Goodbye 2014

So the last hurrah of 2014 ended on the most beautiful of winter days - the kind of day that dispels the longing for Spring, for warm evenings and extended daylight hours.  And having bumped into @porthkillier on the way round, it was a pleasure to share a great mornings birding.

So it started at Lockwood where a very vocal Kingfisher once again flashed up stream near to the sluice, and a Song Thrush skulked within the shelter of the foliage.  On the water, a drake Goldeneye was present with three females, six Gadwall flew out from the waters edge, and numerous Black Headed Gulls were sharing the banks with around 50 Common Gull.  Five Chiffchaff were seen along the tree line to the west of Lockwood along with two Goldcrest.

A patch first was a female Goosander that took flight a few moments after seeing it swim close to the bank at the north end.  Fortunate really as three had already taken flight towards Banbury that included two drakes.

Onto High Maynard where three flighty Grey Wagtail were present along the edge, and a Green Sandpiper shot past be coming to rest along the waters edge.  A male Sparrowhawk flew low through.

There was no sign of the Greater Scaup anywhere on the complex and Tufted Duck numbers appeared to be lower than of late.  Another three Goldeneye were seen in flight over no.5 including one drake and a wintering Common Sandpiper was feeding along the eastern edge.

East Warwick held half a dozen Shoveler, another Kingfisher sat along the reedbed on the southern edge, and another drake Goldeneye was present on West Warwick.