Caspian Gull at Fairlands

In an effort to work off the Christmas booze and food, and get a bit of exercise I went over to Fairlands Valley this morning. Wasn't too sure how it would go as I haven't managed to walk any distance for a long time and I'm still poorly. As it was I did a 3 mile circuit and am paying for it now.
I started at the northern end at the balancing pond where two Teal were found yesterday but they had departed, so I carried on down picking up the usual Coot, Moorhen and Mallards plus a few geese and loads of Magpies and Carrion Crows.
I reached the main boating lake where most of the birds were. There were 13 Cormorants on the jetty but I was distracted by calling Parakeets-at least two were around. This attracted the attention of a dog walker so I had a chat as he was becoming interested in the wildlife here. Lots of people were puzzled by two odd 'ducks'-we have had Egyptian Geese for a while now, so I had to explain about them as well.
Alan Ford appeared so we went to check the gulls-lots of Black Headed, a couple of Commons and a few Herrings of various ages. It didn't look like our target was around but the Caspian eventually appeared and stuck around. Unfortunately it stayed in the middle and never got up on it's favoured buoy.
I was rather disappointed in the lack of thrushes, finches and so on, but I think the very mild conditions have affected winter visitor numbers. Mind you I did hear a Bullfinch around the old farm buildings-not something I expect in the middle of Stevenage these days.

Whooper Swan at Amwell

I've managed to get out and about a bit recently. Health is still a big issue and its been getting gradually worse all year, and I find it a bit of a struggle particularly in the mornings to get mobile-legs in particular are rather stiff and weak. I get very tired very quickly as well at the moment.
Anyway earlier in the week a Whooper Swan dropped in at Rye Meads and lingered-this is unusual as most wild swan sightings in the valley are fly throughs. It stuck around the next morning and then flew off to Amwell where it has been ever since. I've seen a family of Bewicks at Wilstone a few years back, but Whooper was still missing on my Herts list.
Normally I take Mum shopping on Saturdays, but today I dropper her off and carried on to Amwell, arriving just as Mike and Bill were leaving. Getting to the view point I found that no-one else was there-rather unusual but gradually more arrived. The Whooper seems to be associating with Mute Swans, of which the count of 21 was much larger than usual. In front of there hide it gradually drifted towards me and spent some time at fairly close range before swimming round to the back of the heronry island. We got worried as it departed with three Mutes, circled Hollycross and luckily then returned.

Water levels are very high at the moment, with only a few small bits of island and edges. Good for ducks and gulls but not so good for waders, and only one Snipe was on view.
After a while, I wandered down the track, finding a small flock of tits and Goldcrests, one of which posed nicely.

Down at the Bittern pool I found Phil, William and Alan, but no Bittern. We had at least one Parakeet, and distant views of three Redpoll and a Siskin. I carried on down to Hollycross but didn't find much so returned to the view point. The Swan was still around and, rather unusually Simon Knott appeared to twitch it.
All in all rather productive morning with 56 species in total-and I missed things like Redwing Treecreeper and Buzzard.