Otmoor

30 April - An afternoon visit to test out the refurbished camera lens for my China trip....2 Hobbies, 2 Red Kites, Kestrel and Buzzards..... Redshanks and a Curlew on territory together with good numbers of Lapwings, also 2 Little Egrets and 3 Shoveler. Warblers in reasonable numbers especially Reed and Sedge Warblers, with Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats in the scrub. A Cuckoo called briefly, no Turtle Dove yet.....photos to follow.....

Hobbies !........

29 April - At least 4 superb Hobbies feeding over pit 57 at CWP early afternoon - they are such stunning birds and such consummate flyers. Fantastic to see them back on a warm bright day. Also singing Cuckoo and Garden Warbler. No sign of the Whimbrels at pit 83 on a quick check.

My last trip to Shorncote for several weeks in the evening - a quick walk - a Yellow Wagtail, a Little Egret, 2 LRPS, and singing Whitethroat, Cetti's , Reed and Sedge Warblers......photos of Mallard (7), Gadwall (8), Tufted Duck (9) and Buzzard (10,11). Photos JM.

Whimbrels part 3.......

28 April - The 6 Whimbrels still in the field by pit 83 at CWP and quite obliging, less wary for the camera than they were when first arrived, but quite hard to see at times in the long grass. A Little Egret over pit 83 and a singing Whitethroat. Also at CWP today - 15+ Common Terns at pits 41/57, with 4 Garden Warblers singing along the Thames path - no Hobbies though. At pit 74, 3 Oystercatchers and a Curlew, and singing Nightingale, Cetti's Warbler and Lesser Whitethriat.

Farmoor pm

27 April - A quick look at Farmoor in passing this afternoon, 9 Common (1-3) and an Arctic Tern feeding over F2, and 1-2 Yellow Wagtails (4-5) on the grassy bank by the treatment works. Also 10 + Swifts over the reservoir. Cuckoo and Lesser Whitethroat heard from the car park. A Red Kite over Farmoor village. Photos JM.

Whimbrels part 2 etc........

26 April - An evening leg stretch at CWP after a showery day, good views of the 6 Whimbrels still in the field at pit 83, in lovely evening sunlight (1-3). At Shorncote, quite windy so quiet on the passerine front, but Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warbler heard, and waders included 5 LRPs still with a RP, 2 noisy Oystercatchers (4), and territorial Lapwings having a go at a passing Buzzard (5-6). A Cuckoo was singing but unseen. Pit 74 produced another Oystercatcher, 3 Swifts (7), and an evening Warbler chorus. Photos JM.

Whimbrels

26 April - A quick check on pit 83 on the way to work, still 5 Whimbrels present in the usual field - why do they stop here every year on migration? Also a Cuckoo and a Whitethroat singing by Waterhay car park.

Rainy Day Birding......Nightingale and Whimbrel........

25 April - A productive couple of hours before the forecast rain set in, with excellent views of the Nightingale at pit 43 (1-3) also there a showy Garden Warbler (in the Neigh Bridge car park, 4-5), 6 Sedge Warblers (7-8), Willow Warbler (6) and Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat,Blackcap and Cetti's W. I was probably not early enough to hear the Gropper. A Cuckoo was singing constantly. Several Reed Buntings were holding territory (9-10). At pit 74, several Arctic Terns feeding in the rain with Common Terns (11-12) and 3 Whimbrels feeding in their traditional stopover field at pit 83 at Waterhay (13). Photos JM.

April Showers

23 April - A beautiful sunrise and a dramatic sunset at home today, sandwiched either side of work with a quick look at CWP on the way home - Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Snipe and 2 LRPs all at pit 74, together with a Common Tern, and singing Nightingale and Cetti's Warblers - and a Black-tailed Godwit in the field by pit 83.

Some Farmoor photos

19-21 April - A couple of visits to Farmoor over Easter, birds included Turnstone (2,3) and Common Sandpiper along the causeway, 5 early Swifts (9), all 3 hirundines, Yellow (4), Grey (5) and Pied (6) Wagtails, 2 Arctic (7) and 3 Common (8) Terns. Raptors included a Red Kite (10,11) soaring with 8 Buzzards. A Cuckoo was calling by the river. At pit 74 CWP this evening a quick stop at the gate produced 2 Common Terns, 150+ Sand Martin with Swallow and House Martin, 2 Little Egrets, a drake Wigeon and 2 drake Shoveler still present,and singing Cetti's, Sedge and Willow Warblers with Chiffchaff and Blackcap.