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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

June is a busy month at the pits for breeding birds with many farmland birds finding the site attractive.  This year an oil-seed rape crop has been buzzing with life supporting not just many insects but breeding pairs of Reed Bunting, Whitethroat and Skylarks.  The field has also attracted surprisingly large flocks (for this time year) of Yellowhammer (20+) and Linnet (60+).

The month as also seen a couple of Hobby visiting the site, at least 2 Corn Buntings singing from the weedy field margins and several pairs of Yellow Wagtails raising young.  Pied Wagtails seem to have had a particularly good season with juvenile birds almost everywhere you look!

At least 4 pairs of Little Ringed Plover have successfully hatched young although it is not clear how many went on to fledge.  A pair of Ringed Plover, once a Herts breeding species, lingered to the middle of the month giving hope that they might breed but the last bird departed on 16th.

Both Little Owls and Barn Owls have nests on site and the Barn Owls have raised at least one chick and probably more.  In addition, a Cuckoo seen on 28th gives hope that they may too have bred nearby.  At least 3 singing males were present in the Spring and may well have bred around the Symondshyde Farm end of the site.

Some species appear not have faired so well this season such as Lapwing that, despite being present on site most days, don't seem to have taken advantage of the seemingly perfect habitat.  Sand Martins also seemed to adopt a number of holes from last year but haven't raised young from them.  That said, they remain in good numbers on site so may have bred nearby.