So much for July being a quiet month for birding, at least not at Otmoor just at the moment. Sunday morning was a perfect opportunity to see Otmoor at its best - lots of birds, butterflies and flowers. A very sociable place to be too, with lots of people sharing of knowledge and experiences. Many highlights, not least the wonderful juvenile Cuckoo with it attentive Reed Warbler parents and equally attentive stream of photographers!
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| juvenile Cuckoo and Reed Warbler parent |
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| Grass Snake on the pump house wall |
Bitterns were much in evidence making
flights across the reedbed and the pair of cranes were striding around on Big Otmoor. A Marsh Harrier drifted across, then a Hobby dashed more energetically across the sky. A Turtle Dove was still purring from the tall hedge along the bridleway.
Along the Roman Road (adjacent to the car park), butterflies were the main course, with elusive Brown Hairstreaks on the wing (I missed them) but lots of Peacocks and Commas amongst others.
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| Peacock |
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| Comma |
Next year it will be twenty years since the first land was purchased to start off the RSPB reserve, what a transformation since.....
This morning it seems that summer has started to recede already: no swifts calling in the skies above Banbury.
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