THE BIRDING DOLDRUMS.

With the exception of the long staying superbird the Melodious Warbler locally birding has been very difficult lately .Mind you we are in the middle of the mid summer birding doldrums.

At Marsh Lane I was puzzled by the behaviour of 4 Oystercatchers one morning when they lined up four abreast started calling very loudly and then walked into the water in formation. This went on for quite a while. 

The Shellduck chicks have grown up very quickly.

The only Warbler I got any shots of was a Sedge Warbler from the oak hide.

The Common Terns seemed to have had a good breeding time with loads of chicks on the RW pool islands.Some have grown up quickly which is a good job as soon they've got to fly off to South Africa.

On Monday with loads of Sand Martins whizzing about on the CP pool I had a go at getting some flight shots.What a game that is.Amongst the masses of crappographs  I did manage a few decent ones.

Disaster struck as I left the car park on Monday morning.As I unlocked the gate a heavy shower sprung up suddenly and as I dived into the car I managed to strain the ligaments in my right knee.The swearing that followed as pain racked through me might capture the world swearing record back for England.I am now hobbling around trapped indoors.Wonderful ! !

UPTON HOUSE GARDENS AND MARSH LANE.

On Tuesday morning I went to Upton House which is near Banbury to have a walk round the gardens to see if any Spotted Flycatchers were there again.I found 2 pairs last year.

Went to an area near the horse paddocks were I found some last year but drew a blank but when I started to walk through the orchard what did I see about 100m away ? 

Yes a Spotted Flycatcher ! ! I soon saw that there were a pair of them catching insects but they were covering a lot of ground and the orchard is pretty big.It didn't take me long in the heat that to try and follow them was a waste of time so I plonked myself down in the shade of an apple tree and waited till they came close.

I stayed in that spot for a couple of hours eating and drinking and best of all watching these pair whizzing round catching insects.Sometimes they came very close but soon shot off so no decent pics but great just being a birder for once.

I gave up after lunch because it was so hot.It was 29.5 C according to my car as I drove off.I did see at least two others so there could well be at least four on site.

This morning I went over to Marsh lane to try and get some decent shots this time of the Med Gull.To beat the heat I got there at 7.30 AM but even then it was 23 C

The Med Gull was not found but I did get some decent shots of a Green Woodpecker.Whilst in the Oak hide I heard one calling at the back so I opened one of the rear flaps a bit and saw this young one sitting on the gate.Fingers crossed it didn't fly as I fully opened the flap  it didn't.Fingers crossed again it didn't fly as I raised the camera  it didn't.Then another panic the opening was covered with a mass of cobwebs.Luckily it didn't fly as I cleaned them away and I got some decent shots.I'm sure it was waiting for mom to bring some food because it didn't stop calling. 

A QUICK VISIT TO MARSH LANE.

Popped over to Marsh Lane again this morning for a walk round in the warm sunny weather.

As expected there was nothing new on the CP pool which was very quiet.I was just dozing off when all hell broke loose and a huge punch up erupted on the main island in front of the hide.A Moorhen had completely lost it's rag with an Oystercatcher and they went at it hammer and tongues for a while.The Moorhen was the winner. 

There was a second summer Med Gull on the RW pool.It was pretty mobile and always distant but nice to see.

Glen Giles told me he had found a Bee Orchid near the car park and not long later Jeff Rankin found another one on the causeway.This is the Rankin Orchid.Very pretty.The Orchid not Jeff.

MARSH LANE.

Fed up by being unable to get any decent close shots of the Black Necked Grebe that's been at Marsh Lane for a few days now I set out for there on Saturday morning with a cunning plan.I would get there early when it wasn't expecting me and when it would be close to the CP hide.

Arrived at 7.30 AM to find the weather sunny and warm as I crept into the CP hide.So did my cunning plan work ?  No it damn well didn't. Not only was it not close to the hide but also it was not even there.Oh Dear ! !

Did get a few shots including a kidnapping, a Common Tern chick and a young Linnet.   

At 8.15 AM I decided to go and see if Mel was still showing down the bridle way.There were 4 cars parked across the far side of the main road so some birders must be down there but when I got half way down the path and scanned down to where the bird is to be found there were no people on the path. Had Mel gone ?

It wasn't till I got much closer did I see that all seven of the birders there were up on the bank.Although this was my fourth visit I'd never seen anyone up the bank before.Did I tell them all to get off the bank.No Way I joined them.

This was not an easy task because the bank is about 3 m high and is pretty steep.The good spots at the top of the bank with a level bit to stand on had been taken up and muggins here had to make do with a sloping bit to stand on.The wire fence at the top of the bank was not much help to hang onto as it was very loose and I wobbled a lot.Not good for taking pics.

Mel did not seem to mind all the birders on top of the bank and showed well the hour I was there and as usual it was still singing it's heart out. I believe it's been there 16 days now and is still bringing birders in from far and wide.That morning I spoke to two birders from Leeds, one from Oxford and one from Lincoln.

Took a few shots from my wobbly spot.Cracking bird.  

MARSH LANE AND BRANDON MARSH.

This week I've been down to Marsh Lane twice and down to Brandon Marsh once and at both places I've struggled to get some decent shots but the weather has been nice so it was great to be out and about.

At Marsh Lane the pair of Shellducks have had 6 chicks.I don't think I've seen Shellduck chicks before so nice to get a shot  of them and one of mum.

The cracking looking Black-necked Grebe has been at Marsh Lane for a few days but it has not come close for me at all.I've still not got a decent summer plumage shot of these chaps.These are heavily cropped shots and depressingly  are my best. 

Whilst waiting for the BNG to come close a Reed Warbler showed well from the river hide.

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This is the chap that's responsible for the closing down of the car park at Marsh Lane.

My visit to Brandon Marsh was very enjoyable but this was down to the excellent weather and not down to the birds on show because there weren't any.It was a real struggle to get any shots.

A Sedge Warbler that I saw near the golf club felt sorry for me and allowed me to get close.In fact when I moved on it followed me to pose again for shots.

In the Ted Drury hide I arrived just as a Hobby flew off from the nearby tree and despite an hour's stay never returned so no Hobby shots.

In the hide was my good friend Francoise who I hadn't seen for a while.Nice to see you again         Francoise and I hope you get well very soon.

A VISIT TO HANBURY HALL.

On Thursday morning I headed over to the NT property Hanbury Hall just inside the Worcestershire border.At this time of year I visit the nearby NT sites not to visit the buildings but to check out the grounds.Not to be recommended if you're not a member as it can be expensive.

Last year I found a pair of Spotted Flycatchers there so these chaps were top of my list as I walked the main path towards the hall.As I walked along  the east of the hall in a picnic area by the shops what did I spot catching flies ? a Spotted Flycatcher which went up into a tree.This is the only shot I could get before it disappeared.I didn't see it here despite a few visits during the day.

After a patient wait at the spot where they nested last year and seeing nothing at all I went on a tour of the grounds.I saw very little and didn't use the camera once so after some lunch I tried to get some shots of the House Martins that were nesting under the eaves of the hall.Managed a few feeding shots. 

I was very lucky whilst waiting for the House Martins to return when I glanced up to the hall roof and this is what I saw.

I watched this Spotted Flycatcher fly to the exact spot they nested last year. I can only think the reason I missed them earlier in the day was that the pair were taking it in turns to sit on eggs and when it was their turn to rest they flew off to feed up.I stayed in a discrete spot and waited for them to change turns so I could get some shots.I had to be patient because it sometimes took an age for them to return from feeding.

Got some decent shots of these cracking birds. 

Got home mid afternoon and just as I was dozing off on a sun lounger a text came in " Black-necked Grebe at Marsh Lane".I dropped everything and shot over there because I do not have a decent shot of a summer plumage BNG. I still don't because our little friend managed to keep as far away as possible from the Oak hide up till early evening when I left.You'll have to take my word this is a BNG.