14/02/2026
* FoTM Bird Survey on 08 Feb 2026 *
An encouraging start to the survey as a young Kestrel (they take 2 to 3 years to develop full adult plumage) sat on a tree near us outside the Waterside café. A cloudy day with some sun but definite signs of spring in the air as we saw snowdrops and Lesser Celandine in Stonebridge Wood and birds were singing, especially the Song Thrushes. Louise spotted some jelly fungus on a tree.
At the top of one tree, there was a succession of birds coming and going and Jeff managed to spot that there was briefly a lone Redwing! We have seen few winter thrushes around this year – perhaps the change in climate and temperatures means the Scandinavian Redwings and Fieldfares do not need to come to the UK to escape frozen winters?
For the first time, we could not follow our usual survey route as all the rain had resulted in flooding on the path by the canal so we had to find a way around to keep our feet dry!
As usual some of us gathered for a hot drink at the cafe after the survey and again a bird of prey appeared as a Peregrine landed on the café pylon – we could just see its rear end as we sat at the picnic tables.
Thanks again to Ivor for his photos as we surveyed Wild Marsh West.
(Plus a bonus photo of a Goosander, seen two days earlier on the Friday walk, in the overflow channel next to Banbury reservoir.)
