 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?!
0 Comments
 The first week and a half of March saw some much warmer weather with temperatures reaching a heady 18 degrees Celsius. South-easterlies also felt promising but those elusive Spring migrants are still awaited. New planting has begun (following and perhaps prompted by the recent hedge destruction) and hopefully new good habitat will grow up along the track bank in time. Despite the lack of Spring migrants a few highlights have headlined the period and are indicative of the changing season. New for the year, a Shelduck appeared for one day on 2nd and another 2 on 11th. Also new for the year, up to 3 Barn Owls have been present on site with one regularly hunting the back of the turnip field. The real highlight came today, along with the 2 Shelduck, in the form of 2 Redshank feeding along the edge of the main pit. Hopefully harbingers of more wader passage and certainly an expected arrival in early Spring. Along with the Shelduck and Barn Owls, they take the site year total to 89. The first White Wagtail of the year was also with the Pied Wagtail flock. The Redshank feeding on 11th Mar Otherwise, the usual parallel trends of growing flocks of winter birds feeding up before leaving and others pairing and courting with a view to breeding have been evident on site. The Fieldfare flock enjoying the turnip field has stabilised around 200 birds while Common Gull numbers have diminished being replaced by increasing numbers of Black-headed Gulls. A female-type Marsh Harrier was seen on 7th and on the same day at least 24 Common Snipe were flushed from the main weedy area along with at least 3 Jack Snipe. In the same area a single Stonechat was last seen on 3rd and may be the last sighting until they return in late summer post breeding. On the water, wildfowl numbers have generally fluctuated day-by-day but overall have increased. Around 30 Teal, 5-10 Wigeon and up to 50 Shoveler remain on site along with up to 20 Gadwall and well over 30 Tufted Duck and just one Pochard. Mandarin Duck number remain around 12 birds with a peak of 16 on 7th but mostly now paired up. A Great Crested Grebe visited again on 3rd and a pair of Little Grebes are now exploring nesting sites around the deep pit. Coot numbers have risen to at least 5 birds and their calls are now heard constantly as they begin courtship.  Great Crested Grebe on 3rd Mar  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.
 After a quiet autumn period the first week of November saw some welcome variety with a steady trickle of migrant birds visiting the site. Unsurprisingly, easterly winds dominated the period and, as usual, seemed to change things up. A male Marsh Harrier on 3rd Nov seemed to herald a few arrivals - 3 Wigeon that increased to 4 on 7th, at least 5 Golden Plover flying around the site and a huge flock of 400+ Linnet in the fields. In addition, a peak count of 8+ Common Snipe on 3rd joined up to 6 Green Sandpipers, a flock of 60+ Lapwing and up to 3 pairs of Stonechat around the site. The young male Marsh Harrier hunting at the far end of main pit The 4th Nov saw the arrival of a Dunlin and the 5th a smart adult female Shelduck. The Barn Owl was also back at its hole that evening.  An adult Yellow-legged Gull joined the afternoon roost on 6th November. The gulls seem to like the newly scraped exposed mud on the edge of the deep pit. The area also looks good for waders and maybe will be as the ground matures and provides more invertebrate food. The main pit however is clearly still attractive to waders with a Redshank appearing on 8th Nov.  Adult Yellow-legged Gull on 6th Nov  A distant view of the Redshank on 8th Nov The real highlight of the week however came on 9th Nov with the discovery of a smart male Black Redstart that spent the day hopping around the newly formed earth bank along the track. While it had gone the next day many local birders were able to see it and it becomes #128 for the site year list. A few more shots of the obliging Black Redstart on 9th Nov While the Black Redstart charmed another bird puzzled - appearing to be the site's first Caspian Gull, closer scrutiny suggested it may have been a hybrid with a Herring Gull. The bird gave a very 'Caspian' vibe with its bulk, extremely long legs and white head. It also had a nice white underwing and clean black tail band in flight. However, small notches on its tertial feathers, heavily chequered inner greater coverts and heavy anchor-marked scapulars suggested at least some Herring Gull influence. Despite the bird's stand-out 'presence' among the other gulls it sadly does not make it on to the site list. It surely must soon though!  Putative 1st winter Caspian Gull on 9th Nov that appeared to be a Herring-Caspian Gull hybrid. Regardless of the disappointing outcome the Caspian-type gull provided further education on the pitfalls of gull ID and the challenge of pinning down pure species. Equally, the first week of November was by no means disappointing and delivered a welcome variety of birds to spice things up after a dull autumn!
 2nd cal year male Marsh Harrier on 26th June June is the pivotal month of the year when the compass swings slowly round from bringing us Spring migrants from the South to bringing us back Autumn migrants from the North. As the last Ringed Plovers of Spring departed the first returning Green Sandpiper appeared on 15th with up to 3 birds on site subsequently. Little Ringed Plover numbers also grew to at least 17 birds on 23rd June with apparent new arrivals from off site. Lapwing numbers have also swelled during the month and the first Shoveler and pair of Teal appeared on 26th. June 4th saw a young (2nd calendar year) Yellow-legged Gull on the deep pit - a species we will no doubt see more of as the the year progresses.  2nd cal year Yellow-legged Gull on 4th June The anticipated wader 'drop-ins' began with an Oystercatcher on 15th followed by a Redshank on 20th. Hopefully July will bring more waders and maybe a site tick in the from of a Spotted Redshank or Curlew Sandpiper!
A Great White Egret on 24th was the first for the year while a young male Marsh Harrier (pictured) briefly quartered the main pit weedy area on 26th. This latter species has seen a huge increase in records over the last few years and maybe in time we'll see our first breeding pair.  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).  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! |
Recent SightingsAll the latest birds, wildlife and news from Stanborough GPs Archives
November 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed