 As I was putting the finishing touches to my last post catching up with Spring sightings so the first returning birds of Autumn appeared at the pits! Regular as clockwork, 3 Green Sandpipers appeared on the middle pool on the evening of 19th June and a number of birds have been seen on and off since. Another anticipated arrival was a juvenile Stonechat on 28th June - a few days earlier than usual but one of two birds noted in the county recently.  Record shot of the juvenile Stonechat on 28th June taken by Richard Gardner A real surprise then came on 30th June with a very early Whinchat - a smart male sat up in the main weedy area next to the dried-up main lagoon. The last June records in Herts were from 2018 and were probably lingering Spring birds while this record seems more likely a returning migrant. The Whinchat on 30th June A new bird for the site!Today Alan Gardiner found a QUAIL calling form the field along the track. A new species for the site (#165) and one that seems to be having a good year in the country with several records across Herts too. I nipped out at lunchtime and soon heard it calling about 10 yards off the track but, as usual, heard not seen. Hopefully it will hang around as a long-expected bird at the site and one that I have been keeping an ear out over the last few weeks knowing there are a few around. See if you can pick it up calling inbetween the Skylark song in this video! Two Hobbies were also present and a noisy 'cronking' Raven. Elsewhere on site the sole remaining Little Ringed Plover chick survives and is almost full-grown. Another adult may be on a nest but chicks have yet to appear. The first fledged Yellow Wagtails are also out and about - more to come no doubt. The Little Ringed Plover chick and adult parent & 2 of the juvenile Yellow Wagtails. The Barn Owl family continue to delight too with the parent birds taking it in turns to keep lookout. In non-bird news, a number of Fallow Deer have been enjoying the tall cover vegetation of the weedy area next to the dried up lagoon. A single Roe Deer has also been with them - always a scarcity in this part of Herts. On my wanderings I also encountered at least one Essex Skipper - my first record for the site and one of many on the wing at the moment. A fleeing Fallow Deer & an Essex Skipper on 30th June Sadly the farmer has seen fit to strim between all the newly planted tree whips - an unnecessary exercise as the area would naturally scrub up if left and produce a far better ecosystem in the long-run. This is on the back of weed-killing too - all in the height of the breeding season when nesting and feeding areas like these are critical. What hope is there for nature if this is how we treat our 'green' areas?! 
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 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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