Delight as rare birds spotted on outskirts of Hatfield

Alex LewisSaturday, May 31, 2014 

12:00 PM

Birdwatchers rushed to a lake on the outskirts of Hatfield last week to see two Temminck’s stints, tiny wading birds very scarce in Hertfordshire.

Birdwatcher Steve Blake found the stints, barely bigger than sparrows, at Tyttenhanger gravel pits, near Colney Heath, on Tuesday morning, prompting a steady flow of enthusiasts to enjoy them, often at very close range.

Chairman of the Herts Bird Club Ken Smith, who lives in WGC, told the WHT: “Imagine Steve’s excitement when he found these birds and realised they were Temminck’s stints.

“This species was last seen in Hertfordshire in 2002, with only a smattering of records before that.

“I think most Herts birders have managed to get good views of the birds before they head off to their tundra breeding grounds in Norway and further north.

“Amazingly the last Temminck’s stints seen in Hertfordshire in 2002 were also at Tyttenhanger.”

The species is named after Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858)

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