The Lizard but not Cornwall.

 Wednesday motored 138 miles from my Bampton home to Portland Bill to look at the beach hut my Daughter Neet and Son in Law Mark have purchased, left home at 5.30am and arrived 8.20am, met up and ate a full English breakfast in the nearby restaurant.

Lots of Meadow Pippits and a few Wheatears along with a third winter Herring Gull, went for a walk along the cliffs overlooking a spectacular sea that glistened with a trillion sparklers in the morning sun. Decided to stop off at the Observatory in case there was something good and lo and behold there was the birding god Martin Cade with Kingfisher in hand the first in some twenty years that had been caught in the garden. Super bird to see at close quarters and Mr. Cade allowed us to get some marvellous photos of it before taking us to the rear of the observatory overlooking the wildlife pond and garden, this is a super spot for all manner of wildlife and to have the ear of Mr Cade as he most eloquently answered all my questions including the Little Tern colony at Chesil beach that has once again really been up against it from predation, this years surprise villain Hedgehog, these brave but vulnerable birds are living right on the edge of existence .

Walked rough and tumble path that was a temporary home for many Wheatears and I got lucky spotting a very colourful Wall Lizard that was a complete surprise for me, but of course a most welcome tick for the day. Noted Common Toadflax and a few Butterflies but nothing of great interest except a blue but it passed rather quickly so unable to id it but in all probability a Common Blue. A submerged diver below us using a spear gun with which he had managed to spear one fish and I guess he had great enjoyment although I can't help thinking it wasn't much fun for the fish. We were getting quite breathless now as we climbed ever higher up the rocky path, a couple were climbing some of the steep cliffs and it made me feel somewhat sympathetic as they struggled to get finger and toehold. Because we had two motors we had previously left one of the cars at the top where we exited, and to be able sit and catch our breath in such comfort was heaven sent.

Next on our agenda was a trip to Ferrybridge where a friend had suggested we could quite possibly see some pretty decent waders. Parked up and walked the short distance to a very good vantage point and we were rewarded straight away with many nearby Ringed Plover, further out was Juvenile Bar Tailed Godwit, Juvenile Dunlin , Oyster Catcher and others that have slipped my mind although there were a couple of Peregrines that put in an appearance spooking everything and so ended a most interesting day spent in a habitat that is so unfamiliar to me but the sheer numbers of birds passing through at this time of year is phenomenal.

This left the enjoyment of an evening meal that was taken with great gusto, and then so to bed at the rather bleak looking but superb service and facilities at the Admiral Hotel.

A Birders Guide To Challow.

I have now walked through, round, over, and under East Challow. I have even entered the Churchyard, incidentally the very churchyard where my Grandmother and Grandfather on my Fathers side were married either the late 1800s or early 1900s coincidentally her christian name was Rose but that's where the similarity ends for I know where my Granny is now resting but I have no idea where the elusive Starling is. My walking of East Challow means that if a tourist guide of the village is needed , well here I am, having peered in peoples gardens become somewhat intimate in my conversations with the locals and taken in anything of interest and after arriving at 6.30 am put myself in the position of being labelled "A Peeping Tom"  as I scoured local rooftops for some action, no, no, no ! not that type of action, for the half naked or even naked human form cannot compare with the pinky hues of the Starling and the emotional release that I would have experienced upon locating the blessed bird, but alas its doesn't seem likely to happen now , for I fear its encounter with the Hobby has quite possibly moved it on.

A photo of 'ordinary' if declining Starlings taken in East Challow.

Little and Large.

 In the carhide and motoring to one of my Tree Sparrow sites, after driving through Clanfield turned right onto the road leading to Buscot/Lechlade and on the corner left side noticed there were 18 Little Egrets feeding and I think this is the largest flock of these birds I have seen in one field. Further along this road where there is water laying in the fields I noted a flock of mainly LesserBBGs with circa 100 Peewits and a mile or so on another flock of Gulls with circa 200 Peewits feeding with them.
The Oxon Feather.

My cock Reeves Pheasant.

I have noted this presumably immature Wood Pigeon for several months now and am beginning to wonder if it is hybrid of Stock Dove and Wood Pigeon.

Ears of Wheat and Wheatear.

The combines are busy reaping this years harvest and among the ears of wheat being harvested I found this Wheatear, such a charming and flitty bird. This bird was in the Dix Pit area.

As usual the blog doesn't register comments.

A report of some twenty odd Tree Sparrows feeding near Shifford Church on the blog today brought the following response from me.                                                                                                               The area mentioned is part of the Oxford Ornithological Society Tree Sparrow Project and is fed by our Chairman Alan Larkman he along with other dedicated supporters of the project have spent many years doing the best we can for this threatened small farmland bird and have taken this project from a few Oxfordshire stragglers to what we believe is a fairly stable population. We have a couple of sites where at the end of the breeding season there can be as many as 1,000 birds on site .                                   I have blogged this, as the comments section on the blog seems unable to cope with comments.                The Oxon Feather.

Cross the Ts Dot the Is and don't forget the Comma's.

Treading the local paths and places of natural interest I have photographed (not very well sometimes) a variety of what's on offer on our doorstep. I will let the pics speak for themselves.

The distinctive comma shape on this Comma Butterfly can just be made out.Now here's a challenge Willow or Chaff

Emperor.

Skipper.

Gatekeeper.

Silver Washed Fritillary.

Comma enjoying the sun.

It's amazing to find this Yellow Wagtail with food in its bill in the middle of a cornfield feeding young.

Large Hoverfly pretending to be a Hornet.

Broad Bodied Chaser.

A Friend in Need ::

A couple of days ago I took up an invitation to meet with "The  Friends OF Farmoor Group" this new organisation is all about appreciating and making the most of what Farmoor has to offer and as most of us know it has so much to offer from the Sailing Club,The Fishery and the abundant wildlife that Hanna Jenkins the Pinkhill wildlife officer oversees. We met inHacketts the coffee/restaurant facility and the enthusiasm was quite literally infectious and it quickly became apparent that the some dozen or so sat round the table sipping their beverages were not going to be fair weather friends as they demonstrated their commitment and dedication with the thoughts and dreams of how to maximise the enjoyment that they intend to bring about. From a birders point of view it was so good to see that our own favourite birder Dai is a member and will no doubt be fighting for the birds that grace this Avian hotspot including the many rarities that make this site one of the most interesting in Oxfordshire.
There is a Farmoor Open Day this Saturday 6th July and please - please Oxon Birders do come along to the Oxford Ornithological Society stand that will be in the marque the other side of the rangers office, Alan Larkman and myself will be manning our display and I can't tell you how much more enjoyable these events are when we see fellow birders and are able to chew the fat.
I have posted a few photos of things that have caught my eye in the County recently.