October 2021 Review

Headline bird

Whilst an unusually slow October nationally for birding was replicated in part in Oxfordshire over the last month, there were still plenty of excellent records. October 23^rd was the day to find something with a Pectoral Sandpiper, 5 Whooper Swan, a Scaup, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Hawfinch, a Ring Ouzel and a first site record Cattle Egret all being found on that day.

The undoubted headline bird this month was the juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper found at Port Meadow on the 23^rd, which then remained until the 30th. This was only the third record for Port Meadow, with the last record occurring back in 2011. Traditionally considered a Nearctic (‘yank’) vagrant to the UK, several studies (e.g. Lees and Gilroy, 2004) have suggested that most Pectoral Sandpipers found in the UK actually originate from Siberian breeding grounds. Sadly, we’ll probably never know where this individual came from, though perhaps it did make the transatlantic crossing? Regardless of its origin, it proved to be a very popular bird for many county birders, especially given how incredibly it showed on the southern end of the Port Meadow floods, with some superb photos taken.

Pectoral Sandpiper - Port Meadow (Stephen Burch)

Pectoral Sandpiper - Port Meadow (Stephen Burch)

Waders

Whilst wader passage usually quietens down a bit in October, there was still plenty to be found. Aside from the Pectoral Sandpiper, a juvenile Little Stint was photographed at Farmoor on the evening of the 6^th, though sadly did not remain until the next day. Also at Farmoor was a Turnstone on the 1^st and a Knot seen on both the 5^th and 6^th.

Little Stint - Farmoor (Anna Marlow)

Knot - Farmoor (Jeremy Dexter)

Farmoor also hosted the only Common Sandpipers this month with 2 on the 4^th and singles on the 1^st, 5^th, and 28^th. The highest count of Green Sandpiper was 4 at Appleford on the 16^th and Ardley Lagoon on the 19^th. There were also records from Bicester Wetland Reserve and Port Meadow. There was just one record of Dunlin with 3 at Farmoor on the 5^th. A Black-tailed Godwit was at Farmoor on the 16^th, with a single also at Ardley Lagoon on the 19^th and 1 that remained at Pit 60 from the 23^rd to the 25^th. A Redshank was at Sonning Eye on the 16^th. The first Jack Snipe of the winter was seen at Port Meadow on the 17^th. Golden Plover numbers have started to increase with reports from 7 different sites.

Gulls

A quiet month for gulls, though Appleford has continued to produce good numbers of Caspian Gulls, with 4 recorded on several occasions. One was also at Chinnor Cement Works on the 1^st.

Wildfowl and grebes

As numbers of winter ducks have started to increase in the county, there have been a few scarcer species on the move as well. There was a Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Farmoor on the 14^th. Also at Farmoor, 2 Whooper Swan were seen flying over on the 6^th, and then on the 23^rd, 5 were at Appleford, with possibly the same 5 the next day at Shillingford.

A Black-necked Grebe was found at Pit 60 on the 6^th and then remained until the 10^th. The first Goldeneye of the winter were also at Pit 60, with 2 on the 22^nd. There were 3 there the next day, and then 2 on the 26^th. A Scaup was at Farmoor on the 23^rd and remained until the end of the month. There was an excellent count of Little Grebe made at Moreton with 44 on the 9^th.

Scaup - Farmoor (Roger Wyatt)

Egrets, herons etc

There were still a few Cattle Egret lingering around in the county over the last month. There were 6 at Port Meadow on the 1^st, with 1 on the 3^rd and 3 on the 8^th. On the 1^st, there were also 4 at Eynsham Mill. Singles were also recorded from Farmoor on the 10^th, Otmoor on the 18^th, Grimsbury Reservoir on the 23^rd and Standlake Pit 27 on the 31^st. A Great White Egret entertained many at the first screen at Otmoor, offering incredibly close views throughout the month. There were also records from Ardley Lagoon, Radley, Pit 60, Witney Lake, Appleford, Blenheim and Port Meadow. On the 13^th, there were 3 at Pit 60. A Bittern was at Pit 60 on the 3^rd, and one was at Otmoor on the 7^th and 16^th.

Great White Egret - Otmoor (Old Caley)

Passerines

There were some good numbers of scarcer passerines seen this month with a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen at Otmoor near the 2^nd screen on the 23^rd. An almost mythical bird in the county these days, this is the first record at the site since January 2015. The 23^rd produced two more good birds as a Hawfinch flew over Grimsbury Reservoir (the first record at the site for 10 years) and a first winter female Ring Ouzel was at Gramps Hill.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Otmoor (John Strachan)

There were three Black Redstart records this month with individuals at Eynsham on the 12^th, Charlton-on-Otmoor on the 22^nd and Harwell Lab on the 27^th. Remarkably, an incredibly late female/immature Common Redstart was seen at Letcombe Bassett on the 19^th. A Wheatear was at Gramps Hill on the 5^th.

It was a good month for Rock Pipit with singles at Farmoor on the 1^st, 3^rd, 16^th, and 18^th. One remained at Moreton from the 9^th to 16^th. On the 16^th, there was also one at Grimsbury Reservoir, and the next day, one was at Otmoor. Similarly, Stonechats had an excellent month with reports from 12 different sites, and most notably, 6 at Chipping Norton on the 7^th. Bramblings also had a very good month, with the first 2 of the winter at Moreton on the 9^th. Numbers started to increase from there, as Brambling were recorded from an incredible 16 sites this month! The highest count came from Blenheim on the 27^th with at least 20 present.

Brambling - Warburg (John Kearns)

This autumn has seen a very slow start for winter thrushes, with the first Redwing only being seen at Moreton on the 9^th with 2 present. A few more gradually trickled through over the following days, before on the morning of the 13^th, a mass arrival was noted across the county. Some notable vismig counts that day include several hundred in 35 mins at Culham, 786 in 1 hour at Thame, 1496 in 2.5 hours at Pit 60 and 275 in 30 mins at Ducklington. From here, numbers started to increase significantly, with a single flock of 800 flying over Standlake on the 17^th. Fieldfare reports have been thin on the ground with 11 at Ducklington on the 13^th and 9 at Pit 60 on the 24^th.

Raptors

There was a ringtail Hen Harrier at Otmoor on the 25^th, which was then seen on several occasions over the rest of the month. A ringtail was also seen in West Oxfordshire on the 19^th. Marsh Harrier were recorded at Chimney Meadows, Rushy Common, Pit 60 and Otmoor.

Hen Harrier (satellite-tagged) - West Oxon (Colm O'Brien)

The only Merlin of the month was at Otmoor on the 16^th. Peregrine were seen at Abingdon, Otmoor, Pit 60, Farmoor, Appleford and Blenheim.

Peregrine - Otmoor (Roger Wyatt)

Some summer migrant raptors were still hanging around with an Osprey over Thame on the 6^th and a Hobby at Sutton Courtenay on the 3^rd.

A Short-eared Owl was seen at Otmoor on the 9^th and the 10^th. 2 were then at Chilbridge on the 19^th. A Barn Owl was also at Chimney Meadows on the 1^st.

Short-eared Owl - Otmoor (Terry Sherlock

Hirundines

A few hirundines have lingered about with House Martin seen in the first week of October at Bicester Wetland Reserve, Milcombe, Tar Lakes, Farmoor, and Chipping Norton. There were Swallows seen in the first week at Chipping Norton and Farmoor. A few Swallow have stuck around even later though, with 2 over Milton Common on the 25^th, 1 at Port Meadow on the 29^th, and 1 at Grimsbury Reservoir on the 31^st.