Redstarts are passage migrants in Buckinghamshire and not particularly easy to find. However they do turn up at regular locations while on migration and Jennings Farm is such a place.
A bird was found the previous evening by Matt Milne and relocated the following day. I was there with David Bevan and we had good views of two Redstarts, a male and a female. Also present along the same hedgerow was a Wheatear and a Whinchat, also passage migrants in Buckinghamshire.
A brief video clip follows.
These two Black-tailed Godwits were found at Little Marlow GP by a local photographer, Mel Percy. Being the first record of the species in the site in 2023, they attracted a bit of attention.
Lesser Whitethroats are not always easy birds to find at Little Marlow GP although they are seen most years. This one was found by Adam Basset singing in the SE corner of the lake in tall hedgerow of Hawthorn and other trees. It was singing a lot when I arrived on the third day of it's stay. It proved difficult to see but eventually perched on an exposed twig and started singing.
This drake Smew was videoed on 10th Feb 2023. It had been seen most days at Stockers Lake but sometimes it moved elsewhere. I was fortunate to get a close view.
My last sighting in my home county of Buckinghamshire was in 2012 when four flew over my local patch at Little Marlow GP on 11th Feb.
This Great Grey Shrike was found at Stoke Common by Dave Ferguson early afternoon on 4th November 2022. The bird moved around the SW part of the main common eating insects, including one Bee. About ten birders managed to see the bird before dark.
There have been 23 sightings of this species in the county but none of these were at Stoke Common, which is perhaps the most suitable habitat for the species in the county.
Twelve days in Tenerife was very enjoyable but there was little time for birding. I did not take a telescope on this trip so had to reply on my Panasonic Micro 4/3rds camera. Hence the poor quality of some of the photos.
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| Berthlot's Pipit - Two seen in very arid area near Mount Teide. |
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| Great Grey Shrike - Perched on a building close to the Parador near Mount Teide. There was no time to get closer. |
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| Blue Chaffinch - At one of the regular sites for this species. Seen at Las Lajas picnic site on the road to Mount Teide. |
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| Laurel Pigeons - Another endemic tick, this time on the NW coast as Mirador la Grimona. Rather distant and unfortunately no sign of any Bolle's Pigeons. |
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| Spanish Sparrow - Plenty seen around the hotel. A male. |
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| A female Spanish Sparrow. Indistinguishable from House Sparrow (which is not present on Tenerife). |
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African Blue Tit - Poor photos but a life tick for me. Seen in several places during the holiday. |
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| Robin - A rubbish photo. Apparently split from European Robin. |
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| Cory's Shearwater - About 50 seen on a Whale watching trip out of Playa de las Americas. |
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| Cory's Shearwaters feeding behind a fishing boat. |
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| Pilot Whales - Several seen at a regular site between Playa de las Americas and La Gomera where there is a deep trough. A young whale can be seen here. |
After I visited Dorney Common on 30th Sep, a Little Stint was found the following day. It remained until 2nd Oct when I visited the site again. It was on the flooded area in the NE corner of the common.
