September 5th 2010

Very little showing as we walked to hensborough bank, Draycote Water early morning in a moderate easterly breeze and only found 4 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin on hensborough bank.
Luckily the large dark juvenile Peregrine which caused chaos among the gulls and shoreline birds stirred things up a treat and the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper flew in with 3 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin but the 4 Little Stint that followed got the jitters when they saw it perched on draycote bank and flew off west, my last Little Stint at the pond was in 2006. Among the remaining gulls after Perry had left were 3 Little Gulls, 2 Black and 2 Common Tern. A Nuthatch and 3 Goldcrests were in Draycote village.
After breakfast we worked Napton on the Hill as there had been a few migrants seen elsewhere yesterday and with the wind now south east and getting cloudier and duller with the prospect of rain things were looking good. What happened over the next 3 hours was magical – first hour of searching produced single Garden Warbler, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher and the briefest views of a Redstart but as the drizzle started we headed for the churchyard where we managed a few Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and 4 Spotted Flycatcher near Church Leys Farm.
As someone was visiting a graveyard it was rude to intrude so had a coffee till they left. When we returned twenty minutes late it was pouring and the place was alive with birds. Over the next hour we had at least 50 Chiff/Willows, 3 Garden Warbler, 15+ Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Goldcrest and 3 Blackcap all busy feeding in the trees of the churchyard, around the gravestones, on the roof of the church and in the flowers left by the graveside but the best was Dave finding a Wood Warbler on a headstone before it disappeared into trees. I have witnessed falls in coastal churchyards but this was something special being inland and on your patch but as soon as the rain stopped and the sun came out they left. Also seen were 3 Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 2 Raven, 10 Mistle Thrush and Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Arrived home to find a Deep Brown Dart in my trap – a new garden and county moth for me.

Richard