April 30th 2009

I did a quick tour of Draycote Water before my scheduled walk started and managed 2 Common Tern, Whimbrel and Shelduck. Unfortunately the forecasted rain arrived as soon as we started to walk out to toft bay but luckily the hardy four that attended were rewarded with the amazing site of single Yellow, Pied, Blue-headed and White Wagtail all together on toft bank. The Blue-headed is a different bird to the one that I possibly had earlier in the week – less yellow on front and this was also noted by Lee. The Shelduck was still present and the Common Terns had increased to 5 with 100+ Swift overhead. Lee Johnson managed to get the group to hear the Grasshopper Warbler though it was out of my hearing range and the only other bird of note were 4 Buzzard.
Stuck around till mid afternoon finding 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Common Sandpiper hoping the rain would lift but in the end I gave in.

Bob Hazel relocated the Blue-headed and took this record shot in the pouring rain.

Richard