December Higlights and 2017 Video Montage

The Kumlien's Gull at Yelford

Headline Birds

So that's 2017 final put to bed and here in God's Own County we actually ended on quite a high note with a few choice birds slipping in right at the death of the year. A Great Grey Shrike was found on West Ginge Down on on the last day of the year - a good bird to finish off on.

Great Grey Shrike courtesy of Badger

We also had an exciting gull discovery when a reported Iceland Gull on 30th at Yelford was reidentified as a Kumlien's Gull by our esteemed county recorder. This is in addition to a juvenile Iceland Gull which has been roosting all month at Farmoor. Indeed we got both white-wingers this month as it was joined on the 1st by a Glaucous Gull in the roost as well.

Iceland Gull courtesy of Nic Hallam

Other noteworthy birds this month included a belated report of a Slavonian Grebe at Farmoor Reservoir on the 24th and we had plenty of Great White Egret action with regular birds at Pit 60, Dix Pit and Glyme Meadows in Woodstock.

The Best of the Rest

6 Bewick's Swans arrived at Stanlakes Pit 60 on the afternoon 11th with what was likely to have been the same group, seen earlier over the Otmoor RSPB reserve. Numbers of these beautiful winter swans have plummeted not only in Oxfordshire but nationally with their status globally a conservation concern. 2 Whooper Swans were seen midway along the Cherwell Valley on the 31st.

Bewick's Swans courtesy of Badger

Scaup and Aythya hybrid courtesy of Moth 

Two female Scaup were a welcome discovery at Farmoor from the 28th and were at times keeping company with the Lesser Scaupesque  Aythya hybrid. A female Common Scoter at Farmoor Reservoir was reported sporadically through December. Goosanders were reported from Pit 60 with 4 redheads at Stratfield Brake on the 5th with another 4 seen on the Thames at Port Meadow.

Pulses certainly quickened on the 18th with the discovery of a female Bufflehead found amongst the

regular wildfowl at the Otmoor RSPB reserve. It was presumed to be the escaped female seen the previous day at Staines Reservoir and was carrying the same metal ring on the right leg also suggesting a captive origin.

Escaped Bufflehead courtesy of Tezzer

A Kittiwake was at Farmoor Reservoir on the 9th in what has been a good month for scarce gulls within the county. The notable exception has been Caspian Gulls with only three records: one from Cassington GPs, an adult seen at Sonning Eye GPs on the 17th and at Farmoor on the 18th.

Wader-wise Golden Plovers were evident with numbers increasing on the RSPB Otmoor reserve to over 2000 and in the north of the county at Over Norton with numbers reaching 600.

In terms of raptors, the long staying male Hen Harrier on Otmoor (present since last winter) was joined by a second male from the 17th. 4 Marsh Harriers were counted on the reserve on the 8th with a single Marsh Harrier seen at Toot Baldon on the 9th. A Goshawk was seen briefly hunting over Scary Hill on the 18th.

Peregrines were ranging widely over the county, and away from Otmoor, were encountered at the Bicester Wetlands Reserve and with what looks like a female bird, regularly terrorising the pigeons in Oxford City and utilising Magdalen Colleges tower as a handy vantage and launch point. Single Peregrines were also seen at Grove Airfield, Ardington at Kingham, Bablockhythe, Water Eaton and several times at the B.O.S Balscote Quarry Reserve over the month. Merlin were being seen at Fyfield Wick on the 29th and at Chimney Meadows on the 31st with a  bird being seen sporadically on the Otmoor reserve over December.

Short-eared Owl courtesy of Tezzer

A Short-eared Owl was a superb find on Otmoor RSPB on the 31st in what has so far been a poor winter in Oxfordshire for these enigmatic Owls.

Hawfinches continued to dominate the county's bird news for another month with many folk able to catch up with this usually-difficult species. Up to 30 birds were regularly seen at Barnard Gate as well as at Kingston Bagpuize, Swyncombe and Ardington with small groups and individuals also encountered at Sonning Eye, Over Norton, Lower Assendon and on the Downs the Chilterns and in Witney.

Brambling courtesy of Nick Truby

Brambling numbers were once again fairly low throughout the county with birds noted at Kingston Bagpuize, Kennington, on Otmoor and at the Bicester Wetlands Reserve from the 22nd.

A Firecrest was seen at Swyncombe on the 8th no doubt able to brighten up the dullest of winter days.

Review of 2017

Here is the traditional Gnome montage of birds from the last year. In the past the video's have been pushing towards a progressively more and more extreme "pumped-up" rock sound track but this year there's been a change of direction. After all when you're switching photos every second to Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" there's not really anywhere you can go after that. So something more low key this year, in keeping with the "soul crushing reality that is Oxon birding" (Badger's words!).

In terms of the year list we reached 217 (??) this year, a pretty average total compared to the past few years. The Badger & Gnome bird of the year award has quite a few contenders with Little Bunting, Richard's Pipit, Bonaparte's Gull, Black-winged Stilt, White-winged Black Tern and Red-necked Phalarope all short-listed. However, this year the award goes to the Little Bunting, in no small part because it was a county tick for so many people this year.

So it only remains for us to wish you all a very Happy and Bird-filled New Year. See you at the next big one!

Badger & Gnome.