BLACK-HEADED GULL with broken wing still opposite Pictons Solicitors at Water Gardens

GREY WAGTAIL singing at Water Gardens, Town Centre

RED KITE over Town Centre

2 RED KITES playing in air together over Two Waters

Single BLACK-HEADED GULL with broken wing stood on grass at Water Gardens last night, opp. Pictons Solicitors - still there this morning.

Flock of SISKINS quietly singing whilst feeding on Alders opposite Dominos Pizza, Town Centre

TAWNY OWL calling near Queensway & Nickey Line

LITTLE EGRET S over Corner Hall 15.35

2 RED KITES circling together around Corner Hall, Two Waters, Apsley, Boxmoor

RED KITE over Boxmoor

FIELDFARE at river outside TK Maxx, Town Centre

Female PEREGRINE leaving Winter roost on BT building & heading S at 14.45, Town Centre

10 FIELDFARES low S over Corner Hall offices

C.45 FIELDFARES S over Boxmoor & 2 feeding near Station Road bridge

COMMON GULL at Boxmoor

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER at Boxmoor

2 CORMORANTS flying round Boxmoor & more FIELDFARES over S

RED KITE over Hemel Cricket Club

2 STOCK DOVES at Boxmoor

10 FIELDFARES SE over Boxmoor

3 CORMORANTS W over & 1 on canal at Boxmoor

11 FIELDFARES S over Boxmoor

RED KITE over Roughdown Common

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Corner Hall offices - first for some time.

SISKIN singing quietly (subsong?) in Alders at college near Old Town

Female PEREGRINE at Winter roost on BT building, Town Centre

2nd Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens

LITTLE EGRET S over Water Gardens, Town Centre

REED BUNTING at Great Gaddesden

KINGFISHER, & MEADOW PIPIT in river, at Water End near Red Lion

C.35 TEAL, C.10 SNIPE, C.20 LAPWINGS, C.15 MEADOW PIPITS & GREY WAGTAIL at Great Gaddesden

5 TEAL (3 Drakes) at Water End flood meadows

WATER RAIL calling at Water End on river S of 'S-bend' bridge

LITTLE EGRET & LAPWING at Water End flood meadows

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER & BUZZARD at Gadebridge Park

WATER RAIL squealing at Water End S of 'S-bend' bridge - 2nd time heard calling there today.

REDWINGS at Gadebridge Park

REED BUNTING, YELLOWHAMMER, 5+ MEADOW PIPITS & 2 SNIPE at Water End

MEADOW PIPIT in river at very busy Gadebridge (Winter Olympics) Park

RED KITE low over Highfield shops

5 FIELDFARES S over Town Centre

2 FIELDFARES S over Corner Hall

2nd Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens

3+ REDWINGS at Water Gardens, Town Centre

2 CARRION CROWS at Peregrine roost, one eating leftovers whilst the other is on lookout, Town Centre

SISKIN at Boxmoor

2 STOCK DOVES at Hemel Cricket Club, Boxmoor

5 FIELDFARES feeding on ground at Boxmoor opposite Russell Place

GREY WAGTAIL at Boxmoor

Female PEREGRINE at Winter roost on BT building, Town Centre

BUZZARD N over Boxmoor / Town Centre

LITTLE EGRET on stream near canal at Chaulden

31 FIELDFARES SE over Marlowes, Town Centre

KINGFISHER & LITTLE EGRET at Boxmoor opposite gas tower frames

Fairly tame MISTLE THRUSH at Water Gardens near Moor End Car Park

2nd Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens

Usual GREY WAGTAIL at Water Gardens opposite Premier Inn

Female PEREGRINE at Winter roost on BT building, Town Centre

2 SONG THRUSHES singing near canal at Two Waters

1 Drake POCHARD & 5+ TUFTED DUCKS at Kings Langley Fishery

RED KITE over Belswains Lane, Bennetts End

2 COMMON GULLS at Corner Hall

2nd Winter HERRING GULL over Town Centre

2+ COMMON GULLS over Town Centre

Female PEREGRINE at Winter roost on BT building, Town Centre

COMMON GULL at Corner Hall offices

2nd Winter HERRING GULL at Water Gardens

MISTLE THRUSH singing at Water Gardens

GREYLAG GOOSE back at Water Gardens

MISTLE THRUSH singing near Jet garage, Queensway

TAWNY OWL calling around Queensway & Nickey Line

HEMEL MEGA: MERLIN at Piccotts End Pools!

At about 14.50, stood on the footpath at Piccotts End Pools trying to pick out anything interesting from the grey scene before me, I was alerted by the rather desperate calls of a GREY WAGTAIL. I needed Grey Wag for my Hemel Year List so I scanned across the pools to try & find the bird. As I scanned the horizon left to right, looking for the Wagtail in the air, I noticed a fast moving bird enter my field of view from my left, which in that instant appeared to be a Thrush, in fact I expected it to be a Fieldfare. At this moment small birds that I hadn't noticed were scattering everywhere, alarm calling, & as the bird snapped into HD in my binoculars I instantly realised this 'Thrush' was infact a MERLIN!

It was flying very fast & straight along the hedgerow heading S downstream, over the far edge of the pools. It flew with almost constant, very quick, 'hurried-looking' wing-beats the whole time, & only very short glides, quite unlike the Male Sparrowhawk's more controlled wing beats & long glides. It appeared incredibly small for a raptor, very much larger-Thrush-sized, looking more compact overall in comparison to a Male Kestrel, appearing more stocky-bodied (more like a mini-Peregrine in build but more 'sharp-edged'), less long-tailed & less long-winged, in fact the wings looked very triangular, appearing to almost stick straight out from the body with next-to no wrist, almost like a Starling or Skylark! Unfortunately the poor light meant that colour-wise it just appeared overall grey/brown & a bit paler below but judging by the very small size & compact shape of the bird it had to be a Male.

It carried on S at about hedge-top height, then lower as it flew over the rough grass of the sheep field to the S, up over the Three Valleys Water water treatment site, then out of view. It was heading straight for the rough fields to the S which has potential be a decent hunting area for a Merlin, but on searching I had no more luck. The sighting was in all only about 10 seconds, but they were 10 brilliant seconds & a fantastic addition to my local list.

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13 COMMON GULLS S over Piccotts End Pools

8 STOCK DOVES at Piccotts End Pools

2 LITTLE EGRETS & 1 SISKIN at Piccotts End Pools

C.40 COMMON GULLS heading S towards Gadebridge Park with many circling over flood

C.7 COMMON GULLS on flood at Gadebridge Park

Unusually bold JAY down to a few Metres on Queensway opposite Jet garage

2 HERRING GULLS around Highfield shops

2+ SISKINS at Corner Hall

10 MAGPIES on rooftop at Queensway

Female PEREGRINE at Winter roost on BT building, Town Centre

C.13 GOLDEN PLOVERS high W over Roughdown Common / Boxmoor