Otmoor at its "Raptorous" best, 24th December 2019

Christmas Eve is one of the best days of the year to go birding. Reserves are largely ignored by other birders who in keeping with the rest of the country are busy getting ready for the big day tomorrow and probably clogging up the supermarket aisles along with just about everybody else. Mrs Caley and I are savvy and have done the food shop already. I can recall, when on holiday in Suffolk one Christmas, how we had Minsmere almost entirely to ourselves, save for just a couple of other birders, for the entire day on Christmas Eve and how delightful that was. A couple of days later it was mayhem with hundreds, probably thousands of other folk cramming the hides and pathways.

We had set out early aiming to witness the Starling flock leave the reedbed in the semi-darkness of the morning. In truth we had left it maybe five or ten minutes too late since, as we walked along the bridleway peering into the murk on Greenaways, we startled at the sound of thousands of pairs of fluttering wings as a large percentage of the Starlings passed low overhead on their way out for the day. The Otmoor Starling roost contains up to 50,000 birds and the murmurations can be impressive but many visitors are attracted to the spectacle nowadays which sadly leads to serious parking issues in the carpark and in the lane leading down to the reserve so we never visit in the afternoon in winter anymore.

The day was slow to get light, sunrise wouldn't be for another half hour yet so there was little to see as we walked towards the first screen although there was plenty to listen to as the birds became active. Cetti's Warblers, Water Rails and a multitude of other birds were all calling unseen in the hedges and ditches. We took our place at the empty screen and looked out over the lagoon and reedbeds. We could make out a few Tufted Ducks and Pochards asleep on the water and the shape of some Common Snipe stood on a small island. We were hoping to see a star bird that had been gracing the reserve for the past few weeks but which we had yet to see and knew that most sightings were either early or late in the day.

For the time being though we marvelled at the massive flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing that filled the skies all around us. There must be 10,000 of these birds wintering on the reserve taking advantage of the flooded fields where food must be bountiful. The flocks continually whirled around in every direction presumably because they were reacting to danger somewhere. As yet though we couldn't see the cause of the consternation but out there would hopefully be the bird we sought which would be very interested in taking a stray or weak Plover for its breakfast.

A raptor flew in from the right hand side but it was just a Red Kite, a very common bird around Oxfordshire these days and indeed we see lots over our house every day. Amazing to think that we had to travel to West Wales when we first started birding in earnest at the end of the last century to see our first Red Kites. It was light now but it was one of those grey starts to the day which would make gaining good photographs difficult. There was also the promise of some precipitation later in the day but only after a few sunlit hours which we eagerly looked forward to. Then another bird of prey entered from the right and this time, by its measured flight low over the reeds, it was clear that it was a Harrier. But which one? We see Marsh Harriers, another conservation success story, at Otmoor all year round but our target bird is altogether less frequently spotted here. The Harrier was close enough now for us to see the telltale white rump patch, known as a ringtail, which indicated that this bird was one of the treasured Hen Harriers that we had wished for. The Hen Harrier, a first winter bird, quartered low over the reeds to the right of the hide where a couple of bushes frustratingly obscure the view but soon returned to hunt over the reeds at the far end of the lagoon in front of us. Then, luckily, it chose to visit the other side of the viewpoint and came much closer to us. To use the Toggers most favourite excuse, the light was awful but I popped a few frames off anyway. I've never managed to get a really good photo of a Hen Harrier, or any Harrier come to think of it, even after spending a fortnight surrounded by them on Uist a couple of years ago and that situation wouldn't change unless the sun put in an earlier than expected appearance. At least this bird was fairly close and flying towards us so the images would be pleasing if not technically exact.

Hen Harrier

We were joined by the only other birder that we'd see that morning and he asked if much was about. Just a Hen Harrier over here, I said, which was greeted by much excitement by the chap who confessed to having never seen one before. Happy Christmas! The Harrier exited back the way it came and we wondered whether we'd get another chance. Ten minutes later the Hen harrier returned, again from the right (east) and took the same path around the reedbed as before so when it was close enough to the left (west) of the screen I was ready. Still far from ideal conditions and the ISO was ramped up to get a decent shutter speed but I managed to capture some nice action shots of the bird twisting and turning in its hunt for food.

The Hen Harrier visited on and off for the next hour and for a short period was joined by another although when both together they stayed well distant to the North. Then the sun did put in an appearance and I got really excited knowing that now would be my chance to grab some much better shots of the Harrier. Unfortunately the Harriers themselves must have took the brightening of the day to be their cue to disappear and roost. They didn't show again while we were on the Moor. But at least we'd seen them and I'd added a few photos to my disappointing Harrier portfolio. The Outer Hebrides is definitely under consideration for a holiday this summer.

After half an hour of waiting with only Red Kites and, curiously, a Marsh Harrier now showing we headed off to the second screen at the northern end of the reedbed. The fields, known as Noke Sides, to the west of the track to the screen are seriously flooded and are attracting many of the Plover flocks. These in turn are proving irresistible to a Peregrine Falcon that likes to hang out in a dead tree at the edge of the fields. For the third time in as many visits here recently the Peregrine flew fast and low over our heads as it attempted to surprise its quarry in the adjacent fields. For several years Peregrines were an Otmoor bogey bird for me and I never seemed to see one even if everybody else did. Thankfully I now appear to have reversed that trend and see one virtually every time I go out on Otmoor.

Peregrine Falcon

The Peregrine sent every bird within sight flying and the wheeling mass of Plovers was mind bending and definitely rivalled the Starling murmurations of the late afternoons. Equipped as I am with a 400 mm prime lens it is impossible for me to record the whole spectacle being able to only capture a small part of it.

Golden Plovers

Excitement temporarily abated after the Peregrine disappeared and the Plovers relaxed again, we stood at the designated Starling viewpoint and looked out over the expanse of reeds. I was still hoping that the Hen Harriers would appear again but it was just the bigger Marsh Harrier that flew low over the reed tops. The Marsh Harriers on Otmoor never come close enough for really good photos but at least this one, a young male, was lit up by the bright sunshine if still a tad too far away.

Marsh Harrier

The second screen offered little aside from more flurrying Plover flocks and a reclusive and teasing Cetti's warbler so we didn't linger long. A couple of Raven flew over calling raucously. The largest of our corvid species are regular over the moor and always loudly proclaim their presence.

Raven

As we reached the first screen again I looked up at more feverish activity amongst the Lapwings and saw the Peregrine scything through them once more. The hunt was really on this time and the Falcon was clearly on a mission. The chase continued out over Big Otmoor behind the trees so the Peregrine was lost to view but I have a feeling that it may well have been successful in its efforts this time.

We were pressed for time now so didn't bother spending long at the first screen the second time around and the sky was beginning to darken to the West which is a sure sign in these parts that rain is on the way. Kestrels are common on Otmoor at all times of the year and there is one that has staked its claim to the territory that runs alongside the hedge that follows the path back to the bridleway. It often uses a fine Oak tree as a lookout from which to spy prey. The Kestrel was hovering above the path as we neared the Oak but appeared to be as interested in us as we were of it since it seemed to be looking straight at us instead of concentrating on the ground.

Kestrel

But it wasn't us that the Kestrel was intent upon but rather the approach of a Carrion Crow that clearly wanted the Falcon out of its own space. The bigger corvid gave great chase to the falcon but the Kestrel with far superior flying prowess easily kept the Crow at bay and merely flew up into one of the bigger Oak trees along the bridleway where it resumed its vigil once more. The Crow appeared happy that it had cleared the imposter off of its patch and flew back to continue its own feeding on the lush grass of Greenaways.

Carrion Crow

It had been a terrific morning with lots of action provided by the birds of Otmoor but especially by the raptors. Quite "Raptorous" indeed! Otmoor takes some beating at the moment, there is always something happening, but I doubt you'll have it to yourselves as we did unless you wait for Christmas Eve in 2020!