It’s been a good week with 2 lifers - The Shrike on Sunday & The Godwit today! Great views of both. Added highlights today: juv Turtle Dove, Osprey, Ring-necked Duck, probable scolding Nightingale & the company of @johnpritchard.bsky.social Also the first ever Cetti’s Warber in the garden back home!
It's certainly warm on the St Albans patch but with the hope of a wader or two just around the corner. In the meantime, there's not much that beats enjoying the growing local House Martin flock as they learn to balance and cope with the heat. #hertsbirds
The local House Martin colony at Shafford Farm, St Albans has a record 59 nests this year; up 7 on 2025. Fledging a week or so earlier this time, hopefully plenty of second broods to come.
A few flyovers are usually the sum of the annual patch Hobby records, here in Herts. It was a change to spot one from garden today, perched in an oak - much to the annoyance of the local Swallows! @patchbirding.bsky.social #PWC2026 #hertsbirds
It's been a slow plod nr St Albans but it's 100 up in the #PWC2026 Challenge, with a distant Hobby today. An obliging Little Ringed Plover, a second ever patch Firecrest this week & the only sighting of a #patchgold, formerly common, Collared Dove in April the highlights! @patchbirding.bsky.social
It's been a slow but steady few months on the patch near St Albans. At the weekend, a Wigeon was new for the year. But today, I found a #patchgold Dartford Warbler. Patch tick (29 years!) & Herts rarity. Thanks to @rupertevershed.bsky.social for the warbler pic. #PWC2025 @patchbirding.bsky.social
2+ Spotted Flycatchers on Gorhambury Estate, St Albans. In willows close to the floodwater pool. Patch year tick. #hertsbirds #PWC2025
Join us at 7.30pm, Tues 17 June, St Stephen Parish Centre AL2 3PJ. FREE meeting, all welcome. Guest speaker Dr Julie Battersby will tell us about toads; there'll be updates on the state of the #RiverVer & plenty of time for sewage, planning, nature & more. riverver.co.uk/open-meeting...
A steady fortnight of seasonal migrants plus this Pintail today (a personal patch tick), has brought the patch total to a hundred for the year. Not too shabby for an inland #hertsbirds patch, near St Albans. @bglynn500.bsky.social @patchbirding.bsky.social
Yellow Wagtails aside, times are tough on the patch near St Albans at the moment. Even the Buzzards are turning vegetarian. @patchbirding.bsky.social
This morning's visit to a West Dorset coastal strip revealed it was alive with Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and my first Sedge Warblers & Whitethroats of the year. 3 Wheatears lingering but just two Swallows through. Plus two Shelduck halfway up a hill. @bglynn500.bsky.social @bexbirder.bsky.social
Out with the old and in with the new today, on my @hertsbirds.bsky.social patch near St Albans. A small flock of Golden Plover (patch year tick) and a final Fieldfare were good to see, while Yellow Wagtail (another year tick) was very welcome. @patchbirding.bsky.social @bglynn500.bsky.social
First House Martins back to the local colony near St Albans, Herts today. Four appeared at lunchtime. Just for a moment a local Buzzard made me think I was in Cornwall! @rupertevershed.bsky.social @bglynn500.bsky.social @ukhousemartins.bsky.social @hertsbirds.bsky.social
Off patch and birding in West Dorset. Good to catch up with a variety of residents and new arrivals. 25 Cattle Egret (Abbotsbury) Wheatear, 4 Pintail, 2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Gannet and Cirl Bunting all along the coastal strip. Hat tip @bexbirder.bsky.social
There's a great deal of enjoyment to be had from an annual garden list and today #71 turned up in the shape of two lowly but distant Greylag Geese also #81 on the local patch. Buzzard next door too. @patchbirding.bsky.social @rupertevershed.bsky.social @bglynn500.bsky.social
