 Happy New Year everyone! New Year's Day saw a Herts Bird Challenge to see who could find the most species on New Year's Day and kick-start those year lists. Sadly the weather was terrible so few ventured into the field and yours truly, being perhaps the most lunatic of all, found the most birds! No prizes but just the confirmation that time spent in the field, regardless of the weather, can produce a good variety of birds. Before the rain set in I managed to find 2 of the 3 the long-staying Great White Egrets at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits along with a brief appearance by an adult Yellow-legged Gull. The usual species were present including a squealing Water Rail so with 45 species under my belt I headed to Stanborough Gravel Pits. Again, the usual highlights were present including Wigeon, Stonechat & Green Sandpipers. A lingering Lesser Redpoll was also a welcome New Year addition. The real highlight was a single Golden Plover that battled low against the driving wind and rain taking my day total (and year total) to 65. My nice new notebook was already soaked through with the elastic strap detached from the soggy paper.  A quick visit to Frogmore Lakes on the edge of St Albans got me lovely eye-level views of about 30 Siskins all feeding on alders in the rain. I finished at Verulamium Park, hoping that the Yellow-browed Warbler might reappear but instead had to settle for Egyptian and Greylag Geese, Peregrines on the Abbey, a Mistle Thrush, and fly-by Kingfisher. My New Year total finished on 75 species and I went home to dry out!
The next day, I added a Great Spotted Woodpecker and caught up with the juvenile Marsh Harrier at Coursers Gravel Pits. 2025 was off to a good start with 77 species on year list and most importantly on the Five Miles from Home 2025 List! Now, to focus on my 'other patch' with a trip to The Lizard in Cornwall.
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 2024 is almost over and 'man-flu' and heavy misty weather had somewhat subdued the final week of the year. However, a few final highlights were to be had most importantly in the form of an adult Great Black-backed Gull that appeared on 28th Dec at Coursers GPS. Now a really scarce visitor to Herts (less than 10 records this year in the whole of Herts), this sighting becomes #151 for my 2024 Five Miles From Home List and mirrors my only sighting last year on 24th Dec 2023. This also means that my local list hits a new record count with the previous highest total being 150 in 2023! Gulls unsurprisingly have been the focal point for December and Coursers GPs together with the fresh quarry scrape at Stanborough GPs have been the key areas. Both a third winter Caspian Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull have been seen on and off at Stanborough while a smart adult winter Mediterranean Gull appeared at Coursers GPs on 22nd Dec. From left to right: 3rd winter Caspian Gull, adult Yellow-legged Gull & adult winter Mediterranean Gull Aside from gulls December has been fairly quite apart from the already-mentioned Yellow-browed Warbler at Verulamium Park in St Albans last seen on Christmas Eve. Sadly it could not be relocated in time for the Herts Bird Club Christmas Count. A few shots of the Yellow-browed Warbler at Verulamium Park on 20th Dec 2024 A single Dunlin sheltering with the Lapwings on 1st Dec at Coursers was the only real wader highlight and up to 3 Great White Egrets have been gracing Tyttenhanger GPs. The wide-ranging immature male Marsh Harrier was also spooking the gulls at Coursers on 28th Dec. Dunlin with the Lapwings at Coursers GPs on 1st & 3 Great White Egrets at Tyttenhanger GPs on 22nd Some video screen-grabs of the immature male Marsh Harrier at Coursers GPs on 28th Dec That's it for 2024 (I think) so Happy New Year one and all! Let's see what 2025 brings...
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Rupert’s BlogHere you'll find my observations and musings on the wildlife I encounter - usually locally but sometimes further afield. Archives
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