8+ MEADOW PIPITS at Water End

GADWALL at Water End

2 LESSER REDPOLLS at Water End

Juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON circling low at Water End

1st Winter HERRING GULL SW over Nettleden Road, Water End

7 RED KITES in fields & air around Highpark Wood N of Nettleden Road, Water End

CHIFFCHAFF at Piccotts End Pools

2 MEADOW PIPITS at Piccotts End Pools

C40 LINNETS at Piccotts End Pools

MEADOW PIPIT at Piccotts End Pools

2 LITTLE EGRETS at Piccotts End Pools

LITTLE EGRET at Piccotts End Pools

SISKIN at Piccotts End

1st Summer/2nd Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens again

Poss. BLACK KITE at Breakspear Way near old BP offices 15.40!

REDWING over Corner Hall

1st Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens again

1st Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens

PEREGRINE on roost at BT building

NEARBY: GREAT WHITE EGRET at Wilstone Res & Juv GANNET found dead at Startops Res

Both at Tring Reservoirs, a GREAT WHITE EGRET is in the reedbed, viewable from the hide at Wilstone Reservoir, & a Juvenile GANNET was unfortunately found dead on the bank near the steps at Startops End Reservoir this morning.

SISKIN with Goldfinches at Corner Hall Offices

2 GREY WAGTAILS at Water Gardens opp. Premier Inn

New PEREGRINE stuck on KD Tower in June!

I've just noticed a very interesting post on the RSPB Community website. A user called 'Falcon?' photographed a different PEREGRINE to our wintering Female, stuck on a terrace on the KD (Kodak) Tower in June! Apparently it crash landed onto Falcon?'s terrace & took ten minutes to work out it could not fly off through the glass barrier. When it did finally fly off it left behind the prey it had caught, a fledgling Thrush.

PEREGRINE on terrace on KD Tower, Hemel Hempstead.
© 'Falcon?'

PEREGRINE on terrace on KD Tower, Hemel Hempstead.
Lack of 'Pink CX' ring on right leg differentiates this bird from our regular wintering Female,
who's Winter roost is funnily enough just out of shot to the right.
© 'Falcon?'

Great to hear of another PEREGRINE in Hemel, especially in the summer months, & funny how this is so close to the Winter roost of our regular bird, in fact the roost is only just out of shot to the right. With these two PEREGRINES, the semi-regular SAKER HYBRID Type, & a  GYR/SAKER HYBRID Type being seen in the immediate area within the year, PLUS the Male PEREGRINE I saw at Piccotts End Pools last Winter, Hemel Hempstead is becomming a bit of an urban Peregrine hotspot!

The original post on the RSPB Community website can be viewed > HERE <.

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Hemel PEREGRINE returns early to Winter roost

The colour-ringed Female PEREGRINE is already back at her Winter roost on the 'old BT building', near the 'Magic Roundabout'. This will be her 4th Winter at this site & this is the earliest recorded return date for this regular bird.

For directions to view the PEREGRINE at its Winter roost click > HERE <.

Another GREY WAGTAIL at Water Gardens opp. Premier Inn

2 GREY WAGTAILS at Water Gardens near Market Square

GREYLAG GOOSE at Water Gardens again

SISKIN calling at Corner Hall Offices

GREY WAGTAIL at Corner Hall Offices

CHIFFCHAFF calling at Christchurch Rd, Old Town

Juv HERRING GULL flying around Town Centre

SISKIN calling at Corner Hall Offices

GREY WAGTAIL around Corner Hall Offices

GREYLAG GOOSE low N over Corner Hall Offices (heading t'wards Town Centre)

7 CORMORANTS high N over Corner Hall / Boxmoor!

KINGFISHER heard calling nearby from Corner Hall Offices

Poss. TAWNY OWL heard in distance at Corner Hall / Two Waters / Boxmoor from Corner Hall Offices

GREY WAGTAIL at Water Gardens again opp. Premier Inn

GREY WAGTAIL at Corner Hall Offices

GREY WAGTAIL at Water Gardens opp. Premier Inn

Poss. LESSER REDPOLL flew from Pines to house aerial on Christchurch Road, Old Town

1+ SISKIN calling around Pines on Christchurch Road, Old Town

3 GREY WAGTAILS on roof at Bank Court, Town Centre

GREY WAGTAIL flying into Bank Court, Town Centre

GREYLAG GOOSE at Water Gardens again opp. Premier Inn

2 SEROTINE BATS at Piccotts End Pools 7.55pm

NOCTULE BAT v high S over Piccotts End Pools 7.10pm

GREY WAGTAIL at Piccotts End Pools

C33 LINNETS at Gt. Gaddesden behind Hemel Garden Centre

KINGFISHER sat on fence at Water End 'Pintail Pool'

Over 25 LINNETS & C65 GOLDFINCHES at Water End / Nettledon Rd.

2 KINGFISHERS at Piccotts End Pools

2 REED BUNTINGS with 18+ LINNETS at Piccotts End Pools

1+ LITTLE OWL calling at Piccotts End Pools

GREYLAG GOOSE at Water Gardens opp. Market Sq.

Escaped INDIAN RUNNER DUCK (Mallard) on Canal at B&Q, Corner Hall

Been around since about April.

GREY WAGTAIL at Corner Hall opp. Honda garage

NUTHATCH at Gadebridge Park

LITTLE EGRET at Piccots End Pools

LITTLE GREBE at Piccotts End Pools

2 GREY WAGTAILS at Piccotts End Pools

+ 4 PIED WAGTAILS

2 MEADOW PIPITS at Piccotts End Pools

Making an effort & keeping it simple.

With no time for birding for a while I've decided to create some time, even if it means waking up before the the birds do, 3 hours sleep should be plenty!

I've managed to set up a network of emails too that means I can post my sightings straight away to almost everywhere I want to in one email, so now I have no excuse for not writing up my records online.

I'm excited to get back out there...