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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 31 December 2011

Henley 31st December

2 Ring-necked Parakeet

(per The Wickster)

This seems to be one of the most reliable sites
for these birds in the county.
Park at Henley Rugby club,walk away from Henley
along the Marlow road for approx 50yrds then
cross over the road and take the footpath towards
the river about here

3 seen at 10am New Year's Day on the gable on the last river-fronted building down from Hobbs boatyard, right next to Mill Meadows playground.
(anon from comments)

Buckland Warren 31st December

23 Crossbill Buckland Warren here

(per J.Dexter)

Wytham 31st December











White-fronted Goose near Wytham village.
About here
Canada Geese 375
Greylag Geese 102
Bar-headed Geese 2

Farmoor (Dec 31st) 8-10:45

Great Northern Diver - 1 juv appeared in good health and no sign of red twine.
Water Rail - 1
Goldeneye - 12
Wigeon - pair
Aythya Hybrid - male on F1 still.
Bullfinch



















Aythya Hybrid (c) The Paranoid Birder

Friday 30 December 2011

Otmoor 30th December

White-fronted Goose not seen amongst the Greylags.
Grey Heron flying across the channel by the hide
Fox running on Ashgrave
Buzzard from the hide
Kestrel in a tree by the path to the 1st screen

Photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Farmoor Reservoir 30th December

Farmoor II

Great Northern Diver Juv. troubled by what looks like red fishing line on feet.

David White

+Jack Snipe (per Dai oos)

Crawley New Mill 30th December

Dipper Crawley New Mill c09:00

(per The Wickster)

Thursday 29 December 2011

Port Meadow: 29th December

Port Meadow
700 Golden Plover
4 Redshank
2 Dunlin

Mary Gregory

Otmoor 29th December



White-fronted Goose still on Greenaways with one of the Greylag flocks though mobile.
Cetti's Warbler (heard halfway along the bridleway)
Green Sandpiper (2nd Screen)

All things Moorish Otmoor Birding

            

Kingham 29 December 2011



Tuesday 27 December 2011

Otmoor 27th December

3+ SEO giving close spectacular views all afternoon in broad daylight.

The WF Goose with the greylags on Greenaways.

Also present peregrine, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kingfisher, cettis warbler heard near the vols hut, raven.


more at Otmoor Birding
Short-eared Owl (c) The Paranoid Birder

Farmoor (Dec 27th) 10:30 - 12:45

Great Northern Diver - 1 juv showing well from the sailing club
Goosander - 1f
Siskin - 5
Kingfisher - 1
Greenfinch - 35
Lapwing - c40 (s)
Bullfinch - 3















(c) The Paranoid Birder

Monday 26 December 2011

Standlake, 26th December

Caspian Gull 1, 3rd/w
WF Goose 1ad
Goosander 4
Golden Plover 3
Redpoll 1
Wigeon 356
Teal 291
Pintail 1m

Saturday 24 December 2011

Otmoor: 24th December

White-fronted Goose with feral flock at E end of Greenaways.

Peter Law

Appleford Spit Pit (Dec 24th) 3-4pm

Common Sandpiper - 1
GBBGull - 10
Hardly any gulls on the pool or surrounding fields.

Farmoor (Dec 24th) 12:30 - 2:30

Great Northern Diver - 1 Juv still showing well on F2
Redshank - 2
Pochard - 22
Great Crested Grebe - 72

Ewelme: Cress beds: 24th December

Ewelme: Cress beds
Green Sandpiper
Water Rail

Thomas Stevenson

Friday 23 December 2011

Thursday 22 December 2011

Sunday 18 December 2011

Saturday 17 December 2011

Friday 16 December 2011

Farmoor afternoon

c300 Fieldfare and c50 Redwing, 1 Buzard, Treecreeper, Bullfinch through Buckthorn Meadow to Pinkhill (including the berry burdened cotonesters by the F1 fishermans car park). c300 Wood Pigeon at Pinkhill lock area, possibly flushed by one of the 4 sightings of female and male sparrowhawks through same area to Wytham Wood, where 3 Buzzard hovering and 1 Kite soaring in the winds. 21 Pochard(14m 7f)and 1 Redshank on F1. 14 Goldeneye (2m displaying with sounds effects to 12f) on F2 where the resident Great Northern Diver has been joined by 3 Pintail (2m 1f) still present late PM after first seen early AM by Dai. A couple of displaying GC Grebes seemed to ignore the near zero temps but the Pied Wagtails have adapted and crashed to just 3 birds seen. Gull roost was dominated by B H Gull (1000's), followed by Lesser B-backs (100's)and perhaps 20 Common Gulls. Yellow-legged seemed to outnumber Herring when the rain hit. A poor gull showing, compensated by one Common Sandpiper at south of F2 and c1000 Jackdaws swirling in an immitation of pre-roost Starling flock.

University Parks: 16th December

University Parks
2 Raven: Sat in pine tree, vocalizing, before flying off to the south.

Sydney Penner

Thursday 15 December 2011

Cholsey 15th December

Lollingdon Hill

Hen Harrier (ring tail)
2 Corn Bunting
250 Lapwing: 250+.

Paul Chandler

more on the Cholsey wildlife blog

: 15th December

Cottesmore Lane
24 Grey Partridge: covey of 14 and another of 10. SU638925.

Thomas Stevenson

more on the Benson & Ewelme Wildlife blog

Farmoor 15th December

 Great Northern Diver still present on F2.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Sonning Eye

13th December

The 1st winter Glaucous Gull was in the Sonning Eye roost this evening arriving at approx. 3.50pm. The bird has been around the Woodley area since at least the 10th but is elusive.
The roost is to the West of the sailing club and there is no vehicle access onto the site.

Hugh

Sonning Eye Glaucous Gull 13th December

RBA are reporting a glaucous gull in the roost at Sonning Eye at 4pm today
The juv bird seen around Reading over the last few days was relocated this evening
by Hugh Netley.

Photo taken in Berks of the Glauc here and here

Monday 12 December 2011

Otmoor: 12th December


Few birds around today, but some highlights nonetheless:
Hen Harrier viewable intermittently around the reed-bed area;
Short-eared Owl viewed from The Pill around 2.45pm


Port Meadow: 12th December

Port Meadow
2 Yellow-legged Gull: ad.

Adam Hartley

Otmoor Owls

Some great photos of the Otmoor short-eared owls taken by George Reszeter on 6th December





Saturday 10 December 2011

Friday 9 December 2011

Farmoor 9th December

Great Northern Diver  seen flying South West over F2 at 09-00hrs.
4 Redshank
22+  Goldeneye
Short-eared Owl late afternoon.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Port Meadow: 7th December

Port Meadow
Ruff: m.
Yellow-legged Gull: ad.

Adam Hartley

Otmoor Hen Harrier Yesterday


Some more photos of the hen harrier at Otmoor yesterday, taken by (c) Paul Higgins

Iceland Gull 7th December

Iceland Gull (2ndw) On the Spit Pit 12:15 to 12:45.
(Simon Bradfield)

And again 14:00-15:45p.m (Badger)
+ Yellow-legged Gull (ad)
8 Common Gull

Radley
Iceland Gull (2ndw) 16:05 amongst the Thrupp Lake roost.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Otmoor 6th December


Hen Harrier (ringtail) Quartering the Closes between carpark and the hide.
3 Short-eared Owl  Probably 4 or 5 present over Greenaways, Closes and back of reedbeds.
Raven: 1 or 2 present.

Terry Tossell




photos (c) Mike Flemming

Mike Flemming's Natural History Photos

Farmoor 6th December

Great Northern Diver still present on F2.
21 Goldeneye
3 Pochard
3 Redshank
1 Common Sandpiper

Port Meadow 6th December

1 ruff
1 drake pintail

Port Meadow: 6th December

Port Meadow
Ruff
Pintail: m.

Adam Hartley

Henley Road GPs: 6th December

Henley Road GPs
Goosander: rh.
5 Goldeneye: 2m+2f.
3 Egyptian Goose

Sonning Eye GPs
2 Goldeneye: 1m+1f.

Marek Walford

Monday 5 December 2011

Farmoor 5th December

Snow Geese part of a feral flock of 34 at Farmoor this morning.
No sign of the Great northern Diver.
photo (c) Terry Sherlock
























Fieldfare part of a flock of up to three hundred birds near the
Evenlode on the Cornbury Estate.

photo (c) Paul Gill

Sunday 4 December 2011

Otmoor Raptor Display

2.30 Left car park to immediate views of ring-tailed Hen Harrier playing like a cat with a vole(?) for at least 5 minutes in The Closes; giving very close views for those in the hide. BBWOT bird race team arrived and left with two new species under belt; followed by arival of some 50-60 birdwatchers looking to repeat U-Tube views of Starling Roost, from southern screen overlooking the reedbeds at west of Greenaways. Green Sand at northern screen seen by Peter Law was just 1 bird and the starlings appeared to be on a numerical par, when seen from afar. The Short-eared Owls were far better. First appearance at 3.30pm next to junction in SE of Greenaways, seen most of the time till 4.15, occasionally hopping over to quarter Moorleys, and once both ascended for a fascinating slow wing beat hover. At similar time 2 birds were observed by others mobbing the buzzard by the hide and another bird was seen just east of NE of Greenaways, where a bird had been seen immediately before the stunningly close views at 3.30 mentioned before. So at least 5 birds....
Snipe flushed by the SE's and 2 Red-legged Partridge in SE Greenaways plus flocks of Fieldfare all over reserve.
First birding visit here and two raptor county ticks in the bag. With yesterday, 170 on the list please Jason !

More here Otmoor Birding

Otmoor 04 Dec

Fieldfare
Short-eared Owl (shot into the sun)

Both images were taken on the South Pill Ground in late afternoon sun.

Photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Otmoor: Central: 4th December

Otmoor: Central
2 Short-eared Owl: Seen hunting the going high to see off Buzzard.

John Barnes

Grimsbury Reservoir: 4th December

Grimsbury Reservoir
Coot: Uncommon here - new for the year. Only the second one I have ever recorded here, I've seen more Med gulls!.
Willow Tit: In the woodland, near to the canal.

Gareth Blockley

4th December

Farmoor
GN Diver 1 - E side FII at 10.10

Standlake
Green Sand 1
White-fronted Goose 1ad - Thames fields
Little Egret 1
Wigeon 300+
Teal 250
Pintail 1m

Bagley Wood: 4th December

Bagley Wood
8 Common Crossbill

Peter Law

Hinksey Park (10am)

Blackcap - 3 (1 female)

Saturday 3 December 2011

Stonesfield Common

Golden Plover 300+ over common and adjacent fields before heading off towards Fawler

Farmoor at Dusk

Light no good for gull roost but a Great Northern Diver was perfectly silloueted at the edge of the thousands of Larids. At least 2300 Jackdaws coming mainly from Wytham direction to roost in the woodland south of the Res. One buzzard flying NE into wind, over the cold waters of F1 towards Wytham and later 2 Buzzard circling together surprisingly late in the fast advancing gloom, overhead of the departing Jackdaw flocks.

Great views around Appleford Pit gulls


402 Canada Geese with 2 Greylags arriving together certainly made the gulls shift to the goose free side, but this chap and his large dog circling the lake in full view had not the slightest effect on anything ! So great views of Iceland flying around at will, Caspian (sedentary), 2 adult Yellow-legged and Badgers 1st W bird, set aganst a background of argentatus Herring Gulls and intermedius L B-backs, G b-backs, Black-headed and 1 adult Common Gull and the sun perfectly behind the car between 1pm and 2pm made for a very worth while visit.

Thrupp Lake, Radley

Earth Trust Birdwatching walk around Thrupp Lake, Radley yielded 31 species in 2 hours. Green Sandpiper, small flocks of Redwing and Lapwing, displaying G.C. Grebes in winter plumage, singing Song Thrush, 3min Kingfisher and perhaps 6 Grey Heron and a personal County tick - Redpoll, probably being the main interest. No Goosander now, but wildfowl included: Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted, and Pochard. All birds getting increasingly tolerant of people including the gulls, Cormorants and waterfowl.
Collective observations by attending group with Ben Carpenter leading.

Appleford 3rd December

Iceland gull 2w on the Spit Pit at 11:23
Caspian Gull late afternoon
Yellow-legged Gull (ad 1stw)
(per Badger)


Iceland Gull (2ndw) & Probable Caspian Gull

Farmoor Res 3rd December




Great Northern Diver at 07:43 but No further sign after 8a.m (per The Wickster)

Back on F2 at 11:20 (per The Wickster)



photo (c) T.Sherlock

Port Meadow: 3rd December

Port Meadow
Yellow-legged Gull: ad.
3 Pintail: 2m 1f.

Adam Hartley

Friday 2 December 2011

Thursday 1 December 2011

Port Meadow: 1st December

Port Meadow
Pintail: male.

Adam Hartley

Coleshill: 1st December

5 Common Cranes seen in Coleshill (National Trust Estate), both in am and pm today. Also one dead one in a nearby field.
The dead one did not have any rings. At 4.05pm they flew, north, towards Buscot.

Helen Newton

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 1st December

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Merlin: f.

Paul Greenaway