It was a cold morning to go out but I needed to get some fresh air after a week indoors. I wanted to go to Thenford again to see if I could find a hawfinch, but in the end decided on Draycote Water. It looked like a bad choice as I left Banbury as the drizzle started to fall. I needn't have worried as it stopped by Southam.
The car park was quiet and I noted the payment machine has been upgraded to take contactless card payments - note to self. Decided for anticlockwise rotation and spotted good numbers of ducks, grebes and cormorants, plus a single shag. At the spit I spotted the black-necked grebe [#171] 
but couldn't see any sign of the long-tailed duck; speaking to others confirmed no one else had seen it either. There appeared to a coach-load of birders and I stopped with a group of them as they scanned trees opposite. Turned out to be stunning pair of goldcrest.
Turned to head back as birders suggested there was nothing of any consequence further on. One chap was more disappointed the departure of the LT duck as he is sitting on 198 and looking for a couple of visitors to top the 200 for the year.
A short visit but good to add another species to the year list after a pause in progress.
Sightings today (33) included: black-headed gull, black-necked grebe, blackbird, blue tit, canada goose, carrion crow, coot, cormorant, dunnock, fieldfare, goldcrest, goldeneye, goosander, great crested grebe, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, grey heron, greylag goose, little egret, little grebe, long-tailed tit, magpie, mallard, meadow pipit, mute swan, oystercatcher, pied wagtail, robin, rook, shag, tufted duck, woodpigeon and wren.
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