Friday 13 November 2009

November 13th 2009

I needed yesterday to recuperate from the Brown Shrike trip so was looking forward to this mornings birding and a little disappointed to find it raining heavily when I woke. Luckily it stopped just after dawn allowing me and Dave a chance to look for owls and visit the pond.
A Long-eared Owl flew over the set-a-side field down the Southam rd and a Little Owl was perched on the roof of a barn along the same road the other side of Kites Hardwick. A quick look at the valley only produced 200 Fieldfare at Nethercote.
A walk out to toft bay, Draycote Water was quiet but we eventually located the male Green-winged Teal found by Bob Hazell yesterday feeding on the shoreline before meeting up with Colin Potter on farborough spit.

Green-winged Teal by Bob Hazell
Only other birds worth noting were a Dunlin, 6 Golden Plover, 4m & 2f Goosander and a Great-northern Diver before we decided to call it quits and head for breakfast at Long Itchington. A search for moths around the visitors centre produced Sprawler which bob Duckhouse kindly photographed for me, 2 Feathered Thorn and December Moth.

Sprawler by Bob Duckhouse
After breakfast we visited Brandon Marsh but apart from 6 Snipe it was very quiet and our visit was not helped by heavy rain.
Late afternoon thousands of gulls flew over my garden heading for the roost at Draycote Water including a first winter Glaucous Gull easily spotted by its biscuit colour against a leaden sky.

Richard

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