IBM Warwick :: 25 October 2021

I was meant to be on holiday as her indoors had managed to reach the school half term break. I had some work that I had to complete before the end of the month so for the morning had to go into the office. While I was there, news started to emerge late morning that a hoopoe had appeared at the IBM building in Warwick. I finished the work I’d needed to complete, sent the emails communicating the results, packed up and headed home. I had already eaten lunch, so I collected my camera and made for the advertised location in Warwick; it was easy to find and I soon joined three others watching the bird. It was on the grass but as I approached it worked its way to the far edge of the lawn in front of the reception area. In a few moments it took off and flew up to perch on railings on the edge of the flat roof. As it landed it cocked up the feathers on its head - I'd not seen this behaviour when I saw this species in Adderbury in 2020.

The bird then spent the next hour feeding on the far lawn and perimeter path interrupted by occasional spells of preening on the railing along the edge of the flat roof.

I had great views of the hoopoe flashing its head feathers and tossing grubs into the air. I had alerted Dan and Trish Miller of the bird's location and heard that they were on their way. I couldn't stay for their arrival as I was planning to spend a few days away with my wife and had to get home to start organising and packing. What a cracking bird to start my week off with.

Boddington Reservoir & Draycote Water :: 23 October 2021

Saturday morning arrived, with Kevin Heath and I deciding to drop in to Boddington Reservoir on our way to Draycote Water - with migration in full swing it is always possible that something of interest may pop up on one of our local bodies of water.

The car park was surprisingly busy as we arrived at just after sunrise - we really never found out why but noted there were already several fishmen on the water's edge. We had planned to just walk up as far as the boat club but after finding nothing much on the water we investigated the fields behind and the banks all the way up to the dam. We encountered various thrushes, including five redwing over, great spotted woodpecker and at least two jays along the hedgerow.

Cetti's warbler could be heard over towards Byfield Pool and as we headed back to the car, we encountered a treecreeper but were limited to viewing through bins and not showing well enough for a photo.

In just over 20 minutes we arrived at Draycote Water and decided that we would limit our initial parking fee to cover two hours. We climbed up to the footpath and I thought we might make our way round the reservoir in a clockwise direction - Kevin thought the opposite and we went with his hunch. We set off along Farborough Dam, watching for the red-breasted merganser that had been reported of late. We couldn’t help being distracted by small flocks of meadow pipit on the slopes to our right - but were on a mission. As we rounded the corner of the dam we could see numbers of cormorant fishing - I commented that things were looking good for seeing the merganser here - in fact many of my best views of visiting great northern divers have been around this spot. Just moments later Kevin drew my attention to the red-breasted merganser fishing ahead. A result!

We pushed on thinking that we would visit the hide and see what might be viewed from there. Before we reached it we picked out three female goldeneye and then a single male - due to the Covid lockdown last spring I didn't visit any large reservoirs and so these were my first of the year.

We entered the hide and scanned Toft Bay. There were numbers of teal and wigeon on the water's edge and a few gulls - investigating the gulls there were the usual black-headed and a common gull which was on the wing and departed. The remaining gulls included a juvenile great black-backed gull and another bird which piqued my interest. I started taking photos and found the bird was a Caspian gull with maybe some herring gull genes thrown in for good measure.

It had been a great morning, but it was time to start back to make sure we didn't exceed our parking time limit. Another birder chatted to us as we left, and we let him know he'd missed the merganser and he followed us back until we pointed out the birds location to him. We didn't have much time to stop but were afforded views of a couple of stonechats in the hedgerow at the foot of the slope. 31 species at Boddington and 34 at Draycote.

Balscote Quarry :: 17 October 2021

I hadn't planned to go out, but my wife had an afternoon tennis match away in Farringdon - it was a beautiful afternoon and shouldn't be wasted indoors. A young couple left as I drew up leaving the viewpoint empty, so I set up with a flask of coffee, bins and my camera. The back pool was completely obscured by grass and weeds, perhaps also by the fact that the water level was very low. The area in front had managed to hold some of the recent rain and so at least some water was in evidence.

A small flock of golden plover came low over the far hedge unseen for much of the transit and dropped into the back field. I hadn't had time to count but I thought somewhere about 20ish. I could see a couple of pied wagtails straight ahead but not much else in the bowl. The team had reset the feeder area and a single female reed bunting was taking advantage; on the other feeders were six goldfinch and four greenfinches. A peak of eight chaffinches fed on the ground behind. In no time a jay appeared and seemed to veer away from landing on the top of the back wooden feeder structure, but only temporarily. In under a minute, it did just that and almost immediately dropped to the ground giving good views - excellent as I do love a jay. As it fed it was joined by a female pheasant - an often-overlooked beauty.

The jay started to look a bit restless and in moments a car passed the entrance. Surprisingly it didn't depart until Mike Prentice rounded the end of the hedge. It was great to see Mike as it has been quite a while since our visits to Balscote Quarry have aligned. We chatted and caught up with each other’s news, passing the time in the afternoon sun. A flock of golden plover circled and we counted c.30 but later I found it was 27 from a photo I'd taken. We were also surprised to see two swallows cutting across the site for a few minutes; when I posted this Mark Hunter replied that he had seen six over Shenington that afternoon.

In the bowl we could now see six pied wagtail and a single linnet, the pieds chasing one another around. Ray Smilie arrived and sat at the other end of the viewpoint and watched as a red kite soared passed and the number of buzzards grew. As he said the buzzard hovering against the breeze would make a good photo, I took it - he was right.

We continued chatting - the mighty Wolves (supported by Ray) had managed to pull out a win in the Premier League the previous day in the 90+5 minute - and were treated to the jay returning. Iain Brown dropped in on his way home from Blacktoft Sands where he had been to see the white-tailed lapwing. No doubt he was trying out his new motor.

A yellowhammer showed on atop a distant bush but there was nothing more of note. A very pleasant afternoon though.

RSPB Middleton Lakes :: 16 October 2021

We arrived at the RSPB Middleton Lakes car park at 7.50am, just before it was scheduled to open - we'd made good time from Banbury and only taken 50mins in convoy. In under 5 minutes an RSPB member of staff drew up, opened the gate and we followed them in. As instructed, we used the machine to issue “Member's" parking tickets so that they can keep track of how the reserve is visited.

We stopped at the feeding station and watched as the rats started to reappear - the lady member of staff having just been in to fill up the feeders. The usual tit species showed, as did moorhen on the ground. A nuthatch came in frequently, throwing some moves on the perch - some full 360s. We were soon on our way along the woodland path and saw several goldcrests in the trees and had multiple redwing flocks over; my first of the autumn.

We stopped at the wooden decked viewpoint and watched some chiffchaff and tits in the reeds beeyond. A Cetti's warbler called to our left and I watched to see if it flew - it didn't. A great tit and then a nuthatch dropped onto the posts beside us but left before I could get a photo. I turned back around and spotted a Cetti's warbler hanging from a reed at some distance, but in view. I snapped off a few photos and reached for my bins - it stopped long enough to get a nice view. It then called and flew out across the reeds, diving down out of view. Happy with the views we’d had I announced to Kevin Heath that we could go home now - I had a Cetti's day in the bag. A nuthatch then dropped onto the post again and allowed a couple of photos, although into the shade beneath the tree.

Approaching the bridge over the canal we found another showy nuthatch checking out the posts - we surmised that people must drop seeds here and that is why these birds show so readily.

Pressing on we passed Fisher's Mill Pool seeing the usual waterfowl on the water but then a raven overhead - we heard and then had a fleeting view of another Cetti's warbler. From the West Scrape Screen a kingfisher cut through at speed and out to our right we could pick out a great white egret but too distant for a photo - it remained that way all morning with these egrets. We then came across a few Konik ponies out on the scrape. Konik ponies are a wild breed of horse (the name Konik is Polish for 'little horse') originating from Poland and are an extremely hardy breed, making them a fantastic grazing animal. They were introduced as a management tool to graze parts of the site that they would struggle to get machinery into.

Kev mentioned the lack of grey herons and seconds later we saw several and had one on the wing. It was amazing timing.

We met one of the volunteers and they let us know that they were planning some management work on North Pool from mid-morning and so we made for there. On the way we picked out two very distant drake pintail and while standing talking to a regular visitor, a black-tailed godwit dropped in. There was a distinct lack of waders out on the Jubilee Wetlands and East Scrape.

We made it to the Lookout Hide and from there were treated to a sea of wigeon on the water. Amongst them we picked out a single drake pintail - it may have been a juvenile given the appearance of its head. Kestrel, great white egret, little egret, and teal all showed well. The work party duly arrived and we prepared to set off, Kev striking up a conversation before packing up. As we left Kev rescued a black slip wasp (pimpla rufipes) from the hide window and placed it safely outside. Showing Kev the photos, he thought that he really should have a manicure!

We stopped to talk with a couple of birders when many of the wigeon and other duck species took to the air from North Pool, filling the sky - presumably flushed by the work party. We asked if anything had appeared and were treated to a tiny dunlin far out on the scrape; too far for anything but a record shot.

We circled back, crossed the footbridge, and scanned the water known as the Dotshill Nature Reserve. Other than calling Cetti's warbler, little egret and a great spotted woodpecker, we didn't find anything of note. On the return around the eastern edge of the Fisher's Mill Reedbed we stopped to listen to some chiffchaff, giving the family group out dog walking some space to get ahead.

Back at the entrance to the path though the woodland we could see that someone had indeed dropped seed on the posts. The birds were making the most of it with the nuthatch filling up with regular visits.

It had been a good visit with 54 species noted and as we changed back out of our walking boots, a distant jay flew along the treeline.

Standlake Pit 60 :: 09 October 2021

We that didn't go as planned ... deciding how to spend the weekend I got in touch with Kevin Heath and came to the decision that the black-necked grebe (reported late Friday afternoon at Standlake) was the bird to target. We looked on the map to locate the site and could see lanes from the main road down to what looked like a caravan park. As we departed in the dark the sky was sparkling with stars - a clear morning gave us hope - we'd suffered a few weeks ago when at Wildlife BCN Summer Leys with fog lingering past mid-morning. No sooner had we left Banbury for Standlake than we started to run into pockets of fog.

We turned down a lane and I started to feel that this wasn't what we were meant to do - I talked with Kev and he thought this looked familiar and that he'd been down here fishing in the past. After a hundred yards or so the scrub along the roadside encroached to such an extent that I couldn't help but worry that the sides of the car were getting scratched - I considered reversing back up the lane but it appeared I was halfway and so much better to head forward than try and negotiate the narrow lane in reverse - we reached the clearing and abandoned the cars (tight against the hedge so as to not cause an obstruction) making for the hides. This was not the lane Kev thought it was.

We reached the North Shore bird hide only to find that the door was locked - this was turning out to be a poorly researched trip. I looked on the web and found a Reserve brochure which indicated the site was indeed a key holder reserve.

From the leaflet we learned that in the 1990s Oxfordshire County Council granted permission to extract gravel from this area of farmland, it also provided a wonderful opportunity to work with the mineral company to create a new nature reserve next to the River Thames. Extraction was completed in 2000 and since then a mosaic of wetland habitats have been established on this 25ha site, that now supports a wealth of wildlife. To date more than 150 species of bird have been recorded with an increasing number successfully raising young during the summer.

In order to avoid disturbing the resident wildlife, particularly during the nesting season, the reserve has been carefully designed to allow visitors to view the whole site from two hides. The hedges, trees and scrub that form the boundary of the reserve provide good cover for wildlife and the many berries and seeds produced each autumn attract various species of birds.

We worked our way round to the Langley Lane bird hide hoping that someone would be in residence but were disappointed. We had just passed a gate that had some views over the water and made our way back there. Although a restricted view, we could make out various ducks, little grebe, and a great white egret. I took some photos through the fog enveloping the site and managed to extract some detail.

We were fortunate to catch sight of the black-necked grebe as it fed and preened far to the right of the hide, but it then headed away and to the far left and was lost from view. Eventually the little grebes put on a show as the sun burned through the fog.

On the far north side of the lake, while on our marches to and from the two hides, we watched sparrowhawk and two jays pass over then counted at least four Cetti's warbler. While waiting for the fog to lift we also had a great spotted woodpecker knocking away as it fed in a dead tree.

The journey back up the lane was just as traumatic but in the end the damage was limited to long scuffs which polished out with only moderate effort - got away with that big time. A pleasant first visit but we will have to organise a key and a better parking spot.

The range of species we could see were limited to: black-headed gull, black-necked grebe, blackbird, blue tit, Canada goose, carrion crow, Cetti's warbler, collared dove, coot, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, goldfinch, great crested grebe, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, great white egret, grey heron, greylag goose, jay, little grebe, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, robin, shoveler, sparrowhawk, starling, teal, tufted duck, wigeon, woodpigeon and wren.

Farmoor Reservoir :: 03 October 2021

I arrived at Farmoor Reservoir not long after sunrise and met up with Kevin Heath. There was no time to waste, and we made straight for the causeway to see if anything had dropped in overnight - we didn't want to chance any disturbance and the birds being flushed before we got there. Over the water on F2 there were hundreds of house martins and a few swallows cutting across the water. Quite a spectacle!

We made our way along the causeway and initially could only pick out pied wagtails but by ⅔rds of the way across, we could see a pair of rock pipits ahead. In general, they are fairly common along rocky coasts but generally not found inland. They are usually resident, and only perform short movements, yet here they were on their traditional brief migration window. As we approached, they kept a constant distance from us and allowed no closer views or photos. Eventually they took to the wing, out across the water where we could see there were in fact three.

We reached the end of the causeway and were a bit disappointed that there were no waders at all. We stopped to talk with Dave Lowe who was scanning the water and skies for any birds through - he mentioned at least 50 meadow pipits had gone over already. We scanned the water on both F1 and F2 finding a collection of gulls: great black-backed; yellow-legged; herring; black-headed; lesser black-backed. What a neck on those great black-backed gulls – real bruisers

A couple of little grebes were feeding close to shore and seemed to be diving at a very high frequency - perhaps to do with the depth of the water? They are such attractive little birds.

We decided to make a pass round F2 and soon encountered a few meadow pipit, the first down in the grass. It made for an interesting photograph with the water/dew from the previous day's rain. After a handful of meadow pipit dropped in behind the scrub and fence line to our right, an individual briefly hopped onto the fence giving us a decent view.

Ahead we could see a flock of barnacle geese and as we approached a vehicle came from the other direction, sending them up and away down towards the river - thanks muchly. At least I got some photos before they departed. We retraced our steps and dropped down to the Shrike Hide hoping to see a kingfisher - someone recently posted a photo of one on the post and I hoped to be lucky - I wasn't. Leaving the hide a cetti's warbler was "giving it large" and I stopped to see if it showed. It called a few more times and then dived into a nearby bush giving me only the briefest of glances and zero chance of a photo - such a change from their showy nature in the spring. By the water works we hadn't seen anything of note but could hear a warbler in the tree beside us. We watched as a reed warbler flew across the river and into the reeds beyond - a late record for me.

We circled round past the Pinkhill Meadow hide to find that, probably due to Covid restrictions, the reeds to the front of the hide are so tall and dense that none of the pools are visible – we didn’t stay long. We climbed back up to the reservoir and the end of the causeway - as we paused, we could hear the call of a kingfisher and started to investigate - it sounded like it came from below the grate and the chamber below. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, I saw it as it flew passed the building and down towards the river. Minutes later we could hear the call again and the slight echo from the chamber below - a further few minutes past and Kevin called as a kingfisher flew over our heads and again towards the river - we could continue to hear calls from the river for a short while after. Following this excitement, we then focussed on some small birds on the narrow bridge between the end of the causeway and the works building. One very pale looking chiffchaff landed intermittently on the railings and a series of great tit and dunnock fed around the same area. I couldn’t get a photo of the chiffchaff as it paused only for a couple of seconds each time. Fortunately, another chiffchaff appeared in the same area and stayed long enough for better views and a photo.

We decided to make our way back across the causeway and hoped something may have dropped in. It was however obvious that the hirundines had all departed and the water was now choppy - a strong breeze was blowing. Other than gulls, coot, pied wagtails and grebes there was nothing to see. We stopped at the cafe for a coffee and Kevin gave me grief for ordering a caramel latte, while he had a manly white coffee. We passed the valve tower and stopped to take picture of a little egret perched on the fence - it looked precarious and comfortable at the same time.

Passing the clearing between the trees on the left we stopped on a bench to see if there would be any new species in the scrub and found that the birds didn't want to show – each time they relocated at speed into the depths of the bushes - frustrating from an ID point of view, but we picked out the usual suspects.

Not the greatest list of species seen this time (still 44) but an enjoyable visit and good to catch up with these inland rock pipit.