Witney Dipper Still About

It appears that the dipper that was seen in Witney a month or so ago has been seen (and photographed) again on a few occasions over the past month.

It has been seen on or just below a small concrete weir which leads into a side channel of the Windrush. This side channel soon afterwards turns into a slow meandering stream but around the weir is more suited for dipper.

The channel/weir is across a field which is used by dog walkers next to Crawley Road and can be accessed by a foot path next to 55? Crawley Road.

It has only been seen on a few occasions so would appear not to be there far more often than it is (no more than 5 or 6 times in total) but it's worth a shot. I would say that you should keep a discrete distance from the channel as from what I have heard it does flush relatively easily.

It must be sticking in the area and going to other location near by.

If anyone get to grip with it could they put the message out ASAP, it is clearly a bird needed by a lot of the local birders.

Longitude and latitude (can be used in google earth searches) of location it has been seen.

51.79396,-1.492684

google direction to 55 Crawley Road (from M40 out of oxford)

2.	Take the B4022 exit toward Witeny E		0.2 mi
13.	Slight left at B4022		1.3 mi
14.	At the roundabout, take the 1st exit ontoWoodgreen Hill/A4095		75 ft
15.	At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit ontoW End/B4022		0.3 mi
16.	At the roundabout, take the 1st exit ontoCrawley Rd Destination will be on the left		0.3 mi

55 Crawley Rd Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1, UK

Cheers

Tom

Sonning Eye and Henley Rd. G.P's 22nd Sept

Little Egret 1
Greensand 1
Redshank 1
Com. Sand 1
Cetti's 2
Egyptian Goose 3
Tufted Duck 739
Gt.Cr.Grebe 90
Lapwing 136
Blk Swan 2
Hugh Netley

Farmoor 22nd September

Common Tern 22
Dunlin 6
Ruff 1
Curlew 1
Ringed Plover 1

Cholsey, 21st Sep 2010

Hobby catching Dragonflies.
15 Corn Bunting
2 Willow Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
1 Whitethroat
8 Reed Bunting
1+ Jay

Port Meadow 21st September

1 hobby,
25+ yellow wagtail
20+ meadow pipits
c. 45 golden plover

A grey heron fishing by the boats (c) Adam Hartley

Farmoor 20th Sept

2 Little Gull (both juv) F2 still.
(per R.B.A)

Farmoor Monday 20th September - Wood Warbler Reported

Bird Guides & RBA are reporting a wood warbler by the old picnic tables by the number 6 at Farmoor (Farmoor II I think). It has not been seen subsequently despite searching by several people.

Port Meadow Monday 20th September

juvenile ruff on the floods
c. 20 yellow wagtails
10+ meadow pipits

Richard Foster reports
1 dunlin
1 wheatear
1 or 2 golden plover
1 red kite in Burgess Field

Red kite (c) Pete Styles

University Parks 20th Sept

Poss Osprey being mobbed by Corvids,
Near river Cherwell heading S/W.
8.45a.m
(Per Wayne Bull)

Farmoor 19th Sept

1st W Med Gull FII roost,
+2 juv Little Gulls,
(per R.B.A)

Radley 19th Sept

12 Wigeon,
47 Shoveler,
169 Lapwing,

Farmoor Sept 19th

Swift - 1
House Martin - several hundred
Buzzard - 11
Dunlin - 4
Ringed Plover - 2
White Wagtail - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 15+
Meadow Pipit - 8+
YL Gull - c4
Goldeneye - 1 female

A juvenile ringed plover (c) Jonathan Crouch

Port Meadow Sunday 19th September

1 wheatear
c. 30 yellow wagtails
c. 35 golden plover
c. 40 linnet

Grimsbury Reservoir 18th September

1 willow tit (in wood at north end)
4 grey wagtails
4+ goldcrests
3+ chiffchaffs

Chiffchaff (c) Nigel Forrow

Otmoor September 18th 10am

2nd screen
Greenshank 1
Green Sandpiper 1 flying past
Kingfisher

1st screen
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Kingfisher

Hide
Wheatear 1
Whinchat 1

Big Otmoor
Green Sandpiper 2

Whinchat (c) Pete Styles

Cholsey, 17th Sep 2010

2 Whinchat

Grey Wagtail
6 Chiffchaff

5 Corn Bunting

8 Reed Bunting

6 Meadow Pipit (1st autumn records on local patch)

Peregrine

Local House Martin families have left today. (2 nests)

Sept 17th

Wryneck NW of Chilton at Harwell Science & Innovation Campas.
16:30 (per R.B.A)

Port Meadow Friday 17th September

1 wheatear
c. 20 yellow wagtails
35 golden plover
1 sand martin

Wheatear (c) Pete Styles

Farmoor 16th September 19.00

3 Dunlin
1 Ringed Plover
16 Yellow Wagtail

Yellow wagtail (c) Pete Styles

Radley 15th Sept

No sign of the Crake...

1 Black-Wit,
2 Greenshank,
1 Green Sand,
3 Snipe,
(per Ben C)

Sonning Eye/Henley Road GP, 14th Sep

Sonning Eye
ad+juv Common Tern

Henley Road
Common Sandpiper

Tuesday 14th Sept Port Meadow

8+ yellow wagtail
1 hobby over
1 little egret

also (per OOS MBG):
80 wigeon
40 teal
2 dunlin

Yellow wagtail on Port Meadow (c) Adam Hartley

Farmoor 13th Sept

25+ yellow wagtails including 1 probable blue-headed (flava) near water treatment works at 18:30
1 1st winter med. gull
1 ringed plover

(per Jason Coppock)

Otmoor 13th Sept

Rather windy so the birds were all hunkered down.
1 male redstart Long Meadow
1 hobby on the ground near the new hide

Spotted flycatcher (taken recently at Farmoor) (c) Pete Styles

Wantage 13 Sep

2 Tree Pipits over this morning

Stonesfield common

5 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Marsh Tit
1 Common Whitethroat
Also Raven at Ashford mill

Dix 12th Sept

7 Red-crested Pochard,
2+Yellow-legged Gull,
(3p.m per R.B.A)

Radley 12th Sept

Spotted Crake (11.15a.m) still on the small ash-pit although more elusive,
+Ruff briefly (Bob Burgess).

Grimsbury Res 12th Sept

Redstart briefly,
2-3 Willow Tit,
1 Whitethroat,
2 Lesser Whitethroat,
1 Tree Pipit,
16 Chiffchaff,
(Garath Blockley)

Long Meadow Directions

Long Meadow is shown on the Otmoor site map as location E
http://www.oos.org.uk/Sites/Otmoor/index.php

or alternatively on the Otmoor blog where it is now labelled
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding/Background%2BInfo%2C%2BAccess%2Betc./
(added by Gnome)

Park at Otmoor car park
Walk back up Otmoor lane to the turning to the rifle range.
Just on the bend of the road you will see a gap in the bush in front of you.

The Redstarts can be anywhere in the meadow but are most easily found in the bushes in the middle of the meadow.

Radley 11 Sept

Spotted Crake still showing well @ 14:10

Otmoor 11 Sep

To add to Pete's posting

Greenshank on The Closes
2 Hobby (reports of 5)
Report also of Marsh Harrier

P.S. Where is Long Meadow?

Radley 11th Sept

Spotted Crake still 10.45a.m

Otmoor 11th Sept

Lesser Whitethroats Long Meadow

Redstart Long Meadow

Otmoor 11th Sept

Long Meadow
4 - 6 Redstarts
6+ Lesser Whitethroat
3 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
1 Marsh Tit

On Reserve
3+ Yellow Wags fly over
1 Green Sand - fly over
1 Kingfisher
1 Hobby
1 Gropper
report of Redshank from 1st screen probably Spot Red.

Farmoor 10th Sept 19.00

1 Med Gull in the roost
3 Yellow Wagtail

1066 10th Sept

1066 aka Drayton-Sutton Courtenay fields

1 Gargany
30 Teal

Sonning Eye/Henley Road GP, 10th Sep

Sonning Eye GP
2 juv Black Tern
1 juv Arctic Tern
ad+2juv Common Tern

Henley Road GP
Yellow Wagtail over calling
3 juv Common Tern
1 Black Swan

Radley Gravel Pits 10th Sept

SPOTTED CRAKE,still showing though a bit more elusive as water level is now up to the edge of reeds!

7 Wigeon
12 Shoveler
20+ Gadwall
1 Buzzard
5 Grey partridge
2 Greenshank
4 Green sandpiper
1 Common sandpiper

Port Meadow 10th September

Among the c25 Yellow Wagtails present was 1 Blue-headed Wag which I guess is the bird Adam saw the other day.

Sonning Eye 9th Sept p.m

3 Black Tern still,
1 Arctic Tern,
(per Hugh Netley)

Recent news from Sonning Eye GP

8th September
4 Black Tern

7th September
11 Black Tern

6th September
6 Black Tern
2 Arctic Tern
juv Little Gull

Radley 9th Sept

Spotted Crake still 8.30a.m

Farmoor 9th Sept

Caspian Gull (juv) on causeway at 9.10a.m.
(per R.B.A).

1066 8th Sept

1 Garganey still,

40+Teal,

1 Wigeon,

Radley Gravel Pits 8th sept

Spotted crake:-still showing well on ash pit until 11.30 at least!

7 Little Grebe
1 Wigeon
2 Shoveler
20+ Gadwall
1 Water Rail (same area as crake).
1 Greenshank
3 Green sandpiper
1 Common sandpiper
4 Stock Dove
1 Kingfisher
1 Tree pipit (over calling)
1 White Wagtail
1 Cetti's Warbler

Port Meadow Wednesday 8th Sept

Probable heard-only flyover tree pipit in Burgess Field.
25+ yellow wagtails including one looking like ssp flava (blue-headed)
3 little egrets
1 dunlin
30 wigeon
50 teal

The dunlin on the floods (c) Adam Hartley

Radley 8th Sept

SPOTTED CRAKE still 10.20a.m

Otmoor 7th Sept: - Spotted Redshank

2 SPOTTED REDSHANK at the second screen this evening (MShur - OOS)

Farmoor 7th Sept - Black Terns

c. 14 BLACK TERNS on F2 at 18:00 (per Jason Coppock)
Also:
1st winter Med gull
2+ common gulls

1st winter yellow-legged gull (c) Jason Coppock

1066

1 Gargany
60+ Teal
1 Wigeon

Radley Tuesday 7th Sept - Spotted Crake Still

The SPOTTED CRAKE is still present on the Small Ash Pit early afternoon per Peter Barker. Also present:
4 green sandpipers
1 greenshank

Sonning Eye 6th Sept

3 Black Tern,
2 Arctic Tern,
1 Little Gull,
(Hugh Netley)

Radley Sept 6th 18.00

SPOTTED CRAKE still present

Green Sandpiper 4

Farmoor 6th Sept - Little Tern

By 19:00:
now 14 Black Terns
1 juv. LITTLE TERN
(per Dai John & then Jason Coppock)

RADLEY GRAVEL PITS 6TH SEP

SPOTTED CRAKE:-Still showing well on the N E side of small ash pit next to disused railway track till 12.15 at least!

2 Greenshank
4 Green sandpiper
1 Yellow wagtail (over)
1 Cetti's warbler

Farmoor 5th Sept evening

Caspian Gull juv,
2 1w Med Gull,
Black Tern juv
(as per R.B.A)

Radley Sept 5th

Spotted Crake showing well until 17:30 at least, also 3 Greenshank, 3 Green sand and a juv Yellow Wagtail

Farmoor Sept 5th

Redstart - male and female
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Lesser Whitethroat
Yellow Wagtail - 6
Greenshank -1 (heard over)
Dunlin - 2
GBB Gull - 2
Yellow Legged Gull - 2

Radley 5th Sept

SPOTTED CRAKE still showing well on the small ash pit at 12.45p.m

2 Green Sandpiper,

6 Wigeon,

2 Mandarin,

Muswell Hill 5th Sept

Nightingale (J.Taylor).
Redstart (male),
2 Whitethroat,
2 Chiff-Chaff,
1 Willow Warbler,

Otmoor 5th Sept mid morning

1 Spotted Fly long Meadow,
1 Spotted Fly Car Park field a.m,
Little Owl in Carpark field a.m,
Whinchat R.S.P.B,
Wheatear R.S.P.B,

1 Gropper juv,
12 Yellow Wagtails in cattle field opposite new hide (per R.B.A) 15.21p.m.

Spotted Redshank 1st screen.

Otmoor Sunday 5th September

Spotted Redshank - (J Coppock) from 1st Screen.

Redstart (Male and Female) Long Meadow.

Yellow Wagtail 10+ Long Meadow.

Lesser Whitethroat 10+ Long Meadow.

Muswell Hill
4th September 2010

50+ Linnet
Meadow Pipit 1

Otmoor Sept 4th

Long Meadow
5 Redstart
6 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Willow Warbler
3 Blackcap
1 Whitethroat
1 Chiff Chaff
4 Buzzard
4 Red Kite
1 Yellowhammer

Farmoor 4th Sept

Shag FII (a.m at least)
Yellow-legged Gull,
Great Black-backed Gull,
Ruff juv,
Dunlin,
2 Ringed Plover,
c4 Yellow Wagtail,

Yellow-legged gull (c) Bob Burgess

Ruff (c) Bob Burgess

Otmoor 4th Sept

4 Redstart Long Meadow. Access via the stile near the entrance to the riffle range.
(per Pete Barker).

Radley Saturday 4th September - Spotted Crake Still

The SPOTTED CRAKE is still showing well on the exposed mud in NE corner of the Small Ash Pit at Radley. Access via Thrupp Lane

Also present:
6 snipe
3 green sandpiper
3 greenshank
1 raven
1 hobby

Radley 3rd Sept - Spotted Crake!

SPOTTED CRAKE at Radley GP. Found early afternoon by Leo Bateman the bird was showing very well on and off in the N/E corner of the small ash pit to at least 3.20p.m. Access via Thrupp Lane.

Also present:
3 Greenshank,
3 Green Sandpiper,
1 Yellow-legged gull
1+Raven,

The crake with a greenshank, lapwing and coot (c) Adam Hartley

Videograb Record shots of the very confiding spotted crake (c) Adam Hartley

Farmoor Res 3rd Sept

Spotted Redshank still,
4 Ringed Plover
2 Ruff
2 Poss Curlew Sandpiper flew through.

Port Meadow 3rd September

38 teal
4 shoveler
2 little egrets
c. 20 golden plover

Little Egret in flight on Port Meadow (c) Adam Hartley

Farmoor 3rd Sept

Shag FI
2 Ruff along causeway,
4 Ringed Plover,
3 Dunlin,

The Shag on Farmoor I today (c) Dai John

Farmoor Res 2nd September

Spotted Redshank (juv) still in S/W corner of FII this evening.
1 Ringed Plover,
2 Dunlin,
6 Yellow Wagtail,
2 Redstart still along track near zig-zag path.

The spotted redshank (c) Dai John

Welcome!

Welcome to the new fledgling Oxon Bird Log. The idea is to be a central focal point for Oxon birding sightings and news. This blog is a multi-contributor blog though at present blogging access is by invitation only.

Oxon County Life Lists

Name                Total Latest

Nic Hallam       273 Lapland Bunting
Roger Wyatt      270 Citrine Wagtail
Ian Lewington    269 Lapland Bunting
Paul Chandler    268 Lapland Bunting
Justin Taylor    268 Lapland Bunting
Pete Alan        268 Lapland Bunting
Stuart Thomson   268 Lapland Bunting
Dai John         267 Lapland Bunting
Steve Young      266 Lapland Bunting
Steve Heath      266 Lapland Bunting
Geoff Wyatt      265 Lapland Bunting
Jon Uren         261 Pied Flycatcher
Pete Roby        260 Pied Flycatcher 
Phil Barnett     260 Oriental Turtle Dove
Steve Roby       259 Lapland Bunting
Dave Horton      255 Oriental Turtle Dove
John Prowse      254 Lapland Bunting
Bob Hurst        254 Lapland Bunting
Wayne Bull       253 Lapland Bunting
Terry Tossell    247 Oriental Turtle Dove
Keith Clack      244 Lapland Bunting
Pete Barker      243 Little Tern
Derik Taylor     241 Lesser Yellowlegs
Simon O'Sullivan 240 Lapland Bunting
Ewan Urquhart    239 Ring-necked Parakeet 
Tom Wickens      237 Rough-legged Buzzard
Jason Coppock    236 Lapland Bunting
Steve Burch      232 Lapland Bunting
Al Henderson     229 Lesser Yellowlegs
Mike Shurmer     225 Rough-legged Buzzard
Graham Coleman   221 Lapland Bunting
Adam Hartley     220 Lapland Bunting
Paul Wren        219 Egyptian Goose
Dave Daniels     215 Temminck's Stint
Dave Lowe        214 Snow Bunting
Gareth Blockley  186 Slavonian Grebe
Peter Law        185 Knot
Ben Carpenter    183 Crossbill 
Ian Smith        171 Grey Phalarope 

Whiskered Tern

There have to date only been two Whiskered Terns recorded in the county. The first was a five day stayer at Standlake in 1970 though back then it was part of Berkshire. The second record, found on Friday 25th April 2014 at Otmoor, was therefore to all intents and purposes a county first. It was first seen at about 2pm by a chap called Paul Thomas at the first screen at Otmoor RSPB but he at the time he had just thought that it was a colourful Common Tern. He did mention it to RSPB staff Zoe Edwards and Adam Reid who went to check it out at 16:30. They then came back to the office with their photos and checked with the field guide before calling the warden Joe Harris who went to check it out. He then called Peter Barker and Ian Lewington with whom he discussed the ID before the official news went out at 6pm. There then followed a mad scramble by many of the county birders to get down to see it before it got dark. Some fourteen county birders connected before it flew off high to the north about an hour before dark. Two birders who had just missed it stayed on and they reported that it returned at last light and looked like it was going to roost. Quite a crowd of birders were there at dawn the next day though sadly there was no sign of it.

Local blog write-ups can be found on Black Audi Birding & Gnome's Birding Diary

Some great photos of the Whiskered Tern (c) Terry Sherlock

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup: 12th November – 28th December 1994

Back in the 1990s I regularly watched the Edward Richardson Reserve on the northern edge of Lechlade, just over the border in Gloucestershire. It constituted two main pools, one with extensive dead trees close to housing on the southern side and a more open, less disturbed pool overlooked by a hide. The reserve remains largely unchanged to this day, although the old ramshackle hide has gone and it is further hemmed in by housing. During autumn the muddy edges to the main pool attracted waders, and in winter the open water was often frequented by teal and a few diving duck. On 12th November I made a quick stop at the hide late afternoon on the way home and immediately picked out what appeared to be a drake Lesser Scaup with the tufties and pochards. In those days this was a very rare bird indeed, with just six previous records so the identification needed plenty of time, careful note taking and expert input from Jon King and Ian Lewington to ensure that the more likely hybrid candidates were fully excluded. Luckily it stayed at the reserve over the next few days enabling the identification to be clinched, including views of the all important upperwing pattern and bill detail. On 15th November it was seen to roost at nearby Little Faringdon GP which is on the right side of the county boundary thus becoming the first record for Oxon as well as Glos!

During the latter part of its stay the bird ranged more widely out into the eastern section of the Cotswold Water Park to the west of Lechlade as well as occasional forays back onto the Little Faringdon GP, you had to be quick (or make many visits) to catch up with it in the county! Accepted by BBRC as the 7th record for Britain.

Stuart Thomson

Red-rumped Swallow Farmoor May 1997

A minor influx of Red-rumped Swallows was under way in early May with several birds recorded around the UK. The closest being near Guildford in Surrey. As it's a favourite species I decided to finish work early and take a trip down to see it. I got just a short way along the A34 before grinding to a halt in heavy traffic. It was also raining quite hard and pretty miserable. I decided to abort the journey and go to Farmoor. After all the conditions were ideal and there were Red-rumped Swallows about so why not at the reservoir.......

Predictably the place was heaving with hirundines and with a chilly westerly wind blowing and steady rain falling they were feeding low over both reservoirs. I headed up to the top of the causeway and began checking through about 300 Swallows feeding in the lee of the wind, many directly under the lip of the wave wall. The birds were flying directly towards me and doubling back an forth. Within just a minute or two one bird stood out, it had a neat black 'beret' and just as I was taking this in, it flipped round to reveal a glorious pinky white rump! I enjoyed having the bird to myself for a while and then alerted the various keen local birders.

Photo (c) Nic Hallam

Happily it proved to be a most obliging bird. It remained for five days, the predominately cold wet weather effectively preventing it from leaving. It was quite faithful to the south western corner of F.1. were some excellent photographs were taken by local lensman George Reszeter. It was also seen perched on the wave wall and the wire fencing of the reservoir perimeter. It gradually became more elusive as the weather improved and was last seen out in the middle of F.2. on the evening of 12th May.

This was the first record for Farmoor and Oxon and at the time was still a "BB Rarity". It has since come off the list but despite several influx years still remains the sole record.

Reproduced by kind permission of Nic Hallam.

Surf Scoter Farmoor 27th March 1998

“Every Friday afternoon since the early nineties, I have been making a routine walk around F1. On 27th. March 1998 I was walking towards the car park when a bird flew overhead. Gathering my scattered thoughts together, and with my eyes finally connecting to my brain, I realised that I had just seen a drake Surf Scoter! This was a species I believe had only been sighted inland in the UK on just a few occasions.
With mounting panic I hurried back to F1 hoping that the bird had landed and not just flown over, stopping now and then to scope for this rarity. I had retraced my footsteps back to half way along the causeway without a sighting at this point. Dejected and miserable that I had not found the bird, I sadly walked again in the direction of the car park. Pausing to look at some Goldeneye, and admiring a splendid male I was amazed to see the Surf Scoter amongst them!
A second panic attack, what if it flies off without anyone else seeing it, would I be believed? My journey to the car park seemed to take for ever. Looking around desperately for a warden to access his phone. (this was in my pre- mobile days.) and without finding one, I hurried home to use my land line to spread the news.
The first people I contacted were Peter Allen and Steve Heath. Steve phoned Ian Lewington who quickly spread the word. My last sighting of the celebrity was on the evening of fourth April when he allowed me to get within ten metres of him as though as a farewell gesture. Oh if only I had had a digital camera in those days!”

© Dai John, Oxford, 8/12/08.

Baikal Teal

Baikal Teal: 22nd – 24th December 2002

I visited Dix Pit near Stanton Harcourt at lunchtime on 22nd December 2002 to count the wildfowl having noted a significant influx of dabblers in recent days. There were again large numbers of duck present and whilst working my way through the flock I noticed a bird with a prominent white vertical stripe between the breast and flanks. My initial thoughts were of Green-winged Teal, but at distance the head pattern didn’t look right for this species and the undertail coverts were wholly black and separated from the rear flanks by another prominent white vertical stripe.I then recalled a recent article on the Minsmere Baikal Teal which I thought also showed a white foreflank stripe so made a couple of phone calls, eventually finding Steve Heath at home to whom I could describe the bird whilst he checked a field guide.

As I ran through the features it became clear that these fitted Baikal Teal, and whilst clearly a drake, at this stage I thought the subdued nature of the head pattern was indicative of a first winter bird moulting into adult plumage. After research the plumage best fitted an adult male moulting out of eclipse - eastern ducks typically emerge from eclipse a month or two later than western birds.During the course of the afternoon the bird attracted a small crowd of interested locals and drifted a little closer to allow better viewing on this day and also on 24th December. Despite searching on 26th, 27th and 28th I did not see the bird again. It is likely to have departed as it arrived with the influx of Teal and Wigeon.The bird kept in close company with the mixed flock of Teal and Wigeon, was wary and kept away from the banks. When preening it gave the occasional wing flap and was seen to be fully winged and unringed. The record was accepted by BBRC in 2010 and is the third British record, following on from the first, shot in Essex in 1906, and the Minsmere bird in 2001.

Stuart Thomson

Buff-Bellied Pipit

Buff-bellied pipit (c) Mike Flemming

More photos on Farmoor Birding July-December 2007

All Records of Buff-bellied Pipit in Oxon

• 2007 8th-10th October, Farmoor Reservoir. Bird was also reported on 12th at Port Meadow briefly (Birding World 20 (10): 407, photo), (British Birds 100: plate 325), (British Birds 101: 555, plate 281)
  

Bonaparte's Gull

May 2000 Bonaparte's Gull (c) George Reszetter

April 2009 (c) Nic Hallam

All Sightings of Bonaparte's Gull in Oxon

• 2009 Farmoor Reservoir, 11th-18th April.
  
• 2007 Farmoor Reservoir, 1st-summer, 1st to 9th May. (British Birds 100: plate 158); (Birding World 20 (5): 186 );
• 2006 Farmoor Reservoir, first-winter, 17th–20th April, (British Birds 100: 717)
• 2000 Farmoor Reservoir, first-summer, 17th to 18th May (Birding World 13 (5): 175) ; (British Birds 93: plate 190), (British Birds 94: 477, plate 264 )

Franklin's Gull

A montage of the 2007 bird, found in the roost. Fortunately it turned up again the next night, allowing many birders to see it

The 2002 Franklin's Gull, in active moult as seen by comparing the two photos

All Sightings of Franklin's Gull in Oxon

• 2007 Farmoor Reservoir, adult, 10th to 11th November. Nic Hallam (British Birds 101: 546)


• 2002 Farmoor Reservoir, adult, 17th to 28th August. Nic Hallam (Birding World 15 (8): 313), (British Birds 96: 574)
  

Lesser Yellowlegs

The Port Meadow Lesser Yellowlegs, October 2010 (c) Nigel Forrow

All Records of Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxon

• 2010 Port Meadow, juvenile 14th Oct to 8th Nov. Adam Hartley
• 1999 Otmoor, 25th May. Jason Gosler
• 1998 Otmoor, adult, 29th Aug to 5th Sep. (British Birds 92: 577)
• 1983 Banbury Sewage-farm, 1st winter, 2nd to 18th Dec. (British Birds 78: 551, plate 258)
• 1970 Stanton Harcourt Gravel-pits, 1st to 17th Oct. (British Birds 64: 351)

Finder's Description Oct 2010: Port Meadow (Adam Hartley)

"I'd been down to visit a client in Surrey that morning and had intended to some birding down there. However the meeting had dragged on too long so in the end I came straight back feeling rather frustrated so to clear my head I went down to Port Meadow to check out the patch. It was very overcast and gloomy though with little wind down by the floods. I had just started my scan when I came across a couple of waders: one was the ruff which had been there for a few days now but the other bird I couldn't immediately recognise. It superficially looked like a wood sandpiper with a brown speckled back but the jizz and proportions were all wrong. After I while I was able to make out the bright yellow-orange legs and I realised that it was a lesser yellowlegs that I had in front of me. I gave Nic Hallam and Jason Coppock a call and they came down to confirm the ID but it was getting too dark by this time for anyone else to connect that evening. There were a few anxious county birders that night, hoping that it would stay and quite a few people were there at dawn to look for it. Fortunately the bird seemed to like the floods and stayed for almost a month in the end and lots of visitors from far and wide were able to come and admire this cracking bird."

Adam Hartley

Some video taken on the last day that it was seen.

Past County Rarities

Write-ups of Past County Rarities: click on the link below for details. More to follow soon!

• Lesser Yellowlegs

• Franklin's Gull

• Bonaparte's Gull

• Buff-bellied Pipit

• Surf Scoter

• Red-rumped Swallow

• Baikal Teal

• Lesser Scaup
  

Port Meadow Lesser Yellowlegs (c) Steve Burch. See the write-up for more info.

Blogging Help

Most of the blogging should be fairly straight-forward so below are some useful pointers to help with blogging.

Posting via "Going Birding"
When using the Going Birding service, for each sighting there is a "Post to Blog" tick box option. This will by default either be ticked or un-ticked depending on how rare the bird is and sightings that are ticked will be posted to the blog automatically. Note that you won't be able to edit or delete the resultant Going Birding post yourself. If you prefer to do your blog entries yourself then make sure it's un-ticked for all sightings.

Posting via E-mail
It's perfectly possible to make postings via e-mail. This can be particularly useful if one is out in the field with an internet-enabled phone for example or maybe you just prefer to use e-mail for posting. To set this up go to your user Dashboard (log on, click on "New Post" at the top and then once the New Post screen comes up click on Dashboard at the top right-hand corner of your screen). This will display a list of your blogs. Next to each blog title is an e-mail icon. Click this and it will ask you to set the e-mail address for your blog: change the "Secret Words" bit to something useful. When you post to that e-mail address the title of the e-mail becomes the title of your posting, the body of the e-mail becomes the blog posting text and any photo attachments will be inserted in the blog.