November 17th 2007

Me and the bike scrounged a lift to Napton Reservoir early this morning before using the rest of my energy reserves getting to Draycote Water where luckily Bob helped me out and gave me a lift home. Napton had a Little Owl perched on the roof of the stables and a Barn Owl nearby while the reservoir was pretty quiet with only Cetties Warbler and Water Rail noted.
At Draycote Water the male Green-winged Teal was showing in front of the hide in toft bay, Woodcock flushed by the footbridge in toft shallows, Rock Pipit frightened off by the remote controlled grass cutters chugging up and down the bank and flew towards toft bay while the choppy waters made seeing the Great-northern Diver very difficult though it seemed to be favouring the rainbow area today. Other sightings included 2 Raven, 2 Peregrine, 3 Sparrowhawk and 6 Goosander while I missed a Merlin reported by other observers. Both Sprawler and December Moth were on the walls of the visitors centre and at home I trapped Winter Moth and Mottled Umber.

Sprawler

December Moth

Mottled Umber

Winter Moth
all photos by Bob Hazell

Richard