2025 in review - Part 1

Well, the year has flown by (note bird pun) and I have written very few blogs about anything other than Stanborough GPs. This blog has remained somewhat quiet but perhaps accurately reflects the fact that Stanborough GPs has continued to provide most of the birding action this year.  Aside from a few visits to Cornwall my birding has been almost entirely locally focussed.  With the year drawing to a close, it is, of course, time to reflect on what has proved to be an excellent year locally and a record-breaking one at that!

In all I have recorded 155 species within 5 miles of home during 2025, among them no less than 7 County Rarities - all of them self-found.  My all-time 5 Miles From Home List now stands at 199 species with no less than 5 new species added this year.  The list is poised for something special to become #200.

Of course, the year is not yet ended so who knows what might still appear!  For now I will summarise the year month by month:

January

The year started exceptionally well with 100 species seen by the end of the month.  No need to say more other than, read my earlier blogs for this year.

Yellow-browed Warbler on 12th Jan

February

After the excitement of January it was inevitable that the next month would prove slow!  Indeed, just 3 further species were added to the local list during February - a Shelduck on 2nd at Coursers GPs, Grey Partridge at Stanborough GPs on 9th and a returning Oystercatcher at Tyttenhanger GPs on 18th.  All very much expected birds that took the list to 103 species.

One of the first birds to return in Spring - the Oystercatcher - this one at Stanborough GPs on 23rd Feb

March

March of course is when Spring migration really kicks-off but despite feeling full of promise this year the month only added a further 9 species to the total.  Nevertheless, the month held two real highlights in the form of a Black-necked Grebe on 19th at Stanborough GPs and a stunning Blue-headed (Yellow) Wagtail at the same site on 27th.  More expected additions also appeared at Stanborough GPs with Redshank, Little Ringed Plover and Dunlin adding to the wader tally and Sand Martin and Swallow making an appearance on 21st.  A Rock Pipit spent a brief morning at Stanborough GPs while a lovely male Wheatear at nearby Nashe's Farm made it feel like Spring was really arriving.  By the end of the month the species count had grown to 112.

The Black-necked Grebe that graced Stanborough GPs on 19th Mar

April

You can always rely on April to bring new birds and that is why it is often the most popular time for birders to be out. Even if rarities don't appear the arrival of most of our summer visitors keeps the month enlivened throughout. This April did not disappoint with some real highlights including 2 County Rarities.

Out walking Max the dog around Nashe's Farm on 8th April I picked up a Goshawk over woods along Coopers Green Lane.  It seemed to be checking out the small clumps of woodland (much to the consternation of the local Sparrowhawk) before ending up over Symondshyde Great Wood where it soared up high with Buzzards and Red Kites. Still a rarity in the County I have now managed to connect with this species a few times locally over the last few years.

April 13th saw me at my usual post at Stanborough GPs where, typically just as other birders had left, I picked up a heron circling up from over towards Stanborough Lakes.  Reasonable scope views confirmed it was a Purple Heron!  Despite my best efforts to 'will' it over in my direction it circled higher and higher while all the time drifting away east.  Both a first for the site and my first in the County this was another County Rarity.  Despite its rarity value I was left a little despondent at having not been able to share such a good sighting and did give me a moment of self-revelation about just how much my enjoyment of birding is connected to sharing my sightings for others to enjoy.  That particular week saw a large influx of Purple Herons into the country so it was nice to catch this movement as so often it feels as if Herts misses out!

Garganey at Stanborough GPs on 12th April

Always a highlight of the Spring and a by no means guaranteed one is Garganey.  This April I found a pair at Stanborough GPs on 12th and, in typical fashion, the male was in hot pursuit of the female such that it wasn't long before they had flown the site, taking their chase elsewhere.

While Garganey delivered, waders were in short supply with the hoped for selection never materialising and with only a smattering of birds.  The month saw a Greenshank on 19th and a Common Sandpiper on 21st - both at Stanborough GPs.  However, the wader highlight for me was flushing 2 Whimbrel in fields near Redbournbury on 21st whilst adding Corn Bunting to the list.

Greenshank at Stanborough GPs on 19th April & 2 Whimbrel at Redbournbury on 21st April

Otherwise the month saw the anticipated arrival of the warblers: Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler.  House Martins put in an appearance from 6th and the first Swift on 26th.  A Hobby appeared on 19th at Stanborough GPs along with a Common Tern and the month finished with a Cuckoo at Gorhambury on 30th.  A Spring Whinchat was found at Nashe's Farm on 25th - a favourite of mine as they are stunning in their fresh summer plumage.

The Whinchat at Nashe's Farm on 25th April

As always, April delivered and the joy of welcoming new arrivals back for the summer was as strong as ever!  With the new additions my 5 miles from home list had climbed to 132 species.

May

After the excitement of April, May proved to be bit of an anti-climax with just 3 species added to the year list.  With lots of birds still on the move it seemed ideal conditions just kept them that way with none actually dropping down for us to see!  This year stood in stark contrast to May last year when heavy rain and generally inclement weather produced a host of exciting birds.

A Ringed Plover on 11th at Stanborough GPs was an expected if not overdue wader while the discovery of up to 4 Spotted Flycatchers in Symondshyde Great Wood raised hopes that they might stay and breed.  Sadly, it seems they did not and as far as I know just one pair bred successfully in the local area - a far cry from the days when they used to breed in my porch!

The highlight of the month came on 18th with a smart Avocet found at Coursers GPs.  A less than annual bird in Herts it is always a welcome addition to any list.  With the new additions my local year list now stood at 135.

Spotted Flycatcher in Symondshyde Woods on 17th May and Avocet on 18th May at Coursers GPs

June

The month of June, as is usually the case, represented a dip as far as new birds were concerned.  This was not through lack of looking but more often than not the finds involved orchids and butterflies rather than birds!  Local breeding highlights including the regular Little Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers along with possible breeding (perhaps for the first time) of Black Redstarts in St Albans' town centre.

However, no species were added to the local year list and the list remained at 135.

July

July brought early interest in the form of Crossbills with a small flock over Stanborough GPs on 6th and then a larger flock of up to 20 in nearby Symondshyde Great Wood in the weeks that followed.  The early records indicated a good 'Crossbill Year' with birds being reported from around the county into December.

An influx of Green Sandpipers to Stanborough GPs on 8th brought a Wood Sandpiper - the first of a few autumn records.  Having been completely absent in the Spring, a Black-tailed Godwit was a welcome addition and the first of several groups at Stanborough and Coursers GPs.

Crossbills in Symondshyde Wood on 7th July & the Wood Sandpiper at Stanborough GPs on 8th July

Unlike the previous year, the autumn proved to be a great one for Common Redstarts with the first - a beautiful male appearing at Redwell Wood Farm on 25th.  Several different birds then followed with a final male seen at Stanborough GPs on 21st Sep.  A Black Redstart also popped up briefly at Redwell Wood Farm on 31st.

July finished with 4 new additions to the local year list taking the total to 139 species.

The male Redstart on 25th July at Redwell Wood Farm, joined briefly by a Black Redstart

August

The great thing about arriving at 140 species roughly halfway through the year is that any further species are likely to be fantastic finds.  Of course, that assumes they can be found but the autumn seemed to be shaping up nicely...

An expected addition that marked the 140 species mark was a Barnacle Goose at Stanborough GPs on 7th - part of the annual, post-harvest arrival of geese.  Coursers GPs then saw the arrival of 2 Ruff the next day that stayed for 10 days.

The 2 Ruff at Coursers GPs on 8th Aug

Vismig efforts at Potwells in North Mymms Park finally paid off with a Tree Pipit on 17th.  Despite several records at the site last year this proved to be the only record but a good one at that with the bird alighting for a while.

Zero effort in the garden delivered a Wood Warbler on 22nd - a complete surprise and one that I almost ignored!  I heard a strange call and put it down to the usual Great Tits but the call persisted enough to get me looking.  Almost too late I picked the bird up as it left the garden but long enough to confirm its identity.  Lesson learnt and new Wood Warbler vocalisation learnt too!  A very rare bird in Herts now but oddly my second this year with a Spring bird found in Cassiobury Park in Watford.

With these quality additions my local year list now stood at 143 species with my list well on track to hit my annual 150 target.

September

Another month when, like April, expectations are high and this year the month did not disappoint with 2 further County Rarities, both on the same day!

Bi-weekly vismig session at first light produced a Woodlark on 14th - confirmation that this species does indeed move through Herts if you're looking.​  Later that day, whilst scanning the rough vegetation at Stanborough GPs I picked up a Dartford Warbler - the first for the site and indeed the first I've seen in Herts.  A second bird was also seen later but the find heralded a succession of finds in the county with another local bird at Gorhambury.

One of the Dartford Warblers at Stanborough on 14th Sep & a later bird at Gorhambury on 22nd Oct.

September also saw 2 new wader additions - both on the same day.  First a Sanderling at Coursers GPs on 7th then a Little Stint at Stanborough GPs later that day.  In some years these waders turn up in both Spring and Autumn but these two single records were very welcome in a sparse year for waders locally.

The month ended with a surprise redhead Goosander flying over my garden - a first for the garden and by no means guaranteed locally every year.  However, records of this species breeding further south or over-summering seem to be on the increase so, while the record felt early, it may not be as unusual as previously.

With 5 more species added the local year list now stood at 148 with just 2 to get me to my annual 150 target!

Little Stint at Stanborough GPs on 7th Sep

October

Birding can be like waiting for buses with nothing for days and then suddenly a day when lots of birds turn up!  October was a bit like that with both 12th and 25th producing great birds.

The 12th started with the regular vismig session at Potwells which yielded an elusive Ring Ouzel and noisy Brambling.  Although difficult to connect with in Herts the Ring Ouzel was the first of 4 records this autumn but all birds seen in flight.  A visit to Stanborough GPs late morning then gave me fantastic views of a ring-tail Hen Harrier hunting at the back of the main pit - a real treat.  Despite being driven off by crows the bird did return in the afternoon and gave several observers good views.

Continuing the theme, a female-type Merlin appeared the next day giving exceptional views perched on one of the new fences along the track at Stanborough GPs.

The Hen Harrier at Stanborough GPs on 12th (photo by Louise Veasey) & the Merlin at the same site the next day

With my yearly total now well past 150 at 152 it felt that surely the year must be winding down - what else could I add?  And yet the month held a couple more surprises on 25th when out walking Max I picked up a group of swans dropping down to the pits at Tyttenhanger GPs.  I got on them just in time to establish that they were Whooper Swans!  A mad dash then ensued to locate which pit they'd landed on.  I needn't have worried as all 9 birds were settled for the remainder of the day on the main pit -  a beautiful wintery sight.

It seemed the day was over, but just as I left for the car a message came in saying that a Cattle Egret had been found among the gulls surrounding the swans.  I dashed back and added #154 to the list!

One of the 9 Whooper Swans present at Tyttenhanger GPs on 25th Oct & the Cattle Egret found with them later that day

November

Barely had the new month started and a bolt from the blue struck!  With freshly tilled fields at Stanborough GPs the flocks of small birds - larks, pipits, wagtails and finches - had grown to a fever pitch with probably several 1,000 small birds regularly across the site.  I took to scanning these flocks as they fed on the ground and along the scrubby edges.  In the back of my mind I had the hope of picking up a rarer bunting but my scans revealed just Skylarks in all their varied plumage tones.

The day was drawing to a close but the light was still clear and bright.  I decided to scan one more time and focus on the far edge of the field at the scrubby margins.  As I did I noticed a smaller brown chunky bunting moving along with the Skylarks.  My heart started racing as a got better views of it as it crept along between the clods of earth.  It was clearly smaller than its Skylark neighbours and moved in a very similar creeping, low-to-the-ground fashion.  And yet it stood out with rufous chestnut hues and when I saw its face, it was an 'open' expression unlike a Reed Bunting - a LAPLAND BUNTING!  It's distinctive jizz gave instant recognition - I had watched one in Cornwall at close quarters just the previous year.

Unfortunately, that very evening, the farmer had decided to drive up and down the track firing off a pop-gun to scare the birds away.  He had never done this before so why he chose that particular evening I don't know.  Before I could wrestle my digi-scope camera into position the flock of about 30 Skylarks plus my bunting flew up and around and away, disappearing into the sunlight somewhere else on site.  When they flew I thought I picked up the 'chu' call of the Lapland Bunting but not enough to be certain.  The light was going and I realised I had to put the news out - a County First - but with the proviso that it was unlikely to be seen by anyone else!

A search ensued the next morning with up to 10 birders on site but ultimately drew a blank despite high numbers of birds remaining on site.  A thrilling but frustrating encounter as a Lapland Bunting on the ground would have been a real draw for others.  I still hang on to the thought that it might be rediscovered over-wintering nearby but to date no joy and most of the flocks have now dispersed.

Whether or not the bunting will be accepted on to the Herts List remains to be seen but it made a very special #155 for my local year list.

December

With December still in full swing at the time of writing I shall reserve this month's write up for Part 2 of my 2025 Review...