Transit but not much else

The Venus transit early this morning was a disappointment despite the clear sky’s overhead due to cloud cover on the horizon and I only managed a very poor brief view through a veil of cloud. Down the Grandborough valley an hour later with Dave we had the unusual record of 19 Lapwing flying north but again no Quail heard – possible Corn Bunting, 6 Tree Sparrow and a single Great-spotted Woodpecker for our efforts. Draycote Water was even more dire with single Common Tern, 26 Graylag, 23 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Common Gull plus hundreds of Swifts. A Raven and Buzzard flew over the Long Itchington diner and only sighting of note at Brandon Marsh was a Cuckoo on the dead tree and 2 young Cettie’s Warblers feeding out in the open in front of Carlton Hide. Plenty of Beautiful Demoiselle out along with our first for the year Red-eyed Damselflies.