This year, I'm going to include all my Hertfordshire sightings as well as sightings in other counties that are less than 25 miles from my home (as the crow flies) in this section.
The shocking weather of the last quarter of 2023 continued into 2024, with yet another 'named storm' as well as periods of rain (1.5 inches to the morning of the 5th). Some local fields were flooded, but Royston escaped the worst of the flooding that was seen elsewhere in England. Not having any rivers in the area helps, but some of the streams, which dry up in the summer, were flowing vigorously. From the 5th the weather changed, with high pressure producing cold, dry weather but with a bitter easterly wind. A combination of the poor weather and some unwanted commitments meant that I had no opportunity to go on local walks in the first week, although I did spend a few hours visiting the Cheshunt Lakes (at least 14 Goosanders on Ashley Pit) and Amwell on the 3rd. Unfortunately the Great Norther Diver and Scaup at Stanstead Innings had left at the end of 2023 and I also missed out on Smew at Amwell, but I did record 50 species in the day.
Male Goosander, Ashley Lake (Cheshunt), 3 January
My local walks are often unproductive and are not mentioned here, but the 'there and back' visit to Hatchpen Farm on the afternoon of the 11th provided a new species for my Local Patch (two mile radius of the house) as a male Goosander flew almost over my head. Its bottle green head clearly showed and I had a brief view of the upper wings, which were suggestive of a first winter bird, still showing some juvenile plumage. I didn't get the chance to photograph it. If asked what the next new species for my Local Patch list would be, Goosander would have been well down the list!
From the 15th there was a full week of settled, dry weather with plenty of sunshine. Admittedly, it was very cold, but I took advantage of easily the best conditions for months to do lots of bird watching in that time. It all started with a three hour visit to St Albans, where I was successful in finding all my target birds, including Peregrine and Black Redstart (which showed well this time) on the Cathedral buildings, Kingfisher in Verulamium Park and Bullfinch and Lesser Redpoll at the delightful little Watersmeet nature reserve. A few images are shown below.
Female Black Redstart, St Albans Cathedral Gatehouse, 15 January
Kingfisher, Verulamium Park, 15 January
Lesser Redpoll on a Feeder, Watersmeet LNR, 15 January
The following day I went on my first 'round the villages' walk of the year, recording 45 species of birds. Phillup's Lake was mainly iced over, meaning that all the water birds (including 23 Canada Geese and six Gadwall) were concentrated in a small area on the far side of the lake. The Tufted Ducks had gone, but a single Little Grebe was present, giving me a rare chance to photograph it in its winter plumage. I had assumed that Little Grebes had left the lake for the winter, so this was a bit of a surprise.
Little Grebe (front) and Gadwall, Phillup's Lake, 16 January
The highlight of a short visit to Scales Park woodland (Meesden) on the 17th was a brief view of a Woodcock flying over the main path. It took me quite a search in order to see Marsh Tit (one of my target birds), but I did eventually see a pair. This was a relatively quiet day, but I made up for it on the 18th by visiting Lemsford Springs (near Welwyn Garden City) in the morning and then going on my longest walk, a 10.5 mile 'there and back' along the Icknield Way in the afternoon. My luck was definitely in at Lemsford. Three bird watchers (I was the third) arrived at almost the same time and were the first of the day to visit the first hide, where a Jack Snipe was standing a few feet away! I managed to grab a couple of photos before it disappeared under the near bank. I didn't see it again, although I gather that a few people saw it later in the day. It hasn't been reported since. There were plenty of other highlights at Lemsford - the ubiquitous Green Sandpipers, several Common Snipe which showed well in the stream that kept flowing despite nearby lakes being frozen over, and a Grey Wagtail being the main highlights.
Jack Snipe, Lemsford Springs, 18 January
Common Snipe, Lemsford Springs, 18 January
On the walk to Heydon Pig Farm it was more about quantity than quality. Huge numbers of Redwings and (particularly) Fieldfares were seen along the way, some feeding on the ground which had been melted by the sun but most feeding on berries in the bushes that line the Icknield Way. Several Corn Buntings were also seen on the Cambridgeshire side of the county boundary.
Corn Bunting, near Heydon, 18 January
Fieldfare, near Royston, 18 January
Fieldfares on Wires, near Heydon, 18 January
The weather deteriorated again from the 21st, with two named storms crossing the region in rapid succession. Despite the weather, I was able to add Corn Bunting (14 at Hatchpen Farm) to my Local Patch list on the 22nd and a male Smew at Amwell on the 23rd. I hadn't seen a Sparrowhawk anywhere in 2024 until my visit to Amwell. On the way down I saw two birds apparently fighting in the middle of the road in front of me. Slowing down, I saw a Sparrowhawk fighting to subdue a female blackbird, which was fighting for its life. I avoided the birds, but I'm not sure whether the juggernaut coming towards me on the other side would have done..... On the following day, a visit to Upper Caldecote (South Bedfordshire) was rewarded with the sighting of my first Cattle Egret of the year. My health deteriorated from the following day, with faintness and dizziness (diagnosed as being caused by an inner ear infection) preventing any meaningful wildlife watching for the remainder of the month.
Cattle Egret, Upper Caldecote (Beds.), 24 January
