It's absolutely stunning round here- if I lived here I'd be a Tory too! Hold on- I do live here half the week- might have to become a Tory when up here and back to being a radical back in South London?? Shame that the money to keep this area so beautiful and full of nature has to come from building incinerators in places where not so well off people live and they have to destroy those people's wildlife too- an unnecessary and unfair high price to pay, there is more than enough to go round, plenty of clever solutions and plenty of fat bellies round here that could do with slimming down :-)
A great few days exploring- Spring Magic!
OTMOOR
Brown Hare - always on show particularly on Big Otmoor
Third calender year Marsh Harrier over the Reed Bed. Bittern have been heard booming here recently. Both Marsh Harrier and Bittern breed at Otmoor in recent years- a recovery from over 100 years ago. Another completely impressive RSPB flagship success story.
Redshank- good numbers of breeding Redshank and Lapwing on the floods
1-2 pairs of Oystercatchers holding territory. Also had a Black-tailed Godwit on Big Otmoor but could only see one Golden Plover (strange to think there were 5000 here just a few weeks ago).
Sedge Warbler- loads around. Also Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat, 10 Reed Warbler and 4 Cetti's
At least three Cuckoos around including two males dog fighting. Also had my first Swift of the year.
Leucistic Pochard
Red Kite being mobbed by Lapwing- a common sight over Big Otmoor
Bird of the day was one of the secret Common Cranes flying over the Sheep Field
THE OLD VICARAGE
The Old Vic bioblitz continues Previous Old Vic posts here . Here's a few provisional ids- will try and refine some of them- any help as always greatly appreciated.
Holly Blue
Wren carrying food. There is already Song Thrush and Blackbird young in the garden.
I think the black stigma (the black line on the wing) makes this Dasysyrphus sp?
Leucozona lucorum- an easy hover!
Platycherius albimanus
Another nice easy hover- look at the 'beak' on that Rhingia Campestris
Melanostoma scalare
Nomad Bee sp
Scorpion Fly
Orange-tailed Mining Bee
Red Mason Bee
Scorched Carpet - also Common Pug, Brimstone and Hebrew Character in the trap (the new mains powered safari trap) last night
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