Boom!

A memorable day at Stanborough Gravel Pits that delivered some fantastic birds including 2 new species for the site!  For weeks the large, wet, muddy scraped area adjacent to the main pit had been looking perfect to attract something of interest and on 11th March it finally did.

On that particular day I was picking up my son from Heathrow following his travels abroad so ignored the regular ping alerts on my phone.  However, as we drove home, I couldn't help but notice the words 'Stanborough' and 'Brent Geese' on the screen.  I then explained to my family that on our return I would have to go out immediately but would be back as soon as possible to complete the family reunion!

I got to the pits by 11.30am and immediately got on the small group of 9 Brent Geese looking very at home on the muddy scrape, feeding and chasing each other about in typical Spring fashion.  A new addition to the site list at #153 but more was to come...

The news of 2 Curlew drew me back to the site after lunch and indeed, there they were, with the Brent Geese.  In addition, a couple of Dunlin and 3 Redshank had also dropped in making it clear that a proper movement of birds was underway.  A summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit was seen flying around by some and was then present on site the next day.  The Brent Geese flew north along with the Curlew around 3.30pm and were later seen at Broom GPs in Bedfordshire.

2 Curlew on 11th March 2024

With quite a few birders on site it was inevitable that more would be found and indeed one lucky observer saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the hedgerow trees along Coopers Green Lane.   Unfortunately no-one else spotted it but nevertheless another site tick taking the list to 154.  And still there was more to come - a White Wagtail was on site and, as the day drew to a close, a Scandinavian Rock Pipit was found at the far end of the long pits.

Scandinavian Rock Pipit on 11th March 2024

The pipit concluded a remarkable day when I felt I had to pinch myself to check I was in Herts and not somewhere else like Frampton RSPB in Lincs!  By the end of the day the site list had grown to 154 species and the site year list to 96.

The next day, while the Dunlin and a single Redshank lingered, four Rock Pipits were found on site feeding together!  The birds were always distant but included two birds transitioning into their beautiful pale summer plumage (see the rather distant 'record shots' below).