DAN FORDER WILDLIFE - Birds & Nature

Thank you, much appreciated 😊

It’s been quiet this wk at Watermead whilst patiently waiting for the first early migrants, but on 01/03 a nice surprise was the BLACK SWAN from Startops Reservoir (about 8 miles away as the swan flies) arriving with 2 Mute Swans…

@bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social
#birdwatching #birds #wildlife #nature

Well these creatures He has created are certainly wondrous to me 🙏

I agree, I just didn’t have enough characters left to say “more unusual birds” or similar 😁

Some good birds started to show up at Watermead Feb end: f SHELDUCK 14/02, f GOLDENEYE 19/02, CATTLE EGRET 20/02, 6 RAVEN 21/02, LAPWING move’nt, FINNISH-ringed BH GULL, reg REDPOLL, SISKIN & PEREGRINE, & long staying m MANDARIN…
@bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social #bucksbirdnews #birds

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL N thru Watermead 2day - only my 3rd here & 1st Ad.
Also RAVEN, 11 SISKIN & 2 TEAL. + CHIFFCHAFF with tad too much yellow in good light to be a Sibe tristis but v.grey & no olive, so assume a Scandi abietinus
@bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social #birding #birdwatching #birds #wildlife

WATER RAIL & GREAT WHITE EGRET at Watermead today.
Also recently…
metal-ringed YELLOW-LEGGED GULL 10/11,
female BLACKCAP 17/11,
WOODCOCK 07/11,
& CETTI’S WARBLER occasionally still.

#bucksbirdnews @chilternsnature.bsky.social #birds #birding #birdwatching #wildlife #nature #winterwatch #winter

Here’s some shots of the SNOW BUNTING at @nationaltrust.org.uk @waddesdonmanor.bsky.social 2day - was lucky with some lovely autumnal sunshine… Great find Marie, & thanks so much Owain for help with access. Entry to the grounds £14, open 10.00 - 17.00
#bucksbirdnews #birds #birding #wildlife #nature

Some bits from day 2 at Falsterbo…

Highlights were f MERLIN catching a Blue Tit & feeding on it in flight as it flew out to sea, 9 ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD, stunning white C.BUZZARD, 2 HEN HARRIER, c25 CRANE, SPOTTED REDSHANK, endless WOODLARKS & close view of TWITE…

#Falsterbo #birding #birds #nature

A few bits from Falsterbo yesterday…

Highlights were 1 ad & 1 juv WHITE-TAILED EAGLES, a few HEN HARRIERS inc. 1+ ad m, c3 ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS inc. 1ad m, f MERLIN, 2 WOOD SANDPIPERS & JACK SNIPE…
#Falsterbo #birding #birds #nature #wildlife @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social

WHOOPER SWAN at Watermead now…

#bucksbirdnews #bucksbirdalert @chilternsnature.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social #birdwatching #birding #birds #nature #wildlife

f/1st yr BLACK REDSTART Maylands Ave Hemel Hempstead nr Tesco Express & Adeyfield Free Church. Briefly on orange platform on these flats…
#hertsbirds @hertsbirds.bsky.social @hnhsoc.bsky.social @hertswildlifetrust.bsky.social #birdwatching #birding #birds #nature #wildlife #urbanbirding #urbannature

It’s ok got my stuff back now David 😊

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3/3 The car is likely a write-off but it was actually the gear in the boot that mattered.
Thanks all, Dan.

2/3 … whereby they lost the police but they happened to take the right route & found the guy ditching it in Morrison’s car park! - they hadn’t even opened the boot to find my stuff so I have all my camera gear back…

1/3 Hi all. My car has been recovered after being used in the theft of the other Alfa in Berryfields, then on another night they arrested the guy in High Wycombe after a high speed chase from the M40…

PLEASE HELP by keeping an eye out, sharing & letting me & the #police know if you see this car…My black #AlfaRomeo #Giulia, reg (if not changed) OE67 DCF, was #stolen from Aylesbury, #Bucks last night - the car I don’t care about but I’d really like back my #birdwatching #optics hidden in the boot.

Lovely shot of one of my favourites 😍

The Juvenile BLACK-NECKED GREBE at Startops Reservoir, Tring just now…

#hertsbirds #birds #birding #birdwatching #nature #wildlife @chilternsnature.bsky.social @hertsbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

HOBBY with prey at Watermead just now…

@firecresttours.bsky.social @chilternsnature.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social #bucksbirdnews #bucksbirdalert #birding #birdwatching #birds #birdsoftwitter #birdsofprey #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

With only 1 prev record (‘24) at Watermead, I watched the same small Oak beside the R.Thame for 1/2hr & was rewarded with a single PURPLE HAIRSTREAK…
+ only the 3rd rec. of BROWN ARGUS here on the bank.

@chilternsnature.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social #butterflies #nature #wildlifephotography

SPOONBILL at Wilstone Reservoir this afternoon - left C.5pm high ENE - worth checking @bbowt.bsky.social College Lake in the morn?

Also 2 BLACK-TAILED GODWITS, double fig LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS, & BARNACLE GOOSE…

@chilternsnature.bsky.social #hertsbirds #birds #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Where have I been bird & wildlife guiding for @FirecrestTours.bsky.social today?

@birdsoftheworld.bsky.social #birds #birdwatching #birding #nature #wildlife #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #photography #tourguide #birdguides #wildlifeholidays #ecotours #Nikon #NikonD500 #NikonPF

A very smart SCARCE CHASER at Weston Turville Reservoir just now…

#dragonflies #nature #wildlifephotography #macrophotography #entomology @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social

Hot weather has brought some interesting day-flying moths to Watermead - a HUMMINGBIRD HAWKMOTH stopped to nectar briefly on Red Valerian at my flat y’day, & on Weds the 1st record of 6-SPOT BURNET MOTH here, unfortunately stuck on the lake & shortly eaten by a Mallard!

@savebutterflies.bsky.social

Aberrant MEADOW BROWN near Chlolesbury today with pale cream hindwings, more striking in flight as upper side appeared normal brown on the forewings & almost white on the hindwings…

@chilternsnature.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social #butterflies #nature #wildlife

3 NORFOLK HAWKERS around the pools along the track to the Octagon Hide at College Lake, Bucks, this afternoon, at times scuffling with this EMPEROR DRAGONFLY…

@chilternsnature.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social #dragonflies #insects #entomology #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography

Few bits from this morn’s survey at Watermead…

CUCKOO calling again,
REED WARBLER singing (scarce here, esp. in June),
Increase in MARBLED WHITES,
BROAD-BODIED CHASER devouring a Hoverfly - great to see side-by-side with BLACK-TAILED SKIMMER.

@upperthames.bsky.social #dragonflies #wildlife #nature

A few nice bits at Watermead this eve:

Best by far - male CUCKOO calling at small lake, 21.10,
PAINTED LADY stopped for a couple of secs for a shot before shooting off,
Pair of BAR-HEADED GEESE,
& lots of NOCTULE BATS hunting…

#bucksbirdalert @upperthames.bsky.social @batconservation.bsky.social

A very beautiful, Beautiful Demoiselle - one of my favourite insects 😍