Aldenham Park

STEVE BLAKE Patchlist 2007]]

`ALDENHAM PARK ESTATE` OS TQ1796. Also to include `ALDENHAM COUNTRY PARK` Bold text

ALDENHAM CP A 65-acre reservoir with a circular footpath and 175 acres of woods and meadowland. Adventure playgrounds, rare breeds farm animals. There is angling, a nature trail, horse-riding and refreshments with an annual craft fair. Fields are availablefor holding corporate special events.

Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to visit this site as it gets very busy during the day, especially at weekends and school holidays.

Less than half a kilometer to the NW is the more enticing HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR. (Entry by key from H&MWT. Members only).

ALDENHAM PARK ESTATE covers the other half of my Patchlist site. It is an area of Farmland and a private wood. Within the wood is 'Tykes Water', a 5-6 acre private fishing lake.

I have, obtained permission to roam the estate and I hope it turns up something of interest as the wood is rarely disturbed, except in winter when World War 3 erupts in the form of a Pheasant shoot!!! ( The best so far...Pair of LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER, PIED FLYCATCHER, CUCKOO & 2 Fledgling LITTLE OWL.

There is a Public Footpath that passes through part of the wood and farmland, entered from Butterfly Lane.

If you are at this end of the world, say hello. Im the Geezer with a pair of Leica's around my neck and a well behaved Springer Spaniel at my side... or nearby!!!

PATCH BOUNDRY: Species seen or heard from:- Start Public footpath at Jct ALLUM LANE & ELSTREE HILL NORTH to Aldenham CP. - Around perimeter of Reservoir exiting at DAGGER LANE into HOGG LANE, onto footpath to BUTTERFLY LANE, Whole length of BUTTERFLY LANE to WATLING STRET (A5). On to start point.

2nd JANUARY 07 1:MANDARIN. 2:COOT. 3:MALLARD. 4:BLUE TIT: 5:GREAT TIT. 6:CARRION CROW. 7:WOOD PIGEON. 8:FERAL PIGEON. 9:COLLARED DOVE. 10:MAGPIE. 11:BLACKBIRD. 12:BLACK HEADED GULL. 13:COMMON GULL. 14:LBB GULL. 15:ROBIN. 16:CHAFFINCH. 17:GREENFINCH. 18:JAY. 19:SONG THRUSH. 20:MISTLE THRUSH. 21:REDWING. 22:MUTE SWAN. 23:CORM0RANT. 24:SHOVELER. 25:TUFTED DUCK. 26:POCHARD. 27:GADWALL. 28:CANADA GOOSE. 29:GREEN WOODPECKER. 30:GOLDFINCH. 31:KESTRAL. 32:GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 33 LITTLE GREBE. 34:TREECREEPER. 35:LONG TAILED TIT. 36:KINGFISHER. 37:MOORHEN. 38:GREY HERON. 39:DUNNOCK.

4th JANUARY 07 40:SISKIN. 41:G S WOODPECKER. 42:COAL TIT. 43:GOLDCREST. 44:STOCK DOVE. 45:LITTLE OWL. 46:TAWNY OWL. 47:WREN.

5th JANUARY 07 48:BULLFINCH. 49:LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 50:NUTHATCH. 51:LESSER REDPOLL. 52: RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 53:PHEASANT.

8th JANUARY 07 54:HOUSE SPARROW. 55:PIED WAGTAIL. 56:RUDDY DUCK.

9th JANUARY 07 57:JACKDAW.

16th JANUARY 07 58: TEAL

20th JANUARY 07 59: LAPWING.

23rd JANUARY 07 60: GOLDENEYE. 61: BUZZARD.

29th JANUARY 07 62: YELLOW LEGGED GULL.

31st JANUARY 07 63: HERRING GULL.

10th FEBUARY 07 64: SPARROWHAWK. 65:STONECHAT. 66:FIELDFARE.(First seen 2/1/07)

12th FEBRUARY 07 67: GREY WAGTAIL.

26th FEBRUARY 07 68: GOOSANDER. (M)

10th MARCH 07 69: SKYLARK.

17th MARCH 07. 70:MEADOW PIPIT. 71:CHIFFCHAFF.

20th MARCH 07 72:REED BUNTING.

26th MARCH 07 73:LINNET.

31st MARCH 07 74: SHELLDUCK. (m&f)

5th APRIL 07 75:WIGEON. 76: BLACKCAP.

10th APRIL 07 77: COMMON TERN

11th APRIL 07 78: SWALLOW (2)

15th APRIL 07 79: SANDWICH TERN

17th APRIL 07 80: SAND MARTIN. 81: HOUSE MARTIN. 82: GARDEN WARBLER.

20th APRIL 07 83: BLACK-tailed GODWIT.

21st APRIL 07 84: PIED FLYCATCHER.

28th APRIL 07 85: WHITETHROAT.

29th APRIL 07 86: CUCKOO.

30th APRIL 07 87: BLACK TERN. (2)

2nd MAY 07 88: COMMON SANDPIPER. 89: HOBBY.

5th MAY 07 90: SWIFT.

6th MAY 07 91: WHEATEAR.

22nd MAY 07 92: GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL.

5TH JUNE 07 93: LESSER WHITETHROAT

9th JUNE 07 94: EGYPTIAN GOOSE

11th JUNE 07. 95: SCAUP.

23rd JUNE 07. 96: REED WARBLER.

10th JULY 07. 97: SEDGE WARBLER.

6th AUGUST 07. 98: WILLOW WARBLER.

14th AUGUST 07. 99: SPOTTED FLYCATCHER.

19th AUGUST 07. 100: PEREGRINE FALCON.

1st SEPTEMBER 07. 101: YELLOW WAGTAIL.

8th SEPTEMBER 07. 102: WHINCHAT. 103: ROOK.

1st OCTOBER 07. 104: Yellowhammer.

NON COUNTABLES: BARNACLE GOOSE. MUSCOVY DUCK>