Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway: 30th September

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway
2 Rock Pipit: both still present at 14:00.

Paul Chandler

2 Rock Pipit along the causeway at Farmoor 08:00 (per Dai)

Pied Flycatcher 29th Sept

Pied Flycatcher briefly in my garden in Headington this evening. Flew towards Bury Knowle park at dusk.

Pied Flycatcher Headington 29th Sept

Pied Flycatcher Headington this evening in and around Pete Roby's garden.
Unfortunately it was only present for 20-30 minutes before flying in the direction of
Bury Knowle park.
Nice 1 Pete.

Green Sandpiper Shrike Meadow Farmoor 28th Sept (c) Peter Jeffries

Cholsey: 29th September

Cholsey
12 Corn Bunting

Paul Chandler

Port Meadow: 28th September

Port Meadow
Wheatear
20 Meadow Pipit
Little Egret
Yellow Wagtail: at least 1.

Adam Hartley

Otmoor. A.M. 28th. September.

2 Tree Creeper
1 Stonechat
1 Green Sandpiper
2+ Hobby
Chiff/Willow
1 L. Egret

Farmoor 28th September

Little Stint 1
Ruff 1
Reed Warbler 2 Pinkhill

Steve Young & Dai

White Stork at Bloxham on Monday

The Information Services are reporting a white stork at Bloxham on Monday which landed at top of Courtington Lane.

Might be worth looking for.

Black-necked Grebe Abingdon 27th Sept

Black-necked Grebe this evening on Abingdon Marina Found by B.B.
HD at 720p + Cetti's Warbler.

It's actually the first pit south of the marina. Showing very well at 7p.m.
Regards
Steve

Farmoor 27th Sept

Little Stint along causeway 07:50
(per Dai & later still per Alex Berryman)

Med Gull (1stw) flew west from F1 at 11:47
+Little Stint still
2 Wheatear
Common Sandpiper
(per Ian Smith)

Black Tern this evening on F1
(per Dai)

Photo (c) Dai

Port Meadow: 27th September

Port Meadow
Spotted Flycatcher: Along the canal path just south of Port Meadow proper. I did not see the three along the Trap Ground allotments reported yesterday.

Sydney Penner

Port Meadow: 26th September

Port Meadow
3 Spotted Flycatcher: in the hedge by the Trap Ground allotments.
7 Yellow Wagtail

Adam Hartley






photo (c) Adam Hartley

More at:
Port Meadow Birding

Black Terns 25th

This picture of the Terns is marginally better and gives some idea of the numbers involved.

..and a photo from Antony Collieu of the flock (click to enlarge)

Black Tern sightings Pit 60 25th September

Arriving app. 4.00pm at the small hide on pit 60 Standlake and met by Antony Collieau he indicated an enormous gathering of about 60 Black Tern and by the time we left at 5.45 there were in excess of 100 virtually all juveniles, as far as we could see in the very bright sunlight. Photography due to the sunlight and the distance meant for some poor quality pictures nevertheless the numbers had been building all the time we were there and our figure of 100 is on the low side.

Farmoor 25th September

Common Sand - 3
Common Tern - 1 juv (S)
Swallow - many (s)
Sand Martin - 1(s)

Farmoor today 11.30 - 13.30

44 Black Terns straight through. Three groups 18 6 20
5 Barwits
1 Greenshank
2 Common Sand

At around about 12.15 a flock of 34 Snow Geese circled the reservoir a few times before landing on F1 for about fifteen minutes. There were four blue phase birds and two juvs in the group.

(per Richard Tyler) photo (c) R.Tyler

Grimsbury Reservoir: 25th September

Grimsbury Reservoir
Kingfisher
Little Grebe: Only around for circa half an hour. Uncommon bird here.
30 Golden Plover: circa 30 circling over fields just north of the wood. Patch tick for me.
Willow Tit: Northern edge of the wood in a tit flock.
Yellow Wagtail
Sand Martin
Swallow
26 Meadow Pipit: Passage south (06:30 to 09:30). Slow but steady passage but less than I was expecting as there seems to have been more passage earlier in the week.
8 Chiffchaff
5 Blackcap

Gareth Blockley

Otmoor P.M. 24th September

1 Merlin (m) over Greenaways
1 Hobby
1 Green Sand
2 Little Egret
Mixed flock of Linnet and Goldfinch towards Noke c100 birds

Useful Identification article (Tree Pipit)

The owner of the excellent manchester birding website has very kindly allowed me to use a link to an article he wrote.

www.manchesterbirding.com/treepipitdoc.htm


A tricky bird to see in the county nowadays although the autumn may provide opportunity for some passage birds.

all the best

Dave

Letcombe Bassett 24 Sept

Kingfisher (c) Stephen Burch
http://www.stephenburch.com/

Stanton Harcourt 24th Sept

Ringed Plover
Green Sandpiper
Teal 4
Yellow-legged Gull
Kingfisher (m)

Rushy Common

Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Yellow-legged Gull

(per Clackers)

Lark Hill, Wantage 24th September

Lots of movement today.

Tree Pipit (over)
Whinchat
Redstart
15+ Wheatear
150+ Meadow Pipits
40+ Skylark
30+ Yellowhammer
Hobby

Otmoor.A.M. 24th September.

Ashgrave Noke End:-
30+ Meadow Pipit
3 Wheatear
6+ Whinchat
1 Stonechat
10+ Skylark.
Chiff/Willow
Swallows heading south.

Abingdon: A34: 24th September

Abingdon: A34
Yellow-legged Gull: In ploughed field south of Abingdon.

Dave Godfrey

No sign of the Lapland Bunting at Farmoor today or yesterday.
(per RBA)

: 24th September

Hitchcopse Pit
2 Raven: Driving away a buzzard - a useful size indicator!. SU452997.

Mark Merritt

Roseate Tern at Brize Norton

RAF Brize Norton has produced another new bird for year, this time an adult Roseate Tern (or possibly a 2nd cal yr). It was found in a weakened state on the main runway on Tuesday night and taken into care. It was still alive and eating well today and if fit enough will be taken to the coast for release over the weekend.
Another remarkable record for the county. This constitutes only the fifth occurrence.

This photo was taken by Richard Oakes. He and a colleague (who found the bird at 10pm on Tuesday) work for Safeskys and spend most of their time keeping the runways clear for the aircraft at Brize.

Farmoor 23rd September

Yellow Wagtail - 2
Common Sand - 2 (also via Richard Catling)
YLGull - 3
Swallow - 12
Whitethroat / Blackcap / Chiffchaff
Meadow Pipit - few over.

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 22nd September

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Marsh Harrier: perched to W of first screen, then flew into Big Otmoor just before 17:00.

Peter Law

Otmoor.A.M. 22nd September.

Noke End:
1 L. Egret
60+ Meadow Pipits
2 Yellow Wagtails
Greenaways:
4 Hobby
2 Stonechat m/f
Hundred Acres:
8 Yellow Wagtails
1 Wheatear
Long Meadow:
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Stock Dove

Farmoor 21st September

Redshank 1

Dunlin 1

Common Sandpiper 2

Yellow Wagtail 1

Wheatear 3

Also lapland bunting reported still along the causeway at 10:03 (per Bird Guides)

Wheatear 9 ( Per Keith Clack)

Otmoor.A.M. 21th September.

C. 20 Lapwing
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Hobby.

Stonesfield Common

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common: 18th September

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common
Redstart

Paul Wren

Farmoor (8-10am)

Lapland Bunting - 1
Greenshank - 1 (heard only)
Common Sand - 3
Yellow Wagtail - 2
Blackcap -1
Swallow - 10
House Martin - 30
Sand Martin - 2
Egyptian Goose - 1

Thanks for all the superb photo's of the Farmoor Lapland Bunting and
for taking the time to upload them,but unless someone has a shot of
the bird from underneath...? I think the 15 should cover it ;-)

Cheers Badger & Gnome.

(c) Dai Johns

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 19th September

Dorchester: Dorchester complex
Common Sandpiper
8 Egyptian Goose

Thomas Stevenson

Lapping it up. 19th September.

The delightful Lapland Bunting still at Farmoor 13.00 hours posing in better light for photography.

Farmoor Sept 19th (8-10am)

Lapland Bunting - the confiding bird still present halfway along the causeway on F2 side.
Ringed Plover - 1 juv
Common Sand - 1
Egyptian Goose - 10 (!)
Yellow Wagtail - 2

light passage overhead of Swallow and Meadow Pipit.

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway: 18th September

Lapland Bunting Still present at 18:45 half way along causeway on F2 side.

Joe Harris

East Hendred: East Hendred Downs: 18th September

East Hendred: East Hendred Downs
2 Corn Bunting
5 Grey Partridge

Mark Merritt

Lapland Bunting, Farmoor

More photos of the popular & obliging Lapland Bunting. Nice light late yesterday afternoon.

.........in late afternoon sunshine

.........amongst the daisies

.........avoiding an incoming wave of water

.........eating an insect

.........standing still for a few moments

All photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Curlew Sandpipers at Farmoor

4 juv Curlew Sands dropped into the res this afternoon.

Egyptian Goose Farmoor 18th Sep (Badger)

Otmoor.A.M. 18th. September.

Saunders Ground:
8+ Whinchat
6+ Reed Bunting
A few Chiff/Willow
all seemed to be feeding on a glut
of Crane flies, very little else of note.

Farmoor: Lapland Bunting Still There

The lapland bunting still present at Farmoor along the causeway late p.m

Shag (picked up near Swindon and released late morning at Farmoor.
still present near the sailing club at 12:40. It was taken back in to care this p.m)

1+ Black Tern
2 Dunlin
8 Common Sandpiper
Egyptian Goose
Wheatear
4 curlew sandpipers

(per Badger & Lew)

Farmoor 18th September

Lapland Bunting

Lapland Bunting

Shag

Photo's (c) W P Bull

Lapland Bunting (C) Jonathan Mercer

(c) The Paranoid Birder
http://theparanoidbirder.blogspot.com/

Standlake Common N.R. Sat 17th Sept.

Pit 60,
3 Turnstone,
Greenshank,
Common Sand,
Snipe,
2 Yellow Wags,
Barn Owl.

Muswell Hill

Siskin 1 (flew over calling)
Meadow Pipit 4+

Lark Hill, Wantage 17th September

Peregrine (fem)
Raven
7 Wheatear
20+ Meadow Pipits
5 Lapwing
Heavy movement of Swallows (c300 south)

Full HD at 1080p

Lapland Birders

'Lap' Birders

Lapland Bunting Farmoor 17th Sept

Lapland Bunting (along the causeway still at 18:15)
Apparently first seen and photographed yesterday, the bird seems to favour
the northern shore of F2 but can disappear amongst the sparse vegetation
close to the wave wall at times.

6 Black Tern
8 Common Sandpiper
2 Ruff
Ringed Plover
Wheatear

Black Tern at Dix

(c) The Paranoid Birder
http://theparanoidbirder.blogspot.com/

Lapland Bunting (c) Stephen Burch
Click here for high res version.


Wheatear at Farmoor (c) Stephen Burch

Manx Shearwater at Brize Norton

A juvenile Manx Shearwater flew into the side of one of the hangers at the RAF base on Wednesday 14th Sept. and died later that day.

Port Meadow: 16th September

Port Meadow
Whinchat: Found by Dave Lowe.
3 Dunlin
16 Yellow Wagtail

Adam Hartley

(c) Gnome (Click to enlarge).
More at Port Meadow Birding

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill: 16th September

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill
Redstart

Paul Chandler

Farmoor O.O.S Open Day Sunday 18th September

I've something to sing about, just had to tell you that the farmoor reservoir autumn open day is taking place this sunday 18th 9.00am-2.00pm and it's free, so come along and meet Lew & Dai guiding folk across the causeway as they attempt to add to the impressive list of passage that is already underway, say hello to Clackers who is wearing his Blackwells Bookshop hat and will always listen to offers for any of the many natural history books he will be displaying. Our Conservation Officer Alan Larkman will be happy to discuss our ongoing work with Tree Sparrows and our parternership work with local farmers in our endeavours to better the lot of our farmland birds. In Focus will be displaying and letting you try out a large selection of scopes and bins. I will be delighted to chat about any issues you feel are important concerning our shared Avian interest. Any Questions - Barry 01993852028.

Otmoor: 15th September

Otmoor
Green Sandpiper
Greenshank
2 Redstart

Nick Marriner

Port Meadow: 15th September

Port Meadow
Little Stint: juv.
3 Dunlin
8 Yellow Wagtail

Photos and more details on the Port Meadow Birding blog

Adam Hartley

3 Spotted Flycatchers on Benson lane, Crowmarsh, today.
(per RK Broughton Oxonbirds)

Arctic Tern Farmoor 14th Sept

HD 720P

Grimsbury Reservoir; 14/09/11

Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, 2 Wheatears and 3 Siskins.

(Mike Lewis - BOS)

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill: 14th September

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill
8 Corn Bunting: flew towards cholsey downs.
Whinchat
2 Raven
Peregrine

Paul Chandler

http://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/

Farmoor Res 14th Sept 08:15-10am

White-winged Black Tern (juv)
Little Stint
Common Sandpiper
Egyptian Goose
Yellow Wagtail 15
Small movement of Meadow Pipits.

(per Dave Lowe)

photo (c) R.Wyatt

Otmoor.A.M. 14th. September.

30+ Goldfinch
2 Hobby
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Greenshank
4 Buzzard

Sonning Eye 13th sept

1 juv arctic tern
Also 1 Hobby,
1 Common Sand

Arctic Tern (juv) Farmoor Res (c) Roger Wyatt

Grimsbury Reservoir: 13th September

Grimsbury Reservoir
Mediterranean Gull: 1w.
Common Tern
2 Common Sandpiper

Gareth Blockley

Farmoor: Sabines Gull

Adult Sabine's gull flew to F2 at 11:50
juv. white-winged black tern
juv. arctic tern
black-necked grebe on F2

per RBA/Bird Guides

No sign of the Sabine's early afternoon when Dai John checked.

Farmoor 12th September

Little Stint

Dunlin

Little Stints

Photo's (c) W P Bull

Farmoor 12th Sept

White-winged black Tern
Black necked Grebe
Little Stint 2
Ruff flew south

(per Dave Lowe)

Photo (c) Adam Hartley. (Click to Enlarge)

Stanton Harcourt 11th September

2 Ruff (m/f)
6 Green Sandpiper
Snipe
200 Lapwing
Hobby
2 Yellow-legged Gull

(Badger)

Pit 60 Standlake Sunday 11th.

Pat Wixey reports circa 250 House Martins 1 Swift 1 Little Egret 1 Greenshank 40+ Lapwing 3 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Dunlin from pit 60 today.

Standlake, 11th September

1 Black-tailed Godwit, pit 60
1 Greenshank
1 Dunlin
3 LRP
3 Common Tern
1 Common Sand, pit 38
1 Kingfisher, pit 27

& 37 RC Pochard at Dix

Farmoor 11th Sept

White-winged Black Tern still on F1
Black necked Grebe 2+
Little Stint ( along causeway)
Dunlin 3
Hobby
Yellow Wagtail 20+

No sign of the Citrine Wagtail

Lark Hill, Wantage 11th September

3 Whinchat
4 Wheatear
3 Meadow Pipit
1 Yellow Wagtail
100+ Swallow

Grimsbury Reservoir: 11th September

Grimsbury Reservoir
Raven
Ringed Plover
Common Sandpiper
4 Yellow Wagtail: 2 + 2 over.
Spotted Flycatcher
2 Siskin

Gareth Blockley

Ringed Plover at Grimsbury reservoir. Not the best picture you'll ever see of one but we don't get many waders here so I thought I'd share it.

Gareth

Citrine Wagtail Farmoor 10th September

Citrine Wagtail (juv/first winter)
Found by Dave Lowe
White-winged Black Tern F1
Black-necked Grebe 3 F2
Little Stint (along causeway)
Wheatear F1



Photos (c) Stephen Burch
For higher res versions of the above pics, click here and here.

Citrine Wagtail

Another cracking find by Dave Lowe, seen this morning along the causeway
at c8:45a.m then re-located at c10:30 a.m. where Steve Burch obtained some
fantastic photo's.The bird was then flushed by one of the numerous windsurfers
and flew off west. It was again seen briefly at c1p.m near the water treatment
works to the east of F1. No further sign by 17:45. (Apologies for the rubbish video).

Grimsbury Reservoir: 10th September

Grimsbury Reservoir
5 Dunlin: 2 ad + 3 juv.
Ringed Plover: juv.
Common Tern: ad.
2 Herring Gull: ad + juv. fairly uncommon here!.

Gareth Blockley

Farmoor 10th Sept

Osprey at Farmoor 9th Sept

Pete Styles took these superb pictures of a ringed Osprey at Farmoor this afternoon.

(c) http://www.petestyles.co.uk/