March 15th 2009

Dave fancied an early start for owls but we only succeeded in hearing Tawny Owl down the Southam Road then a search of the valley produced 2 Raven, Buzzard and 11 Fieldfare at Grandborough Fields Farm, 2 Red-legged Partridge and 2 Buzzard at Sawbridge and Nethercote gave us another Red-legged Partridge, 2 Buzzard and 8 Tree Sparrow.
Draycote Water had male Wheatear on toft bank, Red-necked Grebe and Grey Wagtail off farborough bank, Oystercatcher by the valve tower and 3 Great-northern Divers out in centre.
After breakfast Lawford Heath had 8 Buzzard and a Yellow-legged Gull adult then on to Brandon Marsh where we failed again to see the Lesser-spotted Woodpecker but saw 4 Shelduck, 3 Oystercatcher, 31 Snipe and 4 Cetties Warblers calling before phone calls from John Judge and Dave Hall had us legging it to the Great Central Walk nature reserve at Newton for the nearby Shawell Kumlien’s Gull which was found on the Warwickshire side by the Hall brothers but in the short time we had it was probably out of view in a dip near the pool so failed to see it. 100+ Wigeon, 2 Shelduck and 4 Buzzard.
Dave had visitors so after dropping me off at home I went back down the valley for a raptor watching session from Bush Hill, Flecknoe and in 2 hours managed 9 Buzzard, 4 Sparrowhawk, and female Merlin plus 23 Wigeon north, 300 Common Gull north, 40 Redwing, 100 Fieldfare, 20 Skylark and Sand Martin north. Cycling back decided to do marsland and found male Brambling, Tree Sparrow, 22 Yellowhammer and a dark female Merlin perched and a male Wheatear along Hill rd.

Richard