Second BLACK-TAILED GODWIT in two days

Amwell NR has seen two different ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS appear in two days (visible from the Watchpoint) whilst 2 DUNLIN appeared briefly at Tyttenhanger GP in heavy rain.

Local Mega - GANNET in Chipperfield

Just had a NORTHERN GANNET fly west over Balls Pond Farm (by Chipperfield Road)
heading towards Chipperfield at 18:28 today Only poor quality record shots attached unfortunately but easily identifiable none the less (Samuel Perfect)

Sam's images suggest that the bird was a first-summer (LGRE)

MARSH HARRIER and TURTLE DOVE

Geoff Lapworth had a female MARSH HARRIER at Maple Lodge today whilst in the east of the county, a EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE was seen in Royston.

Simon Knott photographed a male RUFF at King's Mead, Hertford, on 21st July - the first and only Ruff in the county this year

You wait all year for one to turn up then two come along at the same time!

Finally connected with a Herts BLACK-TAILED GODWIT this afternoon, thanks to Simon. The bird, a cracking adult islandica in full breeding plumage, was wading at the west end of West Scrape at King's Meads, Hertford, and was still showing when I departed at 1600 hours; also Green Sandpiper and 6 Little Egrets there

Bill Last also discovered a second individual at nearby Amwell GP at midday, so two individuals

Simon also recorded a RUFF at King's Meads on Saturday, as well as a juvenile LRP, so things are looking good for the early autumn.

Local Mega: CURLEW SANDPIPER at Tyttenhanger

Simon West's images taken this evening

Steve Murray discovered an adult CURLEW SANDPIPER on the Tyttenhanger GP spit this afternoon and within the hour, it was being watched by over 20 observers, including LGRE, Steve Blake, Toby Austin, JT, Chris, Graham Knight, Lucy Flower amongst others. It was a cracking bird, still largely in breeding plumage, and showed well until at least early evening (per Darrell Bryant). According to Alan Gardiner, it was the first in the county since 2007, but that must be discounting the 3 juveniles seen by David Bilcock over Wilstone Reservoir briefly on 2 September 2011.

A juvenile MEDITERRANEAN GULL was also in the Black-headed Gull roost, along with 3 adult Common Gulls, whilst Ringed Plover, LRP, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper were all noted too.

And my best offerings below.......

GREENSHANK at last - my first in the county in two years

In searing afternoon heat (28 degrees C), Steve Blake, Terry Wood, Dave Hutchinson and I connected with 2 passage COMMON GREENSHANKS discovered earlier by Steve Murray, incredibly my first in the county in two years; also present on the spit of the main birding pit were single Common and Green Sandpiper, 79 Lapwing, 16 Argenteus Herring Gulls, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 juvenile Grey Heron and a female Tufted Duck with two ducklings.

One of the two GREENSHANKS resting in the heat

And a juvenile Grey Heron

BLACK-WIT at Amwell

This evening, a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT is at Amwell - the first returning bird of the autumn

Meanwhile, Mike Ilett had 2 EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVES at Bygrave on Sunday evening, with 2+ COMMON QUAIL still calling at Redbournbury. A 'new' QUAIL is calling at Pitstone Hill, near Tring.