13th May 2016: Gropper, Sea Swallow and Dusky Redshank

Yesterday was a rather quiet day and the only birds of note were two or three Common Sandpipers seen by John. Today however, was another good day for the patch with three new birds added to the year list.

John started off the day well confirming that the Channel Wagtail was still in the Upper Cherwell Valley at the Borrow Pit pool and a Common Sandpiper was there too. On his way back he discovered a Grasshopper Warbler reeling away in the triangular field bounded by the M40, the canal and the railway.

This evening after work, John found an Arctic Tern foraging over the reservoir with a decent gathering of hirundines and Swifts. Nice to get it on the patch list as it seemed most of the tern passage has already passed. A similar scenario to last year actually. Also, good for me to see and reaffirm that all my terns the other day probably were Common and there weren't any Arctic. There was also two Little Ringed Plovers to start with, joined by a third later.

In the Upper Cherwell Valley a Redshank was at the Borrow Pit pool briefly but flew off into Northamptonshire. The Channel Wagtail was showing very well with two Yellow Wagtails and I was pleased I could get a good detailed look at it.

The Grasshopper Warbler was reeling at dusk and into the night, so hopefully it stays here. It did move around the field a few times but I did get to see it briefly. As I was out I thought I would walk up the valley a bit a look/listen for owls. I didn't get any but I did hear at least one Curlew bubbling away near to the river. Walking back I couldn't see the Arctic Tern, although it was dark I'm pretty sure it had left.

I got back to the car to find someone had thrown a beer bottle through my rear windscreen. Nothing had been stolen, so I assume it was just someone drunk and either angry at the world or 'having a laugh'. Whatever it was, it ruined the end of my day. Some people do not like the Grimsbury area, or even Banbury, but I have honestly never experienced any trouble in the area until today. It won't put me off, but I will be less complacent about where I leave my car and what I leave in it from now on.