The trip to Otmoor was blessed with glorious weather. Four species of warbler were seen before we left the car park including a Cetti’s which showed itself. Then it was off towards the reserve proper. To the left of the path out of the car park are The Closes. There no sooner than we had looked through a gap in hedgerow at a spot where Cranes are often seen than we heard one bugle and then fly over. The only Garden Warbler of the day was heard near the car park. Approaching Greenways we heard a female Cuckoo which was of the brown (hepatic) form. We saw and heard a great many Cuckoos throughout the day and they became most people’s star bird. Two Cranes had landed on Greenways but were out of sight sight but a little scanning revealed one very distantly and eventually the second walked into view. Around this time the first Hobby was spotted – at one point at least three were in view simultaneously. We took the path to the hide accompanied by Cetti’s, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge and Reed Warblers, Cuckoos and Hobbies. Redshank and Snipe were spotted from the hide while Linnets and a Yellowhammer were seen on the adjacent path. After lunch a scan of Big Otmoor produced more of the same fare plus Oystercatchers and a variety of wildfowl including a Barnacle Goose (presumably feral) and two hybrids that looked to be a mix of Ross’s and Barnacle and had apparently been present last year. The walk to the two screens was enjoyable but produced largely more of the same. Plenty of Cuckoos were chasing each other and a distant Bittern was heard booming. From the final screen there were two Common Terns, a Great-crested Grebe, Pochard and numerous Black-headed Gulls. The species list for the day was no less then 62.
Local Group
