January 17th 2010

Short trip out today for the Bewick's Swans off the Bretford/Church Lawford Rd (A428)only 1 visible with the other 16 on the opposite side of the rd in the dip! so headed off back into the Grandborough valley for another crack at the Great Grey Shrike, the bird was showing well but just to distant for any photos,will have to try again prob Tues & hope it's 3rd time lucky?

10th January 2010

The chance of a Warks tick in the form of a Great Grey Shrike in the Grandborough Valley finally tempted me out for the 1st time in 3 wks a quick phone call to Dog for details on the bird & road conditions & i was on my way to pick Rich up 1/2 hr later & some fun driving down Hill rd (Skating rink) we pulled up behind several other birders cars & made the short yomp upto the assembled mini twitch! after about a 1/2 hr wait the call went up,showed well but distant but neverless a new Warks bird putting me on 232 for the county!! other birds seen upto 600 Linnet & female Merlin.
Dropped into Draycote on the way home for a few Year ticks with 2 Great Northern Divers & 3 ad Yellow Legged Gulls being the highlights

19th December 2009

Took the chance of a local trip to Long Lawford this morning looking for the Great White Egret no sign when we got there so decided to head over to Draycote Water where we were soon watching the drake Smew & 1 of the 2 Great Northern Divers present along the Farboro bank also 1 Dunlin showing well on Toft bank we then made our way around to Draycote bank for the Slavonian Grebe found by Colin Potter & Richard Mays (turned out to be a Black-necked Grebe, tut tut)also from Draycote bank the 2nd Great Northern Diver & 1 female Common Scoter

21st November 2009

Shustoke Res

After getting the call from Tom Perrins this morning letting me know the Great Northern Divers were still present I decided to get up & forget about my sleep till later (Nights last night) gave Rich Dawkins a call & we headed over, the Juv was showing in the corners to the left of the carpark then a call from Archie Archer to say the adult summer bird was showing well at the other end had us making our way down to try for a few shots!!

19th November 2009

Shustoke Res

2 txts (cheers Tom & John) in a matter of mins alerted me to the fact a juv Great Northern Diver was at Shustoke Res,Warks,with being on lates i wasnt overly fussed as we get them annually at Draycote but when Tom Perrins txt aagain to say a 2nd bird was present & was in near full summer plumage that was a different matter!! 20 mins later with the help of Steve Haynes & Lee Johnson (the finder) i was soon watching this cracking looking bird (No photos just hope it stays until the W/E)

15th November 2009

Headed over to Draycote Water again this morning with Rich (Tricky Dicky) Dawkins with the intention of getting some better shots of the drake Green-winged Teal (better shots obtained but still need to get the sun over my shoulder!!) other birds present Raven,Ruddy Duck,Goldeneye,Tufted Duck (numbers picking up again)4 Goosander & 1 Great Northern Diver (not seen by myself but deffo there!!)

12th November 2009

With not much about locally & the weather due to change i decided to head over to Draycote Water again whilst on my way a txt came thru from John Judge saying that a drake Green-winged Teal had been found in Toft (Yet another good find by Bob Hazell) The bird is probably last winters returning bird!! good views if not a little distant & into the sun not making it ideal for good pics

6th November 2009

Draycote Water,Warks

A call from John Judge (Draycote Recorder)had me gathering my camera gear & making haste to the water for a Purple Sandpiper (Rare in Warks!! 1st since 87 i believe? )& a Warks County bird for myself also present 5 Dunlin & 4 Shelduck

29th October 2009

Staines Moor,Surrey

Travelled down again today to see if I could obtain any photos with Rich Dawkins & John Liggins on arrival the bird popped up in the bushes not to far away on the N of the River enabling a few shots to be taken with my Sigmonster (300-800mm)with 2x converter on!! Well worth the 2nd visit the bird continued to show on & off for the next hour or so but somewhat more distant.

17th October 2009

Staines Moor,Surrey

found myself travelling South today for the Brown Shrike in Surrey with Rich Dawkins today good but distant views also 200+ Ring-necked Parakeets & 150+ Red Kites on the journey there & back the only spoil of the day was breaking down on the M25 (not recommended)

8th & 9th October 2009

2 mornings spent at Draycote Water with the Lesser Scaup giving superb views with other highlights being 3 Twite,fem Red-breasted Merganser,Black-necked Grebe,2 Rock Pipit,1 Yellow-legged Gull,4 Swallow & 5 Redwing

1st October 2009

Yet again i find myself back over at Draycote Water with the highlights being Yellow Wagtails (good No's) Rock Pipit & a ad eclipse drake Lesser Scaup (found by Bob Hazell)

20th September 2009

Draycote Water yet again with juv Ruff,1 Bar-tailed Godwit,Dunlin,Ringed Plover & Pectoral Sandpiper all still present

19th September 2009

Draycote Water again with 1 Juv Ruff,2 Ringed Plover,1 Bar-tailed Godwit & the Pectoral Sandpiper

14th September 2009

Draycote Water

A trip over to Draycote Water this morning straight from my Nightshift for the Pectoral Sandpiper,the bird was soon located in Toft along with 3 Dunlin & 1 Juv Ringed Plover

27th August 2009

Dozens of House Martin over the pool with a few Swallow mixed in. 95 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag and a flock of Goldfinch this afternoon.

Colin Green.

16th August 2009

A good mix of summer migrants at the pool this morning with 1 Spotted Flycatcher (at the back of the pool), 10+ Willow Warblers, 40+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows and 1 Swift. Other highlights were 1 Little Owl, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 120+ Canada Geese.

Alan Ramsell

9th August 2009

A quick walk around the pool today produced at least 4 Reed Warbler several Willow Warbler,good numbers of both Swallow & House Martin,1 Kingfisher,1 Yellow Wagtail & 2 Common Buzzard

(Dave Hutton)

24th June 2009

1 Common Tern, several House Martin and Swallow, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting and 2 singing Reed Warbler were best of the bunch this evening.

Colin Green.

2nd June 2009

Quiet this evening. Reed Warblers calling from cover, a large family group of Blue Tit in trees at the end of the pool and a number of Wren and Reed Bunting were the best of the bunch. Only a couple House Martin above the pool.

Colin Green.