28th May 2023: Sandwich Tern

Generally another quiet week, but it picked up again over the weekend. A Sandwich Tern was present yesterday morning witch seemed settled and remained present well into the afternoon and a Greenshank early this morning that unfortunately did not perform as well and had left by 06:30 in the morning! There was also a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of Ed Barson

21st May 2023

Not much bird news this week, but there was another Grasshopper Warbler singing just into the U.C.V. yesterday, which I thought may be a male on territory but now appears to have been another bird passing through. Otherwise, a Yellow Wagtail on Friday afternoon and Common Sandpiper yesterday being the only birds of note. 

However, the first dragonflies and damselflies of the season were out and, in particular, a lot of demoiselles.

14th May 2023

It was a fairly quiet and settled week. The 2 Common Terns have been around most of the week and there was a late Common Gull on the 10th. There has been a Common Sandpiper and a male Little Ringed Plover around most days. I expect the plover is actually one of a nesting pair somewhere nearby. 

Lots of Swifts in now and most days all three hirundines are around. A few more Yellow Wagtails have been through and there are more warblers, with 6 Reed Warblers across the whole patch on Saturday morning which is a really good number for here. The Mute Swans have hatched 3 cygnets. There was a Otter along the river on the Friday morning. 

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

7th May 2023

Last week Edwin had a colour ringed Common Tern with the code C33, which seems most likely to be one ringed at Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, by the West Midlands Ringing Group, and has also been seen at Draycote Reservoir in 2020.

Tuesday was a fairly quiet visit for Ian today with only 1 Willow Warbler and 4 Sedge Warblers of note.

On Thursday Ian, John and Mike had 1 Common Tern, 2 Common Sandpipers, 20+ Swifts, 1 singing Reed Warbler, 1 singing Garden Warbler, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Hobby.

Mike had another Whinchat on Friday as well as Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper. Sandra had a Lesser Whitethroat and in the afternoon I had 2 Garden Warblers.

Yesterday morning Adrian T had a Common Sandpiper and 2 Little Ringed Plovers. A little later I also had 2 Common Terns and a female Wheatear in the cattle field.

This morning there was 2 each of Common Tern, Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover at the reservoir. Just north of the M40 into the U.C.V. there was a Reed Warbler singing in the reedy stretch along the River Cherwell and a Grasshopper Warbler in the scrub in the same area.

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

Courtesy and copyright of Ed Barson

Courtesy and copyright of Ed Barson