Birds
Not such a rare or even notable sighting here. However, I thought the observation of one catching a reptile (probably Slow-worm or juvenile Grass Snake) was worthy of a mention. The bird lowered to edge of the hard shoulder/verge and I was expecting it to pick up someone's discarded lunch or a dead mammal, so was quite surprised to see it take off with a squirming reptile!
- Banbury: Hanwell Fields: 27th July
Banbury: Hanwell Fields Black Kite: Flew low over house. Black, smaller than red, flight very kite like, long slightly forked rail, never seen one before but cannot think what else it might be. Thought I'd mention it & hope someone else gets a better...
- Rushy Island Hopping Skulking Temminck's
Temminck's showed for about 30 out of 90 minutes on at least three islands to the WNW corner of Rushy Common up to around 3pm. Amongst veg, slow moving or static and noticeably smaller in body than a showy Pied Wag alongside, you have to have real...
- Grimsbury Reservoir: 25th September
Grimsbury Reservoir Kingfisher Little Grebe: Only around for circa half an hour. Uncommon bird here. 30 Golden Plover: circa 30 circling over fields just north of the wood. Patch tick for me. Willow Tit: Northern edge of the wood in a tit flock. Yellow...
- Farmoor F1 C14:00 - 17:15 Saturday
Sun, downpours, windy and calm weather made for an interesting visit. The Curlew Sand was joined by at least 4 Dunlin and 4 Common Sands, mainly along the north shore and NW corner of F1 (northerly basin). The same corner around 15:10 saw a Hobby catching...
- Goingbirding: 26th March
Otmoor: various 35 Golden Plover: roughly. very distant. OTHER SPECIES: Grass snake. Gareth Blockley ...
Birds
Red Kite M40
Not such a rare or even notable sighting here. However, I thought the observation of one catching a reptile (probably Slow-worm or juvenile Grass Snake) was worthy of a mention. The bird lowered to edge of the hard shoulder/verge and I was expecting it to pick up someone's discarded lunch or a dead mammal, so was quite surprised to see it take off with a squirming reptile!
- Banbury: Hanwell Fields: 27th July
Banbury: Hanwell Fields Black Kite: Flew low over house. Black, smaller than red, flight very kite like, long slightly forked rail, never seen one before but cannot think what else it might be. Thought I'd mention it & hope someone else gets a better...
- Rushy Island Hopping Skulking Temminck's
Temminck's showed for about 30 out of 90 minutes on at least three islands to the WNW corner of Rushy Common up to around 3pm. Amongst veg, slow moving or static and noticeably smaller in body than a showy Pied Wag alongside, you have to have real...
- Grimsbury Reservoir: 25th September
Grimsbury Reservoir Kingfisher Little Grebe: Only around for circa half an hour. Uncommon bird here. 30 Golden Plover: circa 30 circling over fields just north of the wood. Patch tick for me. Willow Tit: Northern edge of the wood in a tit flock. Yellow...
- Farmoor F1 C14:00 - 17:15 Saturday
Sun, downpours, windy and calm weather made for an interesting visit. The Curlew Sand was joined by at least 4 Dunlin and 4 Common Sands, mainly along the north shore and NW corner of F1 (northerly basin). The same corner around 15:10 saw a Hobby catching...
- Goingbirding: 26th March
Otmoor: various 35 Golden Plover: roughly. very distant. OTHER SPECIES: Grass snake. Gareth Blockley ...