YEARLISTING IN 2016

Compared to most recent years, when for example I recorded 165 species in the county in 2011, 187 in 2012 and 173 in 2013, this has been a particularly poor one with just 157 species recorded by mid December - one of my worst years on record

YEARLISTING IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

It's all over - 2012 has come to an end. I managed a total of 187 out of the 198 species recorded all told in Buckinghamshire - 94% of the total - probably my highest-ever annual tally.

The current record is 191 species achieved in 2006 and held jointly by both Rob Hill and Simon Nichols



Wednesday 16 November 2011

More on the GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

After a tip off from Dick at 14.47 that Cliff Dell had a Diver species on the north lake , I dashed over from Tilbrook and at 15:00 was stood next to Cliff watching a fantastic GREAT NORTHERN DIVER at c 30 yds range - Ben Miller and Dick joining us shortly afterwards (the former fortuitously driving along the M1 on his way home); it is in the North Eastern Arm ranging from that bay to the other side (south) of the island , it is diving frequently, often spending a minute under the water only to surface a distance away , stay up for 10 seconds and dive again , it appears to be a juvenile. Ben Miller is onsite and obtaining images.

The best place to view is from the boardwalk along the edge of Redcote Manor ( Road ) which is actually in the Walton Park area of Caldecotte http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=caldecotte&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487654ab27e3728b:0xdc89dd69b75a8705,Caldecotte,+Milton+Keynes&gl=uk&ei=ItnDTpzxMMPJswbCkrz2Cw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=2&ved=0CCcQ8gEwAQand

zoom in under the area of Walton Park It is the 17th record for Bucks following birds in 2006 and 2009 at Calvert. Great find by Cliff in a woefully under watched area of Caldecotte lake hopefully it will still be there in the morning ! (Simon Nichols)