HS2 Misbehaving.

Found to be taking liberties on a local farm today, doing things they weren't supposed to be doing. Big Pat on the shoulder to those who responded quickly, which led to a successful outcome.

Camera shy, or just ashamed :

Looks like somebodies been locked in, checkout the padlock.

Get up; stand up, stand up for what is right.

20th November..... Otmoor Starling Murmuration.

With plenty of Raptors being seen at Otmoor lately, with no work to do & nice weather predicted, seemed to be the ideal day to visit, especially with the weekends likely to be crowded now that the Starlings are performing.
Arrived at 12-30pm few cars in the car park, parkin' fee now been introduced, good value at two quid, free to members. Things began well as when we approached the bridge onto the moor, a silhouetted Stoat crossed the track with a prey item hanging from it's jaws, looked to be a Vole. Making our way along the bridleway constantly scanning for distant Harriers with no joy, just the usual, Kites, Buzzards & a Kestrel, spent a while near the grit tray just in case of Bearded Tit, no joy.

 

A flock of  9 Snipe flew over head, as roaming flocks of Starlings fed out on the Moor.















Watched over The Closes & Ashgrove from the comfort of the hide where the only birds present on the water seemed to be Canada Geese.

The seed put down for the wintering Finches was doing the trick with good numbers of Chaffinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting & Yellow Hammers taking advantage, at one point I counted 37 on the ground with many more in the bushes.

 

As we walked along the path to the first screen a work party engaged in some vegetation clearing, 4 Hares could be picked out on Big Otmoor avoiding the floods.

At the screen 7 Snipe blended in perfectly with their surroundings as they sat on a small reedy island, 9 more flew over, a male Marsh Harrier flew along the hedge line & out over the reed bed.

 

Moving onto the second screen the farm land at Noke Sides being completely flooded held a couple of hundred Greylag Geese.

15 Lapwing hung on to a raised spot clear of the water, in one corner at least 37 Pied Wagtails were picking what I presume to be insects from the surface of the shallow water.

A couple of approachable Hares provided a photo opportunity.

Not much to be seen from the screen, just a single Gadwall & Tufted Duck plus a distant unidentified Harrier.

Back tracking along the path a Cetti's Warbler gave a sharp burst of song; by now the sun was beginning to drop low in the winter sky interacting nicely with the watery landscape, where 9 Wigeon had dropped in since we passed by earlier.

We approached the first screen just in the nick of time at 3-47pm, as the Starlings were starting to perform above the reeds; twistin', turnin', formin' balls & funnel shapes, whoosin' sounds from their wings, didn't seem to last long, may be a few minutes, then it was down into the reeds, that wasn't the end of it as more birds streamed in from the north low over the reed bed, aiming straight for the cacophony of sound now comin' from those in the reeds, more doing the same approaching from the east & west, a job to estimate numbers, but I would say at least 20,000 birds, all this commotion attracted a Sparrow Hawk, as a Hen Harrier patrolled the far edge of the reed bed, by 4-10 they were all in.

Murmuration video, best viewed by clicking on the enlargement key, play at max volume.

Another Cetti's Warbler sang from the path side on the way back to the car, where once again at the bridge, our visit end as it began with another silhouette, this one being that of a Barn Owl as it drifted in front of us, no doubt also looking for a Vole.... as we admired the last rays of the day..

Don.
Images Copyright : Don Stone/Stewart Dennis. 

Rethink HS2.

If you haven't done so already, you can join the growing campaign by filling in the form to email political party leaders here https://rethinkhs2.org/
May just be the last throw of the Dice.
You never know Together we may just be able to bring the Runaway Train to a Halt.

Thank you
Stay Free.

Automatic reply

Received this automated reply :
Parliament has now been dissolved until the General Election. Therefore there are currently no Members of Parliament. Incoming emails to this account may be received and read, however this email address is only being used to respond to urgent constituency case work. 
Will have to re-send once parliament is back in business.

Dear Boris.

Hello Boris,
I've been watching you on the election trail on the television news reports, you've been giving plenty of attention to the NHS, Police & Schools etc etc, the climate & environment isn't getting a look in, it's the one subject that effects us all, whether we be rich or poor, but you seem to be ignoring it!! how come?? though I did hear some statement about setting millions of trees, likewise the Labour Party & The Green Party, it seems to be a race to set a Forest, these saplings will take years to develop into mature trees before they can provide shelter to wildlife & filter out harmful co2 gases in the atmosphere.
One way you could help achieve this faster would be to call a halt to the High Speed Rail project that is currently destroying vast tracks of this green & pleasant land, taking ever decreasing farm land out production, which we desperately need to feed our ever increasing population. I'm sure you're well aware of all the ancient woodland that will be lost for good, no amount of tiny mitigation saplings will replace them & any way where will they all be planted, & how many of them will actually survive??  I've seen the destruction first hand & it doesn't make for good viewing, massive trees torn from the earth..... total environmental carnage.
Then we have the financial costs £80 billion at present & rising, bound to exceed at least £100 billion on completion, plus the hidden costs such as policing for example, from what I've seen of the numerous videos on social media it's a good job you're recruiting an extra 20,000 officers as they're gonna be needed over the next 20 years or so to police the protests if this scheme gets the go ahead. The billions saved could be used to fund your other more worth while promises.
Come on Boris you're a man of decisive actions, do the right thing & cancel it, you know it makes sense.... your dad will be proud of you.

I look forward to hearing your reply.
All the Best
Don Stone.

boris.johnson.mp@parliament.uk  is the email address, if after reading this you also have strong feelings on this subject & wish to contact him with your thoughts. With the Oakervee Review still to publish it's findings this maybe the last chance we have to try & influence the out come.

Train in Vain.

HS2 Magic Seeds.

https://rethinkhs2.org/
Found to be breaking the law again yesterday as they worked beyond their own Badger Sett marking post at a site near Kenilworth.

Leucistic Goldfinch

This 'leucistic' Goldfinch has been visiting our ex-neighbours Peter & Mary's feeders recently, unfortunately when this image was taken it had just had an untimely incident with the patio doors, being in the recovery position on the patio, seems all is well & has rejoined the 'charm' once again on the feeders.

Don.
Image Copyright : Peter Fortgang.

13th November..... More Stonechats.

I heard that Mike had found a stonechat close to home. So with a sunny start to the morning my wife and I went for a walk down Herbert's Hole, where we quickly found a pair.

Carried on up towards Hundridge Manor where we flushed a woodcock which flew away at speed from under your feet.

Noticed a few violet helleborine plants with full seed pods, but as most orchids which produce large amounts of dust like seed, the chance of one getting  infected by the correct mycorrhizal fungus on landing and so being able to germinate 'is vanishingly small'.

Thursday and a quick walk along the River Misbourne from Little Missenden to Shardeloes Lake, noticed here the river is flowing well, spotted a mistle thrush at the beginning of the walk and again an hour later on our way back in the same spot looking as if it is guarding his mistletoe berries in the tree tops.
Stewart.




Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

10th November..... Brambling.

Luckily I was late as again is my way, otherwise Stewart would have missed this stunning male Brambling as it made a fleeting visit to his garden feeder.

This being the highlight of our Sunday morning, which saw us checking up on HS2 as they continue ravaging the environment, a nice mature hedgerow has vanished, though the stumps still remain, maybe to regrow in the future... who knows, the massive wood chipper type thing that was photographed parked up at South Heath just after daybreak last week, sits waiting for action.
Moved onto Weston Turville Reservoir, nothing of note here, drove out into Aylesbury Vale, came across this Chinese Water Deer easily recognizable with it's large Teddy Bear like ears.

Don.
Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

6th November..... Pitstone, Stonechats.

My wife and I went to Pitstone Hill and later College Lake on way back home for a quick walk around and a salted caramel magnum. At Pitstone, highlight were 5 stonechats... 2 separate pairs and a single male, seen in their typical pose perching on top of low growing vegetation.

 

Meadow pipits kept rising as we walked past and good numbers of skylarks also doing the same.

Highlight at College Lake, 3 goldeneye that A C Bayliss had found and kindly showed us (and the magnum of course). Stewart.
Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

6th November..... Long-tailed Tit.

Don.

3rd November..... Lapwings.

Along with Stewart we checked the Plover Field at Hyde Heath, where two Stonechats were last week, they had moved on, but 29 Lapwings were out on the cultivated land, along with 3 Sky Larks & Heron.
Moved onto the Misbourne Valley, parking at Bottom House Farm Lane. Here the River Misbourne is a sorry sight, being completely dry, how HS2 can justify using up to 8 million litres of water a day on the Chiltern Tunnel when the river is in this condition is beyond belief, especially when you consider said tunnel is running under & up the river valley. Still the review panel set up to assess to projects merits has now draw it's conclusions & we just await an announcement.
Heading off towards Amersham 3 Buzzards circled on high, a possible Stonechat perched in the distant game cover, along it's edge where it joined the cultivated field 3 Sky Larks chased each other amongst a flock of 17 Meadow Pipits. Massive flock of Wood Pigeons spread over 3 fields at least 600 in number, joined by c40 Starlings with another 80 flying in later. The corner behind the House Hold Waste Site held a good concentration of feeding birds 7 Pied Wagtails, 25 Yellow Hammers, 20 Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, & strangely 4 Blue Tits feeding out in the field.
Don.

31st October..... Stonechats.

Stopped off to check the Plover Field frequented by Golden Plovers at this time of year at Hyde Heath this morning, none present yet, but did find two Stonechats in the set aside area which was created last year. Earlier in the week while estimating for a job in Chesham came across a group of c20 House Sparrows at the Friends Meeting House, largest flock I've seen locally.
Looks as if the protest against the Link Road widening scheme by HS2 has had a successful outcome, as they've apparently come up with a new plan, whereby only one tree is to be felled. After Monday's panic that can only be a good thing, you had to be there to know what I mean.
How long will it be before the White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of White release scheme strays over the county border?? after being seen in Oxfordshire for the last month.
Don.