November 26th 2008

I decided that looking for last Sundays Long-eared Owl at Draycote Water early this morning was worth another effort in case the bird was still present.
All though overcast and cold there was little wind and I was lucky enough to have an owl species fly away from me the length of the “lump” but as it was still six o clock and pitched black I did not get enough on jizz to be certain which species. Heard distant Tawny and Little Owl from the direction of nearby Draycote village and scared me self to death when a Badger shuffled past.
Checked the feeders by the ranger’s yard at first light before any disturbance and managed a male and female Brambling, Treecreeper, Willow Tit, and Coal Tit while 3 Green Woodpeckers and 50+ Redwing were in the country park. Would have stayed longer but got cheesed off with birders asking "what yer got" - even sneaked behind a tree for a pee and some pratt followed me.
Out again mid-afternoon for the roost and between the M45 bridge and toft shallows there were 56 Siskin, 3 Lesser Redpoll, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit 16, Goldcrest 3, Wren 5, Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail while toft bay had 2 first winter Med Gulls in the pre-roost in toft bay along with the female Common Scoter. In the main roost off the “steps” the first winter Glaucous Gull arrived at 3:55pm with at least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 first winters and 4 adults) another Med Gull in the form of a second winter and my first female Smew for the winter was seen in flight. Also present were 4 Great-northern Divers, another group of 30 Siskin feeding near the golf course and 17 Goosander. Red-necked Grebe is still present off farborough bank though I did not see it myself and missed the Merlin and Common Sandpiper seen by others.

Richard