September 25th 2008

The cloud cover we have been experiencing all week is starting to break up and there was a small movement of birds at first light going south over bush hill, Flecknoe with Rock Pipit calling and Jack Snipe the best amongst Meadow Pipit 40, Chaffinch 20, Skylark 15 and a few Blackbirds. The Jack Snipe, my first for the autumn may have been local as it appeared to come off a nearby field.
Unfortunately this movement did not last long so moved on to Draycote Water where I met up with Kevin Grewcock on farborough bank and we enjoyed a Peregrine being mobbed by a Raven after it had attacked he local Starlings and a migrating Rock Pipit feeding on the shore line of the fishermen’s car park.
After Kevin left I met up with Mark Phillips and his good lady so another excuse for a coffee and by the time I left the café mid-afternoon the cloud had broken again and the resulting warm spell caused the local Buzzards population to appear and while checking numbers (10 counted) I spotted a dark phase immature Honey Buzzard over lin croft point heading south and had excellent views as it went overhead. I was soon on the mobile to John to gloat – dead chuffed as I thought I missed my chance of seeing one as the influx from last weekend appears to have died down.
Other birds seen included Shag 2, Goosander 3, Yellow Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, a few local House Martins over country park and Thurlaston village and 20 Swallows going west over sewage farm.
PATCH NEWS Kevin had been to Napton on the Hill earlier today and had Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and a Kingfisher. On the way to Draycote he had seen a Merlin near Broadwell.

Richard