The First Hertfordshire Wheatears of the Year

26th March 2026

The model aircraft field at Baldock is a tiny feature at the southern end of the range of hills running from Baldock to Royston but seems to attact a range of migrants. Whether it has a unique feature or is just well-watched is not clear. My last visit here was on the 2nd September 2025 when a Black Redstart stayed for a few days, but today I was here for Wheatears, the first of the year for Hertfordshire.

I parked in Wallington Road and walked down past fields full of Rape. There were plenty of Sky Larks in full song but one chose to sit on a nearby flower head.

Once at the model aircrraft field I had expected the Wheatears to be strutting their stuff on the short  mown grass of the airfield, but they were favouring the stubble field adjacent to the airfield, presumably because it held a lot more insect life. There were three males in their stunning breeding plumage.

Also just the one female which kept her distance and only allowed one shot.

I wonder what the next gem for this site will be?

Rye Meads Kingfishers Update

23rd March 2026

At the time of my last visit four days ago a pair of Kingfishers had arrived on site and were alternating between the nest banks at the Draper and Kingfisher Hides. Now they seem to have settled at the Kingfisher Hide and are both busy tidying up the nest burrow in readiness for egg-laying, Also, what was most noticeable today was the the bird using the central perch was the female whereas before she kept to the post on the far side of the pond. And as can be seen from the sand on her bill, she was doing a lot more work on the burrow this time.

Managed to get a food pass today.

I was intrigued as to what the prey item was as it seemed to be completely black with no distinguishing features. It was in fact a Three-spined Stickleback but viewed from on top and therefore you could not seen the spines. It was only when I found another photo showing the side view that the three spines were evident.

As stated above both birds were spending a lot of time in the nest burrow which means their bill and plumage get covered in sand. Therefore the first thing they do when they leave the burrow is fly to the central perch and dive into the water a few times to clean off the sand. This of course provides some great action photo opportunities.

Hopefully not long now before the female is on eggs.

More Kingfishers at Rye Meads

19th March 2026

After a disappointing last two years the Kingfishers are back at Rye Meads and on my last visit were alternating between the Kingfisher banks at the Draper and Kingfisher Hides. Now they seem to be concentrating on the Kingfisher Hide, although to confuse the issue a third Kingfisher has been seen (all three seen together) and even a report of a fourth bird but as far as I am aware not confirmed.

Both the birds at the Kingfisher Hide are ringed on the right leg, but one of the new birds is reported to be ringed on the left leg. The uncertainty here is that all birds ringed by the Rye Meads Ringing Group are ringed on the right leg so if it is ringed on the left leg it would have been ringed on another site. A photo of the left-ringed bird would be useful.

Here are some shots of the male.

And the female with that striking orange on the lower mandible.

And some together.

No idea what is going on here!!!

Then came a food pass from the male to the female.

And now for some action shots. This one nearly got away!!

Ready, steady..............go!!!!!

.................and bring me back a fish!!!!!!!!

An amazing couple of hours.