Thursday 11 March
It was a no-show by the STOCKER'S LAKE male
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker this morning - nothing by the time I departed at 0900
hours (although it did show later). A lot of Great Spotted Woodpecker activity
though, and Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper too. A male Common
Chiffchaff was singing by the River Colne, as were 2 male Song Thrushes, while
Ring-necked Parakeets were active marking out their territories, and Stock Doves. At least 3
Little Egret nests appeared to be active, with 28 Shoveler
lingering.
Healthy population of House Sparrows by
STOCKER'S HOUSE, with a male Mistle Thrush singing by STOCKER'S FARM - the
meadow harbouring 3 feeding COMMON SNIPES.
Common Snipes
At around 0850, David Kramer had watched a
Pied Avocet fly SW through Barkers Lane (Bedford), so I headed up that way in
anticipation of a relocation. Heading north up the A1, I was very pleased to
hear of 2 GARGANEY at GYPSY LANE EAST (BROOM GP), the pair of which were both
showing with 5 Common Teal when I arrived shortly later. They were mostly asleep
on the bank.....
Two LITTLE RINGED PLOVER were freshly
arrived too, while other waders present included 6 Ringed Plover and 2
Oystercatcher, with 2 Common Shelduck, 8 Gadwall & 14 Tufted Duck completing
the line-up. Across the road on GYPSY LANE WEST was the first DUNLIN of the
year, as well as 2 GREEN SANDPIPERS, a Common Snipe and 2 Red-legged Partridges.
The adult male MERLIN was sheltering behind a tussock in its usual area whilst a
PEREGRINE flew east.
At PEACOCK'S LAKE (BROOM), another pair of
Oystercatcher, with 6 Brown Hares in the field opposite.
The LITTLE OWL was present in the tall Oak
adjacent to SANDY SMITH NATURE RESERVE, whilst an afternoon visit to EVERSHOLT
LAKE resulted in me finding a pair of LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKERS in the trees at
the back - the birds on view for at least an hour. At least 3 Great Spotted
Woodpeckers too, as well as 2 Common Treecreepers, 4 SISKIN, 18 Goldfinch, Jay,
Red Kite, Common Buzzard, 15 Redwing and a flock of at least 230 Fieldfare. The
lake held 6 MANDARIN DUCKS (5 drakes) and 5 GOOSANDER (2 drakes), with 42
Greylag Geese in the field adjacent.
Over in WOBURN PARK, 6 more MANDARIN DUCK by
the entrance road, and Oystercatcher, 25 Wigeon and a COMMON KINGFISHER on
DRAKELOE POND.
The adult drake SMEW was showing well at
BROGBOROUGH LAKE, while STEWARTBY LAKE proffered 2 Oystercatcher and 15 Pied
Wagtails on the grass.
At MARSTON VALE, BARN OWL, WATER RAIL and
CETTI'S WARBLER were all noted, as well as this pair of cheeky Chinese Water
Deer. The new Tower Hide is coming along well too.
No less than 5 male LADY AMHERST'S PHEASANTS
have been seen within the General Motors compound, the new arrivals no doubt
being attributed to all of the forest work being undertaken in neighbouring
Centre Parcs.
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