An interesting morning at Otmoor , Ebird list HERE. Seems like there's been a big clear out of birds in the harsh conditions. Instead of 5000+ Golden Plovers there were about 50 and the flock of 140 White-fronted Geese appears to have moved on - except for three birds still on Ashgrave. Also not many winter thrushes about.
The bleak rather empty landscape took on a rather sinister mood with a gang of raptors (presumably hungry) hunting the weak and struggling remaining birds. There were 2 Peregrines, a Merlin, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard and about 8 Red Kites quartering Greenaways and Big Otmoor.
Second calendar year Marsh Harrier attempting to catch a Coot
Merlin eating a small passerine on Greenaways
Third calendar year male Marsh Harrier hunting over the reed beds
Wigeon and Pintail being flushed by Peregrines. Most of the wildfowl were concentrating on Big Otmoor in a small unfrozen area. There were at least 200 Pintails there today.
Barnacle Geese on Big Otmoor
Brown Hare sitting out the harsh conditions
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