Herts Bird Club – making the most of local birdwatching
Great Spotted Wodpecker in a Frogmore garden on 26 January 2012, photo by Steve Shand.
Photographers: Help the Society this winter by taking pictures which could be used for Christmas cards next year. Sale of cards helps to raise funds and keep costs down for members. If you have any suitable shots, please send them by email to . Pictures for the website should still go to For more pictures of birds seen in Hertfordshire, click here.
Welcome to the Herts Bird Club website. We promote the study and recording of birds in Hertfordshire and encourage a wider interest in natural history including the conservation of wildlife habitats.
Herts Bird Club/BTO conference Saturday 24 March at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden - make a note of the date, details will follow.
Photographs - a few more photographs have been added to the gallery section on the 28 January.
Hertfordshire Bird Report 2009 is now published - copies were posted to all HNHS and Herts Bird Club members on 14 November. Want to buy a copy? details here
Diary of events – field trips, walks, meetings – details here.
Hertfordshire Breeding Bird Atlas – see all the latest results on the Hertfordshire Bird Atlas webpage.
Monthly summary – The October and November 2011 summary is now available as a news item.
Take a look at the Atlas website, to see all the results Field work for the winter season will start in November - watch this space for news.
Bird Records
Please send us your Herts bird sightings through the records submission page. The latest sightings of interest will be listed automatically on the right hand side of this page, once they have been checked by a moderator. After a few days records transfer to the sightings archive. The Herts Gazeteer lists site names and grid references for bird recording.
Taken a good photograph?
Please send us your Herts bird photos for display in our Photo Gallery, Please email them to Alan Gardiner at with a note of where and when they were taken. A selection will be added to the gallery. We may also use some on this page and to illustrate our annual Herts Bird Report.
See the news pages for the latest happenings in the county and stories behind the bird sightings. If you have a news story, let Alan Gardiner know by email
Yahoo Herts Birding group: keep up to date with the latest news from the group at Hertsbirding.
See the publications pages for the latest information on The Hertfordshire Bird Report and all the books published by HNHS and how to buy copies. Most HNHS books now for sale at half price or less.
The success of the site depends on you, the users, entering your records and sending in interesting information, not only sightings which can be entered online but also reports on trips and additional site guides. We also welcome feedback on what you would like to see on the site, email .
The Herts Bird Club is part of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society and our websites are integrated. We hope this will encourage those of you who have not investigated other aspects of wildlife in Hertfordshire to have a look around the HNHS website, discover what is available.
Long staying Snow Bunting at Startop's End reservoir on 23 January 2012, photo by Alan Reynolds. A pair of Wigeon at King's Meads on the 22 January 2012, photo by Simon Knott. Cormorant at the Aquadrome, Rickmansworth on the 17 January 2012, photo by Simone Vadera. Lesser Redpoll in a Hertford garden on 17 January 2012, photo by Simon Knott. Water Rail at Croxley Common Moor on 15 January 2012, photo by Chris Sharp. Peregine at Hilfield Park reservoir on 15 January 2012, photo by Tony Blake. Buzzard at Tyttenhanger on 13 January 2012, photo by Steve Shand Smew on the Willows Farm lake at Tyttenhanger on 11 January 2012, photo by Simon West. Lesser Redpoll and Siskin on the feeders at the Watercress wildlife association LNR St. Albans on 11 January 2012, photo by Lucy Flower. The long staying Snow Bunting at Startop's End reservoir on 7 January 2012, photo by Ian Howarth. Great Grey Shrike at Norton Green on 4 January 2012, photo by Mike Ilett. Goosander at Stocker's Lake on 31 December 2011, photograph by Paul Frost. Great Grey Shrike at Therfield on 31 December 2011, photograph by Robert Chapman. Water Pipit at Wilstone reservoir on 29 December 2011, photograph by Chris Holtby. This Great Norther Diver is 100m outside Herts at Nazeing GP, photograph by Alan Reynolds on 24 December 2011. The species turns up infrequently in the county. For more photographs of Hertfordshire birds, visit the galleries page.
Latest sightings
Interesting recent records submitted through the website are listed here,
older records are in the sightings archive.
28TH JAN: Colney Heath, 3 Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake)
Panshanger (Welwyn Garden City), Red Kite (Lee Fitz)
Rye Meads nr Hoddesdon, 5 Shelduck (Jane Free)
Sopwell nr St Albans, 2 Little Egret, 100m S of mill (Alan Gardiner)
Stanstead Abbotts, 4 Redwing (Jane Free)
Tyttenhanger Farm (Tyttenhanger area), 2 Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Little Egret (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Shelduck (Steve Blake)
Watford, 15 Lesser Redpoll, on garden feeder (B Norcott)
27TH JAN: Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Little Egret (Jane Free)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Goldeneye (Jane Free)
Braughing, Hen Harrier, female at Braughing Friars (Paula Moore)
Broxbourne Woods - Hoddesdon Park Wood, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, calling (Ken and Linda Smith)
Broxbourne Woods - Hoddesdon Park Wood, 50+ Redwing (Ken and Linda Smith)
Chiswell Green nr St Albans, Little Owl, Noke Lane (Steve Kitchen)
Garden Wood (Tyttenhanger area), 3 Lesser Redpoll (Steve Blake)
Maple Cross, Red Kite, over farmland (Steve Carter)
Maple Lodge, Ring-necked Parakeet (Steve Carter)
Maple Lodge, Egyptian Goose (Steve Carter)
Maple Lodge, 30 Siskin, in Alders (steve carter)
Panshanger Aerodrome, Red Kite, 11 15 (Lee Fitz)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Snow Bunting, in NW corner below steps (Lee G R Evans)
Tring, 3 Red Kite, over Station Road together (Lee G R Evans)
Tyttenhanger Farm (Tyttenhanger area), 6 Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Shelduck (Steve Blake)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Little Egret (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 2 Red Kite (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 50 Linnet (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Brent Goose, very mobile (Lee G R Evans)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Goldeneye, drake (Lee G R Evans)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 38 Fieldfare (Lee G R Evans)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 35 Lapwing (Lee G R Evans)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Goosander, male (Jeff Bailey)
Wormley Wood, 50+ Redwing (Ken and Linda Smith)
Wormley Wood, Woodcock (Ken and Linda Smith)
26TH JAN: Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Cetti's Warbler, in reed bed (Ade Hall)
Amwell NR - Hollycross Lake, 30 Siskin (Ade Hall)
Amwell NR - Tumbling Bay Lake, Smew, male (Ade Hall)
Amwell NR - Tumbling Bay Lake, Goldeneye, male (Ade Hall)
Bayfordbury, 2 Little Owl, males calling, 1 seen other heard (Shaun Dowman)
Brookmans Park, 2 Red Kite (A Cooper)
Frogmore Lakes nr Radlett, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet (Steve Shand)
Frogmore Lakes nr Radlett, 25 Siskin, in Alder trees nr to school.
Garden Wood (Tyttenhanger area), c15 Lesser Redpoll (John Fisher / Ernie Leahy)
Hatfield, Red Kite, over de Havilland Campus
Hitchin, c10 Siskin (Chris Woodham)
Lynsters Lake nr Maple Cross, 5 Egyptian Goose (Steve Carter)
Maple Cross, c40 Golden Plover, over the fields behind the estate (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Maple Cross, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Maple Cross, c20 Redwing (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Maple Lodge, 2 Green Sandpiper (Steve Carter)
Maple Lodge, 2 Kingfisher (Steve Carter)
Maple Lodge, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet (Steve Carter)
Therfield Heath, 30 Golden Plover, between Duckpuddle Bush and Icknield Way path (Steve Akrill)
Therfield Heath, 2 Grey Partridge, close to Icknield Way path (Steve Akrill)
Tring, c400 Fieldfare (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs (exact GP not specified), Shelduck (John Fisher / Ernie Leahy)
Tyttenhanger GPs (exact GP not specified), C20 Lapwing (John Fisher / Ernie Leahy)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Brent Goose (Steve Blake)
25TH JAN: Bricket Wood Common, c40 Lesser Redpoll (Pete Waldron)
East Hyde, Little Egret, in side channel (Alan Jackson)
East Hyde, Grey Wagtail, flew upstream (Alan Jackson)
East Hyde, Kingfisher, on south bank of side channel (Alan Jackson)
Great Munden nr Puckeridge, Great Grey Shrike, looking bedraggled in a bush: Google earth: 51 deg 53'47.65N, 0 deg 0.01'12.54W (Jono Forgham)
Hemel Hempstead, 3 Goosander, high E over canal at Corner Hall then returning W five mins later (Dan Forder)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Kingfisher, New River (Simon Knott)
Lynsters Farm nr Maple Cross, 7 Egyptian Goose (G Lapworth)
Marsworth Res (Tring Reservoirs), c40 Corn Bunting (John Fisher)
Marsworth Res (Tring Reservoirs), Kingfisher (John Fisher)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Snow Bunting (Joan Thompson)
Stocker's Lake, Goosander, male, 4 more on Inns Lake (G Lapworth)
Stocker's Lake, 11 Goldeneye, inc 4 males (G Lapworth)
Tyttenhanger Farm (Tyttenhanger area), Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Green Sandpiper (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Shelduck (Steve Blake)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Goosander, male (John Fisher)
Woodoaks Farm nr Maple Cross, 200 Fieldfare (G Lapworth)
24TH JAN: Batford, Water Rail (Jason Chapman)
Batford, 2 Kingfisher (Jason Chapman)
Cassiobury Park, Mandarin, female on canal (Ian Bennell)
Cassiobury Park, 2 Little Egret (Ian Bennell)
Hitchin, Kingfisher, along river beside Sainsburys (Callum Peel/Chris Woodham)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Snow Bunting, in nw corner (Jeff Bailey)
Willows Farm (Tyttenhanger area), Goosander, male on large fishing lake 3.20pm (Steve Veal)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 3 Goldeneye, 1 male (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Little Egret (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Kingfisher (Jeff Bailey)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Grey Wagtail (Jeff Bailey)
23RD JAN: Batch Wood nr St Albans, Red Kite, over Batchwood Drive (David Waters)
Bayfordbury, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet (Shaun Dowman)
Broadwater (Stevenage), Grey Wagtail, Marymead shops (mick caton)
Cassiobury Park, Mandarin, female above waterfall (Ian Bennell)
Cassiobury Park, Little Egret (Ian Bennell)
Cassiobury Park, Kingfisher, by fishing pit. (Ian Bennell)
Dane End, 14 Red Kite,
(Kevin Ling)
Flamstead village, 170 Golden Plover, in fields behind Watling Street service station (Peter Cutler)
Lemsford Springs, 6 Little Egret, including 4 flying north over the Reserve at 07:50, presumably from Stanboro' Lakes roost (Barry Trevis)
Picotts End nr Hemel Hempstead, Red Kite (Stuart Harrison)
Picotts End nr Hemel Hempstead, 2 Little Egret, Piccotts End pools (Stuart Harrison)
Rye Meads nr Hoddesdon, Barn Owl (Vicky Buckel)
Stanborough Lakes nr WGC, 29 Little Egret, all at roost on North Lake island by 5pm (Barry Trevis)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Snow Bunting (Mike Wallen)
Stocker's Lake, 2 Goosander, males, 5 more on Inns Lake (G Lapworth)
Therfield Heath, 4 Raven, together at 10.30-10.45am (Martin Johnson)
Therfield Heath, Hen Harrier, ringtail (Martin Johnson)
Therfield Heath, 96 Fieldfare (Martin Johnson)
Therfield Heath, 17 Grey Partridge (Martin Johnson)
Tyttenhanger Farm (Tyttenhanger area), 12+ Yellowhammer (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Shelduck (Steve Blake)
22ND JAN: Aldenham Reservoir & Country Park, 4 Mandarin
Aldenham Reservoir & Country Park, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet
Amwell NR - Tumbling Bay Lake, Red-crested Pochard (Mike Ilett)
Amwell NR - Tumbling Bay Lake, 2 Smew, 1 male (Mike Ilett)
Berkhamsted, 2 Red Kite, from station
Broxbourne Woods (exact wood name not specified), Crossbill, at least 1 (heard) (Barry Reed)
Datchworth, Red Kite (Nigel Denison.)
East Hyde, 2 Little Egret (David Lyons)
East Hyde, Little Egret (David Lyons)
Kimpton Mill, Little Egret (Alan Ford)
Kimpton Mill, 2 Egyptian Goose (Alan Ford)
Kimpton Mill, Water Rail (Alan Ford)
Knebworth House & Park, c10 Fieldfare (Robert Chapman)
Maple Cross, c40 Golden Plover, over (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Maple Cross, c40 Redwing, over (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Maple Cross, Red Kite, low over garden (Chris and Nick Bessant)
Marsworth Res (Tring Reservoirs), Kingfisher (Mike and Ted Wallen)
Munden Estate nr Bricket Wood, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, in woods near Munden Farm
Norton Green nr Stevenage, 3 Red Kite (David Emery)
Panshanger (Welwyn Garden City), 2 Little Egret, flying west (Roger Jones)
Redbourn, Red Kite, Nicholls Fm (Peter Tallantire)
St Ippollitts nr Hitchin, Red Kite, over St Ibbs Park (Callum Peel)
Stanstead Abbotts, c100 Fieldfare, Little Briggens Farm (Jane Free)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Snow Bunting, in NW corner, showing well (Tony Birch)
Stocker's Lake, 21 Goldeneye, inc 7 males (G Lapworth)
Stocker's Lake, 6 Goosander, inc 4 males (G Lapworth)
Welwyn, Red Kite, over Wagonners pub (Roger Jones)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Brent Goose, still with other geese in field behind jetty (Mike and Ted Wallen)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), Goosander, male - also Water Pipit and a male Pintail. (Alex Lewis)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 2 Little Egret (Tony Birch)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 3 Red Kite (Tony Birch)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 30+ Linnet (Tony Birch)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 3 Goldeneye (Mike and Ted Wallen)
21ST JAN: Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Yellow-legged Gull (Jay Ward)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Golden Plover, One flying with Lapwings briefly, then flew south (Jay Ward)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 7 Goldeneye (Oliver Marshall)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Peregrine Falcon, over the pit (Jay Ward/Bill Last)
Baldwin's Wood/Flaunden Grove, 2 Raven (Joan Thompson)
Bernards Heath (St Albans), Red Kite (David Waters)
Chiswell Green nr St Albans, Red Kite (Steve Kitchen)
East Hyde, 3 Little Egret (Mike Russell)
East Hyde, 2 Red Kite (Mike Russell)
Frogmore Lakes nr Radlett, Little Egret
Hamels Meads nr Puckeridge, 2 Little Egret (Murray Orchard)
Hitchin, Red Kite (Chris Woodham)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Little Egret, Mill Mead flying west (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Peregrine Falcon, Queens Spinney at 9:35am then flew over Ware (Simon Knott)
Lemsford Springs, 2 Redwing (Mick Caton)
Lemsford Springs, 3 Green Sandpiper (Barry Trevis)
Maple Cross, 11 Golden Plover, over M25 south of junction 17 (Ian Bennell)
Panshanger (Welwyn Garden City), Red Kite (Lee Fitz)
Redbourn, Little Owl, at Nicholls Farm (Peter Tallantire)
Redbourn, 150+ Linnet, wheat field Nicholls Farm (Peter Tallantire)
Redbourn, 12 Golden Plover, wheat field Nicholls Farm (Peter Tallantire)
Redbourn, 6 Skylark, Nicholls Farm (Peter Tallantire)
St Albans, Red Kite, over St Peter's Church
Stagenhoe nr Whitwell, 8 Red Kite, all flying in area to west of Staganhoe Nr Frogmore (Gordon de Sousa)
Startop's End Res (Tring Reservoirs), Goosander, male (Steve Rodwell)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Little Egret (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Little Owl (Steve Blake)
Watery Grove (Knebworth Woods), Marsh Tit (Clive Harding)
Watford, 10 Lesser Redpoll, in garden (B Norcott)
Watton at Stone, Red Kite (Nigel Denison)
Wilstone Res (Tring Reservoirs), 3 Little Egret (Steve Rodwell)
Herts Bird Club membership only costs £1 a month. Take a full part in the activities of the club, your yearly subscription entitles you to a free copy of the annual Herts Bird Report and also contributes to the costs of running the website and the Club's activities. How to join.
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The 2009 Bird Report was mailed to all members of the Herts Bird Club and Natural History Society on 14 November 2011.