August 28th 2011

With the heavy rain overnight & with the wader passage starting to gather pace it was another trip to Draycote water this morning, heading anti-clockwise around along Farborough bank to the spit where i had 4 Dunlin,2 Little Ringed Plover & several Ringed Plover onto Toft where there were 3 Greenshank & a cpl of Common Sandpiper, a full walk round & i was starting to wander if i'd made the right choice when i caught sight of a small wader with 4 Little Ringed Plover just off Hensborough Bank a fine adult Little Stint!!!

August 21st 2011

After doing the Birdfair on Saturday & meeting up with some old & new friends Sunday was to be a relaxing few hours up in Lincs again doing dragonflies at Crowle Moor,the only downside was a camera van on the bloody M180 that i went past (No doubt the 3points & fine are in the post even though i were only doing about 76mph max!!) but the Dragonflies showed well to make up for the pain! with Common & Ruddy Darter,Black Darter (which was the target) Migrant,Southern & Common Hawker all giving good flight views!!

Black Darter (male)

(female)

Common Darter (imm male)

Southern Hawker (female)

 Migrant Hawker (male)

August 19th 2011

Decided to head up north again today after seeking permission to gain access to Toft Newton Reservoir for the Juv Temminck's Stint (with great thanks to Dean Eades for all his help & Andy the bailiff for his warm welcome) A cracking day with over 700 photos taken (most deleted) a cracking place but difficult due to the suns position in relation to the bird for most of the morning untill late afternoon by which time i'd left to avoid the W/E traffic!!!

August 9th 2011

Well i finished my night shift & couldn't sleep (prob due to the fact they were outside resurfacing the carpark with the Wacker plate & drill in full flow i decided to head out for the day (good job it just happened to be my night off!!!) destination Draycote again!!!!
On arrival i headed straight for Farborough spit & was soon watching ad Sanderling (fresh in) 2 Ringed Plover,3 Little Ringed Plover & 3 Dunlin (1ad 2juv) a few pics taken then a call from Bob Hazell had me off around to the Picnic area by the sailing club where y'days Blk-tailed Godwit had relocated! Other birds seen today inc The Wood Sandpiper in Toft, 2 Green Woodpecker,1 juv Wheatear,Yellow Wagtail & 1st summer Yellow-legged Gull............

Dunlin

 Sanderling

 Little Ringed Plover (juv)

Sanderling

Little Ringed Plover

 Ringed Plover

Black-tailed Godwit

 Green Woodpecker

August 8th 2011

Typical 2 wks off work & all quiet on the birding front locally & nationally 1st day back & i get a txt of JJ (John Judge) letting me know that a Wood Sandpiper is showing on Farborough Spit,Draycote water,thankfully ive got a cpl of hrs to spare so off i shot off & quickly connected with the bird thanks to Bob Hazell & Bob Duckhouse who pointed me in the right direction having forgotten me bins!!! Just as they were leaving Bobby D informed me that a summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit was at the inlet (Bugger only about a 1 1/2mile around the water) couldnt resist so off i went having good but distant views a short conversation with the boys & we came to the same conclusion this was of the form Islandica & with time not on my side had to leave ready for my shift!! cpl of pics below...........

Wood Sandpiper

Black-tailed Godwit (Islandica)

August 1st 2011

Well i thought i'd better get out & do a bit of birding before people start to think i've given up so headed over to Draycote Water to have a look for the Red-breasted Merganser Kevin Groocock had found the previous day! a short while later sure enough the bird was perched up out of the water with the Canada Geese off Farborough spit (a nice eclipse male) also seen were 6 Dunlin,3 Little Ringed Plover & several Yellow Wagtail & 2 Juv Wheatear...................