August 25th 2010

Draycote Water was smooth as Nuns bum before the impending deluge the weather forecasters have been prattling on about for the last 48 hours.
Did not have time to give the place a proper going over but there seemed to be an overnight arrival of wagtails with plenty of young Pied and 20+ Yellow Wagtails along farborough bank with 4 Swift among the many hirundines remaining from yesterday. The 2 Little Egrets were in toft bay along with Green and 5 Common Sandpiper but the Green left just after 9am and the only other waders were on hensborough bank and there were not many of them – just single Ringed and Little Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin plus 2 more Common Sandpiper. Other bird’s included Peregrine over the Bourton ridge, Egyptian Goose in the field below farborough spit, juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Raven over bunkers hill wood heading for the valley, 2 Buzzard, Gadwall, 10 Teal and 2 Common Tern.

Dunlin by Bob Hazell
The rain finally arrived mid-afternoon bringing down 200 Sand Martin over my garden – all heading south.

Richard