01st Sep 2015: Black-tailed Godwit

Peter Law visited today in search of the Tree Pipits in the Upper Cherwell Valley. Unfortunately he didn't see them and we couldn't find them this evening either so it appears they have gone. There are still three Whinchats in the area but it also seems like the Wheatear has left now too.

John visited at Lunchtime and had c. 50 Swallow, four Swift and two House Martins. He also had a Willow Warbler singing today.

This evening John and I visited and were joined by Mike for a while. There was little activity from passerines but there was still a Willow Warbler around. We had a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and two juvenile Common Gulls on the reservoir. A Kingfisher was sat on the reservoir bank and what was probably the same one on the fallen willow over the river by the wood.

John and I were scanning around the cattle fields looking for birds when a Black-tailed Godwit flew up from the reservoir behind us. We don't think it was on the reservoir bank but perhaps had dropped in and lifted off again. It did land for a few seconds in the cattle field but was chased off by the corvids. It flew around the reservoir in a large arch and appeared to leave to the south west. We also had a Yellow Wagtail fly over and eight Swifts in the area this evening. The gulls gathering to roost today were mainly Black-headed Gulls but there were larger gulls flying in as we left.

As I have been writing this Kirsty Brannan has messaged me to say there is, probably the same, Black-tailed Godwit at the reservoir. Hopefully it stays overnight at least.