Farmoor 31st October

Scaup still on F1

Slavonian Grebe 2 on F2 16:00 hrs.

Common Sandpiper 1

 

 

The Insomniac Birder

Sutton Courtenay: 31st October

Sutton Courtenay
Peregrine: Over the BBOWT education centre and landed on one of the Didcot Power Station towers.

Ricky Josey

Lesser Redpoll (c) Terry Sherlock



Port Meadow: 30th October

Port Meadow
6 Dunlin
2 Ruff
Pintail: m.
Yellow-legged Gull
1000 Golden Plover
50 Snipe
Redshank

Adam Hartley

Otmoor 30th Oct pm

Two Bramblings feeding at the cattle pens

Kestrel on Otmoor Lane telegraph pole

Shoveler, 2nd screen

Photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Otmoor Starling (c) Derek Woodard
 

Starling roost again this evening c50,000 birds

 

Hen Harrier (ringtail)
Bearded Tit 5 showing well at 10:45 near the 'conservation area' sign
between the two screens.
Sparrowhawk 2
Brambling 3 (2m 1f) near the cattle pens
Redpoll 10+
Raven
Lapwing 800+
Snipe 30+
Teal 200+
Stonechat 3



 

Bearded Tit photos (c) Two Eyes Black Audi Birding

Finmere Airfield 30th October

Short-eared Owl Over A421 harrassed by Crow. SP325638.

Nick Truby

Radley GP 30th October

Cetti's Warbler Called twice @ 15:45 then glimpsed briefly near pit M.
No sign of any pingers.

Peter Law

Otmoor 30th October

 

Wayne Bull's Wildlife Blog



Farmoor 30th October

Slavonian Grebe 2 still on F1 at 14:10 (per Two Eyes)
Scaup still on F1 14:00 (per Peter Law)
(per Dai)

More tales from the concrete bank at
The Insomniac Birder

RSPB Otmoor WeBS (unofficial) 29th Oct.

Lapwing 587 (12 Closes, 75 Greenaways, 500 Ashgrave)

Snipe 2 (1 Closes, 1 Ashgrave)

Golden plover 14 (13 Big Otmoor, 1 Ashgrave)

Redshank 2 (2 Closes)
Greylag geese 158 (158 Closes)

Canada geese 383 (2 Closes, 1 Flood, 380 Ashgrave)

Moorhen 6 (3 Closes, 3 Reedbed)

Coot 5 (5 Reedbed)

Mallard 90 (3 Closes, 12 Greenaways, 46 Reedbed, 18 Flood, 5 Big Otmoor, 6 Ashgrave)

Tufted duck 1 (1 Reedbed)

Shoveler 24 (3 Reedbed, 21 Ashgrave)
Teal 240 (146 Reedbed, 58 Flood, 26 Big Otmoor, 10 Ashgrave)
Wigeon 600 (41 Reedbed, 24 Flood, 8 Big Otmoor, 527 Ashgrave
Gadwall 34 (11 Reedbed, 23 Ashgrave)
Mute Swan 11 (2 Greenaways, 2 Reedbed, 3 Flood, 4 Big Otmoor)

Little egret 2 (1 Greenaways, 1 Flood)

Grey heron 2 (1 Flood, 1 Big Otmoor)
Cormorant 1 (1 Reedbed)

Black-headed gull 46 (46 Ashgrave) Lesser black-backed gull 1 (1 Ashgrave)

Other sightings included: 5 bearded tits, 3 stonechats, 2 bramblings and 5 red poll. The starling roost contained an estimated 50000+ birds, with peregrine, sparrowhawk and hen harrier harrassing the flock.

Stonesfield Common 29th October

Siskin 1
Lesser Redpoll 6
Reed Bunting 2
Chiffchaff 1
Redwing 100+

(per Paul Wren)

Otmoor 29th October

Hen Harrier ringtail. Seen briefly from second screen.
annoyed Sparrowhawk close by.
Brambling: fem. Dived into hedgerow behind second screen.
Querulous-sounding 'skeew-ee' call heard, verified on  Xeno Canto

Steve Goddard

Wytham Wood: 29th October

Wytham Wood
3 Brambling: 3 in with chaffinches near Higgin's copse today. Also a crossbill over.

Ross Crates

 

Otmoor Bramblings & Chaffinch taken near the cattle pens (c) Terry Sherlock

Will it be a  good winter for these stunning finches in the county?

 

Oxon/Berks 29th October

Hawfinch between Goring and Streatley flew over the river Thames this morning.

(per RBA)

Farmoor 29th October

(c) Terry Sherlock

Slavonian Grebe 2 still on F1

Female-type Scaup on F1 still this afternoon (per Steven Goddard)

per Dai John The Insomniac Birder

Farmoor 28th Oct pm

Slavonian Grebe with fish, F1 from causeway

Slavonian Grebe takes off when Great Crested Grebe approaches

Little Grebe on F2

Port Meadow: 28th October

Port Meadow
Ruff
Redshank
12 Dunlin
Black-tailed Godwit
2 Pintail: 1m 1f.
1000 Golden Plover: approx count.

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 28th October

Slavonian Grebe

Slavonian Grebe

Slavonian Grebe

Goldeneye

Two Slavonian Grebe thanks to Dai, 4 Goldeneye, 30 Swallows.

 

Slavonian Grebes still on F1 at 13:50 and showing well
Common Sandpiper

Rock Pipit (per Dai)
Merlin (per Eddie)
Barn Owl (per Eddie)

More from the Res at The Insomniac Birder

Black Redstart at Brize Norton on 26th

The male Black Redstart was at Carterton Park, Brize Norton on Wednesday to Friday (24th-26th) last week. No wonder no one had heard of the other place.

Otmoor 28th October

Starling roost now c20,000 birds (Badger & Two Eyes)

Brambling 2 (m/f) Amongst other finches near feeders (per Neil Hammatt & Badger)

Bearded Tits 2 still present 15:30 in reeds to right of path to 1st screen (Badger)

Hen Harrier 1 (ringtail) late afternoon



(c) Andy Last

Otmoor Birding

 

Otmoor 27th Oct

Cormorant in flight, 2nd screen

Mute Swan, 2nd screen

Rook on the cattle pens

Fast fly-past of six Snipe, 2nd screen

Starling roost in front of Oddington church

Also three sightings of Hen Harrier at the 2nd screen. Photos here. All photos (c) Nigel Forrow.

Otmoor 27th

2 Hen Harriers today; an adult female and judging by its size, a juvenile male. These birds kept the local ducks unsettled. Merlin with prey over Greenways.

Hen Harrier adult female

Hen Harrier adult female

Hen Harrier juv 

Teal

Wigeon with Gadwall

Merlin

Otmoor this evening (per Oz)

Starling roost tonight
Circa 15000 birds
two Hen Harriers
Two Sparrowhawks
one Red Kite

Whooper Swan Greenaways this morning only

Also
Goosander: fm. 2nd screen.
2 Hen Harrier: juvs.
Peregrine
4 Siskin
15 Lesser Redpoll
30 Snipe: 30 plus.
6 Redwing
100 Fieldfare: 100 plus.

Peter Barker, Peter Coombes et al.

Henley Road GPs: 26th October

Henley Road GPs
Mediterranean Gull: 1w.

Marek Walford

Farmoor 26th October

 

(c) Terry Sherlock

Female Red-breasted Merganser on F2 ( per Dai John)
and still present late afternoon (per Andy Last)
+ 2 Rock Pipit

(c) Terry Sherlock

More from the Res at The Insomniac Birder
 

 

Possible Stork Sighting

My wife saw what looked like two storks flying east over Long Wittenham heading in the direction of Day's Lock/ Dorchester at about 17:15 this afternoon (Friday).

Port Meadow 26th October

No sign of Barnacle Geese at 9 a.m. this morning
6 Dunlin
1 Yellow-legged Gull Video here
~1000 Golden Plover
20 Fieldfares over
+ usual ducks

Black Redstart 25th October

(c) Terry Sherlock

 

Black Redstart today at an undisclosed working Farm.

 

Port Meadow 25th October

6 Dunlin
1000+ Golden Plover
1 Curlew
Short-eared Owl in Burgess Field again
~20 Barnacle Geese came in to roost at last light

Gnome & the Wickster

Otmoor. A.M. 25th. October.

1 Hen Harrier
1 Bittern
18+ Fieldfare
C.50 Snipe (1 flock).
11 Golden Plover
1 Water Rail
1 Peregrine
C. 12 Redpoll.

Otmoor Birding

(c) Derek Woodard



Radley 25th October

Bearded Tit 2 (m/f) still at Radley GP's in small patch of reeds
east of H/I (between H/Iand the railway line) at 10:47a.m and occasionally
showing well (per Barry Batchelor)

Egyptian Goose on Thrupp lake (per Christopher Ellis)
 
Map Here

Port Meadow: 24th October

Port Meadow
6 Dunlin
1200 Golden Plover
100 Snipe
1 Peregrine

Adam Hartley

Otmoor 24th Otmoor

(c) Terry Sherlock

Hen Harrier (juv per Lew) still on Otmoor this afternoon over Ashgrave then later over the Closes per Bark and Terry Sherlock & Nick Suckling.

Otmoor Birding

Old News

I've just heard about the presence of a Yellow-browed Warbler in a garden on Five Mile Drive, North Oxford on 3rd October. It's probably long gone but might just be worth a look and listen around the area.
There was also a Hoopoe in a North Abingdon garden from 14th June - 21st July! Definitely long gone.
Also Sutton Courtenay football club reported 4 Storks joining them for a practice session about two weeks ago. This coincides with the departure of 4 White Storks from Dorset so may well be true. Where are they now?

Radley 24th October

Record shot of one of the Radders 'Ping Tits' courtesy of 'The Gun Slinger'

Bearded Tit 2 (m/f) still at Orchard Lake (Lake M) 10:00am tho elusive

then flew towards reeds between H/I (the large ash-pit) and the river.

Seen Briefly again in the reeds between H/I and the river at 15:45 but

no further sign by 17:30.

Map Here

A rubbish clip of the Radley Bearded Tits but this has typically been

the views over the last three days.

Farmoor 24th October

Rock Pipit 2 along causeway.
Water Rail 2 Pinkhill Reserve.

The Insomniac Birder

Port Meadow: 23rd October

Port Meadow
Curlew
100 Snipe: Approx count.
2 Dunlin
1000 Golden Plover
8 Common Gull: 7 x ad., 1 x 1w.
Great Black-backed Gull

Also Short-eared Owl seen a couple of times over the last few days

Adam Hartley

Otmoor 23rd October

Bearded Tit at least 3 (3 seen at the 1st screen this p.m by (Terry Tossel)
2 seen at the 2nd screen by Ron Louch this p.m)

Hen Harrier (ringtail) over Greenaways this p.m (per Terry Tossel)
Water Rail heard only in the reed beds
Raven over Big Otmoor (per Terry Tossel)
Redpoll 3 at feeders
Brambling (m) near cattle pens
Starling roost again exceeding 5000 birds

Otmoor Birding

Radley 23rd October

Bearded Tit 2 (m/f) Still at Orchard Lake (Lake M) at 17:45 tho elusive.

Still at Radley in N/W corner of H/I 9:20am then flew towards Orchard Lake.

Cetti's Warbler (heard only)
Siskin 2+ over
Water Rail
Raven 2
Goldeneye 2 (Thrupp Lake)

Map Here 

per Badger

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common: 22nd October

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common
11 Lesser Redpoll
Water Rail: Heard only.
7 Long-tailed Tit
32 Redwing
2 Marsh Tit

Paul Wren

Radley 22nd October

Jason Gosling has just seen two Bearded Tits at Radley GPs. They flew from beside the ash pit towards the river.

Picked up again by Roger Wyatt this afternoon at approx 16:40 in the reeds
around Orchard Lake(Lake M) and then later between H/I and the river.
We last saw the male & female at 17:10 again in the reeds between H/I
and the river.(Badger)

Map Here

Port Meadow: 22nd October

(c) Adam Hartley

Redshank
3 Dunlin
81 Snipe, at least
1000 Golden Plover: Approx count.

Adam Hartley

22nd October Farmoor

GREY PHALAROPE flying around Farmoor 1 presently (09:45 am)
being pursued by a gull. per Dai John

Still present 11:05 in South-East corner of F1.
per Badger

No further sign of the Phal by 13:30

Goosander 3 over heading west
Dunlin
Ringed Plover

The Insomniac Birder

Otmoor 22nd October

No sign of any Bearded Tit at Otmoor by 11am this morning.

(per Barry Bachelor)

Aston Rowant 21st October

Ring Ouzel 2 on Linkey Down at 11:30am though elusive (per RBA)

OTMOOR GULLS

Gull watchers may want to check out the flooded fields on the Islip to Merton Road and the Merton to Ambrosen Road.

Mega numbers as I drove to Buckingham yesterday around 5pm. although not so many at the latter.


wasatbird

Otmoor Sunday 21st October

1+ Bearded Tit still at Otmoor in northern reed bed at around 10am
then again briefly c1pm (per Andy Last)

Golden Plover c200 nr Pill
Sparrowhawk m
Redpoll c15
Brambling
Siskin 2 over
Stonechat 1m
Redwing small flock early am
Fieldfare small group early am
Kingfisher noke pond

Otmoor Birding

Caspian Gull 20th October

This adult Caspian Gull was loafing in a damp field beside the northern by-pass of Didcot at dusk.

 

Bearded Tits Saturday 20th

At 4.20pm, one flew up briefly near the "Conservation Area" sign just east of the first screen. Others thought they had 4 between there and screen around 5.30pm. No calls heard at any time, despite perfect calm listening conditions. Same time c5500 starlings had just gone to roost - too early for the Sparrowhawk and then another 500 came in afterwards! Good numbers of wildfowl on the shooting range where 3.55pm Peregrine pass seemed to be unsuccessful. Couple of Ravens perched in 'electrified field'.

Hempton: 20th October

Hempton
Merlin: being mobbed by corvids.

Chipping Norton
Peregrine

Michael Hunt

Grove: Airfield: 20th October

Grove: Airfield
Peregrine: juv.
32 Snipe

Leo Bateman

Otmoor 20th October

No sign of any Bearded Tits this morning
Brambling 1+
Green Sandpiper 1

(per Badger)

Woodstock 19th October

woodstock stratford bridge
14 Common Crossbill: flew off towards blenheim park. SP188443.

Paul Willis

Otmoor 19th October

Bearded Tit 6-7 Still in the northern reed bed this morning 09:10
then again from the 1st screen at 09:40 (per The Wickster)

Stonechat 7
Redwing c30

Both Photo's (c) Terry Sherlock

Blenheim Park 19th October

Mandarin 4 (2m) on the small pools near the Coombe Gate entrance
in to Blenheim Park.

(per The Wickster & Peter Law)

Male Kingfisher filmed at Bicester Wetlands Reserve by Jeff P more on JP Birds

Otmoor. 18th October.

1 Stonechat
15+ Snipe
1 Mistle Thrush
5+ Little Egret
1 Kingfisher
No sign of any Beardies, the wind blew quite
strongly after a while. No sign of Bittern either.

At least three Sparrowhawks working the Starling roost this evening (Badger)

Otmoor Kestrel (c) Derek Woodard
 

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill: 17th October

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill
Raven
2 Chiffchaff
Wheatear

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve
16 Siskin
Chiffchaff
3 Jay
3 Swallow

Paul Chandler Cholsey Wildlife

Otmoor Wednesday 17th October Beardy update

Picture from 15th Oct 2009

Bearded Tits are still present and visible from first screen but distant.
There are still approximately six or seven birds (per Badger)
Bark

Also seen from the 2nd screen this morning (per Peter Coombes)
Bittern also reported this morning (per RBA)
Fieldfare 6 (per Peter Coombes)
Stonechat 3 (per Peter Coombes)

Otmoor Birding