Ewelme: Cress beds: 31st December

Ewelme: Cress beds
Green Sandpiper 09:30.

Thomas Stevenson

Standlake: 3T Pit: 31st December

Standlake: 3T Pit
Great White Egret
Little Egret
2 Goldeneye: fem.
6 Goosander: 5 drakes, 1 rh.
2 Bean Goose: 'tundra' race. Still showing well at 16:10, though mobile. Last seen with one of the Greylag flocks in the field immediately NW of Shifford Lane, east of 3Ts pit and SE of Pit 26, at approximately SP387025.

Ian Elkins

Bean Geese at Standlake - 31st December

Ian Elkins has just found two Bean Geese (probably Tundras) with Greylags in the field adjacent to (on the north-east side) the 3 T's Lake at Standlake. The field is visible from the B4449 Aston Road or from Croft Lane (accessed from Standlake village). SP 385030

Otmoor Saturday morning 31st January

1 Peregrine  Greenaways
2 Marsh Harriers
1 Hen Harrier
60+ Barnacle Geese
Bark

Upper Cherwell Valley

Caspian Gull, adult. One this week

per Martin Elliott

West Ginge: West Ginge Down: 30th December

West Ginge: West Ginge Down
2 Stonechat: m&f.
2 Grey Partridge
Barn Owl

Mark Merritt

Scary Hill: 30 December

Linnet (c) Stephen Burch

For a larger image go to my website

For a larger image go to my website

Yellowhammer (c) Stephen Burch

For a larger image go to my website

Hen Harrier Otmoor RSPB courtesy of Norman Smith

Otmoor.A.M. 30th December.

2 Lesser Redpoll
3 Golden Plover (over)
2 Goldcrest.

Redwings in Tackley

Courtesy of John Reynolds

Otmoor 29th December

Bittern 3 (from 2nd screen)
Marsh harrier
Hen harrier
c30 Snipe
"white throated" chaffinch (at feeders)
Marsh Tit (at feeders)

Marsh Tit courtesy of Eddie McLaughlin

Witney,29th December

Blackcap f
Chiffchaff
In back garden - from my sick bed/armchair!

Clackers

Otmoor RSPB 28th December

Linnet courtesy of Mark Chivers

Fieldfare courtesy of Mark Chivers

Bittern
Marsh Harrier 1+

(per Tezzer)

Kingston Bagpuize 28th December

Merlin (f) hunting from fence post at the east end of the village
Stonechat (f)

(per Jed Cleeter)

West Hanney

Peregrine (m) through to east (per Leo Bateman)

Male Bullfinch Radley GPs courtesy of Eddie McLaughlin

Standlake Common 27th December

Great White Egret 2 on Pit 27/38 and Pit 60 (per SNT)

26th Dec. South Stoke STW: Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff P.c.tristis  

Siberian Chiffchaff P.c.tristis  

plus 8 Common Chiffchaff 

Common Chiffchaff P.c.collybita

Boxing Day Clackanory

Candyfloss by Peter Barker.
Come with us to a dry and arid land as our narrator and Otmoor stalwart Bark transports us
to Fuerteventura on a quest to see an elusive and rare Bustard.

Christmas Day Clackanory

A very merry christmas to you all 

and a bird filled new year.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed over the year to Oxonbirding directly or through Goingbirding and to all the kind folk who enhance the blog by regularly submitting their photos 

and artwork,it is as always very much appreciated.

Now Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without the tradition that is Clackanory.

Join Sir Clackers and his merry band of avian adventures as they
encounter fearsome landlady's and perilous swamps in a land far far away...

The Knights of the Dining Table by Keith Clack.

Red Kite Otmoor Courtesy of Eddie McLaughlin

Grimsbury Reservoir: 23rd December

Caspian Gull 2CY (not 1st winter, thank you Ian) (probably the first site record)
Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 adult and a 2CY



GB and JFT

Otmoor.A.M. 23rd December.

1 Hen Harrier (ringtail)
2 Marsh Harrier (m&f)
2 Bittern
25+ Snipe
1 Kingfisher.

Bicester Wetland Reserve 23rd December

260 Teal
8 Gadwall
5 Shoveler
2 Heron
1 Little Grebe
25 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Stonechat

Alan Peters
key holder reseve

Wintering Chiffchaff Otmoor RSPB courtesy of Tezzer

Wantage 22nd December

Short-eared Owl north of Wantage flew over road east of Lyford 17:30 (per Leo Bateman)

Water Rail Bicester Wetlands Reserve courtesy of Alan Peters

Water Rail Pinkhill Reserve Farmoor courtesy of John Workman

Otmoor 22nd December a.m.

Marsh Harrier courtesy of Eddie McLaughlin

Hen Harrier                  1
Marsh Harrier              1
Bittern                          2
Kingfisher                    1
Stonechat                     1
Green Woodpecker      1
White Fronted Goose  4
Snipe                           30
Cetti's Warbler             2 (heard)

Goldfinch on teasels on Greenaways

Redwing at Hide

Rushey Common lake, 22nd December

Red Crested Pochard 6m 7f
Common Gull

Clackers

Otmoor.A.M. 22nd December.

White-fronted Geese.

Stonechat.

21st December Port Meadow

5 Yellow-legged Gulls, all adult
2 Redshank
1 Dunlin
8 Goosander

Also, a later record of the 2w Caspian Gull on the Meadow on the 19th December, photographed by John Mittermeier

The 2w Caspian Gull courtesy of John Mittermeier

Otmoor.A.M. 21st December.

2 Marsh Harrier
1 Bittern
4 White-fronted Goose
2 Pintail (m&f)
2 Stonechat.

per K.S-P.  P.G.

Standlake Common: 21st December

Pit 27

Smew (m)
Great White Egret
2 Goosander

n.b this is the "3T's" private lake viewable from adjacent footpath

Standlake Common: am 20th December

Great White Egret

Barford St. John: 20th December

Barford St. John
200 Linnet

Barford St. Michael
Peregrine

Ian Hobday

Letcombe Bassett 20th December

Green Down:

Hen Harrier - male hunting south of Ridgeway at 1505, before heading east over track to farm. Another brief sighting at 1435 along ridge of gallops, unable to sex due to looking into sun
Merlin (f)
3 Stonechat (m & 2f)
c30 Corn Bunting

Cress Beds:

Water Rail
Little Egret
Grey Wagtail

Otmoor. 20th. December.

2 Bittern.
Water Rail.
2 Marsh Harrier.
6. Bullfinch.
Hen Harrier. (ringtail)
Kingfisher.
Raven.
Per.  P.G.  Tues. Gang.  T.S.

Snipe.

Standlake 20th December

Smew (dark) still present on Pit 38 12:40
Great White Egret

(per Leo Bateman)

Port Meadow: 20th December

Port Meadow Webs Survey
840 Wigeon
93 Teal
11 Shoveler
20 Mallard
7 Moorhen
Coot
3 Mute Swan
261 Greylag Goose
2 Cormorant
Grey Heron
47 Lapwing
1 Golden Plover
1 Snipe
2 Redshank
45 Black-headed Gull
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Herring Gull

Adam Hartley

Port Meadow: 20th December

Barnacle Geese - flock still present at first light but left c07:50

Video courtesy of Gnome - more on Port Meadow Birding

Baulking Pit: 18th December

2 Short-eared Owl

2 Snipe

2 Stonechat (m&f)

4+ Y.L.Gull

     High-flying SEO

   "A Flock Of Seagulls" aka "Why dogs should be kept on leads"

Lambourn: Red Barn: 19th December

Lambourn: Red Barn
7 Corn Bunting

Jed Cleeter

Chinnor: Cement Works: 19th December

Chinnor: Cement Works
Green Sandpiper: North end of southern lake (quarry 2B).

David Stracey

Scary Hill: 19th December

Scary Hill
Peregrine: male.
45 Golden Plover
9 Corn Bunting
2 Raven

Jed Cleeter

Port Meadow: 19th December

Port Meadow
125 Barnacle Goose: flew in in two flocks and settled about 200 yards north of the floods late afternoon.
Redshank
45 Lapwing
Golden Plover
Goosander: r/h.

Adam Hartley

WeBS Otmoor December 19th

A fairly quiet, not to mention foggy, start to the week but here are the numbers for the birds that weren't having a lie in somewhere else this morning......

Black-headed gull 3
Canada goose 380
Coot  24
Cormorant 13
Gadwall 35
Great crested grebe 2
Grey heron 4
Greylag goose 54
Lapwing 1278
Lesser-back backed gull 1
Mallard 278
Moorhen 10
Mute swan 2
Pintail 3
Shoveler 192
Snipe 35
Teal 685
Tufted duck 35
Water rail 1
Wigeon 1323


Marsh harrier 1
Red kite 3

Good numbers of lapwing but goldies still proving elusive on the moor! 

 

Standlake Common: am 19th December

Pit 38

Great White Egret
Smew (m)

Pit 27

3 Goosander

Pit 28

Goosander

+86 Red Crested Pochard

Otmoor 18th December

The Otmoor Massive Christmas 2016
From left to right: Badger, Terry Sherlock,Mark Chivers,John Reynolds,Gavin Bennett,Jon Prowse,Peter Barker,
Andy Last,Ewan Urquhart,Pete Roby,John Uren,Graham Coleman,Phil Brown,Shirley Clack,Keith Clack,Peter Law.

Peregrine Falcon courtesy of Andy Last

Bittern

Marsh Harrier 2

Peregrine

Sparrowhawk

Wigeon c1000

Snipe 20+

Water Rail

Kingfisher

Stonechat 2

Cetti's Warbler 2+

Yellowhammer c10

(per The Otmoor Massive)

Standlake, 18 December

Drake Smew found today by Stuart Thomson please view at 1080p


Smew 1m (pit 38) Take path past the turning to Pit 60 and the North Shore hide and continue
beyond the kissing gate to view last pit on the right and view only from footpath.

GW Egret 1 pit 27
Peregrine 2
Kingfisher

Ewelme: Cress beds: 18th December

Ewelme: Cress beds
Green Sandpiper

Thomas Stevenson

BICESTER WETLANDS 17 December

Water rail (2) usual "fleck" (so named owing to the white mark below left eye) feeding below feeders but also chased off another that ventured into cut reed channel. Very aggressive!

Chiffchaff

Reed bunting (fem)

Meadow pipit

Teal 200+

Grey wagtail 2

Kingfisher
Common snipe 3
Fieldfare 50+
Redwing 50+
Little egret

Key holder reserve

Port Meadow: 16th December

Port Meadow
Caspian Gull: 3w.
5 Yellow-legged Gull: ad.
2 Redshank
15 Goosander

Adam Hartley

Otmoor.A.M. 16th December.

Shelduck.

2 Bittern
1 Shelduck
2 Marsh Harrier
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail)
1 Kingfisher.

Otmoor Thursday 15 December a.m.

Bittern 2
Marsh Harrier 2
Shelduck
Yellowhammer 3
Goldcrest
Bullfinch
Cetti's Warbler (heard)
Lapwing 1000+ on Big Otmoor

Otmoor Video

Interview with David Wilding & Pete Barker on the return of the Bittern to Otmoor.
Produced and broadcast by local TV station That's Oxfordshire.

Rushey Common lake, 15th December

Great White Egret- south end of lake
Bullfinches 4m 3f
Goldeneye  1m 2f

Clackers

Port Meadow: 15th December

Port Meadow
4 White-fronted Goose: at keast 4, but muddled in with Greylags.

Anthony Cheke

Port Meadow: 14th December

Dunlin
Goosander: m.
Shelduck

Also 2w Caspian Gull reported on RBA

Adam Hartley

Buzzard attack on Starlings near Appleton courtesy of John workman

Bicester Wetland Reserve 14th December

200 Teal
5 Heron
9 Gadwall
5 Shoveler
1 Kingfisher (works pool)
1 Little Grebe (works pool)
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Mute Swan

Alan Peters
key holder reserve

Otmoor 14th December

Egyptian Geese courtesy of Alec Nightingale

6 Egyptian Geese 1st record since 2013 (per Clackers)
4 White-fronted Geese
1 Pintail (m)
1 Peregrine (f)
1+ Bittern
4+ Stonechat.

(per Stoneshank)

Redwing courtesy of Baz

7am - 9am

2 Woodcock at first light flying between carpark field and closes
Tawny owl, roman road
2 Marsh Harrier
3 Cetti's warbler

Starlings leaving roost at sunrise

Port Meadow: 13th December

Port Meadow
2 Redshank
2 Goosander: male.
Yellow-legged Gull: ad.

Adam Hartley

Farmoor Reservoir 12th December

74 Snow Geese at Farmoor Reservoir courtesy of Dai

Birding in the Slow Lane

Port Meadow: 12th December

Port Meadow
2 Redshank
3 Golden Plover
15 Lapwing
2 Yellow-legged Gull: 3w & ad.

Adam Hartley

Barford St. Michael: Barford Airfield: 12th December

Barford St. Michael: Barford Airfield
220 Linnet: Two large flocks on wheat stubble adjacent to old gated Rd.

Ian Hobday

Rushy Common 12th December

Red-crested Pochard (f)
Goldeneye 2
Peregrine (from screen)
Green Sandpiper

(per Tezzer, Badger)

Otmoor.A.M. 12th December.

2 Bittern
1 Marsh Harrier (f)
1 Raven (over)
2 Yellowhammer.

Otmoor. 11th. December.

2. Bittern.
2. kingfisher.
2. Peregrine.
2. Sparrowhawk.
Marsh Harrier.
Merlin.
Water Rail.
Sizable flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover.
Per.  Otmoor. M.

Field Fare.

Bittern.

Cassington GPs 11th December

Dunlin 2
Green Sandpiper 3
Snipe c50
Yellow-legged Gull
Goldeneye 15+
Egyptian Goose 2
Marsh Tit 2

Please view only from the footpaths.

Dix Pit:

Goldeneye 4+

BICESTER WETLANDS 10 Dec 10-12:00

Water rail again showing well under feeders
Green sandpiper
Bullfinch 2m
Teal 100+
Snipe