Migrants in the rain

For inland birders then this mornings conditions of south east wind and early morning rain were ideal for migration and this was soon borne out when Dave spotted a Short-eared Owl at 7:15am just after our arrival at Draycote Water being mobbed by a group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls above biggen bay and it spent 10 minutes climbing higher to avoid them till it disappeared at 7:25am heading north west. Dave was on the ball again with a “what’s this” shout and I looked up to see 5 Grey Plover (4 in full summer plumage and one in partial summer plumage) as they attempted to land in toft bay before flying off west at 7:45. Other highlights included 12 Common Scoter watched leaving the reservoir at 8:36. They were not sexed and not been seen prior to leaving. Unfortunately we were not having everything our own way as a buzzard flew over toft bay convinced us it was a Honey Buzzard till we finally came to our senses, must have been an optical illusion as it certainly had the jizz.
Also present were Gadwall 13 (a good count for this time of the year), Shoveler 2m & 1 f, Common Sandpiper 2, Oystercatcher, Curlew 3, Common Tern, Wheatear female Yellow Wagtail 4, Goldeneye female, Hobby 2, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Great-spotted Woodpecker and at least 3000 Swift.