November 28th 2010

You can’t beat a good start to the day. -11c
We were down the valley at first light watching the International Space Station (ISS Zarya) pass between Venus and the Moon.
Did not seem much in the valley so moved on to Draycote Water which unfortunately was covered in mist so walked out to the inlet waiting for it to clear.
Once it had lifted there had been influx of wildfowl as the smaller waters locally start to freeze over with a good count of 32 Goosander (6m), 90 Cormorant, 35 Gadwall, 120 Teal, 70 Pochard, 25 Goldeneye and 40 Wigeon among the many Mallard and Tufted Duck. A Redshank was in rainbow corner and 1500 Common Gull still loafing around.
Met up with Colin for breakfast then a walk around Napton on the Hill and if he wasn’t so big and bloody heavy I would wear him as a lucky charm as he found a Waxwing. The bird was on top of an Ash Tree on the right of the lane to the windmill before flying off towards the village, 2 Golden Plover over and hundreds of Redwing and Fieldfare present. Napton Reservoir had very little open water so home and a chance to warm up before doing the roost at Draycote Water where the temperature plummeted but a first winter Glaucous Gull, 2 male Brambling dunns bay and mobile female Smew between rainbow and toft made it worth while.

If going to pond over next few days check its open first and for local mist (caught us out this morning).

Richard