Images

Ruby Tiger at Draycote Water by Bob Hazell

posing Kingfisher at Draycote Water by Bob Hazell

hope all is well for who ever needed the air ambulance this morning at Stockton Marina taken from the adjacent Napton Reservoir this morning looking for a place to land

Robo wars comes to town

Looked like we stumbled on to the set of robo wars when we arrived at the pond this morning but there was a serious side to the event held by BALI (British Association of Landscape Gardeners) who were hosting a health and safety led event investigating the risks and different methods involved in vegetated embankment management using specialised equipment. Certainly the in place to be if you’re a lawn mower geek.

Unfortunately it meant that disturbance was high along farborough bank so Bob, Keith and myself struggled to nail down a flighty Ringed Plover and never got to grips with a possible Rock Pipit.  After yesterday’s winds the visit was disappointing with just odds and sods seen including Little Egret, 2 Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, 4 of 6 Goldeneye that were present, 2 Pochard and a calling but unseen Golden Plover. There was a massive movement of Wood Pigeon from first light but that petered out as the breeze got up and included a few winter thrushes and skylarks. No sign of yesterdays Rock Pipit on hensborough bank.

A birdy pond

A birdy morning between visitor centre and inlet produced no sign of the Red-breasted Mergansers but there were Kingfisher, Little Egret, 3 Dunlin, 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Raven, Sparrowhawk, 3 Jay, 2 Grey Wagtail, immature male Goldeneye, 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker and Rock Pipit though now Napton Reservoir is nearly back too normal water levels it was hard work and all we could find was 5 Teal, 2 Gadwall and 3 Snipe.

Red-breasted Merganser

A very poor visit species wise but 2 immature Red-breasted Mergansers off the sailing club at first light plus Little Egret and Gadwall saved the visit. Nothing of note on Napton on the Hill. Napton Reservoir had 2 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall and 3 Snipe.

Not a lot

Great Skua still at Draycote Water and a Golden Plover circled before heading east. Plenty of vis mig – mainly Redwing, mipits and Skylarks but soon trailed off. Vapourer Moth and adult Yellow-legged Gull at Napton Reservoir.

Brent & Bonxie part 2

 

A very atmospheric start to the day. The Great Skua remained and another Brent Goose dropped in briefly – juvenile this time but both were not very photogenic. Also noted were Kingfisher, Little Egret, 4 Gadwall, 3 Pochard, 2 Grey Wagtail, Raven while biggen bay had a patrolling Peregrine. Missed the Ringed Plover.

Brent Goose and Ringed Plover by Bob Hazell

There had been a few mipits and Skylarks going down the valley but hardly any were seen from Napton on the Hill, plenty of Red Admirals seen – with 9 counted. Napton Reservoir had 8 Shoveler, 2 Teal and 3 Snipe while butterflies included Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Large White and 5 Red Admiral. Another Brimstone was at the old Napton and Stockton Railway Station.

 

Brent and Bonxie

Not quite the day I thought it would be with very little seen on my walk to toft shallows with Bob and Paul apart from plenty of mipits on the banks, a trickle of Skylark going south and a Little Egret in toft shallows. As Paul and I returned passing farborough spit a Brent Goose appeared from nowhere and flew in to toft but then continued east and away. After coffee I joined Bob on hensborough bank where 3 Rock Pipit were present while a thinning of the low cloud produced hundreds of Redwing with 800 over plus the odd starling flock and 200 more Skylark. Song Thrushes were more noticeable today on the deck. Just as we approached the wind surfing area Bob spotted a Great Skua near the inlet before it gave us the run around as it toured the reservoir before spending a bit of time loafing in toft where those present caught up with it. Contrary to pager reports we believe it to be a different bird to the three seen yesterday