Tuesday 16 May 2017

Saved by the Tell

A trip down to the old concrete basin to have a chat with the wildlife warden Hanna about the Farmoor Open Day this Saturday 20th when Lew and Dai will be taking birders across the reservoir and I will be displaying oos stuff along with the artwork of the Lewington Brothers - do your best to get there and support us it promises to be a marvellous day out (look in the forthcoming events section)
Met Tezzer in the carpark which was a bit of luck as walking up the entrance footpath I stumbled and it was a bit of luck that Tezzer arrested my headlong flight towards the tarmac as I could have made an awful mess of both the footpath and myself.
After sampling the cafe cuisine, and very nice too, I then left for pit 60 meeting just outside the hide Jim who told me he had seen both Peregrine and Hobby. I didn't get either but spent an enjoyable hour watching LR Plover,Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher and others. Hope you can make it to Farmoor Saturday and if you can please call in and say hello. Oh yes!In Focus will be there.
The Oxon Feather.








 The answer my friend is blowing in the wind

Tuesday 9 May 2017

Got him by the Throat.

Bleeding roll on! cold! or what? After having moved back to Bampton I now find very cold, windy and dry conditions. Of course the dry conditions are just a continuing and worsening of the lack of Winter and Spring rain we are experiencing and that is not good for our insect eating birds and in particular their chicks who depend on this important source of protein. Farmers crops are not looking too good and apart from the earlier than usual Oil-Seed Rape one can see a desperate need for moisture over the drying countryside.
Saw this evasive Whitethroat yesterday one of four but they were difficult to photograph as they were really good at hiding themselves.The Oxon Feather.
Whitethroat


Yellowhammer

Linnet
Rushey Lock
Pond Water-Crowfoot
Distant Fox in the Meadow

On The Blink.

 In fact the Mega sighting has been giving amazing views, often keeping one eye open and one eye closed. This American Common Nighthawk loca...