Otmoor

9 Mar - A beautiful morning, warm and sunny for March. A couple of hours at Otmoor - several views of the male Marsh Harrier, including in display - also Red Kites and Buzzards. A spectacular large flock of Golden Plovers performing aerobatics in the sunlight and calling, with their mournful note that always evokes the northern wilds where they breed. Redshank and Curlew also on the floods alongside numerous Lapwings, preparing for the breeding season, a Grey Heron nestbuilding in the reedbed, and Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers singing and establishing territory. The water level high at present after the recent rains.