18th Sep 2016

It has been a reasonably quiet week bird wise but there has been highlights here and there. All week a steady passage of hirundines and Meadow Pipits has continued overhead, with Colin noting today that significant numbers of Swallows were moving. A few Yellow Wagtails are still passing over too and a Wheatear was present on Friday. There has been a notable amount of Chiffchaffs around, particularly at the end of the week, with Blackcaps and Whitethroats seen too. The Willow Tit has been in the wood and there seems to be an increase in Song Thrush numbers.

A Common Sandpiper has been around most of the week on and off, assuming it has just been one bird. John had a few other good wader records with two Lapwing seen on Tuesday, a Green Sandpiper flew over on Thursday and a Dunlin flew through on Friday. Clive also had six Snipe fly in and land in the Upper Cherwell Valley on Sunday.

Duck and geese numbers are rising and I had 109 Mallards on Thursday, I think my highest count to date. There has been up to four Tufted Ducks too. Colin found a Wigeon at the Borrow Pit on Sunday, which moved to the reservoir, and had a further 37 Wigeon circle the reservoir before flying off north west. This is a great record for here and must be the highest number for many years.

Mike had an incredible experience with a Polecat in the wood on Friday. Mike stood quietly and it came up to around 2m away from him before it was aware of his presence. Unperturbed, it went off and caught a rabbit shortly afterwards.

All pictures courtesy and copyright of Colin