Red-necked Grebe by Steve Seal
Heavy overnight rain produced lots of surface water and caused flooding in the grandborough and leam valleys. Managed to get some detailed sketches and notes of 'leo' so hope I can get a painting completed next week.
Arrived at draycote to 70+ Siskin in toft shallows and a Grey Wagtail. By the time I located the Lesser Scaup still playing peek a boo under the willows in grays barn there were many birders out looking for the Red-necked Grebe but it was giving eveyone the run around till Steve Seal found it off outlet and tracked as it paddling across the pond till it showed really well off farnborough bank. A few of us went for coffee and chat and you have never seen so many birders move so fast when Bob Hazell texted the finding of a Great-northern Diver by Pete and Linda Price off picnic area. Unfortunately there was some heavy sailing going on and took awhile to locate it close to draycote bank towards valve tower but it became very elusive. Male Smew by valve tower. Other sightings included Kingfisher 2, Buzzard 3, Redshank flying down the flooder River Leam from Hensbough bank a brief visit from a first winter Glaucous Gull and 200+ mixed flock of Redwing and Fieldfare in fields behind farnborough spit.
A cold wait for the gull roost which was slow to build up but managed a first winter Glaucous Gull (same bird?) which a few birders got on to and by dusk had managed 10 adult and 4 first winter Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 adult Caspian Gulls and adult Iceland Gull. As I left the Great-northern Diver was feeding and preening out in centre.
Of interest (to me) the Great-northern Diver is my 28th record involving 54 birds, the 5th for an arrival in January and has been on my Draycote year list now 28 out of the 32 years I have been doing the place.
Richard
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