Dutch Black-headed Gull

 The colour ringed Black-headed Gull below was first ringed (as White EA4F) in May 2014 at Griend in Holland. It was then seen at Little Marlow GP in the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 winter before returned to Terschelling in Holland in April 2018 presumably to breed.  It then returned to Little Marlow GP in the winter of 2018/2019 and was also seen once on the nearby Jubilee River.  Then is was seen again at Little Marlow in the 2019/2010 winter before returning to Griend in Holland, where it was hatched, in June 2020.  Here it was caught and a new ring fitted (White EK8X) as the old ring was in poor condition.  The photos below were taken at Little Marlow in November 2020 although the firts character "E" does rather look like an "I".  See the map below.

Black-headed Gull White "EK4X"

The movements of this individual.

Calvert Bittern

 With the second Covid lockdown due to start the following day, I decided to travel a bit outside of my local area to try and see a Bittern in my home county before lockdown prevents it.  So I made the one hour drive to the Calvert BBOWT Reserve in NW Buckinghamshire and arrived about 9am.

It was a beautiful sunny, but very cold, morning and I quietly took up residence in the hide.  I was pleased that no-one else was present given social distancing issues!  

Calvert BBOWT Lake - As viewed from the hide. 
Click on the image to get a larger view of this panoramic photo.

There were Little Grebes feeding in the gaps between the reeds. Cetti's Warblers could be heard in song and I even manged to see one for a change!  Great Crested Grebes, Coots and a selection of Ducks, Geese and Gulls were present on the water but nothing of note.

Then at 10:15 a Bittern appeared in the right hand channel and swam/walked to the reed bed on the centre-right.  The light was against me so most of my photos were silhouette shots.  I quickly made a few changes to the settings in the camera but by then the Bittern was almost in the reeds.  I stayed another couple of hours or so but did not see it again.

Water Rail - After hearing it squealing, it decided to cross to a different reedbed. 

I was just about to leave the hide when Dick Seekins turned up.  We were suitably social distanced, so I stayed for a while.  I hadn't seen Dick for a some time so it was good to catch up with his recent birding exploits.  Dick stayed for a while after I had left but the Bittern apparently did not show, so I guess I was quite lucky to get my fairly brief view of the bird.

Dorney Lake walk

 I decided to take a walk along the causeway at Dorney Lake during a period of strong SW winds.  I was hoping for a wind blown vagrant but not really expecting too much!  What I wasn't expecting was this Wheatear which is one of the latest dates for the species in the county.  At first it was associating with three Stonechats but later on it's own.

Wheatear - A very late date for this species in the county.  A digiscoped image.

Wheatear - Taken 90 mins later when walking back. 
Taken with a handheld Panasonic micro4/3 camera.

Wheatear - A lucky shot!

This Pipit was hiding in the grass for a time.  

When it moved into the open it was clearly a Meadow Pipit

Roe Deer - There were nine present in total.