February 4th 2011

Wind picked up overnight with gust of up 43mph (and throughout the day) so after Bob came round to photograph an Early Moth that I had trapped overnight and Alceris notana from Dave’s trap the previous night we checked on Draycote Water but nothing new spotted.

Early Moth by Bob Hazell

Alceris notana by Bob Hazell

Difficult walking in the wind so we tried rainbow corner where it was more sheltered with the female Scaup offshore, male Smew off hensborough bank and 20 Goosander on the inlet. Felt sorry for Bob as he waited over an hour for the female Scaup to lift her head but she just slept. Francoise was luckier the day before.

Scaup fem by Francoise Farrington

Behind rainbow corner a very smart looking Buzzard perched attracted the attention of a few Chaffinches and 8 Brambling.

I went out again in afternoon with Dave for a bite to eat at Brandon Marsh via Lawford Heath and Church Lawford. Only a single Tree Sparrow on the heath but the adult Bewick’s Swan remains with the Mute Swan flock (88) at Church Lawford but the wind was blowing us off our feet so did not stay long. All we had at Brandon was Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, 10 Lesser Redpoll

Richard