Recent Sightings 2022

Please submit your sightings to sightings@mknhs.org.uk.
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MKNHS does not generally check the reliability of a sighting but for particularly rare or uncommon species, we may ask for additional information. We reserve the right to make the final decision on what sightings are posted.

May

15th Ringed Plover: 2 on far spit from the Viaduct Hide. Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
12th Spotted Flycatcher: In willow by back Brook close to ‘marsh warbler bridge’. Lost to view when it flew into cover behind the old stone bridge.  Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
12th Spotted Flycatcher: singing, Great Linford (BuBC)
12th Greenshank: Heard calling, Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
11th Ringed Plover: A single tundrae feeding on the islands in front of the Viaduct Hide, Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
10th Ringed Plover: on island, Stony Stratford NR (BuBC)
10th Swift: 8 over Olney (Julie Lane)
10th Swift and Whitethroat: 4 Swifts flying around nesting site on Cranfield University Campus. On a slow drive in via Newport Pagnell and Moulsoe, good numbers of Whitethroat heard, but still very few Lesser Whitethroats – none on Cranfield campus so far; used to get very good numbers even with much habitat loss. (Alan Nelson/BuBC)
9th Avocet: 1 bird wading in front of Farm Hide; a second swimming alongside a mallard, Viaduct Hide. Both sideswiping the water to feed. Also 2 Oystercatchers, Viaduct Hide. Forest Floodplain NR (Martin Ferns)
8th Early Purple Orchid: 16 in Linford Wood – some going over and difficult to spot (Rchard Gent)
8th Hobby (2): Willen Lake North (Phill Crowe)

Hobby (Photo©Phill Crowe)
8th Wood Sandpiper: on the bund, but elusive. Plus 2 Common Sandpiper, and 2 Cuckoo. LInford Lakes NR (BuBC)
8th Grey Partridge: in sheep pasture near road;  Red-legged nearby at sewage works. Also 2 cuckoo singing from Tyringham and Stoke Goldington directions. Ravenstone  (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
8th Yellow Wagtail (1m/1f): A splendid male around the sewage works, female 3/4 km away at pasture pond across road with Pied Wagtail and Yellowhammers, possibly refleecting current drought. Ravenstone  (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
8th Common Sandpiper (ad): On pontoon, Willen Lake South (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
7th Swift: Min. count 3 over Heelands housing estate, Stanton Wood (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
7th Swift: Min. count 5. Also a few Swallow and House Martin, but hirundine numbers seem very low this year. Willen Lake North. (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
7th Hobby (2 ad): Willen Lake North (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
5th Willow Warbler and Early Purple Orchid: Shenley Wood (Janice Robertson)

Early Purple Orchid (Photo©Janice Robertson)
4th Glow-worm larva: crossing the path at Salcey Forest (Julie Lane)
Glow-worm larva Salcey Forest Julie L 4.05.22 (Video © Julie Lane)
4th Yellow-legged Mining Bee Andrena Flavipes: female, with its bright orange ‘leg-warmers, seen entering nest-hole pile, part-hidden by a leaf. Between Saxon Street (V7) and Booker Avenue in edge of Parkway shrubberies. SP84716 39542. Apparently Andrena flavipes nests are often used by the dark-winged bee-fly Bombylius major to lay its eggs. In the same area, plenty of Bumblebee queens and workers: White-tailed Bombus Lucorum, Buff-tailed Bombus terristris and Red-tailed Bombus Lapidarius. Bradwell Common. (Mike LeRoy)
3rd Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Sandpiper (2), Oystercatcher (2)
2nd Grasshopper Warbler (ad male): Weston Underwood SP858529 (Julie Lane)
2nd Duke of Burgundy, Small Heath, Burnet Companion, Dingy Sipper and Grizzled Skipper: on the wing, Ivinghoe Beacon (Julian Lambley)

Duke of Burgundy (Photo©Julian Lambley)

1st Common Tern (4 ad), Cuckoo (2 ad male calling): Linford Lakes NR (Chris Coppock/ BuBC)
1st Wild Garlic (Ramsons) Allium ursinum: large area (about 20m x 30m) adjacent to the railway about 60m W of the concrete cows, Bancroft (Charles Vaton)

Wild Garlic (Photo © Charles Vaton)
1st Whinchat: Fence/pollarded trees behind the Iron Trunk Hide, Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)

April

30th Common Terns (20), House Martins (30), Gadwall (4), Tufted Duck (19), Cetti’s Warbler (3): Willen Lake North (Alan Nelson/BuBC)
30th Common Terns (2), Common Sandpiper, Swallow (m), House Martin (3): Tongwell (Alan Nelson/BuBC)
30th Cuckoo: calling in Little Linford Wood (Tony Wood)
30th Raven (2 over), Jay (2), Hobby, Barnacle Goose on the bund: Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
30th Cuckoo: male calling from the island, Willen Lake North (Ann Strutton)
29th Swift: high over Newport Pagnell, evening (Alan Nelson/BuBC)
29th Early Purple Orchid (19): Shenley Wood (Richard Gent)
29th Tree Pipit: Flew over. Campbell Park (BuBC)
29th Cuckoo: Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
28th Early Purple Orchid: about 20, in NW corner of Shenley Wood (Jenny Mercer)
Early Purple Orchid (Photo©Jenny Mercer)
28th Cuckoo: heard Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
28th Cuckoo (m): Sherington bridge (BuBC)
27th Grasshopper Warbler: Reeling briefly. Olney (BuBC)
27th Black-winged Stilt: Observed feeding around the lake near Asda where it was initially found by J Baker, briefly chased by a Red Kite and warded off a Coot’s favoured corner, but otherwise happily sticking around. Newton Leys (Harry Appleyard/ BuBC)
27th Black-winged Stilt: Newton Leys (Phill Crowe)

Black-winged Stilt (Photo © Phill Crowe)

27th Ring-necked Parakeet: Flying over heading west. Linford Wood (BuBC)
27th Cuckoo: Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
26th Hobby, Little Ringed Plover: Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
25th House Martin (50+), Cetti’s Warblers (4), Common Tern: Willen Lake North (Alan Nelson/(BuBC)
25th Cuckoo: calling from river, Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
24th Emperor moth, male: clearly attracted to something in my garden this afternoon. I couldn’t see a female, but I suspect she was there somewhere pumping out pheromones. Olney (Julie Lane)
24th Ringed Plover: to the right of Farm Hide (Janice Robertson/BuBC)
23rd Swallow: near Castle Ashby (Julie Lane)
22nd  Cuckoo: Linford Lakes NR (Janice Robertson/BuBC)
22nd Osprey: Hovered briefly over the water a few times before heading off eastbound. Floddplain Forest NR (BuBC)
19th Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris: on edge of a drainage ditch, between Quarry Hall Farm and Lathbury village (Martin Ferns)

Marsh Marigolds (Photo © Martin Ferns)
19th Lesser Whitethroat: Goosey Meadows, Olney (BuBC)
19th Whitethroat (4), House Martin (4), Sedge Warbler (2),  Common Tern (4), Little Ringed Plover (1): Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
18th Pasque flowers: Knocking Hoe (Julie Lane)
18th Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula: among carpets of bluebells. Hoo Wood, E of M1, Gayhurst (Martin Ferns)

Early Purple Orchid (Photo © Martin Ferns)

18th Grasshopper Warbler. My first for this site (2nd for Tattenhoe area) recorded singing loudly from one of the fields at the E end of Tattenhoe Park (Harry Appleyard/BuBC)
18th Lesser Whitethroat: Rattling along footpath. Calverton (BuBC)
17th Whitethroat: Heard. Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
17th Bar-tailed Godwit: winter plumaged adult. Also Common Sandpiper. Passenham Quarry (BuBC)
17th Swallow: lone bird on NW edge of Bury Field, Newport Pagnell (Martin Ferns)
16th Cuckoo: heard in Gayhurst Quarry lakes area, from Lakes Lane, Newport Pagnell (Stuart Kean, reported by Martin Ferns)
15th Stoat: Running along the road towards Clifton Reynes (Julie Lane)
14th-16th: Light Orange Underwing day-flying moth: the sunny weekend encouraged several moths to come down from aspens to the muddy paths in Howe Park Wood (Janice Robertson)
14th Mandarin duck: Male on river Ouzel in Woolstone (Nick King)
14th Curlew: Flying across the river valley in Olney calling as it went (Julie Lane)
14th Goosander plus 11 young: Olney Mill (Julie Lane)
14th Common tern: River Ouse at Olney. It caught a decent sized fish! (Julie Lane)
14th Kestrel (a pair): They have taken up noisy residence in a Barn owl box near river in Olney (Julie Lane)
13th Otter (adult and pup?): Willen South Lake 10.05am (Phillip Burgess and Phill Crowe)
Otter and pup? (Phillip Burgess and Phill Crowe)
13th Yellow Wagtail: The Mill, Olney (BuBC)
12th Greenshank : Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. Flew through calling going NE (BuBC)
12th White stork: seen flying over Bradwell lakes (BuBC)
12th Sedge Warbler: Floodplain forest nature reserve. Heard and seen (BuBC)
12th Bullfinch (a pair): Bancroft garden (Paul Lund)
11th Yellow wagtail: Calvert sailing lake, Calvert (BuBC)
10th Wood anemone: Good quantities seen in trees at Walnut Tree Estate along Groveway and Highgate Over. (Steve Cousins)
10th Mandarin duck (a pair): Caldecotte Lake (Angie Ollis)
Mandarin ducks (Angie Ollis)
10th Wheatear: Ravenstone. In field next to the road (BuBC)
9th Blackcap (2): Summer Leys. At least two singing around the reserve. (There are also meant to be Garganey there but we didn’t see them) (Julie Lane)
9th Brambling: Summer Leys. Stunning male in full breeding plumage (Julie Lane)
8th Marsh Harrier (female): Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. Past over high.(BuBC)
8th Orange tip (male): Bancroft garden (Paul Lund)
8th Water Rail (2): Calvert BBOWT Lake, Calvert. Observed a pair mating at the hide end of the left ‘channel’ (BuBC)
6th Willow Warbler : Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. Seen and heard by the aqueduct steps. Also one heard at Pilch field (BuBC)
3rd Otters (2): River Ouse, Olney. Watched them for about 15mins and then left them in peace (Julie Lane)
2nd Otters (2): Tombs Meadow, Stony Stratford. Feeding on fish by river Ouse (Greg Roach)
Otters (Greg Roach)
2nd Common Crossbill (3) : Rushmere Park. 1 of the 3 was a male, flew low N over the main carpark (John Richardson)
2nd Kittiwake (2): Willen Lake (BuBC)

2nd Brown Hare (5): in three separate fields to the south of Calverton ( Joe Clinch)

2nd Linnet: flock of 50 plus in trees to the south of Calverton (Joe Clinch)

March

30th Mandarin duck (male and female): Caldecotte (Helen Brandes)
28th Blackcap: Kent’s hill park, male Blackcap singing, (Steve Cousins)
25th Water Rail: Walton Lake. Heard in reedbed (BuBC)
25th Pintail (3) : Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (BuBC)
24th Kestrel (a pair): taking up residence in an owl box down by the River Ouse near Olney. Hopefully passers by and the local jackdaws wont put them off. (Julie Lane)
23rd Toads: Coombs Community woodland pond has a large number of mating toads (Julian Lambley)
22nd Little Ringed Plover : Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (BuBC)
21st Caspian Gull : Foxcote Res. (BuBC)
21st Pintail (7): Foxcote Reservoir (BuBC)
21st Sand Martin : Willen Lake North, Willen Lakes. (BuBC)
20th Woodcock : Tattenhoe Park. Briefly seen flying low over scrub and into one of the field margins. The latest winter/spring record of Woodcock from the Tattenhoe area for me. (Harry Appleyard)
20th Avocet (9): Willen Lakes. (BuBC)
19th Otter spraint: fresh otter spraint, and the remains of older ones, on a small grassy hummock on the bank of the Mill Race at Stony Stratford. It smells like fresh grass/flowers and very fresh fish, I’ve heard otter spraint is supposed to smell like jasmine tea which is more-or-less what it’s like. Absolutely packed with fishbones, scales, notably perch scales and pieces of crayfish exoskeleton. (Tim Pearson)
Otter spraint and dissected components (Tim Pearson)
19th Siskin: A large flocks of about 30 birds in the trees just outside my house, Olney. A wonderful twittering noise (Julie Lane)
18th Weasel, mouse and Kestrel: Whilst walking along the banks of the Ouse near Olney I saw a female kestrel swoop down and land, then take off quickly with a mouse (or vole) in its talons followed immediately by a weasel leaping into the air after it shouting in anger. The kestrel had stolen his mouse and he wasn’t happy!! (Julie Lane)
17th Bittern:  Linford Lakes Nature Reserve. Seen from Warbler Hide. In reeds on bund. Please note that a permit is required for access to this site. (Martin Kincaid)
15th Little Owl (a pair): Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (Julian Lambley)
Little Owl (Julian Lambley)
15th Cattle Egret: Linford Lakes – chased in by a gull (Kris Evershed)
Cattle Egret (Kris Evershed)
15th Comma on Daphne  Odora: home garden. Also Brimstone (m &f) (Joe Clinch)
Comma (Joe Clinch)
15th Oystercatcher (6): Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. Very vocal and mobile (Caroline Harris)
14th Comma, Brimstone (3), Greenfinch, Goldfinch (2). Great tit: Lakes Lane, Newport Pagnell
Gayhurst Quarry lakes on the lake nearest the M1: Oystercatcher (2) on the island,  Shoveler (3m). Wigeon, Mallard. c. 20 Tufted Duck on the 1st lake, west of Kickles Lake. A lone Comormant flew over the lakes eastwards. 15 Chaffinch (male and female) feeding on the grass between the lake and the river Ouse, before flying off. (Martin Ferns)
14th Blackcap: singing early morning  at Tongwell (Alan Nelson)
13th Siberian Chiffchaff: Magna Park, Milton Keynes (BuBC)
12th Cattle egret: Linford Lakes being chased in by a gull (Kris Evershed)
11th Woodcock : Accidentally flushed from under hedge along footpath on northern edge of Oak Wood. Flew across meadow into the wood. Rushmere Park. (BuBC)

8th Goosander: pair below Wolverton Weir on River Ouse (Joe Clinch)
8th Whooper Swan: adult with 30 Mute Swans in field SW of Lincoln Lodge, Upper Tove Valley SP781452 (BuBC)
8th Comma: in the garden, my first butterfly of 2022 (Peter Barnes)
7th Brambling (m): on sunflower hearts feeder, home garden, Stony Stratford. A first for me in 41 years  (Joe Clinch)
5th Siskin (2): on my garden feeders, Simpson (Peter Barnes)
5th Curlew: On large island, central area. Called twice. Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)

February

27th Yellowhammer (3m, 3f): with a male chaffinch, on the ground in the farmyard, Mill Farm, Gayhurst (Martin Ferns)
27th Shoveler (6m, 3f), Pochard (2): along with Wigeon,Tufted Ducks, and Mallard in larger numbers, Gayhurst Quarry Lakes (Martin Ferns)
26th Goosander (1m, 2f), Great White Egret: Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. (BuBC)
25th Pintail (pair): Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (BuBC)
24th Little Egret, Kingfisher: by stream of Lodge Lake at H4 Dansteed Way end (Zoe Nolan)
22nd Oyster Catcher (2), Goosander (1m), Shoveler (6m, 2f), Lapwing (1), Reed Bunting: Stony Stratford NR (Joe Clinch)
22nd Lesser Celandine: Wolverton Mill (Joe Clinch)
21st Red Crested Pochard: a stunning bird seen from hide, tight into the island bank (Alan Nelson/BuBC)
17th Black Swan: Lodge Lake (Janet Warren)
15th 2 Caspian Gulls: Newton Leys. 2 roosting on the Balancing Lake, a full adult and a near adult (BuBC)
14th Pintail: Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. On the lake on far side of Viaduct Hide.(BuBC)
13th Black Swan: Lodge Lake (and seen several times since). (Zoe Nolan)
Black Swan (Photo©Zoe Nolan)
10th Fieldfare (80?) and Redwing (20?): in mixed flock with a few starlings: on a field adjacent to the Lapwing reported below, Gayhurst. (Martin Ferns)
10th Lapwing (estimated 400+): on fields then wheeling round in 4 groups when disturbed, between Quarry Hall Farm and Mill Farm, Gayhurst (Martin Ferns
8th Grey Heron (many nesting pairs), Barn Owl in entrance of nest box Linford Lakes NR (Martin Kincaid)
8th Ruddy Shelduck (1); Brambling (1) with large Chaffinch flock. Linford Lakes NR (Martin Kincaid)
8th Bewick Swans: 4 over River Ouzel by the OU, Walton Hall (Steve Cousins)
8th Black Swan: on Caldecotte Lake North, near Chase Avenue (Cheryl Fellows)

Black Swan (Photo: Cheryl Fellows)
7th Otter; and Lesser Celandine coming into flower. Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (Martin Kincaid)
4th Pintail (ad m): Willen Lake North (BuBC)
4th Sparrowhawk (f): perched in a tree in the copse at the bottom of my garden. It flew off  just as I was lining up my camera. Simpson (Peter Barnes)
4th Merlin (f): Flew low over arable field, then perched up in a tree. Upper Tove valley (BuBC)
2nd Corn Bunting (5 ad): In mixed finch/bunting flock at pheasant crop. Seen from public footpath about 15m inside Bucks. Lower Tove Valley SP770467 (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
2nd Snipe (11), Goosander (2m, 2f), Great White Egrets (2), Treecreeper, plus Peregrine  on the usual chimney, and Little Owl in the usual tree: seen on the local RSPB group’s morning walk around Floodplain Forest NR (Peter Barnes)
1st Brimstone butterfly (male): Stantonbury (Kate Wyatt, reported by Sue Hetherington)
1st Brimstone butterfly: Male flying in Campbell Park water gardens (Martin Kincaid)
1st Goosander (pr), Snipe (3), Shoveler (8), Kestrel: Stony Stratford NR (Martin Kincaid)
1st Otter: large male seen from hide. Stony Stratford NR (Carla Boswell, Martin Kincaid)
1st Blackcap: Pair visiting garden feeder, Simpson (Rebecca Hiorns)

January

30th Goosander (1m, 2f), Shoveler (6m, 4f): In the morning sunshine. Stony Stratford NR (Joe Clinch)
30th Grey Wagtail: In horse paddock at the end of Tongwell Lane. (BuBC)
30th Pintail (m): Willen Lake North
28th Pintail: Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
28th Siskin: Beautiful male on my seed feeder. First I have seen in my garden in Olney (Julie Lane)
27th/28th Red Kite: Soaring over Heelands (Marina Grainger)
27th Lapwing (?): Large flock (200+) seen 3 days running, but too distant for certain identification, on ground and in air, circling round. Quarry Hill Farm/Hill Farm, Gayhurst (Martin Ferns)
26th Black-Tailed Godwit: Initially though it was a curlew; getting closer, it was a Blackwit. Standing water,  Newport Pagnell (BuBC)
26th Pintail (m), Common Snipe, Great Egrets (2), Shoveler, Teal and Gadwall: Floodplain Forest NR (Julian Lambley)

Male Pintail seen from Viaduct Hide, FFNR (Photo © Julian Lambley)
24th Bittern: Linford Lakes NR (Andy Harding/BuBC)
23rd Marsh Tit: Seen from Woodland Hide, Linford Lakes NR (Peter Barnes)
23rd Snipe: seen from Otter Hide, Linford Lakes NR (Peter Barnes)
23rd Pintail (m): The first record I’ve had of this species, in Magna Park (BuBC)
22nd Bittern: Linford Lakes NR (BuBC)
22nd Woodcock: Stoke Goldington (BuBC)
21st Jack Snipe (possible): glimpsed briefly in shorelines vegetation at extreme N tip of the island. Also plenty of duck, esp. Teal (Chris Coppock/BuBC)
20th Water Rail, Snipe (6), Goosander (1f), Kingfisher, Little Owl (2, in the same ash tree hollow): Floodplain Forest NR (Joe Clinch, Jenny Mercer)
19th Goosander (3m, 3f), Shoveller (2) on gravel island, east end; Grey Heron in front of hide; Mute swans (2): Stony Stratford NR (Jenny Mercer)
17th Otter: on the banks of the Ouzel where it runs parallel to Caldecotte Lake South. ‘I’ve never seen one before despite being a regular walker around both Willen and Caldecotte lakes’. (Simon James Roberts)
17th Bittern: Showing very well in reeds to right of first owl box, as viewed from Warbler Hide. Took off around 08.25 and flew west. Linford Lakes NR (Martin Kincaid/BuBC)
17th Woodcock: A first for my visits to Salden Wood, briefly seen as it flew up from the woodland floor. Thanks to landowner Bob Simpson for granting me access to/BuBC) the site.  Salden Wood, Newton Longville (Harry Appleyard
16th Lesser Redpoll (3), Goldcrest (5), Goosander (5m,2f), Gadwall (18), Tufted Ducks (20), Pochard (6), Siskin (4): all seen on the MKNHS Sunday morning walk led by Colin Docketty, together with Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Wigeon and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Tongwell Lake (reported by Harry Appleyard). Full report can be found here.

Lesser Redpoll and Goldcrest (Photos©Harry Appleyard)
16th Common Buzzard: Great Linford Manor Park (Rebecca Hiorns)
Video link: Buzzard GLMP 16.01.22 RH
14th Blackcap: on feeder at dusk. Newport Pagnell (BuBC)
14th Pochard (m,f), Goldeneye (2m,1f ): Seen mixing with tufted ducks at south end of south lake, larger numbers of each nearer the pub, and in the middle of the lake. Willen Lake South (Peter Barnes/Martin Ferns)

Male Goldeneye with Tufted Duck (Photo©Peter Barnes)
14th Grey Wagtail (2): along the western edge of Willen Lake North (Peter Barnes/Martin Ferns)
Grey Wagtail (Photo©Peter Barnes)
13th Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming and Green Woodpecker yaffling in mature wooded parkland, Lower Weald Calverton (Joe Clinch)
13th Sweet Violet: in flower (probably a garden variety) under south-facing wall, Lower Weald, Calverton (Joe Clinch)
13th Meadow Pipit: small flock of c.6; also pair of Stonechats; amongst shrub- and tree-planted area immediately west of new Fairfields estate (Joe Clinch)
12th Goosander (7m, 2f): on the Ouse by Olney Mill. Video link below (Julie Lane)
12th Fieldfare (1): at the top of a tree along the Buckingham arm of the canal, Cosgrove (Peter Barnes, Martin Ferns)

Fieldfare (Photo©Peter Barnes)
12th Little Owl (2), Goosander (2m), Shoveler (m), Gadwall (2), Lapwing (53, based on photo count),  Peregrine (on the mast). Floodplain Forest NR (Peter Barnes, Martin Ferns)

Little Owls (Photo©Peter Barnes)
9th Black Redstart (ad male): Seen briefly near the Health Centre, much enjoyed by other birders during the day. Whitehouse, MK (BuBC)
9th Great Northern Diver (1st winter): At one point it took off and completed about 10 laps of the lake, gaining some height and looked like it might go. Maybe just exercising, as it came back down again. The flightviews were simply breathtaking. Caldecotte Lake (BuBC)
9th Cattle Egret: Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
9th Pintail (7m, 3f): Showing well close to open hide. Linford Lakes NR (MArtin Kincaid/BuBC)
8th Redpoll: 2 on the seed feeder in my garden. Olney (Julie Lane)
7th Caspian Gull: 3rd winter bird on lake in front of pavilion. Quite distinctive from the many hundreds of other large gulls present this afternoon. Newton Leys (BuBC)
5th Marsh Harrier: Floodplain Forest NR (BuBC)
5th Goldeneye: NE Corner with Tufted Ducks. Willen Lake South (BuBC)
4th Gulls: around 4pm I was sitting looking out the window and observed skeins and skeins of gulls in the sky, going west to east. This went on for about 30 minutes, at an estimated 100 per min, making a total of c. 3,000 birds. Old Farm Park (Julia Atkins)
4th Goldeneye (m): Drake associating with 20+ Tufted Ducks. Linford Lakes NR (Martin Kincaid/BuBC)
4th Marsh Harrier (f): Over bund, mobbed by carrion crows. Linford Lakes NR (Martin Kincaid/BuBC)
4th Great Northern Diver: catching crayfish, north end of south Caldecotte Lake (BuBC)
3rd Goosander (3m, 2f): Tongwell (Peter Barnes)
3rd Goosander (2m,1f), Little Grebe: Balancing Lakes, Wolverton Mill (Joe Clinch)
2nd Bittern: Reported to Peter Barnes by a reliable observer. Viewed in flight (twice) from the far hide. Linford Lakes NR
2nd Mistle Thrush: Seen on same tree most days feeding on berries. Newport Pagnell (BuBC)
2nd Goosander (pair): Tongwell Lake; plus 4 Song Thrush, singing along Tongwell Lane (BuBC)
1st Gorse and Primrose among 12 native or naturalised flowering plants observed during the Botanical Society of Briatin and Ireland (BSBI) new year plant hunt. Simpson Parish (Rebecca Hiorns)
1st Great Northern Diver: At the far south end of the southern lake, avoiding the rowers. Close to the western bank. Excellent views. Caldecotte Lake (Peter Barnes)
Great Northern Diver (Photo © Peter Barnes)
1st Sparrowhawk (f): on a fence, near Farm Hide; with 100+ Lapwing on the spit opposite the hide, between wheeling in and out again. Floodplain Forest NR (Martin Ferns)