Blog Header Text
For questions you can contact Adam at: adamchartley "at" gmail "dot" com or Jason at: jasoncppk "at" yahoo "dot" co "dot" uk
Friday, 31 May 2024
Standlake Pit 60: 31st May
2 Shelduck: Asleep throughout. 14:59.
Cuckoo: m. 14:59.
2 Great White Egret 14:59.
Mick Cunningham
Thursday, 30 May 2024
Port Meadow: 30th May
Little Ringed Plover
8 Egyptian Goose
4 Shelduck
Black Swan.
Thomas Miller, Steve Lavington, Adam Hartley
RSPB Otmoor 29/30 May 2024
Marsh Harrier 4
Hobby 2
Great White Egret 2
Common Tern 5
Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Rushy Common: 29th May
Peregrine: male. A small bird flying to SE nr. transmission line. SP381073. 14:09.
John Pimm
Chinnor: Cement Works: 29th May
2 Little Ringed Plover: SU750996. 21:06.
2 Yellow Wagtail: SU750996. 21:06.
Hobby: Taking hatching flies from just above surface of lake 2B. SU750996. 21:06.
Jez March
Portway, near Caulcott: 29th May
Corn Bunting: Seen singing from top of hazel bush on west side of the Portway ~300 metres south of junction with B4030, all just as on 8th May. SP499240. 10:20.
Patrick Keiller
Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Rushy Common: 28th May
Marsh Harrier: fem. Flying high over lake heading NE. SP381073. 19:00.
John Pimm
Port Meadow: 28th May
2 Great White Egret
11 Shelduck
OTHER SPECIES: Black Swan.
5 Egyptian Goose
25 Barnacle Goose
Snow Goose
Adam Hartley
Tar Lakes, Rushy Common: 28th May
Marsh Harrier: fem. 07:30.
Oystercatcher 07:30.
4 Cuckoo: 3m1f. 07:30.
2 Shelduck 07:30.
9 Red-crested Pochard 07:30.
Glen Pascoe
Monday, 27 May 2024
Shelswell: Shelswell Park: 27th May
4 Raven: ad + 3 juv. In flat top of cedar. Young calling, adult arrived. SP605309. 08:32.
Chris Coppock
Shelswell: 27th May
8 Lapwing: ad plus chcks. Min 5 ads + 2-3 chicks. Regular site for L on my BBS since 2018. On private farmland but viewable from public footpaths. SP617314. 08:00.
Chris Coppock
Appleford: Appleford GP: 27th May
2 Hobby: Pursuing hirundines high over pits. 15:38.
Gerry Quinn
Pit 60 Standlake 27th May
Sunday, 26 May 2024
Sonning Eye GPs: 26th May
5 Little Ringed Plover: 4ad+1juv. Very newly hatched chick. 13:52.
Marek Walford
River Thames: nr Sandford-on-Thames: 26th May
3 Cuckoo: 2 calling males and, presumably, 1 female. 08:30.
D Moden
Saturday, 25 May 2024
Blenheim: Northern park: 25th May
Stonechat: Male seen in same place as a couple of weeks ago near Oxfordshire Way. 09:20.
David Watkinson
Clifton Hampden: 25th May
Glossy Ibis: Flew North along the river above the tree tops viewed from the cricket ground. 13:00.
Jed Cleeter
Ducklington: 25th May
Marsh Harrier: cc. Hunting road side field just west of Yelford lights torn off. Poss young male. But seen from moving vehicle. 17:12.
Mick Cunningham
Ardley ERF Lagoon: 25th May
Red-crested Pochard: Drake still present on lagoon. 14:00.
20 Gadwall: 1 pair with 11 ducklings. Approx 10 other adults. 14:00.
2 Little Ringed Plover 14:00.
Gareth Casburn
Port Meadow: 25th May
Ringed Plover
(per Andrew Siantonas, Dave Lowe)
Shipton-on-Cherwell: River Cherwell: 24th May
6 Cattle Egret: One group of 4 then second pair feeding with cattle. 17:00.
David Watkinson
Friday, 24 May 2024
Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 24th May
Spotted Flycatcher
2 Yellow Wagtail
Mark Merritt
Woodstock 24th May
In area north of the town bordering the Glyme.
Whitethroat - several singing
Willow warbler - 1 male present for about a month now singing in same spot.
Reed warbler - 1 singing in area of private nature reserve.
Henley-on-Thames: 24th May
Buzzard: Seen from down the promenade by river. 14:15.
Common Tern 14:15.
Ralph Watts
Thursday, 23 May 2024
Chinnor: Cement Works: 23rd May
2 Yellow Wagtail: SU751997. 20:28.
2 Little Ringed Plover: SU751997. 20:28.
Jez March
Widford: 23rd May
2 Yellow Wagtail: 2. 08:52.
Sedge Warbler: Still singing. 08:52.
Barn Owl: But no waders downed by the rain. 08:52.
Mick Cunningham
A44: 1m west of Chipping Norton: 23rd May
6 Ringed Plover: High, flying north. SP323274. 08:00.
Nicholas Boyd
Port Meadow 23rd May
Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Farmoor - 22nd May
Farmoor - 22 May
Waders in poor weather this afternoon included 2 Turnstone, 5 Sanderling (per Ian Lewington), 2 Common Sandpipers and 13 Dunlin including at least one candidate arctica - upper left bird in this photo.
Tuesday, 21 May 2024
Chinnor: Cement Works: 21st May
3 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 10:30.
2 Yellow Wagtail: Pair by the southern screen Lake 2b. 10:30.
David Stracey
Port Meadow: 21st May
10 Shelduck
OTHER SPECIES: Black Swan.
50 Snow Goose
25 Barnacle Goose
3 Egyptian Goose
Adam Hartley
Grimsbury Reservoir 21st May
Charney Bassett: 21st May
Lesser Whitethroat: Singing. 16:52.
Standlake Pit 60
20 Swift: Influx with hirundines feeding ahead of low. 16:52.
60 Sand Martin: Mixed flock of 3 hirundine sp, possible equal numbers Martins. Swallows fewest. 16:52.
Widford
35 Swift 16:52.
50 House Martin: Mixed hirundines. HM the majority. 16:52.
20 Swallow 16:52.
30 Sand Martin 16:52.
2 Yellow Wagtail 16:52.
Sedge Warbler 16:52.
Mick Cunningham
Bicester Wetland Reserve 21st May
150 House Martin
30 Swift
20 Swallow
3 Reed Warbler
A Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Monday, 20 May 2024
Otmoor: 20th May
3 Cuckoo: At least 3 singing. 19:00.
7 Hobby: Hawking the reed bed at dusk. 19:00.
Probable Great White Egret: Seen distantly. Looked too large to be a Little or Cattle. 19:00.
Nick Suckling
Standlake Pit 60: 20th May
78 Starling: In to today roost. 20:58.
Swinbrook
Marsh Harrier: cc. Hunting over a field for 20 minutes. Miles from water. Bird has a gap in (left?) wing. 20:58.
Mick Cunningham
Otmoor: The Flood: 20th May
Glossy Ibis: Still present over Flood this morning. Only really visible during flight and disappeared into vegetation on landing.
3 Cuckoo: Two regular males chasing an hepatic female.
Steve Roby
Woodstock: Sansoms Farm: 20th May
Hobby: perched on a fence post.
Corn Bunting: singing.
4 Whitethroat: singing on the fields around Sansoms Farm.
9 Yellowhammer
30 Skylark: At least 30 singing, probably more.
2 Raven
Cattle Egret: flying over.
Bob Pomfret
Ardley ERF Lagoon: 20th May
Red-crested Pochard: Still on Lagoon on the far side. 11:15.
Little Ringed Plover: One far side. 11:15.
Graeme Porter
Carterton/Alvescot: 20th May
Grey Partridge: f. I've seen a pair here over last couple of months. Not sure about provenance as there are lots of red-legs. 11:41.
Mick Cunningham
Sunday, 19 May 2024
Carterton/Alvescot: 19th May
5 Corn Bunting: At least 2 pairs and a singing male on alvescot downs. 21:01.
Milton Common
2 Corn Bunting: Singing. 21:01.
Cote
Yellow Wagtail: Near great brook. 21:01.
Mick Cunningham
Widford: 19th May
Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 19th May
Oystercatcher: on the island, busy seeing off a jackdaw. A nest maybe.
4 Common Tern
9 Little Egret: including 4 recently fledged juv. Possibly two nests. Difficult to be sure especially with cattle egrets also present.
5 Cattle Egret: seen flying to and from the island. Possibly nesting but difficult to be sure.
16 Grey Heron: still several occupied nests on the island.
4 Egyptian Goose: two pairs, one with three young.
50 Sand Martin: busy around the bridge and nesting on both sides. I think there are around 50ish. Difficult to be sure.
Raven
Bob Pomfret
Tar Lakes, Rushy Common: 19th May
Cattle Egret: On main island. First time I've seen this species here. SP382072. 11:23.
2 Oystercatcher: SP382072. 11:23.
Jon Hicks
Stratfield Brake: 19th May
Cuckoo: Heard from canal along with lovely dawn chorus. 09:04.
Andrew Siantonas
Saturday, 18 May 2024
Stratfield Brake: 18th May
Cuckoo: Near canal, also 8 species of warbler heard (no grasshopper or sedge warbler), barn owl on Thursday. 19:30.
Simon Myers
Lidstone: 18th May
2 Corn Bunting: Singing. 22:39.
11 Whitethroat: Singing males in a relatively small area. Linear walk. Seem to have arrived whilst I was abroad. 22:39.
Mick Cunningham
Ardley ERF 18th May
Red-crested pochard - 1 drake on the lagoon found by JFT this morning.
Dunlin - 1
Little ringed plover - 1
Otmoor rspb 18th May
Uffington 18th May
Woodstock: Glyme valley: 18th May
Cuckoo: Singing within area of private nature reserve. First for me in this area. 09:00.
Gareth Casburn
Farmoor: 18th May
Sanderling still present on the causeway, plus Yellow Wagtail and Little Egret over and 2 Cuckoos calling. eBird list is here.
Friday, 17 May 2024
Otmoor rspb 17th May
Thursday, 16 May 2024
Standlake: 16th May
Cuckoo: m. Singing at back of my Rack End house. A traditional spot but not last year. New bird? 23:50.
Mick Cunningham
Chinnor: Cement Works: 16th May
3 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 10:30.
2 Oystercatcher: Lake 2b. 10:30.
2 Yellow Wagtail: Pair along shoreline of Lake 2b. 10:30.
David Stracey
Toot Baldon: 16th May
Toot Baldon
Hobby: SP565011. 10:40.
Quail: Singing in arable field at bottom of slope just N of Toot Baldon. SP565011. 10:55.
Alex Edgar
Bicester Wetland Reserve 16th May
1 Oystercatcher
1 Cuckoo
Lots of common warblers
1 Grass Snake
A Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Rushy Common: 15th May
2 Cuckoo: Flying over lake together calling. SP382073. 02:45.
John Pimm
Otmoor rspb 15th May
Blenheim 15th May
Common tern - 2
Willow warbler - 1
North Woodstock
Willow warbler - 2 singing in Glyme Valley area
Juv Little Egrets, Blenheim |
Eynsham: 15th May
Cuckoo: Seen and heard this morning alomg by the Wharf stream. 17:37.
Richard Parsons
Tuesday, 14 May 2024
Meadows at the back of Seacourt Park and Ride: 14th May
2 Cuckoo: Correction. There are 2 cuckoos calling. Slightly differently pitched, but occasionally they can be heard calling at the same time. SP492065. 20:59.
JB Woodford
Standlake: 14th May
2 Cuckoo: male. Heard in direction of Hunts Corner Lake, and towards Sailing Club. Both two and three element calls heard. SP402038. 20:56.
Graeme Coates
River Thames: nr Yarnton: 14th May
Wheatear: In fenced area by Hagley Pool above King's Lock where a new channel is being built. 17:02.
Kings Lock
Oystercatcher: Flew over river by weir toward Pixey Mead. 17:02.
Andrew Siantonas
Ascott-under-Wychwood: 14th May
Siskin: On garden feeder. SP300185. 15:21.
Mark Pidgeon
Sonning Eye GPs: 14th May
Hobby: Seen from road near the roundabout .entrance. 12:40.
Ralph Watts
Sunday, 12 May 2024
Chipping Norton 12th May
Quail 2 m singing in wheat field off Charlbury Road about 1km SE of Chipping Norton (about here)
per Ben Fisher
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 12th May
Otmoor: RSPB reserve
2 Grey Partridge: Pair flushed at close range from beside footpath, Noke end of Ashgrave. 11:30.
Kidlington: Thrupp
Peregrine: fem. Drifted low over the Jolly Boatman pub heading north. 19:00.
Simon Myers
Radley GP: 12th May
Grasshopper Warbler: Heard singing at dusk. 21:00.
3 Common Sandpiper: Together at Thrupp Lake at dusk. 21:00.
Ian Elkins
Waterstock: River Thame: 12th May
17 Chiffchaff 07:30.
Cuckoo 07:30.
Grey Wagtail 07:30.
12 Blackcap 07:30.
7 Garden Warbler 07:30.
12 Whitethroat 07:30.
12 Reed Bunting 07:30.
19 Sedge Warbler 07:30.
12 Swallow 07:30.
2 Linnet 07:30.
2 Little Egret 07:30.
2 Gadwall 07:30.
7 Yellow Wagtail 07:30.
2 Reed Warbler 07:30.
Greenshank 07:30.
2 Raven 07:30.
7 Lapwing 07:30.
2 Common Tern 07:30.
2 Oystercatcher 07:30.
Nick Marriner
Chinnor: Cement Works: 12th May
Yellow Wagtail 09:00.
Little Ringed Plover 09:00.
Liam Russell
Saturday, 11 May 2024
Rushy Common: 11th May
Marsh Harrier: fem. Soaring in thermal with (but widely separated from) red kite and cormorant after having 'squabble' with former. Cormorant on top, red kite at bottom. SP382073. 03:00.
John Pimm
Chipping Norton: 11th May
3 Swift: FOY Swifts return to The Leys in Chippy!!! (Earlier report of one over West St) . 15:40.
Steve Akers
White Stork Oxon 11th May
Courtesy of Wayne Paes. |
Eynsham: 11th May
Cuckoo: Calling heard around the allotments near Wharf Road. 09:30.
Glen Pascoe
Farmoor Reservoir: 11th May
(per Phil Chapman et al)
Blenheim: Northern park: 11th May
Stonechat: Male. 12:27.
Corn Bunting 2 singing
David Watkinson
Friday, 10 May 2024
Chipping Norton: 10th May
Mandarin Duck: drk. With Mallards on wetland at Swailsford Bridge, Cornwell. SP283263. 19:30.
27 Mallard: SP283263. 19:30.
Sedge Warbler: Second record this year on the marsh. SP283263. 19:30.
2 Water Rail: Poss 3 present H/O. SP283263. 19:30.
7 Reed Bunting: ad male. Calling from reeds and alder over territories. SP283263. 19:30.
4 Swallow: SP283263. 19:30.
Steve Akers
Yarnton Mead: 10th May
Cuckoo: Heard then seen as it flew from tree at Cassington end of Yarnton Mead. 17:29.
Andrew Siantonas
South Leigh: 9th May
2 Yellow Wagtail: pair in same location where they bred last year. 19:00.
Richard Catling
Bicester: 9th May
Grasshopper Warbler: Reeling in wet scrub beside Graven hill. Also singing: lesser whitethroat and whitethroat, >5 sedge warblers, and other common warbler species in same area. SP584213. 19:30.
Simon Myers
Thursday, 9 May 2024
Cogges, Witney: 9th May
2 Marsh Harrier: fem. Came from Langel Common direction went north after having a tumbling interaction over houses. Both appeared to have all dark underwings but light was bad. SP363098. 18:00.
John Pimm
Port Meadow: 9th May
Port Meadow
5 Ringed Plover
4 Shelduck
20 Barnacle Goose
20 Snow Goose
No sign of the Garganey this evening
Adam Hartley, Steve Sansom
Oxford: Longbridges Nature Park: 9th May
Common Sandpiper: feeding along western bank of western river channel (horse field). 19:00.
Garden Warbler 19:00.
Nicholas Boyd
RSPB Otmoor 9 May
Banbury: 9th May
2 Hobby: 2 over Bretch Hill this afternoon, per Clive Payne.
Gareth Blockley
Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Otmoor 8th May
Oxford: Iffley Road: 8th May
4 Swift: Quite high up, then 3 low at 19:50. First I've seen this year, though one or two heard on Sunday 5th. SP527050. 19:28.
Patrick Keiller
Portway, near Caulcott: 8th May
Corn Bunting: Seen singing from top of hazel bush on west side of the Portway ~300 metres south of junction with B4030. Another heard nearer the junction. SP499240. 10:15.
Patrick Keiller
Upper Heyford 8th May
Harwell: 8th May
4 Swift: 4+ over The Cleave/Jennings Lane this morning, also heard screaming yesterday evening- first of the year. SU493892. 09:56.
Philip Chapman
Tuesday, 7 May 2024
Port Meadow: 7th May
Garganey: m.
4 Shelduck
2 Egyptian Goose
Adam Hartley, Steve Lavington, Steve Sansom
Chinnor: Cement Works: 7th May
3 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 10:00.
2 Oystercatcher: Lake 2b. 10:00.
David Stracey
Henley Road GPs: 7th May
2 Hobby: Over lake. 16:45.
Lower Shiplake
3 Buzzard: Over. 16:45.
Ralph Watts
Farmoor Reservoir 7th May
Sonning Eye GPs: 7th May
5 Hobby 12:56.
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. Very late bird! 12:56.
Marek Walford
Bicester Wetland Reserve: 7th May
Grasshopper Warbler: Seen and heard reeling by small hide with Colin Oram. 08:15.
Marsh Harrier: Flying over reserve. Seen with Colin Oram. 08:15.
Laurie Bryant
Monday, 6 May 2024
Tar Lakes, Rushy Common: 6th May
2 Cuckoo: 1 seen. It was brown. SP382073. 17:00.
2 Red-crested Pochard: male. SP382073. 17:00.
John Pimm
Port Meadow 6th May
Newbury Street, Wantage. OX12 8BS: 6th May
3 Swift: First screaming birds of 2024; they returned on 5 May in 2023. SU397878. 15:40.
Mike Waring
Appleford GPs
Sutton Courtenay 6th May
Otmoor rspb 6th May
Sunday, 5 May 2024
Eynsham: Oxford Road: 5th May
Grasshopper Warbler: male. Heard only. Has been site at least 3-4 days. SP443091. 08:00.
Allen Stevens
Rushy Common: 5th May
Red-crested Pochard: drk. On Down Valley Way pit. 17:50.
3 Shelduck: On Down Valley Way pit. 17:50.
Oystercatcher: On Down Valley Way pit. 17:50.
Wigeon: drk. On Down Valley Way pit. 17:50.
Red-legged Partridge: At Down Valley Way pit. 17:50.
Negative news Garganey: No further sign of any Garganey on Down Valley Way pit by 17:50. 17:50.
Ian Elkins
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 5th May
Cuckoo 13:30.
14 Hobby 13:30.
Marsh Harrier 13:30.
Oystercatcher 13:30.
3 Little Egret 13:30.
20 Lapwing 13:30.
2 Water Rail: H/O. 13:30.
Steve Akers
Stanton Harcourt 5th May
Pinkhill, Farmoor; Sunday 5th May
08:30-11:00
Cuckoo 2
Grasshopper Warbler (heard only)
Garden Warbler 2
Farmoor Reservoir: Pinkhill Lock: 5th May
2 Common Sandpiper: Flying up and down river. SP439068. 12:00.
Matthew Lloyd
Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 5th May
2 Yellow Wagtail: In stubble field next to road, south of The Ridgeway. SU368436. 13:06.
Geoff Dymott
Woodstock 5th May
In the area north of Old Woodstock:
Lesser whitethroat - 2 or 3 singing
Willow warbler - 3 singing
Sedge warbler - 2 singing