Easter deluge

31 Mar - Very high water levels everywhere after the prolonged Good Friday rain. 2 LRPs, 2 Oystercatchers and 2 Shelduck at Eysey, also 30+ Fieldfares over. At Shorncote, the new path is flooded to a depth of 6-9"" in places - fairly quiet here, and the rarest sighting was 3 Goosander (2m,1f)on pit 87, but at least 5 singing Cetti's Warblers and a singing Chiffchaff, also a pair of displaying Green Woodpeckers (plus the usual Little Egret and calling Water Rail). Later 3 Redshank in flight from the scrape at pit 74. No hirundines - not that they would last long in these temperatures !

Damp Slimbridge

30 Mar - The start of a forecast damp and cold Easter. A short visit to Slimbridge before the predicted rain arrived in force at midday. Fairly quiet in terms of scarcities, but some photo opportunities on regular and breeding species particularly Avocets, which are prospecting for nesting scrapes and pairing up. The Black-tailed Godwits are coming into rusty breeding plumage now but need the sunshine to really bring out their splendour. A singing Chiffchaff, but no hirundines braving the chilly weather.

Eysey etc

26 Mar - the workings at Eysey are looking quite promising for passage at the moment, the last day or 2 I've seen 4 LRPs, 3 Oystercatchers, a Redshank and a Dunlin, as well as displaying Lapwings. Plus the bonus of a fly-through male Merlin presumably moving north on migration. Also from the W/E, very good views indeed of Short-eared Owls in the Cotswolds, both perched and hunting, in good sunlight - with loads of visitors present, probably 25 cars plus - and the Great Grey Shrike still present as a bonus. Short-eared Owls mobbing Red Kite was a memorable sight........

Local .........

24 Mar - Very conveniently, Nigel Pleass found a 2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Lydiard Park lake just as I was leaving work, so 20 mins later I was watching it - unfortunately a few mins later, this very good bird for Wilts flew off, before many other people arrived. Very white including the primaries, medium-sized with the gentle dove-like expression typical of Iceland Gull. Probably the bird that has been roosting at CWP. A stop at pit 74 on the way home produced the flock of 11 Black-tailed Godwits in flight (these have been present for a couple of days now) together with 2 pairs of Goldeneye. No Sand martins yet. Finally, the usual Shorncote Barn Owl was out well before dusk and giving good views perched and in flight, despite the milder weather. I suspect prey is in shorter supply this time of year?

Otmoor

23 Mar - A sanity evening walk at Otmoor after being stuck inside on a course all day, down the road ......... waders calling including Curlew, Redshank and flyover Snipe, and Lapwings back for breeding. A Barn Owl was hunting in daylight and 2 Marsh Harriers quartered the reedbeds. I heard a sound I never thought I would hear in Oxfordshire - a booming Bittern. A special moment. A Brown Hare also gave good close views, grazing the grass on the edge of the lagoons. Reed Buntings singing, and in a month's time the wetland should be bursting with Warbler song. 6 Red Kites logged in the Oxford area during my return journey.

LRPs

22 Mar - My first 3 LRPs of the spring at Eysey this morning, always one of my favourite spring arrivals. Despite the unseasonably cold weather, actively flying around and calling. The habitat here looks good for them this year. Pit 132 at Kempsford is unfortunately now flooded so will not hold the birds, or any passage waders, this summer - but this morning there was a single Ruff with the 30-odd Lapwings present.

Barnie

20 Mar - An early evening visit to Shorncote, and after the recent cold weather and snow the Barn Owl was sunning itself in a sheltered tree hollow, then emerged to hunt about 4.45pm. and almost immediately caught what appeared to be a rat which it took back to the old tree to eat. Lovely evening sunlight on its plumage during its brief flyround. The usual Little Egrets, Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers also at Shorncote, now thawed after the recent freeze-up, but with high water levels persisting. Not long now til the spring visitors arrive !

Hampshire

16 Mar - A morning trip to a couple of regular spots with photography in mind. Firstly Southsea castle, and at least 10 of this year's wintering flock of 16+ Purple Sandpipers present - difficult to spot as usual , even at close quarters, as they fed unobtrusively amongst the rocks and seaweed. Very well camouflaged in their grey/brown plumage, and endearing birds with their high arctic tameness. Then on to Hayling Oyster beds, and the usual early spring gathering of pre-breeding summer-plumaged Mediterranean Gulls - at least 50 birds displaying and flying at close quarters, in stunning breeding plumage, jet-black masks and blood-red bills with white primaries, one of the most stunning Gulls. A few commoner waders also present on the rising tide. A satisfying morning.

Cotswolds

13 Mar - A sunny afternoon after a cloudy, breezy, damp spell, and very good views of Short-eared Owls hunting in the Cotswolds from 4pm onwards, active in the sunshine and fairly close at times. Also the Great Grey Shrike still present in its usual bushes.......

Flooded Shorncote

10 Mar - A morning visit to Shorncote on a damp morning - Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers calling - good to know that they survived the cold snap. Otherwise fairly quiet - I missed a flyover Great White Egret. 25 Shoveler and 40 Teal present, also singing Reed Buntings - spring is round the corner. Earlier, no Short-eared Owls seen on a brief stop at Blakehill, after the wet night - good views of Roe Deer, and quite a few winter thrushes moving.

The Forest etc ..........

8 Mar - The forecast was for a dry morning then rain later, so I decided on 1 more visit to Parkend for one of my favourite birds, the Hawfinch. Amazingly, on arrival , I was the only one parked up apart from 2 mountain bikers in bright clothing ...... despite this, Hawfinches were much in evidence around the yew trees, both dropping to the ground and in flight, and on 4 occasions 1 or 2 Hawfinches dropped to the ground, very close - amazing to see them fixing me with a beady eye while hopping on the ground and warily feeding on sunflower seeds - unfortunately they fly at the slightest disturbance, but superb views (approx 10 birds in the area) especially of the amazing silvery bill and the chestnut plumage. Also Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch and Coal Tit around. I dropped into Ashleworth Ham then Slimbridge on the way home. At Ashleworth, I located the distinctive drake Green-winged Teal among the large dabbling duck flock on the fairly extensive floods. A bonus was a drake Garganey at Saul flashes, Frampton, thanks to Mike King aka Gloster Birder. Slimbridge itself was fairly quiet, but 7 Avocets were on the pools and the Water Rail in the open from Willow hide. Strangely subdued on the Rushy without the recently-departed Bewick's Swans........ overall a good morning.

WWT

4 Mar - An amazing change in the weather, sun and melting snow and ice. Very good views of the (hungry) Water Rails from willow hide, emerging regularly from the reeds to feed in the open. Also very confiding Teal here. Otherwise, the pools largely frozen - Bewick's Swans on the Tack Piece and on the River Severn - they may well migrate soon if the wind stays in the southwest. Also a mass of waders including Lapwing, Golden Plover and Dunlin around the melting pools on the Dumbles plus probing Snipe, 2 Brent Geese among the feral Barnacles and a perched Peregrine. Nice to see green grass again.

Owls in the Snow part 2........

3 Mar - Some thaw of lying snow and the temperature above freezing .... but the Shorncote Barn Owls were both out hunting before 5pm so must be hungry. Good views especially in silent hunting flight low over the field and reedbed. Also 1 Cetti's Warbler at least must have survived the freeze and was calling, and 2 Little Egrets in flight.

Owls in the Snow

2 Mar - A late afternoon visit to a wintry Blakehill, transformed by the "Beast from the East" into a white landscape of drifting snow. As I expected, after the persistent snow of the previous 24h there were 2 active Short-eared Owls hunting both the plateau and the surrounding fields, and one bird perched on the main fence for a while and fixed me with an irritated stare for daring to intrude on its hunting forays as it sought food in the wintry wilderness. As I left about 5pm snowing was once again being blown horizontally in the wind.

Smew-hunt

1 Mar - After a few days of easterly winds, I had a look around CWP for Smew late morning - however, just the solitary redhead still present. An influx of Goosander in the cold weather, with a total of 31 birds seen, including 13 birds on pit 28. Several passerines struggling to find food in the freeze-up including a Goldcrest at Lower Mill, and Chiffchaffs and Grey Wagtails at Shorncote. Lets hope spring arrives soon.