Port Meadow: 6th April

6th April:

Two Yellow wagtails this morning.

5th April:

Two White wagtails (1m 1f) and two Yellow wagtails in afternoon. House martin in morning 

Male White wagtail

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 5th April

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Marsh Harrier 16:00.
10 Swallow 16:00.

Steve Akers

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 5th April

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Glossy Ibis: On The Closes (courtesy Terry Sherlock). 16:00.
3 Ruff: One developing distinct white front (courtesy Terry Sherlock). 16:00.
10 Redshank: Across the reserve. 16:00.

Steve Akers

Cowleaze Wood 5th April

Ring Ouzel on opposite side of the road from Cowleaze Wood car park c09:07 (Wayne Paes) 

but no further sign by 12:45.

Both photos courtesy of Wayne Paes.

Sarsgrove: 5th April

Sarsgrove
Raven 10:30.

Steve Akers

Radley GP: 5th April

Radley GP
2 Ring-necked Duck: m + f. SU525974. 16:30.

Colin Teal

Appleford GPs 4th April

Great white Egret seen and photographed yesterday (per John Workman).

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Port Meadow: 5th April

Port Meadow
Redstart: male. In a hedge on Burgess Field at around 12:10.
Yellow Wagtail
4 Shelduck: Two pairs.
Oystercatcher

Ian Elkins

Sonning Eye GPs: 5th April

Sonning Eye GPs
Great White Egret: Usual place. 14:01.
2 Egyptian Goose 14:01.
Raven 14:01.
3 Grey Heron 14:01.

Ralph Watts

Floods between Drayton & Sutton Courtenay 5th April

Little-ringed Plover 3

Green Sandpiper 7

(per Leo Bateman)

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Linkey Down, 5th April 2021

 

(no sign of any Ring Ouzels)

Old Caley's Diary

Appleford GPs

Little Ringed plover - 5 on the back pools. Very well hidden in vegetation

Redshank

Green sandpiper 

Shelduck - 2

Oystercatcher - 2

Snipe

: 5th April

Otmoor Long Meadow
Redstart: In long meadow. Disappeared in to a bush never to be seen again. Brief glimpse of male in breeding plumage. SP573124. 13:30.

Hector S

Otmoor: 5th April

Otmoor
2 Marsh Harrier: A male and a female. 11:45.

Manoj Nair

Sutton Courtenay

Mediterranean Gull - flew north calling

Willow Warbler

Little Ringed Plover - 2 still on flooded field

Ringed Plover

Redshank

Oystercatcher - 4

House Martin - 2

Swallow - 20+

Sand Martin - 20+

Widford: 5th April

Widford
5 Little Ringed Plover: Now 5 at least. 12:06.
White Wagtail: With c10 pied. 12:06.

Mick Cunningham

Grimsbury Reservoir: 5th April

Osprey through north c.1035

2 Willow Warbler

4 House Martin

20+ Swallow

20+ Sand Martin

Marsh Baldon: 5th April

Marsh Baldon
Siskin: male. Male Siskin working along hawthorn hedge. 11:15.

Paul Torevell

Standlake: 5th April

Standlake
Mandarin Duck: m. Flew east, returning 20 minutes later when it flew WSW towards the Thames. 11:01.

Mick Cunningham

Bicester Wetland Reserve 5th April

 1 Willow Warbler

3 Green Sandpiper

30 Snipe

12 Gadwall

1 Little Egret

Alan Peters

Key Holder Reserve

Sonning Eye GPs: 5th April

Sonning Eye GPs
Great White Egret: Still at the triangle. SU748762. 10:17.

Marek Walford

Farmoor 5th April

Common Sandpiper 

Blackcap

Chiffchaff 

Swallow

Sand Martins 

Mistle Thrush 2

Redwing

(per Mark Pidgeon).

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Otmoor rspb 5th April

GLOSSY IBIS on the Closes 09:03 (per Luke O'Byrne).
Bittern 

Garganey 2 m/f

Shelduck 2

Barnacle Goose 16 

Ruff 3

Dunlin 3

Sedge Warbler 

Reed Warbler 

(per Nick Truby)

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Witney: 4th April

Witney
2 Yellowhammer: m n f. Pair on Oxford Hill. Breeding? 21:20.
5 Blackcap: Oxford hill. 21:20.
2 Chiffchaff: Oxford hill. 21:20.
22 Linnet: Oxford Hill. 21:20.
Sparrowhawk: Oxford Hill. 21:20.

Finstock
Sparrowhawk: In display over Hunts Copse. 21:20.

Mick Cunningham

Oxford, Aston’s Eyot: 4th April

Osprey north following the Thames at 7pm (per Ben Sheldon via Twitter) 

Otmoor rspb 4th April

Brent Goose courtesy of Badger

GLOSSY IBIS on the Closes feeding along the northern end 12:26 

Bittern

Marsh Harrier 

Garganey 2 m/f Big Otmoor tho distant 12:47

Brent Goose 12:47 Big Otmoor 

Barnacle Goose feral Big Otmoor

White-fronted Goose 8 Noke Sides

Ruff 4

Dunlin 4

Water Rail

Sedge Warbler

Willow Warbler

Cetti's Warbler 

(per Mark Pidgeon,Peter Law, Badger, Bark, Ian Elkins et al).

Chinnor: 4th April

Courtesy of Jez March

2 Grey Partridge: SP738019. 09:28.

Jez March

Letcombe Bassett: 4th April

Letcombe Bassett
Yellow Wagtail: SU362862. 11:20.

Mark Bradfield

Letcombe Regis 4th April

CATTLE EGRET reported again in field behind the allotments on Warborough Road.

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Farmoor Reservoir 4th April

Sandwich Tern A solitary individual in buoyant flight not very high over the causeway and then gradually gaining altitude and lost to sight westward. 11:40 

Common Sandpiper by the sludge pools towards the N/E of F1

(per Manoj Nair)

Red-crested Pochard 1

Goldeneye 3

Great Black-backed Gull 2

Raven

Sand Martin c500

Sedge Warbler 

Willow Warbler 4

Cetti's Warbler 5

Blackcaps

Yellow Wagtail 3

(per Ewan Urquhart)

All photos courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Yellow Wagtails

Sarsgrove: 4th April

Sarsgrove
Wheatear: First of the year - in the first field just to the left of footpath to Churchill. 09:30.
Willow Warbler: First of the year here. 09:30.

Steve Akers

Appleford GPs 4th April evening

Little-ringed Plover 

Oystercatcher 2+

Redshank 

Lapwing c10

Snipe 4

Green Sandpiper 

Sparrowhawk 

Egyptian Goose 2

Sand Martin 4+

Kingfisher 

Egyptian Geese

Appleford: Appleford GP: 4th April

Appleford: Appleford GP
2 Redshank 11:00.

Anthony Cheke

Widford: 4th April

Widford
3 Little Ringed Plover: 2m and f. On temporary flood. With lapwing. 13:58.

Mick Cunningham

Wootton nr Woodstock: 4th April

Wootton nr Woodstock
Redstart: male. Wirking the hedgerow at bottom of Jubilee Meadow. 3rd day. SP441196. 12:18.

Malcolm Barnicoat

Garford: 4th April

Garford
4 Swallow 12:07.

Richard Parsons

Sonning Eye GPs: 4th April

Great White Egret: Still present at the triangle. SU747764. 11:09.
2 Mandarin Duck: m+f. 10:52.

Marek Walford

Chinnor: Cement Works: 4th April

Chinnor: Cement Works
Little Ringed Plover: SU751997. 09:31.

Jez March

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway: 3rd April

Farmoor Reservoir: Causeway
4 Yellow Wagtail 16:00.

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames
Probable White-fronted Goose 16:00.
50 Snow Goose 16:00.
20 Barnacle Goose 16:00.

Colin Teal

Otmoor - 3rd April

Glossy Ibis - still present on the Closes (17:30 RBA)

Bittern

2 Garganey - Big Otmoor then in front of the 1st screen early evening.

Spotted Redshank - heard calling at about 7am on Big Otmoor but remained unseen all morning

2 Black-tailed Godwit 

2 Little Ringed Plover - Big Otmoor

5 Ruff - Big Otmoor

10 Dunlin - Big Otmoor

8 White-fronted Geese

House Martin 

Redstart (per Bark, Oz)

Reed Warbler

6 Sedge Warbler

9 Willow Warbler

Fieldfare

Peregrine

(per Isaac West, Dave Lowe)

Sutton Courtenay

 Yellow Wagtail - flew over

Little Ringed Plover - 2

Ringed Plover

Redshank - 2

Oystercatcher - 4

Swallow - 10+

Sand Martin - 25+

Barnacle Goose - 2

Egyptian Goose - 3

Stock dove - 2

Little Egret - 4

Lapwing - c. 20

Appleford GPs 3rd April

Little-ringed Plover 2

Oystercatcher 3

Little Egret 2

Pintail 2+

Shelduck 

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Dix Pit Stanton Harcourt 3rd April

Scaup (f) still present (per RBA).

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Sutton Courtenay 2nd April

Short-eared Owl yesterday flushed from private land.

Sonning Eye GPs: 3rd April

Sonning Eye GPs
Oystercatcher: Rowing course bund. 13:56.

Marek Walford

Wooden nr Woodstock 3rd April

CATTLE EGRET again on the Jubilee Meadow reserve until 10:30 then flushed by walker 

(per Paul Butler). 

Park in Marriott Close OX20 1EY and follow footpath down the hill to view.

Farmoor Reservoir 3rd April

Courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Goldeneye 4

Gadwall 9

Yellow-legged Gull 2

Sand Martin 1000+

Swallow 30+

Redwing 

Yellow Wagtail 4

Blackcap 14 (1f)

Willow Warbler 

(per Ewan Urquhart, Nick Truby)

Fyfield Wick: 3rd April

Fyfield Wick
Merlin: Starling Alarm call alerted me to a bird Through North. 11:35.
Peregrine: male. Again alarm calls alerted me to this bird circling high NW. 11:35.
2 Starling: At least 1 pair have set up territory on the cottage for the 1st time. 11:35.

Jed Cleeter

Otmoor: 2nd April

Spotted Redshank ourtesy of Thomas Miller

GLOSY IBIS showing for much of the day on the Closes still present 17:04

Garganey courtesy of Steve Roby

2 Garganey m/f
Brent Goose 
White-fronted Goose 5
2 Shelduck
Crane 2
Curlew 6+
Spotted redshank Big Otmoor
Black-tailed godwit
5 Ruff (inc a stunning white individual) Big Otmoor
3 Dunlin
Ringed Plover
Little-ringed Plover 2
Oystercatcher 2
Little Egret
Bittern

Marsh Harrier

Female Wheatear reported at Noke

Yellow Wagtail
Whitethroat (1st reported county record) (C.O)
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler 

(per Thomas Miller, Jez March, Colin Oram, Colin Teal, Badger)

Dark-bellied Brent Goose courtesy of Jez March

Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 2nd April

Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course
2 Swallow 18:31.
Black-tailed Godwit: Still on the island for the 4th day. 18:31.
4 Oystercatcher 18:31.
200 Golden Plover: c200. 18:31.
11 Chiffchaff 18:31.
Peregrine 18:31.
6 Lapwing 18:31.

Luke Marriner

Wooton nr Woodstock 2nd April

Courtesy of Justin Taylor

CATTLE EGRET again present on Jubilee Meadow nature reserve c15:00 (per Justin Taylor). 

Park in Marriott Close OX20 1EY and follow footpath down the hill to view.

Chinnor: Cement Works: 2nd April

Chinnor: Cement Works
3 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 10:30.

David Stracey

Standlake: 2nd April

Standlake
Marsh Harrier: f? Flew north, fairly high. Cream crown tail seemed to flash cinnamon in sun briefly so adult fem?? 14:18.

Mick Cunningham

Farmoor Reservoir 2nd April

Yellow Wagtail courtesy of Steve Liptrot Photography

Crane flew S/W over F2 towards Dix Pit (per Dave Lowe)

White-fronted Goose 

Goldeneye 6

Red-crested Pochard 3

Common Tern

Yellow Wagtail 6

White Wagtail 

Wheatear 

Sand Martin c1000

Swallow 20

Willow Warbler 

Blackcap

(per Ewan Urquhart, Andy Last week al)

Grimsbury Reservoir 2nd April

Crossbill 6 flew north over the reservoir a.m

Yellow Wagtail 

Willow Warbler c4

Blackcap 3

Sand Martin 15

Swallow 10

(per John Friendship-Taylor)

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Headington, Oxford: 2nd April

Tawny Owl chicks. The very early laying date of one of the local pairs means that these chicks are already out of the nest and have to cope with the current cold, early spring temperatures. 

Dix Pit Stanton Harcourt 2nd April

Scaup (f) 10:58 (per Dave Lowe).

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White Horse Hill: 2nd April

White Horse Hill
Merlin: m.
18 Golden Plover
32 Meadow Pipit

Mark Merritt

Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 1st April

Courtesy of Luke Marriner

Mediterranean Gull ad
Black-tailed Godwit: Summer plumage bird still present on the island on the main lake. 18:44.
5 Oystercatcher 18:44.
3 Lapwing 18:44.
Yellow Wagtail: Flew through calling. 18:44.

Luke Marriner

Courtesy of Luke Marriner

Farmoor Reservoir 1st April

White-fronted Goose

Red-crested Pochard 2

House Martin 1

Sand Martin 20

Swallow 15

(per Johnny Eclipse)

Sandwich Tern p.m 

Common Sandpiper 

(report via Facebook group)

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Port Meadow: 1st April

Port Meadow
Black-tailed Godwit
Redshank
Dunlin
Shelduck
Wheatear
3+ Yellow Wagtail

Manoj Nair, Adam Hartley, Thomas Miller

Letcombe Regis: 1st April

Yellow Wagtail
5 Swallow
Grey Partridge 
Little Egret
7 Corn Bunting

Otmoor - 1st April

Glossy Ibis courtesy of Jessica Crumpton

GLOSSY IBIS - still present on the Closes at 13:30

2 Garganey - Big Otmoor

Spotted Redshank - Big Otmoor

Little Ringed Plover - Big Otmoor

4 Black-tailed Godwit - over

5 Dunlin - Big Otmoor

4 White-fronted Geese - Noke Sides

3 Sedge Warbler

4 Willow Warbler

12 Sand Martin

5 Swallow

2 Raven

Wheatear

Male Garganey

Female Garganey

Play Hatch: 1st April

Play Hatch
Great White Egret 10:25.

Ralph Watts

Bicester Wetland Reserve: 1st April

Bicester Wetland Reserve
Green Sandpiper: 3. 15:10.

Laurie Bryant

Port Meadow: Wolvercote Common: 1st April

Port Meadow: Wolvercote Common
3 Yellow Wagtail: 2+1 feeding along the ditch separating Port Meadow from the Wolvercote Common. 14:30.

Manoj Nair

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 1st April

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Glossy Ibis
2 Garganey: pair.
Spotted Redshank: Big Otmoor.
Little Ringed Plover: Big Otmoor.
4 Dunlin
3 Pintail: Big Otmoor.
5 White-fronted Goose: Noke Sides.

Steve Roby

Wantage: Lark Hill: 1st April

Wantage: Lark Hill
Swallow: SU410872. 12:00.

Stephen Burch

Cutteslowe: North Oxford Golf Course: 1st April

Cutteslowe: North Oxford Golf Course
Chiffchaff: Aberrant singer still singing "coal tit"-style song daily on Lakeside and Linkside Avenue; phrasing apparently becoming longer and more complex. Assuming it to be an oddball P.c.collybita (based on appearance and contact calls); song structure seems to fit even if the note inventory doesn't. Recording from this morning here https://www.xeno-canto.org/634736. 14:18.

Nicholas Boyd

Otmoor: 1st April

Otmoor
4 White-fronted Goose: Nike sides. 14:31.
Wheatear: male. 14:31.

Luke Marriner

Wootton nr Woodstock: 1st April

Cattle Egret still present with mixed geese and a Little Egret in same location below Jubilee Meadow at 10:30 this morning. SP441196. 11:35.

Malcolm Barnicoat

No sign between 15:50-16:30 but there was a lot of disturbance (Badger).

: 1st April

Burnt Platt wood
Brambling: m. SU6882. 11:20.

Burnt Platt wood
Raven: SU6882. 11:20.

John Taylor

Berinsfield: 1st April

Berinsfield
2 Egyptian Goose 09:50.

Alex Edgar

Bicester Wetland Reserve 1st April

6 Green Sandpiper (good number for April)

35 Snipe

Alan Peters

Key Holder Reserve 

Grimsbury Reservoir 1st April

Yellow Wagtail 2 on western side 

Willow Warbler
Swallow 8+

Sand Martin 18

(per Gareth Blockley)

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Longworth: 1st April

Longworth
Blackcap: male. Singing near church. 12:30.
Chiffchaff: male. Singing near church. 12:30.
2 Swallow: Returned breeders near church. 12:30.

Jed Cleeter

Cowley: 31st March

Cowley
Osprey: Just flew North and not particularly high. 12:17.

Jed Cleeter

March Review & News

Newly arrived Northern Wheatear, courtesy of Paul Chandler 

The first passage month of 2021 in Oxfordshire produced a varied and interesting medley of new season and notable sightings. Starting with March migrants, Sand Martin were recorded herein from 3rd / 4th and Little Ringed Plover from 17th with early records of each in Port Meadow. A House Martin there on 8th was way ahead of schedule, and the year's first Oxon Swallow was logged at Farmoor Reservoir on 23rd. Good numbers of incoming Wheatear passed through several locations from 25th including 14 in one day at the classic site of Lollingdon Hill near Cholsey.

Little Ringed Plover at Farmoor Reservoir ↑ courtesy of Ewan Urquhart
and with a Ringed Plover on Port Meadow ↓ courtesy of Thomas Miller
Click on any image to enlarge

Amongst those eagerly awaited vanguards Little Ringed Plover were seen in seven different locations across the county, a best tally being up to seven in Port Meadow on 28th. The first major falls of Sand Martin occurred when in excess of 900 were counted at Farmoor, then another 700 plus at Standlake GPs towards the end of this review period.

Glossy Ibis over Otmoor, courtesy of Terry Sherlock

Video courtesy of Badger.

Moving on to notables, one contender for bird of the month was a Glossy Ibis observed around the Otmoor basin. This was first spotted in flight on 12th from the RSPB reserve's second screen. Then it settled in a non-accessible area to the immediate north, becoming viewable mostly distantly from a right of way east of Oddington to 23rd. The same bird was also seen in more usually visited areas a few times before resettling after 24th on The Closes where it pulled in plenty of admirers.

Glossy Ibis on The Closes, courtesy of Peter Alfrey

Black-necked Grebes, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Another candidate were three smart Black-necked Grebe that arrived late morning on 23rd at Farmoor. Breeding plumage birds are a spring site speciality there and always a delight to encounter in any Oxon season. This trio remained for the rest of that day but had moved on by the following morning. A winter plumage bird also dropped in there on 31st.

Avocets over Port Meadow, courtesy of Christopher Knight

Video courtesy of Gnome

Wader passage was steady throughout March. Top billing in this group must go a party of five Avocet which spent much of 7th on the Port Meadow floods. After departing they were also seen moving through Farmoor Reservoir on their way out of our county. Another Avocet visited Otmoor at month's end. Black-tailed Godwit in stunning summer plumage were seen at several sites with 20+ counts on different dates on Otmoor, as well as up to 16 Ruff there. Spotted Redshank visited Farmoor on 21st and Otmoor from 29th.

Black-tailed Godwit on Port Meadow ↑ courtesy of Thomas Miller
and at Moreton golf course ↓ courtesy of Luke Marriner

Lone Brent and White-fronted Geese continued to associate with the Farmoor feral flocks. Another seven White-fronts were found there on 3rd but soon moved on. Up to six were recorded on Otmoor through to 25th and a singleton at Sutton Courtenay on 21st. A Brent also visited Otmoor on 24th. A latest Cattle Egret was seen near Woodstock on 30th.

Brent Goose at Farmoor, courtesy of Dave Murphy

White-fronted Geese at Farmoor ↑ courtesy of Ewan Urquhart
and the regular first winter bird ↓ courtesy of Peter Law

In other wildfowl news two Smew were logged at Henley Road GPs again on 2nd. The long staying pair of Ring-necked Duck remained at Radley GPs all month, while the three wintering Scaup were last reported together from Dix Pit on 14th. A Ruddy Shelduck of unknown provenance visited Otmoor on 25th, and migrating Common Scoter were heard in flight over Headington, Cholsey and Banbury.

Mediterranean ↑ and Little ↓ Gulls in Port Meadow, courtesy of Thomas Miller

March is traditionally a good month for Mediterranean Gull records. This year up to four were reported regularly at Farmoor and other sightings came from Port Meadow, Radley GPs and Blenheim Park. Early Little Gull were noted again at Otmoor (13th), and both Farmoor and Blenheim on various dates. Caspian Gulls continued to occur at their usual sites. Farmoor also played host to two Kittiwake on 16th. Another notable find there was a Sandwich Tern briefly on 28th.

Farmoor Kittiwake ↑ courtesy of Ewan Urquhart
and Sandwich Tern ↓ courtesy of Mark Pidgeon

Raptor records included a new visit to Oxon airspace by a White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of Wight release scheme, a female (G318) being seen over the Downs crossing the border with Berkshire on 6th. A ringtail Hen Harrier continued to frequent RSPB Otmoor to 22nd at least, and away from there a Marsh Harrier was logged at Standlake GPs on 6 & 7th. Our first north-bound Ospreys of the year were tracked over the mid-Cherwell valley on 27th and Port Meadow two days later. Up to three Short-eared Owl were reported from two locations on the Downs. 

White-tailed Eagle, courtesy of Mark Merritt

Short-eared Owl, courtesy of Roger Wyatt

More unusual passerine sightings included a Water Pipit seen again on Otmoor (7th), three Common Crossbill in Coxwell Wood near Faringdon (14th) and a pair of Black Redstart (m & f) around Chinnor Cement Works from 25th. Wintering Brambling continued to be reported from multiple sites around the county all  month.

Black Redstarts at Chinnor Cement Works
male ↑ courtesy of David Stracey, and female↓ courtesy of Luke Marriner

One very reliable Oxon site for Brambling has been the Banbury Ornithological Society's Balscote Quarry reserve. As a bonus feature for this review we have a video of a selection of birds seen on and around the feeders there during March.

Video courtesy of Badger

In the final few days of March falls of Blackcap and Willow Warbler occurred across the county. Other first of year migrant records herein at month's end were Sedge Warbler at Baulking Pit, Ring Ouzel on the Downs, Common Redstart at Lollingdon and White Horse Hills, Common Tern in Port Meadow, Hobby in central Oxford and Yellow Wagtail in three places. We have now reached the time of year when every day there can be something new to encounter. With lockdown 3.0 being eased through April there will be even more opportunity for connecting with local birds.

Peter Law

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