February 21st 2009

Early visit to Draycote Water before the crowds arrived then a walk to Woolscott in the valley. Barn Owl flew across the Southam road opposite the entrance with 3 Green Woodpecker in the country park and the café had another good selection of moths on its walls with 3 Dotted Border, 2 Pale Brindled Beauty, 2 Early Moth, and very smart looking Spring Usher. On the birding side 2 Shelduck off inlet and Oystercatcher circling were new arrivals otherwise it was the usual 3 Great-northern Diver, Red-necked Grebe and male Smew. In the valley it was quiet and I struggled until reaching ‘marsland’ which had 50 Chaffinch and single female Brambling. As the morning warmed up 3 Sparrowhawk were displaying, 3 Cormorant flew east, 14 Skylark went west. Also seen were 4 Buzzard, distant Raven and 3 Mute Swan heading for draycote.
Back home 140 Lesser Black-backed Gulls heading north over garden and Sparrowhawk displaying.
Back out again for the roost with John Judge and found a Yellow-legged Gull before being joined by the Hall brothers and Tim Marlow. Apart from adult winter Med Gull we struggled with the light and distance and it was not until the last 30 minutes that things took off when we found adult and second winter Iceland Gull and first winter Glaucous Gull. Another couple of Yellow-legged Gull were also seen plus 12 Goosander, 2 Great-northern Diver, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 20 Fieldfare, 14 Gadwall and Great-spotted Woodpecker. A timely phone call from Mark Philips and his family regarding a Barn Owl perched had us all rushing off for a view before the light went.

Richard