Brandon 1st!

Harry Potter Studio Tour!
With all efforts concentrated on a superb birthday Harry Potter weekend with my wife Dee we simply couldn't resist a text from JR that came through on route home from London this afternoon. '♀Smew on East Marsh Pool'

The last Smew recorded at Brandon Marsh was November 2004 and was also a Redhead and thankfully by the time we arrived at the Wright Hide she was still on site. In fact thanks to Dee we had it in the scope shortly after arriving, job done and a first for me at Brandon!

Having birding withdrawal symptoms I also a managed a dusk visit to Napton Reservoir this evening, something I haven't managed for a considerable time. I was hoping for a good Starling roost and despite a few thousand passing through during my stay all the birds moved through. Around 150 Fieldfare came through before moving off to roost elsewhere and plenty of Jackdaw were making their way to the nearby Calcutt Spinney.

Thousands of Gulls also moved through on route to the Draycote roost with a number of Pied Wagtails heading the other way towards the Marina roost. The water itself contained of interest: (60+)Wigeon, (14) Great-Crested grebe, (11) Gadwall, (6) Teal and thankfully with the muddy areas still in tact despite last nights downpour I managed (21) Snipe before darkness fell. Finally, a word of warning to anyone visiting!! There's now a huge BULL in the adjacent field at the top end of the reed bed so beware!!