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For questions you can contact Adam at: adamchartley "at" gmail "dot" com or Jason at: jasoncppk "at" yahoo "dot" co "dot" uk

Saturday, 18 April 2026

Farmoor Reservoir 18th April





At Farmoor this afternoon highlights included 3 Yellow Wagtails, a group of 9 Common Sandpiper and a Common Tern.

Ian Stewart 

Otmoor 18th April

A couple of images of the White Stork with the clearest view of its colour-ring. I'm struggling to decipher it. I'm assuming it's the same bird that was at Buscot Wick?




Otmoor RSPB 18th April

American Golden Plover 19:50 from the Wetlands Watch hide. 3rd county record and 1st for Otmoor
Glossy Ibis 3 Big Otmoor 
Whimbrel Wetland Watch hide (per Simon Myers)
Black-tailed Godwit 3 Wetland Watch
White Stork (released) over Ashgrave 14:38 (per Adam Hartley et al)
Cuckoo
Hobby
Yellow Wagtail 2+ h
Wheatear 5 along new fence line near Noke Farm

Short-eared Owl 

Barn Owl

(per Jacek)


Courtesy of Badger

Uploaded Image
Photo courtesy of Steve Sansom

Standlake, pit 60

Hobby 1 Cuckoo 2 Common Sandpiper 3

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 18th April

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Possible American Golden Plover: Single bird viewed by many from Wetlands watch hide, could be either AGP or EGP but hard to tell. 11:48.
Grasshopper Warbler: Reeling in car park field. 11:48.

Kosmo Dossett

Childrey: Childrey Field: 18th April

Childrey: Childrey Field
Whinchat: m.
Redstart: f.
Wheatear: 8.
4 Grey Partridge
2 Raven

Mark Merritt

Standlake Pit 60: 17th April

Standlake Pit 60
Little Ringed Plover 16:00.
Common Sandpiper 16:00.
4 Yellow Wagtail 16:00.
White Wagtail 16:00.
Marsh Harrier: fem. 16:00.
2 Oystercatcher 16:00.
Great White Egret 16:00.
3 Shoveler 16:00.
350 Sand Martin: With a few House Martin and Swallow. 16:00.

Jed Cleeter

LWV Pit 27: 17th April

LWV Pit 27
13 Red-crested Pochard 14:45.

Jed Cleeter

Radley GP: 18th April

Radley GP
Redstart: male. 08:00.
Grasshopper Warbler: Reeling. 08:00.
Common Tern 08:00.
Oystercatcher 08:00.
8 Lesser Redpoll 08:00.

Ian Elkins

Blenheim 18th April

Red-crested Pochard - pair still 
Common Sandpiper - 1
Oystercatcher - 1 of the pair seen.
Common Tern - 2
Wheatear - 3 in North Park
Corn Bunting - 2 in North Park

Buscot Wick 18th April

White Stork (released) in field on the corner of Snowswick Lane 08:10 (per Ian Sherriffs)

Farmoor Reservoir 18th April

Sandwich Tern 07:41-07:47 on F2 then flew off (per Ben Sheldon)

Otmoor RSPB 18th April

Wheatear 3 on Ashgrave from the Wetlands Watch hide 07:25 (per Steve Roby)

Grimsbury Reservoir 18th April

Common Sandpiper 6+
Mandarin over

06:43 (JFT)

Friday, 17 April 2026

Port Meadow: The Perch: 17th April

Port Meadow: The Perch
2 Common Tern 
Common Sandpiper 
3 Oystercatchers
7 Shelduck
11 Egyptian Geese, including 7 goslings

Andrew Butcher, Simon Myers, Gnome

Day's Lock/Bishop's Court Farm - Fri 17th p.m.

Common Tern 1, along the river.
Whinchat 1 m.
Cetti's Warbler 3, 1 BCF, 2 Meadside.
Reed Warbler several.
Sedge Warbler several.
Garden Warbler 1, Meadside.
Whitethroat 2.
Oystercatcher 2.
Curlew 2.
Yellow Wagtail 2.
Little Egret 2.



Yellow Wagtail Farmoor Reservoir courtesy of Steve Liptrot

 

Buscot Wick 17th April

White Stork (ringed) following plough at Buscot Wick Farm 16:13-16:32 then flew towards Buscot (per Ian Sherriffs)

White Stork over Goring 12:29 (per Paul Rainsden)

Courtesy of Ian Sherriffs 


Farmoor Reservoir: 17th April

Farmoor Reservoir
2 Swift: Over Farmoor 2. 12:42.
2 Grasshopper Warbler: Pinkhill. In scrub both sides of Thames. 12:42.
3 Reed Warbler 12:42.
5 Sedge Warbler 12:42.
5 Whitethroat 12:42.
4 Willow Warbler 12:42.

Richard Parsons

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 17th April

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
2 Cuckoo: SP560130. 13:21.
4 Marsh Harrier: 2 pairs. SP560130. 13:21.
3 Glossy Ibis: In tree straight ahead from 1st screen. SP560130. 13:21.

David Watkinson

Courtesy of Paul Wyeth 


Sonning Eye GPs: 17th April

Sonning Eye GPs
2 Oystercatcher 12:23.
Mandarin Duck: drk. 12:23.

Marek Walford

Tar Lakes, Rushy Common: 16th April

Tar Lakes, Rushy Common
Cuckoo: male. Singing near Tar Lakes. 16:00.
2 Common Sandpiper: 1 at Down Valley Way and 1 at Northern Cross Valley Way. 16:00.
3 Little Ringed Plover: Down Valley Way. 16:00.
2 Yellow Wagtail: Down Valley Way. 16:00.
6 White Wagtail: Down Valley Way. 16:00.
3 Oystercatcher: 2 at Tar Lakes and 1 at NCVW. 16:00.
4 Red-crested Pochard: 3m &1f NCVW. 16:00.

Jed Cleeter

Grimsbury Reservoir 17th April

Common Sandpiper 3
Peregrine 
Whitethroat 
Wheatear 1+

(I.R, JFT)

Thursday, 16 April 2026

Otmoor RSPB 16th April

Glossy Ibis 3 (per Birdguides)
Whimbrel (per Jeremy Dexter)

Eynsham 16th April


Pied Flycatcher f still present 19:19 just off of the Cassington Road 

(per Sally Taylor, Simon Myers et al)

Sadly proved very elusive and mobile with this the only image I could get of it high up in a distant Ash tree before it disappeared



Radley GPs 16th April

Common Sandpiper 1+ Thrupp Lake 
Cuckoo (per Ian Elkins)
Sand Martin c20

Ardley ERF Lagoon 16th April

Little-ringed Plover 6
Common Sandpiper 
Peregrine 
Wheatear 5
Yellow Wagtail 2

(S.B, C.O)

Farmoor Reservoir: 16th April

16th April

Farmoor Reservoir
2 Grasshopper Warbler: Heard reeling song from at least two individuals near Pinkhill Lock. 08:45.
Common Sandpiper: Pinkhill Lock. 08:45.
Whitethroat 11:30.

Oliver Hedley

Lydalls Road Didcot: 16th April

Lydalls Road Didcot
Cuckoo: Heard calling. SU523903. 16:40.

William Lester

Henley Road GPs: 16th April

Henley Road GPs
2 Oystercatcher 13:10.

Marek Walford

Sonning Eye GPs: 16th April

Sonning Eye GPs
Oystercatcher 12:48.

Marek Walford

Sarsgrove: 16th April

Sarsgrove
3 Wheatear: 2m, 1f. 10:57.
4 Swallow 10:57.
4 Yellowhammer 10:57.
8 Skylark 10:57.
3 Mistle Thrush 10:57.
Kestrel 10:57.

Steve Akers

Eynsham: Chil Brook: 16th April

Eynsham: Chil Brook
Lesser Whitethroat 10:16.
2 Lesser Whitethroat 10:16.
Swallow 10:16.
Corn Bunting 10:16.
2 Yellowhammer 10:16.

Richard Parsons

Wednesday, 15 April 2026

Otmoor RSPB 15th April

Glossy Ibis 3 on Big Otmoor (per Birdguides)

Farmoor Reservoir 15th April

Grasshopper Warbler 2

Lesser Whitethroat 1

White Wagtail 2

Chimney: Chimney Meadows: 15th April

Chimney: Chimney Meadows
6 Cattle Egret 10:00.

Simon Cousins

Stonor: 15th April

Stonor
Raven: Sat in the trees behind Stonor farm on a number of occasions during the afternoon cronking. 11:15.

Ashley Stow

Sarsgrove: 15th April

Sarsgrove
5 Wheatear: 2m, 3f. Watched this group for over two hours - very active along the Cotswold stone wall and over the fields at this high point - a traditional migration location for Wheatear. 10:41.
Raven: Over cronking and displaying. 10:41.
8 Skylark 10:41.
2 Yellowhammer 10:41.
2 Mistle Thrush 10:41.
Kestrel 10:41.

Steve Akers

Linkey Down 15th April

Ring Ouzel 4 (2m) 09:58 (per Birdguides)

Lesser Whitethroat 
Otmoor courtesy of Peter Milligan 

 

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

Cornwell Marsh and Wetland: 14th April

2 Sand Martin 18:29.
5 House Martin 18:29.
16 Swallow: Unexpected explosion of Hirundine activity over the small lake nr the marsh - many Swallows perched on hedge on lake edge - very exciting to watch. 18:29.
3 Teal 18:29.
22 Mallard 18:29.
2 Moorhen 18:29.
Blackcap 18:29.
Green Woodpecker 18:29.
2 Yellowhammer 18:29.
Lapwing: Single bird still present on the wetland. 18:29.

Steve Akers

Chinnor: Cement Works: 14th April

Chinnor: Cement Works
4 Little Ringed Plover: Lake 2b. 11:00.

David Stracey

Cetti's Warbler 
Otmoor courtesy of Peter Milligan 

 

Otmoor: 14th April

Otmoor
Cuckoo: At least 1, probably 2 - seen, not much calling. 11:30.
Bittern: booming. 11:30.
2 Great White Egret: flying beyond 2nd screen. 11:30.

Anthony Cheke

Sarsgrove: 14th April

Sarsgrove
Wheatear 09:58.
Fieldfare 09:58.
2 Swallow 09:58.
9 Skylark 09:58.
Blackcap 09:58.
2 Pied Wagtail 09:58.

Steve Akers

Dorchester: Days Lock: 14th April

14th April

Dorchester: Days Lock
10 Sand Martin 12:00.
10 Swallow 12:00.
2 Sedge Warbler 12:50.
Common Sandpiper: Thames bank immediately downstream of Days Lock. 13:00.
Kingfisher 13:05.

Oliver Hedley

RSPB Otmoor Tuesday 14 April

Whimbrel 1 (Ashgrave)
Whinchat 1 (Noke)
Treecreeper 2 
Pintail 1 (Big Otmoor)
Cuckoo 1 (Roman Road)
10no. species of Warbler

Treecreeper



 
Whimbrel

Bicester Wetland Reserve 14th April

 3 Sedge Warbler
2 Cetti's Warbler
4 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
2 Green Sandpiper
1 Water Rail


                                                                      Sedge Warbler


A Peters
Key Holder Reserve


Henley Road GPs: 14th April

Henley Road GPs
Oystercatcher: South Lake. 12:49.

Marek Walford

South Leigh: 9th April

South Leigh
Cuckoo 16:30.

Richard Catling

Linkey Down Aston Rowant 14th April

Ring Ouzel 2 m&f 12:19 (per Birdguides et al)

Otmoor RSPB 14th April

Whimbrel on Ashgrave from the Wetlands Watch hide 07:26 (M.B)
Whinchat on fence at Noke Farm 10:07 
(per Simon Myers)

Glossy Ibis 3
Cuckoo
Bittern 

(et al)

Monday, 13 April 2026

Sarsgrove: 13th April

Sarsgrove
Wheatear 10:44.
2 Raven: pair. 10:44.
3 Yellowhammer: 2m 1f. 10:44.
2 Swallow 10:44.
7 Skylark 10:44.
4 Linnet 10:44.

Steve Akers

Bittern Otmoor rspb 
Courtesy of Julian Parfitt

 

Hatford: Sandpit: 13th April

Hatford: Sandpit
Egyptian Goose
Common Sandpiper

Mark Merritt

Otmoor 13th April

Grasshopper Warbler: SP5613. 10:30.
Cuckoo: SP5613. 10:30.
Water Rail: Calling in at least 3 locations. SP5613. 10:30.

Nick Suckling

Hobby 2nd screen
Glossy Ibis 3

(per Birdguides)

Farmoor Reservoir 13th April

 

Grey Wagtail © David Hastings

Yellow Wagtail © David Hastings

White Wagtail © David Hastings

Farmoor Reservoir 13th April

1400-1600hrs

Little Ringed Plover 1

Common Sandpiper 3

Great Northern Diver 1

White Wagtail 2

Bicester Wetlands Reserve 13th April

Great white Egret 
Little Egret 2
Green Sandpiper 2
Snipe 6
Water Rail 3
House Martin 30+
Swallow 10+
Reed Warbler 
Sedge Warbler (P.G)

(per Justin Taylor, JFT)

Key Holder Reserve 

Sedge Warbler courtesy of Pat Gulka 



Henley Road GPs: 13th April

Henley Road GPs
Oystercatcher: South Lake. 13:32.

Marek Walford

 

Yellow Wagtail Farmoor Reservoir 12/4 courtesy of Ian Stewart 

Lye Valley Area, Oxford: 13th April



Male Redstart on Warneford Meadow this morning, even bursts of song first thing. 

Grimsbury Reservoir 13th April

Osprey over heading N/W 09:12 (C)

Balscote Quarry Reserve 
White Wagtail 10:12 (per Steve Holliday)

Sunday, 12 April 2026

Otmoor rspb: 12th April

Otmoor rspb
Ringed Plover: Big otmoor. SP556130. 17:00.
2 Shelduck: Over screen 1. SP556130. 17:00.
5 Yellow Wagtail: Steady passage in groups of 1-2. SP556130. 17:00.
Peregrine: SP556130. 17:00.
Common Sandpiper: SP556130. 17:00.
2 Little Ringed Plover: SP556130. 17:00.
2 Glossy Ibis: SP556130. 17:00.
Greenshank: Feeding in front of hide, then departed N calling. SP556130. 17:00.

Simon Myers

Farmoor Reservoir - 12 April

 Mediterranean Gull: 1st winter in small roost on F2

Farmoor Reservoir 12th April

Little Ringed Plover

White Wagtail

1700-1830hrs

Little Ringed Plover 1

White Wagtail 2

Great Northern Diver 1

Oystercatcher 2

Water Rail 1

Blenheim 12th April

No further sign of the Ring Ouzel during a second visit into the formal gardens.

Great White Egret - 2 along Glyme near Bladon. One was the colour-ringed 2nd year bird (AHF) that has been around for a while and the other a breeding plumage adult.

Common Sandpiper - 1 near cascades early morning.

Willow Warbler - 1 singing in the gardens.

Cetti's warbler - at least 3 along Glyme near Bladon.

Firecrest - 1 singing within the gardens.




Farmoor Reservoir: 12th April

Great Northern Diver 13:09.
Little Ringed Plover 13:09.
2 Common Sandpiper 13:09.
2 White Wagtail 13:09.
7 Pied Wagtail 13:09.
2 Grey Wagtail: pair. 13:09.
20 Sand Martin 13:09.
9 House Martin 13:09.
16 Swallow 13:09.
2 Whitethroat: At Shrike Meadow. 13:09.
3 Cetti's Warbler 13:09.
3 Willow Warbler 13:09.
4 Chiffchaff 13:09.
5 Blackcap 13:09.
7 Reed Bunting 13:09.
28 Great Crested Grebe 13:09.
10 Common Gull 13:09.
12 Black-headed Gull 13:09.
3 Herring Gull 13:09.
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull 13:09.
2 Tufted Duck 13:09.
3 Little Egret 13:09.
5 Cormorant 13:09.

Steve Akers

Day's Lock/Bishop's Court Farm - Sun 12th, a.m.

Swift 1
Sand Martin c250
Swallow c30
House Martin c10
Cattle Egret 2
Little Egret 4
Great White Egret 1
Curlew 2
Oystercatcher 2
Yellow Wagtail 2
Whitethroat 1
Sedge Warbler 6
Reed Warbler 2
Shoveler 5 
Mandarin 1
Little Owl 2

Port Meadow 12th April

Whimbrel 12:27-13:12 then flew off 
Yellow Wagtail 

(per Thomas Miller et al)

Courtesy of Thomas Miller 


Otmoor RSPB 12th April

Glossy Ibis 3
Cuckoo (foy)
Common Sand (foy)
Swallows
House martins 
Sand Martins
Sedge and Reed warblers.

(per Pete Barker)

Blenheim Park 12th April

No sign of the Ring  Ouzel this morning (per Gareth Casburn)