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



Monday 24 December 2012

GREAT WHITE EGRET still present and an unprecedented arrival of NORTHERN POCHARDS into the Amersham Recording Area

CHRISTMAS EVE 2012


Lots more rain and still many areas flooded, particularly Nightingales Lane and some of the more minor roads; very mild though at 46 degrees F...

Didn't do a lot today but did check sites within a 2 mile radius of the house..........

The GREAT WHITE EGRET was back on MILL FARM WATER MEADOWS (CHENIES BOTTOM), showing very well prancing about in the open and chasing anything edible

At least 4 Little Egrets in the area, plus the 2 Mute Swans, Grey Heron and Grey Wagtail

The single GREYLAG GOOSE also still present by GREAT WATER (LATIMER), in with the flock of 113 Atlantic Canada Geese

There was no sign of the drake Goosander at CHESHAM FISHING PITS - just the 2 Mute Swans, 14 Tufted Duck, 16 Coot, SISKIN and Goldcrest

CHESHAM MILLFIELDS held 3 Moorhens, with 3 Red Kites wheeling about overhead

The most astonishing sight at a water-sodden SHARDELOES LAKE was an unprecedented arrival of NORTHERN POCHARDS; no less than 111 birds present - far and away a local record. The majority were adult drakes and I am assuming all of the heavy rain has flooded them out of other sites.

Not much else there, with a distinct lack of both Gadwall and Little Grebe, but the pair of Mute Swans, 4 Common Teal, 194 Coot, Common Kestrel, 7 Argenteus Herring Gulls and Wren

Merry Christmas Everyone