November 8th 2008

Overnight rain cleared with just the occasional rain shower but very blustery. The fields and hedgerow around Grandborough Fields Farm were very active with more thrushes counted than yesterday and a Barn Owl out hunting mid-morning. Also in area were Stonechat male and female, Grey Wagtail, Raven 2, Buzzard 3, Skylark 13 and Brambling 4 plus two Foxes and four Hares. Conditions underfoot for the walk to toft lagoons were pretty soft and hard work but rewarded with a male Stonechat and Little Owl and a diversion to the edge of bunkers wood produced a Marsh Tit the first for area for some time and a Nuthatch.
Arrived at Draycote Water but it was very busy so after a glance at the Red-necked Grebe, Little Owl, Shag and a longer look at the newly arrived Great-northern Diver I cleared off home. John Judge phoned to offer a lift for the roost mid-afternoon and we were on our way when the Bumbling Bears rang to tell us they had two adults and one immature White-fronted Goose so on our arrival we legged it to farborough spit and the geese were still present in the field below. Little Owl was also showing and there are now two Great-northern Divers off farborough bank so that will bring out the county's sofa brigade tomorrow. Bumbling Bears also had a Rock Pipit on toft bank. The roost was gathered off rainbow corner and close but the light was appalling and struggled to find anything until JJ found an adult winter Med Gull just before dark and we had put our gear away.


Richard