November Monthly Review

 Highlights

After a relatively quiet October, November actually turned out to be a busy month with a scattering of rarities throughout the month to keep county birders entertained during this usually very lean period for Oxon birding. Unfortunately for those unable to be reactive enough most of the rarer birds only remained present for the day or even for single afternoon. Given the abundance of rarities spread fairly evenly throughout the month it is somewhat surprising that the highlight of the month is not a rarity at all. Instead, a fairly common species observed during both migration periods at waterbodies and flooded fields spread across the county was present in unprecedented numbers in a somewhat unassuming and unexpected place.

With the quiet October and the deluge of wet weather a flooded field in Cote near Bampton become the centre of the Oxon birding universe with an ever present wader population ebbing and flowing with the rising and falling waters of the floodplain. With 13 species of wader recorded here between the middle of October and late November, the first sign something maybe a foot came on the 3^rd of November when an unseasonable flock of 16 Dunlin were present. This flock would grow and shrink depending on daily conditions on site and appearing to peak at 91 on the 14^th, a count that broke the previous county record going all the way back to 1986 at Port Meadow with 89 here back then. Several days later though, an extraordinary count of 258 was recorded completely smashing the county record and a significant inland record anywhere in the UK. The following day however, things got even more bonkers when the next observer counted more than double the previous count at a whopping 586! This just goes to show the importance and value of temporary habitat such as this and the how easily records such as these can go undetected on underwatched land. 

Just some of the wader action at Cote, courtesy of Mick Cunningham

The county year list continues to tick away nicely with an extra five species added in November taken us to 210 for the year, which is bang on average for the last two decades and with December yet to come there’s a possibility to add at least one or two more before 2024.

In interesting ringing news a colour-ringed Cormorant observed at Farmoor on the morning of the 10^th November. Luckily news of its provenance was forthcoming and it was ringed as a chick in northern Germany along the Baltic Coast back in 2020 at Wallnau Waterbird Reserve, Fehmarn. It has been observed twice since then, both times at Farmoor – the first time on the 27^thAugust 2022 also at Farmoor.

Courtesy of Dave Lowe.

Courtesy of Dave Lowe.

Waders

Aside from the excitement over at Cote with the mega Dunlin flock, there was plenty of records of waders this month with a good variety of species and numbers present - albeit with many of them coming from Cote-upon-Humber. A pair of Turnstone got the month going with both present on Farmoor on the 1^st of the month. Grey Plover appeared to range between a couple sites with the first record coming from Port Meadow on the 17^th, with presumably this individual not enjoying the frequent disturbance and human presence and popping up at Cote on the 23^rd. This was then joined by a 2^nd on the 24^th with both remaining here until at least the 28^th in the company of several thousand Golden Plover and Lapwing. Also putting in a brief appearance late in the month at this site was a Ruff present in the masses of waders feeding on the floodwaters. 

Grey Plover at Cote, courtesy of Mick Cunningham

 

Black-tailed Godwit were seen at several sites in November although only singles were present. Days Lock hosted one on the 3^rd, whilst Cote had one from the 9^th until at least the 10^th. Port Meadow also then hosted a lone bird for a couple of days from the 27^th. Cote continued to be the wader magnet with Ringed Plover present in various numbers throughout the month, kicking off with a flock of 6 on the 3^rd. Singles and doubles were present again later in the month where then 6 again were present on the 25^th. Dunlin were obviously present in huge numbers as previously mentioned in the highlights with a reduced count of 200+ still present up until the end of the review period. Other sites also hosted birds this month albeit in much more typical numbers for the county. Farmoor hosted a single bird on the 1^st and again on the 3^rd and 17^th, whilst East Hanney hosted 12-13 birds from the 5^th and occasionally through until the 26^th. Port Meadow hosted birds later in the month, presumably birds peeling off from Cote. Eleven were here on the 21^st and number ranged from 3-12 until the end of the year.

Green Sandpiper continued to be recorded in much reduced numbers this month, presumably with birds establishing possible winter territories. Curbridge had one bird on the 11^th, whilst Bicester Wetlands had three birds also on the 11^th. Ardley ERF also hosted multiple birds with two present here on the 25^th. Redshank, like much of the waders recorded through the month, were almost ever present at Cote this month. A maximum count of 7 here on the 11^th with multiple birds present most of the month. Fyfield Wick saw a single flyover bird on the 11^th whilst Farmoor hosted three birds on the 13^th and a single on the 19^th. A single bird was also present on the floods at Cholsey.

Redshank courtesy of Alan Dawson.

Woodcock made a decent return to the county in the latter part of November with the first of the month coming from Lye Valley on the 18^th. Port Meadow also hosted a single bird on the 21^st whilst continuing the urban theme a dead bird was picked up at the Dragon School in Oxford on the 24^th. Last winters well used flight line over Piddington was watched for the first time this winter and produced three birds heading out of roost and heading to feeding grounds in the wider landscape.

Wildfowl etc

Easily the standout rarity in this group this month was a ‘short-stopping’ pair of Bewick Swan at Otmoor on the 25^th. The first record since 2018 with what was an annual species for the county previously and one of the depressing elements of an ever warming climate. With birds now looking to winter in parts of Europe en masse, whilst birds that do arrive here arrive later and depart earlier this is increasingly a standout county rarity and there could very well be a time where these amazing swans no longer return to the UK. One of the more amazing aspects of Bewick Swan is the ability to tell individuals apart by the pattern of their bills, with each being distinct and unique to individuals. Luckily, even though these birds remained distant one was at least identifiable as ‘Bruton’ and she was seen the following day at WWT Slimbridge. 

The two Bewick's Swans at Otmoor, courtesy of Jackie Newcombe

 Another bird that hasn’t been recorded for a few years came in the form of Slavonian Grebe present on Farmoor on the 18^th. The first record since the long-staying bird from late 2019 that remained until early 2020. Unfortunately, unlike that bird, this was to be only a short staying individual who disappeared over night with no sign at all the next day.

The Farmoor Slavonian Grebe, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

 

A cracking red-headed Smew was somewhat overshadowed by the above, but who doesn’t love a Smew? Surely the best of all our winter wildfowl in any plumage! This bird was even more special by the fact that it was the first Smew recorded within Oxford for 75 years, another amazing urban record of such an enigmatic species. Unfortunately, another short stayer with the bird disappearing not long after the initial sighting. 

The red-head Smew on Port Meadow, courtesy of Steve Lavington

Given the abundance of inland records surrounding the county during the latter part of October it is no surprise that Oxfordshire finally got in on the diver action in early November. The biggest surprise was the location, with a Great Northern Diver present on Thrupp Lake at Radley GP’s on the 1^st. Given the levels of disturbance and the size of the site it is somewhat less surprising that the bird didn’t seemingly hang around any more than an hour or so before departing somewhere much more suitable. 

The Radley Great Northern Diver, courtesy of Ben Carpenter

The years first Brent Goose was also logged this month when a single bird dropped into Farmoor on the afternoon of the 7^th. Unfortunately, like many of this months rarities it did not linger long and was gone by sunset. Also at Farmoor the female Scaup continued its prolonged stay having arrived the previous month, presumably this individual will now spend much of the winter here with a potential foray to Dix Pit as other birds have occasionally done in recent years. Shelduck were fairly widespread across the county with several groups of multiple birds present. Four were on Port Meadow on the 6^th with birds returning here on the 25^th and 27^th. Cutteslowe Park hosted a single on the 12^th, whilst Cote continued to be the epicentre of birding activity with birds here on the 13^th and 23^rd rising to 11 individuals by the 25^th.  Grimsbury then hosted a single bird on the 28^th. 

The Farmoor female Scaup courtesy of Gnome

Ruddy Shelduck were recorded at a single site with Blenheim hosting a pair of birds on the 16^th a nice bonus for the Patchwork Challenge patcher there. Goosander were at four sites with all birds been reported in the latter part of the month. Chinnor hosted a pair on the 17^th, whilst Port Meadow hosted the most birds with 7 on the 21^st and again on the 27^th. Two other sites hosted multiple birds towards the end of the month – Standlake on the 24^th and Grimsbury on the 26^th. Goldeneye also returned to the county in greater numbers this month with at least 5 sites hosting birds – Blenheim, Pit 60, Dix Pit, Farmoor and Radley GPs. A few notable Mandarin records for the county this month with a high count of 20+ at Blenheim present for much of the month, whilst a single bird at Farmoor on the 21^st was notable for its rarity value for the site. 

A drake Mandarin at Pinkhill, Farmoor, courtesy of Dave Lowe

 

Herons, egrets etc

Cattle Egret continued to linger in the county through November, albeit with some visible departures from the main post-breeding flock peaks of the autumn. Otmoor hosted the most birds with up to 13 on the 11^th with at least four remaining until the 20^th. Wytham, Port Meadow and Days Lock also hosted birds this month with four at Wytham on the 11^th, a single at Port Meadow on the same day and a small flock of four at Days Lock on the 24^th.

Great White Egret were at 7 sites this month made up of mostly single birds, although the highest count came from Blenheim with four birds here on the 15^th. Records of other multiple birds came from Farmoor on the 19^th and Standlake on the 24^th. Lye Valley recorded only its 5^th ever record of the species on the 20^th although this is the 4^th record this year. Other records came from Radley GP’s, Cote, Chipping Norton, Port Meadow and Waterstock. Surprisingly Crane were still recorded this month when two were at Otmoor on the 6^th, although not again after having possibly made their way down to the Somerset Levels to winter. 

Great White Egret at Radley, courtes of Ben Carpenter

 

Gulls and Terns

With winter well and truly set in the main staple for this group relies on Caspian Gull to keep records ticking over with the faint hope of a white-winger in the latter stages of winter the ultimate prize. A few records of Caspian Gull this month mostly relating to one or two 1^st winter individuals roosting at the same couple of sites. Farmoor hosted a single 1^st winter on the 1^st of the month joined by a 2^nd on the 15^th. Appleford village hosted a single adult on the 17^th, whilst Port Meadow hosted a single 1^st winter on most evenings from the 21^st of the month. Grimsbury on the other hand hosted a probable hybrid bird or one of at least some mixture in its genes having been observed as less than typical example of the species. 

1w Yellow-legged Gull and Caspian Gull on Port Meadow, courtesy of Thomas Miller

 

3w Caspian Gull at Appleford, courtesy of Ian Lewington

Passerines

With all the talk and subsequent evidence of major influx of Waxwing into the country we are certainly in the grips of a ‘Waxwing winter’, with flocks of 1000+ in Scotland and many flocks of 100+ across the north of the country. Given the abundance it was only a matter of time before the first record this far south with birds in the midlands and to the east of Oxfordshire. Unfortunately the record was a fleeting one with lone ‘trilling’ call heard over classic habitat in an industrial estate in north Banbury. Given the number of records in the country and still yet to move south in search of berries hopefully Oxfordshire will get its fair share of twitchable birds yet!

Also pretty fleeting was a record of Water Pipit on the 27^th from Port Meadow, jotted down as a possible heard calling over the floodwaters. A record of Rock Pipit on the 6^th was also potentially recorded as either species and could feasibly relate to the same unidentified individual that will hopefully give itself up at some point. Hawfinch were recorded twice this month with both coming from calling birds heard over Blenheim on the 17^th and 20^th although neither record was able to be pinned down. Crossbill were reported from two locations with a flock of 3+ reported from Aston Rowant on the 11^th whilst Blenheim hosted a flock of 11 birds on the 19^th. The first Siberian Chiffchaff of the winter was caught and ringed in Burgess Field, Port Meadow on the 29^th, a fantastic ringing record for the site and a nice bird to see up close for the ringers. 

Siberian Chiffchaff courtesy of Thomas Miller.

Firecrest were also reported from two sites – Warburg on the 3^rd and West Hendred on the 24^th. Brambling were spread nicely around the county with mostly singles and pairs in mixed finch flocks. The highest count however was a fantastic c50 over a Blenheim in a mixed flock of 300+ finches feeding in sunflower field. Records came from a further eight sites with the next highest count coming from Fyfield Wick on the 17^th with a small flock of 7 birds over.

Stonesfield Brambling, courtesy of Paul Wren

Raptors

A Hen Harrier was present infrequently towards the end of the month, with the first record coming from a bird taking advantage of the Starling roost on the 23^rd. It was then reported again on the 29^th although details were not forthcoming as to where and what age/sex the bird was. Short-eared Owl records mostly came from the same location on the downs with up to four around the Ridgeway and Crowhole Bottom throughout the month. Additional records came from Oxfordshire Golf Course with two seen quartering the rough ground through the day. 

A Marsh Harrier harrying the Starling roost at Otmoor, courtesy of Malcom Bowey

Merlin were reported from four sites this month with Cote the most frequently used with a bird present on the 4^th and 10^th. Water Eaton hosted a bird on the 11^th, whilst another was at Farmoor on the 14^th. West Hagbourne also hosted a single bird on the 26^th.

Patchwork challenge

Patch	Birder	Points	Species	Highlight	Target	Percentage of target
Aston eyot	Ben Sheldon	58	56		90	64.44
Blenheim	Gareth Casburn	131	115		100	131.00
Dix pit	Simon Bradfield	114	91		75	152.00
Grimsbury reservoir	Gareth Blockley	126	111		130	96.92
Lye valley	Tom Bedford	98	87		80	122.50
River Thames	Geoff Wyatt	159	135		122	130.33
Sutton courtenay	Conor MacKenzie	156	130		140	111.43
East challow	Mark Merritt	84	80		83	101.20
Freeland	Glen Pascoe	90	80		80	112.50

Credit where it's due.

Congratulations to Peter Barker, Richard Ebbs & Tim Abbot who received the award for 25 years of volunteering on the Otmoor rspb reserve. All received the prestigious and much coveted silver Avocet

and certificate.

David Wilding Otmoor rspb Site Manager giving out the awards.

Well done chaps.