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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

Thursday 31 May 2012

Otmoor 31st May

Linnet
Curlew
Whitethroat
Chiffchaff

Redshank
Linnet
Reed Warbler
Photos (c) Nigel Forrow

South Stoke 31st May

Cuckoo
Long live the Buzzard

Port Meadow: 31st May

Port Meadow
2 Garganey: 1m 1f.
Red-crested Pochard: m.
3 Ringed Plover
Dunlin
Redshank
2 Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Good News For Buzzards

It looks as if the Buzzard issue has been sensibly resolved at least for the present so well done to the powers that be for listening and acting in the interests of this marvellous bird and the countryside in general.
Thought i'd post a picture of a Yellowhammer celebrating the good news today at Stanford-in-theVale.
camboy

Henley-on-Thames: 30th May

Henley-on-Thames
35 Common Crossbill: Private site (per Hugh Netley).
Spotted Flycatcher: Private site (per Hugh Netley).

Marek Walford

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments: 29th May

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments
Cuckoo: heard calling in the distant south east.

Dave Godfrey

Monday 28 May 2012

Thrupp Lake Radley Monday etc

Kingfisher; Mute Swans with just one cygnet showing for the first time and still two pairs of Common Terns on BH Gull island despite idiots in inflatable deliberately disturbing the birds into the air yesterday (Police informed and responded). Downy Emeralds seen between 14:15 and 17:15 on Thrupp plus two other flooded pits. Small Blue butterfly as well on St Davids meadow. Female Mallard feeding inside the main trolley park outside entrance to Abingdon Tesco Extra this evening. On Sunday evening, Cetti's singing just SE of Barton Fields nature reserve, Abingdon,

Port Meadow: 28th May

Port Meadow
Little Gull: 1s.
2 Shelduck
Red-crested Pochard: m.

Adam Hartley

Sunday 27 May 2012

Otmoor 27th May

Whitethroat
Drumming

Snipe
Several Snipe drumming early morning.

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments: 27th May

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments
Cuckoo: heard calling to the south.

Dave Godfrey

South Leigh
Cuckoo: calling near village and earlier in the day.

Richard Catling

Grimsbury Reservoir: 27th May

Grimsbury Reservoir
5 Little Egret: Flew from the pool created from the flood alleviation work just north of the reservoir (per Clive P).

Gareth Blockley

River Thames Iffley to Sandford 27th May

14 Common Crossbill: Over....North along the Thames. Second Crossbill encounter in a very unexpected place in 3 days. What's going on?!.

Radley GP River Thames
4 Oystercatcher: Driving away a Kite.
Garden Warbler

Mark Merritt
Peacock Nuneham Arboretum (c) Mike Flemming


Garsington: 27th May

Garsington
Cuckoo: calling in fields between Oxford Rd and B480.

Peter Law

Port Meadow.A.M. 27th May.

3 L. Egret
2 Oystercatcher
1 R.C.Pochard
1 Common Tern (Wolvercote end).

Farmoor 27th May

Turnstone 2
Short-eared Owl (Shrike Meadow)

(per Dai)

The Insomniac Birder

Saturday 26 May 2012

Port Meadow: 26th May

Port Meadow
6 Ringed Plover
Red-crested Pochard: m.
Peregrine

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 26th May

Sanderling 2
Dunlin 2
Ringed Plover

(per Dai)

Stratfield Brake: 26th May

Stratfield Brake
Cuckoo: Heard only.

Nick Suckling

Otmoor 26th May

3 Grasshopper Warbler (1 in carpark field. 2 near second screen).
Oystercatcher: On first scrape (Big Otmoor).
10 Redshank: Unusual sighting 10 hovering together in a group, just off the ground, on big Otmoor.
Garganey (Male) flying from Big Otmoor onto Ashgrave. flying with three other ducks. Didn't have time to I.d. as they disappeared over hedge. Four Gargany ?.
Turtle Dove
Curlew
Little ringed Plover 1 (Badger)
Hobby 4+

Peter Coombes


Cuckoo 1 of 3 Otmoor (c) Terry Sherlock






Otmoor Reed Warbler (c) Ewan

























Complete weekend round up at 

Grimsbury Reservoir: 26th May

Grimsbury Reservoir
Spotted Flycatcher: Next to the canal in large ash at footpath junction.

(Gareth Blockley)

North Abingdon
Spotted Flycatcher 3

(Badger)

Friday 25 May 2012

Shipton-on-Cherwell 25th May

Spotted Flycatcher: In Holy Cross churchyard.

Steve Goddard

Port Meadow: 25th May


Sanderling
3 Dunlin
27 Ringed Plover
Little Gull: 1s.
2 Little Egret
2 Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Red-crested Pochard

Steve Goddard

Farmoor 25th May

Little Gull

(per Dai oos)

Otmoor: 25th May

Otmoor
Grasshopper Warbler: Calling from carpark field.
Peregrine: Circling near hide with buzzard and red kite.
Ringed Plover: On 1st scrape (Big Otmoor).
Curlew

Peter Coombes

Otmoor Birding


Linnet

OOS conservation officer has winter/spring fed Linnets for the last two year and it looks as if it paying off -i'm finding Linnets every time I bird - previously these sites were barren.
camboy

Wantage: 25th May

Wantage
10 Common Crossbill: Jupp-jupping their way over to the East. Nice!.

Mark Merritt
Great crested Grebe Otmoor (c) David Cuddon

Thursday 24 May 2012

Otmoor 24th May

White-tailed Eagle imm NE of Oxford flew SW over Otmoor RSPB at 4.15pm.
(per RBA)

Anyone know who or where this report has come from?

Port Meadow: 24th May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s.
Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Buscot & Grafton Lock

Turtle Dove and 6 House Martins at Buscot. 2 Common Terns 1 Bullfinch 1 Tree Sparrow at Grafton Lock.

camboy

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Clocked Eynsham Area

Three Cuckoo's one Blackcap One Garden Warbler.
camboy

Port Meadow: 23rd May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s. (Still present). SP4908.

Phil Chapman

Garsington 23rd May

Cuckoo: calling in fields between Oxford Rd and B480.
Grey Partridge: in lane from B480 to Toot Baldon.

Peter Law


Cuckoo (c) Terry Sherlock

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Cholsey: 22nd May

Cholsey
Spotted Flycatcher

Cholsey: Bow Bridge
Lesser Whitethroat

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve
3 Willow Warbler
Hobby

Cholsey: Lollingdon Hill
Yellow Wagtail: flyover.
Hobby
5 Corn Bunting

Paul Chandler

More at Cholsey Wildlife


Kingham

Spotted Flycatcher 2

(per Ewan)

Heythrop: 22nd May

Heythrop
2 Corn Bunting
2 Spotted Flycatcher

Michael Hunt

Otmoor 22nd May

Shelduck
Curlew
Lesser Whitethroat
Grasshopper Warbler 2 in field by the car park and one by second screen, Greenshank over, 3 Turtle Doves, and many Hairy Drogonflies.

Port Meadow 22nd May

Little Gull 1st S
Little Gull 1st S
Little Gull 1st S
Garganey

Old Marston: 2nd May

Golden Oriole fem. SP520091.

NB Please note the date  - this is a record from a few weeks ago.

Farmoor May 22nd (05:30 - 09:15)

Whimbrel - 1 (heard)
Hobby - 2
Barn Owl - 1
Cuckoo - 1
Garden Warbler - at least 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Common Tern - 5

Tuesday 22nd May Port Meadow

Drake Garganey on Port Meadow (per Dave Lowe)

Monday 21 May 2012

Port Meadow: 21st May

Yellow Wagtail Male blue-headed (ssp. flava).
6 Grey Heron
2 Little Gull: 1s.
3 Shelduck

Sydney Penner
Cetti's Warbler at Abingdon Tesco this evening

Eynsham: Oxford Road: 20th May

20th May

Eynsham: Oxford Road
Cuckoo
Tawny Owl: In roost/nest hole in willow tree.

Andrew Petersons

Otmoor 21st May

Turtle Dove: In trees along Roman Road, first heard from the car park.
Grasshopper Warbler: Nr 2nd screen

(Jackie Newcombe)




Marsh Harrier
Hobby 4
Short-eared Owl (car park field)
Cuckoo 3

(Badger)

Long Wittenham: River Thames: 20th May

Long Wittenham: River Thames
Oystercatcher: SU547945.

Anni Byard

Farmoor 21st May

Marsh Harrier at Farmoor (per Dai)

Sunday 20 May 2012

Port Meadow: 20th May

Port Meadow
Little Gull: 1s. Only saw one though the other one was probably around somewhere.
2 Shelduck
100 Swallow: At least. Also quite a few swifts, sand & house martins.

Adam Hartley

Chimney: Chimney Meadows: 20th May

Chimney: Chimney Meadows
Cuckoo: Heard only.
Grasshopper Warbler: Heard only.

Mark Merritt

Farmoor 20th May



Black Tern 2 (on F1)

(per Dai)

Also:
Adult Kittiwake on F2 (per Dai)
though no further sign by 11a.m. (per Tom Wickens)

The Insomniac Birder



Saturday 19 May 2012

Port Meadow: 19th May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s.
2 Shelduck
48 Mute Swan

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 19 May

Dunlin
(c) Stephen Burch. To view a higher res version, click here.

Also
Ringed Plover 5
Shelduck 2
(per Dai)


Whimbrel (h) (Andy Last)

Otmoor 19th May

Short-eared Owl
Oystercatcher 2

(per Oz)

Chimney: Chimney Meadows: 19th May

Chimney: Chimney Meadows
Curlew

Mark Merritt

Friday 18 May 2012

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments: 18th May

Abingdon - Drayton Road Allotments
Cuckoo: heard calling on and off for an hour or so.

Dave Godfrey

Marcham Hobby

15:45 Hobby flew at an amazing attack speed SSW across garden and across Hyde Farm/Garden Centre. No obvious prey species in sight. First for garden list.

Sonning Eye GPs: 18th May

Sonning Eye GPs
Cuckoo

Henley Road GPs
Cuckoo

Marek Walford

Port Meadow: 18th May

Little Gull: 1s.
4 Shelduck

Adam Hartley


Farmoor 18th May

Turnstone 2
Sanderling
Greenshank
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover

(per Dai & Lesley Staves)


(c) Dai


















More from the Res at
The Insomniac Birder

Thursday 17 May 2012

Port Meadow: 17th May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s.
Oystercatcher
2 Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 17th May

Greenshank
Ringed Plover 2
Swift c500
Garden Warbler 3
Barnacle Goose

(per Ewan)

More from the Res at
The Insomniac Birder

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Port Meadow: 16th May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s.
3 Oystercatchers
1 Redshank (per Richard Foster)
3 Little Egrets

Adam Hartley

Otmoor.A.M. 16th May.

1 Garden Warbler (car park)
1pr. Shellduck (Big Otmoor)
8+ Hobbys (Greenaways)
1 Cuckoo
3 L.Whitethroat
1 Sparrowhawk (M)
1 L.Egret

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Farmoor 15th May

Swift

Swift
Swift
Lots of swifts at Farmoor today. This Swift with no tail could cause indentification problems.
Cuckoo on Otmoor  (c) David Cuddon

Monday 14 May 2012

Otmoor 14th May

Wheatear
Hobby

Farmoor 14th May

Sanderling 4 along the causeway.
Turnstone  1 west side of F2.
Whimbrel  1.
Common Sandpiper  4.
Dunlin  3
Peregrine 1.
Hobby  1.
 Photo taken 2011

The Insomniac Birder

Otmoor 14th May

Shelduck 2
Turtle Dove 3 (per Roger Wyatt)
Spotted Flycatcher
Mixed flocks of large gulls predominately imm birds all LBBG & Herring.

Otmoor Birding


Leucistic Starling for its fith year again in Abingdon
with one of two offspring (c) Mike Flemming.
Mike Flemming's Natural History Photos


Port Meadow: 14th May

Little Gull (1s)
Yellow Wagtail

Sydney Penner

Crowmarsh Gifford 14th May

At 13:55 this afternoon, I was treated to the incongruous sight of an adult male
Hen Harrier floating low above Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, before heading
over my office and down to the Thames.

(per Richard Broughton Oxonbirds)


Sunday 13 May 2012

Port Meadow: 13th May

Port Meadow
2 Little Gull: 1s. On the floods with the black-headed gull flock still.

Adam Hartley

Oxon Downs 13th May

Quail (h) (per The Wickster)

Otmoor 13th May

Garganey 2 (m/f) (per Bark)

Glaucous gull: what looked like an adult bird feeding with a large flock of herring and LBB gulls in the flooded grassland on the left of the path to second screen. The bird was quite active flying around from one patch to the next. 

Little egret, 1 on Ashgrave
Hobby, at least 12 over greenaways & bridleways
Gadwall, 2 m
Common tern, 2
Cuckoo, 2
Raven 1
Snipe, 1
Wheatear, 2 Ashgrave 
Pochards, 5 m 
Sandmartin, 1

(per Tom Pizzari)


Otmoor Birding
Whitethroat Otmoor (c) Jon Mercer

Port Meadow: Burgess Field Nature Park: 12th May

Port Meadow: Burgess Field Nature Park
Cuckoo: First heard calling from north end of Burgess Field. Sighted (presumably the same individual) still calling in a tree on other side of Oxford canal, approx. SP496095. SP497091.

Steve Goddard

Grimsbury Reservoir: 12th May

Grimsbury Reservoir
2 Arctic Tern: Over the reservoir.

Rachel Howard

Saturday 12 May 2012

Otmoor 12th May

Marsh Harrier reported
Hobby 11+ over Greenaways & Reed bed
Turtle Dove 2 along the bridleway
Cuckoo 2+
Gropper 3+ (2 reeling along path to 2nd Screen)
Lesser Whitethroats
(no sign of poss Glaucous Gull)

Otmoor Birding



12th May Shillingford



Hobby feeding on Mayflies.

Henley Road GPs: 12th May

Hobby 9
Cuckoo
2 Oystercatcher: On island viewed across lake from hide. 1 appears to be sat on a nest, the other more mobile.

Richard Marsh

Juniper Valley 12th May

Turtle Dove 2
Wheatear 4

(per TRa OOS)

Venn Mill: 12th May

Venn Mill
Raven: About 300 yards N of Venn Mill. Very low over road before landing in field - no doubt eyeing up the unfortunate ex-pheasant on the verge. First Raven I've seen in six years of travelling this road on a dailyish basis.

Mark Merritt

River Thames: Iffley to Sandford: 12th May

River Thames: Iffley to Sandford
Cuckoo

Steve Roby

Friday 11 May 2012