Sunday 11th and Monday 12th October
No report on Saturday as I was enjoying the delights of Didcot Power Station and the tip. I also saw the gull in question and am now worried that I might have to go over again and try to see the Baltic Gull.
The reserve was very quiet on both days and on Sunday it was grey, misty and wet. Yesterday was beautiful however and the colours of the berries and the turning leaves glowed in the hedgerows. There was not a great deal to be seen on the bird front our summer visitors have gone and our winter birds
have not returned in any numbers. There are several flocks of skylarks over all fields and larger numbers still of meadow pipits. There were three green Sandpipers on both days and the Black tailed Godwit is still on the southern lagoon. Most interesting was a Raven that was seen being pursued by a jackdaw over Big Otmoor on Sunday morning and was seen again on Monday feeding on the ground on Greenaways. A flock of about 200 Goldies was seen in the distance on Sunday.
In the sun yesterday morning there were still a lot of dragonflies to be seen but no sign of the Hobby which has probably left. There is now a large metal skeleton on the edge of Ashgrave and the hide is
finally taking shape. It is very exciting as we were very surprised at the scale of it and the amount of elevation it will give to view both Ashgrave and the western end of the Closes. It is great to see all of these major projects coming to fruition and the RSPB staff should be congratulated on the complicated work that has been going on to get these works done. Well done.
Cheers Peter
Two green sandpipers © Nigel Forrow
The reserve was very quiet on both days and on Sunday it was grey, misty and wet. Yesterday was beautiful however and the colours of the berries and the turning leaves glowed in the hedgerows. There was not a great deal to be seen on the bird front our summer visitors have gone and our winter birds
have not returned in any numbers. There are several flocks of skylarks over all fields and larger numbers still of meadow pipits. There were three green Sandpipers on both days and the Black tailed Godwit is still on the southern lagoon. Most interesting was a Raven that was seen being pursued by a jackdaw over Big Otmoor on Sunday morning and was seen again on Monday feeding on the ground on Greenaways. A flock of about 200 Goldies was seen in the distance on Sunday.
In the sun yesterday morning there were still a lot of dragonflies to be seen but no sign of the Hobby which has probably left. There is now a large metal skeleton on the edge of Ashgrave and the hide is
finally taking shape. It is very exciting as we were very surprised at the scale of it and the amount of elevation it will give to view both Ashgrave and the western end of the Closes. It is great to see all of these major projects coming to fruition and the RSPB staff should be congratulated on the complicated work that has been going on to get these works done. Well done.
Cheers Peter
Two green sandpipers © Nigel Forrow