End of February and well into March

Singing Dunnock (c) Bark

An overseas trip has rather blunted my intention to post bi-weekly this year. Change is happening rapidly on the moor as we move into spring. The weather has been wet but generally mild and frequently sunny. 

Male Brambling one of four birds by the hide (c) Bark

Water bodies across the moor are now very much at optimal levels and the lagoons in front of the screens are looking very full. This water will be drawn down onto Greenaways and Big Otmoor as we move into summer, and it will help to keep the main breeding areas for our waders wet for longer.

Redshank on Ashgrave (c) Tom N-L

The first Coltsfoot is starting to flower along the side of the bridleway and Bumblebees and Brimstones are on the wing. Pussy Willow is dusted with sulphur coloured pollen and is attracting lots of insects.

Blackthord and pussy willow with Bumble Bee (c) Bark

Chiffchaffs are pumping out their monotonous onomatopoeic songs, Cetti’s Warblers are setting up territories and are much easier to see while there are fewer leaves in the hedgerows.

Song Thrush in early morning sunshine (c) Bark

Song Thrushes, Chaffinches and Reed Buntings are all singing and pairing up. Great Spotted Woodpeckers are drumming from Roman Road and we found at least five in the same vicinity drumming, calling and presumably competing for nest sites.

Cetti's Warbler at the second screen (c) Bark

The ”hotspot” on the reserve shifts with the seasons and Big Otmoor and The Closes are currently the prime places to spend time scanning and searching. Golden Plovers are at their highest numbers and there are several flocks of over a thousand with one that must number over three thousand.

Goldies en masse (c) Bark

It is difficult to separate them, but we noticed that one of the flocks appears to contain more individuals that are moulting into summer plumage than the others. Perhaps just coincidental or a group from a different breeding location? The Plovers are very restless and jittery, flushing en masse at the slightest threat. They are also very vocal, keeping up a continual chattering when on the ground and making alarm calls when they flush.

Goldies with Lapwing and one Dunlin (c) Bark

They flicker gold and white as they wheel and bank, sparkling in the sunshine, flying in tight formations when threatened and forming loose chevrons as they descend once again.

Goldies (c) Bark

There have been up to thirty Dunlin feeding around and amongst the Golden Plovers on both big Otmoor and Closes they are less flighty and settle more rapidly if they have been alarmed. Redshank are calling and displaying across the whole site as are Lapwings.

Displaying Lapwing (c) Bark

The first Lapwing nests with eggs are usually found towards the middle of March. On a survey earlier this week, we watched Curlews doing their distinctive display flight, where they fly up with shivering wings and almost stall before gliding down and then flying upwards again. The whole display flight is of course accompanied by their distinctive and evocative curlew call, that for the next few months will be one of the signature defining sounds of Otmoor.

Curlew (c) Nick Truby

Once again there are two pairs of Common Cranes on and around the moor. The pair that successfully reared a youngster last year have returned alone, and both pairs are keeping well away from each other. One pair can sometimes be seen feeding on the northern side of Greenaways or from the second screen on the reedbed bund. For very large birds they can remain out of sight for considerable lengths of time!

Marsh Harrier over the reedbed (c) Bark

Marsh Harriers are displaying over the reedbed and this year again there appear to be two females with a lone male in attendance.

Hen Harrier (c) Bark

The Hen-harrier is still being seen but unpredictably and sporadically now that the Starling roost has dispersed. A Barn Owl has been seen out and about in the early evening and early mornings.

Barn owl (c) Nick Truby

This crepuscular behaviour is much more likely when there has been steady rain overnight, making night time hunting more difficult. Tawny Owls have been heard calling in the Roman Road and there is still at least one Short-eared Owl present in the wider Otmoor area.

Short-eared Owl (c) Bark

There is a lot of courtship and breeding activity from the wildfowl. Although Wigeon do not breed on the moor they display and pair up whilst here and drakes can be seen displaying to females.

Pochard showing his ruby red eye (c) Nick Truby

The Pochard that are one of our breeding species are very busy in their courtship rituals the males showing a bright ruby-red eye. “Luke” seems to have moved away as we have not seen him for some weeks. An early visit from a pair of Garganey for one day, was probably a pair that was moving through rather than one of our breeding pairs.

One of six Oystercatchers present (c) Bark

Male Bitterns are starting to tune up their booming with a series of practice grunts and croaks but are not yet into their full-on booming calls, that carry across the moor during the spring.

Stupidly tame Pheasant and ridiculously confiding  Munjac (c) Bark

During the next few weeks migrants will start to arrive in greater numbers and the Redwings that are currently feeding in the fields will depart for the north and east. It is a very exciting time of year and it is always good to hear a new or different species adding its voce to the Otmoor soundscape.

Grass Snakes are showing along the bridleway. (c) JR