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For questions you can contact Adam at: adamchartley "at" gmail "dot" com or Jason at: jasoncppk "at" yahoo "dot" co "dot" uk

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Sandford-on-Thames: 30th April

Sandford-on-Thames
Spotted Crake: Still singing at 2215 in small marsh to left of Heyford Hill Lane just before railway bridge. Bird is favouring centre of marsh, 100 yards from roadside. It's best to park in housing estate at start of Heyford Hill Lane and then continuing on foot along rough track to view marsh.

Colin Williams

Kennington crake (April 30th, 21:05 - 21:30)

Spotted Crake heard, despite 4(!) party boats slowly steaming past. Heard from Kennington side, bird is present on the opposite side and could probably be heard from the end of Heyford Hill Lane as well.

Dave Lowe & Terry Sherlock

Little Wittenham: 30th April

Little Wittenham
Whinchat: male. SU559928.

Marc Botham

Port Meadow: 30th April

Port Meadow
Black-tailed Godwit
2 Shelduck
Peregrine

Adam Hartley

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway: 30th April

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway
Dunlin

Thomas Stevens

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve: 30th April

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve
Cuckoo

Ralph Watts

Otmoor The Pill 30th April



0630-0800 in the fog

Grasshopper Warbler 1 male
Cuckoo 2 calling males
Common Buzzard
Sedge Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Curlew

Tuesday 29 April 2014

: 27th April

nr Lollingdon Hill
Corn Bunting: 1 singing from power lines in cereal field. SU575845.

Mike Amphlett

Kennington Spotted Crake

It's singing again this evening & can be heard from the end of Heyford Hill Lane in Sandford-on-Thames or from the Kennington side

Gnome & Steve Roby


Some video of it singing (c) Gnome

Abingdon: Peep-o-Day Lane: 29th April

Abingdon: Peep-o-Day Lane
2 Crane: A pair seen circling low for about 5 mins before departing west.
Crane: a pair seen circling low over Wilsham Rd/Ock valley area for about 5 mins before flying off in a westerly direction.

Steve King

Cumnor 29th April

2 Cuckoo over Chawley Lane, Cumnor at 12.25 pm 

per Martin French

Lollingdon Hill

2 Cuckoos present, 1 in the pit on the north side and the other in the meadow below the hill.

Devil's Punchbowl: 28th April

Devil's Punchbowl
Merlin: m.

Mark Merritt

Monday 28 April 2014

Otmoor. Evening. 28th. April.

Little Ringed Plover. From wetland Hide.

Eynsham: Oxford Road: 28th April

Eynsham: Oxford Road
2 Cuckoo: male. Two different birds calling by Thames at Eynsham lock.
Raven: Fly over near Eynsham lock.

Thomas Stevens

Kennington: River Thames: 28th April

Kennington: River Thames
Spotted Crake: Calling repeatedly from the east side of the river, just south of the old railway bridge. Best place to hear it from is the location shown in the initial report posted earlier today.

Joe Harris

Otmoor: 28th April

Otmoor
Little Ringed Plover: In front of Wetland Watch hide.

Joe Harris

Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 28th April

Balscote: Balscote Quarry
2 Curlew: Flew in to bathe at 3pm.
Greenshank

Mark Ribbons

Grove: Airfield: 28th April

Grove: Airfield
Whinchat: make. A nice surprise, perched briefly at very top of birch tree outside the office window.

Leo Bateman

Holton 28th April

Cuckoo reported at Holton near Wheatley today

Kennington Spotted Crake

Matthew Foster heard a Spotted Crake singing last night in Kennington at the "Preservation Field" which from his description is about here.

Otmoor.A.M.28th April.

1 Snipe (drumming)
1 Curlew (calling)
1 Tawny Owl (calling)
3 Hobbys (hunting very high)
1 Cuckoo (Moorleys)

        (per P.R. & P.G.)

Otmoor Cuckoo (c) Steve Collier

Sunday 27 April 2014

Port Meadow: 27th April

Spoonbill: 1w on the floods for 5 minutes before flying south.
Black-tailed Godwit
2 Swift

Adam Hartley

A grab of the Spoonbill before it flew off

Farmoor 27th April

(c) Jon Mercer

Sonning Eye GPs: 27th April

Sonning Eye GPs
Little Ringed Plover: new workings.

Marek Walford

Farmoor 27th April

2 Black Terns. Also at least 2 Arctic with 10+ Common,
cuckoo, lesser whitethroat, all 3 hirundines plus approx 70 swifts.

Per Steve Jennings

Saturday 26 April 2014

Otmoor 26th April 2014

Reed Warbler -

This is of interest as it can be seen the tail feathers are being replaced and are not fully grown.
This means that this bird has migrated with an incomplete tail
 

Otmoor: Pill Ground: 23rd April

Otmoor: Pill Ground
7 Grasshopper Warbler

Joe Harris

Otmoor Cuckoo (c) Nick Truby

Farmoor - evening visit

GC Grebe: This evening a count of 73 (all in breeding plumage) across both basins seems remarkable for the time of year, when you would expect birds to be on potential breeding territories. What is their origin and/or destination if they include passage birds?
Also 1 Whimbrel heard around 5.30pm and 1 Yellow Wag still on causeway at 7.25.

Farmoor 26th AprilCuckoo

More shots from Farmoor today.
Arctic Tern
White Wagtail

Swallow


Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Farmoor 26th April

Bar-tailed Godwit 1 over c. 08:30
Common Tern
Swift
Reed & Sedge Warblers
Lesser & Common Whitethroats
Yellow Wagtail 1 per Dai
Redstart 1m per Dai near zig-zag path
Bar tailed Godwit (c) Stephen Burch
Common Tern (c) Stephen Burch

Kennington White Stork

A White Stork was seen by Mark Chivers to fly over Kennington at 10 a.m.

(c) Mark Chivers

Otmoor Saturday 26th April

No sign of the Whiskered Tern at Otmoor this morning

(per Tom Wickens)

Friday 25 April 2014

Otmoor Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern found Zoe Edwards and Adam Reid at about 16:30 at the first screen at Otmoor after they were tipped off about a strange dark bellied tern by a member of the public. Joe Harris came to check it out and liaised with Ian Lewington over the phone to confirm the ID at 18:00 when the word was put out. Present till 19:15 when it flew off high to the North.

Returned at about 8pm where it looked settled and ready to roost

per Steve Jennings & Paul Jepson


Grabs (c) Ian Lewington

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Probable Whiskered Tern Otmoor

Currently being watched on the Southern Reedbed. 6.00pm.
Feeding and making a circuit.
Bark

Grimsbury Reservoir: 25th April

Grimsbury Reservoir
Common Sandpiper

Balscote: Balscote Quarry
Greenshank

Mark Ribbons

Eynsham: Eynsham Mill: 25th April

Eynsham: Eynsham Mill
2 Shelduck: Pair briefly on flooded field beside Eynsham to Hanborough road.

Thomas Stevens

Cholsey Marsh, 25th Apr

05:00 - 07:00
Redstart
3 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Garden Warbler
2 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Reed Warbler
1 Willow Warbler
1 Hobby

Cholsey Wildlife

Thursday 24 April 2014

Lollingdon hill, 24th Apr

2 Fieldfare
5 Wheatear
6 Common Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler

Otmoor: 24th April

Otmoor
Bearded Tit: fem.
Grasshopper Warbler
Marsh Harrier: fem.

Peter Coombes

Port Meadow: 24th April

Port Meadow
Black-tailed Godwit
2 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
3 Dunlin
2 Oystercatcher
Common Sandpiper
3 Common Tern
3 Yellow Wagtail

Adam Hartley

Farmoor. Afternoon. 24th April.

Wheatear.


Wheatear.        4.  West bank F1.
Dunlin.             2.
Common Tern. 7.

Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 24th April

Balscote: Balscote Quarry
Green Sandpiper
4 Little Ringed Plover
2 Curlew: Flew in, possibly disturbed by farmer spraying in adjacent field.
Raven: Flew over about 1415 - possibly one of the pair that reside at nearby Upton House.

Graeme Porter

Otmoor.A.M. 24th April.

3 Hobby
1 Sparrowhawk
8 Buzzard ( in spiral )
2 Oystercatcher.

Otmoor: 24th April

Otmoor
Grasshopper Warbler
Cuckoo: male.

Peter Moore

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Farmoor 12.30 - 4pm mainly Causeway

Osprey N to F2, then dropped out of sight before overflying (1.30pm)
Swift 1 present for c 2 hrs; plus all 3 Hirundine species
White Wag 3 causeway
Yellow Wag 3+1 causeway
Pied Wag Juvenile on Pumping Station roof plus adults carrying food
Turnstone 1
Dunlin 1
Common Sand 1 seen by Dai
Ringed Plover heard twice
Commic Terns 7, at least 2 of which were Arctic
Little Gull 1st S seen by Dai in AM
Common Gull 1st S; plus 2 Lesser's, few Herring and couple of Great's
Shelduck 7
Lesser Whitethroat song
Garden Warbler, Reed and Sedge seen by Dai

Photo (c) Mark Chivers

Otmoor 22nd April: White Stork

Dave Hammant saw & photographed a White Stork flying over Otmoor this afternoon between 15:25 and 15:35. It was circling at some altitude. It circled above Otmoor for maybe fifteen minutes before heading of north east and ascending.

Perhaps the same bird that was reported on RBA in Hertfordshire at around 17:45 this evening.

Photo (c) Dave Hammant

Shipton under Wychwood 22nd April

Wood Warbler 1 singing and showing very well this morning up to 0715 at least. It is in trees by the road in the grounds of The Old Prebendal House (SP280181). Permission has been granted for birders to enter the grounds of The Old Prebendal House but please don't drive in there. There's parking near the garage on the verge or in the side road nearby. It seems to favour the large willow by the pond in the grounds just the other side of the roadside boundary wall.

Still present at 7pm (RBA).





Photos (c) Ewan
More at Black Audi Birding

Farmoor Reservoir: 22nd April

Farmoor Reservoir
2 Arctic Tern
Turnstone
Little Gull

Otmoor: Rifle Range
Cuckoo
3 Curlew: One displaying male.

Neil Hammatt

Linkey Down 22nd April

Female Ring Ouzel still present at Linkey Down at 7:30 am this morning (RBA)

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 22nd April

Dorchester: Dorchester complex
Corn Bunting
7 Egyptian Goose
Oystercatcher

Thomas Stevenson

Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 22nd April

Balscote: Balscote Quarry
Greenshank
4 Dunlin
Green Sandpiper

Mark Ribbons

Port Meadow: 22nd April

Port Meadow
20 Yellow Wagtail
2 Little Ringed Plover
3 Oystercatcher
2 Shelduck

Port Meadow: Burgess Field Nature Park
Garden Warbler: m.

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 22nd April

Osprey flew over F2 at 13:30

3 Yellow Wagtails
3 White Wagtails
Little Gull
Ringed Plover

Ian Smith

Farmoor Reservoir: Sludge pits
Cuckoo

Neil Hammett

Stanton St. John: 22nd April

Stanton St. John
Cuckoo: Calling again in Stanton Great Wood.

David Brown

Monday 21 April 2014

Port Meadow 21st April

Possible Turtle Dove flew over Burgess Field at around 11am
Also at least 12 singing male Whitethroats.

Pit 60 21st April

1 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine

Green Sandpiper



Black-necked Grebe
Peregrine

Shipton under Wychwood 21st April

Paul Wren has found a male Wood Warbler at Shipton under Wychwood. From the road from Chipping Norton, go past the garage and look 40 yards past the bridge over the River Evenlode in the trees by the side of the road near the pond in the garden of the manor house (here).

Present (and singing occasionally) in the same small copse from early afternoon until about 16:45 at least when it started to rain. It has not been seen since the rain started though it may well still be there and is currently being looked for. 

No further sign so far by 18:10 in poor weather (per Jon Prowse)

Otmoor 21st April

2 Grasshopper Warblers

Hobby,

2 Oystercatcher,

Lesser Whitethroat

Marsh harrier (f)

2 cuckoos calling.

 

Nick Truby


Farmoor 21st April


Farmoor birds (c) Jon Mercer


Turnstone on the causeway this morning
8 Little Gulls on F2 at 10 am
Cuckoo: calling.

per Dai & Jonathan Merce

Grimsbury Reservoir: 21st April

Grimsbury Reservoir
Little Ringed Plover
Dunlin

Mark Ribbons

Stanton St. John: 21st April

Stanton St. John
Cuckoo: One calling in Stanton Great Wood.

David Brown

Cuddesdon: 21st April

 Yellow Wagtail
Grasshopper Warbler

Whinchat 1 male
Lesser Whitethroat
Raven  

Tackley 21st April

An Osprey flew over John Reynolds' garden in Tackley at 09:10 this morning.


Pit 60 21st April

Black-necked Grebe  still

Also
3 Wood Sandpiper
2 Green Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Little Ringed Plover
1 Egyptian Goose
2 Red-crested Pochard


Steve Jennings & Paul Jepson

Yarnton: 21st April

Yarnton
Cuckoo: Heard only.

Nick Suckling

Chipping Norton: 21st April

Chipping Norton
Pied Flycatcher: ad male. In trees in valley on footpath between Chipping Norton and Churchill. Fantastic views for at least 25 mins. Text to 07903 870695 if you would like to join me to try and view again today. Steve. SP302257.
Cuckoo: heard only. SP302257.
2 Raven: SP302257.

Stephen Akers

Linkey Down 21st April

1 female Ring Ouzel still at Linkey Down at 8:35 am

Steve Jennings & Paul Jepson

Otmoor Pochards (c) Nick Truby

Sunday 20 April 2014

Sonning Eye GPs: 20th April

Sonning Eye GPs
2 Arctic Tern
4 Little Ringed Plover
2 Redshank

Hugh Netley

Farmoor Reservoir: 20th April

Farmoor Reservoir
2 Arctic Tern: flew through N.
Common Sandpiper

Jonathan Mercer

Saturday 19 April 2014

Pit 60 Saturday 19th April


Black Necked Grebe still present at midday

Farmoor 19th April

30 Arctic Terns high over this evening.
Arctic Terns

Port Meadow: 19th April

Port Meadow
Iceland Gull: 1w.
3 Little Ringed Plover
2 Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
2 Shelduck
Yellow Wagtail

Adam Hartley


Dix Pit 19th April

Black-necked Grebe 3 (per Stuart Thomson)

Sent from my iPhone

Linky Down: 19th April

Linky Down
2 Ring Ouzel: fem. Still present at Midday.

Stephen Lockey & Clackers

Otmoor. 19th April. AM.

Skylark.
Whitethroat.
Lesser Whitethroat.
Merlin.                   Reported.
Wheatear.              Noke end.
Grasshopper Warbler.
Garden Warbler.    Heard.
Lapwing.                Chicks.

( per. the Otmoor M.)

Friday 18 April 2014

I will be away from 19th of April until the 12th of May so during that time please submit photographs for inclusion to the OBL and details of forthcoming talks and events to Adam at  adamchartley "at" gmail.com

Good Birding

Badger


Port Meadow 18th April

This evening on the floods:
4 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
2 Shelduck
5 Oystercatchers

1 Lesser Whitethroat in hedge along edge of Trap Ground allotments this morning

Adam Hartley

Radley GP: 18th April

Radley GP
Cuckoo

Peter Law

Linky Down: 18th April

Linky Down
2 Ring Ouzel: f.

Ashley Stow

Radley 18th April

Nightingale this morning at Radley GPs (per The Wickster)

Sent from my iPhone

Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 18th April

Balscote: Balscote Quarry
3 Little Ringed Plover
Common Sandpiper
2 Tree Sparrow

Graeme Porter

Pit 60 18th April



Black-necked Grebe (summer plumage)  still present 4pm
2 Green Sandpiper at 07:15 but no sign at 09:50
Also Peregrine

(per Dave Doherty, Phil Brown)

Linkey Down 18th April

Ring Ouzel f this morning (per Barry Batchelor)

Sent from my iPhone

Otmoor 18th April

Marsh Harrier f
Whinchat m Noke Farm
Wheatear f Noke Farm
Grasshopper Warbler 2

(Per Bark)


Sent from my iPhone

Cuddesdon: 18th April

Male Mandarin Duck on the River Thame with 2 Mallard this morning.

Birdless Cuddesdon Blog

Rushy Common 18th April

2 Green Sands
1 Common Sand
Cuckoo
Garden Warbler
3 Little Ringed Plovers
Common Tern
Oystercatcher

(per Clackers)

Sent from my iPhone