January 3rd 2009

It was a mind numbing minus 5.6 on the bike this morning on the way to Draycote Water. I arrived just after first light with good light and no wind so the reservoir was like a mill pond. Three 3 Siskin flew over toft shallows while greys barn had 58 Pochard and toft bay still held a number of gulls including first winter and adult winter Med Gull. At least fourteen Snipe accidentally flushed from toft bay and the Red-necked Grebe, male Smew, two Great-northern Diver (3rd GND off valve tower) and Shag immature were off farborough bank. Distant views of Red-throated Diver from hensborough bank until it started feeding and by predicting where it would go next I was able to follow it with Jeff Rankin and Max Silverman allowing them to photograph it with some success. At one stage it surfaced in front of us just yards for a second before diving again.

Red-throated Diver by Max Silverman

Red-throated Diver by Jeff Rankin

Male Merlin over the country park and other sightings included Fox 2 (old male chasing young male), Lapwing 300, 110 Wigeon, 2 Kingfisher, 420 Canada Geese, Grey Wagtail, Buzzard and Ruddy Duck immature.
On the down side the Sailing club has a lot to answer for. A motor dingy went out for no apparent reason and flushed the birds off the point which caused the Red-necked Grebe and Smew to disappear for awhile.
Did the main gull roost with John Judge hoping for a white-winger but although at times the light was good we failed miserable again – and it was bloody cold. Highlight was all four Great-northern Divers together out in centre with the Red-throated not far away.
The café is now closed – luckily the mobile catering unit on site at weekends was doing a tasty egg and bacon batch.

Richard