Bits and Bobs

Haven't been able to get out much lately so just a few pics of the common birds seen in the Stanford in the Vale area recently.
The Oxon Feather.

 Elephant Grass Baulking Green.

 Fieldfare

 Wigeon & Coot

 Wigeon again

 Tufted Duck and finally Drone Fly

Bright Sunlight.

Drove round the back road at Aston in very bright sunlight yesterday the brightness made identification difficult . A quite large flock of mainly Chaffinch and Linnet totalling some 250 were the first birds of interest with a single Grey Partridge about a mile further on. Driving into the village approaches A mixed flock of Fieldfare , Redwing and Starling numbering around 350 were feeding in a field and giving good if mainly distant views.

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.