Female SHOVELLER at Box Moor Trust's Pixies Mere Fishery, Bourne End.

GREY WAGTAIL at Valley Green, Woodhall Farm

2 HERRING GULLS around Water Gardens, Town Centre

CHIFFCHAFF in Sainsbury's car park, Apsley

Another photo of Probable SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at Kings Langley

Revisiting the Possible SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF of recent at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery (Kings Langley Lake), I was looking through some of the photos again when I came across one I had overlooked as it was SO bad, but on closer inspection this pic may be the best one to show the bird as it looked in the field & also shows some of the identification features...

Probable SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF

Note the following in the photo:

• Greyer, paler nape than mantle & crown
• Slight green tinge only in flight feathers
• Faint wing-bar - sometimes mentioned in the identification of some 'Sibes'
• Pale grey patch on shoulder
• Buff supercillium (eye-stripe)
• Paleish cheek with darker rear/lower border - can see in this pic that the cheek is infact buff/tan toned
• Very pale (almost white) below
• Gentle buff tone in flanks - this photo is more true to the lighness of the buff colouration than the others
• General greyish-brown colouration with lack of yellow & greens despite yellowish cast to photo

A Google image search quickly brings up birds that seem to match this one. & with the combination of this & the call, which was bang-on for me, I'm now feeling pretty confident of its ID.

Link to the search... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=siberian+chiffchaff&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=SDaYVN6xMMLlUsTagKgL&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=961

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GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 3 POCHARDS (2 Males) & Male GADWALL at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery.

2 LITTLE EGRETS S to roost over Water Gardens, Town Centre, 16.17

Male BULLFINCH, MEADOW PIPIT, KESTREL, RED KITE & BUZZARD at Piccotts End Pools.

REED BUNTING at Great Gaddesden, N of Hemel Garden Centre

5 SNIPE, 15 TEAL, 4 GREY HERONS, GREEN WOODPECKER, a few FIELDFARE, up to 7 RED KITES, 2 BUZZARDS & SPARROWHAWK at Great Gaddesden, N of Hemel Garden Centre.

4 LITTLE EGRETS (Record count here), KINGFISHER, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS & C.15 REDWINGS at Gadespring Cress Beds, Boxmoor / Chaulden.

HERRING GULL, 7 COMMON GULLS & 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS with BLACK-HEADED GULLS at Pennine Way football field.

RING-NECKED PARAKEET around railway near KLAS Kings Langley Fishery.

2 LITTLE EGRETS E into Two Waters / Durrants Hill Fishery from Boxmoor to roost / pre-roost, 14.13

2 LITTLE EGRETS S to roost over Corner Hall, 16.11

2 BUZZARDS flying strongly N over Corner Hall

3 MISTLE THRUSHES, C.25 SKYLARKS arrived & C.30 MALLARDS circled at Great Gaddesden, N of Hemel Garden Centre.

12 SNIPE, C.30 TEAL, 3 LITTLE EGRETS, 4 GREY HERONS, GREY WAGTAIL, C.50 FIELDFARE, LINNET, GREEN WOODPECKER & RED KITE at Great Gaddesden N of Hemel Garden Centre.

FIELDFARE, 4 MEADOW PIPITS, 5 SKYLARKS & 2 RES KITES around horse as dock at w end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

LITTLE EGRET S over Corner Hall to roost, 16.16

Wintering CHIFFCHAFF at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery

Had a quick look for the Possible Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis) & Scandinavian Chiffchaff (abietinus) between Kings Langley Fishing Lake & the Grand Union Canal this morning to see if I could nail the 'Siberian', & get somebetter shots of the 'Scandinavian', because as Samuel Perfect rightly pointed out, the abietinus race has not actually been proven to be present during Winter in the UK despite being likely. I had no luck with either, though I did manage to photograph one of the regular British-type CHIFFCHAFFS (collybita) Wintering there.

This bird appearing more like what I'd expect for a regular Wintering Chiffchaff, note the cheeks are quite dark & close in shade & hue to the crown, & if you squint or look from further back the bird appears to have a dark head. The breast, flanks & belly are closer in shade to the nape & mantle giving the bird a pretty uniform overall appearance. The eye ring is very obvious against the darker face, the legs brownish-black, & the supercillium (eye-stripe) narrow & clearly green-yellow even in dull, grey light conditions. Even the green-yellow streaking in the breast & flanks is obvious in the dull conditions. Compare these features to the birds photographed yesterday & the differences become more apparent, though there is a variation in individual collybitas.

Regular collybita CHIFFCHAFF Wintering at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery

One of the friendly ROBINS at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery

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HEMEL MEGAS: Possible SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF & SCANDINAVIAN CHIFFCHAFF between KLAS Kings Langley Fishery & Canal.

The Possible SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF (tristis) showed itself for a minute or so again this morning, between KLAS Kings Langley Fishery & the Grand Union Canal. I was alerted to it by its single call, a slightly squeaky, slightly down-slurred piping whistle. It spent a few seconds in branches overhanging the lake then flew up into the tops of the trees & bushes on the canal towpath until I could no longer find it. I managed to get a few more record shots, though the bird looks a bit darker in them due to being against a bright reflection in the water. The greyness on the nape is apparent & I noticed it seemed to have a small pale grey patch across its 'shoulder', as well as the supercillium (eye-stripe) looking obviously peachy-buff today. As the bird moves around its tones appear to change, looking brown above & white below one minute, then brown envelope above & milky tea below, then greyish tree bark above & pale peach below, but each time standing out as different to the other CHIFFCHAFFS on site, which there are C.3 of. Of the other Chiffchaffs, there is at least 1 definite 'normal' British-type Wintering CHIFFCHAFF (collybita) looking all dark green-brown, dusky below with dark cheeks & face with a slim yellow-green supercillium. Then there is the bird I got a view of today near to the 'Siberian', which was generally pale, dull greyish green-brown, with a pale throat & face but darker around the belly & under-tail coverts, & obvious but gently-yellowish supercillium. Its call sounded as a regular Chiffchaff, an upslurred quick 'huit' or 'whiip'. It had pretty pale bordered cheeks compared to that of collybita, but the lower eye-ring was more obvious against it than on the 'Siberian'. It's legs were reddish dark-brown rather than the jet black of the 'Siberian' & the bill definitely paler. In fact the general appearance of this bird was not dissimilar to a dull Willow Warbler, & I was surprised that the primary projection looked a bit longer than I was expecting on a Chiffchaff, with the gaps between tips being progressively larger nearer the wing-tip too, rather than even like a regular Chiffchaff. This bird has to be a SCANDINAVIAN CHIFFCHAFF (abietinus).

'Siberian'

Note buff flanks, white belly, light undertail coverts, buff supercillium, greyish nape & pale grey area on 'shoulder'.

2 REED BUNTINGS at the old cress bed stream at Old Fishery Lane, Boxmoor.

1 of 2 REED BUNTINGS at Old Fishery Lane, Boxmoor - this bird is ringed but the ring unreadable.

WREN displaying to another hidden in undergrowth at Fishery Moor, Boxmoor.

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2 EGYPTIAN GEESE NW low over KLAS Kings Langley Fishery, 10.33

Interesting CHIFFCHAFF at KLAS Kings Langley Fishery near Grand Union Canal

From the path between KLAS Kings Langley Fishery & the Grand Union Canal this morning I was alerted by a whistling call that sounded alot like it was some sort of waterfowl, very nearby in the margins of the large lake. It sounded alot like a young juvenile Coot, which would be pretty unusual at this time of year. On searching the edge of the water there was no sign of where the call was coming from but I could clearly hear it so I was baffled, but then right infront of me in the branches overhanging the lake I noticed a CHIFFCHAFF associating with a GOLDCREST & a LONG-TAILED TIT flock, but that call wasn't a regular Chiffchaff! I moved to view it better through the branches & it became aware of me, & with that the call stopped, though it continued to feed close by. It then struck me was how light the bird was, almost white below the belly to the under-tail coverts, whiteish throat, quite pale cheeks & generally washed out aroung its head, more brownish-grey than normal. But then how its flanks & some of its breast looked an obvious warm buff tone, in fact if I were to describe it to the extreme, compared to the bird I had seen here two days ago, which I would describe as 'dark green', this bird looked 'pale orange'! It was hard to judge the finer tones as it kept flitting behind branches & going against sky, then bark, then water, but the greenest part as far as I could see was its flight feathers. It had quite an obvious beigeish supercillium (eye stripe), more obvious above & behind the eye than I'd expect, & it somehow looked longer than a regular Chiffchaff, or at least its head looked longer as it appeared to have a slightly longer bill than normal & a less 'squashed-in' face.

With the general appearance of the bird & the mystery call which seemed to come from it, is it a SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF?

Before it dissapeared with the flock I attemped to grab some record shots to look at later, but it was extremely difficult through the branches & against the changing background. Below are the rubbish pics I did manage but the lightness & colour doesn't show so well in the more detailed shots as they are against the sky, the really really terrible shots on the other hand do atleast give an idea of the tones as they are against a more neutral, less bright background. An interesting detail that they do show is that the cheeks are pretty light for a Chiffchaff with a thin dark border.

Note the buffish supercillium, pale cheeks with thin darker outline, lightness of underneath & throat, greyish back of head.

3+, Probably 4, LITTLE EGRETS dropped into Two Waters / Durrants Hill Fishery to roost / pre-roost, flying in from W, 15.55

NUTHATCH & 2 COAL TITS at Noake Mill Lane, Piccotts End Pools.

RAVEN at Piccotts End Pools

3 BULLFINCHES, REED BUNTING, 2 MEADOW PIPITS, a few FIELDFARE with REDWINGS, CORMORANT, BUZZARD & GREEN WOODPECKER at Piccotts End Pools.

HEMEL MEGA: SHOVELLER at Piccotts End Pools

15+ COMMON SNIPE, 18 TEAL, 2 RAVENS & FIELDFARE N of Hemel Garden Centre, Great Gaddesden.

RAVEN, RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY, 2 RED KITES, & the BUZZARD with drooped wings when soaring, around horse paddock at W end of NETTLEDEN Road.

5 BUZZARDS, 2 RED KITES & KESTREL around horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End.

4 RED KITES low over Corner Hall

LITTLE EGRET E to roost over Gadespring Cress Beds, Chaulden / Boxmoor, 16.03

2+ SISKINS around car park at Gadebridge Park

LITTLE EGRET E to roost over Gadespring Cress Beds, Chaulden / Boxmoor, 16.05

REED BUNTING over horse paddock at W end of Nettleden Road, Water End

LITTLE OWL calling in distance at fields behind Valley Green, Woodhall Farm.

2 LITTLE EGRETS over Corner Hall to roost, 16.19

CHIFFCHAFF (probably Wintering) at River Gade behind Sainsbury's, Apsley.

2 RED KITES over Bulbourne Moor, Boxmoor

Herts Bird Club: Michael Howard saw a Female BRAMBLING in Adeyfield today - First of the Winter.

Michael Howard saw a Female BRAMBLING in Adeyfield today - First of the Winter.

Bramblings aren't seen (or reported) very often in the Hemel area but with the abundance of beech trees, Chaffinches, & garden feeders there are surely more around each Winter than immediately obvious.

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Herts Bird Club: James Collins saw a KINGFISHER at the Water Gardens, Town Centre today.

James Collins saw a KINGFISHER at the Water Gardens, Town Centre today - great to see they have returned to fishing in the town centre for the Winter once again.

HERRING GULL & GREYLAG GOOSE at Water Gardens, Town Centre.

CRIMPED GILL, SILVERLEAF, & ANGEL'S BONNET FUNGI, & TREECREEPERS & GOLDCRESTS, at Westbrook Hay.

http://boxmoornature.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/week-41-frilly-fungus-woodland.html

Odd Buzzard Behaviour

Buzzard soaring in figures-of-8 with wings held drooped down, at Water End.

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