January Highlights & News

Marsh Harrier Otmoor courtesy of Sharon Latham

Highlights

So that's January come and gone and, as you'd probably expect, there hasn't been a great deal of note. There's no single stand-out headline bird but instead a smattering of "good county birds" to keep us going through the long lean winter months. Kicking things off, we have at last started to get some white-winged gulls in the county: we had a juvenile Glaucous Gull in the roost at Sonning Eye on the 24th and a juvenile Iceland Gull at Didcot Landfill on the same day.

Iceland Gull Didcot courtesy of Lew

Glaucous Gull Sonning Eye GPs courtesy of Marek Walford

God's Own County was blessed with the presence of a Great Grey Shrike once again, with a bird located between South Leigh and Eynsham from the 8th until at least the 12th. We seem to do particularly well for this nationally scarce species here in Oxon. What may well have been the same bird was seen briefly between Stanton Harcourt and Hardwick on the 22nd.

Great Grey Shrike South Leigh courtesy of Moth Clark

Moving into the supporting cast, we have a variety of water birds. There was a one day Slavonian Grebe at Farmoor on the 2nd, a Red-breasted Merganser remained at Henley Road Gravel Pits until at least the 19th and at least two of the long-staying Farmoor Great Northern Divers were with us by the end of the month.

Red-breasted Merganser Henley Road GPs courtesy of the Gunslinger

Great Northern Diver Farmoor

Slavonian Grebe Farmoor courtesy of Tezzer

There was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker with a roving tit flock at Oxford Lye Valley on the 3rd, sadly all too rare in the county these days. A Hawfinch flew over Barford St Michael just west of Deddington on the 13th and with no reports from the Blenheim Estate, stands as the only county record so far this year. Finally the Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis) remained at Abingdon Sewage Works throughout the month.

Raptors
A ringtail Hen Harrier was a surprise discovery at Kingham on the 1st with the wintering Bury Down

(Berks) ringtail occasionally sauntering across the county border sometimes as far as Churn. 'Our' county pair of Marsh Harriers remained on Otmoor throughout, giving local photographers an opportunity to create some fantastic pictures. The male was also seen to be taking sticks in to the reed bed at the end of the month...

A Short-eared Owl was seen sporadically on the RSPB reserve at Otmoor with two present on the 15th; meanwhile a single bird remained near Eynsham. Merlin were being seen along the Ridgeway near Wantage on the 3rd, at Kingston Bagpuize on the 12th and on Otmoor on the 23rd. Peregrine were again very much in evidence this month with the regular pairs at Otmoor and Chipping Norton throughout but singles were also seen at Kingston Bagpuize, Port Meadow and even in Abingdon town centre on the 9th.

Gulls

An unseasonal first winter Little Gull spent a morning at Farmoor on the 4th. Caspian Gulls were again seen at Didcot Landfill over January with a fine adult on the 9th, a smashing 1st winter on the 14th and a fabulous 2nd winter on the 19th with the first winter turning up amongst the Farmoor roost on the 25th. On Port Meadow there was a probable Caspian Gull (what may very well have been the Didcot 2nd winter bird) briefly on the floods on the 14th.

Caspian Gull 1st winter Didcot courtesy of Lew

Caspian Gull 2ndw Didcot courtesy of Lew

Wildfowl

A lone White-fronted Goose joined the goose flock at Farmoor on the 25th. The seventy five Category C Barnacle Geese, first seen in December, were again at Port Meadow on the 3rd-7th. The roving flock of forty Snow Geese were at Farmoor reservoir briefly on the 24th (perhaps the next geese to be joining the Barnies on Cat C one day...). Seven Egyptian Geese arrived in farmland near Cuddesdon on the 12th. Eight Shelduck were on Port Meadow on the 15th with a pair on Otmoor on the 28th. Singles were at Dorchester on the 18th and at Rushey 

White-fronted Goose Farmoor courtesy of Dai John

Common. Pintail finally started arriving in some numbers from the 5th with fourteen on Port Meadow on that date. A stonking one hundred and twenty were recorded on Otmoor on the 25th, narrowly missing out as the highest count for the winter after an amazing one hundred and thirty counted at Pit 60 on the 24th.

Pintail Pit 60 

Up to four Goosander were frequenting Banbury's Grimsbury Reservoir at the start of the month with nine present on the 5th. Up to four birds were being seen regularly along the Thames in Oxford in January with eleven birds on Pit 27 at Standlake on the 11th. Up to eight were coming in to roost on Port Meadow during the month.

Goosanders at Pit 60

Two Smew remained at Henley Road Gravel Pits throughout January, being joined by a third bird on the 12th, although it proved to be elusive at times.

Smew Henley Road GPs courtesy of the Gunslinger

An incredible one hundred and eleven Red-crested Pochard, including the leucistic bird, were seen on the 9th at Standlake; this now seems the preferred pit over Dix Pit this winter. Three of these fabulously striking ducks were on Thrupp Lake at Radley on the 30th.

At least two Bittern continued their residency at Otmoor, occasionally showing well from the second screen; another Bittern was seen at Sonning Eye gravel pits on the 3rd. 

Bittern Otmoor courtesy of Martin Swannell

The drake Mandarin at Ewelme Cress Beds added a welcome splash of colour on and off throughout January

Mandarin Duck Ewelme courtesy of Peter Law

Waders

A superb Sanderling was a surprise at Farmoor reservoir when one turned up along the causeway on the 5th. Five Dunlin found Port Meadow to their liking from the 23rd and stayed until months end with a sixth bird joining them on the 22nd. Green Sandpipers stayed faithful to Ewelme Cress Beds with up to four at the B.O.S Bicester Wetlands Reserve throughout the month. In addition, a pair were on Otmoor on the 23rd and a single was seen in the Upper Cherwell Valley on the 15th. A Jack Snipe was recorded at Farmoor. An early returning Ringed Plover stopped off at Farmoor on the 25th.

Sanderling Farmoor

Passerines
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets were seen along the Thames at Sonning on the 5th with a single bird

seen at their regular site near the Rugby Club in Henley on the 15th. The pair of Brambling continued to feed on winter seed at Otmoor adjacent to the Wetlands Watch hide all month with a further pair at the B.O.S Balscote Quarry reserve on the 4th and 8th. At least five Brambling were amongst the Chaffinch flock at Cowleaze Wood on the 23rd with three still present on the 28th.
A very sizeable flock of Siskin were seen at Denman College in Marcham on the 31st which was in excess of two hundred birds.
A count of one hundred and Sixty roosting Corn Buntings at Cholsey Marsh on the 20th is of note, not only of locally but also nationally.

Looking Ahead

It's time to dust off the crystal ball to see what we might be getting in the county next month. Judging from past records, gulls seem to be the main attraction with lots of Caspian, Iceland and Glaucous Gull records as well as a single historic Kumlien's Gull. There have also been a few records of that stalwart of the scarce county bird front, namely the Great Grey Shrike. There have been quite a few good water birds with American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck all see in past Februaries. Continuing with the water theme, there has been a single Great White Egret record, a flock of Bean Geese and even a wrecked Leach's Petrel. Past Februaries have also been good for Waxwings but given how poor this season has been for this species we won't be holding our breath on that one! Finally of course there was the outrageous record of the Oriental Turtle Dove - let's hope for something suitably stunning to liven up this dull winter.

In Memoriam John Brucker

We were both shocked and saddened this week to hear of the death of John Brucker. He was a major figure in Oxfordshire ornithology and he epitomised the role of the amateur naturalist, who could contribute to scientific knowledge through enthusiasm, careful observation and meticulous field work. He was a long time member of the Oxford Ornithological Society and was the County Recorder, a role which he carried out for twenty six years. In addition he was also president of the society for three years. John Brucker was also one of the three authors of "Birds of Oxfordshire", an important and ground-breaking publication which adorns many a bookcase in the county. Always encouraging to young and enthusiastic birders (ourselves included), John would always be able to find a "spare" copy of an annual report or an up to date copy of a monthly bulletin. His enthusiasm and expertise were legendary and his contribution to our knowledge and understanding of birds in Oxfordshire was most important. He will be sadly missed.

Badger & Gnome