Great White Egret: Inadvertently flushed from field adjacent to brook footpath along with little egret. Both feeding in a wet flush. 16:19.
2 Pintail: m and f. Still at least 2. Been up to 3 recently. 15:51.
2000 Starling: To roost in reeds. Probably an under count. Being beaten up by a sparrowhawk. 16:13.
Mick Cunningham
Sunday, 1 December 2019
Gramp's Hill: 1st Dec
2 Raven
2 Stonechat
Barn Owl
Grey Partridge
14 Corn Bunting
107 Fieldfare
In Letcombe Bassett:
Little Egret
Chiffchaff
2 Stonechat
Barn Owl
Grey Partridge
14 Corn Bunting
107 Fieldfare
In Letcombe Bassett:
Little Egret
Chiffchaff
Farmoor Reservoir 1st December
Slavonian Grebe off N/W bank of F2 10:10
Scaup 2 F1 although mobile 11:49
(per Nick Truby, Ewan Urquhart).
Scaup 2 F1 although mobile 11:49
(per Nick Truby, Ewan Urquhart).
November Review
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| One of two juvenile Hen Harriers currently frequenting Otmoor, courtesy of Norman Smith |
As we enter the winter months it didn't take long for the conditions noted at the end of the previous review to impact on the mix of birds on offer in Oxfordshire. With extensive flooding across the county raptors and wildfowl provided the main interest through November, while widespread concentrations of gulls and wintering Plover offered scope for picking out something special.
Continued wet weather brought RSPB Otmoor back to top form as big influxes of prey species ramped up the count of different raptors viewable there to an impressive eight. Amongst those the headliners and probably our birds of the month were two juvenile Hen Harrier; while Marsh Harrier, Merlin and Peregrine were all observed regularly. Short-eared Owl were also sometimes active around the reserve and its immediate environs, mostly at dusk.
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| Hen Harrier (juv), courtesy of John Reynolds click on any image to enlarge |
A pictorial capture of this quality (above) can create the impression that witnessing all of that is easy, but of course it seldom is. Also on Otmoor a first Whooper Swan of the season dropped in on 7th but did not linger. Two more returned to a familiar haunt beside the Thames at Buscot in south-west Oxon from 16th, where they came and went across the boundary with Wilts.
 |
| Whooper Swan on Otmoor, courtesy of Peter Barker |
Notable wildfowl had commenced with a smart female Scaup that arrived at Farmoor Reservoir on 2nd. The Scandinavian and taiga breeder is an almost annual early winter visitor to the county. This one was an interesting interloper within that site's Tufted Duck flocks right through this month, and was joined by a second juvenile Scaup from 17th. Also at Farmoor, the occasional Greater / Lesser Scaup hybrid of recent times was logged again on 29 and 30th.
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| Female Scaup, courtesy of Steve Burch |
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| Juvenile Scaup, courtesy of Roger Wyatt |
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| Hybrid Scaup, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart |
Great White Egret re-assumed their presence of recent winters in locations to the west of Oxford, though it was unclear how many individuals were involved. Sightings issued from the familiar strongholds of Blenheim Park and Bladon, Dix Pit and LWV Pit 60. Further north, Grimsbury Reservoir's first site record on 16th when two GWE flew over was beyond their previously recorded Oxon range.
Two Egyptian Goose there were a second soap dish mega that day, another instance of a home counties exotic expanding through Oxfordshire. On that subject I believe this (below) is the first published picture herein of Ring-necked Parakeet in Banbury. Welcome back Grim north ... this column has missed you since the Red-rumped Swallow.
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| Great White Egrets over Banbury, courtesy of John Friendship-Taylor |
Two Egyptian Goose there were a second soap dish mega that day, another instance of a home counties exotic expanding through Oxfordshire. On that subject I believe this (below) is the first published picture herein of Ring-necked Parakeet in Banbury. Welcome back Grim north ... this column has missed you since the Red-rumped Swallow.
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| Ring-necked Parakeet in Banbury, courtesy of Mike Pollard |
A Bittern was noted at the opposite end of the county, gracing Sonning Eye GPs from 10th, while the resident birds at RSPB Otmoor entertained as always. Away from that centre Merlin were noted at Chalgrove (13th), Balscote Quarry (22nd) and Rowsham (24th); while some regularly recorded Peregrine continued to feature in this log. Marsh Harrier put in appearances at Fyfield Wick on this month's first day and LWV Pit 60 on the last. In the watery conditions Caspian Gull was perhaps the top larid prize, and these were located at Dix Pit (23rd) and Water Eaton (24th) in addition to Didcot (19th).
A further outcome of widespread water-logging was a build up of Golden Plover flocks in different places. The highest counts submitted herein were 355 near Cote in west Oxon (20th), 475 at Balscote Quarry (8th) and 600 near Chipping Norton on 16th. But within the Otmoor basin it was estimated that upwards of 2000 "Goldies" and 4000 Lapwing were present by month's end. Woodcock sightings gained a boost from five separate reported locations. But wader records were otherwise few and far between, the most notable being a first winter Knot at Farmoor on 25th.
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| Otmoor Bittern, courtesy of Terry Sherlock |
A further outcome of widespread water-logging was a build up of Golden Plover flocks in different places. The highest counts submitted herein were 355 near Cote in west Oxon (20th), 475 at Balscote Quarry (8th) and 600 near Chipping Norton on 16th. But within the Otmoor basin it was estimated that upwards of 2000 "Goldies" and 4000 Lapwing were present by month's end. Woodcock sightings gained a boost from five separate reported locations. But wader records were otherwise few and far between, the most notable being a first winter Knot at Farmoor on 25th.
 |
| Knot (1w) courtesy of Roger Wyatt |
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| Drake Goldeneye, courtesy of Steve Burch |
Numbers of regular wintering ducks, including Goosander and Goldeneye also built up during the review period. Sightings of the latter included only the second record for Port Meadow on 30th. Large counts of Red-crested Pochard became a fixture at Dix Pit, presumably having relocated from the ailing Standlake GPs. And at Farmoor the roving feral Snow Goose flock attracted some attention.
 |
| Snow Geese at Farmoor, courtesy of Peter Alfrey |
Amongst passerines in drier habitats, Black Redstart continued to frequent Chinnor Cement Works until 13th. Another was reported on the Radcliffe Observatory tower in central Oxford on 5th, whilst in south Oxon the Harwell Laboratory campus hosted a further individual from 12th to 15th. This winter's first Common Crossbill record came from Tubney Wood on 3rd, while Hawfinch made it's new season debut at Lockinge near Wantage where three birds were viewed on 6th.
On 16th a Yellow-browed Warbler was reported in the Crawley Mill area of Witney, that of historic Dipper repute. But as so often with the former species in the county it could not be re-located. An as scarce record was a Water Pipit, fleetingly at Farmoor two days earlier on 14th. And a Firecrest was located at Standlake GPs on 24th. So overall it was a varied and intriguing county birding month.
And as this review went to press there was still time for a late news item. A Slavonian Grebe found at Farmoor on the final day of the month will be another scarcity to look out for in the early days of December.
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| Slavonian Grebe, courtesy of David Hastings |
And as this review went to press there was still time for a late news item. A Slavonian Grebe found at Farmoor on the final day of the month will be another scarcity to look out for in the early days of December.
Peter Law
Saturday, 30 November 2019
Farmoor Res 30th November
1200-1500hrs
Greater Scaup 2 adult female & first year (southern end of Farmoor 1)
Common Goldeneye 5
Common Pochard 4
Little Grebe 14
Common Sandpiper 1
Little Egret 1
Great Black backed Gull 2 adult & first year
Coot - aberrant white plumaged individual still present
Snow Geese 100 (including seven blue morph birds and five juveniles)-where do they breed?
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| Greater Scaup - adult female |
 |
| Common Goldeneye |
Common Goldeneye 5
Common Pochard 4
Little Grebe 14
Common Sandpiper 1
Little Egret 1
Great Black backed Gull 2 adult & first year
Coot - aberrant white plumaged individual still present
Snow Geese 100 (including seven blue morph birds and five juveniles)-where do they breed?
Farmoor Reservoir: Farmoor II: 30th November
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Courtesy of David Hastings.
|
Slavonian Grebe: Diving in NW corner of F2 at 11:30am. SP441063. 16:38.
David Hastings
Farmoor 30th Nov
2:45-4:00pm
Tufted x scaup hybrid back on northern side of F1.
No sign of Scaup but I expect they’re still there.
8 Goldeneye
Sent from my iPhone
Tufted x scaup hybrid back on northern side of F1.
No sign of Scaup but I expect they’re still there.
8 Goldeneye
Sent from my iPhone
Standlake Pit 60: 30th November
Standlake Pit 60
Marsh Harrier: looked like 1cy. Cream crown. Seen with SNT. it dropped into reeds on southern shore. 3 pintail amongst decent numbers of wigeon, teal, goldeneye pochard. Peregrine and a single snipe. Great white egret on p27 per SNT. 14:29.
Mick Cunningham
Marsh Harrier: looked like 1cy. Cream crown. Seen with SNT. it dropped into reeds on southern shore. 3 pintail amongst decent numbers of wigeon, teal, goldeneye pochard. Peregrine and a single snipe. Great white egret on p27 per SNT. 14:29.
Mick Cunningham
New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 30th November
Water Rail
65 Snipe
Marsh Tit
23rd November
Ring-necked Parakeet
Little Owl
Tom Evans
65 Snipe
Marsh Tit
23rd November
Ring-necked Parakeet
Little Owl
Tom Evans
30th November Port Meadow WeBS Count
Count from Thomas Miller.
Wigeon 522
Goldeneye 1 (Patch Mega!!! only the 2nd record for the Meadow)
Shelduck 2
Shoveller 10
Teal 69
Swan 9
Pintail 1
Moorhen 1
Lapwing 110
Golden plover 1
Little egret 1
Mallard 34
Heron 1
Canada goose 83
Greylag goose 323
Bhg 239
Lbbg 11
Redshank 1
Herring gull 1
Cormorant 4
Wigeon 522
Goldeneye 1 (Patch Mega!!! only the 2nd record for the Meadow)
Shelduck 2
Shoveller 10
Teal 69
Swan 9
Pintail 1
Moorhen 1
Lapwing 110
Golden plover 1
Little egret 1
Mallard 34
Heron 1
Canada goose 83
Greylag goose 323
Bhg 239
Lbbg 11
Redshank 1
Herring gull 1
Cormorant 4
Standlake: 30th November
Great White Egret 1, pit 27 (3Ts)
Marsh Harrier 1, pit 60
Pintail 3, pit 60
Marsh Harrier 1, pit 60
Pintail 3, pit 60
Friday, 29 November 2019
Farmoor Res 29th November 2019
1330 - 1430hrs
 |
| Lesser Scaup x Greater Scaup |
Lesser Scaup x Greater Scaup hybrid 1
Wigeon 4
Common Pochard 1m
Grey Wagtail 2
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 29th November
Hen Harrier 2 birds present at the roost
(per John Kearns, Luke O'Byrne)
Stonechat (per J.K)
(per John Kearns, Luke O'Byrne)
Stonechat (per J.K)
Otmoor rspb 29th November
Unofficial WeBS 29/11/19
Bittern- 1
Black Headed Gull- 4475
Canada Goose- 953
Coot-2
Cormorant- 2
Gadwall- 15
Golden Plover- 3401
Grey Heron- 6
Greylag Goose- 646
Herring Gull- 10
Kingfisher- 2
Lapwing- 5642
Lesser Black Backed Gull- 589
Mallard- 105
Moorhen- 2
Mute Swan- 15
Pintail- 49
Shelduck-5
Shoveler- 207
Snipe- 8
Teal- 1357
Water Rail- 5
Wigeon- 1682
Bittern- 1
Black Headed Gull- 4475
Canada Goose- 953
Coot-2
Cormorant- 2
Gadwall- 15
Golden Plover- 3401
Grey Heron- 6
Greylag Goose- 646
Herring Gull- 10
Kingfisher- 2
Lapwing- 5642
Lesser Black Backed Gull- 589
Mallard- 105
Moorhen- 2
Mute Swan- 15
Pintail- 49
Shelduck-5
Shoveler- 207
Snipe- 8
Teal- 1357
Water Rail- 5
Wigeon- 1682
Standlake Pit 60: 29th November
Standlake Pit 60
Great White Egret: Wellies needed. 12:26.
Mick Cunningham
Great White Egret: Wellies needed. 12:26.
Mick Cunningham
Thursday, 28 November 2019
Port Meadow: 28th November
Port Meadow
2 Yellow-legged Gull: At least two, probably three adults in the roost tonight. 16:50.
Thomas Miller
2 Yellow-legged Gull: At least two, probably three adults in the roost tonight. 16:50.
Thomas Miller
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