A few days back I was able to make an early morning visit to Tadmarton Heath - in lovely sunny conditions. The wild bird cover sown in the spring is growing well, a different mixture to last year which we hope will attract more finches and buntings this winter. A few dazzlingly scarlet poppies caught my eye.
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| field poppy |
A couple of marbled white butterflies were on the wing and one posed very well for some close-up shots.
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| marbled white |
Scattered across the hillside, clumps of beautiful white field roses were in full bloom, their petals covered in droplets of dew. Cattle are now grazing the pasture for the first time in a couple of years and are starting to attack some of the abundant tree and scrub regeneration. Lots of linnets here too, they love the brambles and gorse.
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| field rose |
Meanwhile, in the back garden, my summer tidying revealed a gathering of newts under one of our patio pots - not too far from the pond where they breed. I took a few pics then carefully covered them with a small slab of stone supported by a few pebbles to stop them getting squashed. Hopefully they were able to relocate overnight.
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| smooth newt |
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| smooth newts |
With wader breeding season draws towards it's end I made a further (possibly final) visit to the part of the Upper Cherwell Valley favoured by our curlews. Just a single bird remained where at least two pairs held territory during the spring. Their favoured meadows have been cut for silage and created some good feeding condtions, not just for curlew, but for hundreds of rooks, jackdaws and startlings.
Meanwhile, down the valley at Otmoor an event of considerable Ornithological importance has taken place. If you have not heard the news, go straight to the
Otmoor Birding blog.
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