The end of summer in Upper Wardington is usually marked by a gathering of the local swallow population on the wires and roofs of the village, often just outside our front door.
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| most of the swallow flock |
A few "flockings" in the past fortnight had indicated that migration time was getting close. Now it seems imminent. Early this morning a group of about fifty birds of all ages from adults to just-fledged juveniles were densely packed on the wires: preening, stretching and chattering.
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| the view from below |
Each vehicle moving through the village prompted them all to lift from the wires and wheel up into the sky. However, I was able to stand right underneath with my camera, and even chat to neighbours, without disturbing them. I shared the spectacle with one of our neighbours, who is also a local farmer. He reported them having a good breeding season with several pairs nesting in the stone barn just around the corner. This is one of the few old barns left in the area yet to be converted into a house.
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| a very juvenile swallow not long out of the nest |
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| wing and tail stretch |
A hobby dashed overhead, distracting the flock, and causing them to rise up into sky with a chorus of alarm calls. Swallows are a major part of their diet, but on this occasion it moved rapidly onwards.
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| hobby |
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| jackdaw also enjoying the sunshine |
After enjoying the swallows, I travelled down to Bicester Wetland Reserve for some early morning birding. The water levels are noticeably higher following recent rain, but there were still a few green sandpipers on show, a dunlin (quite rare at this site), two little egrets and a snipe. A reed warbler was very confiding, sitting out in the early morning sunshine, warming up after a chilly night. A kingfisher hovered over the pools, a dazzling sight.
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| reed warbler |
My last stop of the morning was Tadmarton Heath where ringing was in progress, and almost straight away a real surprise - a flock of thirty five siskins feeding on thistle seed heads. Andy Turner had caught one in the mist nets - a first for the ringers at this reserve. I wandered on across the scrubby meadow, picking blackberries and enjoying brief views of a whinchat.
Later in the afternoon, back in Upper Wardington, ravens were calling noisily overhead, two pairs tumbling in the air. Then more - a procession of birds heading towards an arable field below Fox Hill. In the end I counted fifteen ravens, by far the largest gathering I have seen near in the village since they re-colonised our area about a decade ago.
All in all a day of flocks - some nearly ready for departure (our swallows), some just arrived from further north (siskins), and of course the resident ravens being sociable.
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