December 2021 Review

Headline bird

Once again, the headline bird for December in Oxon came late on in the month, when shortly before dusk on the 30^th, a Velvet Scoter was found at Henley Road Gravel Pits. Most inland scoters tend not to hang around long, usually departing overnight, so hopes that it would be there the next morning were low. The last record of Velvet Scoter in Oxon, at Farmoor in 2013, did just that, meaning very few people got to see it. The record before 2013 was in 1997, so quite a lot of people still needed Velvet Scoter for Oxon! Fortunately, after a tense wait overnight, it was still present the next day, allowing many to connect, even if it remained distant most of the time.

Velvet Scoter - Henley Road GPs (Old Caley)

Waders

Narrowly missing out on headline bird status, there was a first winter Dotterel found at Port Meadow on the 8^th. This was the first record for Port Meadow and only the fourth Oxon record since 2001. As it turned out, the Dotterel had already been present a week! Over the next week or so, the Dotterel remained elusive, leaving the meadow for long periods of time, and only being seen sporadically. On the last day of the month, presumably the same Dotterel was then found at Otmoor!

Dotterel - Port Meadow (Ollie Padget)

Jack Snipe were recorded from 4 different sites this month, with up to 3 seen at Bicester, and singles from Otmoor, Marston Meadows and the Upper Cherwell Valley. The highest count of Woodcock came from Boarstall with 3 on the 19^th, with records from 5 other sites.

There were up to 2 Green Sandpiper seen at Bicester throughout the month. The sole record of Ruff came from an individual at Port Meadow on the 11^th and 12^th. Port Meadow also hosted singles of Redshank on the 11^th, 16^th, 20^th and 27^th. The only other record of Redshank came from Waterstock on the 29^th. There were 7 Dunlin at Port Meadow on the 27^th, with singles also at Grimsbury on the 28^th and Waterstock on the 29^th. There was a Common Sandpiper at Farmoor throughout the month.

Common Sandpiper - Farmoor (Paul Coombes)

Gulls

There was an adult Little Gull in the Cherwell Valley on the 30^th. Borrow Pit continued to produce excellent numbers of Caspian Gulls with a high count of 6 present on the 5^th. There were also individuals seen at Blenheim on the 1^st and 2^nd, and at Dix Pit on the 5^th, 21^st, 23^rd and 30^th. Dix Pit also hosted 2 Mediterranean Gull on the 18^th, with one at nearby Pit 60 on the 12^th. Borrow Pit also saw a count of 7 Yellow-legged Gull on the 5^th.

Wildfowl, grebes, divers etc

A Great Northern Diver was found at Farmoor on the 12^th and remained until at least the end of the month. There was a Common Scoter at Grimsbury on the 20^th. Whilst not quite the numbers seen last winter, there was a White-fronted Goose seen at Otmoor on the 21^st and 29^th, with a probable 11 at Stadhampton on the 21^st. A Brent Goose was found at Waterstock on the 29^th.

Great Northern Diver - Farmoor (Stephen Burch)

White-fronted Goose - Otmoor (Jeremy Dexter)

Probably the same individual as last month, there was a male Ring-necked Duck at Radley from the 27^th until the end of the month. The male was joined by a female on the 30^th. A female Scaup was at Farmoor throughout the month, joined by a first winter male on the 11^th, which remained until the end of the month. On the 31^st, 3 were then seen at Farmoor. There was also a first winter male at Sonning Eye on the 10^th and 30^th.

Scaup - Farmoor (Roger Wyatt)

Up to 9 Goldeneye were seen at Dix Pit this month, with 2 also at Farmoor on the 19^th. Goosander were recorded from an impressive 8 sites, with a peak count of 10 from Standlake on the 5^th.

Goosander - Farmoor (Bryan Manston)

Onto wildfowl of more questionable origin, the 2 Red-breasted Geese remained at Otmoor until at least the 21^st, before being relocated at Port Meadow on the 29^th, where they associated with Barnacle Geese until at least the end of the month. There was an incredible count of 132 Red-crested Pochard made at Dix Pit on the 18^th, with records also coming from Tar Lakes, Blenheim and Grimsbury. 3 Mandarin were seen at Henley Road on the 5^th.

Red-breasted Goose - Port Meadow (Gary Watton)

Egrets, herons etc

There was a large flock of Cattle Egret in the Wytham/Godstow area for the first half of the month, with initially 9 present on the 1^st and 2^nd. The flock peaked at 17 on the 5^th and 6^th, with a final count of 9 on the 16^th. On the 6^th, there were 4 at Port Meadow. Great White Egret were recorded from 9 sites, including some counts of 3 at Blenheim and Rushy Common area throughout the month. There were singles of Bittern at Pit 60 on the 11^th, Sonning Eye on the 18^th and Otmoor on the 20^th.

Cattle Egret - Wytham (Ewan Urquhart)

Passerines

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker remained at Otmoor though remained elusive, only being seen on the 15^th. There was a showy Hawfinch seen at Warburg on several occasions on the 10^th, 11^th, 17^th and 22^nd. There were also 9 reported from Wigginton on the 18^th and a single on the 22^nd. On the 20^th, a Firecrest was photographed at Whitchurch.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Otmoor (Jeremy Dexter)

Hawfinch - Warburg (John Kearns)

Firecrest - Whitchurch (Roger Wyatt)

Brambling were recorded from 14 sites this month, with a peak count of 40 at Pishill on the 19^th. Stonechat were recorded from 8 sites.

Raptors

A ringtail Hen Harrier was present at Otmoor throughout the month, often showing well at the first screen. There were up to 3 Marsh Harrier at Otmoor during December, with the only other site hosting one being Standlake on the 27^th. Merlin were recorded from Otmoor on the 2^nd, Fyfield Wick on the 5^th, Balscote Quarry on the 10^th and Childrey Field on the 10^th. Incredibly, Peregrine were recorded from 9 different sites, including an impressive total of 4 at Otmoor on the 10^th.

Peregrine - Port Meadow (Bryan Manston)

Oxon End of Year Review Video

Once again Gnome Studios brings you a round-up of the year's birding in Oxon set to inappropriate music. Strap yourself in and enjoy!

Turn up your volume & strap yourself in!

Visiting the Otmoor rspb Reserve 

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

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 can be a very difficult time for the reserve.

The Otmoor Team.

 

Proposed Changes at Farmoor

During the last few years regular users of Farmoor and Pinkhill Reserve have seen a huge change for our birdlife, with increased visitor numbers, water activities and habitat loss all impacting on the balance of nature throughout the site, and this is set to increase again in 2022.

Thames Water and the Freshwater Habitats Trust are now entering into a new venture to create a wetlands development to include open pools for dog splashing and a pond dipping platform on PinkHill Lock Meadow. This meadow has developed naturally over many years and serves our birds well, a valuable resource to warblers including, grasshopper, sedge and for stonechat, barn owl and many others.

The Proposed development will destroy this habitat permanently.

The project is due to commence in Autumn 2022 and this is your last chance to effect change and influence the plan.

Individuals have met with Thames Water to consult on the plan but are not sure that their concerns are being heard!

We are not convinced that this project is needed at all, or that other existing areas have been considered on Pinkhill or Buckthorn Meadows, or that the ongoing maintenance and management of increased numbers of visitors or access to the site have been thought through at all?

The plan for the development is attached and we ask that if you object or support the proposal that you get involved by emailing:

kirsty.halford@thameswater.co.uk

richard.aylard@thameswater.co.uk

Sarah.bently@thameswater.co.uk

And add your voice to the process. Let’s speak up for the birds and conservation at Farmoor and Pinkhill.