With only a short time free on Monday morning, I popped into Otmoor in the hope of seeing a few waders. The cold northerly winds may have been keeping some migrant birds back, but the windchill was surprising for May and made using gloves essential. With limited time, I restricted myself to scanning Big Otmoor. The only waders present were all distant on the pools at the far side of Big Otmoor: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin plus the usual breeding Redshank and Lapwings. Then two familiar figures appeared on the bridleway, Pete and Steve Roby, two thirds of Team Greylag, one of our competitors on The Big Day last Saturday. They were moving around to get better views of a drake Garganey, perched up in distant poolside vegetation. They relocated the bird, which was mostly asleep, but occasionally it raised its head to show off the boldest supercilium in the birding world. I took a few speculative records shots with my camera, though this bird was small even in a ‘scope:
Above, drake Garganey, Big Otmoor. Below, Cuckoo in the bridleway hedgerow:
It is always good to see the Robys. But the biggest surprise of the morning was a figure that appeared leaving Otmoor as I arrived. Someone I have never met before, but who was immediately recognisable: Peter Alfrey. Peter is best known for his sterling work at the Beddington farmlands in south London, where he is partly based and for putting the Azores on the map as one of the western Palearctics migration hotspots. His epic 2005 visit is part of birding folklore. I looked up and there was the distinctive figure of Peter Alfrey, walking towards me. “Mr Alfrey?!” I exclaimed. I explained that we had never met, introduced myself and we chatted birds. Peter is now partly based in Oxfordshire, so may be seen more frequently on Otmoor. Look out for a dashing figure with a long bird list. We discussed his morning and the general lack of waders that we had anticipated. Speculation then turned to a Red-rumped Swallow joining the gathering of hirundines over the reedbeds or the possibility of a Red-footed Falcon joining the Hobbys over Greenaways. I reminded Peter where we were: this is Oxfordshire. He may require a period of adaptation. Welcome to Oxfordshire Peter, I hope you can cope!