Ian Bennell saw 46 FIELDFARE heading NW over Bennetts End

Ian Bennell saw 46 FIELDFARE heading NW over his Bennetts End garden at 10.45. Ian Bennell saw 46 FIELDFARE heading NW over Bennetts End

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RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End

6 BUZZARDS, 2 RED KITES, 2 KESTRELS, SPARROWHAWK, & YELLOWHAMMER, around horse paddock at W end of NETTLEDEN Road, Water End.

At least 1 FIELDFARE called when C.40 Thrushes flew over Gadespring Cress Beds, Old Fishery Lane, Chaulden / Boxmoor.

At least 1 FIELDFARE called when C.40 Thrushes flew in 2 groups over Gadespring Cress Beds, Old Fishery Lane, Chaulden / Boxmoor in the fog. Despite the limited visibility it was Probably 40 FIELDFARE judging by their jizz. There appears to be a mass arrival nationally today.

Some REDWINGS & SKYLARKS also went over but could not attain precise numbers in fog.

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LITTLE EGRET S over Corner Hall to roost, 16.58

LITTLE EGRET at the Box Moor Trust's Station Moor, Boxmoor

COMMON GULL at Corner Hall

12 COMMON GULLS & 1st Winter HERRING GULL with BLACK-HEADED GULLS at Grovehill Playing Fields.

GREY PARTRIDGE calling & C.3 YELLOWHAMMERS at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

GREY PARTRIDGE calling & C.3 YELLOWHAMMERS at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

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LITTLE EGRET S over Corner Hall to roost, 16.57

REED BUNTING called once at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

TAWNY OWL calling at Valley Green, Woodhall Farm, very early this morning / last night.

TAWNY OWL calling at Valley Green, Woodhall Farm, very early this morning / last night.

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LITTLE EGRET S over Corner Hall to roost, 16.57

2 COMMON GULLS, HERRING GULL & LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Water Gardens, Town Centre.

MARSH HARRIER at the moors, KINGFISHER at Bulbourne Meadow, & Box Moor Trust BULLFINCHES.

http://boxmoornature.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-40-harrier-in-hemel-migrant-search.html

Ian Bennell saw a LESSER REDPOLL over Bennetts End

Ian Bennell saw a LESSER REDPOLL over his Bennetts End garden

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HEMEL MEGA: Ian Bennell saw an Adult Winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL S over Bennetts End to roost with 7 Black-headed Gulls

Ian Bennell saw an Adult Winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL S over his Bennetts End garden to roost with 7 Black-headed Gulls at 17.20

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COMMON GULL at Corner Hall

LITTLE EGRET going to roost S over Corner Hall, 17.47

PEREGRINE FALCON, 7 RED KITES & BUZZARD N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

PEREGRINE FALCON (probably Female) circling high over, 7 RED KITES (4 on E side, 3 on W side) & BUZZARD N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

Composite record shots of PEREGRINE circling high over Great Gaddesden.

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4 REDWINGS at Great Gaddesden

5 SNIPE, C.20 TEAL & LITTLE EGRET at flood meadow N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

RING-NECKED PARAKEET over S & LITTLE OWL at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

RING-NECKED PARAKEET over S & LITTLE OWL calling over back at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End - the parakeet being a bird I didn't really think possible see at this site!

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HEMEL MEGA: BLACK REDSTART still, & Male STONECHAT, at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

HEMEL MEGA: Female / Juvenile BLACK REDSTART still, & Male STONECHAT, at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End. Below are the best shots I could manage of the Black Redstart, not great but an improvement on Monday's, & a couple of the Stonechat...

BLACK REDSTART at Water End / Nettleden

Herts Bird Club: Phill Luckhurst saw 6 FIELDFARE in a field near the horse paddock at the W end of Nettleden Road this morning.

Phill Luckhurst saw 6 FIELDFARE in a field near the horse paddock at the W end of Nettleden Road this morning.

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KINGFISHER, COMMON SHREW & 2 BANK VOLES at the Box Moor Trust's Gadespring Cress Beds, Chaulden / Boxmoor.

KINGFISHER, COMMON SHREW & 2 BANK VOLES at the Box Moor Trust's Gadespring Cress Beds, Chaulden / Boxmoor (no general public access).

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2 KINGFISHERS at canal E of Old Fishery Lane, Chaulden / Boxmoor

COMMON GULL on field near Galley Hill between Warners End & Gadebridge.

HEMEL MEGA: MARSH HARRIER around Boxmoor still!

I received a message from Mark saying that he had seen a MARSH HARRIER sat on the gas tower frames near London Road, between the Bulbourne meadows & Roughdown Common at Boxmoor until 8.15 at least - so the bird from yesterday roosted here overnight & could stick around for a bit if the strong winds persist so keep an eye out & double check those Buzzards.

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HEMEL MEGA: MARSH HARRIER W through Two Waters / Boxmoor! 15.00

Female type MARSH HARRIER W over Two Waters from Apsley at 13.00, then circling / harrying at the Box Moor Trust's Bulbourne Moor, Boxmoor, before going W out of sight - attracted attention of 2 RED KITES & BUZZARD whilst upsetting BLACK-HEADED GULLS & CARRION CROWS, the latter in hot persuit.

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2+ SWALLOWS at horse at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End

2+ SWALLOWS staying to hunt for a while when passing through at horse at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End - latest birds I've seen locally.

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HEMEL MEGA: BLACK REDSTART AND CORN BUNTING, & 2 (M&F) STONECHATS at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End!

More photos & details to come...

Record shot of BLACK REDSTART at Water End / Nettleden.

2 LITTLE EGRETS going to roost E over Boxmoor Trout Fishery & Blackbirds Moor, C.18.05

Autumn migration at Westbrook Hay & CADDISFLY emergence at Gadespring Cress Beds.

http://boxmoornature.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-39-eyes-on-sky-caddisfly.html

Paul Higgs saw a FIELDFARE briefly at the horse paddock at the W end of Nettleden Road.

Paul Higgs saw a FIELDFARE briefly at the horse paddock at the W end of Nettleden Road - First of the Winter & quite an early bird.

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5 SISKINS around the Box Moor Trust's Gadespring Cressbeds, Old Fishery Lane, Chaulden / Boxmoor.

CHIFFCHAFF singing at Hunters Oak, Woodhall Farm - 3rd one singing in Hemel in last couple of weeks.

Arrival of REDWINGS & SONG THRUSHES

Here is a summary of Winter Thrushes I noted over a couple of hours this morning...


At Piccotts End

C.5 SONG THRUSHES over S


At Great Gaddesden & Water End

C.340 REDWINGS through S
10+ SONG THRUSHES over S & alighting bushes


At Corner Hall

C.30 REDWINGS over S


There were probably many more but this gives an idea of the mass arrival of Redwings & Song Thrushes Nationally.

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Adult COMMON GULL at Two Waters / Corner Hall

C.38 REDWINGS W over Corner Hall / Boxmoor

1st Winter COMMON GULL at canal at B&Q, Boxmoor Wharf, Corner Hall.

RAVEN calling near horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End

29 REDWINGS N over Water End

C.70 REDWINGS S over horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End

Another REDWING over Great Gaddesden

Another C.26 REDWINGS W at Great Gaddesden

C.70 LINNETS at Great Gaddesden

Another 65/66 REDWINGS SW over Great Gaddesden

REDWING SW over Gt. Gaddesden / Water End

MARSH TIT at flood meadow at Water End

7 REDWINGS W over Water End

2 SWALLOWS heading generally NE at Great Gaddesden

Another 25+ REDWINGS S over Great Gaddesden

Another C.60 REDWINGS SW, & 6 SKYLARKS N, over Great Gaddesden.

57 REDWINGS SW over Great Gaddesden

1+ REDWING heard at Valley Green, Woodhall Farm

REDWING over the Box Moor Trust's Dellfield, Westbrook Hay - First of the Winter

First REDWING of the Winter over Dellfield, Westbrook Hay.

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LITTLE EGRET on Station Moor, Boxmoor

2 RAVENS, 3 SNIPE, 14 TEAL, 3+ LITTLE EGRETS, KINGFISHER, GREY WAGTAIL, & 2 BULLFINCHES, at Great Gaddesden.

At Great Gaddesden this morning...

2 RAVENS over woods to the NW
3 SNIPE & 14 TEAL on the flood meadow N of Hemel Garden Centre
3+ LITTLE EGRETS, KINGFISHER & GREY WAGTAIL
2 BULLFINCHES - 1 in hedge at flood meadow N, & 1 Female in hedge at flood meadow S, of Hemel Garden Centre.
Still plenty of MEADOW PIPITS about, & the odd SKYLARK.
2 RED KITES, BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK & KESTREL.

One of at least 3 LITTLE EGRETS at Great Gaddesden.

Young SPARROWHAWK hunting perch to perch in the rain, at Great Gaddesden.

The JUNIPER at Roughdown Common...

http://boxmoornature.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-38-juniper-hint-of-hogwarts-in.html

Herts Bird Club: 2 WHINCHATS at Water End

Peter D. White reported 2 WHINCHATS at Water End today.

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4 BUZZARDS together over Piccotts End village

2 RAVENS S over Great Gaddesden

2 RAVENS 'cronking' whilst heading S over Great Gaddesden.

Record shot of 1 of 2 RAVENS at Great Gaddesden

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MARSH TIT in trees at flood meadow behind Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

MARSH TIT in trees at flood meadow behind Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

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C.9 SNIPE, 6 TEAL, 2 LITTLE EGRETS, 2 BULLFINCHES, 3 BUZZARDS & RED KITE around flood meadow N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

CHAFFINCH numbers increasing as more arrive & feed up in flocks ready for Winter...

Male CHAFFINCH with muddy bill from feeding in ploughed field, in a Hawthorne at Great Gaddesden.

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5 HOUSE MARTINS at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

5 late HOUSE MARTINS feeding for a while before moving on SWish, at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

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2 BROWN HARES at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

2 BROWN HARES at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End - the usual adult lying around in the horse paddock, & a youngster (Leveret) lying low trying not to be seen in the ploughed field across the road.

BROWN HARE Leveret (youngster in its first year) lying low to avoid being seen, at Nettleden Road, Water End.

Close up of BROWN HARE Leveret (youngster in its first year) lying low to avoid being seen, at Nettleden Road, Water End.

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PIED WAGTAIL feeding around horses...

PIED WAGTAIL at horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

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Herts Bird Club: BARN OWL at Buncefield / Leverstock Green

G. Hinton reported a BARN OWL at M1 Junction 8, Buncefield / Leverstock Green at 04.14 this morning - the same area that I saw one on the 7th of July at 01.10.

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The STONECHAT at Westbrook Hay, plus COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLIES & another new KINGFISHER in the Bulbourne valley...

http://boxmoornature.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-37-migrant-stonechat-sibling-king.html

12+ COMMON SNIPE, 4 LITTLE EGRETS, 2 REED BUNTINGS & GREY WAGTAIL at flood meadow N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

12+ COMMON SNIPE, 4 LITTLE EGRETS (one colour-ringed Orange top/left leg, Yellow top/right leg - not possible to read rings at 350m range & low light), 2 REED BUNTINGS & GREY WAGTAIL at flood meadow N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

GREY WAGTAIL wagging its tail, at Great Gaddesden