Blenheim: Grand Bridge: 31st March

31st March

Blenheim: Grand Bridge
Swallow 19:00.
8 House Martin: At least 8, probably more. 19:00.

Yarnton
OTHER SPECIES: Bat sp (probably Pipistrelle). 19:30.

Nick Suckling

Grimsbury Reservoir: 31st March

Willow Warbler (per Ian Rowe)

Farmoor Reservoir 31st March

Red-necked Grebe off southern bank of F2
Great Northern Diver 2 F1 and F2
Barn Owl (per Shelley)
Rock Pipit along causeway

18:21

Willow Warbler 3 (per Dave Hutton)

Barn Owl courtesy of Shelley

Otmoor 31 March am

Garganey (drk) from the 1st screen at midday then flew off (per RBA)

4 Oystercatcher  (in flight over Greenaways)
1 Tree Sparrow (feeders)
3 Siskin (feeders)
1 Cetti's Warbler (along path between Morley's and the Closes)
2 Marsh Harrier (reedbed)
1 Little Egret (from second screen)
1 Dunlin (Ashgrave - from hide)
1 Barnacle Goose (Big Otmoor)
33 Redshank (all over)

2 Swallow
1 Raven  (per Jim Hutchins)

Cetti's Warbler

Redshank on Ashgrave

Tree Sparrow at feeders.  Looks like it's ringed.

Bicester Wetland Reserve

1 Chiffchaff
2 Green Sandpiper
21 Snipe
9 Gadwall
25 Teal
4 Shoveler

key holder reserve

Lark Hill, Wantage: 31 March

1 Wheatear (f)
1 Swallow

The Tall Birder

Port Meadow 31st March

Brent Goose still present by the river at 11 a.m.

per Mary MacDougall

Otmoor 30th March.

Hen Harrier (c) Pete Walkden

Male Hen Harrier over reedbed from 2nd screen 13:17 (per Pete Walkden)
No further sighting by 7.30 pm.

Also:
Black-tailed Godwit on Noke sides
Redshank 18 Noke sides
Oystercatcher 2
Marsh Harrier 2
Chiffchaff 12+

(per Paul Greenaway)

Port Meadow: 30th March

Brent Goose still near Perch. 18:15.
5 Oystercatcher: along north shore.
2 Redshank
2 Swallows
Pintail

Peter Law & Gnome

Dix Pit 30th March

Lesser Redpoll 12
Willow Warbler 1

Farmoor Reservoir 30th March

Both photos courtesy of Andrew Marshall

Red-necked Grebe in S/E corner of F2 13:30
Great Northern Diver 2 F1
Little-ringed Plover
Rock Pipit

(per John Gough, RBA)

Blenheim Park 30th March

House Martin 4
Sand Martin c6
Swallow
Cetti's Warbler

(per Dave Doherty)

Farmoor 29th

Osprey

Fishing

Rock Pipit

Ringed Plover

Port Meadow: 29th March

Port Meadow
Brent Goose
Redshank
6 Swallow
6 Sand Martin

Adam Hartley

Dix Pit and Standlake Pit 60: 29 March

Dix Pit

1 Black-necked Grebe - seen distantly from path beyond car park by recycling centre
No sign of any Redpolls along northern shore

Pit 60
2 Oystercatcher
2 Sand Martin

The Tall Birder

Farmoor Reservoir 29th March

Osprey  over F2 and apparently sat on the causeway 15:40 (per Dai)

Farmoor :AM 29th March

12 Sand Martin

Red Necked Grebe on F2

2 Great Northern Diver

Kestrel

Red Necked Grebe

Red Necked Grebe

Red Necked Grebe

Little Grebe

Begbroke: Church: 28th March

Begbroke: Church
Green Sandpiper: Feeding at flooded edge of arable field. 17:45.
2 Grey Partridge: pair. 17:45.

Simon Dowell

Otmoor 28th March

Marsh Harrier and Teal courtesy of Carl Gray

Marsh Harrier 4
Peregrine on Greenaways

(per Carl Gray, Gavin Bennitt)

All the news from the Bank Holiday Weekend this week on Otmoor Birding

Sparsholt Down: 28 March pm

There was a pale Buzzard sp over Sparsholt Down this afternoon at about 17:00, viewed from the minor road that runs south from Kingston Lisle towards Lambourn. It was initially over the wood at about SU330843, before drifting off to the north.

It appeared very pale underneath and most interestingly the upper tail briefly appeared to show a large white rump with dark terminal band. Unfortunately, it was too far away for my available reserve bins to see any dark belly patch and I didn't have my camera with me. I can't claim Rough-legged given these views but it was a possibility I couldn't rule out.

The Tall Birder

Port Meadow: 28th March

Courtesy of Gnome

Sanderling
Shelduck
3 Pintail

(Adam Hartley) Port Meadow Birding

Brent Goose still present at midday
(per Owen Crawshaw)

Photo courtesy of Owen Crawshaw.

Grimsbury Reservoir: 28th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
2 House Martin

Gareth Blockley

Farmoor Reservoir 28th March

Common Tern courtesy of Andy Last

Common Tern
Red-necked Grebe S/W corner of F2
Great Northern Diver
Rock Pipit 2
Swallow 2

(per John Reynolds, The Wickster, Andy Last)

Rock Pipit courtesy of John Reynolds

Stanton St. John: 28th March

Stanton St. John
Siskin: fem. On feeder for a second day. 10:35.

David Brown

Grimsbury Res 27th March

Peregrine 2
Little-ringed Plover
Swallow 3
Sand Martin several
Stonechat (m) U.C.Valley
White Wagtail (poss)

(per Gareth, JFT et el)

Grimsbury Birds

Port Meadow: 27th March

Port Meadow
Ruff 17:45.
2 Oystercatcher 17:45.
2 Shelduck 17:45.

Steve Goddard

Dix Pit 27th March

Lesser Redpoll -Dix Pit

probable Mealy/Common Redpoll -Dix Pit

Shiplake: 27th March

Shiplake
9 Egyptian Goose: Near Shiplake Farm in field on the A4155 road near Plowden Arms. 14:30.

Ralph Watts

Dix Pit Redpolls

Probable Mealy Redpoll with Lesser

Probable Mealy Redpoll

3 Lessers (left) with Mealy (obscured on right)

Lesser Redpoll

Stanton Harcourt Dix Pit 27th March

Distant clips of the Black-necked Grebe please view at 1080pHD

Black-necked Grebe 13:50 viewed from northern (warehouses) end of the pit.
Mealy Redpoll along northern perimeter hedges
Lesser Redpoll c15
Chiffchaff 2

Farmoor Reservoir 27th March

Red-necked Grebe please view at 1080pHD

Red-necked Grebe F2 in S/W corner
Great Northern Diver 2 F1 in S/E corner
Dunlin along causeway
10:30.

All photos courtesy of Ewan Black Audi Birding

 

Great Northern Divers - Farmoor Res 1
This second individual acquiring an extension to its upper mandible

Port Meadow 27th March

Please view at 720pHD

Dark-bellied Brent Goose 09:45 best viewed from the Binsey Lane/Perch side.
Sand Martin c20

Dark bellied Brent Goose courtesy of Ewan

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 27th March

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill
Peregrine

Colin Vickers

Short-eared Owl Otmoor courtesy of John Reynolds

Stanton St. John: 27th March

Stanton St. John
Siskin: One briefly on feeder. 15:00.
Marsh Tit: On feeder. 15:00.
2 Coal Tit: On feeder. 15:00.
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker: Guess what........ On feeder. 15:00.

David Brown

Kingston Bagpuize: 27th March

2 Raven: Flew north.
Swallow: Flew north.

Jed Cleeter

Port Meadow: 26th March

Dark-bellied Brent Goose courtesy of Wreny

Brent Goose
Curlew
Little Ringed Plover
Redshank
7 Oystercatcher
Pintail: male.

Adam Hartley

Farmoor: 26 March morning

Red-necked Grebe (c) Stephen Burch

For more pics, see The Tall Birder Blog

Click here for a higher res image

Farmoor 26th

8am-12:30pm

Great Norther Diver 2
Red Necked Grebe (southern end of F2)
Swallow 4+
Sand Martin 18+
House Martin 1
Kingfisher (pinkhill)
3 Chiffchaff
15+ Meadow pipits

Sketches

A couple of sketches of mine based on local bird sightings recently.

Marsh Harrier at Otmoor

Red Necked Grebe at Farmoor

Stanton Harcourt Dix Pit 26th March

Black-necked Grebe sum plum still 16:00
Oystercatcher
Sand Martin 150+
Swallow 1+
Wheatear 2 near to the 'Devils Quotes' a.m only
Mealy Redpoll 13:15

(per the Wickster,Steve Heath,Andy Last, Dave Lowe,Badger)

Port Meadow 26th March

Brent Goose still present pm (per Dave Lowe)

Farmoor Res 26th March

Red-necked Grebe (sum plum) still present F2 (per Dave Lowe).

Wroxton: 26th March

Wroxton
7 Brambling: Per mr tapper.

Michael Hunt

Otmoor: 25th March

Courtesy of gizmo

Short-eared Owl 17:00 in Moorleys (car park field)
Barn Owl Moorleys

(Graeme Porter and gizmo)

Farmoor Reservoir: Pinkhill Lock: 25th March

Farmoor Reservoir: Pinkhill Lock
Woodcock: one over the rough ground behind the small copse. 09:00.

Alan Horsley

Bicester Wetland Reserve

1 Oystercatcher
2 Green Sandpiper
50 Tea1
1Water Rail

Key holder reserve

Stanton Harcourt Dix Pit, March 25

Black-necked Grebe 1, summer plumage still present at 17:21
viewed from near the warehouses (per Clackers & Mrs Clackers).

Siskin 6
Pintail 2

Radley GP: Thrupp Lake: 25th March

Radley GP: Thrupp Lake
Egyptian Goose
4 Sand Martin
Chiffchaff: numerous in song.

Ian Elkins

Otmoor 25th March

2 Siskin on feeders
11 Dunlin (Noke Sides and Big Otmoor)
2 Little Ringed Plover (Noke Sides)
3 Little Egret
2 Marsh Harriers
3 Singing Chiffchaff
2 Cettis Warblers
1 Raven
1fm Stonechat at Noke farm

PR, SR, PG & JN

Port Meadow 25th March

Brent Goose still at 17:37 (per Mark Merritt)
5 Redshank
3 Oystercatcher

(per Dave Doherty & The Wickster

Standlake Common area: am 25th March

Pit 60

3 Little Egret
2 Goldeneye (m, f)
2 Oystercatchers

Martins Lane

3 Siskin

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

First Winter Common Gull