Monday Millennium Sightings at Balscote

With no OS map of area; Post Code OX15 6JT (from Streetmap.co.uk) got me to the area. One parallel road showed yellow oil-seed rape through gateway; the second road had a gateway looking down on an old ploughed field with rainwater pools. Obvious small flock of black-breasted plovers (38 being the final total) soon revealed the Dotterel, resplendant with brown bill and forehead. Explained by bird's activly feeding in the sodden clods of soil. This probably explained the flock alighting to wash a couple of times in the pools but other erratic flights around field, for no apparent reason, was less easy to explain. Even loud voices and slamming of car doors (!) from some visiting birders did not correspond. Rain possibly absorbed some of the sound effects and the bird remained on show at all times, but without benefit of good light, let alone sunshine. Yellow Wagtail, displaying Pied Wagtail(s), Skylarks, 4 Lapwing and nearby perched Yellowhammers added further interest to a field that would normally not get a second passing glance. A much needed break from office work

with both Dotterel and Mr Evans ticked for the current millennium.