Otmoor- Ring-necked Duck

A brilliant day at Otmoor, the highlight being a male Ring-necked Duck found by Nick. Supporting cast included 9 Ruff, 25 Dunlin, 5 Marsh Harrier, 2 Crane, the female Brambling, 12 Yellowhammer, 57 Barnacle Goose (no White-fronts for the first time in a couple of months) and the Lapwings and Golden Plover are back from their winter exodus- in larger numbers than before by the looks of it. Ebird list HERE

Certainly felt like spring was not too far away with singing Chiffchaffs, Skylarks, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Lapwings doing territorial display and Song Thrushes. First time this year I woke up to a spring chorus at the Old Vic too this morning. 

Male Ring-necked Duck with Pochard and Tufted Ducks (and 'Luke' the leucistic Pochard) 

Second calender year (First cycle)  Marsh Harrier 

Dunlins, Ruff and Lapwing 

The Barnacle Goose flock were flying around a bit- presumably getting ready to move on too 

Common Cranes 

Lapwings and Golden Plovers back in their thousands- this time last week during the freezing conditions there were just handfuls. Obviously not quite ready to go back to the breeding grounds yet. 

Male Ring-necked Duck at Otmoor today (found by Nick). Also Common Cranes and 5 Marsh Harrier. More on the blog: http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/otmoor-ringed-necked-duck.html

Posted by Peter Alfrey on Sunday, February 21, 2021