The six mile bike in freezing fog with poor visibility to Brandon Marsh tested my will power not to turn back so the Barn Owl near the sheep field and flight views of the Bittern a rare and elusive winter visitor in this area over newlands paid dividends to my stubbornness. Also Kingfisher, Water Rail 3, Cetties Warblers 2, Siskin 4, Great-spotted Woodpecker 2, Jay 4, Treecreeper 2, Marsh Tit, Shelduck 2 seen and one Oystercatcher on golf course.
The back lanes from Wolston to Lawford Heath produced a Corn Bunting, a small party of Yellowhammers, roosting Little Owl, Buzzard and Raven. Lawford Heath itself had plenty of Fieldfare, Buzzard 2, Raven 2, Golden Plover 20, and Corn Bunting but no sign of yesterdays reported Grey Plover. The new pool which is back of the fishing pool Coal Pit Lane had Teal Shoveler and Kingfisher. Rookery Farm had 2 Tree Sparrow amongst the Chaffinches and Starlings feeding on the silage and the Collard Dove flock had increased to 75.
Another Raven flew over the A45/M45 junction and Tree Sparrow in Halfway Lane Dunchurch with a few House Sparrows.
Arrived at Draycote Water just as the sun was breaking through which unfortunately did not succeed in burning off the mist, searched toft shallows for any redpoll or siskin but no luck except for flushing a Snipe and Kingfisher. Lesser Scaup male was in toft bay and at least 16 Goosanders. The roost was hard work trying to peer through the muck in a cold easterly wind with only one first winter Med Gull seen off hensborough bank before I moved to the wind surfing area and had two more Med Gulls both in full summer plumage. Some of the larger gulls were in close but no sign of any glauc's. Little Owl flew over hide as I was leaving and Golden Plover heard calling. By the time I got home I had been out in freezing conditions for 13hrs, biked 20 miles, tired, hungry and a cold bum.
Richard
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment