August 30th 2010

Another trip over to Draycote this morning after a tip off from JJ that 3 Sanderling were seen late afternoon y'day in Toft,i took the anti-clockwise route around & apart from the large No's of Hirrundine inc 30+ Swift off Farborough bank all was quiet (apart from Draycote bank which was swarming with 1000's of ladybirds) carried on around to Hensborough bank where the wader No's were still impressive with 1 Dunlin,8 Ringed Plover 2ad 6juv,2 Turnstone & 1 Sanderling.

Sanderling





Turnstone



Dunlin



Ringed Plover






Pied Wagtail

28th & 29th August 2010

Headed down to Norfolk on the 28th for the Booted Warbler,but despite the long trek down to Blakeney Point hardly a passerine seen the only birds of note were 10+ Whimbrel,8 Common Scoter,Sandwich Tern,1 Arctic Skua & several Northern Wheatear,Bluethroat was seen but not by myself by the hood!!

Seeswood Pool this morning 29/8/10
1 juv Northern Wheatear was a nice find on the headgerow towards the farm & 2 Kingfisher on the pool but apart from that very little.

Eyebrook Res 29/8/10
A quick trip down to Eyebrook for the Juv Kentish Plover & Pectoral Sandpiper resulted in 2 good Year ticks (though 2 distant for pics)the Kentish Plover being only my 2nd ever in Britain!!! popped into Draycote on the way home but apart from 2 Dunlin & 4 Ringed Plover(2ad 2juv)& a lone Swift very little to be seen!

August 27th 2010

With all the waders appearing to clear out of Draycote over the last cpl of days i decided to yet again (you guessed it) head for Draycote on arrival i was soon watching 3 Little Ringed Plover (Juv) & 1 Ad Ringed Plover of Hensborough Bank & 2 Whimbrel were calling but could i see the buggers? within a few minutes Bob Duckhouse had joined me & informed me that further up was a Juv Knot (Which apparently i would have a field day with my lens!!) also a Blk-tailed Godwit with 3 Redshank over in Biggen Bay,all birds duly seen (Knot was a beauty & Bob was right!!)
Wheatear juv off the inflow several Yellow Wagtails flitting about,then the long walk around to Farborough Bank collecting an impressive 5 Dunlin between Toft Bank & Farborough also a juv Turnstone!! decided to head back for the Knot!!! by the time i got back around to Hensborough the Ringed Plover had been joined by a 2nd adult & then 2 Turnsone dropped in (Not seen Turnstone in Warks for years had 4 diff individuals in a wk now at Draycote) No sign of the Knot on my 2nd circuit so decided to call it a day!
Knot






Turnstone (Hensborough Bank 2)





Turnstone (Farborough Bank Juv)



Great Crested Grebe (Juv)


Northern Wheatear (Juv)



Little Egret

August 22nd 2010

After spending Saturday at the Rutland Bird Fair decided to get out & spend the day at Draycote Water on the Sunday (Knowing full well I wouldnt be able to get out again till the bank holiday W/E due to work)Well worth the visit within 10mins off arriving John Judge had txt me to say they'd been a fall of waders overnight!! nothing rare but at least 8 Ringed Plover,3 Little Ringed Plover,3 Dunlin,2 Ruff & a Ad Turnstone (Summer plumage) my 2nd in the space of a week at Draycote,other birds seen inc 1 Spotted Flycatcher (fishing lodge) Yellow Wagtail,Wheatear (Juv) Farboro bank (Photo highlights below)Also good to catch up with Carl Day,The Bears (been a while) & Di Stone who kept me company for most of the day keeping me topped up with mints etc!!! & not forgetting Bob Hazell & Max ('You hum it i'll name it') Silverman

Ringed Plover (Juv)






Turnstone (Adult Summer moulting)




Lapwing (Juv)


Ruff (Juv)



Egyptian Goose


Yellow Wagtail (Juv)

August 15th 2010

Decided to head over to Draycote Water again this morning with the hope the rain might have dropped something in,decided to head clockwise around upto the valve tower the best birds being Little Ringed Plover,Little Egret,2 Dunlin,2 Common Sandpiper all at the overflow & Lesser Whitethroat & 4 Spotted Flycatcher below Draycote Bank with only Goosander at the valve tower,with the crowds starting to arrive i decided to give up & head for home! I was about 10 miles from Draycote when a txt came thru from John Judge to say there was a Knot on Toft Bank (Bloody typical)a quick about turn at the nxt roundabout soon had me back at Draycote & lumping my gear down to Toft, between the visitor centre & Farborough bank i caught site of a wader a quick scan revealed a Turnstone (Draycote tick) which was then joined by a Ringed Plover cpl of pics later & i was off to Toft where luckily the Knot was still present after about a 1/2 hr search (Photos from the day below)

Knot (Moulting adult)






Great Black-backed Gull


Turnstone



Common Sandpiper


Willow Warbler



Lapwing


Common Tern