Friday 30 May 2014

Grey Days.

At this time of year unless you seek birds at the waters edge it can be difficult to connect with them, but at least one can find plenty of interest in the other creatures that surround us, in particular the Butterflies, Moths and Dragonflies or at least in a normal year, but this Spring is proving to be awful, with low temperatures and grey windy days and the temperatures dictating that very few insects are on the wing.
Having said that I am posting a few photos of "stuff" I have noted over recent dull days. Thankfully Mr. Weatherman is predicting a sunny upturn in the near future - I surely hope he's right.
The Oxon Feather.
                                                  Kestrel
                                           Corn Bunting.

                                   Sorry about this one some idiot was playing with my camera in the car.






Tuesday 20 May 2014

It's That Time of Year.

Parked up in Kingston Lisle and walked the footpath to Westcot it's only a mile or so each way but the good sized hedges and assorted trees make it good birding habitat. My quest was to find the Spotted Flycatchers that use this area annually to nest in. The Spots. have been reported but I failed to find them and apart from a most handsome Bullfinch and all the common species including singing Blackcap and Whitethroat I found little of interest. Of course apart from our gardens where birds accompanied by their offspring come to feed, the great outdoors at this time of year is not the easiest time to see birds, with this in mind I motored on to Seven Barrows with a hope that perhaps a few butterflies might be on the wing even though it was overcast and a fairly strong wind was blowing - ever the optimist me. In fact against all the odds I found Common Blue and Small Heath on the wing and also a Silver-Ground Carpet Moth.
The Oxon Feather.
                                             Silver-Ground Carpet
                                          Common Blue
                                          Speckled Wood
                                          Green-Veined White
Small Heath

Saturday 17 May 2014

Whitethroat but mostly Buts and Moths.

With really gorgeous if somewhat belated spring weather a jaunt across the downs seemed a good idea on Friday following a fleeting visit on Thursday to Hardwick, walking alongside the Windrush was pretty good but clinging on to some of the steep rises of the downs was exhilarating especially when taking into account some super butterflies like Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper and the micro moth Pyrausta Purpuralis,  Wood Tiger capped by a Whitethroat that actually sat and posed. Gosh! When the sun is shining at this time of year, before the heat gets a bit too much, and new life is emerging it really is rather special.
The Oxon Feather.
                                            Whitethroat
                                           Wood Tiger
                                           Dingy Skipper
                                             Banded Demoiselle
                                                   Not sure about this one
                                          Crane-Fly possibly Tipula Oleracea
                                              Green Hairstreak
                                            Wood Tiger
                                          The beautiful Micro Pyrausta Purpuralis
                                           Stock Dove in the garden

Thursday 15 May 2014

A Bad Hair Day.

Managed a quick visit to pit 60 Wednesday and noted 3 Little Egret, 3 Oyster Catchers and the Kestrel sat on top of the Kestrel Box.
The Oxon feather.
 All photographs taken at extreme range.



Friday 9 May 2014

A Dip On The Downs.

Walked the ridgeway and white horse hill surrounds today in a rather ferocious wind. There were Skylarks a'plenty and some seven or so Corn Buntings. A lot of the commoner birds such as Wren, Goldfinch and Linnet were in evidence but the bird that really caught my eye was a Meadow Pipit one of about six, but this particular bird was taking a bath in a puddle on the ridgeway and apparently thoroughly enjoying it.
The Oxon Feather.
Meadow Pipit

Corn Bunting

Fly looking like Old Glory with its stars and stripes

Holly Blue

Orange Tip female I saw dozens of males but with their bouncy flight couldn't snap one


Tuesday 6 May 2014

Buscot Lock - Grey wagtails

Plenty of birds in the Buscot Lock area today including Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat , Kestrel and at least two delightful Grey Wagtails. I also looked and listened for the return of the Turtle Dove that has graced the village with its turtling for the past five years, alas I found no sign of it - hope it hasn't fallen prey to the cruel fools that attack song birds with guns returning to our shores. ( The Twats)
The Oxon Feather.
                                           Grey Wagtail
                                                 Kestrel


                                           Below - Female Orange Tip and grotesque tree growth.
                                         

Friday 2 May 2014

Nothing much doing.

Been out a few times but with changeable and unspringlike weather its been rather slow although the Cowslips in the reclaimed meadow by Shellingford Quarry are pretty impressive.
The Oxon Feather.
                                           Cowslips
                                          Roebuck
                                           Grey Heron
                                           Small White