January 2025
For 2025 I plan on focussing on my local patches again but will also try and visit some other local sites more often. The Balscote Bewick's Swan got my year off to a nice start with a county tick. A Marsh Harrier at Blenheim on the 8th was very unexpected. It's the first harrier species I've seen at Blenheim and I think only the second record of Marsh Harrier for the site. The fact it was a tagged bird added some extra interest and it seems to have made the local area its home for now. There hasn't been a great deal else of interest at Blenheim this winter. Low numbers of ducks generally and nothing unusual. I've not seen a Goosander here this winter which is very unusual. Far lower numbers of Pochard compared to last winter with only single figure counts so far. A pair of Pintail on a couple of occasions in January was nice to see. Since the Queen Pool has been deepened, it's not quite as attractive to dabbling ducks. Far fewer Teal and Shoveler winter now, b...