Oxon Birding Blog

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

Letcombe Regis: 28th July

6 Grey Partridge: A family party of one adult and what appeared to be five young birds in corner of cereal field East of the village. 16:38.

Steve Akers

28 Jul 2026 21:18

Blenheim 28th July

Yellow Wagtail - 21 (mostly juvs) counted in a loose flock along the Oxfordshire Way in the north of estate this evening.

Chinnor: Cement Works: 28th July

2 Egyptian Goose: Lake 2b. 10:30.

David Stracey

28 Jul 2026 21:01

Appleford 28th July

Juv Caspian Gull at Appleford and then flew into the landfill 13:50 (per Ian Lewington)

Courtesy of Lew

Churn: 28th July

2 Grey Partridge: near Ridgway, slope south of concrete path. 16:34.
3 Stonechat: 1 moulting male, 2 juvs; scattered about. 10:30.

Anthony Cheke

28 Jul 2026 16:41

Otmoor rspb 28th July

Cattle Egret 20 at screen one 15:41 ( per Bryan Manston)

Chimney Meadows 28th July

Cattle Egret 12 at 12:30 (per Nick Marriner)

Eastleach Downs 28th July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE again in Oxon 15:39 (per Steve Burch)

Car parking field

Stevenson July

Blackcap family Courtesy of Paul Cripps

Courtesy of Paul Cripps

Courtesy of Paul Cripps

Shellingford: 28th July

8 Yellow Wagtail: Landed on farm building for 5 mins then flew off west. 08:45.

Jed Cleeter

28 Jul 2026 15:31

Warburg Reserve 27th July

Hawfinch Warburg BBOWT courtesy of Russell Allen 27/7

Oxford: Magdalen College: 28th July

3 Tawny Owl: juv. All 3 now in juvenile plumage. Still very vocal. 02:00.

Nick Suckling

28 Jul 2026 03:48

Monday, 27 July 2026

Eastleach Downs

The Long Tailed Shrike showed well in Oxfordshire today. Car parking field

Tar Lakes: 27th July

2 Red-crested Pochard: fem and ecl male. 20:40.

Matthew Lloyd

27 Jul 2026 20:51

Farmoor Reservoir - 27th July

1130-1230hrs

Dunlin 11 18:54 (per Andy Last)

Common Tern 2

Yellow legged Gull 1 adult

Egyptian Goose 13

Cormorant 122

Courtesy of Steve Liptrot

Eastleach Downs 27th July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE showing well periodically on the Oxon side 17:21 (per Colin Teal)

Car parking field

Courtesy of Robin Elkins 26/7

Cornwell Marsh and Wetland: 27th July

2 Green Sandpiper: On the Wetland feeding. 07:20.
4 Grey Wagtail 07:20.

Steve Akers

27 Jul 2026 11:51

Churn 27th July

Montagu’s Harrier again 07:00 in field north of concrete road. Limited parking on verge, don't block field entrances or turning circles for large machinery.

Sunday, 26 July 2026

Farmoor 26th July

One of the five Dunlin photographed on the Causeway today.

Also a mix of adult and Juvenile Common Tern with at least 5 individuals present.

An adult Yellow Legged Gull is very confiding on the wall of F2.

Farmoor Reservoir: 26th July

5 Dunlin 21:05.

Matthew Lloyd

26 Jul 2026 21:05

Eastleach Downs 26th July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE again in Oxfordshire 17:43 (per Ian Sherriffs)

Car park field here

Courtesy of Steve Liptrot 25/7

Otmoor rspb 26th July

Black-tailed Godwit

Little-ringed Plover

(H.E)

Tar Lakes & Rushy Common 26th July

Juv Cuckoo at Tar lakes

2 green sandpiper at Rushy.

Churn 26th July

Montagu’s Harrier 2cy again 06:20 then flew S/SE (per Trevor Ellery)

Courtesy of Nick Truby 25/7

Saturday, 25 July 2026

Farmoor 25th July

White Stork (from the Devon reintroduction project) sat on barn roof viewed from pinkhill.

20:34 (per Paul Butler)

Woodcote 25th July

Marsh Harrier, over cereal fields between Woodcote and South Stoke, this morning.

(per Brian Wyatt)

Churn 25th July

Montagu’s Harrier 2cy again 06:42 then briefly at 16:40 then again between 19:50-20:50 (Ian Elkins, Nick Truby et al)

Quail

Hobby 2

Redstart

Grey Partridge

East Hanney: A338: 25th July

OTHER SPECIES: Clouded Yellow Butterfly flew across road whilst I was stationary just North of village. 10:55.

Jed Cleeter

25 Jul 2026 11:09

Friday, 24 July 2026

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 24th July

20 Sand Martin
14 Tufted Duck
170 Mallard
12 Egyptian Goose
70 Canada Goose
15 Greylag Goose
12 Mute Swan: inc 2 broods, 1 of 3, 1 of 2.
Sedge Warbler
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
3 Black-headed Gull
Great White Egret
4 Cattle Egret: at least 4, still 2 nests active.
2 Little Egret
4 Grey Heron
47 Great Crested Grebe: looks like its been a very good breeding season.
30 Cormorant: still a few active nests on the island.
135 Coot
6 Moorhen
Kingfisher
8 Gadwall: including a fem with one juv.

Bob Pomfret

24 Jul 2026 22:03

Eynsham - 21st July

White Stork 1

A colour ringed COV03, two year old male from a release project in Devon present for two days at a site with no public access

Farmoor Reservoir 24th July

Turnstone along the causeway

Sanderling

18:54 (per Roger Wyatt et al)

Eastleach Downs Oxon/Glos

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE again on border hedge and in to Oxon 17:13 (per Colin Teal, Peter Law et al)

Whinchat on border hedge 11:37 (per Colin Teal)

Courtesy of Moth

Bicester Wetland Reserve 24th July

One of the 13 Green Sandpipers at BWR this morning, highest count of the year so far

Water Rail (C.O)

Alan Peters

Key Holder Reserve

Churn 24th July

MONTAGU’S HARRIER 2cy again 06:40-06:43 then flew towards Blewbury (per Brian Wyatt)

Courtesy of Simon Myers 23/7

West Challow: 24th July

2 Spotted Flycatcher: Active pair at a farm near by with no general access. 11:30.

Jed Cleeter

25 Jul 2026 00:31

Childrey: Childrey Field: 24th July

2 Marsh Harrier: Juv M&F. 18:30.
Hobby 17:50.

Jed Cleeter

25 Jul 2026 00:28

Thursday, 23 July 2026

Churn 23rd July

2nd calendar year male Montagu's Harrier

This Montagu's Harrier known as JJ was ringed in 2025 by Mark Thomas of the RSPB. It returned this May to the same farm, staying for a few days then moving around the UK before coming to Churn in Oxfordshire. Let's hope it returns next year to breed in the UK.