Another busy working week, but still an early rise on Saturday morning - two black-necked grebes had relocated from Stanwick Lakes to Pitsford Water the previous day and had been reported as still being present at dusk. With fishermen on the water there was easily the chance of disturbance and so there was no luxury of a stop for breakfast enroute.
We arrived and parked in the layby at the top of the track - there were already two cars parked there and so we were likely to find someone already on the bird or someone coming the opposite way with bad news. We reached the water and noted that there was no sight or sound of the tree sparrows in their usual spot - I'd only seen a single bird when I was here previously. Common terns fished over the water and the usual ducks and wildfowl adorned the water and water's edge. When we reached the Bird Club Hide it was so far so good - no one coming the other way ...
From the hide we scanned the water and couldn't see anything but great-crested grebes. However, we could see a birder was standing to the side of the James Fisher Hide and had his scope and bins on something in the pool obscured from us by trees and bushes. We didn't stop long as the target birds may be just around the corner. It is further than it looks but as we were getting closer to the next hide we looked back into the pool, and spotted one of the black-necked grebes - that wasn't so hard. In just a few minutes it was joined by a second and all was well - until they moved out of view and seemed to be heading left to the next hide. We decided to up-sticks and continue on to the hide on the off-chance they gave closer views.
Kev and I sat in the hide enjoying the birds but they never came any closer having actually gone right and further out into the bay. Eventually we decided to move on, stopping only to watch them again in the original pool where they'd returned to. On the journey back we came across Dylan Parry-Davies and stopped for a chat - we asked what they planned to do but decided for ourselves on returning to the Banbury area and seeing if we could spot any lesser whitethroats at the Banbury Ornithological Society's Balscote Quarry.
We were there in an hour and found Dave Fuller and Iain Brown in residence - Iain had only dropped in on his way past and after a short chat he was gone. We scanned the water and bowl finding only the usual fare and while I chatted to Da Fu as he packed up, Kev went in search of lesser whitethroat along the roadside hedge - he was sure he'd hear calls from that direction. As I finished up, I had a call from Kev to say he'd found one and I went along to join him - the bird was quite vocal but didn't want to show for a photo, giving up only short glimpses.
Kev and I packed up and discussed meeting later to see if I could add spotted flycatcher for the year - I'd dipped a couple of days previously as the sun was close to setting. After lunch we got in touch and met, along with Dave South, at the designated spot. I was there first and had my tick before they arrived - they'd seen it earlier in the week. The bird was high in the trees and out of range for a photo. We eventually split up with Dave down to the gated road, Kev back where we'd parked the car and I stayed put.
It was about 10 minutes before a short call caught my attention and I saw a spotted flycatcher in the tree between me and the buildings - it quickly dropped down, deep into the tree and out of shot. Three birds departed and over the roofs - just my luck, it may have departed. I scanned the interior and eventually located the bird and took a shot - then I alerted the others. Dave soon arrived but before Kev could, it left into the trees behind and out of view. About 10 minutes later a spotted fly dropped onto the TV ariel allowing photos but silhouetted against the sky. The bird would leave but on each occasion would only be gone minutes and return to the ariel. After three repeats we decided it wasn't showing at eye level and went for a walk along the gated road. Kev had been practicing with an old camera and lens that Dave had lent him as he would like to have a record of the bird he sees when on a fast-approaching birding holiday break - a crash course from Dave.