Little Gulls

On our return from walking to toft shallows Draycote Water, just as the easterly wind picked up a first winter Little Gull arrived to feed on insects off farborough spit at 10:35am to be joined by 3 adult birds at 10:47am when they all left to the west. Earlier we had seen Grey Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Yellow-legged Gull adult and juvenile Wheatear between the visitor center and farborough spit. A couple of chiffys were calling in toft shallows and 100 Great-crested Grebe but no sign of Wheatear on our return. There was a trickle of Swallows heading south and 6 House Martins appeared at mid-day before they also went south. Also noted were 16 Linnets, 45 Wigeon, Pochard, 8 Meadow Pipit and 4 Buzzard.

After lunch a visit to Napton Reservoir only produced 2 Wigeon and 4 Teal and another look at the pond while playing round 15 of the Bilton Scrabble Championship produced sod all apart from grumpy parents and screaming kids.