December 29th 2009

Chris accompanied by Neville and Graham gave me a lift to the pond for my monthly walk and with time to kill we walked out to farborough spit managing the male Smew before it disappeared and meeting up with the Hall brothers who put us on to 2 Ruddy Duck. The many Lapwing and Starling below farborough spit were put up by a Peregrine which spent well over 5 minutes patrolling the sky over toft bay before drifting off north. After meeting up with others for a walk in a bitterly cold easterly wind to the valve tower we saw one female Common Scoter distantly, just one Great-northern Diver which stayed on the surface for long periods giving excellent scope views and the male Smew was relocated back at the valve tower. Also around were 10 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 5 Shoveler, 2 Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, 5 Goosander and a Muntjac
We moved on in the afternoon seeing 15 Golden Plover and 3 Buzzard on Lawford Heath but we failed to find any Bitterns or Barn Owls even though we stayed till dark. Did see 2 Buzzard, 2 Kingfisher and another Muntjac.
Excellent day lads and thanks for the laughs.

Richard