Port Meadow: 28th February

3w Caspian Gull (upgraded from "possible" by Ian after viewing more photos)
Little Gull: ad. winter
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Shelduck
3 Goosander
8 Pintail

3w Caspian Gull

Adam Hartley

Farmoor Roost

2 Mediterranean Gulls on F.2. (both adult summer).

Port Meadow: 27th February

Port Meadow
2 Shelduck
5 Redshank
3 Goosander

Adam Hartley

Cormorant Farmoor courtesey of Mark Chivers

The Early Birder

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 27th February

25 Ruff
22 Dunlin
150 Pintail
2 Curlew

(Joe Harris)

Hen Harrier: Ringtail.
Stonechat 3

(Paul Boult)

Otmoor Stonechats courtesey of John Reynolds

Port Meadow: 26th February

Port Meadow
Oystercatcher: Found by Liam Langley.
2 Goosander: Found by Liam Langley.

Adam Hartley

University Parks: Mesopotamia: 26th February

Mesopotamia
Goosander: male.

Lia Verhoeff

Photo (c) Lia Verhoeff

Otmoor 26th February

Sanderling 3 (on Closes field)
Ruff 8
Dunlin 14 
Curlew 2 
Redshank 5
Peregrine 2

(per Peter Coombes)

Marsh Tit Otmoor courtesey of Stephen Collier

Letcombe Brook 26th February

Kingfisher
Bullfinch (fem)

(per Amanda Brown)

Grey Heron Blenheim courtesey of John Reynolds

Port Meadow: 25th February

Port Meadow
5 Redshank
2 Goosander
20 Common Gull

Adam Hartley

Otmoor. PM.

Blue Tit.  Wardens Hut.

Greenaways
Hen Harrier.

Ashgrave.
Little Egret.    2.

Reed Bed.
Bittern.      2nd screen.
Perigrine    Over.
Barn Owl.
Bearded Tits   Heard only.       per R.L.

Moorleys.
Sparrow Hawk.
Short Eared Owl.

Crowmarsh Gifford 24th February

Reports of a dead seagull in the grounds of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford this morning led to the discovery of a dead adult kittiwake. It was freshly dead and according to Bjornn Beckman appeared to have died in situ (rather than having been moved there). R.Broughton, a local ringer, confirmed that it appeared to have starved, with very little fat on the bird.

 

Michael J.O. Pocock

Eds:A sad end for this beautiful pelagic gull.

Could this bird be the individual from Port Meadow

& Farmoor?

Otmoor: 24th February a.m

Ruff
15 Dunlin
Curlew
Redshank (per Ralph Watts)
3 Shelduck
Hen Harrier (per Ralph Watts)
Peregrine
Barn Owl (per Ralph Watts)

Peter Coombes
Shelduck photo courtesey of Peter Coombes
The Otmoor Blogger

Farmoor 23rd February

Mediterranean Gull 1stw in roost (per NJH)

Blenheim Park (Combe Gate) 23rd February

Hawfinch 6
Woodcock 11
Mandarin 2
Marsh Tit

(per Paul Jepson & Steve)

Combe Gate

Otmoor 22nd Feb

1 Barn Owl late p.m

2 Short Eared Owls in Carpark field at 6:00pm

Sparrowhawk

Bittern

Little Egret 3

Curlew

Redshank 3

Dunlin 3

Ruff 2


 Hen Harrier ringtail

Peregrine
Stonechat 3
Bearded Tit



Grimsbury Reservoir: 22nd February

Mediterranean Gull: Adult, near full summer plumage. Quite vocal! Maybe one of the birds that has been recently roosting at nearby Boddington Reservoir (Northamptonshire).

Adult Med. Gull

Sparsholt: Ridgeway: 22nd February

Sparsholt: Ridgeway
50 Stock Dove

Patrick Bryan

Chimney Meadow 21st February

Pintail 200+ conservative estimate,impossible to count due to distance and cover.
Curlew
Snipe 5
Peregrine
Stonechat 3

(per Mark Merritt)

Otmoor: 21st February

Peregrine: Hunting over Big Otmoor.
Hen Harrier: Over Morleys.

(Mark Ribbons)

Barn Owl: Car Park field late pm
Short-eared Owl: Car Park field late pm

(Peter Coombes)

Abingdon: Thrupp: 21st February

Abingdon: Thrupp
Oystercatcher: Sitting on tree stump on island in Thrupp lake for about 40 minutes then flying around and calling. SU520978.

Marion Couldrey

Farmoor.

Coal Tit. Bushy Leaze Copse.

Nuthatch.  

Blenheim 21st February

Brambling 3+ still with large Chaffinch flock from road between Combe gate
entrance and the main bridge. (per Jon Prowse)

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Otmoor: 20th February

20th February

Otmoor
Barn Owl: Moorleys (car park field).
Short-eared Owl: Moorleys.

Peter Law

Pintail courtesey of Jeremy Dexter

South Leigh: 20th February

South Leigh
Merlin

Richard Catling

Childrey

Merlin Childrey Field

(per Barry Hudson)

Oddington: 19th February

Oddington
2 Raven

Barry Batchelor

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 19th February

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Short-eared Owl: Morleys at c.6pm.
2 Barn Owl: 2 hunting along the bund between the screens late afternoon and 1 later at Morleys.
2 Redshank: Big Otmoor. Lot's of calling, possibly 3 or 4 birds.
22 Dunlin: Big Otmoor.
27 Snipe: 27+ Big Otmoor and Greenaways.
3 Water Rail: 3+.

Gareth Blockley

Farmoor - 19th February

F.2. Roost.
Adult winter Kittiwake 

Port Meadow: 19th February

Kittiwake c09:30 then flew W/S/W (per Dave Doherty)
Red-crested Pochard: fem.
3 Goosander: 2m, 1f.

Peter Law

Otmoor: 19th February

5 Black-tailed Godwit: Big Otmoor.
Curlew: Greenaways.
15 Dunlin: Big Otmoor.
4 Ruff: Big Otmoor.
Hen Harrier: Reedbed.
Chiffchaff
Peregrine

Peter Coombes

Great spotted Woodpecker courtesey of Peter Coombes

Otmoor. PM.

Reed Bunting.

Dunnock.

Ringtail.  Mid afternoon.  Morleys.

Upper Cherwell Valley: 18th February

Upper Cherwell Valley
Stonechat: Female.

Gareth Blockley

Otmoor 18th February

Short-eared Owl Morleys (car park field) 18:00 (per Peter Law & Ron Louch)

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Farmoor 18th February

Oystercatcher 2 (per Dai)

The Insomniac Birder

Otmoor 17th Feb WeBs count

Mute Swan	60
Greylag Goose	281
Canada Goose	363
Wigeon	3415
Gadwall	13
Teal	3204
Mallard	242
Pintail	411
Shoveler	301
Pochard	28
Tufted Duck	81
Cormorant	1
Grey Heron	1
Water Rail	3
Moorhen	8
Coot	162
Golden Plover	5014
Lapwing	7026
Dunlin	44
Ruff	16
Snipe	2
Curlew	1
Black-headed gull	308
Black-tailed godwit	3
Lesser-back backed gull	2
Herring gull	6
Shelduck	1
Kestrel	1
Hen harrier	1
Red kite	6
Buzzard (per Zoe Edwards) RSPB Otmoor Blog

Middlehill Down 17th February

5+ Brambling still with large (c250) Chaffinch flock at south end of Bitham Road out of East Lockinge, plus singles of Corn Bunting and Golden Plover

Wrens on Otmoor courtesey of Stephen Collier

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 17th February

Dorchester: Dorchester complex
Egyptian Goose

Thomas Stevenson

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 17th February

Dorchester: Dorchester complex
Goosander
24 Pintail

Thomas Stevenson

Farmoor - 17th February

2 Little Gulls (ad & 1stw) F.2.

Otmoor 16th Feb

Wantage: Lattin Down: 16th February

Wantage: Lattin Down
2 Raven

Mark Merritt

Otmoor 16th Feb evening

Car park field:
1 barn owl,
2 short eared owls - seen from 5:40pm
2 water rail heard

Otmoor: 16th February

Otmoor
2 Bearded Tit
3 Dunlin
5 Black-tailed Godwit
5 Ruff
Sanderling
Grey Plover

Peter Coombes

Kestrel Otmoor courtesey of Stephen Collier

Grimsbury Reservoir: 15th February

Grimsbury Reservoir
Peregrine
4 Goosander: 2 drk.

Gareth Blockley

Otmoor 15th Feb

Hen Harrier (Ringtail)
8 Ruff
Stonechat
Water Rail
lots of Lapwing and Golden Plover

Otmoor. PM.

Common Buzzard.

Lapwing  4000 plus.
Golden Plover  3000 plus.
Pintail
Shoveller  Large numbers on Greenaways.
Stonechat.  3

Water levels continue to rise.

Alkerton 13th Feb

Merlin hunting Linnets Alkerton Tip (per M.Ribbons)

Farmoor - 12th February

2 adult Kittiwakes, F.2 @ 16.45.

Redpoll Otmoor (c) Stephen Collier

Port Meadow: 11th February

Port Meadow
5 Redshank
2 Shelduck
10 Goosander

Adam Hartley

Central Oxford: 11th February

3 Goosander (2m, 1f) in central Oxford, from the Magdalen Bridge on the floods covering the Angel & Greyhound meadow. Picture straight off my phone:

Shelducks

2 Shelducks on the floods between Cholsey hill and Brightwell for 20 mins before flying north.

Otmoor: 10th February

Bearded Tit 1st screen.
5 Ruff
3 Sanderling
Peregrine
Hen Harrier
5 Snipe
Kingfisher
Chiffchaff nr hide

Otter 2 seen swimming together by 2nd screen.

Peter Coombes
photo courtesey of Peter Coombes



No sign of any Short-eared Owls in Moorleys (car park field) late afternoon but Barn Owl active
from 17:34 (per Peter Law)

: 9th February

Ardington Wick
2 Peregrine: pair. Heading intently to NW. SU433900.

Ardington Wick
3 Yellow-legged Gull: 1 ad, 2 1w. SU433900.

Leo Bateman

Blenheim Park 9th February

Brambling 2 with large Chaffinch flock approx 200 metres before
main bridge, left side of road coming from Combe Gate.

(per Clackers)

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Otmoor 9th February

Bullfinch Otmoor courtesey of Mark Chivers

Grey Plover still with the Golden Plovers
Sanderling c20
Ruff 25+
Dunlin c15
Hen Harrier r/t
Peregrine
Sparrowhawk
Bearded Tit
Redpoll on feeders (per Stephen Collier)

(per Bark)

Short-eared Owl 2 (Morleys/Car park Field) late p.m
Barn Owl (Morleys) late p.m

(per Andy Last et al)

All the news from the weekend
tomorrow on Otmoor Birding

Venn Mill: 8th February

Venn Mill
Peregrine
450 Lapwing: Flushed by Peregrine.

Mark Merritt

Appleford 8th Feb

Iceland Gull (2ndw) again in fields near Appleford this morning though mobile.
But no further sign by 15:00.
Nb: The road from Culham to Sutton Courtenay and beween Drayton & Sutton
Courtenay are closed due to flooding.

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Otmoor 8th February

Grey Plover
Sanderling c12
Dunlin 25+
Ruff 25-50
Stonechat 2

(per Bark & Mark Chivers)

All the news from the weekend
Otmoor Birding

Stonechat photo courtesey
of Mark Chivers.

Appleford Gull Loafing Site with Iceland's plus interest?

For near 2 hours, Gulls in SW of field viewed from gateway. Distant and half of them out of sight amongst ground undulations. A few exceptionally dark L. B-backs, even when sunlit and temptingly like Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus), but too far away to confirm although one did have exact same pattern of white on wings as Roger's photographed bird). Perhaps 10's of L.f intermedious and 100+ Dutch 'intergrades' (Darker L. F. graelsii). Plenty of Northern Herring Gull (L. a. argentatus) of all ages and far less 'British' race birds (L.a. argenteus). Minimum of 28 (mainly 1st/2ndW) Common Gulls and perhaps 200 Black-headed (great majority adult). c20 G B-backs of many ages.
1stW uniformly brown plumaged, small sized 'Herring Gull' type - and slightly lighter then all others present - with 'classic' pale edging to resting wing primaries, approaching Thayer's plumage(?).
One large darkish 1stW Herring Gull lacking contrasting paler underparts, but would not stand up; so unable to check rear end.
Buzzard appearance (?) spooked all gulls (1415) giving (at long last) views of juvenile and adult Iceland Gull's ascending steeply - and thus showing upperparts in perfect lighting - to cross road southward to land here - Nowt of interest then seen to 4pm, as large gulls remained behind hedge. Hard work, but rewarding.

Oxford Service Station, Wheatley

Estimated 200+ pied wagtails roosting on and around main building and car park.

Osney: Bullstake Stream: 7th February

Osney: Bullstake Stream
4 Goosander: 3 male 1 fem. In flooded field to west of Thames 200m north of Bullstake Stream.

David Preston

Lollingdon Hill 7th Feb

Merlin (f)
Peregrine
Raven

More from the Hill on the superb Cholsey Wildlife blog.

Appleford 7th Feb

Iceland Gull 2 (ad & juv) in flooded fields S/E of Appleford though mobile
14:15 (per Ian Smith)

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Otmoor 7th February.

2 Short-eared Owls (hunting)
1 Ringtail Harrier

Stoneshank

Grey Plover (Big Otmoor)
13 Ruff 12 (Ashgrave and 1 on big otmoor)
3 Black-tailed Godwit (over Big Otmoor)

Peter Coombes

2 ringtail Hen Harriers flying together down eastern edge of Greenaways at 16:50.
Also brief sighting of an Owl species, also on Greenways, most probably Barn Owl.

T.Clark

Appleford: 7th February

Appleford
Iceland Gull: The Iceland Gull from yesterday was seen from the cycleway as given in the ' White winged Gulls' post from yesterday. This is nearer to Appleford than Sutton Courtenay. Sorry for the confusion.

John Edwards

White-winged Gulls

For those seeking these and possibly confused by the use of the words 'Sutton Courtenay'; I am assuming (please correct me if wrong) this is the place; where I too have viewed Iceland Gull from. Between the named 'APPLEFORD Railway Level-crossing' at the 'L' bend in the road immediately south of the village of Appleford; and the point at which the Cycleway crosses the B road 500m to the ESE of that Level Crossing. There is a gateway allowing viewing over the field to the north side of the B road. Room for one car only and with poor sight line when reversing(?)back onto the B road. Another spot to park is by the Cycelway crossing point, but I believe that requires viewing from outside the car, which is probably not advised.
Hope that is of help to the White-winged Gull seekers. Interestingly, the very unusually marked Herring Gull photographed by Roger would be the 'rarer' of the Target Gull plumages. Definitely one to log in the memory for future reference.

Eds: Hopefully this may help.
If you get out of your car in the gateway,
The Gulls will flush.

View Larger Map

Grimsbury Reservoir: 6th February

Grimsbury Reservoir
3 Goosander: 2 female, 1 male.

Graeme Porter

Sutton Courtenay: 6th February

Sutton Courtenay
Iceland Gull: 2w. Second winter with other large gulls on the flooded field between the cycle way and the railway crossing. With Dick Middleton and A N Other.

John Edwards

Otmoor.A.M. 6th February.

1 Ringtail Harrier
5 Ruff
11 Dunlin.

Sutton Courtenay 5th February

These Gulls are wide ranging around the flooded fields and are only showing intermittently:

• Iceland Gull 2nd winter
• The probable juv Kumlien's Gull is a heavily marked juv Iceland Gull after seeing the upper wing in more detail. (see below)  
• An aberrant asymmetric Herring Gull
• Amongst the 80-100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls was a Fuscus. This bird has the right moult, colour, size and shape, just arrived a little earlier than would be expected.

Iceland Gull 2nd-winter

Iceland Gull 2nd-winter

Iceland Gull juv

Iceland Gull juv

Aberrant Herring Gull

Larus fuscus fuscus

Larus fuscus fuscus

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 5th February

One of the two Ringtail Hen Harriers Otmoor courtesey

of Andrew Marshall more of Andrews pictures Here

Hen Harrier: f. Viewed from hide hunting along fence (The Closes side) and then up & over Ashgrave. .

Mark Ribbons

Sutton Courtenay 4th February 2014

1 Iceland Gull 2w
1 probable Kumlien's Gull juv
3 + Yellow legged Gull
all in the gull flock loafing on fields between level crossing and cycle track

1 Peregrine

no sign of the adult Glaucous Gull between 1100-1600hrs

Otmoor: 4th February

Otmoor
Black-tailed Godwit: Big Otmoor.
42 Ruff: 32 on Ashgrave and a further 10 on big Otmoor.
Hen Harrier: fem. Car Park Field.

Peter Coombes

Sutton Courtenay 3rd February

3 White-winged Gulls in the flooded fields around Sutton Courtenay this evening. An adult Glaucous Gull, a 2nd winter Iceland Gull, and a probable juv Kumlien's Gull.

Glaucous Gull adult

Glaucous Gull adult

Glaucous Gull adult

Iceland Gull 2nd winter

Kumlien's Gull juv

Kumlien's Gull juv