Brandon Marsh :: 25 March 2012

With Charlotte out playing tennis for the second day running, it was time for a visit and walk around Brandon Marsh. With kids in tow, we arrived for a late lunch in the Badger tearoom. Views of bird from here was restricted by one of the staff filling up the various feeder and tables outside the window - no nuthatch or great spotted woodpeckers today.

With ice-creams in hand, we set off around the reserve. The weather was stunning again - you just can't believe we are not in the middle of summer and that there are still few leaves on the trees. Immediately we saw kestrel and buzzard overhead, then geese on the golf course before we got onto the water and the various ducks and gulls. Best of all was the sight of a grass snake swimming passed the front of the hide, not far from a beautiful great crested grebe.

The reserve still seems quiet, perhaps waiting for the changing of the guard as migration kicks in. The change was brought home with my first sighting of a swallow this year, not far from the East Marsh Pool hide.

Todays sighting numbered 38 and included: carrion crow, blue tit, great tit, magpie, robin, greenfinch, reed bunting, dunnock, woodpigeon, chaffinch, mallard, blackbird, black headed gull, buzzard, greylag goose, canada goose, long tailed tit, mute swan, shoveler duck, lapwing, moorhen, teal, cormorant, tufted duck, coot, great crested grebe, lesser black backed gull, common gull, raven, snipe, oystercatcher, little ringed plover, redshank, grey heron, pheasant, wren, kestrel and swallow.

Perhaps the whitethroat, chiffchaff and cetti's warbler will be out in larger numbers when I get back again - missed them all on this visit.

Farmoor Reservoir :: 19 March 2012

Well, it had come to that time of year; the annual car service and MOT. Unfortunately the boot release was also playing up and so it would not be a short visit. The garage is in Botley and so it was an early start at work followed by a lunchtime exit. By 12:30 I had dropped off the car and was on on my way for a stroll round Farmoor Reservoir. Not only a relaxing way to spend the afternoon but it turned out to be stunning weather too.

On arrival there was the matter of having lunch (packed), sorting out the car insurance and finally the car breakdown cover. This out of the way, I could chillax.

I've only ever walked around the Farmoor I on previous visits and so when I got to the far end I decided to drop down and have a look at the Pinkhill Meadow and hide - beautiful. As soon as I left the reservoir the number of birdcalls increased substantially, led by a pair of Chiffchaffs - my first sighting for the year. Must do this again with the family.

I was informed that there was a little gull out on the water amongst the black headed gulls but if it was I couldn't identify it.

A relaxing afternoon which yielded 29 sightings, including: coot, mallard, black headed gull, mute swan, cormorant, gadwall, tufted duck, pied wagtail, carrion crow, great crested grebe, chiffchaff, wren, reed bunting, chaffinch, robin, magpie, blue tit, canada goose, rook, woodpigeon, dunnock, long tailed tit, moorhen, redshank, grey heron, blackbird, great tit, bullfinch and whitethroat.

When I got back to the garage the news wasn't too bad. Boot fixed, car serviced and MOT done with no reported problems. Not cheap but no more than quoted. Phew!

Brandon Marsh :: 17 February 2012

With one of the girls out with friends, we decided to pop up to Brandon Marsh to have lunch and a quick walk around the reserve. Not too cold and no wind helped make the conditions feel quite spring-like. The hot lunch helped with that too.

Despite the number of cars in the car park, the reserve was actually quite quiet, especially for a half-term Friday. Heaven in the hides and quite a few birds around. Perhaps the species count is rising due to the rising water - a significant change since we were last there. Amazingly we saw yet another pintail; that is three in as many days - have I just not been paying attention before?

Today's species count was 42 and included: coal tit, magpie, feral pigeon, great tit, blue tit, robin, black-headed gull, reed bunting, chaffinch, kestrel, woodpigeon, dunnock, carrion crow, great spotted woodpecker, blackbird, greenfinch, canada goose, mallard, tufted duck, cormorant, wren, green woodpecker, long tailed tit, mute swan, coot, shoveler, pochard, teal, lapwing, moorhen, lesser black-backed gull, common gull, greylag goose, pintail, wigeon, snipe, pheasant, goldeneye, heron, gadwall, shelduck and bullfinch.

RSPB Otmoor :: 16 February 2012

With a couple of hours spare in Oxford, the kids and I decided to pop along to RSPB Otmoor and see what was about. As we went round the sun started to shine - always a plus. Talking to one of the guys manning his scope he mentioned that a brent goose had been spotted earlier and that a flock of canada geese had just left for the first screen with a much smaller goose in the group. Off we went to the first screen and fortunately there it was - another tick :-) In the distance another pintail - 40 years then two come along at once, or perhaps I am looking more now.

Although a quick visit, as we had to pick up mum, we noted 30 species, including: magpie, carrion crow, chaffinch, robin, kestrel, dunnock, lapwing, pheasant, blue tit, great tit, reed bunting, long tailed tit, canada goose, bullfinch, pintail, greylag goose, brent goose, tufted duck, wigeon, shoveler, teal, mallard, coot, heron, rook, woodpigeon, blackbird, red kite, starling and grey partridge.

RSPB Sandwell Valley :: 14 February 2012

Valentines Day 2012 and a visit to RSPB Sandwell Valley. Do I know how to treat my wife or what!? Actually, we did stop off for some lunch at our favourite Chinese - Wing Wah in Nechells. From here we waddled off to RSPB Sandwell Valley where we were greeted by 8 magpies, 4 squirrels, 3 woodpigeons and 2 crows in the car park. A large welcoming committee.

Once we had moved our car outside the gates (expecting to leave after the 5pm curfew) we managed to sneak into the hide. The few people left there quickly pointed out the jack snipe showing well just to the side of the hide. Amazing, and a first for me - as was the pintail not a few minutes later.

The car temperature gauge had read 8C but the real-feel temperature was somewhat lower. Thanks to the family they still let me get as much around the site as was possible with the various works in progress. We were rewarded with an encounter with a pair of jays, unfortunately cut short by some cyclists.

The sightings for our visit were 37, including: magpie, woodpigeon, collard dove, redwing, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, carrion crow, lapwing, black-headed gull, canada goose, dunnock, robin, greenfinch, goldfinch, teal, wigeon, jack snipe, pintail, goosander, tufted duck, gadwall, mute swan, coot, moorhen, great-crested grebe, starling, greylag goose, blackbird, fieldfare, shoveler, mistle thrush, common gull, song thrush, jackdaw, jay, mallard and house sparrow.

Farmoor Reservoir :: 04 February 2012

Woke up to find a cold and crisp morning. On opening the curtains the fieldfare and redwings could be seen stripping the berry bushes and trees along the street - a flock of at least 30. They seemed to have their vantage points to rest between feeds and retreated there as cars and passers-by disturbed them. It was a shame I had to get up and out ... I could have watched them for hours.

After a swift breakfast it was off to drop the youngest daughter at Music School and onto Witney for a visit to a particular store - from the car there were many buzzard sightings (7) and one greater spotted woodpecker. The jobs out of the way and being only 10mins from Farmoor Reservoir - well I couldn't resist, especially as I'd heard there was a great northern diver visiting. I only had 45mins to spare and so it was a brisk walk around the eastern half (Farmoor I) of the reservoir.

Unfortunately the great northern diver (now two I'm told) eluded me. However I did spot a pair of red-crested pochard, mallard, pied wagtail, chaffinch, blue tit, goldfinch, tufted duck, magpie, buzzard, coot, pochard, carrion crow, mistle thrush, fieldfare, black-headed gull, goldeneye, great crested grebe, redshank and more cormorants than you could throw a stick at. But no diver - damn - maybe next time.

Draycote Water :: 29 January 2012

This morning I found time to take part in the 'Big Garden Birdwatch', organised by the RSPB. This year was the quietest yet with only: robin, chaffinch, house sparrow, blackbird, woodpigeon, dunnock, blue tit and starlings visiting in the allotted hour. Hopefully, as many suggest, this is as a consequence of the mild winter we are having; it seems to be the main topic on bird forums just how quiet some gardens are.

To cheer myself up I decided to drag the family off to Draycote Water. There have been consistent reports of smew on the water; photos of the male are stunning. On arrival we could see that it was going to be a cold walk but also that there were large numbers of birds on the water, predominantly gulls. Unfortunately we were unable to locate any smew, but talking to others they hadn't been able to locate them either. The species could for the visit was 31, including: carrion crow, teal, black-headed gull, little grebe, mallard, great crested grebe, coot, gadwall, cormorant, lapwing, canada goose, starling, greylag goose, pied wagtail, goldeneye, tufted duck, pheasant, grey wagtail, goosander, red-breasted merganser, great tit, common gull, lesser black backed gull, woodpigeon, rook, magpie, linnet, robin, golden plover and buzzard.

On the way home we warmed up with a trip to Costa - caramel latte ... mmm!