Birds
Open Bill, Close Bill, Swallow
Perhaps 8-10,000 B H Gulls by dusk not knowing which way to catch a fly next as possibly billions of insects emerged this evening, forming a dense low mist around the perimeter of the Reservoir. Just two wp adult Little Gulls and seemingly all the GC Grebes joined in the fly catching bonanza, whilst the late arriving Common Gulls (adults and exceptionally contrasty first winter birds of late) and c250 L. B-backs declined to dine. The work of the Cotswold Park Ringing Group in ringing nestlings was on show - the first of at least four similar white ringed birds I have managed to confirm the code for; with previous sightings at Shippon, Appleford and Farmoor. Hope to post more info when I get a reply.
A glance up to view a sunlit low flying Merlin helicopter(?) at 18:30, meant a very high flying north bound Oystercatcher was seen (one heard and seen earlier across NW of F1) and immediately followed in same frame by a south bound fast descending Swallow which after reaching water level, continued southward. Hardly competes with yesterday's ('overwintering'!) Sedge Warbler but very probably a personal earliest nevertheless.
- Appleford Gull Loafing Site With Iceland's Plus Interest?
For near 2 hours, Gulls in SW of field viewed from gateway. Distant and half of them out of sight amongst ground undulations. A few exceptionally dark L. B-backs, even when sunlit and temptingly like Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus), but too far away to confirm...
- Ringed Black-necked Grebe - The Challenge
One of the Farmoor Res male birds has a large bright metal ring on its right leg. When it preens or dives the ring becomes visible. I am sure that the numerous Photographers might already have or be able to obtain enough of a freeze frame picture to ID...
- Grimsbury Res 01/04/12
Around midday several Blackcap were noted but I didn't count them, pretty much one in every patch of scrub but very little else around. Not having much to look at around the reservoir itself I turned my eyes to the skies. I had already seen a few...
- Great Views Around Appleford Pit Gulls
402 Canada Geese with 2 Greylags arriving together certainly made the gulls shift to the goose free side, but this chap and his large dog circling the lake in full view had not the slightest effect on anything ! So great views of Iceland flying around...
- Farmoor Med Gulls In Late Afternoon
Arrived 16:40, so far too late for any hope of raptor watching. 1 Rockit, 2 Mipit and perhaps 20 Pied Wags plus 1 Ringed Plover in the SE of F1. Enormous gull roost this evening and gusting gale force WSW, so concentrated on F1 only. Common Gull totalled...
Birds
Farmoor F1 26th March
Open Bill, Close Bill, Swallow
Perhaps 8-10,000 B H Gulls by dusk not knowing which way to catch a fly next as possibly billions of insects emerged this evening, forming a dense low mist around the perimeter of the Reservoir. Just two wp adult Little Gulls and seemingly all the GC Grebes joined in the fly catching bonanza, whilst the late arriving Common Gulls (adults and exceptionally contrasty first winter birds of late) and c250 L. B-backs declined to dine. The work of the Cotswold Park Ringing Group in ringing nestlings was on show - the first of at least four similar white ringed birds I have managed to confirm the code for; with previous sightings at Shippon, Appleford and Farmoor. Hope to post more info when I get a reply.
A glance up to view a sunlit low flying Merlin helicopter(?) at 18:30, meant a very high flying north bound Oystercatcher was seen (one heard and seen earlier across NW of F1) and immediately followed in same frame by a south bound fast descending Swallow which after reaching water level, continued southward. Hardly competes with yesterday's ('overwintering'!) Sedge Warbler but very probably a personal earliest nevertheless.
- Appleford Gull Loafing Site With Iceland's Plus Interest?
For near 2 hours, Gulls in SW of field viewed from gateway. Distant and half of them out of sight amongst ground undulations. A few exceptionally dark L. B-backs, even when sunlit and temptingly like Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus), but too far away to confirm...
- Ringed Black-necked Grebe - The Challenge
One of the Farmoor Res male birds has a large bright metal ring on its right leg. When it preens or dives the ring becomes visible. I am sure that the numerous Photographers might already have or be able to obtain enough of a freeze frame picture to ID...
- Grimsbury Res 01/04/12
Around midday several Blackcap were noted but I didn't count them, pretty much one in every patch of scrub but very little else around. Not having much to look at around the reservoir itself I turned my eyes to the skies. I had already seen a few...
- Great Views Around Appleford Pit Gulls
402 Canada Geese with 2 Greylags arriving together certainly made the gulls shift to the goose free side, but this chap and his large dog circling the lake in full view had not the slightest effect on anything ! So great views of Iceland flying around...
- Farmoor Med Gulls In Late Afternoon
Arrived 16:40, so far too late for any hope of raptor watching. 1 Rockit, 2 Mipit and perhaps 20 Pied Wags plus 1 Ringed Plover in the SE of F1. Enormous gull roost this evening and gusting gale force WSW, so concentrated on F1 only. Common Gull totalled...