Saturday and Sunday 23rd and 24th September

Kingfisher (c) Tezzer

After a short break in the Greek sunshine I came back down to earth with a real bump on Saturday morning. The day started grey and dark, low dolorous clouds hung overhead with intermittent light drizzle – great to be back in England! Sunday however was quite the opposite with the finest bright warm and sunny, a classic “Indian Summer” day.

Not very much has changed in the week that I have been away although there have been a few extra species to add to the Yearlist. They include a short staying Spotted Redshank last Saturday, a Grey Wagtail at the first screen that actually landed on the roof of the screen itself and a fly over Tree Pipit at the Pill last week.

There are still good numbers of both Stonechats and Whinchats scattered about the moor with the highest concentrations out at the Pill. On Saturday we saw five Whinchats and four Stonechats there, while at the same time there were a further three of the latter out on Greenaways. They associate loosely with each other frequently choosing to hunt from the hedges that adjoin the bridge or run parallel with the old Roman Road.

Kestrel (c) Bark

The male Hen Harrier is still around the moor and was seen on both days this weekend hunting along the northern edge of Greenaways and over the Flood Field. Raptors were easy to find across the whole reserve with three different Marsh Harriers present, possibly the three birds that bred here in the spring and summer. On Sunday a “kettle” of seven thermalling Common Buzzards was seen over the North Pill Ground. Kestrels are ever present over the grass fields and an Osprey was sparring with a Marsh Harrier over the southern reedbed. This was probably the fifth or sixth record of Osprey on Otmoor this year. Occasional Sparrowhawks are also making their presence felt, flushing Snipe and Meadow Pipits from Greenaways. A few Hobbies are still being noted and there are still plenty of large dragonflies to be hunted as the day warms up. There are usually a couple of weeks in the autumn when Merlin and Hobby overlap and now is the time to be looking out for our smallest falcon as it returns for the winter. 

A wake of Red Kites Lower Farm courtesy of Paul Wyeth

A large number of Red Kites gathered over one of the fields at Lower Farm Noke where they were taking a very late hay crop. When I spoke to the farmer last week she said that they had been thwarted by the weather for weeks. It certainly led to a bonanza for the Kites as all sorts of small creatures were exposed by the process.

New post Kingfisher (c) Tezzer

The RSPB have been responsive to visitor’s suggestions and have set three large oak branches into the mud on the southern lagoon a short way out from the first screen. They have created perfect vantage points for Kingfishers to perch on and to hunt from. I am certain that this will result in some super images very soon.

Female Pintail and our regular Barnacle Goose (c) Pete Roby

Out on the mud banks there are more ducks that have almost completed their moult. Amongst them this weekend there was a single female Pintail and between fourteen and twenty Wigeon. Small numbers when compared with the several thousand that will be here during the depths of winter, but yet another sign of the changing season.

Flycatching Chiffy (c) Bark

Ravens have been cronking their way over the reserve again this weekend. They are usually seen in pairs on the moor but I remember one early autumn day two years ago when we saw seven together, like some strange omen from a Norse legend.

Raven (c) Bark

Sadly the dark evenings also make it much easier for people to get up to no good in the car park. A car was broken into on Sunday evening, fortunately nothing was stolen but the owner was left with the expense of repairing the damage. Please take care not to leave valuables visible or cars unlocked. Should you spot any suspicious behaviour please take note of car numbers and report to either the police or to the RSPB Otmoor office on 01865 352033.

Comma and Grey Squirrel (c) Bark