April 3rd 2011

I woke feeling woe is thee after yesterdays efforts but dragged my sorry ass down to the bottom of the garden for the 5:15am space station pass and it turned out to be a cracker as it appeared over Brest, France and lost it over Leipzig, Germany in clear sky’s. Tawny Owl, Fox and Curlew all heard.
Dave picked me up 6:30am and we gave the Southam road grassy field a check with Raven, Great-spotted Woodpecker and 10 Graylag noted.
As soon as the pond was open we dived in to check for migrants before the runners and cyclists flush them off and even though the car park was empty 4 runners had beaten us. The walk out to farborough spit produced 2 first summer Little Gulls, 2 Willow Warbler and 2 male Shoveler before the mist rolled in and visibility disappeared. When it lifted an hour later a male Wheatear appeared on farborough bank and 12 Swallow joined 30+ Sand Martins.
After breakfast we tried Napton on the Hill but could only manage 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and Great-spotted Woodpecker near the church with nothing in the quarry due to disturbance from landowners. Overhead was a different matter with a steady passage of Swallows heading north plus 15 Raven and 30 Buzzard.
On our way home we called in to the Just So café by the canal bridge to get acquainted with the cook and her exceedingly good cakes again now she is open for the season.
Moths have been good all week though the variety has been limited so Dave’s Brindle Beauty was worth Bob photographing then ended the week going to Brandon Marsh to see the male Pied Flycatcher that had been found earlier in the day and a poor views of the long staying Spotted Crake as I had nodded off.

Richard