It was perfect weather for a birding walk, sunny and warm even at 8am. Twelve of us gathered with Andy in the car park. He was excited as he had already seen two Ring-necked Parakeets in the car park, the first he had seen at Linford Lakes. These non-native birds have been spreading out from the London area but are not always welcome as they are noisy and may take over tree holes for nesting that our other birds could use. Unfortunately they had gone by the time we arrived. But we could hear at least one Cuckoo calling, a sound which followed us throughout our walk although it remained in hiding.
The first warblers we heard were loud and flutey Blackcaps, and the more subdued and rushed Garden Warblers. As usual in May the birds remained hidden among the foliage so it was a case of recognising song (or, by some, sneaking a peek at the mobile phone app!). Cetti’s Warbler is another that likes to skulk among the shrubbery or reeds and it has probably the loudest song of all. Reed Warblers have a more repetitive song than similar looking Sedge Warblers and may be more successful here as the reeds are becoming more extensive. Some people were lucky to spot these birds as they flew through the vegetation.
A singing Greenfinch was easier to spot at the top of a bush. And high up in the sky were some Swifts, recently arrived from wintering in Africa. The constructed Sand Martin bank hadn’t yet got any residents but perhaps they may arrive soon.
Arriving at the first hide overlooking the lake, we saw a group of Gadwall ducks. Andy said it was a good sign that they may be breeding here somewhere hidden around the lakes. These are regular winter visitors but stay in small numbers for the summer in the UK. We looked through the telescopes of Andy and Keith and many of us were surprised to see the colourful plumage of what looks like a plain grey duck from a distance.
It was easier to appreciate the striking black and white pattern of two Oystercatchers loafing on the strip of mud called the bund, heard described as a Magpie with a carrot on its head! These are also late colonisers of inland waters, although common the coast, and scarce breeders in this area. It was a new bird for some of us.
Some shared other ways of memorising names of birds. Perhaps Teal with its eye mask could remind you of a pirate and steal and Teal? And the scientific name of the plain grey Garden Warbler is Sylvia borin(g).
Many water birds have minimal nests but a Great Crested Grebe was sitting on a well constructed platform of weeds at the edge of the reedbed. Andy said that if they have got it right the nest should float up or down depending on the water level. He said he thought they were sitting on eggs so hopefully we should eventually see their humbug-striped young. From the second hide we could see another grebe on a nest, only a few feet away from a Coot sitting on its nest, prompting a discussion of reasons for their choice of site.
Another new bird for some was a Common Tern, slimmer than a gull and a graceful flight. There was a Little Egret but none of the Great Egrets that are often found here.
From the Woodland Hide we hoped to see the resident Bank Voles in a pile of logs but weren’t lucky today. Another permit-holder there said he had just seen a Muntjac deer along the track.
On the way back we heard Little Grebe calling in a pool where they may be nesting: a weird trilling type of call.
At the end of an interesting walk we thanked Andy for his help on identification and his informative and amusing stories of when he was leading nature tours abroad. Thanks also to Keith for his first-hand knowledge of the regular bird ringing surveys at the reserve.
Species seen or heard on the walk:
Birds: Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler , Chiffchaff, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Dunnock, Gadwall, Garden Warbler , Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Lapwing, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Red Kite, Reed Warbler, Ring-necked Parakeet (noted by Andy in car park), Robin, Sedge Warbler, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat (at entrance gate), Woodpigeon, Wren. (38 species)
Butterflies: Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Peacock
Invertebrates: Common Blue damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle (female) damselfly, Alder Fly
Andy Harding is the former County Bird Recorder for Buckinghamshire.
Report by Janice Robertson
