Focus on......Bar-tailed Godwit
The sighting of a Bar-tailed Godwit flying around over Stanborough Gravel Pits near St Albans on Sunday 10th March 2024 was quite a surprise. Part of the surprise was in that it was accompanied by several species of wader – Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Redshank but the real surprise was in its early arrival.
Typically, this species appears in Herts in late April with most records falling in either the last week of April or the first week of May. There are just three previous records of March Bar-tailed Godwits in 1990, 2013 and 2018. While most records are from the spring period, Bar-tailed Godwits are also recorded in autumn and indeed have occurred in all months save June.
Since 2000 there have been around 150 sightings of Bar-tailed Godwits in Herts,
Stocker's Lake Heron nest Livestream
Friends of Stocker’s Lake (FoSL) is currently streaming live pictures from an active heron nest at Stocker’s Lake which hosts the largest heronry in Herts. Three eggs were laid in early February and these started to hatch on March 9th. To view the stream and for more information visit www.fosl.org.uk/livestream. There you will also find information on how to access recordings from earlier in the season.
Conference highlights varying fortunes of wildfowl and wetland birds in Herts
The 2024 Hertfordshire Bird Conference drew a capacity audience at Affinity Water’s headquarters in Hatfield on Sat 2nd March 2024.
Go to 2024 Herts Bird Conference for a full write up and links to watch each presentation.
Herts Bird Photo of the Year 2023 - WINNER
Congratulations to Andy Day whose photo of a Chiffchaff amidst spring blossom was voted Herts Bird Photo of the Year 2023 at the Herts Bird Conference on 2 March 2024.
Andy's beautiful capture at King's Meads received the most votes of the ten photos on display at the conference.
View all ten finalists here > 2023 Bird Photo Finalists
Local Patch Breeding Records
The breeding season is upon us and in fact already well under way for some species, and this year we would like to encourage submission of Local Patch breeding records. All breeding records are very
welcome by the Herts Bird Club: breeding is often under recorded, and often more so for common species. For example, The Hertfordshire Bird Report 2022 notes proven breeding of House Sparrows at just 17 sites; Great Spotted Woodpecker at 9; Chaffinch at 4-5 sites; and Jay at none!
Pages
HNHS News
Autumn Conference and 2026 AGM - Saturday 7 November
Members and friends are warmly invited to join us for the 2026 Autumn Meeting and Annual General Meeting on Saturday 7 November at the offices of Affinity Water, Tamblin Way, Hatfield, AL10 9EZ (2-5.30pm).
The featured speakers this year are Martin Ketcher, voluntary warden of the Purwell Nine Springs nature reserve in Hitchin for 46 years and Wendy Morrison, Director of the Chilterns Heritage & Archaeology Partnership. Winners of the annual HNHS awards will be announced.
HNHS Award nominations: 2026
Members are invited to submit nominations for the HNHS 2026 Awards, which will be presented at the Autumn Conference on Saturday 7 November.
Our two annual categories are the Trevor James Award for an outstanding Hertfordshire Naturalist and the 1875 Award for an outstanding contribution to natural history in Hertfordshire. Further information – including information about past winners – can be found on this website, together with a one page nomination form that covers the main criteria.
The Hertfordshire Naturalist 2026 – contributions sought
Stuart Warrington, editor of the Hertfordshire Naturalist, is looking for for contributions to the 2026 edition.
These can be articles or observations or photos about the wildlife, habitats or geology of the county. We are happy to look at a range of content and styles, so please do consider making a contribution to our long-running journal.