Monday 5 January 2009

January 5th 2009

A light snow shower along with icy conditions overnight made cycling a little cautious this morning.
Returned to Lawford Heath to check out the Yellowhammer flock and rewarded with 67 counted along with 4 Corn Bunting, 5 Reed Bunting and 30+ Chaffinch being harassed by a female Merlin. A Marsh Tit was a welcome find and there’s little open water left due to the big freeze so it was not a surprise to find the semi-resident Shelduck in adjacent field. Also seen in area were Raven 2, Buzzard, 50 Skylark, 23 Linnet, 150 Collard Dove and 4 Red-legged Partridge.
Moved to Cawston Woods where my efforts found Woodcock, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker and 3 Treecreeper but had to work hard for them.
Back home the extra food put out has finally paid off with 2 female Siskin making it to my feeders.
Draycote Water this afternoon was bright cold with snow flurrys.In addition to the regular Red-necked Grebe, Red-throated Diver, 4 Great-northern Diver, male Smew, and 2 first winter Shag the elusive first winter male Scaup first reported on new years day made an appearance in toft bay. Tried the roost from dunns bay and many of the gull were in close and in excellent light most of the time and managed 4 adults and one first winter Yellow-legged Gull, adult Caspian Gull, adult winter Med Gull and just before I gave up with the temperature dropping to below freezing. A Water Rail was in the eastern corner of biggen bay skulking under the shoreline bushes. Also seen were the Common Sandpiper, Willow Tit, 120 Wigeon, Kingfisher, 6 males and 3 females Shoveler and 18 female and 9 male Goosander.

Richard

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