May 4th 2009

The second morning in a row I wished I’d put the thermals on as I cycled out at 4am and it was down to 3 degrees but at least the wind had dropped a little as I walked the footpath from Toft to Sutton’s Spinney and Beck Hill then on to the sewage farm at Draycote Water before walking to toft shallows and up to Toft and Trog.
The first mile was dark and quiet and I was more intent on keeping warm but a Barn Owl hunting in the distance finally slowed me up and as it got lighter the dawn chorus produced Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, and a few of the commoner warblers trying to be heard.
The lagoons had very little but a welcome brew sheltered by a small spinney gave me a chance to enjoy close views of Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Great-spotted Woodpecker and my first valley Cuckoo of the year. As I walked east I was surprised to flush a Short-eared Owl and watched it for five minutes before it settled and I left it alone to continue its rest – no doubt a late migrant. By the time I arrived at Draycote Water it was raining lightly and other birds of note seen were 2 Red-legged and 2 Grey Partridge, Sedge Warbler and 6 Lapwing.
A visit to Draycote Water on a bank holiday Monday is never recommended but the overcast conditions had kept the lica brigade to a minimum. Male Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail on toft bank and 3 Common Tern in toft bay along with a sleeping female Pintail while overhead there plenty of Swift and 3 Whimbrel flew over heading west.
Back home and as I prepared for tonight’s mothing session in the south of the county a steady movement of martins and swallows was noted over the garden with 10 House and 46 Swallows mainly in singles or pairs all coming from the south east around mid-day and also 3 local Swifts patrolling over.