There was just a slight frosting on the grass along the
bridleway this Sunday and for the first time since last spring, gloves and hats
were dusted down and dug out of draws and cupboards. The wind was keen and
there were new birds to anticipate as autumn migration really gets underway.
We spent all weekend listening out for the scratchy, dry flight
call of Hawfinches. There has been an unprecedented influx of these attractive birds
into the country, due to a lack of food in Scandinavia. They seem to have been
popping up all over Oxfordshire during last week and we hoped that sooner or
later they might come through Otmoor. As far as I know they have never been
recorded on the Reserve and if they do turn up they are likely to be in Noke
Wood or Sling Copse. Sadly, the closest ones to us were seen in Worminghall
this weekend.
Vis mig Fieldfares (c) Bark
Parties of both Fieldfares and Redwings were seen frequently
flying through, but have not yet settled to begin stripping the berries from
the hedgerows.
On Saturday morning, a Mute Swan flew into the southern
Lagoon, accompanied by a juvenile Whooper Swan. The Whooper was yet to develop
its distinctive lemon-yellow bill, the part that would later be yellow was
still ivory coloured and the tip of the bill was pink. Unlike juvenile Mute
Swans that shade through from brown into their pure white adult plumage, this
juvenile showed grey that would ultimately become white.
Juvenile Whooper (c) Bark
Juvenile Mutes (c) Derek Latham
Two Peregrines were noted on Saturday and one of them landed
for a while on the mud bank in front of the first screen. We usually have
regular Peregrines overwintering, with the Starlings, Golden Plovers, Lapwings
and wildfowl there is plenty of food to sustain a healthy population of
raptors.
Kestrel above (c) Bark below (c) JR
Three Marsh Harriers were seen on both days, two of them seem to be very
much a pair, and appear intent on pushing the interloper out. Another
Ring-tailed Harrier has appeared, being picked up on Sunday morning hunting
along the northern side of Greenaways.
Peregrine (c) Derek Latham
There is still at least one Whinchat about on the reserve.
It was frequenting the cattle pens on Saturday and on Sunday we found it, or
perhaps another, in the game strip sown on the Closes. Stonechats are settling
onto clear territories and we watched a pair on July’s meadow patrolling up and
down the hedge.
Whinchat on closes (c) JR
Goldfinches (c) JR
There are substantial numbers of Linnets and Chaffinches
feeding on the path beside the hide. There are smaller numbers of Reed Buntings
and Goldfinches amongst them and there are one or two Yellowhammers as well.
Bramblings were reported as were Redpolls from the same area, but they were
very elusive and we failed to connect with them.
Dunnock (c) JR
Bittern flying away (c) JR
We can say with absolute certainty that there are three
Bitterns in and around the Reedbed. They are being spotted flying between
feeding areas and there is clearly one individual that is commuting between the
reed fringe on the southern edge of Ashgrave and the strip of reeds beside the
path to the first screen.
Squabbling B H G's (c) JR
The moor is stunningly beautiful at the moment showing the
richest of autumn colours and a particular seasonal suite of birds. I am very
grateful to Badger for putting together the short video below that shows much
more clearly than I can articulate; just how lovely it is.
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