A local roundup

Black necked Grebe, Napton Reservoir, Warks.

Black necked Grebe
Monday 19th Sept 2011

After the relative 'excitment' of the previous week it was very much a return to business as usual. I got a decent walk out of it but not much doing birdwise. There was a nice flock of about 40 Skylarks in the stubble on the Caldecote circuit. A Green Sandpiper is still on the river at Kingsbury, a Kingfisher at Broomey Croft, a Little Egret on the river at Fisher's Mill and a few Ringed plover on Fishers Mill north scrape. There were very few migrants about, only the dwindling numbers of Swallows. A Cetti's at Coton was about the only warbler around.

Tuesday 20th Sept 2011

Having decided not to go twitching the Scillies I settled for Brandon Marsh instead. Bad move some would say. Only time will tell, but it wasnt exactly humming with excitement I must admit. A pair of Dunlin on Teal pool was the best on offer. I had the place to myself, perhaps everyone else is heading for the Isles of Scilly. I moved on to Napton Reservoir to see the Black necked Grebe and then back to Draycote. It was now raining quite heavily and again I had the place to myself. There was quite alot of activity on Farborough and Toft banks with flocks of Pied and Yellow Wagtails, a small flock of Meadow pipits, 2 Wheatear and a Grey Wagtail. On Farborough spit were 2 Dunlin, 2 Ringed plovers and a Greenshank while over the centre of the water was a Juvenile Little Gull, an Arctic tern and a juvenile Black tern.