Tuesday 6 January 2015

Back to see the starlings at Otmoor

After Christmas I returned to Otmoor to see the starling murmuration a second time.  There were more starlings but their display was not quite so impressive.  They went down into the reeds quicker.  I also saw a marsh harrier. Thanks to Findlay Wilde and Toby Carter for helping me identify it.



Redwing

Female reed buntings

Marsh harrier




Jays in my garden

Happy 2015 everyone.


Recently I have had a pair of jays visiting my garden daily. This is a surprise as I've never seen them here in other years.  They are coming to get the peanuts I am leaving out near the house.  I am enjoying using my new telephoto lens to photograph them from my patio doors.  Over the last week they have got much more used to me moving around in the house and are less spooked.  They are getting through lots and lots of peanuts and I wonder if they are collecting them to store somewhere else.  I have had lots of birds visiting my garden because it is harder to find food at this time of year.




Wren