Oxon Birding Blog

Saturday, 25 July 2026

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 again briefly 16:40 (Ian Elkins, Nick Truby et al)

Quail

Hobby

Redstart

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.

Eastleach Downs Oxfordshire - 23rd July

Long tailed Shrike 1

Whinchat 2

I have been reliably informed the shrike's prey is a Bank Vole

Otmoor rspb 23rd July

Quail calling from the Closes 6:15pm (per Colin Teal)

Crowmarsh Gifford: 23rd July

30 Swift 13:30.

Nick Suckling

23 Jul 2026 16:37

RSPB Otmoor Thursday 23 July

At the reed bed:
Great White Egret 1
Cattle Egret 9
Little Egret 3
Bittern 1
Redshank 2
Common Sandpiper 1
Little Ringed Plover 2
Snipe 10
Common Tern 5
Kingfisher 1
Marsh Harrier 1

Eastleach Downs Oxon/Glos 23rd July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE on Oxfordshire side of the border again 12:57 (per Mark Ribbons)

Oxford 23rd July

Common Scoter + 2 Dunlin sound recorded over Oxford last night (per Thomas Miller)

Yelford 23rd July

Quail singing just East of Yelford 11:32 (per Ben Sheldon)

Bicester Wetland Reserve 23rd July

1 Common Sandpiper
3 Green Sandpiper
1 Cetti's Warbler
1 Green Woodpecker
5 Swift

A Peters C Oram

Key Holder Reserve

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Eastleach Downs Oxfordshire - 22nd July

Long tailed Shrike 1

Whinchat 1 male

Reed Warbler 1

Common Whitethroat 15+

Farmoor Reservoir 22nd July

Caspian Gull juv in evening (per Thomas Miller)

Cornwell Marsh and Wetland: 22nd July

4 Green Sandpiper 21:26.
42 Swallow: Over feeding at dusk back and forth. 21:26.

Steve Akers

22 Jul 2026 22:05

Oxon/Glos 22nd July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still present 11:00 and periodically in Oxfordshire (per Moth et al).

Parking & walking from Here

Courtesy of Nick Truby

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

Chinnor: Cement Works: 21st July

Common Sandpiper: Lake 2b. 10:00.
2 Yellow Wagtail: By the west hide Lake 2b. 10:00.

David Stracey

21 Jul 2026 23:03

Cornwell Marsh and Wetland: 21st July

2 Green Sandpiper 20:40.

Steve Akers

21 Jul 2026 22:28

Oxon/Glos 21st July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still present and periodically in Oxfordshire c08:30 (per Bark)

Still present 10:05 (per Birdguides)

Courtesy of Paul Wren

Monday, 20 July 2026

Eastleach Downs Oxfordshire side 20th July

1730-2000 hrs

Long tailed Shrike 2cy male

It spent half an hour this evening flying up from a hawthorn and catching bees in flight and appears to be in heavy wing and tail moult

Common Redstart 1 poss 2

Spotted Flycatcher 1

Common Whitethroat 10+

Yellowhammer 2

Corn Bunting 1

Otmoor rspb 20th July

Black-tailed Godwit courtesy of Steve Liptrot

Shellingford: 20th July

Hobby: Chasing Juv Swallows. 09:30.
Yellow Wagtail: Over calling. 10:41.

Jed Cleeter

20 Jul 2026 19:14

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 20th July

Common Sandpiper: SP561134. 17:01.

Sylfest Muldal

20 Jul 2026 17:02

Eynsham: Oxford Road: 20th July

Negative news White Stork: Flying downstream over Thames near Eynsham. 16:00.

Allen Stevens

20 Jul 2026 16:42

Courtesy of Catriona Bass

Oxon/Glos 20th July

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE again on boundary hedge in Oxfordshire 14:18 (per Lew)

Please view from the road.

Parking in farmers field (link below) £5 donation.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/iUUEaCKtkdimNaMRA?g_st=iw

19/7

Henley Road GPs: 20th July

3 Oystercatcher 11:25.

Mick Hannington

20 Jul 2026 11:25

Sunday, 19 July 2026

Oxon Long-tailed Shrike Twitching Info

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still (for the 12th day) on the Glos./ Oxon border about here (opens in Streetmap).

Parking in field here (link opens in Google maps) with £5 donation suggested. Walk north for about 1/3 of a mile to view along the footpath hedge

Parking in red hatched area. Please approach the parking from the south otherwise you will be driving through the middle of the twitch along the road.

Walk north (yellow dotted line) to view from the yellow circle. The bird (blue line) works it's way up and down the hedge and along the county border (silver line). Apparently the hedge and wall itself where the bird often sits is just in Oxon.