Fill those Wading boots! Part 1, 4th August

With the weather looking a bit more unsettled and with the onset of Wader passage season there seemed to be a fair chance of finding a few interesting Wading birds at some of our local haunts. Indeed a couple of Black-tailed Godwits (could have been the BWR birds of last week moving on) had been seen at Farmoor and a Greenshank had been found by the warden at BWR on Friday so as we stepped out onto the Farmoor causeway we were ever hopeful of something reasonably inspiring. Even as we left the car we could hear the loud "peeeep, peeeep" of an Oystercatcher and that was clocked flying fast over F2 towards F1. At the top of the causeway I spotted it stood on the embankment so I sidled up as close as I could without startling and took a few shots. A few steps closer though and the Oystercatcher went hurtling off across the reservoir back towards F2. We'd meet up again later.

Oystercatcher

Next we came across a lone Dunlin, stood resting on one leg, and a pair of Redshanks. Redshanks are always wary birds at Farmoor and after a few images they were startled by a jogger and flew away further down the causeway.

Redshank

The Oystercatcher was now looking after the Dunlin but was also very wary and the Rangers car sent it scurrying away over the reservoir once more. On the F1 side we spotted 2 Dunlin feeding along the edge, an adult and a juvenile. This was the first juvenile Dunlin that I'd seen this year. It's always good to see this years young birds come through. By sitting quietly on the wall, I was able to get some nice close views of the Dunlins as they approached reasonably carefree and untroubled by our presence. It was interesting that whereas the adult Dunlin was very assured and firm footed, the juvenile by contrast was having difficulty in gripping the slippery surface of the embankment and frequently slithered down towards the water. I guess young birds have to learn to walk just as much as we do!

Oystercatcher, Dunlin & Coots

juvenile Dunlin

adult Dunlin

The Redshanks had settled nervously again on the edge of F2 and a group of 5 Dunlin (containing the original 2) crept along the bank of F2. The joggers and walkers still disturbed them frequently but with patience some decent views were achieved of all of them.

Redshank

juvenile Dunlin

At the western end of the causeway I spotted 2 Sanderling some way off but before I could get closer they had flown off and back past us joining the Dunlin "flock". We discussed walking around F1 to see if anything was on the settling ponds but decided against it after a few hundred yards and turned back. We'd found another, and very obliging, adult Dunlin taking the tally up to at least 6! 

adult Dunlin

We were passed by the complete group of Dunlin and the Sanderlings as we walked back towards the marina allowing for flight comparison shots to be taken.

Dunlin (middle) & Sanderlings

Dunlin

Sanderling

The Sanderlings, still sporting much of their breeding finery, were now feeding around the bird hide and were more settled. A good tactic at Farmoor is to walk past birds on the opposite side of the road so that they can't see you and then creep back to the wall ahead of them, sit or kneel and then wait for the birds to approach. That way you can get good images since the subjects are not disturbed and cone to you in their own good time. It paid off as the Sanderling came within 20 metres before being disturbed by a jogger once again.

Sanderling

The Redshanks were once again stood on the edge of F1, warily watching anything that moved on the land, water or in the air. They must have spent all day moving from one part of the reservoir to another since they were still reported long after we had left.

Redshanks

The final wader of the morning was encountered close to the marina when a Common Sandpiper took off from the waters edge and alighted on the pontoon. These are incredibly difficult birds to get close to at Farmoor, in direct contrast to their habits when breeding in Scotland.

Common Sandpiper

As we arrived at the boat club a Yellow-legged Gull flew past eying us with a particularly piercing stare and a young Common Tern went in the other direction.

Yellow-legged Gull

juvenile Common Tern

We decided against a coffee and drove back to Bicester for a look in the Wetlands and to see if the Greenshank was still around. The hide overlooking the main pool revealed very little so we walked up to the recently installed Cattle Bridge Pool Hide (well it's only been around for a year!). This hide, as it says on the tin, overlooks a shallow pool which is churned up daily by wallowing cattle and hence has very muddy margins which in turn have the potential to attract wading birds. I have found a Wood Sandpiper here before but today it held 6 Green Sandpipers, a single Common Snipe and the Greenshank. All were feeding too far away from the hide for photos though so I was grateful when a pair of Stock Doves landed on the closest patch of mud. A much overlooked and under appreciated species, the Stock Dove is a beautiful bird adorned in subtle soft hues of pink and grey with a striking iridescent green flash to the hind neck.

Stock Dove

All bar one of the Green Sandpipers left noisily for the main pool leaving the Greenshank to entertain us. After a while the much taller bird had made its way around the pool into range of my lens. Every time a train came through on the adjacent tracks it would startle and run back to the edge before settling down and beginning feeding again.

Greenshank

Whenever the Greenshank was too far away on the opposite banks of the pool we watched the antics of many juvenile swallows that were flying low over the water. Periodically they also rested on the wire fence in front of the hide where their newly acquired plumage shone brightly in the sunshine.

(mainly) juvenile Swallows

The swallows were joined on the wire by a Common Whitethroat and a House Martin landed on the mud presumably gathering material for nest renovations.

Common Whitethroat

House Martin

The Greenshank was edging closer to our position again allowing for better images. Eventually it arrived right in front of the hide although still about 30 metres away. I've never really gained good images of Greenshank before so my camera went into overdrive. Still I could have done with being a little bit closer but I'm grateful, both for the views and for the new hide that allowed me to get them.

Greenshank

The sole remaining Green Sandpiper had followed the larger bird and was also now close enough for some photos. A Common Sandpiper that flew in and dropped down at the far side of the pool had also arrived close to the hide but controversially via an anti clockwise route, all the other birds had circumnavigated in a clockwise manner!

Greenshank & Green Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

The Greenshank then tucked its head away into its back feathers and dozed. It was soon awakened by another passing train though and flew away once more to the far side of the pool.

Greenshank

We left, mildly surprised by the sight of at least 20 juvenile swallows adorning the tops of nearby bushes since they looked a bit incongruous in such a setting. 

("Tree") Swallows

It had been a good day with 9 species, Lapwing being the other not previously mentioned, of wading bird seen. Doesn't compare with places on the east coast but this is inland birding after all.