May Review

Red-rumped Swallow at Grimsbury Reservoir, courtesy of Nick Truby

As spring progressed with more twists and nuances of the passage season, the early days of May produced two outstanding records for Oxfordshire. Thereafter migration pulses matched a changeable weather pattern through the month with movements of Terns, waders and passerines all featuring on and off in this log, and more besides.

Grey-headed Wagtail in Port Meadow, courtesy of Thomas Miller
Click on any image to enlarge

Continuing April's theme of infrequent flava-type Wagtail taxa, a male Grey-headed Wagtail was discovered on the dried out Port Meadow floods on the evening of 1st. The sub-species M f thunbergi is most usually found in Scandinavia, with just a few turning up in the British Isles each year, so it was quite a find locally. This variety had visited our county only twice before, both times in 1992. The new Port Meadow bird drew an excited contingent of Oxon's finest birders that evening, but in the morning it had moved on.

Video courtesy of Gnome

Given the number of British records through April it always seemed likely Oxfordshire would score a Red-rumped Swallow this spring. The Oxon birding airwaves duly came alive on 3rd when the nationally rare hirundine materialised early in the day on the perimeter fence at Grimsbury Reservoir, Banbury. This bird returned in the evening then, with cold northerly winds holding up onward migration repeated that pattern on Saturday (4th) and lingered into Sunday; allowing some grateful growing listers (<230) in the county to add it to their life totals.

The image that announced this find to the Oxon and wider birding communities
Courtesy of John Friendship-Taylor

The fourth record for Oxon and the first since 2012 was a huge local mega for the patch affectionately known as "Grimbo" or "The Soap Dish", and the rarest bird ever recorded there. As one of the dedicated band of birders who watch the site through every day commented this is the stuff that any patcher at a lesser known inland water body dreams about. The "Rumper", that continued to return with low cloud for another eight days until the weather changed after 11th, must also be our county bird of the month. It was certainly the most testing of our photographers' skills as many endeavoured to capture it well.

Red-rumped Swallow, courtesy of Steve Burch (above)
and Ewan Urquhart (below)

Not quite so obliging was the Hoopoe which graced an Aston garden with its presence on 13th. Unfortunately and despite valiant attempts to gain access for the wider birding community, the opportunity was frustratingly denied by the owner.

   

Courtesy of Paul Wren.

The second week of May brought a major movement of Black Tern through inland sites across England, and Oxfordshire got its share of the action. A flock variously counted at 35 and upward made an impressive spectacle for most of the day at Farmoor Reservoir on 7th, that date's second highest national tally amongst more than 230 sightings. The best counts from other sites were 10 at Baulking Pit (7th), 9 at LWV Pit 10 (8th) and 7 more through Sonning Eye GPs (8th). A further influx moved through just over a week later, with 10 Black Tern visiting Farmoor on 16th then more in the next few days.

Farmoor Black Terns, courtesy of Kyle Smith

Black-necked Grebe, courtesy of John Workman

Amongst other notable birds during the latter half of May a smart Black-necked Grebe in breeding plumage visited Farmoor Reservoir just for one afternoon on 16th. The following morning a Little Tern passed through there. Five Bittern were seen in one morning at RSPB Otmoor on 24th, including four circling over the reed bed together, while a Great White Egret was noted at the reserve on a few occasions.

Bittern cluster over Otmoor, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

The Best of the Rest

Intermittent blustery conditions with heavy showers in the first half of May ramped up wader passage through the county, with watchers of different sites logging up to 10 different species in a single day. The two best examples, both on 8th were:

• Grey Plover, Turnstone, Knot, Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Dunlin and Sanderling at Farmoor

• Knot, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank at Otmoor

Passage Grey Plover, Knot and Turnstone at Farmoor Reservoir, courtesy of Terry Sherlock

Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshank, Golden Plover and Little Ringed Plover were also recorded in the first half of May either at those or other sites. Amongst all this, numbers of two of the less frequent annual waders to visit our county, Grey Plover and Knot perhaps stood out; those records also reflecting a marked national displacement at the time. An Avocet flew over Farmoor on 11th.

Greenshank at LWV Pit 60, courtesy of Dave Murphy

Wader passage continued steadily right through to month's end. Sanderling in summer plumage are often an attractive feature at this time of year, and good numbers of such birds were noted at Farmoor and also Grimsbury Reservoirs from mid-May onward.

Sum plum Sanderling at Farmoor (above), courtesy of Nick Truby
and Grimsbury Reservoir (below), courtesy of Kyle Smith

Oxon patches attracting waders in this review period were (and I hope I have got them all): Port Meadow, Chinnor Cement Works, Appleford GPs, Henley Road and Sonning Eye GPs, LWV Pit 60, Stratfield Brake, Blenheim Park, Grimsbury Reservoir, Balscote Quarry and Baulking Pit; perhaps underlining the quantity of waders on the move. Pictures this month are mostly of species not highlighted in the previous two reviews.

Farmoor Ringed Plover, and Dunlin (below)
Courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Another feature of any May is the dapper and diminutive summer visiting Falcon, Hobby. Otmoor held several individuals on some days, while Pit 60 hosted another cluster amongst which one posing close to a hide drew some attention. But I can only include one picture herein and so it's from Otmoor. No offence guys. Another summer notable viewed at Pit 60 a number of times was Garganey, though records of that duck elsewhere remained few and far between in this review period.

Otmoor Hobby, courtesy of Norman Smith

Garganey at Pit 60, courtesy of Dave Murphy

Lastly, the latest arriving small passerine each spring is usually Spotted Flycatcher, and these were noted from a number of locations county-wide. 

Spotted Flycatcher, courtesy of John Reynolds

Now as spring turns to summer another passage season has played out its scenarios, with much that is familiar but also some surprises. Unless next month produces a good number of notable records there will be no June review, then a combined round up for the usually quieter months of June and July. I am happy to continue as your monthly reviewer but things remain open for more Oxon birders to take a turn. So if anyone else would like to have a go please contact either Adam or Jason.

Peter Law

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