I had hoped for a glimpse of Mercury just prior to sunrise and things looked quite hopeful to start with, a tiny slither of the moon just above the eastern horizon and Mercury due to rise just below. Sadly it wasn't to be as the cloud cover ruled out any possibility just at the wrong time.
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| Grey Wagtail looking very surreal in the froth! |
The marina Pied Wagtail roost was starting to disperse as I walked the perimeter and the Draycote gull roost was also on the move with several flocks passing overhead on route to the days feeding grounds. A quick look at Napton Reservoir before heading to Draycote was a disappointment and so too was Draycote, despite the remnants of hurricane Gonzalo passing through over the last 24hrs. With the disruption (described on Richards Blog) the best I could manage with Bob and Richard was a Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover (heard), Goldeneye pair and a spectacular Woodpigeon movement, with hundreds heading south.
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| Mistle Thrush at Napton |
After coffee with Richard (Bob went walkabout) I headed off to Napton churchyard and here the place was alive with birds. Just sitting at the church entrance gate a couple of Redwing and Mistle Thrush in the tall oak, at least three Goldcrest in the Yew trees, plus my first Siskin of the autumn overhead. A walk around the grounds produced Chiffchaff and along the footpath down towards School Hill a couple of Brambling feeding high in the Sycamore, more autumn firsts.
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| Green Woodpecker |
I spent a very pleasant 90 minutes before the rain set in and further added Sparrowhawk, (3) Raven, Green Woodpecker and Treecreeper. Surprisingly a Red Admiral shot passed at one stage and there seemed to be plenty of Hornets around too.
