A really nice day today. The day started with a Clifden Nonpariel (Blue Underwing) in the moth trap and the good vibe kept up all day. Ebird list from Otmoor HERE, highlights included 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Redstart (2 male, 3 female), 6 Whinchat, 1 Mandarin (Oxon tick), an incredible 18 Cattle Egret (including juveniles which are presumably the Blenheim Park fledged young), Oystercatcher, 6 Garganey, 5 Hobby and good numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats.
Absolute stunner- a first for the garden.
Cattle Egrets at Otmoor
Juveniles and adult Cattle Egret
Mandarin from the second screen
Plenty of migrants today including Spotted Flycatcher (above), Redstarts (below), Whinchats (below that) and Chiffchaffs (below that) and other warblers
Brown Hairstreak (above) and Small Heath (below) . Not that many butterflies about considering the weather today (25 C) but a few Small Whites, Speckled Woods and Ellen saw a Painted Lady too (which has been on the path for the last week or so)
Stacks of dragonflies today including Migrant Hawker (above) , Common Darters (below), Ruddy Darter, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker and Emperor. Must have been 500-1000 Common Darters across the site (I counted over 300 over Greenaways alone) and the Red Kites (25+) and Hobby (5+) were feeding on the swarms.
Muntjac appeared today, as did a Fallow Deer on Morleys, had a Common Lizard cross the path (a dark juvenile).
The first Brown-spot Pinion of the year. Also 2 Red Underwing today to go with the 'Blue Underwing' . Over 120 Common Wainscots and 90 Setaceous Hebrew Character- so well over 200 moths in the trap and the weather is keeping up with night temperatures holding up so expecting some more excitement over next few days. I decided to stay local rather than go to the coast as Jacob looked a bit frazzled from his first days at school when we picked him up from school on Friday (the school chicken attacked him apparently) but hopefully he settles in after a week or so (he seemed perky enough today so hopefully all good to go next week).
The first Old Lady for the garden over the weekend
Starvember (me eating nothing but food we've grown) has taken a turn for the better as Holly has refused to let me waste away so has been whipping up some excellent salads and recipes from the garden food- happy days (seriously happy days!)
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