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Saturday, 3 May 2008

Sponsored Bird Watch Results

The 13th SE Herts RSPB Sponsored Birdwatch took place between 6:00pm on Friday 2nd May and 6:00pm on Saturday 3rd May. 96 bird species were seen within a 10 mile radius of Rye Meads Visitor centre. The weather was dry and warm throughout, max temperature about 18 degC. with 50% cloud cover but with some good sunny periods.

About 15 people raised funds for the RSPB by being sponsored for the number of bird species they saw, raising about £1130, which after Gift Aid will be about £1400. Another 10 members joined in the supper afterwards.

Winners of the Derrick Clayden Shield (for raising the most money):

Employed - Julie Paice
Not working - Phil Blatcher

Team totals - Julie & Phil 90 species
Caroline & Mick 85 species
Robin & Lawerence 78 species

Individual - Phil 91 species

Most notable birdwatching - Ted Bell, who did the event entirely on foot, saw 70 species and raised over £100!

Bird Highlights:

Amwell Nature Reserve: hobby, little ringed plover, ringed plover, snipe, common tern, stock dove, cuckoo, swift, kingfisher, grey wagtail, grasshopper warbler, Cetti's warbler.

Amwell Churchyard: SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, nuthatch

Bencroft & Wormley Woods: Woodcock, tawny owl

Chingford Reservoirs: BLACK TERN, common, black headed & herring gulls

Connaught Water: Mandarin

Fishers Green: Egyptian goose, barnacle goose, ruddy duck, buzzard, TURTLE DOVE, nightingale, garden warbler, linnet

Gunpowder Park: Northern wheatear

Rye Meads: TURTLE DOVE, teal

10 Species of warbler were seen: grasshopper, sedge, Cetti's, reed, lesser & common whitethroat, garden, blackcap,willow & chiffchaff.

Derrick Ling was in Mid Wales and did his sponsored birdwatch in that area! His list included Red Kite, Common Sandpiper, Dipper, Redstart, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Siskin, Goshawk, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Nuthatch and Raven.

Many thanks to Phil Blatcher for organising the birdwatch and to everyone who helped make this such a successful event.