Birds
2.30 Left car park to immediate views of ring-tailed Hen Harrier playing like a cat with a vole(?) for at least 5 minutes in The Closes; giving very close views for those in the hide. BBWOT bird race team arrived and left with two new species under belt; followed by arival of some 50-60 birdwatchers looking to repeat U-Tube views of Starling Roost, from southern screen overlooking the reedbeds at west of Greenaways. Green Sand at northern screen seen by Peter Law was just 1 bird and the starlings appeared to be on a numerical par, when seen from afar. The Short-eared Owls were far better. First appearance at 3.30pm next to junction in SE of Greenaways, seen most of the time till 4.15, occasionally hopping over to quarter Moorleys, and once both ascended for a fascinating slow wing beat hover. At similar time 2 birds were observed by others mobbing the buzzard by the hide and another bird was seen just east of NE of Greenaways, where a bird had been seen immediately before the stunningly close views at 3.30 mentioned before. So at least 5 birds....
Snipe flushed by the SE's and 2 Red-legged Partridge in SE Greenaways plus flocks of Fieldfare all over reserve.
First birding visit here and two raptor county ticks in the bag. With yesterday, 170 on the list please Jason !
More here Otmoor Birding
- Otmoor 5th March
5 Barnacle Geese on Greenaways (Mary Clifton) 2 Bittern: 1 at 1st screen and a second very close to the second screen. Barn Owl: flying along path to 1st screen at 9:00 am. 200 Golden Plover 2 Curlew: from 2nd screen. Hen Harrier: male. Big Otmoor....
- Otmoor: 16th April
Redstart (male) Hopping in and out of blackthorn onto path near first screen. Short-eared Owl Merlin Peregrine Little Ringed Plover Cuckoo calling from near carpark field. Peter Coombes Otmoor: RSPB reserve Curlew: NW of Greenaways. Short-eared Owl 2...
- Otmoor 27th December
3+ SEO giving close spectacular views all afternoon in broad daylight. The WF Goose with the greylags on Greenaways. Also present peregrine, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kingfisher, cettis warbler heard near the vols hut, raven. more at Otmoor Birding...
- Otmoor 25th Nov
Just returned from a visit to Otmoor to check out the starling roost. Approximately 20,000 birds displayed then went down to roost in the reeds in 3 separate flocks using both reservoirs. A female peregrine flew low over the reeds but did not get up amongst...
- Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup: 12th November – 28th December 1994 Back in the 1990s I regularly watched the Edward Richardson Reserve on the northern edge of Lechlade, just over the border in Gloucestershire. It constituted two main pools, one with extensive dead trees...
Birds
Otmoor Raptor Display
2.30 Left car park to immediate views of ring-tailed Hen Harrier playing like a cat with a vole(?) for at least 5 minutes in The Closes; giving very close views for those in the hide. BBWOT bird race team arrived and left with two new species under belt; followed by arival of some 50-60 birdwatchers looking to repeat U-Tube views of Starling Roost, from southern screen overlooking the reedbeds at west of Greenaways. Green Sand at northern screen seen by Peter Law was just 1 bird and the starlings appeared to be on a numerical par, when seen from afar. The Short-eared Owls were far better. First appearance at 3.30pm next to junction in SE of Greenaways, seen most of the time till 4.15, occasionally hopping over to quarter Moorleys, and once both ascended for a fascinating slow wing beat hover. At similar time 2 birds were observed by others mobbing the buzzard by the hide and another bird was seen just east of NE of Greenaways, where a bird had been seen immediately before the stunningly close views at 3.30 mentioned before. So at least 5 birds....
Snipe flushed by the SE's and 2 Red-legged Partridge in SE Greenaways plus flocks of Fieldfare all over reserve.
First birding visit here and two raptor county ticks in the bag. With yesterday, 170 on the list please Jason !
More here Otmoor Birding
- Otmoor 5th March
5 Barnacle Geese on Greenaways (Mary Clifton) 2 Bittern: 1 at 1st screen and a second very close to the second screen. Barn Owl: flying along path to 1st screen at 9:00 am. 200 Golden Plover 2 Curlew: from 2nd screen. Hen Harrier: male. Big Otmoor....
- Otmoor: 16th April
Redstart (male) Hopping in and out of blackthorn onto path near first screen. Short-eared Owl Merlin Peregrine Little Ringed Plover Cuckoo calling from near carpark field. Peter Coombes Otmoor: RSPB reserve Curlew: NW of Greenaways. Short-eared Owl 2...
- Otmoor 27th December
3+ SEO giving close spectacular views all afternoon in broad daylight. The WF Goose with the greylags on Greenaways. Also present peregrine, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kingfisher, cettis warbler heard near the vols hut, raven. more at Otmoor Birding...
- Otmoor 25th Nov
Just returned from a visit to Otmoor to check out the starling roost. Approximately 20,000 birds displayed then went down to roost in the reeds in 3 separate flocks using both reservoirs. A female peregrine flew low over the reeds but did not get up amongst...
- Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup: 12th November – 28th December 1994 Back in the 1990s I regularly watched the Edward Richardson Reserve on the northern edge of Lechlade, just over the border in Gloucestershire. It constituted two main pools, one with extensive dead trees...