Garden list targets (Herts)

Hertfordshire

This is a list I made of the 40 target birds species to reach total of 100 for our Hertfordshire garden list, drawn up in June 2003. It's in what I estimated to be the approximate order of likelihood of occurence, based on local knowledge. Having said that, the last "probable" near our garden, Purple Heron (see log), would never have featured on any such hit list - neither the Serin which did occur here!

1. (Common Buzzard - Reported recently from over Woodside and North Watford nearby) - seen over Leavesden Airfield, 13 September 2003
2. (Red Kite - Reported over Woodside nearby & common from five or so miles west) - seen over Leavesden Airfield, 12 August 2003
3. Yellow-legged Gull - Regular in Hilfield roost so must occur - a probable seen over 2003
4. Mediterranean Gull - Regular in Hilfield roost so must occur
5. Golden Plover - Must visit disused airfield with Lapwings - but none with flocks I've checked
6. (Stock Dove - Common one mile west at Grove Mill) - single over W, 10 January 2004
7. Common Whitethroat - Common in surrounding countryside
8. Tawny Owl - Reported from Harebreaks 500m south - none found in a recce though
9. Bullfinch - Present at Grove Mill one mile west
10. Ring-necked Parakeet - Reported from Garston in 2002
11. Waxwing - Reported from Garston in 2002
12. Redpoll - Surely possible, perhaps with Siskins in autumn/winter
13. Turtle Dove - Surely passes over
14. Treecreeper - May pass through with tit flocks
15. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Mapped for our tetrad in London Atlas - presumably from Harebreaks*
16. Spotted Flycatcher - Mapped for our tetrad in London Atlas - presumably from Harebreaks*
17. Garden Warbler - Mapped for our tetrad in London Atlas - presumably from Harebreaks*
18. Lesser Whitethroat - Mapped for our tetrad in London Atlas - possibly from Harebreaks*
19. Reed Bunting - Possible in winter - occasional in gardens near canal to west
20. Yellowhammer - Perhaps in winter
21. Little Egret - Has been seen over a Garston garden near the River Colne
22. Mute Swan - Must fly over from time to time (Near miss 10 February 2004 with a single SW over nearby A405 when I was not home - should have been visible from garden)
23. Dunlin - Must fly over from time to time
24. Common Snipe - Must pass over now and again
25. Common Tern - Regular at Grove Mill one mile west
26. Cuckoo - Possible over
27. (Sand Martin - Must pass overhead) - single S directly over, 13 September 2003
28. Wheatear - Perhaps on passage on playing fields
29. Firecrest - Not impossible with crests or tit flocks
30. Peregrine - Must pass overhead occasionally
31. Monk Parakeet - Resident in Borehamwood five miles east
32. Marsh Tit - Not impossible with passing tit flocks
33. Raven - Has been seen over St Albans
34. Knot - Seen over Watford
35. Common Sandpiper - Possible over
36. Whimbrel - Possible over
37. Curlew - Possible over (Near miss 25 October 2003 with a single SW over nearby Leavesden Green when I was not home - should have been visible from garden)
38. (Redshank - Possible over) - heard overhead at 2am on 10 July 2003
39. Ringed Plover - Possible over
40. Alpine Swift - Why not?!

* - Harebreaks is a small patch of mainly oak woodland 500m south of our house; London Atlas contains tetrad maps from 1988-1994 fieldwork