Vandalism to the Hide Wednesday 21st April

Sadly there has been more vandalism to the hide on Otmoor. Over the last few weeks there have been several signs of minor damage and misuse in the hide. On Wednesday evening further, more serious damage was done. It is clear that a small group of people have taken to using the hide as a place to sit and smoke dope and at the same time entertain themselves by damaging the place. The gradual escalation in their antisocial behaviour is particularly disturbing and unpleasant. It would be a real disappointment for those people using the hide and the reserve properly, if the hide had to be locked and unlocked daily.  This is especially true for those of us who often go down early in the morning or late in the evening. In addition it would be a very onerous duty for RSPB staff and for Volunteer wardens.

We are all in a good position to help to monitor and improve the situation. By keeping our eyes and ears open and maybe making a note of suspicious behaviour and cars arriving at unusual times, we may well be able to identify and deter this tiny number of selfish, small minded and ignorant individuals. They are are damaging and despoiling a precious asset that at present is open and free for everyone.

Please report any odd, suspicious or antisocial behaviour that you see to the RSPB staff on 01865 352033 or to any Volunteer wardens who may be on site. Police are taking an active interest in this case and would be updated by the staff in the office. By acting together we can influence this situation for the better, if we do nothing it may sadly get worse.

 

Bark

 

Easter Weekend

Sedge Warbler (c) Pat Galka

Gropper (c) Nick Truby

Hobby (c) Nick Truby

Lesser Whitethroat (c) Bark

Gropper (c) Bark

Whinchat at Noke (c) Bark

Sparrowhawk (c) Bark

Wheatear at Noke (c) Bark

Skylark (c) Bark

 Otmoor is never the same twice, beautiful on Friday, cold and windy on Saturday, wet and showery on Sunday and foggy and then warm on Monday.

The migrants have continued to flow in with Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whinchat and Hobby all new for the year. But even more noticeable is the increasing numbers of the other warblers especially Sedge Warblers. They seem to be belting out their demented arrhythmic rattle from every briar and bramble. There are still only two or three Garden Warblers singing however, as opposed to the much larger number of Blackcaps. There are still only a limited number of Reed Warblers calling but Whitethroat numbers have gone up sharply.

Fog on the moor means that although sound can be muffled it does allow one to get much closer and in the mist things can be much less inhibited and nervous. So it was with a Grasshopper Warbler along the bridle way this morning, it is one of those individuals that hasn’t read the book about being shy and skulking. It was reeling away from the reeds on either side of the path and at times was so close I might have touched it. It has continued to perform both from inside a briar and from the top of a small willow. It has been admired by many visitors this morning who were delighted to get wonderful views of this normally secretive species.

On Friday we found  fresh summer plumaged male Whinchat on the fence by the farm at Noke, it has not stayed, they rarely do in the spring, but has been replaced by a very smart Wheatear. A Hobby was seen and photographed this morning after I had left the reserve and we are approaching the time of year when there can be large numbers on the reserve feeding up before moving on to their breeding grounds. I noticed this morning the first of the St Marks or Hawthorn flies coming out of the hedge. This large dangly legged fly is much favoured as easy prey by the Hobbys before the dragonflies get going later in the month.

The same female Marsh Harrier has ben around over the reedbed since the middle of last week it is easily identified by the lack of one or two of its primaries at the elbow on its right wing. Cuckoos have been both heard and seen and this morning we were fairly certain that there were three individuals calling.

There appear to be more Linnets present both in the carpark field and along the bridleway towards Noke, than have been seen in recent years. Reed Buntings are also very much in evidence.

We are holding our breath now for the return of what is probably our rarest breeder. Turtle doves with their soft purring epitomise summer on the moor. With the problems they encounter on their wintering grounds and then running the gauntlet of continental and north African hunters it is always something of a miracle that they make it back. The other bird that we hope will make it back soon is the Cettis Warbler, we had not a single record last year after our population was wiped out by the severe weather two winters ago. Any record of this charismatic skulker would be very welcome

Gropper (c) Richard Tyler

Whitethroat (c) Richard Tyler

Blackcap (c) Richard Tyler

 

Linnet (c) Bark

Goldfinch (c) Bark

Hare (c) Bark

Cowslips (c) Bark

 

Saturday and Sunday 12th and 13th April

Lesser Whitethroat both pics (c) Mike Kosniowski

Busy Treecreeper (c) Pat Galka

L.R.P. (c) Peter Law

Goldfinch (c) Andy Last

Chiffy (c) Andy Last

Spring really came with a bang last week and migrants have arrived in numbers some sadly only on passage others for the summer.
One of our most stunning passage birds is fresh summer plumaged Redstart. The first one this year was found on Thursday evening in Long Meadow, a female. Although elusive it was great to see her trembling her red-gold tail in the evening light. It is easy to understand how they got their old country name of "fire flirt". It is also good to know that they will return and spend a bit longer here in the late summer. At least two males were flaunting their colours in the same place on Saturday and another probably seen on Sunday.
The hedgerows are full of singing Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. There are also good numbers of Lesser Whitethroats present and they are beginning to scratch out their finch like trills. We have not had a similar influx of Common Whitethroats and this is concerning as usually they arrive before the Lessers.
On both days there were large flocks of Sand Martins moving through and smaller parties of Swallows. A Little Ringed Plover was in front of the hide and two Oystercatchers were seen to fly out towards the flood field as did four Dunlin. The Ring-tailed Harrier is still present but raptor numbers have dropped off a little, a reflection of the fact that the big flocks of prey species have moved off.
While watching a very obliging and confiding Wheatear at Noke on Sunday we noticed it turn its head and look straight up. Badger followed its sightline and there was a Peregrine passing really high above us, extraordinary perception at such a distance.
Yet again our lone Beardie was on patrol and the best place to see her seems to be the "crossroads" where the bridle way is crossed by the path between the screens and the hide. Further along the bridleway Treecreepers are very busy and easily seen in the large oak trees.
With the first rush of migration over we can look forward to the stragglers arriving Garden and Grasshopper Warblers are due next and lets hope for a good but late influx of Common Whitethroats. More Cuckoos and our star summer specials of Hobby and Turtle Doves are to be looked for and looked forward to.

Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6th April

Splendid Beardie (c) Andy Last

And again both pics (c) Bark

Singing Sedge (c) Bark

The froth of Blackthorn (c) Bark

trapped.....

and Free. (c) Bark

The weather this weekend flipped between grey then bright and damp and windy. At least it didn’t rain until later on Sunday.

New additions to the yearlist included several Sedge Warblers and a Common Whitethroat. There are now a number of Willow Warblers and at least two Blackcaps singing in the Roman Road. At this time of year it does live up to its other name among local birders of “warbler alley”.

The hedgerows are frothing with blackthorn flowers and it is quite wonderful to see such a profusion of blossom. It really is spectacular, I don’t remember it being so prolific in other years. Last years warm summer and the mildness of the past winter may be partly responsible.

Snipe are drumming over Greenaways and when the Ring Tailed Harrier passed over at least twenty birds flushed from the sedge beds on the western side of the field. The drake Garganey showed most of the weekend on Ashgrave, although sometimes it was distant or round the corner and out of sight. There were also up to three Oystercatchers around the main pool on Ashgrave. They are very mobile and have been seen over on Big Otmoor, Greenaways and Maltpit.

Our single female Bearded Tit was seen regularly and as yet there has been no further records of a male. She is very beautiful and has been much photographed, the photo by Andy Last  shows her fabulous subtle, ochre and red-gold colouration to perfection. She is regularly seen at the top of small bushes and appears confident and confiding.

Yet another animal rescue this weekend with a female Mute Swan having got entangled in some string. This rescue involved the use of the reserve boat and whilst paddling down the river both Zoe Edwards (assistant warden) and myself heard our first Whitethroat of the year. The swan duly swam off with only saturated primaries on its right wing to show for its misadventure. I later saw it feeding and then up on the bank preening.

Interestingly when we pulled the boat from its mooring and turned it up the right way there were a large number of leeches looping about on the surface, a good reason not to swim in the reedbed!

This coming week is often one of the busiest and most exciting, there will be more comings and goings and the pace of migration will really step up. What with the Red-necked Grebe at Farmoor and several Ospreys passing through I feel that we are due a something scarce or rare, we will be looking.

Saturday and Sunday 29th and 30th March

Common Buzzard lift off (c) Darrell Wood

Chiffy (c) Andy Last

Sparrowhawk (c) Peter Coombes

Redshank (c) Peter Coombes

 

Chiffchaff (c) Bark

Peacock on blackthorn (c) Bark

Courting Canadas (c) Bark

Sunbathing Hare (c) Bark

Suddenly its spring. The stop-start season finally arrived for real this weekend. The weather was warm with milky sunshine and the wind was light and from the south. Blackthorn has burst into flower everywhere and there is a fresh flush of green in the hedgerows. Everything is responding lustily to the change in the season. On the moor Redshanks are pairing courting and displaying almost everywhere and their voices are a major part of the continuous background soundtrack, which also includes regular Lapwings “peewit” call, Chiffchaffs saying their name from the hedgerows and the occasional bubbling Curlew. As the next few weeks continue more voices will be added to the sound mix and the chorus will swell.

A Cuckoo was heard by three of us on Sunday morning calling from the MOD land but it failed to call more than once. A Blackcap was singing in the Roman road area on Saturday and was the first record this year on Otmoor. Two Oystercatchers were in front of the Hide and a Common Buzzard is hunting from the posts along the path that goes towards July’s Meadow. Once again Reed Buntings seem to be the default bird along the paths, hedges and in the reedbed. They certainly seem to have had a good winter and should have a successful breeding season. There were three Wheatears in the sheep fields at Noke one particular individual was very confiding feeding on the short cropped grass with a Skylark and two Meadow Pipits. Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier were all noted over the weekend and a Kestrel was hunting at Noke. Several Sand Martins were seen but we have yet to record any other hirundines.

There was a Mallard on the southern reedbed on Sunday morning with fifteen ducklings in tow and elsewhere on Saturday we spotted a Mallard nest containing eleven eggs. Also on Sunday morning there were at least two drumming Snipe over Greenaways and another bird “chipping” from the sedges out in the field. The lone Bearded Tit was once again roaming in search of a mate and gave superb views to people in the second screen coming down to the waters edge to drink before pinging off on her search.

There are still six Pintail out on Big Otmoor and a number of Wigeon, but soon they will be gone, as will the one hundred or so Golden Plover. Fieldfares can still be seen from time to time in the larger hedges and out on the open fields but as they leave they will be replaced by many new arrivals. It really is one of the most dynamic and exciting times of the year and I can scarcely wait until next week.