Pit 60 Standlake

I had an afternoon off college so mum and I decided to visit a place we had never been to before.

I’d heard of Pit 60 before as it comes up a few times on the Oxon Birding website, most recently for a Great White Egret.

The trail marked by mosaic animals and birds leads around Pit number 28, but due to hedging and fencing it isn’t easy to see much of the water.

However, plenty of birds to spot in the hedgerow including blackbirds, long tailed tits, robins, redwings and a red kite

We walked up to the hides, but hadn’t realised that you needed a key. A quick Google search later showed that you can purchase a key from http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/lowerwindrushvalleyproject

Walking back down the path, a movement in the hedgerow caught my eye and a fox, nose to the ground, came wandering across the path. It continued to sniff around before looking up and noticing me.

Mum had taken a couple of steps back under a tree, out of the way while I took some photos.

After the fox had disappeared, mum stepped out from under the tree when a large white bird dropped off the branch above her head and as it did, it pooped, some of which went down mum’s back.

It was a Barn owl! We stood in amazement as it swooped down the path and up over the hedge. As it circled over the lake, the late afternoon sun caught its wings making a mixture of white and gold.

It all happened so quick, I didn’t get a photo.