Birds
We had a possible sighting of northern long-tailed tit on Otmoor yesterday afternoon, it was only a quick view at the feeders so it would be great if this could be confirmed. The sighting was from our Assistant Warden and the description of the event is below.
Seen yesterday at around 1430 on the bird feeders, with a flock of c. 10 long-tailed tits.
It had an all white head, but otherwise looked like the 'normal' tits. My initial thoughts were that it appeared slightly longer and slimmer.
Once I got back to the office checked the Collins books and looked at a few pics on birdguides, I would say I am 90% confident it is a northern long-tailed tit. The slimmer appearance may have been due to its paler plumage. I went down again this morning from 0730-0845 and didn't even see a long-tailed tit!
As yet this is a unconfirmed record but if people are around on Otmoor it would be good for you to check any flocks of long-tailed tits.
The white fronts were still on Big Otmoor yesterday, 1,800 lapwing on Ashgrave, and shelduck on the 100 Acre. Water levels are high on the moor and the duck numbers are increasing.
If coming to the reserve could you please drive slow through Beckley as we have had some comments recently about people speeding.
- Rushey Common Area, 14th July
Oystercatcher 5 Green Sandpiper 4 - Conveyor belt lake Common Sandpiper 2 - Tar Lake Garden Warbler 2 adult 1 juv Grey Wagtail 1adult 1 juv Very large numbers of juv Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Goldfinches Clackers ...
- Standlake Pit 60 31st January
1 Long-tailed Duck - very difficult to see as it was spending nearly all its time diving 1 Little Egret Long-tailed Duck record shot (c) Stephen Burchwww.stephenburch.com ...
- Rspb Otmoor 24th April
The BBS and breeding wader surveys this morning picked up some good birds on Otmoor including: Bar-tailed godwit (Big Otmoor) Whimbrel (Greenaways) Hobby (flew overhead on track between carpark and bird feeders) Whitethroat 3 grasshopper warblers Short-eared...
- Grimsbury Reservoir 4th September
Further to Gareth's post Badger and myself checked out the roving tit flock between 1000-1200. We heard the Willow Tit call once early on but did not see it and later we also saw and heard a Marsh Tit in the roving flock. The flock is quite large...
- Shotover A.m. 28th January
4 tree creepers 14 long tailed tits 6 bullfinches 2 goldcrests 1 green woodpecker 4 reed buntings 2 buzzards 1 red kite...
Birds
Northern long-tailed tit Otmoor
We had a possible sighting of northern long-tailed tit on Otmoor yesterday afternoon, it was only a quick view at the feeders so it would be great if this could be confirmed. The sighting was from our Assistant Warden and the description of the event is below.
Seen yesterday at around 1430 on the bird feeders, with a flock of c. 10 long-tailed tits.
It had an all white head, but otherwise looked like the 'normal' tits. My initial thoughts were that it appeared slightly longer and slimmer.
Once I got back to the office checked the Collins books and looked at a few pics on birdguides, I would say I am 90% confident it is a northern long-tailed tit. The slimmer appearance may have been due to its paler plumage. I went down again this morning from 0730-0845 and didn't even see a long-tailed tit!
As yet this is a unconfirmed record but if people are around on Otmoor it would be good for you to check any flocks of long-tailed tits.
The white fronts were still on Big Otmoor yesterday, 1,800 lapwing on Ashgrave, and shelduck on the 100 Acre. Water levels are high on the moor and the duck numbers are increasing.
If coming to the reserve could you please drive slow through Beckley as we have had some comments recently about people speeding.
- Rushey Common Area, 14th July
Oystercatcher 5 Green Sandpiper 4 - Conveyor belt lake Common Sandpiper 2 - Tar Lake Garden Warbler 2 adult 1 juv Grey Wagtail 1adult 1 juv Very large numbers of juv Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Goldfinches Clackers ...
- Standlake Pit 60 31st January
1 Long-tailed Duck - very difficult to see as it was spending nearly all its time diving 1 Little Egret Long-tailed Duck record shot (c) Stephen Burchwww.stephenburch.com ...
- Rspb Otmoor 24th April
The BBS and breeding wader surveys this morning picked up some good birds on Otmoor including: Bar-tailed godwit (Big Otmoor) Whimbrel (Greenaways) Hobby (flew overhead on track between carpark and bird feeders) Whitethroat 3 grasshopper warblers Short-eared...
- Grimsbury Reservoir 4th September
Further to Gareth's post Badger and myself checked out the roving tit flock between 1000-1200. We heard the Willow Tit call once early on but did not see it and later we also saw and heard a Marsh Tit in the roving flock. The flock is quite large...
- Shotover A.m. 28th January
4 tree creepers 14 long tailed tits 6 bullfinches 2 goldcrests 1 green woodpecker 4 reed buntings 2 buzzards 1 red kite...