There were two Common Terns back at the reservoir, so they can't have gone far. Mark Ribbons saw them fly off to the north this evening so maybe they are just fishing at the reservoir and roosting (possibly nesting?) somewhere else? There was a female Teal today that added interest to the day and I also saw a Red Kite from the reservoir drifting over the Tesco and Beaumont Estate area.
The best sighting of the morning though was a Common Lizard just past the railway bridge into the Upper Cherwell Valley. I have had something scurry away from the path up here a few times this year and strongly suspected it had been a Common Lizard each time but hadn't seen any thing to confirm it. Today a really well marked gravid female sat just off the path and confirmed my suspicions. It just sat there as I looked at it, wishing my camera had battery power... next time! This is a great record and as far as I know a new species for the area. It is certainly a new one for me anyway.
Evening Update:
John (and Mark, as mentioned earlier) visited this evening and has saved the day with a few more photos. He too noted the terns flying off to the north into the Upper Cherwell Valley. It seems there was a bit of passage in the evening too and he recorded seven Sand Martins through south west and an adult Common Gull through south, none of them stopping. There has also been a lot of Swifts around which seems to indicate they are on the move too.
In the Upper Cherwell Valley John recorded two White-legged Damselflies along the river and a large roaming tit party with many additional warblers. He noted juvenile Coal Tit, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap amongst numerous Long-tailed Tits, Great and Blue Tits.
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| Courtesy and copyright of John Friendship-Taylor |
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| Courtesy and copyright of John Friendship-Taylor |
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