Otmoor rspb 31st December

Hen Harrier r/t 

Barn Owl

(per Phil Barnett) 

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Hampton Poyle: 31st December

Hampton Poyle
Peregrine: Probable male flew over the Bletchingdon Road. 12:00.

David Watkinson

Standlake Pit 60: 31st December

Standlake Pit 60
4 Whooper Swan: ad. Briefly on Pit 60 late p.m. Whooping call heard before they flew off west.

Radley village: Radley College
2 Egyptian Goose: Feeding on golf course.

Ian Elkins

Oxford: 31st December

Peregrine on Magdalen college tower, 4:30pm.

Iffley: 31st December

Ring necked parakeet: at least 1, feeding on berries on Mill Ln, at 12.

Culham: 31st December

Culham
Great White Egret 10:30.

Gean Duval

LWV Pit 28: 31st December

LWV Pit 28
Great White Egret 15:32.

Mick Cunningham

Farmoor 31st December

10-13:00 (Overcast then drizzle)

Slavonian Grebe (NW corner F2)

Greater Scaup 2 (NE corner F1)

Goldeneye 2 (F1)

Old Caley's Diary

Happy New Year to you all.

Ardley re-cycling centre

1 Green Sandpiper: lake in front of works

Alan Peters

Bicester Wetland Reserve 31st December

263 Teal
6 Gadwall
2 Little Grebe

1 female Sparrowhawk dashed through the main feeding station 3 times in 15 minutes

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Otmoor: 30th December

Otmoor
Curlew

Anthony Cheke

Otmoor: 30th December (pm)

Bittern in the afternoon sun from the second screen

Cholsey/Lollingdon

1 Merlin (male).
1 Raven.
1 Little Egret.
2+ Brambling.
c20 Golden Plover
2 Lapwing

Per Alan Dawson: Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail @ Cholsey Marsh.

Oxford: 30th December

Belated news of a black redstart, fem/1st winter type, on the Radcliffe camera at 11am. Quite active, fly catching and moving around the dome, excellent views from University Church of St Mary's tower.

Standlake Pit 60: 30th December

Standlake Pit 60
3 Great White Egret: Afternoon visit 1 45pm 4 25pm. 1 GWE on pit 27. 2 more on southern shore pit 60. 16:01.
29 Pintail 16:01.
347 Wigeon 16:01.
174 Teal: Undoubted under count as many in reeds too. 16:01.
11 Goosander: Late on. 16:01.
10 Goldeneye 16:01.
32 Pochard: High number for here I think. Had 54 recently. 16:01.
Chiffchaff: Shifford lane. 16:01.

Mick Cunningham

Otmoor 30th December

08-12:00 (misty at first, sunny later)

Peregrine Falcon (in dead tree W of Noke Sides & hunting)

Marsh Harrier 2 (reedbeds)
Cetti's Warbler

Pintail 5 male (flight over Flood Field)
Bittern (first screen per Lee Oliver)
Common Snipe 12 (first screen)
Raven
Meadow Pipit c10 (by feeders in carpark field)

Old Caley's Diary

West Ginge: West Ginge Down: 30th December

West Ginge: West Ginge Down
4 Stonechat: 2m2f.

Mark Merritt

Standlake Pit 60: 30th December

Standlake Pit 60
Marsh Tit: At southern end of shifford lane bu footbridge. Annual but scarce here. Water body fogged out though. 11:20.

Mick Cunningham

Otmoor: 29th December

Otmoor
2 Woodcock: Over Moorleys at dusk.
2 Marsh Harrier: male and fem.
3 Cetti's Warbler: At least three separate individuals heard in song.
Barn Owl: Fresh pellet at the second screen.
62 Pied Wagtail: In flooded field opposite second screen.
2 Stonechat: male and fem. At second screen.

Ian Elkins

The Shelducks at Cote today. There was 6. Flew off west at 3. 15 pm when thye, gulls, lapwings and geese spooked by something unseen. The floodwaters here are receding rapidly but still quite good numbers of gulls.

Baulking Pit 28th December

Probable 2w Caspian Gull yesterday at dusk (per RBA). 

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Appleford New Workings 29th December

Golden Plover 10+

Lapwing 500+

Egyptian Goose 2 

Stonechat 2 (mf) 

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Ardington 29th December

Peregrine: Through to NE. SU4388. 10:00.

27th December

Ardington Wick
Caspian Gull: 2w. On flood just south of railway, E side of Ardington Lane. SU435910. 13:00.

Ardington Wick
3 Yellow-legged Gull: ad. On flood to west of village. SU432900. 13:00.

Leo Bateman

Dorchester-on-Thames - 29th December

Egyptian Goose at Day's Lock
Goosander drake downstream from there
No sign of White-fronted Geese reported again on RBA on 27th

Cote: 29th December

Cote
6 Shelduck: On flood. 12:40.

Mick Cunningham

Standlake Pit 60: 29th December

Standlake Pit 60
Marsh Harrier: Cream crown. No sign of smew on pit 27. 11:52.

Mick Cunningham

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames: 27th December

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames
2 Snipe: flushed south of shrike meadow and flew north. 15:00.

Alan Horsley

Smew Pit 27

'record shot' quality I know

Cholsey: 28th Dec

6 Shelduck (flyover).
2 Wigeon in a flooded field.

Both species new for the year in Cholsey.

Per Alan Dawson.

Caspian Gull

A 2w Caspian Gull at Cote briefly. Among c600 Lbbs, c20 Herring and 11 YLGs. Also, chiffchaff in the hedgerow.

Boarstall 28th December

Boarstall
4 Woodcock: SP617149. 14:00.

Colin Oram

Standlake: 28th December

Video grab courtesy of Mick Cunningham.

Smew f imm. Red head smew pit 27 from shifford lane currently (MC)
Still present at 15:45 - closest bird but still quite distant (per Jim Hutchins)

Walk down Shifford Lane/footpath,
Just before footbridge where you turn
left for the Pit 60 North hide, look over
metal gate to pit on right.

Mick Cunningham

Standlake Pit 60: 28th December

Standlake Pit 60
Great White Egret 12:30.
22 Pintail 12:30.
500 Teal 12:30.
Wigeon: 360. 12:30.

Mick Cunningham

Farmoor Reservoir 28th December

Slavonian Grebe still off N/W bank of F2 09:39 (per Peter Law). 

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Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 27th December

27th December

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Merlin: SP561140. 15:30.
2 Marsh Harrier: SP561140. 15:30.
Peregrine: SP561140. 15:30.
Barn Owl: Car Park field. SP563135. 16:30.

Steve Goddard

Farmoor Reservoir: Farmoor II: 27th December

27th December

Farmoor Reservoir: Farmoor II
Slavonian Grebe: in north west corner. 11:45.

Farmoor Reservoir: Farmoor I
10 Goldeneye: 1 drake. 13:15.
Grey Wagtail 13:30.
Egyptian Goose 13:00.

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames
2 Little Egret: flying south. 15:30.

Farmoor Reservoir: Pinkhill Lock
Stonechat: male. 11:00.

Alan Horsley

Standlake: 27th December

Standlake
2 Chiffchaff: In field at edge of village. 19:02.
11 Little Egret: On flooded field opposite village church. Seeing one or two around the village is not unusual. Double figure is. 19:02.

Mick Cunningham

Radley GP: Thrupp Lake: 27th December

Radley GP: Thrupp Lake
2 Little Egret: At evening roost. Up from zero a few days ago. 17:11.
63 Cormorant: At evening roost. A record site count? 17:11.

Ian Elkins

Port Meadow: 27th December

Port Meadow
160 Barnacle Goose: In 2 groups. Larger group of about 140 grazing beyond northern edge of floods towards Wolvercote. Other smaller group on small island of higher ground towards river. As I watched larger group, they took off as one and landed on water of the floods nearby. 15:15.

Andrew Siantonas

: 27th December

North Moreton
6 Yellow-legged Gull: ad. On the flooded airstrip and surrounding fields. Also GBB Gull and 7 Wigeon. SU568891. 11:00.

Sean Davies

Blenheim: Glyme Bridge: 26th December

Blenheim: Glyme Bridge
Great White Egret: Fishing opposite grey heron. Same height but very skinny neck. 23:00.

Tim Fenton

Farmoor Reservoir 26th December.

Med Gull 1st winter over F2.

Dai.

: 26th December

North Moreton
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. Among hundreds of large gulls on the flooded airstrip field. SU568891. 10:00.

Sean Davies

Farmoor Reservoir: 25th December

Farmoor Reservoir
Slavonian Grebe: Still in nw corner f2. 11:08.

Hector S

Christmas Trivia Quiz 2019

We would like to wish a very Happy Christmas and bird filled 2020 to all our authors, contributors, 
viewers, and those whose continued support has seen Oxonbirding flourish to what will become its tenth anniversary year.

Cheers 

Adam, Badger, Peter Law.

Twas a cold and godless night that found us commencing the quest.

Through flooded and darkened realms we sought out the Quizmaster,
An incarnation of classics, never sinister always right.
Silver was exchanged in return for a plethora of fiendish trickery and cryptic conundrums.
Good luck... 

We shall reveal the answers cometh the New Year.

Unidentified Flying Objects
1. Which bird has a white neck patch, a white throat, a long bill and red legs
2. What is found on Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler but not on Mallard and Gadwall
3. Which bird’s song has this distinctive ending – tuck tuck-zick-zik-zkzkzrrississss
4. What ID feature links Wood Sandpiper, Wilson’s Petrel, Common Guillemot and Little Egret
5. Name these birds - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I - -

Location, Location, Location
6. Where in the county can you find Peregrine, Merlin, Osprey and Kestrel in close proximity
7. Where do larophiles stay when they visit Farmoor
8. Where is the best site in Oxfordshire for Golden Pheasant
9. Where can you see Choughs in central Oxford

Cryptic Plumage
10. Britain’s first walking bird (9)
11. Messy green boots required to see this bird (5,5)
12. Bird starring in ‘Elvis is King’ (6)
13. Aquatic animal led back outside for this bird (8)
 
Dodgy Connections
14. What is the connection between Finch, Sparrow, Starling and Hawk
15. What do Siskin, Cuckoo, Woodcock and Snipe have in common
16. What theme connects Grey Partridge, Pintail, Green Woodpecker and Redshank
17. What links a bird of prey and a table-top game
18. Which bird is associated with the city/towns of Bristol, Cheltenham and Swindon
 
Stuff and Nonsense
19. If still alive, which 2019 visitor to Oxfordshire might return in 2069
20. What is the UK’s commonest breeding bird
21. Which two British bird names contain only five vowels but have one each of a,e,i,o,u
22. Which of these is not a ‘slang’ term for a British bird – Masher, Thug, Oyk, Gypo, Prune
23. Which British bird has the longest scientific name
24. Which is the odd one out – Coil, Spring, Watch, Clock, Chime
25. Which is the only true ‘seagull’
26. Which bird was lost as a regular breeding bird in Oxfordshire in 1967
27. Name two birds that Edward Spooner (the famous Oxford don) was told NOT to mention
28. In Scrabble which British bird would score the most points using only the 7 letters on your rack
29. Which UK bird population crashed from 4,400 individuals to only 40 between 2005 and 2012
30. In total how many birds are mentioned in the carol ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’

Chimney/Duxford : 24th December

4 Stonechat
2 Marsh Harriers
2 Chiffchaff

Otmoor 24th December

07:30-

Hen Harrier 2 ringtails (reedbed)

Peregrine Falcon

Marsh Harrier
Lapwing & Golden Plover 1000’s
Raven
Cetti’s Warbler

Cote: 24th December

Cote
Caspian Gull: 3w. Area is very flooded, gulls and lapwings, greylag and Egyptian geese and mute swans widely dispersed. Still no Med Gull. 17:55.

Mick Cunningham

Cholsey: 23rd December

Cholsey
Stonechat: female-type. On reedmace around ponds on Cholsey Fairmile estate. SU599859. 14:00.

Michael Pocock

Farmoor Reservoir 24th December

Slavonian Grebe still present this morning (per RBA). 

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Oxford: 24th December

Magdalen bridge: 1 kingfisher (regular the last ~10 days), 1 male goosander.

Cholsey 24th December

A Ruff present on floods along the Hithercroft area of Cholsey @ 15:00.

Bicester Wetland Reserve 24th December

94 Teal
5 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
3 Little Grebe
2 Kestrel
1 GSW

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Kestrel at Otmoor

Farmoor Reservoir 23rd December

Slavonian Grebe off N/W bank of F2 12:40
Scaup

Goldeneye 3
Cetti's Warbler
70 Snow Goose: Feeding on grass on South side of reservoir. 12:23 (per Chris Eddy)

Slavonian Grebe courtesy of John Workman.

Goldeneye at Farmoor courtesy of Paul Tomlinson.

Stonefield 23rd December

Brambling (per Wreny) 

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: 23rd December

Goosander: male. Flew over.


2 Buzzard


Ring-necked Parakeet: In gardens of Arlington Drive.

Great Rollright: 22nd December

Great Rollright
Peregrine: juv. Hunting over escarpment to the N of Great Rollright on Oxon/Warks border - swooped down to try to take Wood Pidgeon over Long Copse. SP317324. 12:30.
2 Raven: SP317324. 12:30.
40 Redwing: SP317324. 12:30.
2 Mistle Thrush: SP317324. 12:30.
Great Spotted Woodpecker: H/O. SP317324. 12:30.
Pied Wagtail: SP317324. 12:30.

Steve Akers

Port Meadow: 22nd December

Port Meadow
150 Barnacle Goose
2 Pintail: m & f.
Pochard: m. Patch rarity: less than annual.

Adam Hartley

Oxford: 22nd December

Lamarsh rd (off Botley rd). 12:00 - Peregrine flew up to pylon behind Hobbycraft carrying prey. Sat on pylon eating prey and preening for ~1hr, left in direction of Oatlands rd recreation ground.

Farmoor Sunday 22nd December

10:00-12:00

Slavonian Grebe (F2 NW corner)

Greater Scaup 2, fem & juv (F1 NW corner)

Standlake LWV Pit 60: 22nd December

Marsh Harrier 1
Pintail 42

Grey Partridge Cholsey courtesy of Alan Dawson.

Otmoor: 22nd December

6 Ruff: At least six. 11:24.
8 Dunlin 11:24.
Merlin
2 Shelduck

Peter Alfrey

Farmoor Res - 21 December

1 Siskin at Shrike Meadow (briefly am)
1 Slavonian Grebe, NW corner F2

Slavonian Grebe (c) Stephen Burch

Go to this page on my website for a higher res image

Henley Road GPs: 21st December

Henley Road GPs
2 Egyptian Goose 12:05.

John Kearns

Farmoor: 21st December

Slavonian Grebe 1, F2 at w end of causeway
Scaup 2, F1
Aythya hybrid 1, F1

Lands End

1m Stonechat on fence by road. SU450833. Just in Oxon, as on N side of road!

RSPB Otmoor over Christmas and the New Year

Over recent years, the Otmoor car park has been at its busiest during the Christmas and, particularly the New Year period. Afternoons and the time around the starling murmuration have been particularly hectic with significant increases in visitor numbers.

If possible, please avoid using the car park during this time as the increase in traffic causes damage to the road verges and car park edges and we find that gates onto the reserve get blocked meaning emergency vehicle access is impossible.

Many thanks for your co-operation and patience in this matter during what is a very difficult time for the reserve.

The Otmoor team

Sarsgrove: 19th December

Sarsgrove
34 Golden Plover: Flying back and forth overhead - did not appear to settle. 11:30.

Steve Akers

LWV Pit 10: 18th December

LWV Pit 10
Chiffchaff 15:41.

Mick Cunningham

Standlake Pit 60

Access to either hide currently requires snorkel wetsuit and flippers!

Radley GPs 16th December

Egyptian Goose 17+ on Thrupp Lake. 

Teal c20

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Abingdon Sewage Works 16th December

Probable Siberian Chiffchaff tristis in hedge near the sewage works (per Paul Edwards)
OX14 5SR.

Cote: 16th December

Cote
Chiffchaff: Flitting about in river side willows. 16:17.

Mick Cunningham

Otmoor WeBS 16th December

Black headed gull- 241
Canada Goose- 738
Coot- 22
Cormorant- 2
Dunlin-9
Gadwall- 47
Golden Plover- 6230
Grey Heron- 3
Greylag Goose- 319
Kingfisher- 2
Lapwing- 5883
Lesser black backed gull- 10
Mallard- 240
Moorhen-19
Mute swan- 10
Pintail- 37
Pochard- 3
Shelduck- 1
Shoveler- 179
Snipe- 6
Teal- 1440
Tufted Duck- 16
Water Rail - 4
Wigeon- 2168

Blenheim: 16th December

Great White Egret 11:33
2 Raven 11:38.
Egyptian Goose 11:38.

( per Mark Pidgeon)

Duxford: 15th December

Marsh Harrier
(presumably the same bird seen recently at Pit 60)

Waterstock: River Thame: 15th December

Woodcock 09:30.
Stonechat 09:30.

Barnacle Goose 09:30.

2 Mandarin Duck 09:30.

2 Egyptian Goose 09:30.

Nick Marriner

Bicester 15th October

08:00

Sparrowhawk (early morning visitor to garden)

Old Caley's Diary

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 15th December

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
7 Dunlin 12:00.
Ruff 12:00.

Isaac West

Standlake: 15th December

Standlake
3 Raven: Flew over village calling. Fairly regular here. 15:31.

Mick Cunningham

Otmoor: 15th December

Otmoor
4 Dunlin: Amongst approx 3500 Golden Plover and 2250 Lapwing. 15:31.

Peter Alfrey

Yelford: 15th December

Yelford
Caspian Gull: Adult in a flooded field with other large gulls. 13:16.

Mick Cunningham

Port Meadow: 15th December

Port Meadow
150 Barnacle Goose
6 Pintail: 4m 2f.
2 Gadwall
70 Lapwing
2 Golden Plover

Adam Hartley

Standlake Pit 60: 15th December

Standlake Pit 60
10 Shoveler: Quick visit. Langley hide only. Area has flooded since yesterday. Almost welly top near hide. Birds much as yesterday except arrival of shoveler. 10:59.

Mick Cunningham

: 14th December

22 Wigeon


25 Teal


Ring-necked Parakeet

: 14th December

Boarstall
8 Woodcock: Minimum count flushed from woods. SP619159. 12:00.

Colin Oram

Port Meadow: 14th December

14th December

Port Meadow
3 Shelduck: On the floods along with usual large numbers of wigeon, teal and shoveller. 15:00.
120 Barnacle Goose: Large flock grazing just north of floods along with usual canada and barnacle geese. 15:00.

Port Meadow: The Perch
Redshank: On narrow strip of river bank opposite the Perch. 15:30.

Port Meadow: Godstow
5 Goosander: 3 male, 2 fem. Together on river a little below Godstow lock. 15:30.

Andrew Siantonas

Standlake Pit 60: 14th December

Standlake Pit 60
3000 Starling: Intro roost. Being hunted by sparrow hawk. Also 9 goosander. 16:21.

Mick Cunningham

Cote: 14th December

Cote
3075 Lapwing: Flooded fields. 16:18.
142 Golden Plover 16:18.

Mick Cunningham

A329 near Moulsford: 14th December

A329 near Moulsford
Raven: Heard *not* seen - a couple of cronks, prob over river and closer to Moulsford. Not seen or heard here for at least 3 years. SU5985. 11:00.

Mike Amphlett

Standlake pit 60: 14th December

Merlin 1m
Great White Egret 3
Marsh Harrier 1
Pintail 50
Teal >1100

(SNT, Mick Cunningham)

Oxford 13th December

09:15 - Peregrine back on Magdalen Tower with prey. This seems a typical routine for the winter months: hunt early in the morning, bring prey back to tower and eat by ~10am. Bits and pieces of the meals can be found on the sidewalk below the tower. While these are often pigeons, woodcock feathers were found on 19 Nov, and the remains of a male teal on 31 Jan.

Otmoor: 13th December (Afternoon)

2 Ruff  (with Lapwing flock on Big Otmoor)
1+ Curlew
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail)

Dix Pit 13th December

2 Great White Egret
Shag (1w) on northern island
10 Little Egret
6 Goldeneye (2m, 4f)
c200 Red-crested Pochard
Kingfisher
Siskin

Otmoor: 13th December

Otmoor
2 Stonechat: a male and a female stonechat on big otmoor. SP552136. 14:39.

Hector S

Chinnor: Cement Works: 13th December

Chinnor: Cement Works
Stonechat: fem. by park. 14:06.

Luke Marriner

Little Wittenham 13th December

White-fronted Goose 3 still in field near Days Lock 11:00 (per Leo Bateman).

Park at the church OX14 4RB and follow track down the hill and follow footpath over the river to view the fields.

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Bicester Wetland Reserve 13th December

1 Green Sandpiper
350 plus Teal
10 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
7 Heron
1 Little Egret
1 Little Grebe

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Farmoor Reservoir 13th December

Scaup 2

+Hybrid 

(per Ewan Urquhart) 

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Standlake Pit 60: 12 December

1 GWE
1 Marsh Harrier
8+ Goldeneye
All in "poor" conditions!

Goldeneye displaying (c) Stephen Burch

www.stephenburch.com

New Marston: 12th December

New Marston
2 Common Crossbill: male. On garden feeder. SP524072. 09:45.

Trevor Stevens

Oxford 12th December

Peregrine on Magdalen Tower 08:35 (per Andy Last). 

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Standlake Pit 60: 11th December

11:00 - 12:00

2 x Great White Egret
Sparrow hawk

Cholsey: 11th Dec

1 Merlin, Lollingdon.
3 Peregrine, Cholsey

Dix Pit:10 the December

08:30
3 x Great White Egret

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 9th December

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake
2 Great White Egret: one by the seven arches, one on the lake.
7 Little Egret
17 Grey Heron
78 Gadwall
Kingfisher
18 Little Grebe

Bob Pomfret

Port Meadow: 10th December

Port Meadow
2 Yellow-legged Gull: ad and 1w. 16:31.
Goosander: male. 16:31.

Thomas Miller

Little Wittenham 10th December

White-fronted Geese 3 still present this morning (per comments). 

Park at the church and follow track down the hill to footpath over the river to view fields. 

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Blenheim Park 9th December

Courtesy of Julie Dickson.

Great white Egret 3

Little Egret 8

Raven

Kingfisher 

(per Dave Doherty) 

Courtesy of Julie Dickson.

Farmoor Reservoir: 9th December

Farmoor Reservoir
5 Goldeneye 13:50.
Kingfisher 13:50.
2 Bullfinch 13:50.
Little Egret 13:50.
Common Sandpiper 13:50.
Snipe 13:50.
Marsh Tit 13:50.
Wigeon 13:50.

Michael Violette

Dix Pit:9th December

08:00
2 x Great White Egret Still

Little Wittenham: 9th December

Courtesy of Alan Dawson.

3 White-fronted Goose: Still in same spot. Flying between original field and flooded field east of there. SU568936. 11:35.

Conor MacKenzie

Courtesy of Alan Dawson.

Courtesy of Alan Dawson.

Standlake Pit 60: 9th December

12:00
Great White Egret
Marsh Harrier

Otmoor: 8th December

Courtesy of John Workman.

Crane: on Greenaways. Leg rings: blue over yellow (rt); blue (left).
Marsh Harrier: male. over Greenaways.
Peregrine
Cetti's Warbler: heard in song.
2 Raven

Ian Elkins

Courtesy of John Workman.

Otmoor, Sunday 8th December

09-12:00

Peregrine

Bittern

Marsh Harrier

Shelduck

Common Snipe (10+)
Golden Plover (2000+)
Lapwing (2000+)
Raven (2)

Old Caley's Diary

Little Wittenham 8th December

White-fronted Geese 3 still present 09:27 with Greylags (per Peter Law). 

Park at the church and follow footpath down the hill and over the river to view field on the right. 

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Betterton: 7th December

Betterton
2 Stonechat: Pair, on fence line at edge of parking area. SU435866. 13:45.

Leo Bateman

Port Meadow: 6th December

6th December

Port Meadow
Caspian Gull: 1w. 16:00.
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 16:00.

7th December
2 Yellow-legged Gull: ad and 1w. 15:45.
3 Goosander: 2 male 1 fem. 15:45.

Thomas Miller

Dix Pit 7th December 2019

1315-1345hrs

Great White Egret 2
Little Egret 10
Red crested Pochard 69
Black Swan 1

Farmoor Res 7th December 2019

Greater Scaup 2 - Ad f & first year
Common Sandpiper 1
Water Rail 2
Little Grebe 12

Marsh Tit 1
European Stonechat 2 mf

Little Wittenham 7th December

Some wobbly vid.

White-fronted Geese 3 still present amongst the Canada Geese 15:40.
Park at church and follow footpath over the river to view flooded field on the left.

Goosander (f) on the Thames.

Probable 3 White-fronted Goose: ? Over bridge on right. SU567933. 12:33.

Hector S

Linch Hill (LWV Pit 18): 7th December

Linch Hill (LWV Pit 18)
Cetti's Warbler: Was actually on another pit on the complex at SP422040 Fairly birdless otherwise Kingfisher Green woodpecker. 14:43.

Mick Cunningham

Cote: 7th December

Cote
1453 Lapwing: In flooded fields with 996 lesser- black backed gulls 14 herring 20 yellow legged gulls C2k black headed gulls Only 8 common gulls No gull species had many young birds. 6 Egyptian geese 4 wigeon. 14:37.

Mick Cunningham

LWV Pit 60: 7th December

Great White Egret 1
Pintail 43
Gadwall 219
Goosander 15, pit 27

Dix Pit: 7th December

09:00

2 x Great White Egret

Chilswell valley: 7th December

Chilswell valley
Marsh Tit 09:07.

D Moden

Farmoor Reservoir 6th December 2019

1300-1320hrs

Greater Scaup 2  (Ad f & first year )
Little Egret 1
Water Rail 2
Cetti's Warbler 1
Grey Wagtail 1

Snow Geese feral flock

rspb. Otmoor. 6th. December.

Yellowhammer.

 2. Sparrowhawk.
Curlew, one of several currently being seen.
2. Stonechat.
2. Marsh Harrier.  (m. and f.)
Merlin.  Per. R. and L.E.
2. Hen Harrier.  (ringtails)
Barn Owl.
Pintail.
Peregrine.

Stonechat.

Hen Harrier.

Standlake Pit 60: 6th December

Standlake Pit 60
383 Teal: Probably an under count as all ducks flushed by low flying kite. Teal influx as water drops. 13:07.
39 Pintail: Many female/eclipse/juv. 13:07.
39 Wigeon: Reduced. 13:07.
7 Shoveler 13:07.
8 Goldeneye 13:07.

Mick Cunningham

Dix Pit: 6th December

09:00

Great White Egret still with 3 Little Egret

Eynsham - 5th Dec

Short-eared Owl to east of town again at 14:50 (per Richard Green)

Cholsey: 5th December

Cholsey
Blackcap: male. First of the winter in our Cholsey village garden. 10:05.

Michael Pocock

Port Meadow: 4th December

Port Meadow
2 Gadwall 16:11.

Colm O Caomhanaigh

Farmoor Res 4th December

Snipe courtesy of John Workman.

1215-1400hrs

Knot 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Common Snipe 30+ - Shrike Meadow
Water Rail 1 - Shrike Meadow

Greater Scaup 2
Eurasian Teal 5
Common Pochard 4

European Stonechat 2
Redwing 80+
Fieldfare 20+

rspb Otmoor Reserve 3rd December

Black-tailed Godwit 

Redshank 

Probable Dunlin

With the Golden Plover flock. 

(per Adam Bassett) 

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Buscot Park 3rd December

Pink-footed Goose in field with Greylag Geese (per RBA). 

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Port Meadow: 3rd December

Port Meadow
2 Shelduck 15:30.

Andrew Siantonas

Farmoor. 3rd December.

No sightings of Slavonian Grebe this morning.
Knot.
Common Sandpiper.
Scaup (f) still present.

Per.  Dai,  T.S.

Mid Cherwell Valley 2nd December

Between Aynho Wharf & Somerton Bridge. 

Wigeon c310
Teal c100

Gadwall c30

Shoveler 10

Pintail 1

Dunlin 6

Lapwing 75

Water Rail (h) 

(per Colin Wilkinson) 

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Farmoor Reservoir 2nd December

Common Sandpiper

1230-1330hrs

Slavonian Grebe 1 - still in NW corner of Farmoor 2
Greater Scaup 2 (ad f & first year) - NW corner of Farmoor 2
Common Shelduck 3 - Farmoor 1

Common Sandpiper 1
Greater Black backed Gull 1 adult

Farmoor Reservoir 2nd December

Slavonian Grebe still present off N/W bank of F2 13:18 (per Ewan Urquhart). 

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Standlake Pit 60: 2nd December

After Mick had left

2 interacting marsh harrier  - both cream crowned but one noticeable smaller than the other (first time I have seen a "pair" at Pit 60)

Standlake Pit 60: 2nd December

Standlake Pit 60
Marsh Harrier: Same cream crown. 11:17.
18 Pintail: Increase, presumably owing to cold. 11:17.
269 Wigeon: Influx. 11:17.
38 Teal 11:17.
11 Shoveler: Reduced. 11:17.
7 Goldeneye 11:17.
5 Pochard: Reduced. 11:17.

Mick Cunningham

Worton: 1st December

Worton
5 Pintail: 3m + 2f. SP460112. 19:59.
Pochard: f. SP460112. 19:59.

Malcolm Teal

Grimsbury Res 1st December

A surprise fly-through adult Med Gull in the fading light this evening. Also 1m Goosander.

Yesterday, 2 Goldeneye (first for 3 years!), as well as Pochard & Gadwall (also scarce here).

Farmoor Res 1st December

0830-1300hrs

Slavonian Grebe 1 - mainly in NW corner of Farmoor 2
Greater Scaup 2 - ad f & first year - off the causeway towards northern end
Common Pochard 4

Little Egret 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1 adult
Water Rail 1 - Pinkhill 

+ usual suspects: Snow Geese flock and aberrant white Coot