Herts Bird Club – making the most of local birdwatching
Coot at East Hyde on 18 March 2010, photograph by Paul Hackett.
More photographs of recent Herts birds can be found below.
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
Annual half-day conference - this Saturday
Ringing the changes: an afternoon of talks marking 50 years of bird ringing in Hertfordshire
Saturday 20 March, 2-6pm
Rothamsted Research, Harpenden
Tickets £8 (reduction available for those in full-time education, etc). You can book and pay for tickets on line. See News page for programme and full details.
Submit your bird sightings on 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.
See the news page for the latest happenings in the county and stories behind the bird sightings. If you have a news story, inform
Keep up to date with the latest news from the Yahoo Herts Birding group at Hertsbirding.
See the publications page for the latest information on The Hertfordshire Bird Report and other books and how to buy copies.
The success of the site will depend 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.
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 and you will soon be able to submit your records of other wildlife, such as dragonflies.
Black Redstart at Batford on 17 March 2010, photograph by Simon West.
A Redshank, carrying a metal ring, at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits on 17 March 2010, photograph by Paul Hackett.
Another view of the Brent Goose present at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits on 16 March 2010, photograph by Simon West.
The Brent Goose found and photographed by Steve Blake at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits on 16 March 2010.
The sometimes elusive Firecrest seen on the Beds/Herts border at East Hyde on 14 March 2010, photograph by Derek Girvan.
A drake Mandarin displaying at Aldenham Reservoir on 13 March 2010, photograph by Steve Kitchen.
A drake Common Pochard photographed during the RSPB ‘date with nature’ watch on the nesting Grey Herons in Verulamium Park, St Albans on 11 March 2010. Photograph by Murray Brown.
One of the Jack Snipes at East Hyde on 8 March 2010, photograph by Ben Andrew.
Jack Snipe at Tewinbury on 7 March 2010, photograph by Keith Smith. Red-crested Pochards at Stocker’s Lake on 4 March 2010, photograph by Steve Blake.
Latest sightings
Interesting recent records submitted through the website are listed here,
older records are in the sightings archive.
18TH MAR: Amwell GP/NR (exact water not specified), Chiffchaff (Rupert Evershed)
Babbs Green nr Ware, Red Kite
Berkhamsted Common, Chiffchaff (Mike Spittles)
Hertford, Red Kite, soaring over Balls Park (Nicola Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Chiffchaff (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 2 Shelduck, West pool (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 3 Redshank (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 100 Redwing, Park Mead (Simon Knott)
Long Marston, 150 Fieldfare, two seperate flocks. 17.00 Boars Croft farm (Dave jenkinson)
Maple Cross, 2 Blackcap, in garden, male singing (Nick Bessant)
Northchurch nr Berkhamsted, 2 Red Kite, over Covert Road. (Peter Medcalf)
Norton Green nr Stevenage, 3 Wheatear, 2m 1f (David Booth / Darrel Bryant / Rupert Evershed)
Royston, Chiffchaff, singing at the junction of Newmarket Road and Melbourne Road (Laurence Drummond)
Stocker's Lake, 2 Red-crested Pochard, pair (G Lapworth)
Therfield Heath, Red Kite, over the western section (Laurence Drummond)
Tyttenhanger GPs - Coursers Road GPs, 2 Shelduck, With Ruddy Shelduck (Rupert Evershed)
Tyttenhanger GPs - Coursers Road GPs, Ringed Plover (Rupert Evershed)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Brent Goose (Rupert Evershed / Jeff Bailey / Robin Pearson)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Oystercatcher, (Jeff Bailey) (Rupert Evershed)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, 2 Redshank (Rupert Evershed)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 2 Redshank (Jeff Bailey)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet (jeff bailey)
Woodoaks Farm nr Maple Cross, Wheatear, also a Brimstone (G Lapworth)
17TH MAR: Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Smew, redhead (David Booth)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 2 Redshank (David Booth)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Chiffchaff, singing briefly (David Booth)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 4 Sand Martin, flew through during morning (David Booth)
Batford, Black Redstart, f/1st winter on & around brown metal barn in corner of weedy field by B653. From 1245-1810 (Darin Stanley)
Batford, Black Redstart, still between 3.45 - 4.45 (Simon West)
Batford, 100 Fieldfare, 100+ flew over at 4.30 (Simon West)
Croxley Common Moor, Chiffchaff, singing (G Lapworth)
Easneye Wood, 2 Raven, Seen distantly from Amwell viewpoint soaring over Easenye Wood (David Booth)
East Hyde, 2 Jack Snipe, in small channel at 5.15 (Simon West)
East Hyde, Little Egret (Simon West)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Chiffchaff, briefly singing (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 2 Shelduck, West pool, pair at 10:10am (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Little Egret, Hollow Mead (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Kingfisher, New River (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 2 Blackcap, Chalk Bank. Pair (Simon Knott)
Leavesden Green nr Watford, Red Kite, over Leavesden Country Park (Stuart Harrison)
Potten End, 60+ Redwing, flock at Rumblers Farm 5.00pm (Derek Pratt)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, 2 Water Rail (G Lapworth)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, 2 Grey Wagtail, pair (G Lapworth)
Stapleford, 4 Red Kite, together and north of village (Mark Mead)
Stevenage, Red Kite, over Old Town High Street (Clive Brackenbury)
Tewinbury Reserve, 2 Jack Snipe, from hide c13:00 (Tim Hill)
Tewinbury Reserve, Common Snipe (Simon Knott)
Tewinbury Reserve, Kingfisher (Simon Knott)
Tyttenhanger Farm (Tyttenhanger area), Ringed Plover (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, 4 Redshank (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Oystercatcher (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Brent Goose, in same field 9:15 (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 2 Shelduck (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Chiffchaff (Steve Blake)
Verulamium Park, Ruddy Duck, south island (Murray Brown)
Willows Farm (Tyttenhanger area), 2 Egyptian Goose (Steve Blake)
16TH MAR: Batford, 2 Grey Partridge, pair in weedy field opposite B653 (Darin Stanley)
Bury Lake nr Rickmansworth, 2 Red-crested Pochard, pair (G Lapworth)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Kingfisher, New River (Simon Knott)
Reed, Treecreeper, Singing on the N edge of Reed village (Martin Johnson)
Reed, 19 Corn Bunting, two singing males at Hatchpen Farm plus a flock of 17 off the Barkway Road (Martin Johnson)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, Water Rail (G Lapworth)
Therfield nr Royston, 140 Golden Plover (Martin Johnson)
Therfield nr Royston, 14 Lapwing, including some birds displaying at traditional breeding sites (Martin Johnson)
Therfield nr Royston, 2 Corn Bunting (Martin Johnson)
Therfield nr Royston, 6 Grey Partridge, 3 pairs (Martin Johnson)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Brent Goose, In field on far side of southern fishing lake from Willows Farm along with Canada and Greylag Geese, (still there late PM, S West) (Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Oystercatcher (Simon West)
Tyttenhanger GPs - Willows Farm Lake, Kingfisher (Jan Hein van Steenis)
Willows Farm (Tyttenhanger area), 2 Egyptian Goose, over at 6:25 pm (Jan Hein van Steenis)
15TH MAR: Amwell GP - Sheepcote Farm Lake, 3 Goldeneye, 2 drakes (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Bittern, perched on top of reeds near the hide (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Smew, redhead (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 5 Goldeneye, 1 drake (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 4 Little Egret (Ray Murdoch)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Shelduck (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Ringed Plover (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 3 Redshank (Murray Orchard)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Cetti's Warbler, singing male (Murray Orchard)
Ashridge Forest, 2 Crossbill, pair on Monument Drive (Lee G R Evans)
Ashridge Forest, 2 Mandarin, pair on pond by monument (Lee G R Evans)
Bell Bar nr Brookmans Park, 2 Red Kite (Simon Cummings)
Colney Heath, 2 Tree Sparrow, in hedge alongside horse paddocks (David Booth)
Gorhambury Estate nr St Albans, Red Kite (Jeff Bailey)
Hay Street nr Puckeridge, 4 Red Kite, towards A10 (Paula Moore)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Shelduck, West pool (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Water Rail, Bird Mead (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Kingfisher, New River (Simon Knott)
Lynsters Farm nr Maple Cross, Green Sandpiper (G Lapworth)
Lynsters Farm nr Maple Cross, Egyptian Goose (G Lapworth)
Sandon, Barn Owl, hunting in fields north of the village at dusk (Martin Johnson)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, Little Egret (G Lapworth)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, 2 Water Rail, One seen by G Lapworth earlier (Paul Lewis, Steve Carter and G Lapworth)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, Kingfisher (Paul Lewis & Steve Carter)
Stocker's Farm, Little Owl (A. Marett, J, Gunderson, J.Staines)
Stocker's Lake, 2 Water Rail (A. Marett, J, Gunderson, J.Staines)
Tyttenhanger GPs (exact GP not specified), Common Snipe (Lee G R Evans)
Tyttenhanger GPs (exact GP not specified), 2 Tree Sparrow, by feeding station (Lee G R Evans)
Tyttenhanger GPs - fishing lake, Oystercatcher (David Booth)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Ringed Plover (David Booth / Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 2 Shelduck (David Booth / Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 2 Common Snipe (David Booth/Steve Blake)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Other, Female Ruddy Shelduck still present on main pit (Lee G R Evans)
Whitwell, 2 Little Egret, In trees beside cress beds (Nicola Knott)
14TH MAR: Amwell GP/NR (exact water not specified), Bittern (Simon Priestnall/Anthony Cooper)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 2 Bittern, 1 pale, 1 dark (Jan Hein van Steenis)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, Ringed Plover, (4 on Saturday) (Jan Hein van Steenis)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 2 Smew, redheads (Jan Hein van Steenis)
Amwell NR - Great Hardmead Lake, 9 Little Egret, roost (Jan Hein van Steenis)
Ashridge Forest, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Male seen well by ponds (per DB) (Lee G R Evans)
Brookmans Park, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Queenswood
East Hyde, Jack Snipe (Simon Priestnall/Anthony Cooper)
East Hyde, Firecrest (Simon Priestnall/Anthony Cooper)
Hertford, Red Kite, over B1000 (Simon Priestnall/Anthony Cooper)
Hertford, Red Kite, over Oak Grove at 15.40 (Chris Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, Blackcap, Chalk Bank male (Simon Knott)
King's Meads nr Hertford, 2 Redshank (Simon Knott)
King's Walden, 3 Red Kite (Robert Pedder)
Leavesden Green nr Watford, Red Kite, over studio site (M. Burden)
Lemsford, Little Egret (Anthony Dorman)
Lilley Bottom, 3 Red Kite (Nicola Knott)
Lynsters Farm nr Maple Cross, Green Sandpiper (G Lapworth)
Lynsters Farm nr Maple Cross, Egyptian Goose (G Lapworth)
Maple Cross, Barn Owl, one flying over A412 from Wood Oaks farm at 18.40 on Sunday night (Paul Ward)
North Mymms Park, 3 Woodcock
North Mymms Park, 4 Lesser Redpoll
Panshanger (Welwyn Garden City), Lesser Redpoll, on garden feeder (Kevin Hornby)
Panshanger (Welwyn Garden City), Siskin (Kevin Hornby)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, 4 Common Snipe (G Lapworth)
Scotsbridge Mill Watercress Beds nr Rickmansworth, 2 Kingfisher, pair (G Lapworth)
Tewinbury Reserve, Common Snipe, from hide (Drew Lyness)
Tewinbury Reserve, Water Rail, water meadow (Drew Lyness)
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, Other, Ruddy Shelduck
Tyttenhanger GPs - main GP, 3 Shelduck
Welwyn Garden City, Blackcap, male visiting garden. (Anthony Dorman)
Whitwell, 2 Little Egret, In cress beds (Nicola Knott)
Woodoaks Farm nr Maple Cross, Little Owl (G Lapworth)
2007 Bird Report now available
The 2007 Bird Report was mailed to all members of the Herts Bird Club and Natural History Society on 28 September. Click here to buy a copy and see the contents list.
Why not join us?
Herts Bird Club membership is only £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 the Club's activities. How to join.
Ringing the changes: an afternoon of talks marking 50 years of bird ringing in Hertfordshire
2007 Bird Report now available