Easter Weekend 30th March - 2nd April

Wheatear (c) Bark

The old saying was that “March will come in like a lion and go out like a lamb” March 2018 had not read the script! This month came in like a lion and went out like one, not just any lion but a very cold, grumpy and wet one!

The wettest March for thirty years has meant that water levels are at their highest for a long while and many of the adjacent fields, such as the sheep fields at Noke, Noke Sides and the MOD land are flooded. From the top of the hill at Beckley the moor looks like a small version of the Somerset Levels. From the sky it must stand out to migrants like a beacon and it has tempted passage visitors down.

Wheatear at Noke (c) Bark

On Saturday morning we were pleased to find our first Wheatear of the season and by Sunday morning there were at least six out on the sheep fields and by the farm at Noke. The males look wonderful, very fresh, bright and colourful. They are easy to spot sitting up on fence posts or hopping about on the short grass fields looking for insect prey.

Ruff on the sheepfields (c) Bark

Ruff courtesy of Badger.

We were pleased to find some passage waders on Saturday too. There were a pair of male Ruff feeding on the edge of the floods at Noke and further out in the same field in deeper water, there were two Black Tailed Godwits. The Godwits also spent some time in and over Big Otmoor. On Monday there were three Ringed Plovers and three little Ringed Plovers in the same location.

Nesting Grey Heron (c) Tom N-L

There are two pairs of Oystercatchers on the moor and their distinctive piping calls can often be heard as they fly from one field to another. They have often attempted to breed I the past but as far as I know have yet to succeed in raising any chicks. They seem likely to be trying again this year as a pair was seen mating on Friday.

Oystercatcher (c) JR

An Osprey passed overhead on Friday perhaps attracted by the expanse of water. There has been a steady passage of them through the county and we normally expect to see one or two in a year. On the same day the first hirundines were spotted over the reedbed lagoons in the shape of two Sand Martins battling their way north as the weather calms down and warms up it will not be long before the first Swallows follow.

Pied Wag (c) Bark

Redshanks seemed to be everywhere this past week. Their pairing up and courtship accompanied all the time by their yodelling calls. When the land they raise their wings like banners to display their presence to rivals or suitors.

There are still about two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers out in the middle of Big Otmoor stoically facing into the wind. Many of them now showing the distinctive black bellies of their summer plumage. Among them were about six Dunlin feeding busily around their legs.

Marsh Harriers (c) Tom N-L

Raptors have been very noticeable over the weekend. Four Marsh Harriers are hunting over the whole of the reserve, not just the reedbed and often interacting with each other. Two adult Peregrines, one much larger than the other were around on Saturday. There was no obvious behaviour to suggest that they were a pair. A female Merlin was seen out on Greenaways on Saturday morning. If previous years  are anything to go by it is likely that she will still be around for a week or so after the first Hobbies arrive, the two species usually overlap at both ends of the year by a week or so. Our fine male Hen harrier is still being seen and is a stunning bird crisply dressed in black white and grey. If he does go north for the summer, we can only hope that he avoids the English grouse moors where his chances of surviving are sadly very poor. Barn Owls are still out hunting in the daylight, both over the reedbed, in the car park Field and over Greenaways. It may be that they have extra mouths to feed or just that they have had difficulty in hunting during the recent wet nights

Barnies above (c) JR    below (c) Bark

There is a Bittern booming from the broad strip of reeds that lies along the lower northern edge of Ashgrave. This linear reedbed is a substantial area of phragmites and is a drier reedbed than the larger more conventional one out on Greenaways. The sound could be heard most clearly and loudly from the bridleway, it is a strange deep bass call that resonates and a sound that carries a considerable distance.

Looks like Spring (c) Bark

Finally, on Tuesday Steve and Pete Roby found three Little Gulls feeding over the floods on the MOD land. This is an unusual bird to find on Otmoor although there have been other infrequent records in the past. This attractive dainty Gull has taken our year list up to one hundred and ten and we expect to add many more to it in the coming few weeks.

Shovellers (c) JR