paul Collins (Rye Meads Ringing Group), Peter Colston, John Davis, Derrick Dorken, Stuart Downhill, Les Edwards, Gary Elton (Hilfield Park Reservoir), Lee G R Evans, Colin Everett, Jack Fearnside, Ricky Flesher, Alan Ford, Friends of Tring Reservoirs, Ed Griffiths, Andy Grimsey, Paul Halford, Andrew Hardacre, Roy Hargreaves, Jack Harrison, Wendy Hatton, Sezar Hikmet, Tim Hill, Ray Hooper, David James, Martin Ketcher, Basil Lewis, Paul Lewis, Derrick Ling, Anna Marett, Paul McManus, Adrian Moss, John Moss, Steve Murray, Don Otter, Mike Perkins, Barry Reed, Steve Rodwell, Michael Rose, David Russell, Mike Russell, Nick Sampford, Rob Souter, Robin Smith, Terry Smith, Joan Thompson, Mike Thompson, Paul Trodd, Richard Webb, Stuart Warrington, Peter Wilkinson, Dennis Whiffen, Graham White, Paul Wright, Steve Younger.
Lee Marshall
Bird sightings summary for Sept/Oct 1999