Sunday 14th September saw me on site as usual following an excellent morning's 'vismig' at Potwells that included a flyover Woodlark!  A County rarity and one that I had hoped I'd catch up with this year.  The session also witnessed a noticeable increase in Meadow Pipit movement and this was in evidence at Stanborough too with in excess of 100 birds noted.

The usual Common and Green Sandpiper were on site and a flyover Raven too.  I commenced my usual scan from the track with my scope of the large weedy area adjacent to the main pit - a good way to pick up any migrant chats.  Sure enough, at least 4 Stonechats were on view along with a single Whinchat.

As one of the regular dog walkers approached I saw a little bird hop up onto a stem right at the back of the weedy area - about as far a way as it could be.  It cocked its tail up and I knew, without a doubt, that this was a DARTFORD WARBLER!  Immediately I was engaged in exchanging niceties with the walker while my mind began racing as I realised I needed to find this bird properly!

The walker moved on and I sent a couple of messages to Steve Pearce and Andrew Steele who I knew weren't far away saying that I thought I had a Dartford but I was going to have a look.  I quickly walked along the back edge of the weedy area at the field edge with ears and eyes peeled.  I reached the end with no joy and realised, in my haste, I hadn't really pinpointed where exactly I had seen the bird.  I decided to return to the track, wait for Steve, and in the meantime pin-down exactly where I had seen the bird.

Steve arrived and we both headed out along the edge of the weedy area again.  Reaching the end there was again not a squeak aside from the usual Reed Buntings, occasional Yellowhammer and Stonechats.  Steve decided to loop around the weedy area and as he completed his loop so the Dartford Warbler began scolding and hopped up on a stem about 20 yards in front of me!  Bingo!!

I quickly called Steve on his phone and he came over just in time to get fairly good views of the bird before it dropped back down into the thistles and weeds.  My second County Rarity in a day and a first for me, not just for my 5 Miles From Home List but also for my Herts List.  The Dartford Warbler was of course new for the site too taking the all-time total to a pleasing 160 species.

My first views were to prove some of my best and I managed a few hasty record shots (see the header photo) before it vanished.  Thereafter it became much harder to see, other than in brief flight views.  The following day, others were unable to locate it but I revisited on Tue 16th and was able to find it again moving along the back edge of the weedy area with a couple of Stonechats.  Again I was able to get a few record shots as it lurked in the undergrowth but never sat up.

Walking back to the car I noticed another little bird flying along, almost next to me but only about a foot off the ground.  I paused and eventually saw it in flight - a Grasshopper Warbler!  I waited while it rustled around in the grass just a few feet away from me and then watched it fly into the main clump of reeds in the wet area.  Another site year tick, taking the year total to 127!

​While I had been observing or (more truthfully) waiting for the Dartford Warbler to appear I had puzzled over hearing what appeared to be Dartford Warbler scolding from two different locations.  While the bird did move quickly through the undergrowth it nevertheless seemed odd.

Again, with no sighting by others the next day I returned on Thursday 18th Sep evening and quickly relocated the bird, except that this time my puzzlement was answered as not one but TWO Dartford Warblers flew up and across briefly, giving me just long enough to confirm my earlier suspicions.  While light also plays a part, I did think, looking at my record shots, that one bird might possibly be lighter and brighter in plumage that the other...maybe I had unknowingly photographed two separate birds?

I saw and heard a Dartford again on Sat 20th Sep along with Andrew Steele but it remains to be seen how long both birds remain on site.  While Dartfords are a possible candidate to over-winter at the site we are still in peak migration time so they may move on.  They will however, be remembered for the excitement they brought as a genuinely rare bird in the County.

Walking out along the weedy area also brought home what a fantastic (and really under-watched) area it is for small migrant birds.  On Sat at least 5 Chiffchaffs were feeding along the edge with at least 2 Whinchats and 4 Stonechats.  Two female-type Wheatears were also present with a third male seen in the morning too.  Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Yellow Wagtails are also dropping down into the grassy areas while passing Swallows, House and Sand Martins are making good use of the feeding opportunities.  Who knows what else may pop up?!

As a final note, a smart adult Yellow-legged Gull was by the deep pool on Sat afternoon but didn't stay long.

Barely had the metaphorical ink dried on my last post and the very next day it felt like autumn passage got into full swing!  The write-up has had to wait until now though as soon after I went on holiday and got back to busy-ness thereafter.

On the morning of 8th July 8 Green Sandpipers were reported so for my evening visit I had in the back of my mind that a sudden influx like this could come with a Wood Sandpiper too.  Not finding one, I had begun to pack up to leave when a wader hunched at the edge of a pool drew me back for a second look.

I had initially dismissed it as another Green Sandpiper but something about its head shape didn't quite seem right for that species.  The light was poor so I couldn't really see much else but as I continued watching so it began to feed and I realised I had a Wood Sandpiper!  Eventually it walked out of the glare and allowed the somewhat grainy record shot above. 

Other passage on 8th was also evident with an increase in gulls, including a Mediterranean Gull and a surprise early Common Gull through.  The first juvenile Black-headed Gulls also made an appearance.

Waders continued to feature during the rest of July but in a somewhat muted way.  It has officially been a poor breeding season for the Little Ringed Plovers with just a second pair raising one chick from 18th July.  This means that, in total, only three new Little Ringed Plovers have hatched this year from 2 pairs with likely less than that making it to adulthood.  It's difficult to pinpoint why it's been a poor year for them but it is likely to be a combination of disturbance at key moments in their breeding cycle and loss of habitat due to quarry restoration.

Green Sandpipers have been present throughout July, averaging about 4 birds on site with 2 ringed individuals and 2 unringed birds regularly being seen.  A Common Sandpiper appeared on 15th July and was joined by another on 19th, with a maximum of 3 counted on 27th.  Another Wood Sandpiper was seen briefly on 20th with another heard but unseen on 27th.

A Greenshank put in an appearance on 25th and an Oystercatcher on 29th.  Despite the substantial areas of exposed mud and seemingly ideal wader conditions the offering feels a little paltry for this time of year.  However, it is still early days...

Away from the water, interest included a high count of 4 juvenile Stonechats on 25th and an evening count of 167 Ring-necked Parakeets heading over the site in small groups to their roost at Stanborough Lakes.

Also flying over the site were 2 Peregrine Falcons on 26th, the first Siskin for the year on 27th and the first 3 Ravens for a while on 28th.  The site year list for 2025 now stands at 121 species.

Perhaps the most noticeable change with the new month is the arrival of large numbers of geese.  As in previous years, this seems timed to coincide with the harvesting of the cereal crops.  The goose flock on occasion has grown to almost 500 birds, among them up to 300 Canada Geese, 120 Greylag Geese and a maximum count of at least 57 Egyptian Geese on 10th Aug.

A Barnacle Goose was found with the flock on 7th and seen subsequently on and off.  The goose flock is very mobile, switching between the fields and the water and sometimes vacating the site altogether, however numbers are highest in the evening and early morning.

The first Wheatear appeared near the farm on 1st August and at least 3 were present on 14th with one seen the next day too.

In the same vein a Whinchat was found on 10th August behind the middle pool and seen again the next day - the first site record for the year.  Stonechat numbers peaked at 6 or more on 10th - all scruffy juvenile birds.

Wader passage has been almost non-existent with Green Sandpipers remaining on site but the last 2 Common Sandpipers being seen on 7th.  More noticeable has been the passage of hirundines with several flocks of House Martins (100+ on 12th) moving east with a few Sand Martins.  Swifts are also still passing through with at least 50 noted on 12th but these will be some of the last birds this year no doubt.

Yellow Wagtail passage is also underway with at 10 birds being regularly seen in horse paddocks near the farm.  Both Sedge Warbler and the site's first Reed Warblers of the year have been noted at the back of the main weedy area.  It is likely these are passage birds although it is possible they may have bred on site unnoticed. 

Perhaps the most notable record for the first half of August has been the sighting of 3 Marsh Harriers together by one observer on 13th.  The sighting involved 2 adults calling and being followed by a juvenile bird.  Harriers are certainly on the radar as they disperse post-breeding and who knows, maybe a Montagu's Harrier will come our way!

Much of the autumn remains to come and hopefully the best bits too!  It's always tricky to work out why some years are quieter than others but, given the seemingly ideal conditions, the last 2 months have not delivered the hoped for wader passage.  It is difficult to know if the ongoing quarry restoration works play a part with landscaping and new topsoil being put down - perhaps on top of formerly good feeding areas.

The 'deep pits' have been reduced to a small lake and it remains to be seen if these will be attractive to birds.  Since the new topsoil has gone down these pools have been devoid of birds other than loafing gull flocks.  The middle pool has virtually dried up while the main pit has been given an extended life as water has been pumped into it temporarily.  It too faces the same fate however with further landscaping set to greatly reduce its size.  Let's hope what is finally left recovers to attract birds and wildlife again but for the moment you can't help feeling that the site is in decline.

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.

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!

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.

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!