Friday 28 November 2014

A LOOK BACK TO WHEN DRAYCOTE WATER WAS GREAT.



Not many blog reports lately not because I haven't been out with the camera but because I haven't been able to find any decent birds locally mind you the gloomy weather hasn't helped either.

One of my favourite local patches until the last couple of years used to be Draycote Water (or in the winter months Ice Station Draycote).I have seen some cracking birds there over the years so I thought I'd remind myself and others what used to turn up there.

A first for me was this Green Winged Teal that used to hang round Toft in April 2009. 




Every winter there'd be a Great Northern Diver or two there (the most I saw there was four).This shot was taken the end of last year.Let's hope one turns up this winter.




This was also a first for me a Lesser Scaup that hung around Toft in October 2009.




Another first for me was this Manx Shearwater that a friend and I spotted on the water just off the Farborough Bank in September 2009.We weren't sure what it was and I was lucky to grab some shots as it flew off.




Very pleased to find this Pectoral Sandpiper was still on the Spit along the Farborough Bank in September 2009 because I'd been in Norfolk the week before and missed one.Yet another first for me.




This  Red Necked Grebe stayed for ages and you were able to see it's plumage change weekly as Spring approached.Taken in March 2009 from the Farborough Bank.




Very lucky to be walking along the Hensborough on a bitterly cold morning in January 2009 when this Red Throated Diver for once came fairly close to the shore.




Every year a drake Smew shows up here.This one was around in December 2009.Yet again taken from the Farborough Bank. 




Didn't believe a friend who text me she had heard that a Spoonbill was showing well by the Outlet one day in October 2011.Had to race over there when I later found the info was correct.





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