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Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Chinnor: Chinnor Hill: 31st January
Peregrine: Flying SW down the ridge. 10:30.
Raven: Flying North along the ridge. 10:30.
David Stracey
Eynsham: 31st January
Barn Owl: Flew over B4449 from fields to Hazeldine Close. Approximate location 51.7819813, -1.3654935. 19:15.
Glen Pascoe
: 30th January
Probable Peregrine: male. Flying towards witney lake. SP370084. 17:15.
John Pimm
Monday, 30 January 2023
Mapledurham - Monday 30th January 2023
Egyptian Goose - in field. Bullfinch x 2 (m & f ). Nuthatch. Treecreeper. Mistle Thrush. Song Thrush.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (f). Redwing x 5. Long Tailed Tit x 11. Pied Wagtail x 50 (min. in fields). Jay.
Chaffinch x 13 (m & f)
Cutteslowe: Cutteslowe Park: 30th January
Water Rail: SP510104. 12:25.
Nicholas Boyd
Bicester Wetland Reserve 30th January
All water unfrozen at last!
3 Green Sandpiper
2 Little Grebe
6 Gadwall
120 Teal
1 Heron
Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Sunday, 29 January 2023
Bablockhythe: 29th January
Peregrine: male. Hunting near the Thames. 15:00.
Jed Cleeter
Port Meadow: 29th January
3 Goosander: 2f/1m. On river upstream from The Perch landing stage. 15:00.
3 Shelduck: On the floods with the usual large number of wigeon and shoveler. 15:00.
Andrew Siantonas
: 28th January
2 Goosander: 1 m 1 f. On the water, diving for fish, but no evidence of any success. Chasing each other in agitated swimming. SP513046. 12:00.
Trevor Lea
Farmoor Reservoir: 29th January
Henley Road GPs: 29th January
Scaup: drk. On the north lake west of the island. 13:48.
Marek Walford
Saturday, 28 January 2023
Port Meadow: 27th January
5 Shelduck
2 Yellow-legged Gull: ad & 1w.
2 Goosander
1 Pintail
1 Dunlin
Yesterday
10 Pintail
2 Shelduck
Adam Hartley, Thomas Miller, Pete Roby
Ardley ERF 28th January
Farmoor Reservoir 28th January
Lye Valley, Oxford: 28th January
Childrey Field: 28th Jan.
Hen Harrier and Merlin briefly dueling this morning (a moment I lacked the skill to capture)
3 Common Gull
Corn Bunting
Friday, 27 January 2023
Warburg Reserve, Bix - Friday 27th January 2023
Raven.
Red Legged Partridge x 5.
Jay x 2
Buzzard x 2.
Treecreeper.
Nuthatch x 3.
Coal Tit x 3
Marsh Tit x 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Chaffinch (m) x 3
Grimsbury Reservoir: 27th January
2 Peregrine: pair flew over towards town.
Gareth Blockley
Sonning Eye GPs: 27th January
2 Stonechat: m+f. At the triangle. 12:38.
Marek Walford
Thursday, 26 January 2023
Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Port Meadow: 25th January
2 Stonechat: In scrub by the floods near Aristotle Lane gate. For the second day.
Adam Hartley
Woodstock: Woodstock Church: 25th January
Hawfinch: Single bird in flight over the churchyard into Blenheim viewed from Rectory Lane. 14:00.
Gareth Casburn
Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Letcombe Bassett 24th January
2 Stonechat: pair. On manure heap in freezing conditions. SU361862. 13:00.
Stephen Burch
: 24th January
Woodcock: SP709067. 18:39.
Thame STW
11 Chiffchaff: SP709067. 18:39.
Thame STW
Snipe: On filter beds. SP709067. 18:39.
Thame STW
13 Teal: SP709067. 18:39.
Luke Marriner
Blenheim 24th January
Wigeon - 8
Great white egret - 3
Little egret - 2
Woodstock Water Meadows
Pintail - 2
Wigeon - 10+
Teal - 50+
Gadwall - 20+
Snipe - 3
Cutteslowe: Cutteslowe Park: 24th January
Water Rail: SP510104. 09:00.
Nicholas Boyd
Monday, 23 January 2023
Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 23rd January
3 Great White Egret
Little Egret
13 Cormorant
9 Snipe: Most were visible from the Grand Bridge in the reeds at the lake edge in front of the block commemorating the old Manor house.
Kingfisher
4 Wigeon
2 Shoveler
132 Gadwall
150 Magpie
99 Coot
19 Moorhen
12 Great Crested Grebe
18 Mute Swan
205 Greylag Goose
142 Canada Goose
Yellow-legged Gull
Raven
Tawny Owl: calling in the middle of the day.
Bob Pomfret
Piddington: 23rd January
4 Woodcock: Flighting over garden each evening at dusk, usually two birds but four this evening. 17:15.
Colin Oram
Pit 60
Pit 60
Conditions changing daily. Yesterday wellies and care needed on flooded path between hides and only N Hide was accessible. But Pit was 4/5ths free of ice and there were 1330+ wigeon (SNT) min 78 pintail and a lot of other ducks.
Today, path not flooded at Shifford lane end, just v muddy. N Hide accessible. But Pit about 90% frozen and ducks all at East end (scope needed). LL hide not tried.
Ring-necked Duck m+f on P60 (p27 mostly frozen).
GW Egret - present since yesterday
Shelduck 3 - there were 2 in Thames Fields yesterday,
South Stoke - Monday 23rd January 2023
Egyptian Goose x 5 - on the Thames.
Shoveler - m & f - on the Thames.
Stonechat - m.
Siskin x 6 in Alder Trees along river.
Reed Bunting - f.
Redwing x 5.
Fieldfare x 8.
Chiffchaff.
Pied Wagtail x 13.
Buzzard x 2.
Kestrel x 1.
Grey Heron.
Peep-o-day lane
Bicester Wetland Reserve 23rd January
All standing water deep frozen, water birds on Landford Brook
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Little Egret
1 Heron
30 Teal
Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Cutteslowe: Cutteslowe Park: 23rd January
Water Rail: SP510104. 09:00.
Nicholas Boyd
Sunday, 22 January 2023
Port Meadow: 22nd January
Clifton 22nd January
Saturday, 21 January 2023
Kennington: River Thames: 21st January
Water Rail: SP528018. 16:15.
Sylfest Muldal
Friday, 20 January 2023
Abingdon Sewage Works 20th January
Farmoor Reservoir: 20th January
Scaup: fem. On F2 with the Tufted Ducks. SU446068. 13:30.
32 Barnacle Goose: Flown in on F2
Mark Morgan
Cutteslowe: Cutteslowe Park: 20th January
Water Rail: In the stream just west/upstream of the pond. Mostly hidden in sedge. Nice to confirm after probable views of a skulker on 9th January. Good siskin numbers + bullfinch flock regularly also in same area currently. SP510104. 09:20.
Nicholas Boyd
Thursday, 19 January 2023
Port Meadow: 19th January
180 Barnacle Goose: On high ground at the Wolvercote end of the floods. Access to this area from Wolvercote very difficult as water covers most access points and there are many flooded diches and channels which cut off dry areas. High wellingtons and great dare needed to pass through to higher land. 15:30.
4 Goosander: 3m/1f. On the flooded river below Godstow lock. 15:30.
Andrew Siantonas
Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 19th January
Common Scoter: ad fem. Still on main lake. View from bridge. Please stick to footpaths around course. Great find Dave Philips. 13:00.
Nick Marriner
Eynsham: 19th January
1000 Starling: Been present for a couple of weeks. Some good displays - the birds are roosting in trees in the centre of the village. Possibly up to 5000 seen leaving one morning last week. 16:30.
Nick Suckling
Woodstock 19th January
Bernwood Forest: 19th January
2 Marsh Tit: calling by side of main track where it goes through the open area. SP612112. 11:00.
Martin Green
Oxford: Christchurch Meadow: 18th January
Stonechat: male. 15:13.
Phil Barnett
Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 18th January
Yellowhammers at Old Shifford and Cote
This video might be pixelated to death by You Tube.
Message to "Steve" from P60 other week who was asking where to see Yellowhammers. If you've not seen one yet, there's A mini flock at Old Shifford . Google St Mary's Church Old Shifford.
From Witney take A415 towards Abingdon then B4449 towards Cote/Aston, then at sign for 'Old Shifford, turn left onto single track road. Soon after cottages, and well before a bend, there's an isolated bit of fencing. Pull in here: Yellowhammers feeding on left of road between here and bend. Sometimes in hedgerow next to St Mary's Church which you'll see beyond bend to right,
Cote: on above single track go past St Mary's Church to Cote. In Cote turn left on single track signposted "Chimney" (quite hidden sign - opposite P.D. Hook). Then turn left at T junction towards Chimney. Park near bridge over river. Yellowhammers are in flooded field on right just before you hit this bridge.
Sorry folks: no other way to alert Steve. And I forgot map refs.
Oxford 18th January
Lower Shiplake: 18th January
2 Egyptian Goose: Bird's in flooded field near lock. 15:15.
8 Redwing: Near care home ??. SU775791. 15:15.
8 Ring-necked Parakeet: Over calling near station ??. SU775791. 15:15.
Ralph Watts
Cowley: 18th January
2 Blackcap: M&F feeding on suet pellets on gravel in my nan's garden. 12:08.
Jed Cleeter
Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Fyfield Wick: 17th January
Fyfield Wick
Woodcock: Over at dusk. 16:50.
Snipe: Feeding on the edge of lake. 15:45.
Raven: Over at dusk to roost. 16:25.
3 Chiffchaff: Working bushes along stream and calling on way in to roost in wood. 16:25.
22 Teal: On lake. 16:00.
2 Sparrowhawk: Male hunting finches and female hunting thrushes at dusk. 16:00.
Jed Cleeter
Cote: 17th January
4000 Lapwing: Count adds up birds from Cote, Yelford to Standlake and is pretty accurate. Loads on different iced over fields with a few golden plover. 17:41.
Leafield
Stonechat: fem. 17:41.
Mick Cunningham
Woodstock 17th January
Monday, 16 January 2023
Management work at Otmoor.
RSPB Otmoor 17th, 18th and 19th January.
On the 17th-19th January, the reserve team will be conducting the annual reedcut in the Otmoor reedbed.
This is essential management of the reedbed and takes place around this time every year to coincide with the suitable cold weather.
If you are thinking of visiting during this time, please be aware that there will likely be disturbance in the Southern reedbed, the area viewable from the 1st screen.
Many thanks for your understanding.
The Otmoor team.
Thame: 16th January
Merlin: Female hunting over the flood into bucks at times but mainly oxon. SP717069. 17:44.
Luke Marriner
Standlake Pit 60: 16th January
40 Wigeon: Langley Lane is flooded well before the gate to the hide. Path to north hide is under water, higher than normal welly height and slippery under foot. Duck numbers pretty low. 13:21.
Mick Cunningham
Sunday, 15 January 2023
Letcombe Bassett: Ridgeway above Letcombe Bassett: 15th January
2 Short-eared Owl 16:00.
Jed Cleeter
Sparsholt: Ridgeway: 15th January
Hen Harrier: Ringtail (Sub-Adult Male) flew West. 15:10.
Peregrine: fem. Sub-Adult with prey. 15:10.
Jed Cleeter
Kingston Warren: 15th January
Kingston Warren
Raven 12:30.
Letcombe Bassett
Stonechat: male. 13:10.
Jed Cleeter
Kings Lock: 15th January
2 Goosander: 1m/1 f. On flooded river downstream of the lock. Road to lock covered in water, but passable with care in wellington boots. Upstream of lock, the path is covered and not safe to pass. Yarnton Mead on opposite bank largely flooded attracting large number of gulls mainly black headed. 16:12.
Andrew Siantonas
Churn: 15th January
Stonechat: fem. 11:00.
100 Fieldfare: Plenty of Fieldfares, far fewer Redwings. 11:00.
Nick Suckling
Oxford 15th January
Marsh Baldon: 15th January
Treecreeper: Working its way up the Ash Tree in our garden. SU565999. 08:57.
Paul Torevell
Oxford: Oxford Canal: 15th January
Bullfinch: Along the canal between Walton Well and Aristotle bridge. 11:54.
S_ TH
Saturday, 14 January 2023
Port Meadow: 14th January
Port Meadow
Hardly any duck on the floods this evening - it's probably too deep for the dabbling ducks to feed now.
Caspian Gull: 2w. Same bird as on Wednesday.
11 Goosander
Yesterday
Mediterranean Gull: adult briefly in the roost yesterday
Adam Hartley & Thomas Miller
Foxholes Reserve: 14th January
4 Marsh Tit 14:00.
8 Siskin 14:00.
2 Treecreeper 14:00.
2 Nuthatch 14:00.
6 Goldcrest 14:00.
100 Pied Wagtail 14:00.
2 Grey Wagtail 14:00.
2 Sparrowhawk: M&F. 14:00.
Jed Cleeter
: 14th January
4 Woodcock: SP618150. 13:00.
Boarstall
Sparrowhawk: SP618150. 13:00.
Colin Oram
Port Meadow: 14th January
6 Goosander: 2 drakes, 4 regards at Wolvercote end of river. 14:06.
Kingfisher: At Wolvercote end of river. 14:06.
Yacky Morris
Oxford: 14th January
Ring-necked Parakeet: 2 seen flying over from car near cutteslow roundabout. 15:41.
Yacky Morris
Friday, 13 January 2023
Mapledurham - Friday 13th January 2023
Egyptian Goose x 3 - still present on Golf Course lake
Nuthatch.
Coal Tit.
Marsh Tit x 3.
Long Tailed Tit x 12.
Great Spotted Woodpecker x 3 (2m 1f) all three together.
Chiffchaff x 2.
Pied Wagtail x 50 - in flooded fields.
Starling ( early murmuration mid-day across farmland).
Lambourn: Red Barn: 13th January
Merlin: fem. In a chase and dogfight with a passerine. 15:35.
3 Raven 15:35.
Jed Cleeter
Standlake Pit 60: 13th January
30 Wigeon: No time for birding currently. Quick dash to check the wigeon flock. Relatively few of the species here this pm. Most duck species down in numbers. Nothing unusual with the wigeon. Flooding: Langley Lane hide inaccessible owing to flood. North hide accessed via Shifford Lane. Good wellies needed on parts of path to this hide. 18:42.
Mick Cunningham
Woodstock Water Meadows 13th January
Port Meadow 13th January
Oxford 13th January
Thursday, 12 January 2023
Port Meadow 12th January
AMERICAN WIGEON drake at north end of port meadow floods this evening (per Thomas Miller). Best viewed from the Wolvercote side of the floods as they are so large at present.
Previous records this century:
Sep 2009 Sonning Eye GP
Feb 2011 Rushy Common GP
Nov 2018 One day bird at undisclosed site
Drake American Wigeon above & below courtesy of Thomas Miller |
Oxford 12th January
Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Oxford: Donnington Bridge: 11th January
Yellow-browed Warbler: Seen from walkway on north side of Donnington Bridge Road right where weirs mill stream passes under - Moving methodically in branches right next to the road occasionally flying across the road to access branches the other side. Showing very well making ID easy. Alone - not attached to a Goldcrest or Tit group. SP523044. 11:30.
James Blunt
Cowley: 11th January
Blackcap: male. 1st bird of winter in my nan's garden coming to fat balls. 13:30.
Jed Cleeter
Oxford 11th January
Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Nuneham Courtenay: 10th January
Peregrine: male. Flew over small wood. 13:50.
Jed Cleeter
Oxford 10th January
Oxford 10th January
Monday, 9 January 2023
Mapledurham - Monday 9th January 2022
Three Egyptian Geese (2 m 1f) - small lake on M/D Golf Course.
Little Grebe - still present on above small lake.
Marsh Tit.
Redwing.
Chiffchaff x 2.
Jay x 3.
Buzzard x 6 - Many out hunting in good weather across farmland.
Kestrel x 2.
Pied Wagtail x 30.
Song Thrush.
Cote: 9th January
Caspian Gull: ad. in field with LBBs. Gull numbers dimisihed as fields dry out. LBB down from 300 to 170. GBB 3. HG 24 Yellow-legged Gull 7. 16:27.
Mick Cunningham
: 9th January
4 Chiffchaff: SU491947. 10:00.
Abingdon: Abingdon Sewage Farm and surrounding flooded Meadows and lakes
2 Egyptian Goose: SU491947. 10:00.
Abingdon: Abingdon Sewage Farm and surrounding flooded Meadows and lakes
200 Pied Wagtail: SU491947. 10:00.
Abingdon: Abingdon Sewage Farm and surrounding flooded Meadows and lakes
Grey Wagtail: SU491947. 10:00.
Abingdon: Abingdon Sewage Farm and surrounding flooded Meadows and lakes
Little Egret: SU491947. 10:00.
James Blunt
Oxford: Donnington Bridge: 9th January
Yellow-browed Warbler: Still there on northern side of bridge very close to road. 11:30.
Rachael Horwitz
Standlake: 9th January
Standlake
2 Lesser Redpoll: SP388023. 13:53.
LWV Pit 27
2 Goosander: 2 drakes in pit 27. 13:15.
Yacky Morris
Oxford 9th January
Woodstock: Woodstock Water Meadows: 9th January
9 Golden Plover: Fly over. 11:00.
10 Skylark: Approx. 11:00.
5 Meadow Pipit: Approx. 11:00.
40 Yellowhammer: Minimum number. 11:00.
10 Reed Bunting: Approx. 11:00.
Gareth Casburn
Moulsford 9th January
Brambling: Perched atop a tall sycamore, some odd call notes attracted my attention - Xeno-Canto seems to confirm. SU5883. 11:05.
Mike Amphlett
Fyfield Wick: 9th January
Blackcap: male. 1st visit of wintering bird to the garden. The regular early Jan appearance in pyracantha. 09:00.
Jed Cleeter
Sunday, 8 January 2023
Waterstock: River Thame: 8th January
2 Gadwall 10:00.
Barn Owl 10:00.
695 Lesser Black-backed Gull 10:00.
1100 Lapwing 10:00.
18 Meadow Pipit 10:00.
2 Raven 10:00.
Chiffchaff 10:00.
6 Snipe 10:00.
Nick Marriner
Waterstock: River Thame: 8th January
50 Common Gull 10:00.
2 Grey Wagtail 10:00.
790 Teal 10:00.
14 Shoveler 10:00.
300 Wigeon 10:00.
70 Greylag Goose 10:00.
320 Canada Goose 10:00.
Peregrine 10:00.
Yellow-legged Gull 10:00.
2 Pintail 10:00.
Nick Marriner
White-fronted Geese Standlake Village
Before I moved to Oxon, wildfowl weren't 'my thing'. Still working on them. Been searching Greylag and Canada flocks for anything different. These two White-fronts were with Greylags and Canadas in flooded fields opposite St Giles' church, Standlake this pm. Soon pushed off by kids.
In the field, both looked to have pink bills and were not large, relative to Greylags. So, the obvious ID is nominate albifrons. But one is so much swarthier than the other yet, on the other hand, is the
smaller of the two. Should I not overthink it given past records of 'unknown origin' Taiga Gembelli (tho these don't seem to match them???). Sorry for grainy video.
Oxford 8th January
Aynho 8th January
Port Meadow 8th January
Saturday, 7 January 2023
Standlake Pit 60: 7th January
Marsh Harrier: 'cream crown'. Unsure is this Cream Crown is a new individual or one from late autumn more faded/progressed in moult. I'm now unsure if post-juv Marsh Harriers can be aged or sexed on plumage alone owing to a paper in BB by Blanc et al (I forgot to mention to JD t'other day). Blanc et al's study concluded plumage variability was independent of sex and age. They advocate the recognition of this species as polymorphic, at least in some parts of its range. They include the UK in this range. In this French study hardly any adult males were classic grey birds. Interestingly, they suggest (more migratory?) MHs in "Northern Climes" are less variable, with plumage like field guide descriptions. Today's bird seen in flight or poor light looked 'female', but poss a bit slim: v pale under secs and inner prims and blackish under wing-tip (old 'fems' can have this though). Tail base worn chestnut, but dusky tip and (?) 2 new darker central tail feathers. Iris looked dull. Need better views. 18:35.
Cetti's Warbler: singing. 18:35.
Great White Egret 18:35.
12 Pintail: 7 m 5 f. 12 duck species if I include the Ring-Necked Ducks (M+F) and Red-crested Pochards on nearby waters. 18:35.
Mick Cunningham
Donnington Bridge:7th January
Balscotte Quarry Reserve 7th January
Male Brambling still present photo courtesy of Paul Wyeth. |
BQR, 13:10 - 14:15. Brambling 1 (m); Blackbird 4; Chaffinch 30+; Dunnock 3; Blue Tit 5; Great Tit 2; Coal Tit 1; Greenfinch 22+; Robin 2; Yellowhammer 6; Goldfinch 6+; Reed Bunting 2; Teal 3 (2m, 1f); Kestrel 1 and Red Kite 1, over (per Paul Wyeth).
Kings Lock: 7th January
9 Goosander: 4m/5f. Together on river a little downstream from King's Lock. 15:45.
Andrew Siantonas
Port Meadow: 7th January
2 White-fronted Goose: By river in the Wolvercote Bathing area near car park. 14:30.
180 Barnacle Goose: At northern edge of the floods not far from north gate into Burgess Field. 14:30.
Andrew Siantonas
Hardwick: 7th January
2 Great White Egret: In flooded field by Hardwick village, with 2 Little Egrets. 15:30.
Ian Elkins
Kirtlington: Kirtlington Park: 7th January
2 Goosander: 1m, 1f. SP477173. 13:43.
Mike Simpson
Dix Pit: 7th January
10 Goldeneye: 6m 4f. 8-10 on the water this morning. 09:15.
2 Great White Egret: Along Southern edge of pit. 09:15.
Raven: Over Devil's Quoits. 09:15.
Glen Pascoe