Hinton Airfield :: 12 June 2021

It had been a busy week and by Friday night I was feeling a bit weary. So, when Kevin Heath got in touch and he felt much the same, we decided to give an early start on Saturday a miss and think about Sunday instead. However, I'd then been thinking about where to go, and my mind fell on a site that I've never visited - Hinton Airfield. In the lockdowns John Friendship-Taylor had walked here from his home in Brackley and turned up some interesting birds - I contacted him to confirm the parking spot I'd found on my maps and what a common route around may be. He confirmed the details but also said that he was thinking of going there in the morning if I would like to join him - an opportunity not to me missed, rather than stumbling around on my own.

I arrived slightly early and as I waited I listened to the calling skylark and watched a grey heron over. A calling yellow wagtail caught my attention, and I raised my bins to see it atop a nearby tree. It had a full beak of what I originally thought was nesting material but turned out to be food for the nest. That is how you provision a nest!

John arrived and we set off on the south side of the airfield, spotting another yellow wagtail and yellowhammer ahead. In the bushes to our right, we came across a family of whitethroats, the mother with food for the youngsters hopping excitedly from branch to branch. Soon we came across another family group, this time long-tailed tits. They fed amongst the branches in the hedge, constantly on the move. Looking across the field we could see another yellow wagtail sitting on top of a small dung heap. More whitethroat showed and we were already into double figures.

We came upon a field where the farmer had left a very wide margin and it was filled with red poppies - it was really a beautiful sight. John stopped to take some photos and I couldn't resist either.

We continued passed a barn and came across (another?) family of long-tailed tits and into a large area where some small planes were parked up on the far edge. To our left we spotted a brown hare and watched it moving slowly at first, but then it sauntered across to our right - wrong decision - as a dog and its owner rounded the corner and the dog took off after the hare. No competition. Despite the owner calling on the dog, it tried to follow but the hare opened the gap between them and disappeared into, and presumably through, the hedge.

We came across another brown hare shortly after, more distant but running towards us - it stopped for a short while but then exited stage left, and into the hedge. John headed for a short patch of grass, leading to an area of higher grass and scrub - he had a purpose and soon announced that he'd found some bee orchids - searching around we counted ten. It is odd but we only found two more and not too far from the main group. Continuing into the scrub we saw a butterfly fly past and land ahead - we got up close and John identified it as a small heath - I would have had to check at home but he knows his stuff. Shortly after we had another and this time John identified it as a brown argus.

We circled back to the cars and I was pleased to have had a first visit with someone who knew the area and had some butterfly knowledge. A great visit to somewhere new - it will be on the list for regular visits, especially for spring migrants.

North Oxon :: 09 June 2021

There have been reports of an owl inhabiting a box locally and so I decided to have a look as her indoors was out playing in a tennis match. I was blessed with an early emergance but only for 5 minutes, then shortly after for 20 minutes. Great to see but very distant in low light.

Dark clouds passed overhead and c45 sand martin appeared in the air. An amazing sight as there are usually only up to 14 visible here. As quickly as they arrived, they were off.

Finally I found some curlew coming to roost and while pleased to see them it probably indicates failed nesting attempts.

WkWT Brandon Marsh :: 06 June 2021

I'd been wondering whether to go out on Sunday morning - chatting to Kevin Heath we decided that we'd meet up and try Warwickshire Wildlife's Brandon Marsh. We agreed a meet at 5.00am on the north edge of Banbury and set off from there. As is normal this time of the morning, the road was covered in woodpigeon and magpies. Unfortunately when passing a flock of woodpigeons on the verge, one of them made a very late decision to take to the wing and flew right in front of my car - so much for being a nature lover ☹.

We used the member's entrance and set off round Grebe Pool and through New Hare Covert - here we encountered a family of great-spotted woodpeckers and a pair of jays. We also stopped to watch a European hornet buzzing around an old dead tree - what a sight and a brute it is.

Once passed the golf course on our left, we looked out over Alban's Reedbed and could see the source of the distant cuckoo calls. There was also a kestrel in a high branch of a tree. Cetti's warblers called but only showed as the darted off. The cuckoo worked it's way in parallel to us but stayed distant. I have seen cuckoo in a large leafless tree near the bench as you turn for the Wright Hide - we moved back to take pressure off, hoping for a landing there but with no luck. We popped into the Wright Hide and after a short while we could hear that the cuckoo had moved much closer and went to investigate. While not on the tree we’d hoped for, there were first two and then three cuckoos that flew past, splitting into a single and a pair.

Back in the hide we looked out at five little ringed plovers running around the scrape. Kev picked out a kingfisher amongst the species on view, but I didn't latch on to it. In the distance two shelduck dropped in briefly - the first either of us has seen this year - strange but true. While good to view there was nothing else of particular note, so we set off down the track.

We stopped at the Badwin Hide and I hoped to pick out the kingfisher as this is a favourite spot but didn't. Of particular interest was a pair of oystercatchers that were protecting their three chicks - so cute. It was quite comical watching the three chicks all trying to squeeze together under the adults.

On from here we stopped at the East Marsh Hide, joining three other occupants. From here we could see all the same birds but on our side of one of the islands a rather independent lapwing cick was feeding on the water's edge. We watched for a short while and as nothing appeared to be changing, we set off to the hides further out on the trail - to the very end (Ted Jury Hide).

We were accompanied by one of the guys from the earlier hide and we chatted establishing he was one of the conservation volunteers for the reserve. Kev had previously played on the golf course adjacent to the reserve and it was a surprise to hear that the local Council have decided to close it permanently pending any interested buyers. We could see a couple of cuckoos in distant tress and regular flypasts from green woodpeckers. We willed the cuckoos to stop on the dead tree out in front of the hide, mostly occupied by stock doves. A couple of redshank flew past landing far to our right.

Sedge and reed warblers fed in the short reeds occasionally showing clearly enough for a photo.

We watched on as the cuckoos moved around in the distance and eventually, we had a closer pass that allowed an attempt at a flight shot - not too bad given the grey clouds and threat of rain. Given that one of the target species for the day had been cuckoos, they delivered in spades.

We headed back, taking in the Mick Taylor and Steetley Hides with Kev spotting yet another kingfisher that I didn't see. The rain started to fall, and we made for home - a nice morning out and a first visit here for Kev. A new member for the Trust secured!

RSPB Otmoor :: 02 June 2021

It was the last day of my extra-long weekend - half term holidays for my wife from the school. While she slept on I arose early and set out to target a bittern sighting at RSPB Otmoor. There was no sign of the glossy ibis on The Closes but from the bridleway I could see a single common crane feeding at distance - no point in another record photo.

Cetti's continued to call along the bridleway, joined by sedge and reed warbler and looking back down the path a male marsh harrier cruised across Greenaways. I reached the crossroads without having seen or heard from the bittern and decided on a quick look along Big Otmoor. I had good but fleeting views of two cuckoos and had an oystercatcher mobbing a red kite but nothing out of the ordinary.

I walked down to 1st screen and noted a handful of pochard but no bittern flights as I waited and watched. At second screen a lone pintail slept far to my left and later disappeared down a channel in the reeds. Still no bittern flight so I made my way back to the bridleway to stake out the reeds on Greenaways. A lovely whitethroat followed level with me for a hundred yards or so, singing constantly.

From the bridleway alongside Greenaways I was frequently distracted by calling Cetti's and passing cuckoo but continued to have no sightings of a bittern. A cuckoo decided to land on a few trees to my right but always against the sun, throwing it into silhouette. I took a couple of photos for record purposes.

So no bittern but while waiting/searching for one I noted black-headed gull, blackbird, blue tit, buzzard, canada goose, carrion crow, cetti's warbler, chaffinch, chiffchaff, common tern, coot, cormorant, crane, cuckoo, goldfinch, grasshopper warbler, great crested grebe, grey heron, greylag goose, lapwing, lesser black-backed gull, lesser whitethroat, linnet, little egret, little grebe, long-tailed tit, magpie, mallard, marsh harrier, mute swan, oystercatcher, pheasant, pintail, pochard, red kite, redshank, reed bunting, reed warbler, rook, sedge warbler, shoveler, skylark, snipe, song thrush, swallow, swift, tufted duck, whitethroat, willow warbler, woodpigeon and wren. Over 50 species but not the one I was hoping for - still a good day out!

Lower Heyford :: 30-31 May 2021

I was feeling tired having started early on Saturday and had a late-night visiting friends (now that the Covid restrictions have been relaxed) - still observing social distancing of course! I eased into the morning but decided not to venture out birding. Instead, and after lunch, I set off for a walk across the fields from Lower Heyford to Northbrook and back along the canal - my wife was playing in a tennis match and so I thought I'd test the walk for us to do together someday.

Skylark, yellowhammer and linnet showed around the fields and hedges and as I rounded a corner, I spotted a corn bunting singing in a distant taller bush. I took a couple of photos and started to halve the distance. Unfortunately, two dogs bounded from the footpath ahead - the bird took off and I was left with a heavily cropped effort as a record.

I continued on hoping for another corn bunting sighting but had nothing but skylark and more yellowhammers. I reached the barns and as I approached, I saw a little owl take to the wing and drop over and out of sight. I was chuffed as that was two separate encounters in two days. I walked on and stopped at the gate beyond to look back to where the owl had been. As I scanned the owl landed on the windowsill right in front of me - what a sight! Unfortunately, it saw me and shot off before I had been able to do anything other than take a sharp intake of breath. I waited but it didn't reappear.

Further along the footpath two red-legged partridge spotted my approach and flew off up the fields and out of view. I searched the area for them and spotted a green woodpecker hanging on a post - I loved the way the posts lined up and took a snap.

I approached the canal and heard one of two approaching canal boats hit the bridge that crosses both the canal and river. I alerted the boat setting off from the lock in the opposite direction that they might take care as the passed! I waited for them to open the lock and depart so that I could cross to the towpath that would take me back to Lower Heyford. Chiffchaff called all along the path and several sedge warblers showed as I made my way alongside the water. It was very peaceful and a great way to spend the afternoon.

In addition to the birds I enjoyed the numbers of damselflies, demoiselles and butterflies along the water's edge. In total along this stretch I counted ten chiffchaff - quite a number along this short stretch.

That night I talked with Kevin Heath and we decided to investigate the little owl I had seen the day before and agrred to rendezvous at my house at 5.15am and set off for Lower Heyford. We were surrounded by skylarks as we made our way across the foelds, these being joined by occasional yellowhammers. We reached the barn and although we could hear some sounds of little owl, they were further back and behind the barns - we circled round, and Kev picked out a raptor call from a large tree and we initially though it may be a kestrel. It soon stopped calling and we thought we may be too close but before we retreated, we watched a hare in the fields below which then led Kev to a pair of grey partridge to the left and then I spotted another to the right.

I took up watch for the little owl from behind the gate and Kev popped into the hedge to see if he could spot the raptor in the tree - he was gone such a long time that I wondered if he'd fallen down a well but eventually I got a message on my phone that he had two red-legged partridge and I fell back to join him. We watched as the raptors left the tree, still calling. They turned out to be hobby and not what we'd expected to find here. We tried relocating and taking pressure off the area around the barn, but we still didn't see the little owl. The hobby did then land in a tree beyond the barn and sit for a long time.

Eventually we decided to call it a day and made our way back, again encountering numbers of skylark and this time also a corn bunting.

We paused to look for the corn bunting again and who should come round the corver but Mr and Mrs Truby - they stopped and took a photo, presumably of our bird - they had come across a corn bunting in the usual hedge. We stopped and chatted for a while and noted little egret and grey heron over. Nick mentioned that they'd already had yammers and corn bunting in the hedge before the barn and so when we parted, we stopped and found a lovely bunting singing at the far end.

Later we were to hear that Nick hadn't seen the little owl either but that it had called solidly for half an hour. He did though have views of a marsh harrier, the hobbies, and a cuckoo which landed on the barn roof but left before he could get a photograph. We agreed this is a very nice spot.

Tysoe, Balscote Quarry & Nether Worton :: 29 May 2021

After the excitement of the purple heron on Friday night (photos in the previous post) I arose early and headed for a small wood where I believe lesser spotted woodpecker has been seen - at least a friend of a friend is sure. I searched for just over an hour but with no luck but counted pass-through of great-spotted woodpecker four times. I could hear a cuckoo calling and despite not finding the bird it was a very relaxing way to ease into the morning - I don't know if I can think of anything that makes me feel †his way. I decided that I'd try again another day and jumped back into the car and drove to Tysoe where I know the owners of some private land where there have traditionally been little owls, and some had been reported a month or so ago.

I set up observation at a distance from where I understood the sightings had been and against a hedge. I waited for almost 45 minutes before I decided to move forward and see if there was any movement beyond. I stood by the trees of interest and after 5 minutes or so a little owl departed and landed in a tree beyond. Raising my bins, I gould see there were two little owls in the tree and went for the camera. As I raised it a pair of blackbirds appeared to get very agitated with the little owls and drove them off giving only a passing opportunity to record their presence. They flew back and away from me. At least I now know where to look again.

I relocated to Balscote Quarry to see if anything had dropped in there. It took me a while to find but eventually a little ringed plover showed on a small spit that has been gradually rising against the dropping water level. The willow warbler continues to sing, eight sand martins fed across the water and up to five magpies were visible at a time. A single roe deer fed far to my left. I decided that breakfast was calling and headed home.

After lunch I suggested that my wife and I go for a short walk, and we decided on a loop around Nether Worton that she hadn't walked previously - it is an extension to a walk we have done before. Selecting this location is always a good idea this time of year as it offers the possibility of catching up with spotted flycatcher which are regulars around the church, cottage and trees around. We passed the church and identified a spotted flycatcher as it landed on a protruding branch high in the trees beyond. It fed, as spotted flycatchers often do, by using this as a spot to return to after each foray around the tree. As we watched some movement to the right caught my attention - it was a nuthatch moving along a branch, occasionally on the side we could see.

We continued on and added a yellow wagtail, yellowhammer, willow warbler, several chiffchaff and a kestrel mobbing a red kite, to our list. As we approached Over Worton we were watching chaffinch and assorted tits in a tree when they were joined by another spotted flycatcher. We passed through Over Worton and through the churchyard but didn't see any more flycatchers, although I am pretty sure there are more. In the rigs at the foot of the hill there was still a surprising around of wet ground despite the very dry conditions underfoot everywhere else - I expect this is the point of such farming practice ...

We noted a small moth in the scrub and remarked on how pretty it was - I hadn't knowingly seen this species before but understand it is quite common - a Mother Shipton moth.