November Review

The first dark month of winter in Oxfordshire produced a succession of seasonal stand-outs, including some county year list additions after the rather less eventful earlier autumn. Almost daily at times there was more that was either new or interesting though not always very accessible, and from a refreshing variety of sites.

I ended the previous two reviews by wishing for a true county mega, and it didn't take long for November to produce one. On 2nd a first winter Richard's Pipit was discovered on the South Oxon Downs above Blewbury, the 200th Oxon species of 2018. This Siberian bred drift migrant prompted a pre-dusk dash by some of Oxon's finest, being a county tick even for high (260+) listers present.

Richard's pipit (1w), courtesy of Roger Wyatt

It was the fourth record for Oxfordshire and the first twitchable one since a bird also on the Downs at Churn in 2002. More Oxon birders who could not get away from work were able to connect as the Pipit lingered over that first weekend. It has to be our bird of the month since so many grateful people got to see it.

Three more notables followed in mid-month though were not twitchable. During the afternoon of 13th a Glossy Ibis passed through our air space, being sighted first by the River Thames at Farmoor, then 15 minutes later moving north above RSPB Otmoor. No further reports came the following day, suggesting this one had kept on going, unlike the summer 2014 bird that made an extended stay in the Otmoor basin.



Glossy Ibis (record shot), courtesy of Jeremy Dexter

On 14th news leaked out after the event of a drake American Wigeon at a private site in the west of the county, the first Oxon record since one at Rushey Common in Feb 2011. A day later a Rose-coloured Starling was announced on it's second day at a private garden in Botley, but despite searching was not re-located. The previous instance of the latter was at Forest Hill near Wheatley in Jan 2010. What a triple it might have been had all these November 2018 birds been more viewable.

Rose-coloured Starling, courtesy of the finder

Meanwhile a number of good winter regulars either returned to the county or began to be logged more often. A ring-tail Hen Harrier was first noted at Otmoor on 6th and tracked in the days thereafter, sometimes quartering the Starling roost. As Short-eared Owl penetrated the British Isles in good numbers, up to five were recorded in Oxfordshire. One was near Horton-cum-Studley on 12th, then three more followed on or close to the Oxfordshire Golf Course near Thame between 14th and 25th. Another was logged at north Oxford's Burgess Field Nature Park on 17 & 18th.



Red-breasted Merganser, courtesy of Dai John

This winter's first Red-breasted Merganser visited Farmoor Reservoir on 8th and 9th, while the long-staying Black-necked Grebe was reported on and off from nearby Dix Pit. Three Whooper Swan lingered at Blenheim Park until 3rd before moving on, after which some normality returned to that site following all last month's excitement.

Whooper Swans, courtesy of Mike Pollard

Common Crossbill has been a tricky item to pin down in Oxon in recent years, but settled wintering birds continued to draw observers and photographers to Buckland Warren in the county's far south-west. More records came from Cowleaze Wood in the Chilterns on 18th and 30th, suggesting this could be an infrequent passerine to look out for through the winter.

Common Crossbill, courtesy of Nick Truby

A rather enigmatic sighting came when a wandering party of four Common Crane visited the Thame valley mid-month. These were first seen flying in to roost at the Oxfordshire Golf Course on 18th, taking two intrepid owl searchers by surprise, then again two days later in the morning between Newington and Warborough.

Maybe this showed just what might be out there if we get into more and different places in our county. But probably the same quartet were viewed in flight over Dinton Pastures CP in neighbouring Berkshire on 25th, suggesting they have gone on their way.


The Best of the Rest


With apologies for reducing Great White Egret to this review's second tier, at least some of October's cluster from Blenheim continued to move around between other locations. While two remained at Queen's Lake on and off, the most reliable sites elsewhere were LWV Pit 60 and Wolvercote in North Oxford. More sightings came from Otmoor (8th), Cassington GPs (17th), Linch Hill (17th), Woodstock Water Meadows (17th), Dix Pit (18th) and Buscot Park (26th).

Great White Egret at Pit 60, courtesy of Mick Cunningham

Away from Otmoor a visiting Bittern found LWV Pit 60 to it's liking from 8th, on occasion showing well opposite the north shore hide. There the settled Jack Snipe also continued to mostly skulk or doze their own time way. At Otmoor itself up to three Bittern were observed regularly through the review period.

After flood water returned to Port Meadow, a first-winter Mediterranean Gull frequented the roost from mid-month. A 1w Caspian Gull was also found there on 24th. Two more Med Gulls were in the Farmoor Reservoir roost on 2nd. Other larid records of note for November were Caspian Gull at Farmoor (2nd &14th) and Appleford GPs (3rd); and Little Gull at Dix Pit on 6th.

Amongst this month's most photographed birds were the Water Rail at Farmoor's Pinkhill Meadow reserve. Those popular subjects continued to delight snappers in the hide there while foraging close in beneath the on-site seed feeders.

Water Rail, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

To end with a round up of some less frequent county species, Grey Partridge deserve a mention with 5 at Northbrook on 6th, 20 at Moulsford (16th) and 4 more at Cassington GPs on 17th. Golden Plover flocks built up especially in north Oxon, while Woodcock were noted at several sites.

Peregrine produced records from multiple locations county-wide, including central Oxford once more. This included a pair regularly using Magdalen College tower as in previous years. And Ring-necked Parakeet were reported again within the city limits, this time at New Marston on 8th & 17th. Another was seen in Otmoor's Starling roost at month's end on 30th, only the second such instance.

Otmoor Peregrine, courtesy of Terry Sherlock

Firecrest was located near Nettlebed in south-east Oxon on 11th and again on 18th. Brambling and Siskin were sighted regularly throughout the month, as in October. Looking ahead, further notables for December could be white-winged Gulls, Smew, Waxwing or perhaps even Great Northern Diver. And should we get a decent cold snap before year's end who knows what might provide a final flourish for Oxon Birding in 2018.

Peter Law