Rock, Earl and A426 closure

The visibility down the valley this morning was the best its been for a few days as we watched a couple of Chiffchaff and 3 Tree Sparrow on the Baseley Smallholding while 1000s of gulls flew over after leaving their roost,.

Draycote Water had Rock Pipit, Wheatear, 6 Grey Wagtail (all six on farborough bank) 30 Meadow Pipit and a flyover Ringed Plover as we walked to toft bank. All though there was very little vis mig going on apart from the odd Skylark and 5 Swallow we did notice six large groups of Jackdaws (200+) mostly heading south east over the reservoir and across the valley very purposefully so possibly migrants but I don’t know enough about covid migration to be certain. Normally there are plenty of local Jackdaws moving around to different feeding areas but they soon come down. Also noted were 25 Siskin on the north bank, male Common Scoter, 8 Gadwall and 16 Wigeon.

Napton on the Hill had 4 Jay, 4 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff but I missed the Ravens and Buzzards and a few other odds and sods as I fell fast asleep on the bench in the churchyard, also 8 Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Vapourer Moth.

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

At last we have a steam train going through the patch this Saturday (fingers crossed) after a long period of industrial dispute which curtailed many excursions nation wide.

Saturday 13 October 2012
GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 no 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

Steam hauled: Birmingham Moor St-London Marylebone Station – non-stop

Birmingham Moor St	d 09:57
Tyseley	10:02
Dorridge	10:12
Hatton	10:19
Leamington Spa	10:28
Fenny Compton	10:39
Banbury	10:49
Aynho Jc	10:54
Bicester North	11:03
Princes Risborough	11:18
Saunderton	11:21
High Wycombe	11:26
Gerrards Cross	11:34
West Ruisilip	11:38
Wembley Stadium	11:46
Neasden South Jc	11:47
London Marylebone	a11:56

A426 Southam Road

The section between Dunchurch and Draycote Water will be closed to traffic from the 15^th to 23^rd October. Draycote Water will remain open but can only be accessed from the Southam end. Notification on diversions has not been announced yet.