 A few days earlier than last year but bang on schedule a Little Ringed Plover appeared on the mud this last Sunday 8th March. Such a welcome sight as it represents the first true migrant from African shores. It vanished the next day but today there were 3 on site. Whether they will find the site suitable for breeding this year is another matter. Work to 'restore' the remaining rough areas of the site to arable farmland is set to commence in mid-April - probably before these birds have settled into breeding. Hopefully they will find a suitable corner, possibly in the remaining workings, but I shall be keeping a close eye on any established nests! The damp, misty weather on Sunday also felt right for a Rock Pipit to drop in and while I was convinced I heard one I could not locate it. I did however find one at nearby Coursers GPs so my hunch was correct. In other news...Leading up to Sunday, the remaining week of February and the first week of March were fairly quiet but not without some highlights. The last day of February saw a 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull on the workings and the 1st March a flyby Corn Bunting, that headed out into the big field, dropping down and out of site. A little earlier that usual but good to know they are around. The same day also saw the first Lapwings displaying and, to date, several pairs have now taken up territories. The first weekend in March saw some lovely warm weather - tonic for the soul - and with that a noticeable change in birds on site with Gadwall numbers dropping right down to c10 birds over the next few days and the lingering male Wigeon departing. Teal numbers have stayed around 40 birds although difficult to count as many hide away in the weeds. The first Chiffchaff of the year was found on 3rd March and now there are at least 3 singing birds on site. The warmth also brought a single Peacock butterfly out. Another feature of the warmer weather was the wholesale departure of the Stonechats that have been present all winter. A single male was then seen a few days later but last seen on Sat 7th March.  Great Crested Grebe on 4th March A Great Crested Grebe spent the day of 4th March on the main pit - a scarce visitor but annual around this time of year. The evening before a small flock of 27 Golden Plover flew south over the site and a few days later, on 7th, two were present on the mud for the morning. Golden Plover flock on 3rd Mar & one of 2 birds present on 7th Mar A lovely warm evening on 5th March saw me linger late till dusk while I enjoyed great views of a hunting Sparrowhawk and then a real site rarity in the form of a Roe Deer, sneaking down the the water in the last light. A Noctule Bat also came out and hunted over the site along with at least one presumed Daubenton's Bat. Sparrowhawk on 5th Mar & the rare Roe Deer in the fading light Up to 5 Shoveler have visited the middle pool on and off while at least 2 Green Sandpipers have been seen regularly. The flooded areas seem to contain many snipe with up to 4 Jack Snipe flushed and a peak count of at least 33 Snipe yesterday. Spring is definitely in the air with foraging bees and a noticeable increase in midges along the track - all good fodder for the approaching hirundines hopefully! Some notable absences so far this year in the form of Mandarin Ducks, Shelduck and Oystercatchers but there is still plenty of time for these to show up. A pair of Mandarin Ducks did fly high over the site on 8th but declined to land. Will we see the same numbers at the site as in previous years or will they turn their beaks up at the newly restored farmland? The site year list has progressed to 86 species and no doubt this is set to grow with the imminent arrival of Spring migrants. Hopefully there'll be some good ones!  One of the regular Green Sandpipers on site - a bird ringed at Lemsford Springs NR in Nov 2020
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 A whole month has gone past since my last update with no real excitement in the intervening period. However, Spring is in the air and most noticeably in the form of returning wildfowl to the site. Like clockwork, the first Coot appeared on 3rd Feb and was soon joined by a pair of Tufted Duck on 6th Feb - much to consternation of the resident Little Grebe that had had the whole of the deep pit to itself all winter! Along with these arrivals, Gadwall numbers have swelled to up to 80 birds with Teal peaking at 110+ birds on 21st Feb. A few Wigeon have stayed around the site with 8 on 17th January dropping to just a pair for most of the rest of the period. A pair of Shoveler was present on 29th Jan and a Pochard appeared on 15th Feb and stayed to at least 22nd while Tufted Duck numbers grew to just shy of 10 birds on site. A Moorhen remained on the drainage pool while Coot numbers settled at up to 6 birds. A flock of up to 80 Canada Geese has been present for most of the period with a pair of Egyptian Geese in the field by the deep pool and joined by another pair on occasion. The first Greylag Geese appeared on 8th Feb and 4 birds now seem to be regularly joining the Canada flock. With such a good winter for rarer grey geese in the country there's still hope for a passing White-fronted Goose or even Bean Goose. Also yet to materialise are any Pintail or Shelduck. Wildfowl variety - the pair of Egyptian Geese, 2 of the Greylag Geese with the Canada flock and the Pochard. Despite being typically quiet the last month has not been without its highlights. A single Golden Plover was discovered in the flock of Lapwing on 22nd Jan and was present again on 24th. While the Lapwing flock has grown to nearly 300 birds (280+ on 20th Feb) Golden Plover have been notable by their absence. The only other waders recorded have been up to 4 Common Snipe and the occasional Green Sandpiper although the latter don't seem to be regularly using the site at the moment.  Single Golden Plover with Lapwing on 22nd Jan Another welcome highlight was the brief appearance of 2 Great White Egrets on 14th Feb - a species not recorded on site last year. Little Egrets have yet to appear at the site this year but 2 Grey Herons spent some time on the flooded fields by the woods on 15th Feb. After initial interest in early January, gulls have not really featured much in the last month save for a regular feeding flock of Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls over the sheep fields. Hopefully March will see some more passage but for now the larger gulls seem to be bypassing the site. Stanborough GPs also continues to be a reliable site for the scarce Grey Partridge with at least 3 birds seen on 12th Feb followed by a single on 14th. Somewhat easier to come by were up to 5 Red-legged Partridge on 11th Feb with 2 jousting males on 17th.  Red-legged Partridges on 17th Feb A particular feature of this winter has been the presence of Crossbills in the adjacent Symondshyde Woods and these have regularly strayed over the site during the last month. Other flyovers have included several Siskins and a few Redpolls but not in any great numbers. At least 4 pairs of Stonechat remain at various points around the site, possibly even 5 but these will no doubt move off as the breeding season beckons. With breeding in mind, both Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers have begun to join the Skylark song with their own familiar repertoires. There seem to be good numbers of Reed Buntings in the weedy area next to the main pit with additional pairs in the reeds at the middle pool. The singing males look very fine and seem to puff up their white collars as they sing. Spring is also in the air for the resident pair of Barn Owls that can occasionally be seen nuzzling their beaks together at the box entrance but no sign of any Little Owls yet this year. A posturing Reed Bunting & the resident Barn Owl pair To date the site year list stands at 81 species - a little behind last year but all to play for! The stage is set once again for Spring migration so, with the first Swallows and Sand Martins already being reported elsewhere in the country, hopefully we'll see some action soon.
 2025 wrapped upRather than write a lengthy review of 2025 I thought I'd simply summarise in a paragraph or two... Despite misgivings about the future of the site at the start of the year, 2025 proved to be one of, if not the, best years on record with 134 species recorded over the whole year - 3 up on last year. An additional 7 new species were added over the course of the year taking the all-time total to 163 species. March saw the addition of a smart summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebe followed on 13th April by a distant Purple Heron part of an influx into the country that week. An overdue Crossbill became the first known record for the site on 6th July with many more arriving later in the year. September saw the addition of a stunning male Redstart on 14th followed by the discovery of a Dartford Warbler on 21st - one of several that appeared in the County from autumn onwards. The year saved the best to last however with a Pectoral Sandpiper found on 1st October that lingered a few days and then a Lapland Bunting on 4th November. If accepted, the latter would be a first for the County. The year also saw the addition of two new 'escapees' that fall short of truly wild status: an Alexandrine Parakeet on 13th Jan and a Bar-headed Goose on 21st May. Both very smart birds and worthy of note regardless of their status. 2026 here we go...but first a rant!Once again the New Year presents a very different site from that of January 2025. Much of the worked gravel areas and open water have gone with just 3 key pools remaining. These are also subject to reduction by pumping and still their future remains uncertain. Elsewhere most of the land has been returned to arable/sheep-grazing fields, divided up by new fencing and presumably eventually hedgerow planting. All of this means that it is likely that the site will not be as attractive to birds as it once was but while areas continue to be disturbed and worked there is hope. Whether Little Ringed Plovers and Sand Martins will still find areas to nest in remains to be seen but based on other restored sites around St Albans it seems unlikely. As well as the so-called 'restoration' work another dynamic seems to be at play. The latest tool in the developer's arsenal - Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) credits - have meant that areas such as Stanborough GPs may well form part of a 'BNG Habitat Bank'. Developers elsewhere (anywhere!) can purchase 'offsite' BNG units thereby fulfilling their obligations to increase biodiversity. They must be able to demonstrate a minimum 10% uplift in biodiversity (not much really) so to make it even easier it is best if the banked habitat is degraded first so its low biodiversity can be quickly and cheaply 'upgraded'. The lower the biodiversity the higher the value to a prospective developer looking to offset the destruction elsewhere caused by their development. Such cynical calculations may well be the justification for the degrading of Stanborough GPs witnessed over the last few years, rather than the embracing of its already excellent biodiversity. Perhaps the ray of hope is that, in time, the biodiversity of the site will be uplifted, but I suspect in a very 'managed' way producing a shadow biodiversity, a poor imitation of a truly re-wilded state. Some hope may also be held in the identification of the site in the new Local Nature Recovery Strategy as ear-marked for wetland habitats. Only time will tell but history is not encouraging on this front and I, for one, struggle to feel too optimistic! And so to the birds... Adult Yellow-legged Gull on 10th Jan Many of the birds present at the end of 2025 are still on site, including at least one Jack Snipe and some Common Snipe too. Three Wigeon appeared on 10th and rose to 7 on 12th. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was a nice find in the gull flock on 10th and was followed by a first-winter bird on 16th. The same day also saw the French-ringed Great Black-backed Gull first seen at Coursers GPs further south join the gulls in the sheep field. A species that was not recorded at Stanborough last year and in generally very scarce in the County. The 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull & the Great Black-backed Gull ringed in northern France in May 2024. Another highlight of the New Year so far has been the continuing presence of Crossbills in Symondshyde Great Wood. With good numbers still present in the woods it means they occasionally venture into Stanborough GPs boundaries with a flyover flock of at least 10 on 13th and at least 3 birds in trees bordering the site on 16th. As they gather to leave for their breeding grounds I'm sure there'll be more records for the site too.  Male Crossbill atop a pine bordering the site on 16th Jan At least 2 Barn Owls are in the box while a Green Sandpiper has been frequenting the site as has a Little Grebe. Other site faithfuls include up to 5 pairs of Stonechat over the whole site and a flock of c.100 Lapwing roosting on the workings. As yet Golden Plover are yet to appear in any numbers but this seems true of other regular sites too. A family party of 3 Mute Swans has been visiting regularly and, while wildfowl numbers are almost non-existent, a flock of at least 60 Teal were present on the middle pool on 16th.
To date, the site year list has reached 60 species with plenty more (hopefully) still to come. Late January can see the start of late winter movements as birds get ready to depart - perhaps evidenced today (16th) in the increase in Meadow Pipits on site.  This morning a Black Redstart was found feeding along the track, up and down off the posts along with a pair of Stonechats. The 134th species recorded at the site this year and making it a 2-redstart year with the site's first Common Redstart back in September. A Corn Bunting was also reported this morning - another good bird for this time of year. The find brightens up an otherwise dull period with nothing much else to report. A Jack Snipe has been flushed on two occasions along with some Common Snipe but, thanks to the draining of the main pit, very few wildfowl have been noted. A few Teal appear every now and then and a male Gadwall joined the domesticated Mallards today. Up to 3 Mute Swans have also visited on and off while up to 3 Little Grebes remain, but diving ducks are yet to return.  Mute Swans on 30th November Up to 6 Grey Partridge are occasionally flushed while the odd Golden Plover has been seen flying over the site but not landing. Up to 4 pairs of Stonechat remain on site while other regulars such as the Green Sandpipers and Grey Wagtail are regularly recorded.  Male Stonechat on 19th December One positive development is the discovery that the scraped areas of the actual quarry workings are attracting a regular gull roost and Lapwing flock. The area is viewable from the public footpath adjacent to Coopers Green Lane and 30th November saw 166 Lapwing roosting on the mud. Combined with birds at Coopers Green main pit down the road it seems there is a flock of about 200 birds in the area. So far no unusual gulls have been found but late December is a good time for these to show up - including the now locally rare Great Black-backed Gull.  The scraped area in the workings Significant changes continue to the site as 2 pumps now battle the re-filling pools daily. I'm hoping this battle is lost as the whole idea of pumping such a vital resource away from the land is ridiculous not to mention irresponsible! In addition, new fencing (and no doubt eventually hedgerows) are now lining the track and cutting across the main field, dividing it into 3 smaller fields. While this may change the site dynamics in the future, for the moment the new posts provide a focal point and will possibly attract Merlin or Short-eared Owls. With plenty of water building up on site again we can perhaps continue to hope that good birds will be found despite the obvious loss of habitats. Perhaps some grey geese or a winter wader might be attracted but it was enjoyable watching a Sparrowhawk today, making use of the track pools to bathe.  Sparrowhawk on 19th December  Newly hatched Lapwing chick Late May highlightsMay did not finish with a bang but nevertheless did hold some interest with a Cuckoo heard calling on 21st along with the arrival of 2 Common Sandpipers. In line with annual movement of 'suspect' geese a very smart (unringed) Bar-headed Goose appeared on the same day along with a bona-fide ringed Oystercatcher. Originating in central Asia and migrating across the Himalayas at extreme altitudes, it seems inconceivable that a wild Bar-headed Goose should ever make it to the UK. This bird may simply be an escapee from a private collection or perhaps, a partially wild bird living as part of a feral population in the UK. Regardless of its origins it was a very smart bird and first record for the site. It follows the similar Snow Goose record of 2024.  The Bar-headed Goose on 21st May 2025 The Oystercatcher sported a bright blue & yellow leg ring with white letters HE on it. I was then able to identify this as a bird ringed by the Devon & Cornwall Wader Ringing Group on 13th Oct 2021 at Dawlish Warren on the Exe Estuary in Devon. My sighting constitutes the only sighting away from that site and the first since Feb 2023.  The colour-ringed Oystercatcher on 21st May 2025 It's interesting to see how far this bird has travelled and with some birds being re-sighted in Europe, who knows where it will go next? The full history of the bird can be found here: https://www.dcwrg.org.uk/recoveries/oystercatcher/bird/GBT-FJ28711  The Oystercatcher's ringing history The last Common Sandpiper was seen on 24th May but the next day 2 more Ringed Plovers appeared and another Oystercatcher on 31st May. Another Ringed Plover was also present on 28th May. On 27th May a new brood of Mandarin Ducks appeared - a mother with 10 new ducklings in tow. Lapwing chicks were first seen on 21st with at least 3 Lapwing broods proved by the end of the month. A Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing on the last day of May and a pair of Egyptian Geese were noted - one of 3 pairs that have frequented the site this Spring. Early June highlightsThe first few weeks of June saw a trickle of waders with more Ringed Plover (2 on 4th & 1 on 10th), 2 more Oystercatchers on 6th and a Dunlin on 2nd. At least 3 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers continue to display around the site but as yet there has been no evidence of breeding.  2 sleepy Oystercatchers on 6th June Disturbance at critical moments may have not helped the Little Ringed Plovers this year with an unwelcome visit from a walker with 4 off-lead dogs and untimely ploughing by the farmer. There is enough space on site so hopefully pairs will breed successfully in due course.  This Little Ringed Plover looked settled on a nest but sadly the field was ploughed shortly after! On cue with previous years, a Corn Bunting was singing on the wires along the track on 11th and then seen singing at the back of the main weedy area on 13th. Hopefully a mate will be found and breeding will get underway again. Both Mandarin Ducks and Lapwing have continued to be successful with a third brood of Mandarin ducklings appearing on 11th June and a fourth brood of 2 further Lapwing chicks the next day. Of course, as June progresses, thoughts of autumn migration begin to creep in! June is a turning point in the migration calendar and first back are the Green Sandpipers. Almost before we began to expect them, 5 Green Sandpipers arrived on 13th - a very typical date for their return. At least one bird was colour-ringed and studies have shown that they can make the journey from Scandinavia in one non-stop flight! A Hobby was also hunting over the pits on 13th and 2 Grey Partridges were flushed near the ruin. One of the partridges looked very small and could have been a juvenile.  Hobby on 13th June A Meadow Pipit was feeding along the new tree planting area which renewed hopes that there might still be a breeding pair on site - although this was the first bird seen since the dog disturbance.  Meadow Pipit on 13th June Elsewhere around the site insect life has exploded with a good variety of odonata including recently Emperor Dragonflies, Four-spotted Chasers and Black-tailed Skimmers. The first Marbled White butterfly was noted on 13th along with another Painted Lady butterly. Black-tailed Skimmer & Painted Lady butterfly on 13th June
 Stable periods of high pressure, easterly winds and very little rain have made for a slow passage this Spring. Glaringly absent from the roll-call are waders such as Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Curlew and Whimbrel. But Spring is not yet over and there have been some highlights over the last few weeks. Perhaps top of the bill was a female Marsh Harrier that spent a few hours early morning hunting over the middle pool on 26th April. It was constantly harassed by Carrion Crows and Red Kites but nevertheless spent some time on the ground. At one point it sat next to a Brown Hare and they just stared at each other! A short video clip of the hunting Marsh Harrier on 26th April April 21st saw a little bit of movement with the arrival of the first Common Sandpiper of the year and a high count of at least 6 Wheatears on site. The Common Sandpipers increased to 2 birds on 6th & 7th May but just one remains on 11th May. At least 3 Wheatear hung around but the last bird was seen on 6th May. Common Sandpiper & Wheatear In other wader news, Greenshank have been a feature so far this Spring with singles on 21st, 22nd & 28th April followed by 3 birds on 7th May and another single on 11th May. Unringed Green Sandpipers were also seen on 22nd, 27th & 28th April with a very late bird on 10th May. It is likely that these are passage birds rather than from the local overwintering population. Three Common Snipe were seen on 1st May and at least 2 remained on 7th May. Little Ringed Plovers seemed to have settled into pairs with at least 4 pairs on site and starting to sit on nests. Green Sandpiper & Greenshank April 22nd saw a Great Crested Grebe visit the site and the next day a late White Wagtail put in an appearance. Good numbers of Yellow Wagtails remain on site but most seem to have paired up and moved out to the fields, hopefully to breed. A pair of Meadow Pipits have also been displaying and favouring the weedy area so it's hoped they might breed too. A common species in the winter they are a scarce local breeder. The site's resident pair of Grey Partridge were seen on 23rd April and again on 11th May. Clockwise from top left: Great Crested Grebe, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit & Yellow Wagtail Swifts arrived back on 26th April with at least 8 birds present. Thereafter they have once again become a regular feature of the skies with overcast weather bring a flock of over 100 in the past weeks. Sand Martins have established at least 12 holes in the quarry workings with at least 30 birds regularly on site. Hopefully their nests will be unaffected by quarry works.  Swifts flying in tandem post copulation! While many birds are still getting underway with breeding there have been some early successes with a female Mallard appearing with 7 ducklings (now sadly down to just 2) and a pair of Canada Geese with 6 new goslings. Hopefully they are the first of many fledglings with at least 7 pairs of Lapwing on site and the Mandarin Ducks vanished to the woods to hopefully return with offspring. With the new additions the site bird list stands at 114 species for the year. In non-bird news, Brown Hares continue to be abundant on site but less visible now the crops have grown and courtship is dying down. Painted Lady butterflies have been seen along the track a few times while a Small Copper butterfly was seen on 1st May.  A Small Copper Butterfly on 1st May  The last half of February proved very quiet with little to report and many of the same birds present. However, a returning Oystercatcher arrived on 23rd and stayed until the next day - a welcome boost to morale as Spring tarries! The site would appear suitable for them to breed but, being relatively new habitat and in constant flux, the site may not hold enough food for them. Either way, the Oystercatcher brings this year's site total to 86. Other wading species were in short supply with a maximum count of 11 Snipe flushed on 20th along with 2 Jack Snipe - presumably the same birds recorded earlier in the year. Up to 80 Lapwing remained in the area along with 2 Green Sandpipers favouring the long drainage pit as usual. An adult Yellow-legged Gull joined the gull roost on 23rd and appeared to be a different bird to the one on 4th being a heavier, possibly male, bird.  Adult Yellow-legged Gull on 23rd Feb Wildfowl numbers have fluctuated, presumably in response to varying levels of disturbance at the site. Mandarin Duck numbers have grown to 12 birds with Wigeon fluctuating between 20 to 50 birds. A noticeable influx of Teal occurred with a peak of c150 on 24th but all virtually gone by the end of the week. Tufted Duck numbers also peaked at 19 birds on 24th and varying numbers of Shoveler (max 21) and Gadwall (max 10) were present. A single Pochard visited on 22nd while a Little Grebe has been seen on a couple of occasions. Two Great Crested Grebes were present on 26th and 2 Coot remain on site. Another Little Egret made a brief appearance on 23rd. Perhaps more noticeable on site has been the flocks of birds gathering to feed in the large sheep fields. Common Gulls have been passing through with the flock peaking at about 300 birds on 20th. The most dramatic flocks have been the Woodpigeons with some Stock Doves and Jackdaws mixed in. Several flocks of around 1,000 birds commute between the surrounding fields and virtually cover the crop when they land! Woodpigeons feeding on the turnip tops A smaller flock of c100 Fieldfares also remains in the field. These flocks of course attract predators and 2 Peregrines have continue to visit the site but, as yet, no Merlin. Last year's wing-tagged Buzzard has reappeared and at least 2 Ravens have been seen flying over the site on a few occasions. Another noticeable change - very much in line with previous years - is the growing flocks of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits visiting the water's edge. Hopefully these in time will harbour White Wagtails and maybe some scarcer pipits.  Wing-tagged Common Buzzard - tagged in the nest in nearby Hatfield Park Passerine activity is more noticeable with the approach of Spring and both Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings are now singing on site. They will hopefully breed but one major set-back for all passerines has been the sudden removal of the willow hedge between the ruin and Symondshyde Farm. Aside from providing shelter and nesting opportunities for many birds the hedge-line also provided a valuable corridor into an otherwise shrub-less site. The track between the hedges also held a variety of butterflies not found elsewhere on site. It is not clear why the hedge was ripped out and hopefully it will be allowed to re-grow but equally it may be ploughed in and replaced with a fence. A real loss at the very start of the breeding season.  The good news is that March has arrived and with it the promise of Spring migrants. We'll hopefully soon have the calls of Little Ringed Plovers on site with Sand Martins and Swallows overhead. Last year March saw some excellent birds so let's see what this year brings!  Red-legged Partridge on 24th Feb  You always know it's been a quiet end to the month when Coot headlines the blog! However, this bird that turned up on 31st Jan is the first one of the year and signals the start of some spring movement of birds. Many more will follow and, hopefully as in years gone by, will breed at the site. The last half of January was quiet but the site list grew steadily to 77 by the month end with singing Mistle Thrush added and 3 Pochard on 31st. A pair of Pintail on 24th was a nice surprise along with 55 Wigeon, 27 Gadwall and a few Shoveler. A pair of Peregrine were also in the big field on that day and at least 5 Stonechats were on site.  Peregrine on 24th Jan 2025 The regular immature male Marsh Harrier came through the site on 31st whilst the Skylark flock has held at about 50-60 birds along with up to 200 Fieldfares. Mute Swan numbers have fluctuated but tend to be around 15 birds and Lapwing numbers have varied from 30 to 100 birds. A couple of Green Sandpipers continue to favour the site, commuting between the long drainage pit and pools in the arable fields across the road. Gulls continue to provide a bit of interest although the 3rd winter Caspian Gull seems to now be favouring Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits a few miles away. A possible adult Caspian was present on 29th but at distance it wasn't possible to be 100% sure and, despite the nice clean head and darker grey mantle, I couldn't rule out a hybrid bird. Some video-grabs of the possible adult Caspian Gull on 29th Jan 2025 On the passerine front, Linnet, Goldfinch and Chaffinch numbers have dwindled and only about 20-30 Meadow Pipits are in evidence. A couple of Reed Buntings have also been mixed in with the flock along the track. February beckons and with it the hope of some migrant waders arriving at the site - hopefully Oystercatchers but maybe also Dunlin and Redshank.
 Despite the restoration of much of the site 2024 proved to be another very good year for birds at Stanborough Gravel Pits with 131 species recorded, just one shy of the total for the previous year. In all, 5 new species were added to the site list taking the all-time total to 156*. First to be added were the 9 Brent Geese that appeared at the site on 11th March and later in the day a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen by one lucky observer - another new record for the site. The day proved exceptionally good and can be read about here. April saw the addition of a Sandwich Tern - seen by just a few observers - and then a Spoonbill in July seen by just one observer. The final, and somewhat expected, addition came in December with the arrival of a 3rd winter Caspian Gull that then stayed to almost the year end.  The 3rd winter Caspian Gull In addition a number of escapes provided added interest in the form of a White Stork ringed at the Knepp Estate in Sussex. On 16th May a pale-morph Lesser Snow Goose joined the goose flock and tempted thoughts that it might possibly be genuinely wild. However, without a ring to prove it one way or the other, it is most likely a roving bird from a feral flock elsewhere. The White Stork (photo from off-site) & the Snow Goose Aside from the new additions, 2024 also held some real highlights on the wader front with the freshly scraped areas clearly proving attractive to migrant waders. The 3rd May saw the site's second Avocet, 3-4 Little Stints on 21st & 22nd May, and both Spring and Autumn Wood Sandpipers. Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Grey Plover and Sanderling also put in a good showing with a very smart summer plumaged Grey Plover from 15th-16th May.  Grey Plover Other highlights in 2024 included more records of Pintail than in previous years and many more records of Marsh Harriers with up to 3 different individuals visiting the site throughout the year. The presence of these birds begs the question as to whether they will attempt to breed in the near future - either at the site or in the St Albans area. An Osprey on 5th April was the only record for the year while up to 4 Scandinavian Rock Pipits were on site from 11th-13th March. A Black Redstart on 9th November was a welcome late autumn visitor too. Osprey & Black Redstart While no evidence was found of breeding Lapwing this year, Little Ringed Plovers did breed successfully with at least 3 pairs raising a brood. The site continues to be the main breeding site in Herts for this rare British breeding bird. Little Ringed Plover numbers peaked at 17 on 23rd June and the last birds seen on site were on 15th August. A lingering pair of Ringed Plovers gave hope that this former Herts breeding species might consider staying but they eventually left by the second week in June. Other notable breeders at the site included Mandarin Ducks (although numbers were down on the previous year) and both Little and Barn Owls. Sand Martins are likely to have bred but in small numbers while a pair of Corn Bunting may also have bred. A number of birds recorded in 2023 were not seen in 2024 - some less surprisingly than others. Garganey, Whimbrel and Ruff were surprise absences while Bewick's Swan and Turnstone less so. The removal of the large scrubby area as part of the gravel pits restoration work meant that Sedge, Reed and Grasshopper Warbler were not recorded on site - a real loss as at least 2 of those species bred in 2023. Common misses included Bullfinch, Brambling and Garden Warbler while Water Pipit and Tree Sparrow absences were less surprising. Looking ahead to 2025...So what will 2025 hold? The site restoration work is scheduled to continue in the Spring and it is unclear how the site will eventually look. It is hoped that bodies of water will remain with attractive margins for birds. As to the longer term management of the site, that is unclear. Without any management successional growth would stifle the site and remove the scraped areas attractive to birds such as waders, not least the breeding Little Ringed Plovers. Disturbance is also a concern, not just from quarry work but also from increased shooting by the local farmer. The sighting of a fleeing fox before a fox-hunting group with horses and hounds was also a worrying development. Only time will tell but the site remains a fantastic opportunity to create a nature reserve should the landowner and land-managers be so minded. It also functions as an important flood-management system, storing water that would otherwise put pressure on the river and drainage system. The site awaits a vision and hopefully, when there is one, it will recognise the high-value of the site for birds and wider nature.  An unwelcome sight at Stanborough Gravel Pits on 5th Dec 2024 Bird-wise, hopefully 2025 will deliver the same excitement of the last few years. Some notable holes in the site list exist such as Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Hawfinch and Crossbill among others. Will 2025 see these added? We shall have to wait and see...! *Attentive readers will note that this is one down on the previous published total as Ruddy Shelduck was removed from the list as a species not yet accepted on to the official Herts List. The status of Ruddy Shelduck in the UK is currently under review by the BOU (British Ornithologists Union) but the outcome of that review is still pending. Instead, the species must be relegated to the "Escapes & Introductions" category as a non-wild bird.
 The year finished with a variety of highlights - mostly interesting birds that lingered or reappeared and one final new species for the year in the form of 2 Jack Snipe flushed on 27th December along with at least 6 Common Snipe. Good to know they are still visiting the site and they take the site total to 131 for the year. A Little Owl was in its usual hole (pictured) on 7th December however, the next day, Storm Darragh brought its tree down and the hole now sits just a foot above the ground! Subsequent visits have revealed new droppings at the lowered hole suggesting the Little Owl may have continued to visit the hole despite its toppling.  The toppled Little Owl tree On the water, wildfowl numbers grew with at least 20 each of Shoveler and Gadwall and the occasional single Tufted Duck and Pochard. Diving ducks seem to have pretty well vacated the site this month but the male Pintail stayed on until at least 29th Dec while Wigeon numbers peaked at 55+ mid-month. At least one Little Grebe remains faithful to the deep pit. The Caspian Gull reappeared on 24th along with an adult Yellow-legged Gull, the former then staying with the gull roost until 28th. From left to right: the 3rd winter Caspian Gull, the Caspian Gull showing primary wing pattern & the adult Yellow-legged Gull The immature male Marsh Harrier put in an appearance on 18th while a lone Golden Plover flew around the site on 26th. Otherwise it was business as usual with up to 4 Green Sandpipers remaining on site and a flock of c80 Lapwings split between the deep pit and the new workings scrape. At least 4 Stonechat stayed on the weedy areas while the 100-strong flock of Linnet continued to enjoy the seed-heads on the restored areas. A final highlight, particularly as they don't seem to common this winter, were 3 Lesser Redpolls (soon to be demoted to simply 'Redpolls') that were feeding on the alders along the Coopers Green Lane border. Lesser Redpolls
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