March 24th 2008

Hip giving me jip but managed to hobble up the road to nearby Cockrobin Plantation in the snow showers. The wood itself was very quiet apart from a few Goldfinches and a calling Chiffcahaff. Back home my restocked feeders are doing overtime in this cold spell with Brambling 2, Bullfinch 2, Tree Sparrow, Jay, Magpie 5, Reed Bunting female, Collard Dove 4, Song Thrush, Wood Pigeon 5 while over garden the Sparrowhawk has been over three times and another or same bird displaying. This afternoon my neighbour offered a lift so we went round the valley with a flask of coffee and plenty of sandwiches. One Corn Bunting with the finch flock on the silage barns just out side Willoughby and two Stonechat near Grandborough Fields along with a Little Owl. Other birds noted in area were Buzzard 4, Skylark 8, Fieldfare 20, Raven 2, Reed Bunting 6, Yellowhammer 17, Sparrowhawk and Red-legged Partridge 4. (missed the two Wheatear on Hill Rd and the 150 Golden Plover, thanks for e-mail Marcus) Stopped at Napton on the Hill for coffee near the churchyard and had Goldcrest 2, Willow Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker then hobbled to Windmill seeing Fieldfare 5 and Sisking 2 going north. The walk back to car was slow but magical when a female Merlin flew on to a fence post in front of us to preen and back at the churchyard a migrating Rock Pipit was on the path before flying towards village, no doubt brought down by the snow showers. On the way back to Rugby we had a Barn Owl fly across road in daylight which was not unexpected considering the weather we are experiencing and we looked Draycote Water for forty minutes from the comfort of the car parked in the sailing club area and managed adult Kittiwake, two adult summer Med Gulls and two first winter Little Gulls plus another Rock Pipit and my first Common Sandpiper of the year which walked past the car feeding along the shore line towards the cafe. My neighbour now thinks this birdwatching lark is great fun and dead easy - I wish. Biggest shock of the day was brushing snow off my moth trap and finding Small Brindled Beauty - new for garden and it was minus one last night.

Richard