Yesterday (Friday 13th) I returned to check on progress at the small heronry now established in Shotteswell, just north of Banbury. Two pairs occupied nests; a further two single birds were standing on other nests - one very much in nest construction mode. One adult appeared to be incubating - sitting tight on the nest. The pair pictured below were indulging in some courtship, their plumes and pink-tinged bill making them look just a bit more splendid than normal. Though I'm mentioning the herons in my blog, I'd be grateful if you don't go for a look yourselves just yet as I have not established contact with the owners of the property they are nesting on and the location is potentially quite sensitive.
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| pair of grey herons |
Also yesterday, I managed to catch up with the red-created pochard found by Gareth Blockley, this is quite a scarce bird in the BOS area, and certainly a first for me at Grimsbury. A very good addition to our Big Bird Year list (now well into the seventies).
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| red-crested pochard (left) with great-crested grebe |
The first summer migrants are starting to trickle in across the country but few have been recorded locally so far, though indications of an increase in chiffchaffs (including four at Wormleighton Reservoir yesterday) and likely some of these are new arrivals. I am also thinking there have been quite a few migrant departures - my impression is that fewer fieldfares have been around in the past couple of days compared to last weekend, and maybe some are now well on their way back to Scandinavia.
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