February 2010 summary

This report on birds seen in Hertfordshire during February 2010 is produced using records sent in to the website and to the BTO Birdtrack recording scheme. I have also looked at the Yahoo Hertsbirding group so that any interesting sightings reported there are not excluded even though they may not yet have been reported in a more formal way. Clearly additional records will arrive in due course so the summary is not a completely comprehensive view of February 2010. All of these records need to be considered as provisional particularly in the case of species for which a full description is required.

February was a cold month resulting in this winter the coldest in England and Wales since 1978/79 (more information is available here). The mean temperature for the month was 2.9C which is 0.8C below the 30 year Rothamsted average. It was also wetter than average, unusually this was only true for East Anglia, SE England and some other coastal areas as rainfall in England and Wales was generally below average.

All of the Bittern records came from Amwell NR with two birds seen on several days. Little Egrets were widespread with the watercress beds at Whitwell particularly favoured with seven birds there on the 12th, 13th, 16th and 20th. White-fronted Geese are regular but scarce visitors so the three birds seen at Wilstone Reservoir on the 11th and the 12th helped to maintain this status. A Brent Goose was also seen at Wilstone Reservoir late on the 7th and must have moved on quickly as it was not reported from there on the 8th. Egyptian Goose and Shelduck were seen from a variety of locations with six Shelducks at Rye Meads on the 11th.

 

There were a few records of Mandarins with 23 at Aldenham Reservoir on the 19th. Red-crested Pochards were seen regularly in the Rickmansworth area with 17 at Bury Lake on the 20th. Goldeneyes were around is good numbers at Stockers Lake with 26 there on the 24th. Apart from a single Smew at Wilstone Reservoir on the 12th all records of the species came from Stocker’s Lake or Amwell with six at Amwell on the 17th. Goosanders were also around in small numbers with the exception of 23 present at Turnford Lakes, Cheshunt on the 23rd. 

 

There were numerous Red Kite sightings with Lilley particularly favoured again with nine there on the 19th. A Hen Harrier was seen at Lilley Bottom on the 27th and a male Merlin was seen at Sandon on the 3rd perched for around 30 minutes on a grain silo. A female Peregrine Falcon was seen roosting on the old BT building in Hemel Hempstead on four separate days.

 

Grey Partridge are not often seen in reasonable numbers so a covey of 20 at Temple End near Hitchin was a welcome sight.  Water Rails were widely seen with five recorded at Stocker’s Lake on the 15th. Single Oystercatchers were seen at Amwell on the 20th, Stocker’s Lake on the 26th and Tyttenhanger on the 27th. The long standing Golden Plover flock near Redbournbury was still in excess of 600 birds on the 24th. Jack Snipe were mainly seen at East Hyde where up to five birds were showing well on many days providing an excellent opportunity to see this rather secretive species well. There were a small number of Woodcock records with four in the North Mymms Park area on the 13th, a single Redshank was at Kings Mead from the 2nd to the 11th.

 

Mediterranean Gulls were seen at Wilstone Reservoir on four different days and also at Amwell on the 13th; a Yellow-legged Gull was also seen there on the 21st. 

 

Ring-necked Parakeets continued to be seen in the Watford area without any large flocks being seen. Barn Owls were seen at eight different locations around the county.

 

Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were found at three separate sites and although Waxwings have been in short supply this winter one managed to find its way to the Leavesden area of North Watford. Apart from a single bird at East Hyde on the 28th all Stonechats were seen at Kings Mead on a variety of dates.

 

Cetti’s Warblers were found at their usual locations of Amwell NR and Tring Reservoirs with three at the former site on the 21st, one was also found at HMWT Tewinbury Reserve on the 7th. There were a substantial number of Blackcap records but only three Chiffchaff records, possibly the cold weather may have had an impact on this species. There were quite a lot of Firecrest records form Pryor’s Wood, Stevenage and from East Hyde, this bird so far has only been seen on the Bedfordshire side of the county boundary to my knowledge.

 

Single Ravens were seen at Whitwell, Tring, Hexton, Kimpton and Redbourn and Tree Sparrows continued to be seen regularly at the usual sites in the London Colney area. Bramblings were around in small numbers with at least 10 in a mixed flock with Chaffinches on the 11th. Siskins were seen in good numbers from a wide variety of sites during the month with  at least 150 present at Stockers Lake on the 7th with a flock of 150 Linnets at Sandridge on the 19th.. The small flock of Lesser Redpolls in the Garson area numbered 13 on the 7th. Crossbills were seen at Broxbourne Woods, Brocket Park and North Mymms Park with eight in the Cowheath Wood part of Broxbourne Woods on the 1st. It was very pleasing to learn that up to three Hawfinches were seen on a number of days at Danemead Wood as records of this species are now rare in the county. There were 83 Corn Buntings in the roost at Marsworth reservoir on the 20th.

 

To see most of the records I have used to compile this monthly summary please click on this link. I have excluded a number of records from this list at the request of the observers and also a considerable number of records of common species to reduce the size of the document.