It was cold, very cold. On new year’s eve, temperatures had dropped to -5oC and overnight had fallen even further. By 05:30 our part of the world was blanketed in a hard, white frost, the rooves of Newtown and the cars parked along the street gleaming in the light of a full moon. Andrew, my eldest son and I, were up and about this early for our, now traditional, ‘New year’s day Big Day Birdwatch’ where we try and see as many species as possible within 10 km of home.
Home is the village of Codicote in north Hertfordshire. The towns of Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage lie within 10 km while Hitchin, Luton, Harpenden, St Albans, Hatfield and Hertford lie to the north, west and south of my home range. Despite this urbanisation, and the proximity of London (only 30 miles to the south), it is a surprisingly rural with some pleasant scenery. Three small rivers, the Lea, Mimram and Beane flow NW - SE across the area separated by low rolling hills, none higher than 200 m. Much of the higher land is given over to arable farming, with wheat and barley being the major crops grown in large fields from which the hedges have been removed. In recent years oil seed rape has become an important crop. In the depths of winter, these fields are largely bare, or with only small shoots of winter-sown grain showing through the soil. The hedges remain in the valleys where there is more pasture for grazing. Some flood meadows remain. A feature of the area are the watercress beds, some still operating commercially, others in disrepair and yet others now local nature reserves. There are numerous small woodlands, although few are natural, with plantations of both deciduous and coniferous trees.
Our planned route was much the same as last year: up early to listen for owls (and anything else) around Rabley Heath and Kimpton while it was still dark, before moving onto Stanborough Lakes, at the southern edge of our home range for first light. From there we would wend our way northwards via Beech Farm, the cress beds in the Mimram valley reaching Hitch Wood at lunch time. The short winter afternoon would be spent trying to fill in any missing gaps.
And so we set out. Covered overnight with newspapers, the car’s windscreen and rear window were frost free (forewarned is forearmed). And it started first time! Wrapped in as many layers as possible and with the heater on full blast, we drove slowly round to Rabley Heath. In the bitterly cold, pre-dawn hours of new year’s day we seemed, not surprisingly, to be the only things up and about. In contrast to last year (windy and very wet) conditions were much better suited to listening for birds but nothing stirred. Too cold, we thought. With a nearly full moon, clear skies and heavy frost, the countryside was lit with an eerie glow but we heard nothing until eventually a Little Owl called at 06:05. Shortly after we made tracks for Kimpton Mill where a Carrion Crow called once, a Moorhen squawked from the cress beds and a Tawny Owl hooted in the distance. Six Mallard were disturbed from the cress beds and flew off up the Mimram valley. En route to Stanborough Lakes, our headlights picked out numerous roadside rabbits, a single Hare and a Tawny Owl perched on a branch overhanging the road.
It was still dark, and still cold, very cold, when we arrived at the lakes on the outskirts of Welwyn Garden City (WGC), so we sat in the car with our hands wrapped around a mug of hot coffee. As the sky gradually lightened, in the clear conditions some 20 minutes earlier than last year, we began to see and hear some birds. Wood Pigeons and Magpies flew from their roosts to nearby fields and a Robin fed quietly at the edge of the car park. The peace was shattered by the loud alarm call of a Blackbird as a weasel rushed at the Robin, which fluttered to a nearby bush. The weasel was not deterred and continued its attack, climbing with agility, its movements so fast it was almost impossible to follow in the half-light. The Robin escaped but only just. Prompted by this excitement we left the comfort of the car. Only a little of Stanborough Lakes remained ice free. Crowded into this small patch of open water were 100+ Canada Geese, a few Mute Swans and several Coots but none of the other, hoped for, waterfowl. Three Black-headed Gulls stood on the ice and an adult Grey Heron flew low over the lake making its harsh, croaking call but few small birds were active yet: a Dunnock hopped along the edge of the footpath, a Wren moved through the reeds bordering the R. Lea and the ‘chack’ call of a Fieldfare was heard as it flew over but nothing else was seen until we got to Stanborough reed bed. Here, Reed Buntings were beginning to leave their roost either singly or in small flocks of up to 12 birds. While watching the buntings, a Green Woodpecker flew across the reed bed and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the nearby willow woodland. As it got lighter the birds were becoming more active: a mixed flock of Blue Tits and Great Tits was up and about, a Cormorant and 2 Jackdaws flew over and the raucous call of a Jay was heard. By now we had been out of the car for little over half-an-hour and it was still cold, very cold, so cold that we ached. We decided to head back to the relative warmth of the car, seeing a Common Gull on the ice and two Starlings flying over. Back at the car we had a reviving warm drink, noting a mixed flock of c.20 Siskins and a few Chaffinches feeding in a river side alder, a (presumably feral?) Barnacle Goose among the Canada Geese, a Treecreeper spiralling up the trunks of trees in the car park and a Water Rail delicately picking its way along the river’s edge. It was now 08:30 and we had seen 31 species.
The dearth of ducks on the lakes prompted our first change of plan, we drove through WGC, seeing Collared Dove, to Tewinbury Mill where we hoped the mill pond would be ice-free. It wasn’t, but there was a Dabchick fishing on the river and a Song Thrush feeding on ivy berries. Returning through WGC, we saw Feral Pigeons and Greenfinches feeding on the berries of some ornamental shrubs (where there had been Waxwings in April 2001, but not now).
Our next stop was, Beech Farm on the north side of the disused Hatfield airfield, where we hoped to find some farmland and open country birds. A male Pheasant stalked along a hedgerow and a flock of House Sparrows (38th species at 09:17) flew about the barns. In the reclaimed fields to the south of the farm a flock of 15 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks was put to flight by a marauding male Sparrowhawk while a party of Long-tailed Tits foraged busily along a hedgerow. Small flocks of gulls of all five common species, including Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull flew over all heading west. No new species were seen in the rough grassland that borders the disused airfield, but a Yellow Hammer perched in the hedge as we returned to the farm where a Pied Wagtail was on a barn roof. Beech Farm hosts one of the few remaining Tree Sparrow colonies in Hertfordshire. We managed to miss them last new year, but this time, our patience was rewarded when we found one consorting with the House Sparrows.
Before Christmas, I had seen flocks of plovers beside the Sandridge–Wheathampstead road on my way to and from work so that is where we headed next, hoping that the cold snap, it was still cold, very cold, had not forced them to move on. Luck was with us and just outside Sandridge we found a flock of 25 Lapwings and a bit further north a flock of c.50 Golden Plover (50th species at 10:48), a species I had not recorded on previous New Year’s Day big days.
A feature of the Mimram valley is its watercress beds. Only a few are still operating commercially while others are now nature reserves. Water cress requires running water, so even in the coldest conditions (and it was still cold, very cold) they tend to remain ice free and, as such, attractive to birds unable to use frozen wetlands. From Sandridge, we drove north via Wheathampstead, where we saw a party of Rooks, to the Mimram valley and Kimpton Mill where there is both a commercial water cress nursery and some disused beds maintained as an unofficial nature reserve. Here, we flushed up to six Snipe which called as they flew off, circled high before coming back to land at the far end of the cress beds. When Andrew and I went in different directions, I was fortunate to see a flash of blue. Sadly Andrew missed our only Kingfisher of the day (and the only species not seen by both of us), a reversal of the situation a couple of years ago. The cress beds still had one more good bird: a snipe which flushed almost at my feet was noticeably smaller than those seen earlier, did not call, did not rise as high and dropped back to the ground less than 20 m away. When subsequently seen, it was positively identified as a Jack Snipe; the best views I have ever had of this species. A Goldcrest working its way along the hedgerow sent us on our way feeling rather pleased with ourselves.
From Kimpton Mill, we continued northwards slowly heading towards Hitch Wood for the woodland species that had eluded us so far. Regular stops to search likely looking fields added Mistle Thrush, Stock Dove and Red-legged Partridge to our lists.
Hitch Wood, a large mixed woodland, was to be our last stop of the morning. In previous years we had been lucky enough to find Woodcock, but this year the bracken in their favoured clearing was heavily encrusted with ice, it was still cold, very cold, and the ground was rock hard. While searching for the Woodcock, a Nuthatch was heard and then a mewing call caused us to look up, just in time to see two Buzzards (60th species at 12:30) drifting over. When we returned to the UK from PNG in 1991, Buzzards were scarce winter visitors to this area of north Hertfordshire. In the intervening years their numbers have steadily grown and they are now year round residents. Even so, this was the first time we had seen them on new year’s day. Having all but given up hope of finding a Woodcock, we were pleasantly surprised to flush one on the edge of the clearing where the ground, somewhat protected by overhanging trees, was frost free. Coal Tit, in a mixed tit and goldcrest flock, was our last new bird of the day before we headed home for lunch (13:10-13:45).
Full of a delicious home-made tomato soup mopped up with home-made bread rolls (thank you, Jenny), Andrew and I, now accompanied by my younger son, Matthew, and Brian Bond headed out for an afternoon’s birding. It was now a glorious winter’s day, sunny, clear and calm but still cold, very cold. First, we returned to Kimpton Mill as we had forgotten to check the mill pond this morning. Expecting it to be completely frozen over, we were surprised to find some open water and a female Tufted Duck. Two Water Rails were seen feeding on the nearby, ice-free cress beds. We also re-visited the mill pond at Tewinbury Mill but that remained ice bound and no birds were seen.
On the outskirts of Digswell, Andrew spotted a perched Kestrel. As I was driving, I missed it and so had to loop back round the roundabouts to add it to my list. In the minor lanes behind Welwyn a female Bullfinch flew across the road. Following news broadcast on the Hertfordshire Bird Club web page (http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/index.html) our next stop was Waterend where a mixed flock of finches had been reported. We parked near the ford and took a footpath that followed the R. Lea upstream (west). The finch flock proved easy to find, feeding in a set-aside field just north of the river. The flock comprised c.20 Chaffinches, 52+ Linnet and at least 1 (a winter-plumaged male) Brambling. Returning to the car, we disturbed a Redwing (68th species at 15:20) that had been foraging in frost-free leaf-litter beneath a holly bush. This was the only one we recorded all day and assumed the others must have moved on to less cold climes.
With half-an-hours daylight left, we decided to return to Beech Farm in the hope we might see some hunting owls. By this time I think we had used up all our luck so the Redwing was our last new bird of the day. Between 13:45 and 17:05 we had only added six species, but at least we had beaten last year’s total (even if only by one)! As the light faded so the warming effects of the suns rays disappeared and the temperature began to drop again. It was cold, very cold.
Home is the village of Codicote in north Hertfordshire. The towns of Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage lie within 10 km while Hitchin, Luton, Harpenden, St Albans, Hatfield and Hertford lie to the north, west and south of my home range. Despite this urbanisation, and the proximity of London (only 30 miles to the south), it is a surprisingly rural with some pleasant scenery. Three small rivers, the Lea, Mimram and Beane flow NW - SE across the area separated by low rolling hills, none higher than 200 m. Much of the higher land is given over to arable farming, with wheat and barley being the major crops grown in large fields from which the hedges have been removed. In recent years oil seed rape has become an important crop. In the depths of winter, these fields are largely bare, or with only small shoots of winter-sown grain showing through the soil. The hedges remain in the valleys where there is more pasture for grazing. Some flood meadows remain. A feature of the area are the watercress beds, some still operating commercially, others in disrepair and yet others now local nature reserves. There are numerous small woodlands, although few are natural, with plantations of both deciduous and coniferous trees.
Our planned route was much the same as last year: up early to listen for owls (and anything else) around Rabley Heath and Kimpton while it was still dark, before moving onto Stanborough Lakes, at the southern edge of our home range for first light. From there we would wend our way northwards via Beech Farm, the cress beds in the Mimram valley reaching Hitch Wood at lunch time. The short winter afternoon would be spent trying to fill in any missing gaps.
And so we set out. Covered overnight with newspapers, the car’s windscreen and rear window were frost free (forewarned is forearmed). And it started first time! Wrapped in as many layers as possible and with the heater on full blast, we drove slowly round to Rabley Heath. In the bitterly cold, pre-dawn hours of new year’s day we seemed, not surprisingly, to be the only things up and about. In contrast to last year (windy and very wet) conditions were much better suited to listening for birds but nothing stirred. Too cold, we thought. With a nearly full moon, clear skies and heavy frost, the countryside was lit with an eerie glow but we heard nothing until eventually a Little Owl called at 06:05. Shortly after we made tracks for Kimpton Mill where a Carrion Crow called once, a Moorhen squawked from the cress beds and a Tawny Owl hooted in the distance. Six Mallard were disturbed from the cress beds and flew off up the Mimram valley. En route to Stanborough Lakes, our headlights picked out numerous roadside rabbits, a single Hare and a Tawny Owl perched on a branch overhanging the road.
It was still dark, and still cold, very cold, when we arrived at the lakes on the outskirts of Welwyn Garden City (WGC), so we sat in the car with our hands wrapped around a mug of hot coffee. As the sky gradually lightened, in the clear conditions some 20 minutes earlier than last year, we began to see and hear some birds. Wood Pigeons and Magpies flew from their roosts to nearby fields and a Robin fed quietly at the edge of the car park. The peace was shattered by the loud alarm call of a Blackbird as a weasel rushed at the Robin, which fluttered to a nearby bush. The weasel was not deterred and continued its attack, climbing with agility, its movements so fast it was almost impossible to follow in the half-light. The Robin escaped but only just. Prompted by this excitement we left the comfort of the car. Only a little of Stanborough Lakes remained ice free. Crowded into this small patch of open water were 100+ Canada Geese, a few Mute Swans and several Coots but none of the other, hoped for, waterfowl. Three Black-headed Gulls stood on the ice and an adult Grey Heron flew low over the lake making its harsh, croaking call but few small birds were active yet: a Dunnock hopped along the edge of the footpath, a Wren moved through the reeds bordering the R. Lea and the ‘chack’ call of a Fieldfare was heard as it flew over but nothing else was seen until we got to Stanborough reed bed. Here, Reed Buntings were beginning to leave their roost either singly or in small flocks of up to 12 birds. While watching the buntings, a Green Woodpecker flew across the reed bed and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the nearby willow woodland. As it got lighter the birds were becoming more active: a mixed flock of Blue Tits and Great Tits was up and about, a Cormorant and 2 Jackdaws flew over and the raucous call of a Jay was heard. By now we had been out of the car for little over half-an-hour and it was still cold, very cold, so cold that we ached. We decided to head back to the relative warmth of the car, seeing a Common Gull on the ice and two Starlings flying over. Back at the car we had a reviving warm drink, noting a mixed flock of c.20 Siskins and a few Chaffinches feeding in a river side alder, a (presumably feral?) Barnacle Goose among the Canada Geese, a Treecreeper spiralling up the trunks of trees in the car park and a Water Rail delicately picking its way along the river’s edge. It was now 08:30 and we had seen 31 species.
The dearth of ducks on the lakes prompted our first change of plan, we drove through WGC, seeing Collared Dove, to Tewinbury Mill where we hoped the mill pond would be ice-free. It wasn’t, but there was a Dabchick fishing on the river and a Song Thrush feeding on ivy berries. Returning through WGC, we saw Feral Pigeons and Greenfinches feeding on the berries of some ornamental shrubs (where there had been Waxwings in April 2001, but not now).
Our next stop was, Beech Farm on the north side of the disused Hatfield airfield, where we hoped to find some farmland and open country birds. A male Pheasant stalked along a hedgerow and a flock of House Sparrows (38th species at 09:17) flew about the barns. In the reclaimed fields to the south of the farm a flock of 15 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks was put to flight by a marauding male Sparrowhawk while a party of Long-tailed Tits foraged busily along a hedgerow. Small flocks of gulls of all five common species, including Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull flew over all heading west. No new species were seen in the rough grassland that borders the disused airfield, but a Yellow Hammer perched in the hedge as we returned to the farm where a Pied Wagtail was on a barn roof. Beech Farm hosts one of the few remaining Tree Sparrow colonies in Hertfordshire. We managed to miss them last new year, but this time, our patience was rewarded when we found one consorting with the House Sparrows.
Before Christmas, I had seen flocks of plovers beside the Sandridge–Wheathampstead road on my way to and from work so that is where we headed next, hoping that the cold snap, it was still cold, very cold, had not forced them to move on. Luck was with us and just outside Sandridge we found a flock of 25 Lapwings and a bit further north a flock of c.50 Golden Plover (50th species at 10:48), a species I had not recorded on previous New Year’s Day big days.
A feature of the Mimram valley is its watercress beds. Only a few are still operating commercially while others are now nature reserves. Water cress requires running water, so even in the coldest conditions (and it was still cold, very cold) they tend to remain ice free and, as such, attractive to birds unable to use frozen wetlands. From Sandridge, we drove north via Wheathampstead, where we saw a party of Rooks, to the Mimram valley and Kimpton Mill where there is both a commercial water cress nursery and some disused beds maintained as an unofficial nature reserve. Here, we flushed up to six Snipe which called as they flew off, circled high before coming back to land at the far end of the cress beds. When Andrew and I went in different directions, I was fortunate to see a flash of blue. Sadly Andrew missed our only Kingfisher of the day (and the only species not seen by both of us), a reversal of the situation a couple of years ago. The cress beds still had one more good bird: a snipe which flushed almost at my feet was noticeably smaller than those seen earlier, did not call, did not rise as high and dropped back to the ground less than 20 m away. When subsequently seen, it was positively identified as a Jack Snipe; the best views I have ever had of this species. A Goldcrest working its way along the hedgerow sent us on our way feeling rather pleased with ourselves.
From Kimpton Mill, we continued northwards slowly heading towards Hitch Wood for the woodland species that had eluded us so far. Regular stops to search likely looking fields added Mistle Thrush, Stock Dove and Red-legged Partridge to our lists.
Hitch Wood, a large mixed woodland, was to be our last stop of the morning. In previous years we had been lucky enough to find Woodcock, but this year the bracken in their favoured clearing was heavily encrusted with ice, it was still cold, very cold, and the ground was rock hard. While searching for the Woodcock, a Nuthatch was heard and then a mewing call caused us to look up, just in time to see two Buzzards (60th species at 12:30) drifting over. When we returned to the UK from PNG in 1991, Buzzards were scarce winter visitors to this area of north Hertfordshire. In the intervening years their numbers have steadily grown and they are now year round residents. Even so, this was the first time we had seen them on new year’s day. Having all but given up hope of finding a Woodcock, we were pleasantly surprised to flush one on the edge of the clearing where the ground, somewhat protected by overhanging trees, was frost free. Coal Tit, in a mixed tit and goldcrest flock, was our last new bird of the day before we headed home for lunch (13:10-13:45).
Full of a delicious home-made tomato soup mopped up with home-made bread rolls (thank you, Jenny), Andrew and I, now accompanied by my younger son, Matthew, and Brian Bond headed out for an afternoon’s birding. It was now a glorious winter’s day, sunny, clear and calm but still cold, very cold. First, we returned to Kimpton Mill as we had forgotten to check the mill pond this morning. Expecting it to be completely frozen over, we were surprised to find some open water and a female Tufted Duck. Two Water Rails were seen feeding on the nearby, ice-free cress beds. We also re-visited the mill pond at Tewinbury Mill but that remained ice bound and no birds were seen.
On the outskirts of Digswell, Andrew spotted a perched Kestrel. As I was driving, I missed it and so had to loop back round the roundabouts to add it to my list. In the minor lanes behind Welwyn a female Bullfinch flew across the road. Following news broadcast on the Hertfordshire Bird Club web page (http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/index.html) our next stop was Waterend where a mixed flock of finches had been reported. We parked near the ford and took a footpath that followed the R. Lea upstream (west). The finch flock proved easy to find, feeding in a set-aside field just north of the river. The flock comprised c.20 Chaffinches, 52+ Linnet and at least 1 (a winter-plumaged male) Brambling. Returning to the car, we disturbed a Redwing (68th species at 15:20) that had been foraging in frost-free leaf-litter beneath a holly bush. This was the only one we recorded all day and assumed the others must have moved on to less cold climes.
With half-an-hours daylight left, we decided to return to Beech Farm in the hope we might see some hunting owls. By this time I think we had used up all our luck so the Redwing was our last new bird of the day. Between 13:45 and 17:05 we had only added six species, but at least we had beaten last year’s total (even if only by one)! As the light faded so the warming effects of the suns rays disappeared and the temperature began to drop again. It was cold, very cold.
