Happy New Year

Wishing everyone and especially my loyal supporters a very

Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Good Birding!

 

Draycote Water

My second day off in a row and my second soaking! Still, if you don't go out you might miss something special. Today, I just got wet! I walked to Farborough Spit but the only birds of note were the juvenile Shag on the small island and three Dunlin on the spit. Through the gloom, I only managed images of one of my favourite ducks, the Goldeneye.

Happy New Year & Good Birding!

Todays Sightings:

Great Crested Grebe; Dabchick; Cormorant; Shag;Grey Heron; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Greylag Goose; Wigeon; Mallard; Teal; Tufted Duck; Goosander; Goldeneye; Coot; Moorhen; Dunlin; Lapwing; Black Headed Gull; Common Gull; Herring Gull; LBB Gull; GBB Gull; Wood Pigeon; Pied Wagtail; Dunnock; Blue Tit; Starling; Magpie; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow; Rook; Chaffinch; Linnet; Blackbird; Redwing; Fieldfare.

 

 

Wishing everyone and especially my loyal supporters a very

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

 

Good Birding!

A Shag at Draycote Water!

Not really as interesting as the title suggests! On my way back from Napton Reservoir, I called in at Draycote and walked to Farborough Spit. Meeting up with Bob H and Richard M, they soon had me onto a Shag, distant, and between the two islands.

These two should have gone to Specsavers - obviously not seeing the many No Dogs Allowed signs! Or maybe they thought the sign only applied to other people's dogs?

A pleasant but quiet local days birding.

Here come the Gulls!

I was tempted to head to Eyebrook Reservoir in search of the drake Green Winged Teal, but instead, decided to stay local and visit Napton Reservoir. The day was mild, sunny and "spring like"! Napton held all the expected birds plus c7 Common Snipe. Having scanned the water, with nothing too exciting, I decided to concentrate on some of the common species. A day list can be found at the end of this post.

The Graceful Mute Swan

Fieldfare

Here come the Gulls!

Black Headed Gull

Mallard in Flight

Coot





Todays Sightings:

Mute Swan; Great Crested Grebe; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Kestrel; Wigeon; Dabchick; Coot; Moorhen; Black Headed Gull; Wood Pigeon; Green Woodpecker; Common Gull; Canada Goose; Skylark; Pochard; Pied Wagtail; LBB Gull; Gadwall; Dunnock; Wren; Snipe; Blue Tit; Blackbird; Teal; Shoveler; Starling; Collared Dove; Redwing; Robin; Great Tit; Fieldfare; House Sparrow; Chaffinch; Goldfinch; Magpie; Rook; Greenfinch; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow; Bullfinch.

Christmas Greetings

 

Wishing everyone and especially my loyal supporters a very

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Eyebrook Reservoir

My target bird today was the Green Winged Teal at Eyebrook Reservoir, which unfortunately had other ideas and despite several hours searching, eluded my efforts!

The best birding experience was a Peregrine that took a fancy to a Lapwing. The Lapwing, in flight, escaped the Peregrine, but the pair gave an aerial display lasting several minutes that fighter pilots would have been proud of!

Eyebrook at the moment is a great place for waterbirds with large numbers of Pintail, the Whooper Swan, and at least eight White Fronted Geese. It was great just scanning the waterfowl, in the hope of something special!

Waders included six Ruff, five Dunlin and a Green Sandpiper.

Overhead, Buzzard, Peregrine, Kestrel, Red Kite and Raven.

It was a great day bird watching but was not a good day for photography! Unfortunately, you cannot get close to the birds, but with low water, you are even further away!


Whooper Swan

White Fronted Geese

Todays Sightings:

Red Kite; Mute Swan; Wigeon; Cormorant; Mallard; Teal; Tufted Duck; Rook; Great Crested Grebe; Canada Goose; Magpie; Grey Lag Goose; Whooper Swan; Gadwall; Jackdaw; Goldeneye; Peregrine; Grey Heron; Pheasant; Pochard; Coot; Ruff; White Fronted Goose; Shoveler; Lapwing; Dunlin; Herring Gull; Black Headed Gull; Pintail; Carrion Crow; LBB Gull; Green Woodpecker; Green Sandpiper; Dunnock; Wren; Buzzard; Kestrel; Pied Wagtail; Red Legged Partridge; Common Gull; Wood Pigeon; Moorhen; Fieldfare; Robin; Long Tailed Tit; Blue Tit; Blackbird; Redwing; Raven; Starling; House Sparrow; Great Tit; Bullfinch; Chaffinch; Goldfinch; Linnet.

Pintail - Draycote Water

Pintail are always nice to see, so two males and a female were a pleasing bonus!

Red Breasted Merganser - Draycote Water

It took some finding, but eventually the female Red Breasted Merganser was located between the Inlet and Valve Tower.

Love is in the Air - Great Crested Grebes - Draycote Water

A super morning and really enjoyable watching these "courting" Great Crested Grebes. Love is in the air!

http://youtu.be/b0kSpfAoyZs