20th Nov 2022: Goldeneye

On Monday afternoon, Mike Pollard found our first Goldeneye since 2019 and also 7 Wigeon, a Teal and 8 Greylag Geese over. There was also 2 Wigeon on Tuesday.

This morning John was up early and had a bit of movement overhead, mostly thrushes but also a Snipe with 18 Lapwing, a Redpoll and a Siskin a few times. A little later Clive and I also had a Redpoll over. There was really good numbers of large gulls up the valley but settled in the fields and difficult to view.

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

13th Nov 2022: Barn Owl

Yesterday evening John Huntbach had a Barn Owl hunting alongside the flood alleviation scheme in the Upper Cherwell Valley.

This morning amongst other things John and I had 3 Stonechats in the U.C.V. and 2 Peregrines over the Reservoir. Edwin also had a Chiffchaff at the reservoir and 20+ Lapwing over.

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

6th Nov 2022: Caspian Gull

A fairly quiet couple of weeks, with both John and I away for some of it. On Tuesday Sandra B had 28 Lapwings fly over the reservoir and a Yellow-legged Gull amongst the large gulls gathered in the cattle field.

Friday John had a good look around the patch and found our first Caspian Gull of the year up at the Borrow Pit pool as well as at least 4 Yellow-legged Gulls. He also had a Blackcap at the reservoir and 2 Stonechat, 3 Redpoll at the Borrow Pit and 10 Lapwing over.

All photos courtesy and copyright of JFT