Monday 18th March

In contrast with yesterday, today's visit was rather a gloomy overcast affair with a light drizzle and no sunshine at all though at least there was little wind. The floods had risen further and all the birds were back up towards the Wolvercote end. The four BLACK-TAILED GODWITS were still about and I also found 7 REDSHANK near the Poplar trees. There was a modest Golden Plover flock and only a small gull roost which contained nothing of interest. 

I forgot to mention that yesterday Jarrod Hadfield had reported the two LITTLE OWLS calling comparatively early on in the afternoon up past the Perch and again today I periodically heard them "yelping" away to each other. There was also a fly-by Kingfisher yesterday which I forgot to mention. On my way back today I found a Chiffchaff working its way along the trees by the river near the boat houses, my first of the year on the Patch.

A couple of Snipe from yesterday

One last item to mention: Ian Lewington has considered yesterday's interesting gull further and had decided that it's actually more like a first winter YELLOW-LEGGED GULL than a Caspian. It just shows how hard gulls can be at this time of year if even Ian struggles with them.

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