Otmoor 30th October

I decided to go over otmoor today to try out my new Canon EOS 7D :-)!

 

 

These Stonechats were seen in the hedgerow going up to the 1st screen and were showing very well for me! I must say that the EOS 7D is a much better camera than my old EOS 30D. Still lots to learn about the camera but i'm happy with the results so far!

2 Water rails were heard calling from along the main bridleway.
2 Brambling were seen feeding with Chaffinch next to the cattle pen.
A few Redpoll flew over calling.
The Hen harrier was seen over the reedbed then over greenaways being mobbed by corvids.
3 Buzzard
1 Red kite
2 Kestrel
A few snipe were flying around.

A few Common darter still on the wing.

Wilstone Reservoir,Herts, 27th October.

Had a visit to wilstone today to have a look at the Slavonian grebe.

 

The bird was showing very well along the car park side of the reservior.

Also:-
2 Whooper swan
1 Little Egret
Lots of ducks, Mallard,Shoveler,Gadwall,Teal,Tufted duck.
Lapwings
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Redpoll (over)

Radley Gravel Pits 18th October

1 Common field grasshopper seen today.

8 Common darter
1 Migrant Hawker

1 Small Tortoiseshell

5 G c Grebe
2 Little Grebe
5 Shoveler
60+ Tufted duck
2 Red kite
1 Kestrel
1 Water Rail (calling)
10 Lapwing
2 Skylark
2 Chiffchaff
2 Siskin
2 Redpoll

Bagley Wood 9th October

Had a walk around Bagley wood this morning to see what Fungi were about.
See about 10 fly agarics most of them eaten by slugs. Lots of Puffballs around, a few Yellow Stag Horn Fungus, Amethyst deceiver fungus and lots of others that i was unable to identify.

 

 

 

1 Buzzard
1 Raven
7 Jay
1 Treecreeper
4 Nuthatch
3 Goldcrest
5 Siskin
1 Redpoll

1 Roe deer.















 

 





Otmoor 6th October

 

A Cool, bright, misty start to the day but warmed up nicely
later on.


1 Bittern seen briefly this morning flying low over the reedbed before landing in it.

9 Little egret on Ashgrave
15+ Teal from 1st screen
2 Water rail calling from reeds at 1st screen,one of them seen along the edge of the reeds.1 Heard calling from main bridleway.
4 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
2 Red kite
100+ Lapwing
1 Sedge warbler
3 Swallow
5 Redpoll
20+ Goldfinch
2 Siskin

 

 

Butterflies:-
1 Red Admiral
1 Comma

Dragonflies:-
6 Migrant Hawkers
2 Ruddy Darters
8 Common Darters

Quite a few Hornets flying around this morning.

Western conifer seedbug

1 Seen this morning on the outside window sill of the Glycobiology building,Oxford University! Possibly the first record of this american species for the county! Unfortunately no photo as i was working in the building at the time.
Western conifer seedbug is a large squashbug.It is native to the USA but was introduced into Europe in 1999.It has a very distinctive bulge on the hind tibiae which was the first thing i noticed about it.