December 28th 2008

Although home late I was out early. Down to minus 2 overnight with a north easterly wind making it even colder. Entered valley off the A45 via the minor road to Woolscott and watched two Barn Owls intent on hunting so they ignored me and passed just feet away. Another Barn Owl was hunting the county lane from Woolscott to Sawbridge and two more were back of the village before I continued to Wolfhamcote where my sixth of the morning crossed the canal heading towards Flecknoe.
With no chance of a cooked breakfast today a few nips from the hip flask while I took a time out at Wolfhamcote before returning to Sawbridge checking the hedgerows with plenty of Fieldfare and Redwing along with 5 Goldcrests.
Along the Flecknoe Rd there were a few Yellowhammers and Raven near Fox Covet and male Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards at Grandborough Fields Farm. Distant views of Draycote Water showed that it was getting busy so decide to stay in the valley and worked Hill Rd before taking the footpath to the fishing lagoons. Tree Sparrow 4 in Willoughby, Water Rail on the lagoons along with 8 Teal and 20 Golden Plover near Beck Hill was my reward until coming back into Grandborough where 2 Waxwing were perched on wires and trees at the junction of Hill and Grandborough Fields Rd before flying towards the church – yippee a new bird for me in the valley.

Waxwing
Arranged with Dave to meet John and the bumbling bears to do the roost and while waiting for them we had a Great-northern Diver some distance out. (they had Peregrine over country park) Another Great-northern Diver was close in rainbow corner and Dave Hall’s shout of Red-throated Diver was ignored until I realized he was serious and it was even closer so we had stunning views. A first winter, it moved to hensborough bank for awhile then later it was seen in the middle of the roost and someway out. This is my 18th record for Draycote involving 22 individuals and has the privilege of being my 177th bird of the year setting a new draycote record for me and also my 188th bird for the patch. Checking my records only 2 of the 18 have been long stayers so fingers crossed we can keep it till the New Year. What a beauty (Dave not the bird).


Red-throated Diver by john Judge
The hybrid Peregrine with jesses flew past hensborough bank but on the minus side the six of us failed to find anything apart from a single Yellow-legged Gull in the roost and once cold set in and the talk got on to Pete’s superb cooking (makes mince pies you would kill for)it was time to call it a day.

Richard