The end of October

 

Chiffy (c) Bark

Over the last few weeks, we have had more arrivals on the moor, some of them expected and some of them less regular. The year-list now stands at a very respectable one hundred and fifty species after the most recent additions.

Goldeneye (c) JR

It has been a very wet stormy period and the disturbed weather has scattered birds across the country and disrupted migration patterns. The inclement conditions have sometimes made getting out and looking for birds difficult, either because of rain or at other times the strong winds have meant that small passerines have kept hunkered down in the bushes. There have been occasional breaks in the wilder weather, and we have enjoyed one or two perfect autumn days.

Signs of Autumn Gales

Water levels across the reserve and the adjacent fields have started to go up again and this has led to a steady rise in the number of wildfowl present. Many of the wigeon and Teal are spending time on the Flood Field and the partially flooded MOD fields. At the first screen there are significant numbers of Gadwall and Shovellers, along with a smattering of the other species. We are seeing Pintail regularly flying between Big Otmoor and the Flood. Two weeks ago, we were surprised to find a female Goldeneye in front of the second screen, it did not stay long however, but it was the first that has been recorded on the moor for over eight years.

Snipe on Greenaway's (c) Tom N-L

The large numbers of birds using the flood field can really only be seen and appreciated when they are flushed en masse by Peregrines. There are two that are being seen regularly across the area, Marsh Harriers are also hunting across the same fields but only seem to flush Snipe, Lapwings and Golden Plovers and not the ducks. 

Pied Wagtail by the cattle pens (c) JR

A male Merlin is frequenting the reserve and the adjoining fields. On a walk out to the Pill last weekend we came upon a flock of well over thirty Meadow Pipits, so there is no shortage of its’ favourite prey species.

Stonechat at the Pill (c) Bark

 There have been intermittent reports of a Ring-tailed Harrier, but they probably refer to birds that were moving through rather than over wintering with us. We have identified a minimum of four regular Marsh Harriers, male and female adults and two juveniles.

Marsh Harrier (c) Bark

There was a report from a reliable observer of a probable Glossy Ibis seen descending at the back of Greenways onto the Flood Field beyond. Further searches were unable to locate it but there are so many flooded ditches, pools and suitable muddy feeding areas across the whole area that it might very well be re-found and confirmed in the next few weeks.

Fieldfare (c) Bark

There are a number of different pairs of Stonechats present across the whole moor they seem to have adopted quite large winter territories and so are difficult to pin down but careful scanning across Greenaway’s will often reveal them clinging to a tall bullrush or sedge. They are sometimes being seen around the cattle pens and also in the vicinity of July’s meadow.

Wren (c) JR

Fieldfares and Redwings are feeding on the haws in the hedgerows and a quiet patient wait inside the second screen can often be rewarded by close views of these stunning thrushes, as they move along the hedgerows in noisy garrulous groups.

Superb flight sequence of Filedfares  (c) JR

Other mixed flocks of tits, often with one or two overwintering Chiffchaffs attached, can be seen well in the same place.

Chiffchaff (c) Bark

During this week, a Water Pipit was seen alongside the stone track across Greenaway’s by the reserve warden. It flew across towards the first set of scrapes next to the bridleway where it could be seen amongst the tussocks.

Water Pipit (c) Fergus Mosey

Bitterns too are being seen on and over Greenaways with increasing regularity. Only this week a Short-eared Owl was seen over this field at dusk, a sign of things to come?

We will be starting the winter feeding programme for seed eaters soon and the area near the hide will be worth watching as we have already seen one fine male Brambling in the area and Redpolls too are continuing to be spotted around the reserve.

Brambling (c) Bark

Finally, a salutary lesson for myself and a couple of my regular birding friends. Two weeks ago, we had walked up the eastern edge of Ashgrave beside the wood to have a look at the area of scrub that is developing there. From high up the hill we saw four Egrets fly in and land at one of the many distant scrapes near the bottom of this massive field. “Look Little Egrets “…… a quick look though the scope “ No they’ve got yellow bills…..they’re Cattle Egrets!”  Across the field their size was indeterminate, and they were partially hidden. We set off to get closer if we could and then they flew across towards some cattle where we thought they might settle. They didn’t and kept going  over towards the Closes and then away eastwards. We were all absolutely convinced that they were Cattle Egrets…..but of course the weren’t.

Four Great White Egrets (c) Bark

They were Great white Egrets which only emerged when we had a proper look at the pictures we had taken as record shots as they flew away. Oops! I had already put the news of four Cattle Egrets on Otmoor out. It is still a great record but goes to show how important scale is. With nothing beside them to show how tall they were, but grasses and sedge and their legs hidden by a fold in the ground it was an easy mistake to make, at least that’s my excuse! As well as the fact that we had already decided what they were and then went along with our original wrong idea.

Starlings over the reeds (c)Bark

The Start of October

 

Goldcrest (c) Bark

I did not get down to the moor at all last weekend, the rain was monsoon like on both Saturday and Sunday. I spoke to a farmer at Noke and she said she recorded 90 millimetres of rain between Friday and Monday. When I finally did make it down there at the beginning of last week the transformation brought about by the storm was extraordinary. 

After the storm (c) Tom N-L

From the top of the hill one could see that most of the MOD fields were flooded as were many of the lower lying sheep fields at Noke. An Otmoor regular found to his cost just how deep the waters were on the way out to the Pill, from whence he had to cut short his visit and go home and change into dry clothes!

Little Grebes (c) Tom N-L

On the reserve itself scrapes have filled up and at the second screen the extensive mud around the margins has mostly disappeared.

A still Sunday morning (c) Bark

The stormy weather of the end of September and the beginning of October has hastened the onset of full autumn migration and altered the suite of birds to be found on the moor. This last weekend was dry but still windy on Saturday however Sunday was one of the most perfect still sunny autumn days.

Gadwall and Wigeon (c) Bark

At the first screen there were many more ducks to be seen and the Wigeon flock has risen to over two hundred more significant was the steep increase in Teal. They were out in the middle of Big Otmoor and we estimated that there were at least four hundred there.

Shoveller (c) Tom N-L

Shoveller numbers too have increased and there are still lots of courting Gadwall present. On Sunday there were four Pochard amongst the Mallard and the two Pintail were still out there on Saturday. We did have a small flock of ten or twelve Pintail flying over on Saturday.

Goldies over (c) Bark

Golden Plovers are being seen more regularly with small parties passing over but not yet roosting out on Big Otmoor as they will do as the winter progresses. Lapwings too are once again being seen in loose flocks.

Redpoll (c) Iain Wright

We had several little groups of Siskins over on Saturday and on Sunday our first Redwings were seen. We heard that there had been some Redpolls spotted up near July’s Meadow and when we went to look, we found sixteen of them feeding in the dry weeds beside the path. Sadly, we failed to get any pictures as they were very flighty, but fortunately another visitor managed to get a shot of one of them. There was no record of Redpoll on the reserve at all last year and It is good to see them back. Another Otmoor regular found two Rock Pipits out at the second screen, on the island that has by now almost disappeared.

Rock Pipit (c) Jeremy Dexter

The other new bird to add to the yearlist was a Jack Snipe flushed by one of the RSPB staff out on Ashgrave. This was another bird that failed to be seen last year and our list now stands at a respectable one hundred and forty-six species.

Dark Buzzard (c) JR         Kestrel (c) Bark

As the Starling roost starts to build up and the large flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers arrive, so we find an increase in the number of raptors that we see. This weekend we saw at least two different Marsh Harriers, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks. Excitingly on Sunday afternoon, the first Hen Harrier of the season was reported hunting over Greenaway’s. On Saturday morning we saw an aerial duel between a Peregrine and a Red Kite.

Peregrine and Red Kite (c) Iain Wright

The Peregrine had taken a real dislike to the Kite and made a number of furious passes at it, seemingly cheered on by a party of Jackdaws that contributed a lot of “chakking” noises but stayed well clear. On Sunday we had a very dark morph Buzzard over, the regular Buzzards that we see tend to have much more white and pale colours in their breasts.

Cranes with ring detail (c) Bark

We have massive numbers of feral geese on and around the moor at the moment and they occasionally move en masse, this is a very noisy business as they all call as they fly and despite their being not properly wild it makes for a very spectacular sight. I heard such a cacophony start up on Sunday morning and heard another sound amongst the braying of the geese. It was bugling and sure enough I confirmed it when later I found two Cranes. They were in very long dry grass and as far as I could tell only one of them was ringed, its’ colour rings identify it as male called “Wiz” that attempted to breed this year in Somerset.

As the leaves are falling off the trees it is easier to spot the smaller birds that are foraging in the hedgerows such as Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and Wrens.

Chiffy (c) Tom N-L    Goldcrest (c) Bark    Wren (c) JR

Along the track to the second screen there are adult and juvenile Hares that are becoming fairly confident around people and are offering some exceptional photo-opportunities. It is interesting that it often seems to happen like that, last year there was a Hare that would sometimes come too close to photograph!

Top two (c) JR      bottom (c) Bark

End of September

 

Cetti's Warbler (c) Bark

Autumn is coming up rapidly and the temperatures have taken a sharp dive. This weekend was very windy at the reserve and whenever the wind is in the east or the north there is less shelter available on the moor. The wind blows straight through the screens and straight into one’s face, wildfowl hunker down in the reedbed and around the edges while small passerines stay deep in cover.

Mallard coming in (c) Bark

As you might have gathered from that there were few highlights to report from the weekend. At the first screen amongst the Mallard, Shovellers and Gadwall there were seven Wigeon newly arrived. Just once or twice for the first time this season I heard their distinctive whistling calls, something that will soon merge into part of the familiar Otmoor winter soundscape.

Shoveller getting into fresh plumage (c) Bark

Many of the drake Gadwall are sporting their smart crisp grey breeding plumage, being one of the first duck species to come out of eclipse. The drakes are stretching their necks, bobbing and calling to attract and impress potential mates. Not too far behind them in terms of their moult are the Shovellers although they will probably need another month to achieve perfect colouring and tidiness.

Marsh Harrier over the reedbed (c) Bark

We only saw one Marsh Harrier over the reedbed, and we recognised it as the same moulting adult male that we have been watching over the past few weeks. A Bittern made a brief flight over the reeds relocating within the reedbed. Their appearances have been only sporadic over the last few months, but we assume that they have little need to move about much, as there are many secluded ditches and pools to feed at, within the reedbed complex.

Kestrel and Buzzard and corvid. (c) Bark

There are still a few warblers to be found if you have the patience to find and then go through a feeding flock. They include Sedge and Reed Warblers Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

Late Sedge Warbler (c) Stephen Kill

In the case of the latter two species they could be birds that are staying or arriving for the winter rather than late leavers. There are many Goldfinches on and around the reserve at the moment, feeding principally on the seeding thistles.

Chiffchaffs can look fat and dumpy and at other times quite long bodied (c) Bark

There are good numbers of juvenile birds amongst them suggesting that they have had a very successful breeding season. The Linnet flock is building up too and will doubtless get even bigger once we start the winter feeding programme beside the hide.

Cetti's (c) Bark

It is difficult to estimate just how many Cetti’s Warblers there are on and around the reserve. At least a dozen would be a conservative estimate. They are difficult to pin down as they are mobile but can be relied on in certain specific places. As well as their more strident territorial call they also have a more muttered sub-song almost as if they are talking to themselves or practicing what they are going to say when they shout. Twice yesterday I was lucky enough to see one sitting out and calling in the open, needless to say they didn’t show for long.

Great white Egrets (c) Paul Wyeth

Two Great White Egrets spent a little while feeding in front of the first screen last week and there have been four or five Grey Herons scattered over the whole area. The Great Whites are becoming much more regular visitors now that they are established in the county.

Fallow Deer (c) Tom N-L

With Yellow -browed Warblers being seen at Farmoor and trapped at Faringdon, perhaps they could become the one hundred and forty forth species to be recorded down there this year. They will be worth listening and looking out for.

Clouded Yellow (c) Stephen Kill