Corn Bunting Lower Heyford courtesy of Kyle Smith.

Otmoor rspb 8th August

CATTLE EGRET 6 (per RBA).

Appleford GPs 8th August

Curlew (per Lew)

Dunlin

Ringed Plover 

Little-ringed Plover 2 both juv

Green Sandpiper 2

Common Sandpiper 

Egyptian Goose 2

Little Egret 3

No sign of the Baltic Gull but comparatively 

few large Gulls present 12:00-13:00.

Devil's Punchbowl: 8th August

Devil's Punchbowl
Redstart
3 Wheatear
2 Raven

Mark Merritt

Ardley Lagoon 8th August

Black-tailed Godwit 4

Green Sandpiper 9

(per Justin Taylor) 10:05

Grimsbury Reservoir 8th August

Mediterranean Gull juv

Little-ringed Plover 

Common Sandpiper 

Little Egret 

(per JFT)

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Appleford 7th August

Baltic Gull 1st summer. A new bird, different from previous sightings.

Caspian Gull 3 juveniles including a bizarre aberrant individual.

 

Appleford GPs 7th August

Baltic Gull 1st summer 15:23 viewable from the start of the access road although distant.

(per Lew, Tom Wickens, Badger).

Green Sandpiper 2

Common Sandpiper 3

Little-ringed Plover 4

Snipe 3

Lapwing c100

Little Egret 

Farmoor Reservoir - 7th Aug

Ringed Plover (juv) courtesy of Peter Law

Wood Sandpiper (per Dave Lowe) 

Turnstone

Ringed Plover (juv) along causeway

Common Sandpiper 2

Wood Sandpiper courtesy of Andy Last.

Lark Hill 7th August

Marsh Harrier (f)

Wheatear (juv)

Yellow Wagtail

c40 Corn Bunting 

Otmoor rspb 7th August

 

Redstart courtesy of Andy Last.

CATTLE EGRET 5 on Big Otmoor 16:47

Redstart 3+

(per Andy Last)

Cattle Egret courtesy of Andy Last

Chipping Norton: 6th August

Chipping Norton
3 Green Sandpiper: Feeding in the shallows of small lake on Cornwell Manor Estate. SP283268. 18:30.
2 Grey Heron: SP283268. 18:30.
7 Teal: SP283268. 18:30.

Steve Akers

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy of John Reynolds.

 

Drayton flood 7th August

Green Sandpiper 12

Little-ringed Plover

(per Conor, Badger)

Otmoor 7th August

 07:30-

Whinchat (Greenaway from Bittern bench)

Greenshank (in flight over Big Otmoor with Lapwings)

Oystercatcher 4 (first screen)

Kingfisher (Noke Bridleway)

Common Crane (Big Otmoor)

Cattle Egret 2 (first screen) + 3 (Greenaway)

Bittern (first screen)

Wolvercote: Wolvercote Bridge: 7th August

Wolvercote: Wolvercote Bridge
Possible Grey Wagtail: fem. 06:35.

Matthew Southwell

Appleford GPs 6th August

Baltic Gull 1st summer 16:00-16:10 then flew to landfill.

Caspian Gull juv

(per Thomas Miller)

Kingfisher Radley courtesy of Mark Chivers.

 

Farmoor Reservoir 6th August

Dunlin 1 adult

Common Swift 2

 

Harwell Laboratory: 6th August

Harwell Laboratory
Redstart

Mark Merritt

Blenheim: 5th August

Blenheim
6 Cattle Egret: At least 5 young birds on 3 nests. Also an adult seen arriving from the west and entering the Laburnum tree away from the other nests, so presumably a 4th nest. Another adult flying over Woodstock toward Blenheim. 17:27.

David Doherty

Blenheim: 5th August

Some distant record shots of the young Cattle Egrets at Benheim which look close to fledging. Not sure on numbers at this nest - 2 (maybe 3).

Farmoor Reservoir 5th August

No sign of the juvenile Purple Sandpiper on causeway. by 06:22.
Green Sandpiper 06:22.
Great White Egret 06:22.

Tony Chatt

Farmoor Reservoir 4th August

Juvenile Kittiwake. Arrived on Farmoor 2 last night and steadily declined in health today and by mid afternoon it was moribund on the edge of Farmoor 1 by the valve tower

Farmoor Reservoir: 4th August

Farmoor Reservoir
Sandwich Tern: Feeding along on F1 near the sandpiper. 19:42.
Purple Sandpiper: Still feeding along causeway. 19:42.

Luke Marriner

Farmoor Reservoir 4th August

Sandwich Tern on F1 18:14 (per Birdguides)

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Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 4th August

Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course
2 Spotted Flycatcher: Only my third record on site and first this year! 17:30.
2 Common Tern 17:30.
Little Owl 17:30.
15 Yellow Wagtail: 15+ autumn flock building. 17:30.
14 Grey Wagtail: Mixture of young and adults, don't get many on site ! 17:30.
Sedge Warbler 17:30.
2 Oystercatcher 17:30.
2 Common Sandpiper: First of the autumn. 17:30.

Luke Marriner

Farmoor, 4th August

 14-16:00

Purple Sandpiper (causeway)

Kittiwake (F1 valve tower but not looking good)

Farmoor : 4th August

Purple Sandpiper

Farmoor Reservoir: 4th August

Farmoor Reservoir
Purple Sandpiper 12:20.
3 Yellow-legged Gull 12:20.
Kittiwake 12:20.
2 Common Sandpiper: Filter beds. 12:20.
Raven 12:20.

Ralph Watts

Farmoor Aug 4th 07:04

PURPLE SANDPIPER still on causeway at 14:30
Med Gull - 1 Juv
Juv Kittiwake still (now sadly moribund) on F1 near the valve tower.

(per Dave Lowe,Mark Merritt et al)

Purple Sandpiper courtesy of Kyle Smith.

Standlake Pit 60: 4th August

Standlake Pit 60
Great White Egret 13:43.
2 Common Sandpiper 13:43.

Mick Cunningham

Purple Sandpiper

 

East Oxford: 4th August

Tawny owl, distant persistent calling 0:00-1:00am, East Oxford Community Centre. 

Otmoor 3rd August pm

1 Wood Sand from first screen and Green Sand

2 Juvenile Redstarts Long Meadow.

Farmoor Reservoir 3rd August

PURPLE SANDPIPER 1 juvenile 

Feeding in the southeast corner of Farmoor Two. Watched until dusk when it appeared to roost on the concrete apron. Originally found in the early afternoon by Phil Hester a non birder and member of Friends of Farmoor.                                      

Appleford GP: 3rd August

Second summer Caspian gull

Photo by Lew

Otmoor: 3rd August

Otmoor
2 Bittern: 1 seen flying north from 1st screen, the other flying west at Greenways. 20:52.
Wood Sandpiper: With Snipe to left of 1st screen. 20:52.
3 Marsh Harrier: Adyult plus 2 Juveniles seen quartering around Greenways. 20:52.

Michael Hubbard

Farmoor Reservoir 3rd August

PURPLE SANDPIPER on F2 19:44 in S/E corner by car park 1 (per Dave Lowe, Ewan Urquhart).

+ Kittiwake 

Rushy Common

 Hobby - otherwise, dead!

Garganey eclipse drake Pit 60

 This bird has been here weeks. It is flying around so, presumably, has finished its moult and is now fully winged. Presume it will migrate - unless it's the drake that wintered here a couple of years ago, sporting this plumage before moulting into breeding plumage. Need to read up (again!).

Launton, 3rd August

Launton Playing Fields 16:15

Ring-necked Parakeet flew north (alerted by squawking while waiting at vaccination centre!) First I've seen and heard in the Bicester area. 

Standlake Pit 60: 3rd August

Standlake Pit 60
2 Redstart: juvs moulting to 1w. Minimum 2 in mixed flock eating insects in cut SSSI fields. Flock included Lesser whitethroat, whitethroats a garden warbler, 2 willow warblers sev chiff and a goldcrest. 14:01.

Mick Cunningham

Juvenile Water Rail Otmoor rspb
Both photos courtesy of Robert Calcutt.

 

Standlake Pit 60: 3rd August

Standlake Pit 60
Garganey: ecl male. 12:37.
Little Ringed Plover 12:37.
Common Sandpiper 12:37.

Mick Cunningham

South Leigh: 1st August

South Leigh
2 Hobby 19:30.

Richard Catling

Otmoor: 2nd August

Otmoor
Cattle Egret: Saw it in wetlands watch hide. 19:52.

Yacky Morris

Otmoor RSPB 2nd August

Cattle Egret 1 on Ashgrave with Little Egrets

Little Egret 5

Bittern 3  

Hobby 3

Marsh Harrier 2

 

Farmoor Reservoir 2nd August

Common Redshank 1

Common Sandpiper 3

Little Egret 3

Common Tern 11

Greater Black-backed Gull 2

Aston: 2nd August

Aston
Quail: singing from field off Ham Lane. 17:33.

Mick Cunningham

Headington: 2nd August

Headington
Mediterranean Gull: Juv picked up on call as it flew NE over garden. Chased by 2 BHG. 13:58.

Isaac West

Otmoor: 2nd August

Otmoor
Bittern: Flew across distantly at greenways. 14:22.
Green Sandpiper: At first screen not to sure what it was I'll change this post when certain. 14:22.

Yacky Morris

Otmoor rspb 2nd August

Cattle Egret

Wood Sandpiper 

Kingfisher 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Farmoor Reservoir 1st August

Sanderling 2

Common Sandpiper 1

Kingfisher 1

Otmoor: 1st August

Courtesy of Kyle Smith.

Cattle Egret: At first screen. SP561134. 06:06.
(George Best)

Wood Sandpiper 1st screen (per Trevor Mortimer)

Garganey 4 (2 juv) from screens

Black-tailed Godwit 

Marsh Baldon: 1st August

Marsh Baldon
2 Hobby: Male and female interacting in flight over recently harvested arable fields. SU565998. 17:19.

Paul Torevell

West Hendred: 1st August

West Hendred
Yellow Wagtail: In wheat field. SU446888. 12:00.

Stephen Burch

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 31st July

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
2 Black-tailed Godwit 09:51.

Nick Truby

June / July Review

Two of more than 20 Cattle Egrets in Oxon at present, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

These summer months in Oxfordshire were perhaps most remarkable for two significant new breeding events in the county, of Cattle Egret at Blenheim and Garganey on Otmoor. Long-legged birds and raptors generated more headlines, and a much sought Gull was discovered at Appleford.

In the present still contradictory times, one of life's certainties at least amongst those of our wildlife persuasion is that seasonal birds will begin to head south in late July. An early and welcome vanguard of autumn migration, Green Sandpiper featured strongly county-wide as in any year with Bicester Wetland Reserve and Cornwell near Chipping Norton again hotspots. Then near month's end Wood Sandpiper were stand-out records at Otmoor and Appleford GPs. Amongst other waders Black-tailed Godwit, still in splendid summer plumage graced Otmoor on several dates.

Wood Sandpiper on Otmoor, courtesy of Jeremy Dexter
click on any image to enlarge

Green Sandpiper at Bicester WR, courtesy of Mike Curnow

Otmoor Blackwits, courtesy of Jeremy Dexter

July was nonetheless largely uneventful in terms of headline birds. The month opened with a holy grail for gull enthusiasts when a first summer individual of the Larus fuscus Ssp Baltic Gull was located and confirmed at Appleford GPs. This bird was seen again on 13th, then a different individual was identified there on 28th.

Baltic Gull (centre), courtesy of Thomas Miller

The first half of this review period was notable for an apparent influx of Cattle Egret into Oxfordshire that remained through July. After no less than 15 birds were found at Enslow on 4th June, the increasingly regular item in our county was logged subsequently at each of Blenheim Park, Wytham, Cassington GPs, Thrupp Lake at Radley, Thrupp near Kidlington; and on Otmoor.

On 26th July Oxon's first breeding was confirmed in the heronry at Blenheim's Queen Pool. A day later 14 birds were seen together in flight over the Cherwell Valley north of Oxford, suggesting the total local population may have reached more than 20 individuals.

Cattle Egrets at Enslow, courtesy of Jeremy Dexter

In the same group, two Spoonbill were observed in flight over Fyfield Wick on 5th June, then another over Otmoor a day later. It became established that the RSPB reserve's Common Cranes were commuting between there and Chimney Meadows in west Oxon. Hence they could be viewable in transit over Port Meadow and Farmoor Reservoir by the sufficiently opportune and skyward looking.

Spoonbill over Otmoor, courtesy of Terry Sherlock

Common Cranes over Port Meadow, courtesy of Thomas Miller

Further long-legged interest included Great White Egret, recorded at five locations through the two months, and a Great Bustard again in Wantage on 20th June. The settled Glossy Ibis was reported from time to time on Otmoor, where a Black-necked Grebe also dropped in on 18 & 19th July.

Northbound Osprey, courtesy of John Workman

June produced some notable raptor records. Two quite late northbound Osprey featured herein from Otmoor (5th) and Chinnor Cement Works (8th). Then either the summer's first southbound individual or possibly a wing flexer from Rutland Water was photographed over Otmoor on 16th July. But the stand-out sighting was a White-tailed Eagle, presumably from the Isle-of-Wight re-introduction programme, logged over Berrick Salome below the Chilterns escarpment on 15th June.

Southbound or wandering Osprey, courtesy of Jeremy Dexter

White-tailed Eagle, courtesy of Ian Kirkwood

Also in June it was confirmed for the first time that Otmoor's long-staying Garganey had bred, with a fine brood of nine ducklings being photographed from the second screen. In early July it became clear there had been a second brood when an eclipse female and three well developed juveniles were observed on the southern lagoon. Two lonelier individuals, a male and female, continued to be reported now and again from LWV Pit 60 at Standlake and another at Bicester WR on 25th.

Otmoor Garganey brood, courtesy of Roger Wyatt

Having myself compiled these monthly reviews for the last three years I now wonder if it might be time for someone else to take over. I am concerned that the OB resource I value is no longer the prime channel for bird news in Oxfordshire. So maybe someone with a greater grasp of social media who is in the right loops might step in, or a reviewer who is just more in tune with county birding all-round. Please contact eds to put yourself forward.

Peter Law