April 19th 2009

I suddenly remembered where my camera was in the middle of the night so when we got to Draycote Water I was more than relieved to see it still hanging where I had left it yesterday morning. Earlier we had a quick look at Hill & Flecknoe Rd managing 19 Stock Dove and 2 Red-legged Partridge.
With my happy head on we joined up with the bumbling bears on farborough bank who were putting the final touches to there identification skills before they go to the Isle of Scilly this week and pleased to report they can now separate Pied Wagtail from Mute Swan.
At least 20 adult and 4 immature Little Gulls were counted from farborough bank among the Black-headed Gulls and towards farborough spit we had Great-northern Diver and Greater Black-backed Gull. On the spit were 2 Yellow Wagtail and a Curlew circling overhead before it flew south and biggen bay had plenty of distant Sand Martin, Swallow and House Martins. Also seen were 2 Sedge Warbler.
After breakfast at Long Itchington we moved on to Brandon Marsh which was quiet with male Pochard, 2 Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, a very showy Sedge Warbler in front of the hide and 5 Snipe on east marsh and amongst the many warblers singing at least 6 Cetties and 3 Reed Warblers heard. The visitor centre had Willow Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker on the feeders but as sods law has it we were in the coffee shop when Graham found the 2 Whimbrel.
Butterflies seen at Brandon Marsh were 2 Orange Tip, 4 Small White, Speckled Wood, Comma, 2 Brimstone, 2 Green-veined White and 2 Peacock
Steve Valentine reported a summer plumage Slavonian Grebe in toft shallows in front of hide early evening so got there once I had finished the neighbours garden, but had lost the best of the light so hopefully it will stay for better views tomorrow. Common Pipistrelle bats were on the wing.
Patch News: Bumbling Bears had 3 Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Yellow Wagtail at Napton Reservoir and Clare Johnson had a Grasshopper Warbler at Wolfhamcote.

Richard