Autumnal Otmoor

28 Oct - A visit to Otmoor on a cloudy, calm, slightly misty autumnal afternoon, when all colours in the landscape are muted and subdued. Initially quiet, a hovering Kestrel the highlight, with flyover Snipe and a distant Red Kite also seen. From the screens, small numbers of wintering duck present, and a few Common Snipe tucked well in to the cut reeds. Cetti's Warblers in good voice from the reedbeds, with Stonechats and Reed Buntings also feeding around the hedgeline, and a good total of 9 Brown Hares seen, with a flock of 65 or so Lapwing, and calling Water Rails. Walking back along the bridleway, I kept my eyes open as a Short-eared Owl was seen at dusk last night - at 4.30 a flurry of flushed Snipe announced the presence of a SEO which was surprisingly difficult to pick up low over the field in the fading light. It was mobbed mercilessly by corvids and had to climb high to avoid these, before descending back to hunt around the reedbed, where it was joined by another SEO and also by 2 Barn Owls, glowing white in the darkness. To complete an excellent afternoon, a Bittern flew in to roost on the central reedbed at Greenaways, and 2 Marsh Harriers hunted the reedbed margin in the gloaming. Well worth the trip.