 The first couple of weeks of April are almost done and I'd like to report some amazing sightings but somehow this usually peak period has drifted by quietly. A settled area of high pressure has brought beautifully clear days with a, at times, strong and chilly east wind. Rain and cloud cover have been non-existent and it feels as if these missing ingredients have resulted in a lack of migrant birds. Either birds are backing up waiting to arrive or are flying over, high in the clear skies, not needing to make the usual pitstops. That said, a steady trickle of migrants has kept things interesting if not exciting. Full of promise and headlining the period was a stunning male Blue-headed (Yellow) Wagtail of the European race flava. Found at the pits on 27th March the bird hung around for a couple of days giving many people the chance to view and photograph it. A perfect picture of Spring the bird suggested the start of something special but actually heralded a quiet few weeks! Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava on 27th & 28th March 2025 While it feels the main influx of Spring migrants has yet to come, prior to the wagtail's arrival, there had been some movement with some expected arrivals in the from of Sand Martins and Swallows on 21st Mar. A Wheatear was found at nearby Nashe's Farm on the same day but it wasn't until 24th that one appeared in the big field at Stanborough GPs. A further 3 birds were then seen on 5th & 6th April. A slow passage for this species, especially given the seemingly ideal habitat at the pits. An Oystercatcher also put in an appearance on 21st along with another Mediterranean Gull and a Little Egret. The evening finished with a distant circling Marsh Harrier. Migrants on 21st March 2025 - Oystercatcher, Little Egret & Mediterranean Gull Two Dunlin were present on 22nd along with a singing Firecrest while a lone Golden Plover was seen flying around on 23rd & 24th Mar and then a flock of around 50 seen flying over on 27th. A single bird then appeared again on 5th April in the large field. Equally brief in its visits was a single Shelduck seen on 26th & 30th Mar then on 2nd and 5th April. Also present in the large field on 23rd Mar were a flock of around 130 Fieldfare but these had dwindled to just a handful in the first week of April. 2 Dunlin on 22nd Mar & the lone Golden Plover on 5th April A Willow Warbler was heard singing at the entrance on 30th Mar and various reports of a Water Pipit on 31st Mar and Rock Pipit on other dates were unconfirmed. Yellow Wagtails of the usual British race flavissima arrived on 2nd April with at least 10 present on 7th. Two Barnacle Geese were at the site on 4th April along with a Redshank and first singing Corn Bunting of the year. With so much of the vegetation gone it remains to be seen whether this species will breed at the site this year. Two Yellow-legged Gulls also passed through on 3rd April. Good numbers of Little Ringed Plovers remain on site with at least 16 counted on 7th April. At least 3 House Martins appeared in the hirundine flock on 6th April while the long-staying 7 Pintail dwindled to just 2 pairs and were not seen after that date. Remaining onsite were fluctuating numbers of White Wagtails, a pair of Egyptian Geese, at least 2 Green Sandpipers and up to 3 Common Snipe. Another welcome arrval was a Common Whitethroat on 10th April. Yellow Wagtails, a White Wagtail & Common Whitethroat With many of the expected migrants now arriving (the site year list stands at 105 species) the stage is set (hopefully) for something a little more special. Rain in the forecast still seems to evaporate before arriving and the skies are set to be clear for the foreseeable future so who knows?!
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 They don't come much better-looking than this summer plumage BLACK-NECKED GREBE that spent the day of 19th March on the main pit! A first for the site taking the all time total to 157. The bird followed the arrival of 7 Pintail the day before and was joined on 19th by the first Dunlin of the year, coinciding with the arrival of very warm conditions on south-easterly winds. Three Little Ringed Plovers were also on site along with a White Wagtail. One observer also saw a Rock Pipit (possibly the same bird from 16th?) but others were unable to find it. The site's first Mediterranean Gull for the year - a second winter bird - was also seen on 18th.  7 Pintail over the site on 20th Mar The warm conditions (18+ degrees Celsius) saw the site's first butterflies of the year too - a Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. The 20th March saw further movement with Little Ringed Plover numbers up to 5 by the end of the day and a first winter Mediterranean Gull that slowly circled through the site without alighting. The 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on 20th March The weekend ahead holds changeable weather including some heavy rain so could be a recipe for more arrivals. The site year total now stands at 94 species.
 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
 Late November proved to be quite a quiet period at the pits so just a few highlights to mention along with the usual increase in wintering wildfowl and Lapwing numbers (c200). The 19th saw the arrival of a lone Barnacle Goose that stayed until 26th Nov. The day before a Marsh Harrier put in an appearance while a Great White Egret flew over on 29th but did not land.  Barnacle Goose The real highlight came on 28th Nov with a male Pintail gracing the far end of the main pit. It's been a good year for Pintail records at the site with this being the 4th record this year involving 10 different birds. The bird remained to the end of the month and on to 1st Dec. Scraping the barrel a bit but 3 Grey Partridge put in a reappearance along with 7 Red-legged Partridge - perhaps heralding further releases. New game feeding stations are also in evidence so their days could be numbered! A highlight for me was a particularly beautiful evening on 28th Nov when the Barn Owl chose to sit out in its recently adopted hole.  Not much in the way of photos to prove it thanks to heavy rain but this morning saw an influx of waders to the site. Heavy rain moving in from the southeast with easterly winds in the previous days meant the conditions overnight were ideal to bring waders down as they migrated. As soon as I stepped out of the car I could hear a Ringed Plover calling overhead and as I searched for it another bird started calling too. I picked the latter bird up first - a very early Bar-tailed Godwit - before getting on the Ringed Plover too. Both birds spent about 20 minutes circling the site calling but never seemed to land. Eventually both birds were lost to sight. However, Tom, another birder on site had already located 4 Dunlin which soon turned into 5 and were joined by a Redshank. In the process of scanning and searching the site 2 Green Sandpipers were also located. Along with a couple of Lapwing it was a 6-wader day for Stanborough GPs! Despite the rain and getting soaked the morning was a classic early Spring experience with the feeling that anything might drop in at any point. Tom had seen a pair of Pintail before I arrived and also had a probable Merlin sighting. This follows on from another 3 Pintail seen a few days ago and another Merlin sighting yesterday as it hunted the flock of 200+ Fieldfares still in the turnip field. A Little Owl was heard to call from towards Cromer Hyde Farm while a Great Crested Grebe graced the main pit - just the second record this year and a scarce visitor. A pair of Little Grebes and a pair of Mandarins also remain on site.  Great Crested Grebe  Pintails on 28th February 2024 At last it feels like Spring may actually be here and visiting the gravel pits comes with an air of expectancy as to what might have turned up! A particularly wet day on 22nd February saw the arrival of 4 Dunlin at the edge of the smaller pool along the track. No doubt pushed down by the rain they spent the day by the pool but were gone the next day. With them arrived the first Mandarin Ducks of the year with 2 males chasing a female bird around on the same pool. A single Dunlin was also present on 6th March.  Mandarin Ducks on 22nd February 2024 Easterly winds then delivered the first White Wagtail of the year on 26th February before bringing 3 pairs of Pintail on 28th February. Pintail are scarce in Herts away from Tring Reservoirs so to have 6 of these beautiful ducks felt very special. A single female was also present later at the site on 7th March.  Female Pintail on 7th March 2024 More easterly winds helped bring more waders and the first Redshank of the year appeared on 5th March typically staying for just the day. A Black-tailed Godwit was also seen flying high over the site on 7th March - a wader that we should see more of as the Spring progresses! |
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