29th Dec 2024: Barnacle Goose

The previous couple of weeks have been very quiet, with a pair of Gadwall being the 'highlight'.

Today Clive found a Barnacle Goose to give the year list a last minute boost. There was also 4 Wigeon.

8th Dec 2024: Jack Snipe

Assuming it was the same bird, the Little Egret was still in the cattle field on Tuesday when Steve H visited.

On Thursday JFT had a good look around the patch. There wasn't anything much at the reservoir but up in the valley he saw our first Jack Snipe of the year with c.10 Common Snipe, a Cetti's Warbler, a Stonechat and 2 Gadwall.

1st Dec 2024: Flooding again..

Following a whole weekend of rain the River Cherwell levels raised up to just 2 cm off the record level at the local measuring station and much of the area was flooded again, for the third time this year! Access to the reservoir was possible again by Wednesday when the water levels finally started dropping again.

It was a quiet week but JFT had noted a lot of ducks up the valley in the flooded fields on Saturday, with good numbers of Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon.

A Little Egret has been in the cattle field since Friday at least, foraging around the flooded ditches and temporary pools. I did see fish in one of the pools of water on Wednesday, so I expect it's having a feast. There was also a Chiffchaff on Friday and a Lesser Redpoll yesterday and Clive had 2 Gadwall this morning.

Tuesday afternoon after the river level had already started falling

More erosion of the path near the river