Wardington: Yellow Wagtails, plus Bicester Wetland Reserve.

Yellow Wagtails are still holding territory in one of our local wheat fields so I grabbed the opportunity to take a few images in the early morning sunshine yesterday.  The male wagtails looked stunning against the more subtle straw-coloured hue of the ripening wheat.

Male Yellow Wagtail in field of wheat

 

I drove on down to Bicester Wetland Reserve, where the mirror calm conditions were ideal for watching the waterbirds, including eight Green Sandpipers (all adults) and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers.  Nice to see a couple of juvenile Lapwings, probably raised locally.  The Thames Water lagoon next to the reserve also held a dozen Teal and a family of six Little Grebe chicks.  I hadn't realised Little Grebes can lay as many as six eggs in a clutch.  Reed Warblers were busy feeding fledged chicks and both Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs were also carrying food.   

Grey Heron, Canada Geese with Mallards and Green Sandpipers further back

Juvenile Lapwing

Whitethroat

Reed Warbler feeding juvenile

Juvenile Little Ringed Plovers

Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover

Lapwings