Otmoor 31st July

Marsh Harrier: dark immature mobbing 3 kites.
Hobby: only one, distant, despite lots of dragonflies.

Anthony Cheke

Kings Lock: 31st July

Kings Lock
2 Egyptian Goose 16:30.

Matthew Doorly

Frilford 31st July

Great white Egret flew over A415 towards Millets Farm lake at 16:50 (per Keith Clack).

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Burford 31st July

Presumed escaped White Pelican over Cotswold Wildlife Park c12:15 (per Tom Bedford).

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Chipping Norton: 31st July

Chipping Norton
2 Green Sandpiper: Feeding in margins of small lake on Cornwell Estate - very vocal. SP283268. 07:30.
Snipe: Circling over calling. SP283268. 07:30.
2 Grey Heron: SP283268. 07:30.
4 Reed Bunting: SP283268. 07:30.
10 House Martin: Swooping down to skim and drink from lake. SP283268. 07:30.
Lesser Whitethroat: SP283268. 07:30.

Steve Akers

Grimsbury Res: 30th July

1 juv Med Gull
2 adult YLGs
2 Common Sands
1 juv Common Gull

Appleford: Appleford GP: 30th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
4 Green Sandpiper 15:55.
3 Common Sandpiper 15:55.
2 Oystercatcher 15:55.
2 Little Ringed Plover 15:55.
9 Egyptian Goose 15:55.
5 Little Egret 15:55.

Conor MacKenzie

Bicester Wetland Reserve 30th July

1 Turtle Dove in flight, very scarce for reserve
3 Green Sandpiper
7 Heron
1 juv. Little Grebe
2 Teal

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Stonefield Common 30th July

Whinchat at Stonefield Common (per Paul Wren).

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Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 29th July

Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course
8 Common Sandpiper 05:10.
4 Oystercatcher 05:10.
Yellow Wagtail 05:10.
2 Hobby 05:10.

Luke Marriner

Chipping Norton: 29th July

Chipping Norton
2 Green Sandpiper: Still present feeding in margins of the small lake on Cornwell Estate. SP283268. 09:00.
2 Grey Heron: SP283268. 09:00.

Steve Akers

East Challow 29th July

No sign of the Rose-coloured Starling by 09:28 (per Mark Pidgeon et al).

Again no sign this evening (per Steve Goddard et al.).


Hobby 08:30.
Sparrowhawk 08:30.
Red Kite 08:30.

(per Mark Pidgeon)

For those who are interested in seeing the bird, it is extremely mobile with no clear pattern of behaviour. However, some of the more likely spots to try are marked in green on the map below. Yesterday morning it was on the roof tops of Hedge Hill Rd near the Field Gdns junction. It also often seems to come to the tallest tree by the church in the evening. Yesterday evening it was on the wires on the opposite side of the road to the church and also down in the farm yard there as 

East Challow - 28 July am

Rose-coloured Starling at 07:20

Rose-coloured Starling (c) Stephen Burch

For a larger image, go to this page on my website

Farmoor Reservoir: 28th July

Farmoor Reservoir
15 Black-tailed Godwit: Over high 13;00. SP445065. 22:59.

Paul Butler

Kings Lock: 28th July

Kings Lock
2 Egyptian Goose: Two Egyptian Geese, with Mallards, a Moorhen and Mute Swans at King's Lock. 17:40.

Matthew Doorly

East Challow 28th July

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING adult still present 19:55 in trees by church until flushed by a Hobby

(per Adam et. al).

Crog Hill: 28th July

Crog Hill
Quail: 1 possibly 2 calling. 12:00.
Grey Partridge 12:00.

Colin Oram

Chipping Norton: 28th July

Chipping Norton
2 Green Sandpiper: Feeding on margins of small lake on Cornwell Estate - very good view possible if approached with stealth using hedge around lake as cover. SP283268. 09:00.
Grey Heron: SP283268. 09:00.

Steve Akers

East Challow 28th July

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING (ad) still present  East Challow in Hedge Hill Road at junction with Field Gardens10:06.

Still present 1:30 pm though mobile (per RBA)
 
per Connor Mackenzie et al

courtesy of Conor Mackenzie

courtesy of Conor Mackenzie

East Challow - 27th July

This is the third Rosy Starling report I've checked out recently (the first two turned out to be leucistic Starlings). Third time lucky! Thanks to Mark and Steve for making it such a remarkable story. Very mobile. Toured the village and was last seen heading out to the surrounding farmland.

East Challow: 27th Jul.

That moment when your phone rings and it's the County Recorder:

"There's an adult Rosy Starling in Challow"
"Wherabouts?"

...and then you look out of the window...

Sincere apologies to Ian  for the foul-mouthed outburst!

Last seen in the area around the Village Hall and Church - very mobile.

Port Meadow: 27th July

Port Meadow
4 Egyptian Goose: Four Egyptian Geese together amongst the usual Greylag flock on Port Meadow. Most I've seen together there. 17:30.

Matthew Doorly

: 27th July

Shutford
Osprey: Flying slowly into wind south of village, drifted off towards Tadmarton. SP386394. 16:30.

Steve Holliday

Chipping Norton: 27th July

Chipping Norton
3 Green Sandpiper: Most ever seen here. SP283268. 09:00.
11 Swift: SP283268. 09:00.
Great Spotted Woodpecker: SP283268. 09:00.

Steve Akers

Cassington GPs: 26th July

Cassington GPs
2 Green Sandpiper 19:00.
Black-tailed Godwit 19:00.

Malcolm Teal

Blewbury: 26th July

Blewbury
Whinchat: Male in scrub along ridgeway. 21:02.
2 Quail: 2 signing. Both heard togther occasionally. 21:02.
2 Grey Partridge 21:02.

Conor MacKenzie

Appleford: Appleford GP: 26th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
3 Oystercatcher 19:30.
10 Egyptian Goose 19:30.

Gean Duval

Otmoor 26th PM

Redstart (m)
2 Juv Stonechats

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Appleford: Appleford GP: 26th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
Greenshank 19:30.
7 Green Sandpiper 19:30.
3 Little Ringed Plover 19:30.
4 Common Sandpiper 19:30.

Gean Duval

Stonesfield Common

Male Redstart courtesy of Paul Wren

Farmoor 26 July

One of two Sanderling on the causeway this evening.

Kings Lock: 26th July

Kings Lock
Egyptian Goose 16:30.

Andrew Siantonas

Chipping Norton: 26th July

Chipping Norton
Raven: Soaring high above the small lake on the Cornwell Estate cronking. SP284268. 10:00.
4 Red Kite: Circling beneath the Raven. SP284268. 10:00.
Kestrel: f. SP284268. 10:00.
Lesser Whitethroat: SP284268. 10:00.

Steve Akers

Sonning Eye GPs: 26th July

Sonning Eye GPs
4 Egyptian Goose 11:20.

Ralph Watts

Headington: 24th July

Headington
10 Common Scoter: Nocmig. Flock of Common Scoter heard live when doing the moth trap. Around 50+ calls over a period of 30 seconds. 04:11.

Isaac West

Dix Pit: 26th July

Dix Pit
2 Oystercatcher: SP406053. 10:38.
4 Common Sandpiper: SP406053. 10:38.
2 Redstart: juv. SP406053. 10:38.

George Best

: 25th July

Chipping Norton
2 Green Sandpiper: Pair flew from margins of small lake on Cornwall Estate. SP284268. 17:40.

Chipping Norton
Mandarin Duck: In group of twenty female Mallard. SP284268. 17:40.

Chipping Norton
Reed Bunting: male. Feeding on bulrush heads. SP284268. 17:40.

Steve Akers

Bicester Wetlands Reserve, 25th July

11:00-45

Cattle Bridge Pool

Greenshank

Green Sandpiper (c15 per AP)

Swift 20+
Sand Martin 10+

Old Caley's Diary

Appleford: Appleford GP: 25th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
3 Little Ringed Plover 16:14.
2 Green Sandpiper 16:14.
2 Oystercatcher 16:14.

Conor MacKenzie

Dry Sandford Pit: 25th July

Dry Sandford Pit
Peregrine 11:00.

Ian Elkins

Port Meadow 25th July

Quail calling in the early hours from Burgess Field (Nick Boyd).

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Farmoor Reservoir 24th July

                0900-1015hrs

           
                Sanderling 2

               adult (above) and juvenile - not often seen at Farmoor in this post breeding worn plumage                                                    

Bicester Wetland Reserve 24th July

Good birds, poor pictures
1 Greenshank
9 Green Sandpipers

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Fyfield Wick: 21st July

Fyfield Wick
Oystercatcher: Heard calling and seen flying north, Standlake pits direction. SU413970. 17:00.

Peter Pool

Fyfield Wick: 24th July

Fyfield Wick
2 Raven: Flying west separately and calling constantly. SU412971. 11:00.

Peter Pool

Chesterton: 24th July

Chesterton
4 Green Sandpiper: feeding in a wet patch on farmland. 08:30.

Laurie Bryant

Bicester Wetland Reserve: 24th July

Bicester Wetland Reserve
11 Green Sandpiper 10:00.
Greenshank 10:00.

Laurie Bryant

Lollingdon Hill 23rd July

Redstart 3 (per Paul Chandler et al).

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Appleford GPs 23rd July

Turnstone over early evening
Greenshank

Green Sandpiper 3+

Common Sandpiper 

Little-ringed Plover 2 (1juv)

Lapwing 20+
Peregrine 

Little Egret 2

Teal 4

(SNT,Badger et al)

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Farmoor 23rd July

Garganey  1
Turnstone  1

Kings Lock: 23rd July

Kings Lock
Egyptian Goose: One Egyptian Goose, with mallards feeding by the weir at King's Lock. 16:30.

Matthew Doorly

Juniper Valley: 23rd July

Juniper Valley
3 Redstart: 2m 1f. 17:21.

John Taylor

Juvenile Spotted Flycatchers south Oxon courtesy of D.Ferret.

Devil's Punchbowl: 23rd July

Devil's Punchbowl
Whinchat 17:19.
Stonechat: fem. 17:19.

John Taylor

Farmoor Res 23rd July 2020

1045-1230hrs

Little Ringed Plover 1 juvenile
Common Sandpiper 1
Raven 1
Common Tern 2

Cholsey 22nd July

Whinchat courtesy of Alan Dawson.

Redstart 2 at Lollingdon Hill

Whinchat along the Bunk Line 

(per Paul Chandler, Alan Dawson).

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Chipping Norton: 22nd July

Chipping Norton
30 Swift: Thirty plus Swift over The Leys this evening flying in vicinity of a circling female Sparrowhawk but not obviously mobbing it - great to see so many Swift - most this summer. 20:15.
Sparrowhawk: fem. 20:15.
2 Kestrel: juv. Again circling and calling in the vicinity of the Swifts - unusual to see this. 20:15.

Steve Akers

Curlews on Otmoor rspb courtesy of John Workman.

Ardington 22nd July

Ardington
Marsh Harrier: juv. Soaring SE of village, headed west. SU437885. 18:30.

Leo Bateman

Farmoor Reservoir 21st July

1100-1145hrs

Turnstone 1
Yellow Wagtail 1
House Martin 25+
Sparrowhawk 1f 
Common Tern 3
Mute Swan 35

Appleford: Appleford GP: 21st July

Appleford: Appleford GP
Green Sandpiper: possibly 2.
Greenshank
Yellow-legged Gull: at least 1 with other gulls.
9 Egyptian Goose

Anthony Cheke

East Challow: 20th July

Not much to set the pulse racing in terms of scarcity when it comes to the humble Blackbird; it is however 'less than annual' in my dining room.

Long Wittenham: River Thames: 20th July

Long Wittenham: River Thames
21 Egyptian Goose 20:00.

Alex Edgar

Green Woodpeckers Graven Hill (ad & juv) courtesy of Patricia Clissold.

Otmoor: 20th July

Otmoor
3 Redstart 20:30.

Peter Alfrey

Standlake: 20th July

Standlake
Spotted Flycatcher: ad or 1st s. Still present this evening. On Broad Bridges Rd at junction with Northmoor Rd. 19:27.

Mick Cunningham

Chinnor: Cement Works: 20th July

Chinnor: Cement Works
3 Little Ringed Plover: On islands Lake 2b. 09:30.
Dunlin: 1 on islands Lake 2b. 09:30.

David Stracey

Standlake: 20th July

Standlake
Whinchat: On track down to totally inaccessible village sewage works. In company with family of whitethroats. What with spot fly yesterday standlake is rocking by usual standards. There's post breeding dispersal here after all! 17:03.

Mick Cunningham

Appleford: Appleford GP: 19th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
3 Common Sandpiper: One individual with apparent broken leg. 15:00.
Little Ringed Plover 15:00.
2 Oystercatcher 15:00.

Isaac West

Crog Hill 19th July

Quail c3 this afternoon h/o

Raven 2

(per Andy Last).

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Redstart male at Lollingdon Hill 19/7 courtesy of Alan Dawson.

River Thames: nr Yarnton: 19th July

River Thames: nr Yarnton
Egyptian Goose: In pool below King's Lock along with mallards and Canada Geese. 15:30.

Andrew Siantonas

Farmoor 19th July

3 Turnstone causeway.

Friends of Farmoor.

Standlake: 19th July

Standlake
Spotted Flycatcher: ad or 1st summer. not this year's juv. Hunting from fence Broad Bridges area. Dispersing failed breeder? Never seen this species at Broad Bridges. 14:21.

Mick Cunningham

A hoax or a genuine mis-id?

Yesterday a photo and comments were posted on the “Cholsey Village” Facebook page regarding a White-tailed Eagle.

The comment was “Spotted this fella yesterday at the top of Westfield lane while heading for the A417. A bit strange that a Sea Eagle is in the middle of the countryside! He seems to have taken up residence”

A couple of us have challenged and asked questions regarding the sighting but so far there has been no reply from the finder.

I managed to track down the photo used to a Raptor persecution web page dated 2014 and the photo was taken by Mike Watson in Scotland.

There seems to be an idea that Eagles are frequent in the area so I am going to post a few facts on some local FB pages.

Ardley EDF re-cycling site 19th July

7 Green Sandpiper

1 Common Sandpiper

1 Little Egret

1 Peregrine flyover

Water is very low in man made lake, lots of sandy mud on edges.

Alan Peters

Woodeaton: Woodeaton Wood: 18th July

Woodeaton: Woodeaton Wood
100 Swift: At least 100 feeding low over the road just below the wood. 19:00.

Tom Evans

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 18th July

New Marston: New Marston Meadows
Reed Warbler

Tom Evans

Oxfordshire 18th July

Spotted Flycatchers  Adult and fledged young

Otmoor, 18th July

Saunders Field, 09-11:00

Common Redstart, 2 male

Whinchat, juv

Curlew, 3

Hobby

Marsh Harrier, male

Willow Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler (heard only)

Old Caley's Dairy

Bicester Wetland Reserve 18th July

1 Greenshank
8 Green Sandpiper
6 Heron

Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Otmoor: Long Meadow: 18th July

Otmoor: Long Meadow
Redstart: Male. 09:49.

Hector S

Appleford: Appleford GP: 17th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
3 Greenshank 19:31.
Redshank 19:31.
3 Green Sandpiper 19:31.
Dunlin 19:31.
2 Common Sandpiper 19:31.

Dave Eccles

Buscot: Buscot Park: 16th July

Buscot: Buscot Park
Common Sandpiper: One on Little Lake. SU241971. 15:00.

Stephen Burch

Farmoor: 16th July

Dunlin 2 along the causeway (per Jeremy Dexter).

Buscot: Buscot Park: 16th July

Buscot: Buscot Park
3 Common Crossbill: Flying over, heading south calling. SU241969. 15:00.

Stephen Burch

Fyfield Wick: 16th July

Fyfield Wick
3 Spotted Flycatcher: Lots of calling then 3 flew from tree out of view. Not sure of ad & juv mix ? 07:55.
2 Oystercatcher: A pair have been frequenting the main lake for several weeks. 07:55.

Jed Cleeter

Chinnor: 15th July

Chinnor
Hobby: 1 over field north of Lane Farm. SP755018. 20:00.

David Stracey

Farmoor 15th July

Common Tern juvenile

Common Tern adult

Letcombe Regis: 15th July

Wood Warbler: SU377858. 17:03.
Spotted Flycatcher

Paul Butler

Appleford: Appleford GP: 15th July

Appleford: Appleford GP
3 Little Egret 09:15.
2 Little Ringed Plover 09:15.
Redshank 09:15.
10 Canada Goose: Plus. All birds seen with Gray B. 9:15 to 12:05. 09:15.
Mistle Thrush

Ralph Watts

Watlington Hill: 14th July

Watlington Hill
2 Spotted Flycatcher 15:00.

Jackie Newcombe

Crog Hill. 14th July.

Quail. (4 plus birds) still calling from crop field north of gallops.  5.30pm - 6.30pm.
Whinchat.

Courtesy of Tezzer.

Chinnor: Cement Works: 14th July

Chinnor: Cement Works
4 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 10:30.

David Stracey

South Leigh: 14th July

South Leigh
Grey Partridge 19:45.

Richard Catling

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 14th July

Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill
Redstart: fem/imm.
7 Yellow Wagtail: inc. juvs.
Raven
Grey Partridge: (h).
Yellow-legged Gull: 2S, over with small group of Black-backs.
7 Corn Bunting
9 Meadow Pipit

Mark Merritt

Lower Radley: 14th July

Lower Radley
Common Crossbill: Heard calling over Lockwood. At least 1. SU529971. 11:54.

Conor MacKenzie

: 13th July

Baulking Pit
Grey Partridge: H. SU322909.

Mark Merritt

Farmoor Reservoir 13th July

Wheatear (moulting adult) at Farmoor courtesy of Dave Murphy.