Impressive flocks

A very pleasant walk to the inlet at Draycote water in wintery sunshine with a cool easterly breeze meeting up with Paul. Could not locate the merg but 12 Goosander (3 males), Little Egret, Red-crested Pochard, 3 Jay, Raven, 17 Tree Sparrow, and 2 Grey Wagtails made up for it. Interestingly we bumped in to one of the regular walkers we see daily who had photographed the legs of a dead gull (presume LBBG from the little bit of wing seen) Ringed in Jersey with a metal ring No 0698 and a davic ring No 1AN1. Unfortunately STW have been picking up the dead after comments from the public so did not see it ourselves. After breakfast Napton on the Hill could only give us a flyover Grey Wagtail though the churchyard was full of Blackbirds and Redwings. Paul went off to photograph the Tree Sparrows at Millholme Parc while we checked on Napton Reservoir finding 3 Snipe, 2 Raven, 20 Yellowhammer and 10 Reed Bunting. A call from Paul had us diverting on the way home to see a very impressive flock of Stock Dove. Don’t often see large flocks around here so this one of 400 birds was well worth seeing, even better the same field held 150 Skylark and 150 Yellowhammer with a few Chaffinch, Tree Sparrows and Linnets thrown in for good measure.