Otmoor- Glossy Ibis

Quite an exciting day today- I got scorned by a posh woman, got my van stuck in the mud and saw a Glossy Ibis at Otmoor (Oxon tick).  Ebird list HERE . Not too much change really since last week aside from the Ibis.

Glossy Ibis 

Dunlins and a Ruff, also Blackwits still. 

Marsh Harriers were performing nicely 

Great Egret on the river

A beautiful sunny walk this frosty morning between Ickford Bridges and Waterstock Local Nature Reserve.  Nice to see Henry again and have a look around his nature reserve and also bumped into Johnny. The highlight was a Great Egret standing out in one of the Curlew fields.  58 species logged including Curlew, Snipe, Lapwings, Yellowhammers and also had Grey Partridge (yesterday), stacks of Skylarks in the cabbage field, a few Siskin in Waterstock village, Chiffchaff and Treecreeper singing at Henry's and still a few Wigeon and Teal along the river Thame. There have been several Goosander along this stretch of the river in the last few days but alas not today.  Ebird list HERE. 

Also Roe Deer at Henry's. 

Great Egret at Waterstock 

Siskins courting 

Red Kite- lord of the skies round here- I counted up to 18 in the sky at once. This time of year they are often chasing each other and performing courtship flight.

Local Curlews

Nice to have Curlews singing and displaying in the fields more or less on the edge of the village. Ebird list HERE.

Otmoor Sunday

A steady increase in summering/spring waders at Otmoor since last weekend , Ebird list HERE. Still 13 Ruff and 23 Dunlin around, 10 Black-tailed Godwits have arrived and an increase in Oystercatcher, Curlews and Redshanks. Unfortunately no Avocets (there were five at Port Meadow this morning) and also no summer migrants that I could find (there are Sand Martins at Port Meadow too). 

As ever and always more from Otmoor and Oxfordshire on the local dedicated blogs (links always in side menu of the web version of this blog)  :

OXON BIRDING BLOG

OTMOOR BIRDING

Dunlins and Ruff 

Curlew 

Blackwits 

A hybrid Barnacle Goose - not seen this one before SEE HERE

'Henry Kravis' is now in Wales

The White Stork (GB35 aka Henry Kravis after Beddington Farmlands' billionaire new owner) left the farmlands a week or so ago and has been on a UK tour. It's now in Wales after visiting Lancashire. More on facebook below:

 

The Knepp White Stork that wintered at Beddington Farmlands is now in Wales after a visit to Lancashire.

Posted by Peter Alfrey on Saturday, March 6, 2021

'Wornal' Birding

Between work and family stuff been keeping an eye on the airfield and the ickford and shabbington bridges.  Ebird list from today HERE. Curlews are back at the Ickford Bridges, Wigeon and Teal are still on the Thame and there are still some Golden Plover up on the airfield. Counted an impressive 15 Brown Hare on the airfield too. 

Curlews (above and below) over the Ickford Bridges

Wigeon between Icky and Shabby

Teal on the Thame 

Goldies on the Airfield

Otmoor- the difference a week makes

The change of the guard is well underway at Otmoor. Since my visit last week Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers have arrived and started displaying, at least five singing Chiffchaffs are holding territory and there has been a clear exodus of the larger number of winter waders and ducks (although still plenty around). There was also a rather incredible 14 Ruff and 40+ Dunlin. 

The fog did not lift until about 9am so I spent the early morning in Noke Wood trying to find a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but despite a negative result I got an Otmoor tick- Treecreeper and the wood was full of singing woodland birds including Marsh Tits, Nuthatches, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a flock of Redwings in sub-song choir. Ebird list from today HERE . What with the pre-spring arrival of summering birds I finally managed to break the 70 mark on an Otmoor day list with 71 species today. 

Ruff

Oystercatcher

Lapwings and a flock of Dunlin to the left of the image 

Treecreeper in Noke Wood 

A few recordings below including (top to bottom) 1) singing Curlew and calling Redshank on Greenaways 2) a choir of singing Redwings in Noke Wood, 3) a Treecreeper calling, a short song and other woodland birds in Noke Wood and 4) a Song Thrush leading the dawn chorus from Morleys (will be interesting to compare this sound scape as the spring unfolds) . Other recordings HERE too.