Rain stopped play

After a clear night with a very bright full moon there was a little bit of vis-mig first thing with Jay, 12 Skylark and my first 4 Redwings of the autumn over the garden before the rain clouds started to build up from the south east. After yesterday’s birdy efforts Bob and I were hoping for a similar day but the rain came in as soon as we arrived and we could not find any new arrivals. At least 4 Rock Pipit still including one with no tail and one of yesterday’s Wheatears. Only other birds of note were 2 Little Egret, 7 Raven, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Jay. Met up with Paul, Martyn and Bob H and listened to their tales of birding on Shetland last week. They had some stonkers but nothing I needed though their pictures certainly made you wish you had been there.


Little Egret by Bob Hazell

Wheatear by Bob Hazell

Rocky 6

Draycote was cool and blustery this morning but at least it stayed dry for our visit and by the time we left it had been very birdy. A Marsh Harrier briefly showed over the perimeter tree line as it flew over the fields opposite the entrance flushing many duck, 100 Lapwing and 3 Golden Plover. At least 6 Rock Pipit were dotted around the reservoir along with 3 Grey Wagtail and 2 Wheatear. The various Tufted Duck flocks contained 2 Pochard and a female Pintail while overhead there were 2 House Martin, single Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and 2 Snipe with 2 more in toft shallows. Other sightings included Water Rail, Kingfisher, 8 Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff and 9 Raven. The Raven count does not include those seen near or over Napton on the Hill due to excellent visibility which would have added another 20+ to the count.

as usual my thanks go to Bob Hazell for sharing his pics

Rain and Wind

Despite the heavy rain and blustery conditions we managed Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Common Tern, 5 Grey Wagtail and 2 Little Egret at Draycote Water this morning on our walk to toft shallows. Decided to visit Napton Reservoir before going home to dry but with the wind in our faces it was not pleasant. Only 2 Shoveler and 3 Snipe for our efforts.

Pintail

Eight Pintail and 15 Skylark over Draycote Water this morning plus 2 Little Egret. Napton Reservoir had 6 Snipe, 10 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 11 Raven, 2 Swallow, 2 Wigeon and 5 Shoveler plus single Vapourer Moth and 5 Red Admiral.

GCW Autumn Steam Gala

The Great Central Railway were holding their annual Autumn Steam Gala at Loughborough with 9 engines in action so a great day out despite the heavy rain at times which thankfully did not stop the crowds attending in good numbers. Eventually the sun came out.

a damp Loughborough Station

BR 2MT No 78019

Standard BR 9F 2-10-0 No 92214

 

having been watered and coaled 92214 leaves Loughborough with a freight train

platform 2 Loughborough Station

sidings west of Loughborough Station
 

Mallow & Swallows

Not a lot going on at Draycote Water with 2 Little Egret, 6 Pochard and a Grey Wagtail so luckily Napton Reservoir was a lot more active with plenty of birds about. At least 12 Snipe, 40 Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Blackcap, 5 Song Thrush, 10 Reed Bunting and a single Shoveler. A Mallow in my moth trap was totally unexpected and is my 324^th macro moth for the garden bringing my total garden moth list to 592.

Mallow by Bob Hazell

Odds & Sods

Draycote Water had a Golden Plover circling overhead on our arrival, 5 Swallow. Rock Pipit, Little Egret, Pochard, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Sparrowhawk with a small vis mig of Skylark and Meadow Pipits while Napton Reservoir had a very chunky Peregrine, 11 Raven, 5 Buzzard, 4 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Snipe and Whinchat which today was very elusive. Plenty of Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers still on the wing around plus single Common Blue Damselfly, 3 Vapourer Moth and Small Copper. Two Raven over the garden mid-afternoon and a Green-veined White flew through. Yesterday Skylark Farm, Staverton had an Old Lady that was flushed out of the grass in to the Chicken pens, Wheatear, Jay, Buzzard, Raven and 1000s of Wood Pigeon in fields opposite the entrance looking towards Flecknoe and Millholm Parc had 5 Buzzards all going over high south west in singles in a 10 minute period plus 10+ Tree Sparrows by the hide.