New areas...

23/7/08 Oxford - James and Simeon
Dad was going to Oxford for the day so we decided to hitch a lift and bird some completely new areas. We started at Farmoor reservoir where there were 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls, 3 Green Sandpipers and 2 Common Sandpipers from the causeway, along with 8 Lapwings and 1 Grey Heron in Shrike Meadow.
We then went to Dix Pit (part of Stanton Harcourt gravel pits). The area looks very good as a winter site, but there were still some interesting birds. 2 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons were on the island amongst the Cormorant colony. About 40 Great-Crested Grebes were in a large group on the far side of the pit, and 2 Common Sandpipers landed on the far bank. A Red Kite flew over and disturbed all the gulls.
We then went around to a different side of the it and stood on some concrete blocks to veiw the pit. James spotted some Pochards with the numerous Tufted Ducks, whilst I scanned a group of gulls on the landfill site. The flock of about 70 birds contained at least 10 Yellow-Legged Gulls! Some showed quite well but we didn't have enough time for photos.
On the way home another Red Kite flew from behind a bush in Stanton Harcourt Village, and on the M40 we saw a high of 18 Red Kites, following 12 on the outward journey!
It was a really good day and it was nice to go birding in a completely different setting from the Norfolk Coast!