Wednesday 27th I made visits to a few other old birding haunts Draycote Water and Napton Reservoir. Draycote was bitterly cold in the brisk northerly breeze but a long staying Great Northern Diver was noted along with at least (5) Common Terns, Common Sandpiper, (2) Dunlin, (2) Yellow Wagtails, (2) Curlew and a Yellow-legged Gull. Despite the cold, there were also good numbers of mixed Hirundines over the water.
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| Yellow Wagtail ~ Napton Reservoir |
After Draycote I ventured over to Napton Reservoir to look at the habitat devastation. Having lived just across from the Reservoir at Wigram's Turn Marina for 16 years, this was once a great place to find
Bearded Tit,
Whinchat,
Redstart and
Tree Pipits in spring and occasional rarities such as
Grey Phalarope and
Spotted Crake the deterioration of the site has been catastrophic. The Canal Trust and Leamington Angling Club who took the fishing rights on in 2016 have conspired to destroy the place by removing all vegetation to build a ridiculous Otter fence (never saw an Otter in 16yrs of birding here) and have removed every Willow and Hawthorn along the banks and even a few Wild Plum & Apple Tree which thrived here, to what end I've no idea but it seems all for the sake of coarse fishing. We are left with a windswept fishing pond!!
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| Yellow Wagtail at Napton Reservoir |
Anyway enough said, the large reedbed has thankfully remained intact and here
Reed Warbler &
Sedge Warbler were heard. Two
Yellow Wagtails were also noted along the bank, plus a couple of
Lesser Whitethroats along the canal treeline.
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| Whimbrel on Willow Island Brandon Marsh |
A final visit to Brandon Marsh today didn't produce any further additions to my Tuesday list, with the exception of a
Whimbrel, which dropped onto East Marsh Pool for the briefest of stays. An enjoyable few days meeting up with many of my birding buddies and even a few birding surprises!!
A Few More Images Of The Visits...
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| Brandon Marsh ~ An excellent place to see Water Rails |
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| One of four Muntjac Deer along Wigeon Bank Brandon Marsh |
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
