The floods are now more or less back to their usual size though nice and full and looking great. The waders seem to be appreciating them as well as suddenly we've started to get some records again. Over the last few days there have been regular OYSTERCATCHER sightings with four birds (two pairs) about this evening. A single BLACK-TAILED GODWIT also put in an appearance today and there were a pair of REDSHANK about yesterday evening.
Black-tailed Godwit
Duck numbers have gone right down now with far fewer Wigeon and Teal and just a handful of Shoveler, a few Gadwall, a pair of GOOSANDER and sometimes a few PINTAIL still about. SHELDUCK numbers by contrast have been steadily increasing with an amazing 8 birds (four pairs by the look of it) about this evening, certainly a great count for the Meadow.
Sadly the gull roost seems to have petered out almost entirely though I'm no longer able to stay until last light to be certain.
Amazingly, we've not had any migrants to report so far - I would have thought that a Sand Martin or Little Ringed Plover would have been with us by now. It should be any day now I reckon.
One other record of note is that Liam Langley had a RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE fly over his head towards the Trap Ground allotments on Thursday. This species is slightly less than annual so it's good to get it on the year list.
Now that spring is here the moth trapping season is starting to get under way. I put out my trap for the first time last night and was rewarded with the princely total of four moths: two Hebrew Characters, one Clouded Drab and a Brindled Pug. Steve Goddard up in Wolvercote by contrast has already been catching some good stuff. You can follow his catches either on the Upper Thames Moth blog or the Garden Moth Challenge blog.
Pug's are a nightmare to ID but I think that I'm right in saying that this is a Brindled
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