Stonesfield Common

Redstart 1
Hobby 1 over
Little Egret 2 over
Common Whitethroat 11

Whitecross Green Woods July 31

Brown Hairstreak picture taken with my Blackberry early afternoon

Otmoor: 31st July

Marsh Harrier 1
Grasshopper Warbler 1juv
Hobby 6
Green Sandpiper 3
Little Egret 1

Lesser Emperor at Standlake

Apologies for the non-ornithological news but bird of the day this afternoon at LWV Pit 60 was this Lesser Emperor (poor record shot above). It did a couple of fly-bys past the southern hide but wasn't seen again during the following hour. As far as I'm aware it's the fourth for the county. Called by Geoff Wyatt who also found the first two! No sign of yesterday's scarcer Terns or Godwits.

Drayton 1066 31st July

Water Rail
Common Tern
3 Snipe
Redshank
12 Green Sandpiper

Gavin Paterson

Otmoor Sparrowhawk, 30th July

Juvenile calling then flying off

(c) Nigel Forrow

Close-up of juvenile calling

(c) Nigel Forrow

Both clips are a bit wobbly due to the camera being mounted on a monopod. I forgot to turn the sound function on.

Whitecross Green Woods 30 July

Spotted Flycatcher 2 juvs
Sparrowhawk 1
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
many Willow Warbler & ChiffChaff

Shellingford Pit 30 July

Despite worryingly low water levels:
Greenshank 2
Green Sand 1
+ Several Small-red eyed Damsels

Greenshank (c) Stephen Burch
Click here to enlarge

Standlake: 30 July

All pit 60
Sandwich Tern 1ad
Black Tern 1juv
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Green Sandpiper 3
Oystercatcher 3
LR Plover 6juv
Little Egret 6

Port Meadow: 30th July

Port Meadow
2 Little Egret: As expected no further sign of the Pec sand.

Richard Foster

Farmoor 30th July

3 Black-necked Grebe F2

Still present this afternoon in S/W corner
of F2 (per RBA)


Farmoor Year List 2011 currently stands at 153.

Otmoor. A.M. 30th. July.

North Pill Ground:
5 Kestrel (family outing).
Long Meadow:
2+ Redstart.

Rushy Common 30th July

Peregrine
Red -crested Pochard 10
Little Egret 2
Green Sand 2

(per John Prowse)

1066 30th July

9 Green sandpiper
7 Snipe
3 Redshank
40+ Lapwing
2 Water Rail

Pectoral Sandpiper 29th July Port Meadow

Pectoral Sandpiper present until c19:50 when it was flushed and flew high west.

(c) Paranoid Birder http://oxonbirding.blogspot.com/

Farmoor 29th July

2 Sanderling
1 Curlew
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Little Egret

Pectoral Sandpiper (Port Meadow)

The moulting adult still present at 18:15.

Good find Tom and Richard...thanks

Pectoral Sandpiper Port Meadow 29th July

Just had a text, there is a Pectoral Sandpiper currently on Port Meadow.

Found by The Wickster and Richard Foster and
Still present at 18:15 + Greenshank (per Dave Lowe)

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 29th July

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Turtle Dove
5 Grey Heron
Sparrowhawk: 2-3 juv.
13 Little Egret: incl. 8 juv.
3 Green Sandpiper: first screen.
Common Tern
14 Long-tailed Tit
Treecreeper
Yellow Wagtail: over car park.

Gavin Paterson

5 Spotted Fly-catcher Ewelme this morning
(per I.B oos)

Little Stints at Farmoor

Hi,

I've just received photos of two adult Little Stints taken at Farmoor on Wednesday evening (27th) this week.

I'll ask the photographer if I can post them.

Witney Little Owl

Photo (c) Kevin Henshaw

Bicester Wetland Reserve 28th July

Put more water onto reserve over last 24 hours.
7 Green Sandpipers
1 juv Ringed Plover from main hide
yesterday 10 Green Sandpipers
2 Heron edges of water on main part of reserve not viewable
from main hide

(Alan Peters http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Banburybirds/)

Cholsey: 28th July

Cholsey
7 Grey Partridge: 2 ad, 5 juv.

Paul Chandler

Churn 28th July

2 Quail (h)
3 Blackcap (2juv)
6 Whitethroat
2 Chiff-chaff
Yellow Wagtail
Raven

Kingham

Mrs Tiggywinkle alive and well in our garden in Kingham. Comes every evening to feed on leftover fallen seed from bird feeders

Port Meadow: 28th July

Port Meadow
Greenshank
Common Sandpiper: on riverbank.

Richard Foster

Shotover. A.M. 28th. July.

4 Treecreeper
2 Nuthatch
2 Coal Tit
3 Goldcrest.

4+ Spotted Fly-catchers Whitecross Green woods this morning.
(per Wayne Bull)

Port Meadow: 27th July

Port Meadow
Greenshank
Common Sandpiper: Along the river.
80 Canada Goose
8 common terns
Oystercatcher
Yellow-legged Gull: adult

Adam Hartley & Richard Foster

Cholsey: 27th July

Cholsey
2 Spotted Flycatcher: A nest in Cholsey fledged 2 young.

Paul Chandler

Rushy Common 27th July

1 Little Egret
2 Green Sandpiper
2 Red crested Pochard (f+juv)

Farmoor 27th July

1 Egyptian Goose
3 Teal
1 Oystercatcher
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Dunlin
4 Redshank
7 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Redstart

Otmoor.A.M. 27th. July.

1 Turtle Dove
2 Green Sandpiper
4 L. Egret
3 Sparrowhawk (Juvs)
1 Red Kite (with live
Snake in its talons).

Port Meadow: 26th July

Port Meadow
Greenshank: Flew off W about 15 mins after I arrived.
Oystercatcher

Port Meadow: The Perch
Common Sandpiper: juv - i think.

Richard Foster

Ridgeway Above Uffington

2 Corn Bunting 65 Goldfinch 1 Red Kite I Buzzard 1 Willow Warbler 6 Swallow and 5 Yellowhammer.

Peregrine South Oxon July

More at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGPS0GuDRMA

Otmoor 26th July

Otmoor Mega...

Unconfirmed report of a Corn Bunting this morning in the Car park field
at RSPB Otmoor.

No sign of Corn Bunting this p.m
per Terry Tossel but

Green Sand 2
Common Sand 1
Greenshank 1
Snipe 1

Otmoor Redstart, 23rd & 24th July

photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Otmoor 25 July pm

2 Spotted Flycatchers (Long Meadow)
Male Common Redstart (Long Meadow)
Greenshank (1st Screen)
3 Green Sandpipers (1st Screen)
Common Tern (1st Screen)
3 Little Egrets
Water Rail (lurking in reeds, seen from 1st Screen)
Many Red Kites, Common Buzzards and young Willow Warblers

Farmoor Reservoir: 24th July

Farmoor Reservoir
4 Redshank
Green Sandpiper
Yellow-legged Gull
Dunlin
Bar-headed Goose

Mike Youngman

Otmoor.A.M. 25th. July.

2 Hobby
2 Sparrowhawk (J)
1 Grasshopper Warbler
4 Linnet
C. 120 Lapwing
1+ Peregrine
10 L. Egret
3 Kestrel
21 Red Kites (circling over grass cutting).

http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding

3 Green Sandpiper at Radley GP's (per Wayne)

Port Meadow: 25th July

Port Meadow
Common Sandpiper: Along the river.
Dunlin
50 Lapwing

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 25th July

1 Whimbrel
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Dunlin
2 Grey Partridge

Turnstone at Farmoor
part of a mini influx of
waders at the Reservoir
last saturday morning

photo(c) Dai

Drayton 1066: 24th July

Drayton 1066
7 Green Sandpiper
Redshank
29 Lapwing
2 Snipe
2 Buzzard

Gavin Paterson

Otmoor 23rd July

Little Egret 7
Black-tailed Godwit
Green Sand 2
Hobby 4
Kestrel 2
Sprawk



Redstart 6+
Garden Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat 2+
Whitethroat
Chiff-chaff c10
Willow Warbler
Reed Warbler (family party of 4)

Full Weekend round up of all of Otmoors Birds & Wildlife at the superb...
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding

Black-tailed Godwit Otmoor

Farmoor 23rd July (a.m)

1 Black-tailed Godwit
3 Turnstone
3 Dunlin
3 Common Sandpiper
1 Ringed Plover
2 Redstart

Dix Pit:

6 Little Egret
1 Red crested Pochard
1 Grasshopper Warbler nr Eynsham

per The Wickster

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill: 22nd July

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill
Peregrine
3 Kestrel
21 Red Kite

Cholsey
Sparrowhawk
Hobby

Paul Chandler

RSPB Otmoor 22nd July p.m

2 green sandpipers were seen feeding on Big Otmoor, as well as a juvenile wheatear (the first of the season). A pair of raven kronked their way over the reserve office. 2 juvenile common terns were hunting over the reedbed. 6 tufted ducklings, 7 stock doves and 2 turtle doves in front of the hide. Bullfinches, linnets, whitethroats and yellowhammers in the carpark field, with reed and sedge warblers still being heard along the edges of the ditches. 1 hobby was seen hunting over Greenaways.

Marsh Baldon
2 Raven: at N end of village green for last 3 days. SU563996.

Peter Law

Otmoor.A.M. 22nd. July.

2 Goldcrest (juv)

Long Meadow
1 Nuthatch
1 Redstart
1 Spotted Flycatcher (feeding 1 juv)
1 Raven (kronking)

Grove 22nd July

Peregrine (male) Over S end of airfield.

Leo Bateman

Drayton 1066: 22nd July

Drayton 1066
9 Green Sandpiper
2 Snipe
Redshank
Buzzard
10 Red Kite
22 Lapwing

Gavin Paterson

Port Meadow Thursday 21st July

1 snipe,
1 common sandpiper
1 little ringed plover
1 oystercatcher

Richard Foster & Gnome

Farmoor 21st July

Kittiwake (Juv) F2.

Turnstone on causeway.

4 Sanderling this evening

(per R.B.A)

Bicester Wetland Reserve 21st July

8 Green Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Heron, Tufted Duck (female with 4 young)

1 Green Woodpecker. waders favoring shallow pool by cattle bridge.
(per alan peters) Banburybirds

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Banburybirds/

Farmoor 21st July

Kittiwake (juv) 13:43 on the west side of F2 about halfway along the bank.
(per Dai)

Otmoor.A.M.21st. July.

3 Redstart
1 Kestrel
3 Green Woodpecker
1 Jay
6 Red Kite
5 Buzzard
2 Hobby

Radley GP: 21st July

Radley GP
Common Sandpiper: Lake H/I.
Green Sandpiper: Lake H/I.
6 Cormorant
2 Sparrowhawk

Gavin Paterson

Ringed Green Sand still at 1066 - Wednesday 20th

6.45-6.55pm count reached 10 with the ringed bird confirmed as still present. It would help pin this individual bird down if the ace digiscopers out there could get decent pics of the ring colours. We have dark - presumed metal ring on left tarsus, one plastic(?) on left tibia (above knee joint) and two plastic(?) on right tibia. This is a combination likely used by a German ringer, but the rings are so difficult to distinguish as they lie in the shade of the bird's body most of the time and unhelpfully appear to be a series of dark colours as well. Morning and evening light is therefore best. Anyone fancy the challenge ?

Farmoor 20th July

2 Sanderling
1 Redshank
1 Oystercatcher
1 Dunlin
1 Ringed Plover
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Redstart
1 Egyptian Goose

Also this evening (Adam Hartley):
2 juv. yellow wagtails
12 adult yellow-legged gulls

Otmoor.A.M. 20th. July.

1 Sparrowhawk (M)
5 L.Egret
3 Common Tern (2Juv)
13 Lapwing
3 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Green Sandpiper
1 Snipe
1 Turtle Dove (purring)
1 Hobby

1066 twix Drayton and Sutton Courtney Tues 4.30-6.00pm

Green Sand paradise with a minimum of 9 seen - eventually. The staying ringed bird was not confirmed today, unlike yesterday morning when two Redshank were also present and Sunday when a brace of Snipe were on show. One Black-wit (new bird)offered the gaudiest plumage I can recall and the opportunity to justify anyone a scope upgrade to loose the red chromatic fringing plauging its continued use.
An English tick was Mink bounding after landfill grass chomping Rabbits, taking a break from their waterside munchings, where the foxes have visibly roamed during recent visits. Is that why the Green Plovers, Sandpipers, Shanks and waterfowl seem so jittery, even when we view from the distant roadside ? 1066 is perfect wader habitat and well worth a stop as you pass the area, although you will need to take your (new?) scope... to fully appreciate those Green Sands.

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 19th July

Dorchester: Dorchester complex
2 Oystercatcher: possibly breeding.
3 Egyptian Goose

Thomas Stevenson

Port Meadow: 19th July

Port Meadow
4 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
4 Common Tern
Little Egret

Adam Hartley

Port Meadow: 18th July

Port Meadow
2 Oystercatcher
6 Common Tern: mix of adults & juv.s.
2 Sand Martin

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 18th July

6 Redshank
4 Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher

Otmoor.A.M. 18th. July.

2 Common Tern
4 Redshank
1 Teal
1 Wigeon
1 Hobby
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Common Sandpiper
2 L.Egret (1 juv )
2 Little Ringed Plover (flying)
3 Stock Dove

West Ginge: West Ginge Down: 17th July

Kilman Knoll Down
3 Corn Bunting: 2 singing males. SU4583.
Quail

West Ginge Down
2 Corn Bunting: 2 singing males.

Gavin Paterson

Drayton 1066: 17th July

Drayton 1066
Black-tailed Godwit
8 Green Sandpiper
Redshank
3 Snipe

Gavin Paterson

The Birds of Oxfordshire, 1889

I have found a copy of the book The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up
It has a few hand written notes but otherwise is clean and easy to read.

It's got some interesting entries on birds that were commoner and are now unfortunately quite rare or even extinct in the county and records of rarer visitors to the county that would cause a twitch now.

Gareth

New Site for Port Meadow Birding

Just a note to let everyone know that I've moved Port Meadow Birding over to Blogspot in line with all the other birding blogs that are out there. The new address is:

http://portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com/

or you can use

http://www.portmeadowbirding.com

though it will take a few hours before this switches over to the new site still

Rushy Common 16th July

2 Little Egret
Oystercatcher
Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Yellowhammer
Sand Martin

(per Keith Clack)

+ 2 Hobby p.m (Badger)

Yellow Wagtail in July on the Oxfordshire Downs (c) Ewan

Drayton 1066: 16th July

Drayton 1066
Redshank
25 Lapwing
Hobby
11 Green Sandpiper

Gavin Paterson

Radley 15th July

5+ Common Tern (inc 3 juv)
3 Little Ringed Plover (inc 1 juv)
1 Little Egret

Farmoor 15th July

2 Oystercatcher
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Little Egret
1 Redstart
2 Yellow Wagtail
3 Common Tern

Otmoor.A.M. 15th July.

12 Swallow
2 Turtle Dove
1 Kingfisher (female perched in first lagoon.)
1 Cettis Warbler (seen and heard calling.)
(rep. by Terry. S.)
2 Green Sandpiper
3 Common Terns
1 Tufted Duck with 4 chicks
2 Redshank
2 L.Egret
5 Stock Dove
1 Sparrowhawk.

Port Meadow: 14th July

Port Meadow
Oystercatcher
Little Ringed Plover
2 Common Tern
1 juv. Yellow Wagtail
4 Stock Doves

Adam Hartley

1066 14th July

11 Green Sandpiper (one bird ringed hopefully more info to follow)
4 Black-tailed Godwit
2 L.R.P
2 Water Rail

Otmoor.A.M. 14th. July.

Long Meadow.

1 Sparrowhawk
1 Raven
2 Stock dove
1 Hobby
4 Bullfinch
4 Redstart+

The Redstart appeared to be feeding on
an abundance of Crickets hopping about
in the grass.

Port Meadow: 13th July

Port Meadow
3 Little Ringed Plover: ad + 2juvs.

Port Meadow: The Perch
Common Sandpiper

Richard Foster

Otmoor.A.M. July 13th.

1 Hobby
2 Turtle Dove
1 L.Grebe (J)
60+ Lapwing
4 Redshank
2 Wigeon
1 Redstart (F)

Farmoor 13th July

3 Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher
1 Greenshank
1 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Little Egret

Otmoor 12th July

Marsh Harrier over the reedbed late afternoon.
also 2 green sandpipers

(per Terry Tossell)

Hobby
Kestrel 2
Sprawk 1 (m)
Redshank 8

1066

4 Black-tailed Godwit
10+ Green Sandpiper
Little Ringed Plover
20+ Lapwing

Wytham Wood 12th July

8 Common Crossbill flew over this morning.
Also 1 green sandpiper heard over.

Ross Crates

Cuckoo Hosted by Wren

Some fantastic footage of a cuckoo fledgling being fed by a wren filmed at an undisclosed location near Oxford by Jeff Pursey

Port Meadow: 11th July

Port Meadow
4 Little Egret
3 Little Ringed Plover: juvs.

Richard Foster

1 Oystercatcher

Mary Gregory

Otmoor.A.M.11th. July.

3 Green Sandpiper
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Grey Wagtail (j)
5 L.Egret (3 j)
2 Common Tern
12 Sand Martin

Farmoor 11th July

Male Redstart (Shrike Meadow)

Blewbury and nr Ashbury 10th July

2 Quail calling from field on right of track from Woodway to Ridgeway. Also 4 singing Corn Bunting. Another 2 possibly 3 Quail calling from fields nr Ashbury plus at least 6 Yellow Wagtail and 50 Lapwing

Otmoor, 9th July

Red Kite in dead tree, Long Meadow

Lesser Whitethroat, Long Meadow

Juvenile Redstart, Long Meadow

Female Redstart, Long Meadow

All photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Crossbills heard over Tescos Abingdon 13:29

(per The Wickster)

Otmoor 10th July

Wood Sandpiper (reported 1st screen)
Redstart 5 (Long Meadow)
Spotted Fly-catcher (Long Meadow)

(per Paul Greenaway & Terry Tossell)

Going Birding Temporary New Site Address

Because of on-going problems with the Going Birding host servers Marek has temporarily moved it to a new server which can be accessed at: http://goingbirding.co.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/oxon/

This new site is free from any viruses etc. and can be trusted. I have edited the link at the top of the blog to reflect this change.

Blewbury Downs 9th July

2 Quail Blewbury Downs calling from three locations in barley field at SU530824.
Then another bird also heard but not seen at 17:50 in long grass on Ridgeway path
at SU533822.

(per P.Law)

Otmoor Redstarts 9th July

A nice photo of one of the redstarts in
Long Meadow this morning (c) Pete Styles

1066 9th July

9 Green Sand
28 Lapwing
3 Redshank
L.R.P
Sprawk (f)

(Badger and G.Paterson)

Rushy Common: 9 July

1 LR Plover
2 Oystercatcher
1 Little Egret
1 Redshank
11 RC Pochard
9 Pochard

Otmoor 7th July

3 Redstarts in Long Meadow this morning.

Culham Little Owls July

2+ Quail (both Males) on Sunday on Churn Hill at 7.30am
(per RBA)

Pit 60 6th July

1 Little Egret, 6 Common Tern, 50+ Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, Gadwall with 5 ducklings.

Otmoor Redstarts 3rd July

Two of the eight Redstarts seen in Long Meadow Otmoor on Sunday.
photos (c) Pete Barker.

'They seemed to be in two distinct groups with a very smart male and two juveniles at the western end of the field and another party of three juveniles and two adults at the eastern end. The western end juveniles looked much younger than those at the other end in that
they looked much more speckled on the breast and their tails were shorter.
The west end youngsters were pestering the male for food.
It is interesting to speculate where these birds bred. There is suitable broad leaved woodland nearby and it seems very early for them to start heading south'.

Ref: Pete Barker Otmoor Birding. More at http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding


Last known breeding in the county occured in 1985 probably at Wytham woods
where there were between 6-9 singing males in 1980.

Port Meadow 5th July

No sign of the adult Little Stint this morning.

4 L.R.P
2 Oystercatcher
Common Terns
Stock Dove

(per Richard Foster)

Little Stint Port Meadow 4th July

Adult Little Stint found on Port Meadow late this afternoon by Richard Foster.

+11 L.R.P (mostly juvs)
1 Oystercatcher
9 Common Tern
Yellow Wagtail

Video by Badger.

1066 4th July

7 Little Ringed Plover (6 ad, 1 juv)
8 Green Sandpiper
6 Redshank (4 ad, 2 juv)
24 Lapwing
1 Teal (m)
Fox

Going Birding Problems Still

There still seem to be some problems with the Going Birding site which is currently being reported as an "attack site" so it may have been the victim of a hacking attack which then uses the victim computer to send out attacks on other machines. I'm waiting for clarification from Marek.

Adam

Piddington Wood 3rd July

Grasshopper Warbler Reeling in meadow to 15:20 at least. Excellent views.
SP630164.

Peter Law

Bernwood Forest 3 July

Crossbill flock heard but not seen
1 Purple Emperor on main track near car park in overcast conditions. Also plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries.

Purple Emperor (c) Stephen Burch
Click here for higher res version

Silver-washed Fritillary (c) Stephen Burch

Bernwood Forest 2 July

At least 4 Purple Emperor present this morning although a little tatty due to presumably the attention of birds. Also Silver Washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Red Admiral, Purple Hairstreak, Comma, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Large Skipper

Farmoor 3rd July

5 Oystercatcher
1 Curlew
1 Redshank
1 Little Egret

2+ Silver-washed Fritillary.

Radley 2nd July

Med Gull at Radley on Thrupp Lake this evening at 19:50.
(per Ian Smith)

4 Purple Emperor at Bernwood this morning
(per Ewan)

Standlake: 2nd July

1 Green Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
3 Oystercatcher
1 Hobby
2 Little Egret
1 Pochard
1 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, etc.

Brize Norton 2nd July

Red-Legged Partridge on a wall in Brize Norton Village

Port Meadow: 2nd July

Port Meadow
15 Little Ringed Plover: At least 15, mix of adults and juvs.
2 Stock Dove
3 Common Tern: 1 ad. 2 juv.s.

Port Meadow: Burgess Field Nature Park
2 Stock Dove

Adam Hartley

Radley GP: 2nd July

Radley GP
11 Common Tern: 7 ad. plus 2 broods of 2 large chicks.
4 Cormorant
Little Ringed Plover: Lake H/I.
Grey Wagtail

Gavin Paterson

Common Crane 1st July

Common Crane yesterday c5mls NNW of Faringdon flew
south east over Langford at 9.20am.
(per RBA)

1066 2nd July

6 Green Sandpiper
2 Teal: m
20 Lapwing: incl large chick
4 Redshank: 2 juv

Gavin Paterson

Going Birding Problems - Resolved?

Going Birding is currently having problems with the site running so slowly that it's not actually possible to log on or submit sightings. Marek is aware of this and is working with the hosting company to fix it asap.

The site is now working normally again. We'll continue to monitor the situation over the coming days.

NB I'll be doing the monthly export for the OOS database tomorrow so please submit any outstanding sightings asap.

Adam

Otmoor Snipe drumming (c) P.Barker
more at http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding

Male Snipe have a drumming display in which they circle high
on rapid, clipped wingbeats then dive at a steep angle with
outer tail feathers held out at almost a right angle to
the body; air rushing over these feathers make the characteristic
drumming sound.

Port Meadow Thursday 30th June

19 (!) little ringed plover
1 common sandpiper
1 oystercatcher
1 common tern