May 1st 2011

Adult summer plumage Bar-tailed Godwit was in front of the sailing club on our arrival with another seen flying across the reservoir where 5 adult and a first summer Little Gull were taking advantage of the strong north east wind along with 2 Common Tern. Our walk out to farborough bank produced 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Buzzard, 40 Swift and Wheatear then meeting up with Steve he informed us of another 2 Bar-tailed Godwits in toft bay. We hung around chatting to the Bumbling Bears then Dave spotted the sailing club barwit fly off to join 17 others heading towards us and they passed by giving close views as they headed off east at 8:25am.
We moved on to Napton on the Hill where the wind increased and the views fantastic but very few birds about and all we had was 2 Raven, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush and 2 Green Woodpecker while Napton Reservoir produced 2 Hobby and a Common Blue butterfly but little else.
Rested in the afternoon then back down the pond where more barwits went through with a party of 5 at 5pm heading north and 11 east 6pm bringing my day count up to 35 and Common Terns were also on the move with 17 trying to decide whether to leave or not and 5 that did while the bears had 20 go through mid-morning. Other birds included 6 Common Sandpiper, 3 Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover between valve tower and grays barn, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker and Jay.

Richard