Black - Necked Grebe and others.

In the last few days I have seen 120 Lapwing in the Hatford area and on the Ridgeway Linnet, Stonechat, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting. Yesterday friends (Hazel & Robert Wyatt) who also live in Stanford in the Vale told me about a recent trip to Baulking Fullers Earth Quarry where they watched many Little Grebe on the water but noticed one bird that looked different and after looking in their bird book wondered if it could be a Black-Necked Grebe. I later checked it out and indeed they had it right it was a Black-Necked Grebe showing well although a long way out and therefore  restricting a quality photo. So! Well Done! to Robert and Hazel and thanks for the call.
The Oxon Feather.

Pigeon Post

Best bird at Whitehorse Hill today - Short Eared Owl.
The Feather,

Yellow to Green

A couple of days ago I noticed at a far distance about a dozen Gulls on some recently cultivated land between Priors Farm and Rushey Common at least one of them was a Yellow-Legged Gull and yesterday driving between Clanfield and Lechlade a Wheatear was sat on an old tyre just off the road and today walking through the Warren at Gainfield Crossroads several Ravens were calling and on the wing later having reached The Hideaway on the Hatford road a Green Woodpecker was climbing a tree this was one of four that I saw as I walked through the Warren.
The Feather.

Magpie Moth in my bedroom.

Bad Joke.

The water in Shellingford Quarry is rapidly disappearing in fact the rate of its going is worrying as one fears for the survival of its own mini-eco system. Nice and confiding Common Sandpiper along with Emperor Dragonfly and Black - Tailed Skimmer. Good article on Dragonflies in the Oxford Times supplement this last thursday featuring Stephen Burch.The Oxon Feather.

No Water-No Joke.

Common Sandpiper.

Black-Tailed Skimmer.

Emperor.

Sandpiper with Large White Butterfly.

.

Common Blue and Brown Argos Butterflies

A brief visit to Baulking Fullers Earth Pit for Dragonflies proved fruitless due to a strong wind blowing.
The Oxon Feather.

Meat the Butcher.

A trip over the downs to Churn close to Blewbury was rewarded with some good views of the Butcher Bird or to give it its correct title Red-Backed Shrike. I walked a long way and headed to a couple of birders who were scanning some bushes far along the ridgeway . When I caught up with them, they like me were still searching for the bird and suggested the most likely site was where it had previously been reported about half a mile further back . So along with Gary Stafford and his Wife  we wandered back along the ridgeway and on approaching the old research station Gary's Wife spotted it , as is so often the case the womenfolk seem to be more observant than some of us chaps. The bird gave really good views , although my photographs were not very good at all .
This was a good bird to get and for me relatively easily particularly as the bird which, incidentally is a female, is quite unafraid of humans and well worth the effort to see what is a rather rare bird for the county.
The Feather.

Most action this time of year is on or by water.

A few more photos from a somewhat quiet time of the birding year gave me Black-Tailed Skimmer and Four-Spotted Chaser Dragonflies at Shellingford Quarry. Through my kitchen window all in a group Ring-Necked Dove , Collared Dove and Stock Dove in fact the latter can often number a dozen busily feeding on the wheat and oilseed rape mixture i put out for my garden birds. An interesting Moth flew in the open kitchen window just a couple of evenings  ago called Common Emerald and as the name implies it is indeed common although I rarely see it.
The Feather.

 Woody and both Collared and Stock Dove through the kitchen window.

 Four Spotted Chaser.

 I think these are mating Black Tailed Skimmer.

 Just a pair of Lapwing at the quarry.

 Common Emerald Moth.

 Seals and a Stonechat seen off the Pembrokeshire coastal path I walked last week.

From the Ridgeway to South Leigh - Yep! really boring stuff.

As so often these days I seem to have less and less time to get out in our wonderful Oxfordshire countryside so this is a compilation of stuff you might think is not very exciting but guess what? I find nature fascinating , even in the unremarkable and common specie, so there i've said it and if it doesn't do it for you then look away now but all these items were enjoyed by me over a period of several recent trips.
The Oxon Feather.

 Bullfinch South Leigh Garden

 Black-Tailed Skimmer Shellingford Quarry.

 Yellowhammer with insect for young Ridgeway.

 Distant Linnet Ridgeway.

 Willow Warbler Ridgeway.

 Marbled White Baulking Pit.

 Immature Black-Tailed Skimmer Baulking Pit.

 Painted Lady Sparsholt Downs.

 S R E Damselflies. Shellingford Quarry.

 Grey Heron Shellingford Quarry.