WATER RAIL & GREAT WHITE EGRET at Watermead today… Also, some other good birds of recent in addition to returning winter ducks: a metal-ringed YELLOW-LEGGED GULL on 10/11, a female BLACKCAP on 17/11, WOODCOCK on 07/11, & a CETTI’S WARBLER still occasionally showing or calling.

WHOOPER SWAN at Watermead now… #bucksbirdnews @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksbirdalert

Female/1st year BLACK REDSTART, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead near Tesco Express & Adeyfield Free Church. Seen briefly on orange platform lower left on this block of flats… #hertsbirds @Hertsbirds #birdwatching #birding #birds #nature #wildlife #urbanbirding #urbannature

RT @DanFWildlife: HOBBY with prey at Watermead just now… @CHILTERNSNATURE #birding #birdwatching #birds #birdsoftwitter #birdsofprey #natu…

After being away for some while I spend this lunch time looking for Purple Hairstreak at Watermead - with only the single previous record being last year I watched the same small Oak beside the River Thame for half an hour, & I was rewarded with a single PURPLE HAIRSTREAK that,

Hot weather has brought some interesting day-flying moths to Watermead - a HUMMINGBIRD HAWKMOTH stopped to nectar briefly on Red Valerian at my flat y’day, & on Weds the 1st record of 6-SPOT BURNET MOTH here, unfortunately stuck on the lake & shortly eaten by a Mallard! #moths

Few bits from this morn’s survey at Watermead… CUCKOO calling again, REED WARBLER singing (scarce here, esp. in June), Increase in MARBLED WHITES, BROAD-BODIED CHASER devouring Hoverfly - great to see side-by-side with BLACK-TAILED SKIMMER #birds #dragonflies #wildlife #nature

A few nice bits at Watermead this eve: Best by far - male CUCKOO calling at the small lake, 21.10, PAINTED LADY that stopped for a couple of secs for a shot before shooting off, Pair of BAR-HEADED GEESE, & lots of NOCTULE BATS hunting… #bucksbirdnews #birds #nature #wildlife

After finding 11(!) COMMON SANDPIPERS roosting at Watermead y’day (on bank in someone’s garden!)(5 night before), 2 still about this morn. +GARDEN WARBLER, LESSER W.THROAT, 4 W.THROAT, REED & 4 SEDGE WARBLERS all singing, ++ 1st HAIRY DRAGONFLY of the year. #dragonflies #nature

A new species for Watermead - 3 WHIMBREL low over east just now… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

MARSH HARRIER high over Watermead this afternoon… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

Another OSPREY north through Watermead just now - seemingly following the same route vaguely along the River Thame… Also an OYSTERCATCHER arrived as I write this, landing on the bank just beside me! #bucksbirdnews #birdwatching #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT briefly at Watermead - thought I may have heard littoralis call on the breeze, then caught it fly across the lake & head off north so only managed this poor shot once confirmed… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

OSPREY north through Watermead just now… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

Whilst taking a stroll near my in-laws in Southall I heard the call of a Med Gull, so I jogged over to the fishing pools at Northolt Hills/Northala Fields to find this stunning Adult Summer MEDITERRANEAN GULL briefly taking a dip, just long enough for a phone pic… #londonbirds

An OTTER collecting den material along the River Thame at Watermead at the moment whilst a WATER RAIL is calling nearby… #mammals #otter #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @RiverThameCT @BucksMammals

Male SHELDUCK low over Watermead just now. May have gone down on the River Thame flood just west of Watermead… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

New species for Watermead - a juvenile MERLIN just rocketed through, along the River Thame, over the large lake then slalomed between the rooftops! Looking very out of place in the urban environment… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

The 6 RUSSIAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE have returned to the Greylag flock at Watermead, though now very hard to view - blood drawn just to confirm their presence & get a record shot! #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert

Male MANDARIN flew into Watermead not long ago- although plenty not far away near Wendover only 1 every 2 years of so here. The male GOOSANDER is more active today, constantly hunting… #bucksbirdnews #birding #nature #wildlife @CHILTERNSNATURE @bucksalert