Trip reports

MINIBUS TRIP TO COTSWOLD WATER PARK - THURSDAY 27TH JANUARY 2009

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

19 set off on a cold foggy morning in the hope of seeing the wildfowl specialities that CWP can offer. Firstly however, John Vickerman guided us to a layby, 4 miles north of the Spine Road junction to try for a Great Grey Shrike that had been hunting the adjacent set aside field for the last 10 days. Despite the conditions, the bird was sighted on arrival, but immediately flew off before most had seen it. A 20 minute wait produced sparrowhawk, stonechat and yellowhammers, before the bird reappeared and perched up for all to enjoy, several for the very first time.

The feeders at the CWP Visitor Centre, our next stop, hosted many long tailed tits, blue tits and great tits, with dunnocks picking up the pieces underneath, along with a water rail! Unfortunately, 2 members missed this and possibly a second bird, so we resolved to revisit before leaving the water park.

We then drove to the Lower Farm development to overlook pit 44. Here, several drake goosanders shone through the murk, along with a single female and plenty of tufted ducks and pochards. On to the car park and the short walk to overlook pit 57. The fog had now lifted into low cloud and during the next hour the conditions improved further with sun breaking through, enhancing the colours of the wildfowl. Here we encountered 7 red crested pochards (3 males and 4 females). On the far bank a line of shovelers and a pair of teal, were interspersed with common and black headed gulls. On the lake itself, the many coot were augmented by a few wigeon, gadwall and 7 little grebes. A buzzard overflew, and 5 bullfinch were eating bramble seeds on the island. Continuing east along the Thames footpath, 3 goldeneye were on pit 41 and up to 30 red crested pochard on pit 38, the latter stunningly lit by the sun.
Turning north, we looked east onto pit 29 where 4 "redhead" smew were located, but at great range. Closer views of 2 of these birds were obtained looking back southeastwards as we approached pit 30. Another redhead was scoped on pit 35, this being the best view so far. We then joined the road westbound, adding fieldfares, redwings and starlings in a field just to the north of the road. Completing the circuit back at 44 we saw that the goosander count had increased to 10. Whilst enjoying these, our much hoped for drake smew arrived - in fact 2 males and 2 females flew in causing much excitement amongst the group. Again, this was a new species for several members. The walk had taken 3 hours and 40 mins, so a very late lunch was taken in the vehicles.

Twitchers gate was visited at 3pm, with lesser black backed gulls (graelsii and a few intermedius) dominating the scene. The weather had deteriorated and a cold drizzle sent us back to the visitor centre for tea and more views of a water rail.

Other species recorded :- Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Mallard, Pintail (1 male), Moorhen, Lapwing, Herring gull, Woodpigeon, Stock dove, Collared dove, Green Woodpecker, Great spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Jay (h), Magpie, Rook, Raven, Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin (6), Lesser Redpoll (1 calling overhead) (60 species)

PS A peregrine was seen by those in the front of the minibus, landing on the church at the west end of Marlborough high street.

Reported by Steve Oakes