Draycote Water

The Island @ Draycote Water

Its been several weeks since i've been out birding. Unfortunately, i'm off sick from work, under treatment, and it was felt that I would benefit from a walk in the fresh air. I decided to walk to Farborough Spit and it felt really strange, and took me quite a while to get used to being out and about. Initially, I felt really tired but soon picked up in the breeze. 

The water levels are still very low and the "island" is still visible. The downside is that the waders are distant.

Viewing was not easy with a brisk south westerly wind which probably accounted for the presence of a Manx Shearwater, which chose to stay distant, in the centre of the reservoir. Farborough Bank and Spit produced a good variety of waders, some of which seemed to appear out of nowhere, only seconds after the area had been searched! The bank and spit produced a single Common Sandpiper, a well hidden Turnstone, two Greenshank, a Ruff, c11 Dunlin, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, c7 Yellow Wagtails, one Wheatear, a Knot and a Little Stint (my first for Warwickshire!). Overhead amongst the numerous House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows, were at least five Swifts.

Getting out in the fresh air and a number of quality birds definitely helped.

Turnstone

Ruff

Greenshank

Knot

Wheatear

Little Stint