REDWINGS

Still quite a few REDWINGS about but Fieldfare numbers are much depleted after the snow and ice

KINGFISHERS

A noisy pair of COMMON KINGFISHERS is once again on territory at Chesham Fishing Lakes - both birds showing well today

Deceased BARN OWL

Sadly, I found the remains of one of our few remaining Chess Valley BARN OWLS in Chesham today, the bird presumably having been predated on at roost by a Common Buzzard. That leaves us with just two surviving birds

HAWFINCHES in Little Missenden now number at least 53 - largest single gathering I have ever recorded in Buckinghamshire

Well it is the irruption that just keeps on giving. Here in Buckinghamshire, Hawfinches went out of fashion in the late 1980's and gradually dwindled away to nothing from a very small breeding and wintering population in 1988. Last autumn, unprecedented numbers passed through Ivinghoe Hills Nature Reserve during October & November, my Birdtrack data indicating that I logged over 300 over several weeks. The numbers arriving in the UK at this time being truly staggering, with such an irruption being witnessed elsewhere in Continental Europe too, involving 25,000 birds or more - all down to a Beechmast failure in Eastern Europe.

In December, I was fortunate enough to see up to 40 birds in Hornbeams at Great Hampden, as well as several other smaller groups of wintering birds in Chesham Bois, Chorleywood and Chenies. Anyway, a couple of weeks before Christmas, I followed up a sighting in Little Missenden close to my Shardeloes Lake local patch and was delighted to see that a small number were frequenting the tall trees in an amenity park there and visiting gardens, particularly that of The Manor House. Numbers slowly increased and by the New Year, at least 38 were in the hamlet. I can only assume, as food begins to run out or become scarce, birds are relocating and re-gathering. Anyway, in today's brilliant sunshine and calm conditions, no fewer than 53 birds were present - the highest number I have ever recorded in Buckinghamshire.

The birds are highly mobile and have several favourite feeding areas but today seemed to have the Yew trees at the back of the church in their sights. Anyway, consequently, I couldn't resist photographing them and took well over 500 shots! Here is a selection of my most interesting. One bird has an almost wholly white tail!

Despite Storm Eleanor, HAWFINCHES still showing

Still 28 HAWFINCHES to be seen today keeping to the tree at the back of the churchyard and dropping down into the evergreen trees in the Manor House garden (best viewed from Rayners Lane)

HAWFINCHES galore

2017 saw the largest irruption of Hawfinches into Britain since 1977 following a Beechmast failure in Eastern Europe. As a result, the largest number ever arrived in Buckinghamshire and this winter, an unprecedented arrival has taken place within the Amersham & environs Recording Area. At the moment, no fewer than 46 are wintering in Little Missenden village, just off of the A413. They are best seen as they gather in the tall trees opposite the Red Lion public house, adjacent to the small playground. Otherwise, they commute to gardens, the Manor House, the Churchyard and the tall trees by the 'hidden' lake behind the church

A dozen LITTLE EGRETS wintering

Although historically up to 17 LITTLE EGRET could be found wintering in the Chess Valley, these days the number is down to just a dozen. Two are generally in the Crestyl Cressbed area, another at Frogmore Meadow, another in the vicinity of Latimer Bridge or Church Covert and two closer to Chesham at Bois Mill. This adult is already in breeding attire complete with aigrettes