August has been a quiet month on the moor, as it often is.
There has been a smattering of passage waders through, a couple of Black-tailed
Godwits, a few Green and Common Sandpipers and just the other day a Spotted
Redshank. The Lapwing flock has swollen to over two hundred and amongst them
are a good number of juveniles, distinguishable by their slightly yellowish
faces and shorter crests. The first Golden Plovers have been seen in just ones
and twos, very different to the thousands that we regularly host during January
and February.
Lapwings (c) Bark
Spotted Redshank (c) Pete Roby
Black-tailed Godwit (c) Paul Thomas
Golden Plover (c) Noah Gins
The Common Cranes are still with us and are yet to take
their annual “migration” back to the Somerset Levels where they spend the
winter. They can often be seen flying across the northern part of Greenaways
and also feeding and preening out in the middle of big Otmoor. They can often
be heard rather than seen, bugling loudly. The different individuals can be
identified by the coloured ring sequences on their legs, this is much easier to
do, now that the grass has been mown out on Greenaways and Big Otmoor.
Cranes in flight (c) Tom N-L
There are still mixed flocks of tits and warblers moving along
the hedgerows. We are now finding family parties of Whinchats, individual Stonechats
and young Wheatears in some of the scrubby areas and on the newly mown and much
shorter grass.
Wheatear (c) Bark
Whinchat (c) Pete Roby
Redstart (c) Bark
Yellow Wagtails have been noticed going in to the reedbed in the
evening to roost and they are increasingly being seen feeding around the
grazing cattle and sheep.
Yellow Wagtail (c) Pete Roby
Common Tern (c) Bark
The Common Terns have now departed, and they would seem to
have had some breeding successes but we cannot be sure how many young they
fledged. They were still feeding, the by now fully fledged, youngsters on the
muddy edges of the northern lagoon.
Hovering Bullfinch (c) Bark
There are plenty of seeding weeds along the pathways and in
the fields and they are attracting small flocks of Linnets, Goldfinches and
Chaffinches. We have noticed Bullfinches hovering to pick seeds from the very
ends of a plant that produces its seed head on stems so fine and delicate they
would not support the weight of a bird. The seeds must be especially nutritious
to make the amount of energy expended in reaching them worthwhile.
Linnet (c) Bark
At least five different Kestrels are hovering over the
fields and we have also seen Hobbies hunting low and fast along he ditches and
smaller reedbeds.
Kestrel (c) Paul Thomas
The Hobbies are feeding up before starting their southward
migration and they are preying upon the abundant large dragonflies that are
present across the whole moor. Marsh Harriers are still present but are being
seen less frequently.
Overflying Raven (c) Bark
We now have resident Ravens, up to four have been seen
recently scavenging on Big Otmoor. I have not visited recently without hearing
or seeing them, last week the four of
them were together in the top of one of the bare oaks that borders Noke Sides.
Dragonflies (c) Tom N-L
Courtesy of Badger.
The Dragonflies and Damselflies are attracting odontata enthusiasts
once again. The moor is hosting yet another rare species, this time the Willow
Emerald Damselfly, another species that is extending its range northwards and
westwards, possibly in response to climate change. It must reflect the quality
of our water, helped by no use of pesticides and with very little agricultural
runoff from the wider Otmoor basin.
Young Roe buck on Ashgrave (c) Bark
The coming month will see the comings and goings on the moor
increase. Hopefully as we get to the time when Bearded Tits irrupt from their breeding
areas, we will get them back on the reserve once again, we will be eagerly watching
and listening out for their distinctive “pinging” calls.
No comments:
Post a Comment