A glorious afternoon at RSPB Otmoor. Even on entering the reserve, red kite and hobbys were soaring and diving - a great reception. Not to be outdone, hobbys were in an abundance as they hunted dragonflies all across the reserve. The return of swifts was evident with groups joining swallows as they streaked across the sky, fields and water. Caught a good view of a turtle dove as it purred in a tree just off the bridleway - it could be heard from some distance and didn't 
disappoint in showing itself on a number of ocassions. Nice chat with a couple of guys also on a solo visit.
Large numbers of reed bunting sang, joined by whitethroat too. Just passed the first screen, we were lucky enough to have direct sight and sound of a cuckoo - my first of the year. Just to be seasonal the skylarks also erupted like fireworks, singing to great heights then dropping back to earth.
Sightings for the afternoon (39) included: hobby, carrion crow, red kite, kestrel, chaffinch, lapwing, magpie, blackbird, great tit, swift, goldfinch, reed bunting, pheasant, mute swan, mallard, blue tit, turtle dove, little egret, coot, oystercatcher, canada goose, greylag goose, grey heron, redshank, woodpigeon, shoveler, skylark, common tern, tufted tuck, pochard, gadwall, cormorant, cuckoo, swallow, great crested grebe, buzzard, common whitethroat, moorhen and greenfinch.
