Local Sightings, November 2025

 I was on holiday in Western Australia from 31 October to 16 November, returning to the UK to find my rain gauge overflowing - I had obviously missed some poor weather as I was sweltering in 30+C heat and more or less continuous sunshine! I'll put in a brief report about the trip in due course (500 images to edit). The weather in Royston continued unsettled until the 20th when, having had very little exercise, I decided to go on my 'round the villages' walk. A few hundred yards from my home I found a small flock of Goldcrests (5+) and shortly afterwards another three, but for the rest of the walk I didn't record any more. A Mute Swan was an unusual sighting at Hatchpen Farm pond, whilst a couple of Reed Buntings at Park Farm were, like the swan, 'year ticks' for my local patch. Small flocks of Yellowhammers, totalling 30-35 birds, were seen in various places along the route, four Corn Buntings were at Greys Farm and a flock of around 90 Linnets were seen nearby. Chiffchaffs appeared to have finally departed (but see below). Common and Black-headed Gulls were searching for food in the fields but, surprisingly, no Lesser Black-backed Gulls (the commonest local gull species for most of the year) were seen. A total of 43 species were recorded (39 seen).

Mute Swan (a local rarity) with Farmyard Geese at Hatchpen Farm Pond, 20 November

On the 26th I walked right across Therfield Heath to Fox Covert. Two Stonechats (reported the previous day on the Herts. Bird Club web site) were seen near the 'McDonalds' car park off the Therfield Road. The woodland of Fox Covert and Jubilee Wood can be very quiet in the winter, unless one coincides with a flock of tits and other small birds. Fortunately, on this occasion I was lucky to find a tit flock that also included a few Goldcrests, as well as Nuthatches and a Treecreeper (the last two heard but not seen). A single Chiffchaff was also present. A wintering bird was recorded nearby in 2024-25: will this bird attempt to over-winter too? No Redwings or Fieldfares were recorded: very few seem to be about locally at present.

Stonechat on Therfield Heath, 26 November

On the 28th I did a walk along the Icknield Way to the east of Royston. There were no surprises, but I did see a very loose flock of around 60 Fieldfares along the way. Towards Flint Cross a Common Buzzard with rather unusual markings was seen distantly (image below). It was very black and white, with a dark patch on the side of the head. I wonder whether it is wintering here, having come from a colder part of Europe. It appeared to have a pale rump, but I'm confident that it wasn't a wintering Rough-legged Buzzard, a bird that I have seen on three occasions in Hertfordshire in the last 20 years, but which is now an extreme rarity anywhere in the UK.

'Record Shot' of a Common Buzzard, seen between Royston and Flint Cross, 28 November

UK Wildlife Sightings, November 2025

 The first trip after my return from Australia was to visit RSPB Titchwell on the 21st. I wanted to see and photograph some waders (there was a dearth of them where I was in Australia), the weather was sunny and there had been reports of a Pallas's Warbler there. I didn't see the warbler, but I was lucky to get close up views of three (possibly four) lovely, little Firecrests. Photographing Firecrests is tricky, as they are (a) very small, (b) constantly on the move and (c) prefer the shelter of dense woodland. However, I did manage about a 10% success rate. Perhaps the 'best' image is shown below.

Firecrest, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 21 November

Migrating waders had all passed through, so I concentrated on photographing wintering birds (including my favourite Sanderlings) on the beach. A Herring Gull had found a flatfish (Flounder??) on the tide line, but didn't quite know what to do with it.

Dunlin Feeding on Titchwell Beach, 21 November

Sanderling Feeding on Titchwell Beach, 21 November

Herring Gull with Flatfish 'Catch', Titchwell Beach, 21 November

On the 23rd I was part of an RSPB Local Group coach trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh. In recent months, the 'marsh' had become more like a desert as a combination of the extremely dry weather in spring and summer and (I believe) the failure of a pump had dried out all the scrapes and pools and the water birds and waders had gone elsewhere. Fortunately, the recent heavy rains and colder weather had resulted in the return of some of the pools, albeit that the landscape still looked pretty bleak. Plenty of ducks (particularly Teal and Wigeon) were seen, whilst vast flocks of Lapwings and (particularly) Golden Plovers regularly took to the air. A Whooper Swan with a damaged wing (present for two years) hadn't had the option to fly away. Returning waders included small numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, Ruff and Grey Plover. A Hen Harrier was seen by one person and a Peregrine was seen by many.

A few of the many hundreds of Golden Plover at RSPB Frampton Marsh, seen in flight on 23 November

Whooper Swan with Damaged Wing, RSPB Frampton Marsh, 23 November

On the 25th I made a return visit to Eyebrook Reservoir, where I saw the American Golden Plover last month. This time my target was a male American Wigeon, a vagrant species that I have only seen twice before in the UK (excluding in collections, where it is clearly one of the most attractive water birds in winter plumage: its name makes clear where it should be living). I have had real difficulty connecting with this species in the past, but the bird gave itself up relatively easily on this occasion, although it was always a long distance away.

Male American Wigeon (front bird, slightly right of centre) with other water birds, including a female Goldeneye, Eyebrook Reservoir, 25 November.

Several Goldeneye were also present, as was at least one juvenile male Scaup. A Great Egret, fishing much closer to the shore, made a nice photographic subject and four Whooper Swans flew in just before I left.

Great Egret, Eyebrook Reservoir, 25 November

Whooper Swans Landing, Eyebrook Reservoir, 25 November