January 1st 2009

Happy New Year – again it was minus 3 overnight.
I spent the morning with Dave joined by Mark and Mason Phillips for an early start looking for owls in the Grandborough valley before moving on to a Draycote Water and Lawford Heath hoping to get 2009 off to flying start. Struggled to see any owls till Calcutt and the two Barn Owls we saw were not exactly co-operative while I only managed poor views of a Little Owl going over our heads and a Tawny Owl heard.
Draycote Water next and despite the cold and poor light the occasion brought out some of Warwickshire’s better birders and photographers which was good to see but unfortunately also plenty of those I have had enough of, the kodak fiddlers, armchair leeches, limp wrists brigade and the “where is it” crew. My resolution for 2009 is not to tolerate them - as Vlad the Impaler would say “fetch me a pencil sharpener”. Unfortunatly Dave kept me on a leash and muzzle.
Red-throated Diver proved to be very difficult to find and even more difficult to follow in the gloom while 4 Great-northern Divers showed well along with 2 Shag, 20+ Goosander, Red-necked Grebe, 16 Shoveler, 80+ Wigeon and male Smew.
Eleven of us joined up for breakfast at the A45 Little Chef where we had Mistle Thrush, a few Redwing, Treecreeper and Goldcrest then on to Lawford Heath but only 40+ Skylark and Buzzard worth noting. Did not have time to go to Brandon Marsh so rest of morning spent looking for Waxwing but no luck – just 3 Siskin. Very little seen in my garden despite putting more food out.

Richard