April 1st 2011

I was out early hoping to see the first of a series of passes by the International Space Station over the next few days with the majority graded as good and those tomorrow and on the 5th classed as excellent. Unfortunately today’s pass (06:06) was marred by cloud and tomorrows is predicted to be heavy cloud again but from my sheltered vantage point on the dunsmore ridge I watched a distant Barn Owl hunting in the valley below near the Prison and had a number of wagtails and pipits flying over just after dawn. On my way home 2 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and a Blackcap had joined the dawn chorus.
It was cloudy and windy when Dave and I arrived at the pond this afternoon so worked the sheltered area between visitors centre and start of hensborough bank managing 3 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Brambling on farborough bank, 3 Sand Martin west and a male Wheatear on roof of the sailing club. Met up with Bob and Keith and looked for the Wheatear again and Keith found it on farborough bank joined by another male. By this time it was brightening up and I gave the heads up on a low flying Red Kite working its way towards us down the Southam road crossing over the country park before disappearing out of view mobbed a persistence Crow. Bird had no wing tags.



Earlier Bob had seen quiet a number of Brambling and a migrant White Wagtail

Dave had time to kill so we trawled the valley finding 2 Red-legged Partridge, 8 Stock Dove, 20 Yellowhammer and 10 Golden Plover just yards from the edge of hill rd, 7 were in partial summer plumage, 2 in winter plumage and one summer plumage bird. Later we came across 3 separate flocks of Fieldfare totaling 150 birds, 3 Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk between Grandborough Fields and Flecknoe.

Richard