A flock of birds over Wytham

Hundreds, if not thousands, of birds suddenly appear, fill the air for a short time, and disappear again.

Swans at sunset on Port Meadow

These swans look like decorations floating in liquid chocolate. Port Meadow, looking west into the evening sun.

Herons opposite Binsey on Port Meadow

There are 7 or more herons on Port Meadow at the moment, together with some egrets. When they move, it is often to displace another heron from a good feeding spot.

Small dog sees off big swans

I was composing a shot this morning of a placid group of swans sitting in a pool on Port Meadow. As I looked in my viewfinder, all hell broke loose as a small dog appeared.

Birds flock at evening on Port Meadow

The silver cloud just discernible between the trees is a large flock of birds which rose suddenly and noisily as the light faded across Port Meadow. I would tell you what they were if I knew.

Heron and canal barge at Port Meadow

The canal barge looks as if it is floating on grass. I do not remember a year when Port Meadow did not dry out by July

Hercules and swift over Port Meadow

This was one of two Hercules transport planes which I photographed over Port Meadow. I did not notice the swift until much later.

Heron and cow on Port Meadow

A heron and a cow eye each other up on Port Meadow in Oxford

Red Arrows over Port Meadow

Regular visitors will know that we get a variety of aerial activity over Port Meadow - a Red Kite, a Falcon and a Heron this week, for example. Today, by way of variety, the Red Arrows passed overhead. I missed them. I took this photograph of them on 23 August 1969 at RAF Chivenor in Devon.

Kestrel over Burgess Field, Oxford

A kestrel hovers over Burgess Field, Oxford, at dusk. Below, the same bird in silhouette.

Crow sees off Red Kite

I have not previously seen a Red Kite on Port Meadow save at a great height. This one was first taken on by a lapwing, which scarpered when a crow joined in.

The crow shadowed the kite, who affected unconcern, cruising above the shallow water until the moment shown in the final picture, when the crow spread its wings and tail-gated the kite.

Port Meadow Pigeon

A pigeon sits on the fence on the track down from the Aristotle Lane railway bridge onto Port Meadow. Much closer, and he would have pecked at the lens.

Reflected Duck Pieces

This started as a routine shot of a mother duck and her brood in a ditch on Port Meadow, and looked less interesting as a picture than it did in real life. Pieces of reflected duck look much more interesting.

Heron effect

I have a loosely-enforced, self-imposed rule not to tamper too much with the photographs published here. I may crop bits out, alter the contrast and so on but, on the whole, what you see is what I saw. I make an exception for this heron.

Thrush on Burgess Field, Oxford

A thrush is a rarer sight on Port Meadow than heron, which are almost commonplace. This thrush was on Burgess Field.

Coastal Command Heron over Port Meadow

We have had geese as Lancaster bombers on this site and heron as Battle of Britain dog-fighters. Now we have heron as Coastal Command Catalinas, scanning the waters below for something to attack.

More Aerial Combat over Port Meadow

The heron coming up from behind had already chased another heron off Port Meadow before turning on this one. He tailed the enemy from behind and below (see second picture) then suddenly accelerated upwards. The top one escaped, leaving the aggressor in command of the air.



We have already had Dambuster geese on this site. Now we have Battle of Britain herons.

Aerial combat over Port Meadow

A tern chases a crow across Port Meadow, presumably after whatever it is that the crow is carrying.

Chaffinch on the fence at Aristotle Lane

A chaffinch sits on the fence at the bottom of the Aristotle Lane path on to Port Meadow, Oxford

Heron and Swan land on Port Meadow

The herons always come to Port Meadow as the Winter waters subside. Every so often one picks itself up and flaps a few yards to a new feeding spot.

Like the next plane onto the runway, a swan lands in similar pose but makes more of a splash.