Grimsbury Reservoir: 31st March

Willow Tit - single bird in the wood
Blackcap - male singing in the car park

31st March Port Meadow

Swallow heading north along the river Thames at Port Meadow today

per Adrian Gray

Cassington GP's 31st March

Long-tailed Duck fem still 15:15.
Park in Yarnton on Church Lane
& follow bridleway past cemetery
and under railway bridge to view pit
on the right.

(per Gareth Blockley)

Farmoor Res 31st March

Red-necked Grebe F2 off sailing club near pontoons at 18:12 (per RBA)
Red-crested Pochard 2 (per Gareth Blockley)
Swallow (per NJH)

Farmoor Res 30th March

Red necked Grebe F2
Red-crested Pochard 2

(per RBA)

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 30th March

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Jack Snipe
Marsh Harrier

RSPB Otmoor

Port Meadow: 30th March

Port Meadow
12 Shelduck 16:00.
2 Oystercatcher 16:00.
3 Redshank 18:00
9 Golden Plover 18:00

Mary Gregory & Adam Hartley

Cassington GP's 30th March

Long-tailed Duck fem 13:32
From Yarnton park on Church Lane
and follow Bridleway past cemetery and under railway bridge
to view pit on right.
Please keep to public rights of way.

Mere End Down: 30th March

Record shots of a distant brunching Merlin

Standlake, 29th March

Rock Pipit, 1 pit 60
Sand Martin, 14 pit 27
Goosander, 2 each pits 27, 28 and 29
RC Pochard, 7 pit 27
Oystercatcher 4-5
Wigeon 69
Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler in small numbers
Goldeneye 2

Farmoor Reservoir 29th March

Courtesy of Jon Mercer

                               Red-necked Grebe off S/W bank of F2 at 17:15 (per RBA)

                               Mike Youngman

Grimsbury Reservoir: 29th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
Little Ringed Plover: Only briefly. Came in from NE and left SW.

Gareth Blockley

Grimsbury Birds

Farmoor 28th pm

Courtesy of Mark Chivers

                                Red necked grebe on south side of f2 and showing well

                                Sand Martin 4

                                Meadow pipit on causeway

Courtesy of Mark Chivers

Bicester Wetlands

Sand Martin 3 at 12.20pm over works and scrape flew South

Cassington GP's 28th March

Long-tailed Duck fem on pit adjacent to the A40. Park on Church Lane Yarnton and follow bridleway past cemetery and under railway bridge to view pit on right.
Please keep to public rights of way (per RBA)

Farmoor 28th March

Red-necked Grebe F2 and showing well (per RBA)
Rock Pipit

Great Tit Standlake courtesy of Jim Hutchins

Port Meadow: 27th March

Port Meadow
3 Redshank
9 Shelduck
2 Oystercatcher
2 Pintail

Adam Hartley

Devil's Punchbowl: 27th March

Devil's Punchbowl
Short-eared Owl 17:10.

Colin Vickers

Harwell Lab: 27th March

Ring Ouzel at Harwell Lab this lunchtime.

Cropredy: 27th March

Cropredy
Raven

Michael Hunt

Farmoor Reservoir 27th March

Red-necked Grebe F2 14:15
(per Ralph Watts)
Kittiwake F1 12:54
(per Barry Bachelor)

Sandwich Tern late afternoon.

Photo courtesy of John Reynolds

Otmoor. 27th March.

2 Little-ringed Plover (Big Otmoor)
1 Marsh Harrier (Reedbeds)
1 Raven (over)
1 Curlew (calling).

More at Otmoor Birding

Chiffchaff Standlake courtesy of Jim Hutchins

Aston: 27th March

Aston
2 Tree Sparrow: Pair on the feeder in the garden - also checking out the nestbox ...... 07:00.

J Dexter

Oxford 27th March

Oxford:Churchill Hospital
Chiffchaff: Singing. SP541057.

Nick Suckling

Farmoor. Morning. 27th March.

Red-crested Pochards courting.

Red Necked Grebe.   Present 10.30am.  F2.
Oyster Catcher.
Rock Pipit.
Barn Owl.
Sand Martin.   5.
Goldeneye.   Several.

Per. Dai and Tezzer.

Cassington GP's 27th March

Long-tailed Duck fem 09:47 on Pit adjacent to the A40.
Walk to the pit from Church lane Yarnton.
Follow Bridleway past cemetery and under railway bridge
to view pit on right.
Please keep to public rights of way.

(per Keith Clack)

Farmoor 27th March

Red-necked Grebe still on F2 c08.15

Grimsbury Reservoir: 27th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
2 Little Ringed Plover: Early morning, left high to the north.

Gareth Blockley

Grimsbury Birds

Farmoor 26th March

Red-necked Grebe still present at 17:00 (per D.Norris)

2 Rock Pipit littoralis, and several Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit littoralis

Meadow Pipit

Avocet

Avocet

Cassington GPs: 26th March

Long-tailed Duck fem 10:00 on Pit adjacent to the A40.
Walk to the pit from Church lane Yarnton.
Follow Bridleway past cemetery and under railway bridge towards
A40 to view pit on right.
Keep to public rights of way.

(John Gough)

Lower Radley 26th March

No sign of the 2 adult Whooper Swans just north of Radley College Boathouse this afternoon.

(per Phil Barnett)

Port Meadow: 26th March

Port Meadow
Little Ringed Plover 13:00.
5 Redshank 13:00.
2 Oystercatcher 13:00.
12 Shelduck 13:00.

Steven Lavington

Farmoor Res - 26th March

Courtesy of Dai

An Avocet along the causeway at 9.am (per Dai John).
Red-necked Grebe still on F2

Farmoor Reservoir 25th March

Summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe please view at 1080 HD

Red-necked Grebe still present along the Western & S/W banks of F2 at Dusk (Badger)

Rock Pipit 2 along causeway early evening mobile (per Dai)

Mediterranean Gull 2 adults in the roost (per NJH)

Kingfisher

Port Meadow: 25th March

Port Meadow
11 Shelduck
2 Oystercatcher
4 Redshank

Adam Hartley

Otmoor 25th March.

1 Marsh Harrier (Reedbeds)
1 Peregrine (over)
1 Ringed Plover (Noke Sides)
2 Curlew (Flood Field)
2 Oystercatcher (Ashgrave)
2 Raven (over).

Long-tailed Tit nest.

Cassington GP's 25th March

Long-tailed Duck on Pit adjacent to the A40 at 12:27.
Park at the end of Church Lane in Yarnton.
Follow Bridleway past cemetery and under railway bridge towards
A40 to view pit on right.
Keep to public rights of way.

(per JT)

Farmoor 24th March

Red-necked Grebe

Dunlin

Rock Pipit Littoralis

Farmoor 24th March

Red-necked Grebe courtesy of John Reynolds

Red-necked Grebe F2 (per Geoff Wyatt)
Still present this afternoon off West Bank

Rock Pipit along S/W bank of F2 this afternoon
White Wagtail 2+

(per Dai & Lee Evans)



Kestrel Photo courtesy of Dai.

Kingston Bagpuize: 24th March

Kingston Bagpuize
Sand Martin: Low North. 08:50.

Jed Cleeter

Grimsbury Reservoir 24th March

Kittiwake courtesy of Gareth Blockley

Kittiwake still present late morning (per J.T)
Little-ringed Plover 2
(no further sign by late morning)

(per Gareth Blockley) c08:48

More on Grimsbury Birds later



Little-ringed Plover courtesy of
Gareth Blockley.

Marcham Garden

Blackcap: singing Mon and Tuesday, ignoring fat balls and seed feeders, but snacking on ivy berries; so no visit from overwintering continental but 'confirming' early returning UK breeder.
Goldfinch: 52 birds in pre-roost flock feeding on birch; when will they disperse?

Farmoor

White Wagtail

Goldeneye

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 23rd March

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Black-tailed Godwit: Flew in on the first area of water near entrance. (2 mustaleids seen up near Noke-18 to24 inches nose to tail-dark brown to black with furry type tails.Probably Mink. 18:00.

Stephen Lockey

Farmoor Res 23rd March

All on Farmoor 2 1200-1330

Red crested Pochard 2 pair
Common Goldeneye 3 1m 2f
Little Egret 1
Meadow Pipit 24  one flock -presumably migrants

Also
Sand Martin
Egyptian Goose

(per Dai)

Fighting Coots Pit 60 courtesy of Jim Hutchins

Otmoor.A.M. 23rd March.

4 Bearded Tit
2 Oystercatcher
2 Dunlin
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Treecreeper
1 Ross's Goose (feral)
4 Water Rail (heard).
Lots of Snipe.

Grey Heron courtesy of David Hasting birdimages.net

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 22nd March

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Marsh Harrier
2 Shelduck

Iain Dykes

Churn 22nd March

Wheatear 5 at Churn nr Blewbury (per Tony Williams)

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common: 22nd March

Stonesfield: Stonesfield Common
Chiffchaff
2 Reed Bunting
Raven

Ashford Mill
Goosander: male. In fast water viewable from bridge.

Paul Wren

Farmoor Pinkhill 22nd March

Red-crested Pochard ♂

Red-crested Pochard ♀

Otmoor 22nd March

Black-tailed Godwit (The Closes)
Dunlin 12+
Redshank 30+
Curlew c7
Pintail 15+
Wheatear (Sheep fields Noke end)

Kingston Bagpuize: 22nd March

Kingston Bagpuize
Yellow Wagtail: High NE and calling. 09:45.

Jed Cleeter

Dunlin causeway Farmoor 22nd March

                                                 Goldeneye 4 (1dk)

Woodstock: 21st March

Woodstock
146 Fieldfare: In horse paddocks beside A44.

Paul Wren

Sonning Eye GPs: 21st March

Sonning Eye GPs
Oystercatcher: On the rowing course bund.
2 Redshank: On the triangle.
Shelduck: On the triangle.

Marek Walford

Sparrowhawk B.W.Reserve courtesy of Nick Truby

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway: 21st March

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway
Rock Pipit 14:10.

Mark Merritt

Barton.

Common Buzzard.

Port Meadow: 21st March

Port Meadow
5 Pintail
12 Shelduck
6 Redshank

D Moden

Two of the five Wheatear Juniper Valley 21st March

Otmoor 21st March

Black-tailed Godwit (Big Otmoor)
Dunlin c10
Redshank 30+
Curlew
Golden Plover c142
Pintail c15
Peregrine

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 21st March

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill
3 Raven

Mark Merritt

Great crested Grebe courtesy of  the Gun-slinger

Ardington 21st March

Peregrine: SU4388.

Leo Bateman

Port Meadow: 20th March

Port Meadow
2 Dunlin 14:30.
2 Oystercatcher 14:30.
5 Redshank 14:30.
Shelduck 14:30.
5 Pintail 14:30.

James Evry

Blewburton Hill 20th March

Wheatear: male.
Corn buntings 3
SU545860. 17:35.

Gerry Quinn

Henley Road GPs: 20th March

Henley Road GPs
Red-crested Pochard: drk.
Smew: rh.

Marek Walford

Rushy Common 20th March

Great & Little Egret Rushy Common courtesy of Graham Lenton

                Great white Egret at Rushy Common between c15:15 and 15:45 then flew North.

                (per Graham Lenton)

                Goldeneye 3f  1m
                Green Sandpiper
                Sand Martins 11
                Water Rail
                Egyptian Geese 2

               (per Clackers)

Great white Egret courtesy of Graham Lenton

Port Meadow: 20th March

Port Meadow
9 Shelduck 14:00.
Pintail 14:00.
4 Redshank 14:00.
2 Oystercatcher 14:00.

Lia Verhoeff

Bicester Wetlands Reserve 20th March

Shelduck
Green Sandpiper 5
No sign of Black-wit

(per JT)

Please note that this reserve requires
a key as gates can be locked at any time.

Blenhiem Park 20th March

Merlin 09:25 (per Dave Doherty)

Otmoor.A.M. 19th March.

1 Marsh Harrier
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
12 Dunlin.

Oystercatchers.

Grimsbury Reservoir: 19th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
Sand Martin: Per John Friendship-Taylor and Graham Soden.
Mandarin Duck: On the canal - per John Friendship-Taylor.

Gareth Blockley

Kingston Bagpuize: 19th March

Kingston Bagpuize
43 Meadow Pipit: Flew East. 07:35.
Sand Martin: Flew East. 07:35.

Jed Cleeter

Jackdaw Blenheim Park courtesy of Nick Truby

Port Meadow: 18th March

Port Meadow
2 Oystercatcher
3 Lapwing
6 Pintail
4 Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Dunlin 16:30.
6 Redshank 16:30.

(Steve Goddard)

Wheatley: 18th March

Wheatley
Green Sandpiper: Scrape in field alongside R.Thame. 16:00.

Stephen Lockey

Otmoor.A.M. 18th March.

1  Marsh Harrier (Reedbeds)
1 Sparrowhawk (Greenaways)
20+ Snipe (Greenaways, one Snipe drumming)
2 Curlew (Greenaways)
10+ Dunlin (Big Otmoor)
10+ Chiffchaff
2 Oystercatchers (Big Otmoor)
1 Peregrine (Greenaways)
19 Redshank (Noke Sides).
1 Cetti's Warbler (Reedbeds).

Treecreeper Blenheim Park courtesy of Nick Truby

Henley Rd GP's 18th March

Smew 3 (1 ad drake) west of Sonning at Henley Rd GP's on west side of main pit west of entrance road at 07:30 + Red-crested Pochard (drake).

(per RBA)

Lower Radley 18th March

Whooper Swan 2 still just north of Radley College Boathouse c12:38

(per Phil Barnett)

Henley Road GPs: 17th March

Henley Road GPs
Smew: rh.

Marek Walford

Port Meadow: 17th March

Port Meadow
2 Red-crested Pochard: 1m 1f. 13:30.
Sand Martin 13:30.
9 Redshank 17:30
3 Oystercatcher 13:30.
2 Dunlin 17:30
9 Shelduck 17:30
7 Pintail 17:30

Steven Lavington & Adam Hartley

Rushey Common area 17th March

Chiffchaff  at least 6 around site singing
Red Crested Pochard 2m 1f
Little Egret
Green Sandpiper
Goldeneye 1m 2f
Oystercatcher 2

Clackers

Marcham Garden Sightings

1 silent Chiffchaff feeding in large birch tree during drizzle.  First migrant arrival.
Last sighting of regular overwintering female Blackcap was on the 9th March
Flock of c40 Goldfinch for many weeks, largest flock recorded overwintering in area / roosting in large dense conifer.

Bicester Wetlands Reserve 16th March

Courtesy of Alan Peters

Black-tailed Godwit still from the Tower Hide (per Alan Peters)

Please note that access to this superb reserve requires 

a key as gates may be locked at any time. Please contact

the Banbury Ornithological Society for more information.

Otmoor.A.M. 16th March..

C.200 Golden Plover (Big Otmoor)
5 Dunlin (Big Otmoor)
2 Curlew (Greenaways)
C. 80 Redwing (Noke Farm)
10 Fieldfare (Noke Farm)
1 Chiffchaff (Bridleway)
1 Treecreeper (Car Park).

Port Meadow 16th March

Shelduck 12
Redshank 4
Oystercatcher 3
Goosander 5
Pintail 4
Yellow-legged Gull 2
Raven

(per Dave Doherty)

Devil's Punchbowl 15th March

Wheatear 2 (per C.R Vickers)

Lower Radley: 15th March

Lower Radley
2 Whooper Swan: Still in field just north of Radley boathouse.

Joe Harris

Otmoor 15th March.

1 Marsh Harrier (Greenaways)
2 Peregrine (Roaming) M/F.
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Curlew (Greenaways)
35+ Redshank
20+ Dunlin (17 on scrapes between screens)
1 Oystercatcher (Ashgrave)
C.100 Golden Plover (Big Otmoor)
20+ Snipe
1 Shelduck (Ashgrave)
15+ Pintail
300+ Wigeon
1 Ross's Goose feral
Water Rail 3 (h)
C.4 Treecreepers (Roman Road).
12 Fieldfare

(per PB. JU. PG & Badger)



Feral Ross's Goose & Greylags (Badger)

Bicester Wetlands

Summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwit on pool from Tower Hide (present since 9th March)

Wetlands is a key holder reserve as gates can be locked at any time

Reed Bunting Otmoor courtesy of Nick Truby

Port Meadow: 14th March

Port Meadow
5 Redshank 13:00.
2 Oystercatcher 13:00.
Little Ringed Plover: ad male. 13:00.
8 Shelduck 13:00.
3 Pintail 13:00.

James Evry

Buzzard Blenheim Park courtesy of Nick Truby

Henley Road GPs: 14th March

Henley Road GPs
Red-crested Pochard: drk. 11:25.
Smew: rh. 11:25.

Marek Walford

Otmoor 14th March

Distant Wheatear courtesy of 'Parseltongue Pete'.

Wheatear nr Noke Farm
Marsh Harrier
Pintail c20
Ross's Goose (feral)
Dunlin c10
Oystercatcher
Redshank 14+
Curlew 8+
Raven 2
Cetti's Warbler
Chiffchaff 4

(per The Massive)

Devil's Punchbowl: 14th March

Devil's Punchbowl
Wheatear: f.

Mark Merritt

Ewelme Watercress Beds 13th March

Raven over
Little Egret 2 on the beds

(per Tom Stevenson)

Avocet Port Meadow 13th March

Erik Sandvig found an Avocet on the Meadow floods at 4:30 PM this afternoon

Grimsbury Reservoir: 13th March

Red-crested Pochard (drake) - early afternoon
- still present late pm (several observers)
Goosander (duck)
Chiffchaff (Mark Ribbons)

Grimsbury Birds

 

 

I found a Vanguard binocular lens cover by the river today. If anyone has lost one please get in touch and I will arrange getting it back to you. 

Sutton Courtenay - 13th March

An Avocet swimming in the middle of the Hanson Pit at Sutton Courtenay this evening was a bit of a surprise.