Mid Bucks Wildlife

Thursday, August 9, 2018

8th August..... College Lake, Hobbies.

A good few hours at College Lake this morning and the first thing noticed was the lack Common Terns after a busy and noisy breeding season. Only a few Black Headed Gulls present both adult and juveniles amongst the many Lapwings. Canada Geese everywhere, in and out of the water. On way to central round hide found this male Migrant Hawker, have tried to show the yellow triangle at the base of the abdomen. 11.30 we had great views of 3 Hobbies hunting over the lake for 15 minutes. Too fast for me to photograph but managed a record shot. On our way back as well as Common Blue Damseflies found a Ruddy Darter.

Migrant Hawker Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Migrant Hawker Copyright : Stewart Dennis

Ruddy Darter Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Hobby Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Stewart.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Chesham United

Ahead of the new season kickin' off on Saturday, here's a piece of nostalgia from the BBC archives previewing one of the big days in the club's history https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImHdP-7zJdM

Don.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

HS2.

No expense spared by the Government/HS2 on the environmental habitat works.

Rigs at Little Missenden.

Don.

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Distructive Dog.

The dog has just figured out that I have utilized some of her damaged tennis balls in the construction of the hide, they are at the top under the sheet preventing the spikes from piercing it..... & she's gonna get them back by what ever means.

Don.

Wood Pigeon, again.

This one's doing a spot of sun bathing, after a wash in the pond.
Does it have a glass eye or what?

Don.

That was the Week, that was.

All mundane stuff, life’s like that.

30^th July Sparrow Hawk pursued by Swallows over Eskdale Avenue Chesham, also 2 Swifts, Michalmas Daisies starting to bloom, a full two weeks earlier than last year.

31^st Blackcap “tacking” in the garden, council massacre the Allotment roadside hedge at Ballinger, could have left it ‘til the end of August, as it wasn’t going to put on any more growth, with birds & insects still breeding, it was maybe disastrous for them, have they not seen the government's landmark 25 Year Environment Plan? (that’s how the man from DEFRA described it to me)….. It’s the little things that make a big difference.

August 1^st Blackbirds still gathering food to feed their young, Green Woodpecker “ yaffling,” young Buzzard calling nearby, a pair of our House Martins appear to have a second brood judging by the broken eggshell below the nest.

2^nd looks like another pair of House Martins also have a second brood, 2 Bullfinch, a couple of newly fledged Wrens near the house.

3^rd first fungi of the season sprouting from the base of an Oak stump, band of Blue & Great Tits foraging in the trees.

4^th House Martin chicks softly cheep cheepin’ in their nest, Mistle Thrush over, adult & Juvenile Green Woodpecker feeding on the lawn, Goldcrest has been singing it’s tinkling little song all week, noticeable that the grass is still nice & green in the shade of the trees. Juvenile Tawny Owl calling in the garden at 9-15pm.

Have these people not read www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan

It'll never succeed unless everyone sings from the same hymn sheet.

Don.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

4th August..... Ravens on High.

A hot short walk this afternoon, didn’t see much everything trying to keep out of the sun. Looking up I did see four dots very high ....ravens enjoying the thermals. At home a young bullfinch at the feeders and a young robin about to lose his spots.

Stewart.

2nd August..... Wood Pigeon

I've spent the last two days working at roughly arms length from this Wood Pigeon's nest, only realized it was there on the second day when it shuffled about, repositioning it self on the nest.

Tom.

2nd August..... Marsh Harrier at Shardeloes.

Had one of the best couple of hours at this site this evening 17:15-1915hrs.
As I was reaching the end of the first big field south of the lake I noticed what I thought was a Kite flying away below another Kite. I got the bins on it and could see it was uniformly dark brown and had a square ended tail.. It was clearly a Marsh Harrier, my first at this site. It was fairly low and heading towards the isolated lime trees in the next field but disappeared behind one of them. I expected it to come out the other side but it didn’t and a search of the area for the next hour and a half failed to relocate it.
The other highlight was a Teal in the marshy area with a pale green/blue nasal saddle. Unfortunately I only had bins and no camera so couldn’t make out any details and the bird was pretty elusive so will try again tomorrow.
Also in the marsh 2 Water Rails were calling, while along the south shore of the lake at least 3 Spotted Flycatchers were feeding.
A female Tufted with 3 almost fully grown juvs were on the water along with the Great crested Grebe juvs and a Kingfisher was on one of the islands.

Good birding
Rob.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

2nd August..... Robins & Common Darter.

The garden Robins are conspicuous by their absence at the moment as they skulk away out of view in the bushes, while they go through their annual moult, ready to face the world in their normal bold manner later in the month.

Don.


Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

An obliging male Common Darter spent a few hours today above the pond either found a good feeding perch or maybe waiting for a female to turn up. Time might tell. Also Wood Pigeons coming in close for a drink.

Stewart.