Royston Wildlife Blog: Local Wildlife Sightings, January 2026

The year started with unusually cold weather, daytime temperatures hovering around 0C and a couple of light overnight snowfalls. I had a rare opportunity to spend a whole day birdwatching on a Saturday (the 3rd). The first bird that I saw was at the bottom of the back garden. I couldn't quite make out what it was until it flew up on to the fence as I came out to investigate and found a large female Sparrowhawk, which had been consuming its prey, a white feral dove! Unfortunately, my camera wasn't to hand and the Sparrowhawk flew off leaving behind the half-eaten bird and a pile of white feathers. The remainder of the dove was later consumed by a Magpie. I've seen Sparrowhawks before in the garden and I've also seen the remains of their prey, but never the two together.

I spent the rest of the morning at Verulamium Park, St Albans. The park has got a deserved reputation for its Kingfishers, which give ridiculously close views as they fish from the River Ver, which runs down one side of the lake. Unfortunately for photographers the backgrounds are usually rather messy clusters of twigs and leaves, which also tend to catch the sun, making correct exposure virtually impossible. Nevertheless, I didn't look a gift horse in the mouth (images below). However, I missed out on the Yellow-browed Warbler and Mediterranean Gull that had also been seen in the park.

Kingfisher 1 (a male), St Albans, 3 January

Kingfisher 2 (possibly a different male), St Albans, 3 January

During the following week I spent quite a bit of time bird watching locally, trying to catch up with local rarities and building up modest year lists. On the 5th a visit to Amwell produced ten different duck species, including Goldeneye, Red-crested Pochard and a couple of female Smew. Bitterns have been seen here regularly, and I missed one flying in to the reedbed as I walked between the White Hide and the main viewpoint - such is life.

Ring-necked Parakeet, Amwell, 5 January

On the 6th I went on my 'round the villages' walk. Phillup's Lake (Reed End) was almost completely frozen over, giving me a rare opportunity to photograph a Little Grebe that was diving away in the small patch of available water. A pair of Coot (presumably the lake's resident pair) and a single Mallard were also there, whilst no fewer than 27 Canada Geese were attempting to graze on the neighbouring field.

Little Grebe and two Coot in a blizzard on Phillup's Lake, Reed End, 6 January

The highlight of the walk came a little further on as I approached Therfield. I saw large flocks of Linnets, Corn Buntings, Chaffinches and Yellowhammers feeding in game cover and set-aside, then flying up into trees and bushes as I walked along the track. I reckon that I saw some 400 to 500 birds. Most impressive were the numbers of Corn Buntings seen: I reckon that 40 was a conservative estimate. Although Linnets made up the bulk of the birds there must have been around 100 Yellowhammers as well: my highest local count of this attractive farmland bird for a couple of years. Although the weather was now dull (with the occasional snow shower: see image above), the flat light made it easier to capture the features of these farmland birds - see the images below.

Corn Bunting, Therfield, 6 January

Nine Corn Buntings, Therfield, 6 January

Linnet, Reed, 6 January

The following morning saw me visit Scales Park near Meesden, hoping to see the wintering (and later breeding?) Crossbills. I was fortunate to see eight (a single male plus parties of three and four birds), although many more were probably present. I also saw a Raven, but there was no sign of Marsh Tits on this visit.

Record shot of a male Common Crossbill, Scales Park, 7 January

Later in the day I went to Roe Green, near Sandon, where up to three Short-eared Owls had been seen on previous evenings. The birds were reported to appear after dusk. I (along with others) probably stood in the wrong place to see the birds, because I only got only the most fleeting glimpse of what must have been one of the birds when it was almost completely dark. However, I did have three sightings of Woodcock flying out of or into Roe Green Wood. I'll try to go for better views of the owls at a later date, particularly as wintering Short-eared Owls are in short supply in the UK this year.

On the 8th I was out again, walking east from Royston along the Icknield Way to Heydon Pig Farm. More Linnets and Yellowhammers were seen, along with a Meadow Pipit and four species of thrush. Gull numbers at the pig farm were much lower (around 80 individuals) than in previous winters - perhaps the frozen ground had persuaded some to head further south and/or west. Amongst the gulls present, which were viewed and photographed distantly, were a probable Yellow-legged Gull and an interesting black-backed bird that had black markings behind the eye (see image below). This was most likely a strangely marked Lesser Black-backed Gull, even though it appeared smaller than the gulls around it. I harboured hopes that it might be something much rarer, such as an American vagrant (Laughing Gull or Franklin's Gull), but the shape and structure is unfortunately wrong for these birds, as well.