More White-fronts

Another awe-inspiring visit to Otmoor this morning in much more pleasant weather than previous days. WeBs counters over recent days estimated about 3500 Golden Plover and 3000 Lapwings and there must be 2000 or so Wigeon.  Scarcer birds present include White-fronted Geese, Curlew, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Merlin and 38 Barnacle Goose SEE HERE . What with the estimated 50,000 Starlings HERE that come into roost there must be well over 60,000 birds at Otmoor at the moment. My ebird list for today HERE the highlight being 10 White-fronted Geese, including 7 (4 adults, 3 juvs) flying around and 3 on Ashgrave. I thought  I might have found one or two White-fronts at last this morning as there were 10 yesterday (two groups of 5) with 12 seen in all today, so the group of 7 might have included two newly arrived birds. Who knows?- I better keep looking! 

4 adults and 3 juvenile Russian White-fronted Goose (above and below) 

The Golden Plover  (above and below) flock is now estimated at 3500 birds

Lapwings are estimated at approx 3000 birds

A few Deer were evident this morning including a Fallow (above) and Reeve's Muntjac (below) on Ashgrave. There were also one or two Brown Hares out on Ashgrave. 

On the way back past Bernwood Forest, Fallow Deer were also out in their usual field . We had a Barn Owl along this road last night and at least two Tawny Owls were calling from the Old Vicarage early this morning.