Saturday 26th July: Sparrowhawk & Oystercatchers
In the morning (WoM):
An oystercatcher © Pete Styles
In the evening near Godstow lock by the Thames (from OXB):
Near Godstow Lock a pair of great crested grebe had four chicks obviously fairly newly hatched and still riding shotgun on mum(?).
A little further round, between the lock weir and the Trout, there was a number of geese ("Barry" the barnacle goose amongst them) and several moorhen underneath the far bank, with the moorhen making a great deal of fuss and noise. It turned out to be a SPARROWHAWK wrestling and stamping on what we think must have been a pigeon, before it became moribund enough that it could start to pluck it.
Also some lapwings, a LITTLE EGRET and two OYSTERCATCHERS.
RUFF 1 male 2 female
COMMON SANDPIPER10
DUNLIN 1 adult 1 juv
OYSTERCATCHER2
SNIPE 2
LITTLE EGRET 15
grey heron 10
PINTAIL 1
The usual shovelers, teals, terns etc.
An oystercatcher © Pete StylesIn the evening near Godstow lock by the Thames (from OXB):
Near Godstow Lock a pair of great crested grebe had four chicks obviously fairly newly hatched and still riding shotgun on mum(?).
A little further round, between the lock weir and the Trout, there was a number of geese ("Barry" the barnacle goose amongst them) and several moorhen underneath the far bank, with the moorhen making a great deal of fuss and noise. It turned out to be a SPARROWHAWK wrestling and stamping on what we think must have been a pigeon, before it became moribund enough that it could start to pluck it.
Also some lapwings, a LITTLE EGRET and two OYSTERCATCHERS.