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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
Sunday 29 June 2014
Otmoor 29th June
Glossy Ibis NE corner of The Closes at 17:00
Little Egret 10+
Turtle Dove 2
Cuckoo 2
Full weekend round up on Otmoor Birding tomorrow.
Little Egret 10+
Turtle Dove 2
Cuckoo 2
Full weekend round up on Otmoor Birding tomorrow.
Saturday 28 June 2014
Otmoor 28th June
1st summer male Marsh Harrier over Ashgrave courtesey of Mark Chivers
Glossy Ibis Ashgrave and then NE corner of The Closes c14:00
Little Egret 10+Snipe 8
Marsh Harrier 1st sum male hunting Ashgrave
Hobby
Cuckoo 2
Turtle Dove 1+
Kingfisher
Friday 27 June 2014
Thursday 26 June 2014
Wantage: Lark Hill: 26th June
Wantage: Lark Hill
Cuckoo: fem. Rufous type. Flew from bushes along Icknield Way.
Leo Bateman
Cuckoo: fem. Rufous type. Flew from bushes along Icknield Way.
Leo Bateman
Wednesday 25 June 2014
Port Meadow: 25th June
Port Meadow
2 Green Sandpiper: Calling pair made a couple of circuits over the floods before flying off east.
2 Oystercatcher
Little Ringed Plover
6 Little Egret
6 Grey Heron
40 Lapwing
Adam Hartley
Evening update,
Now a total of 7+ Ringed/Little Ringed Plovers
2 Green Sandpiper: Calling pair made a couple of circuits over the floods before flying off east.
2 Oystercatcher
Little Ringed Plover
6 Little Egret
6 Grey Heron
40 Lapwing
Adam Hartley
Evening update,
Now a total of 7+ Ringed/Little Ringed Plovers
Cassington: 25th June
Cassington
5 Green Sandpiper: 5 on old lagoon at sewage treatment works (private site).
Tim Clark
5 Green Sandpiper: 5 on old lagoon at sewage treatment works (private site).
Tim Clark
Tuesday 24 June 2014
Upton House: 24th June
Upton House
4 Spotted Flycatcher: Two pairs seen by a visitor. One pair on the top terrace in the garden, the other pair close to the restaurant.
Graeme Porter
4 Spotted Flycatcher: Two pairs seen by a visitor. One pair on the top terrace in the garden, the other pair close to the restaurant.
Graeme Porter
Monday 23 June 2014
Wantage: Chain Hill: 23rd June
Wantage: Chain Hill
Ring Ouzel: male. Dead in road. Still present at 3:30, now very squashed.
Amanda Brown
Ring Ouzel: male. Dead in road. Still present at 3:30, now very squashed.
Amanda Brown
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 23rd June
Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Marsh Harrier: fem. Over Greenaways mid morning. A very pale headed bird.
Turtle Dove: Showing well along the bridleway, purring and preening.
John Edwards
Marsh Harrier: fem. Over Greenaways mid morning. A very pale headed bird.
Turtle Dove: Showing well along the bridleway, purring and preening.
John Edwards
Sunday 22 June 2014
: 22nd June
R. Thames nr Cholsey Marsh
Cuckoo: Heard calling, prob from Cholsey Marsh. SU5985.
Mike Amphlett
Cuckoo: Heard calling, prob from Cholsey Marsh. SU5985.
Mike Amphlett
Otmoor 22nd June
Glossy Ibis Ashgrave 15:30 at least in dead tree viewed from the hide
Marsh Harrier (f) Ashgrave & The Closes this afternoon
Little Egret 10+
Hobby 3+
Turtle Dove 2+
Cuckoo 3 (1 juv)
Raven 2
Wigeon 2 1st scn
Saturday 21 June 2014
Denchworth 21st June
Turtle Dove (m) Denchworth near start of bridleway to West Hanney
Early morning (per RBA).
Early morning (per RBA).
Otmoor 21st June
Marsh Harrier
Hobby 3+
Oystercatcher 2
Turtle Dove 2+
Cuckoo 2
(per Bark)
Clouded Yellow Butterfly
along the track south from
the hide this afternoon (Badger).
Hobby 3+
Oystercatcher 2
Turtle Dove 2+
Cuckoo 2
(per Bark)
Clouded Yellow Butterfly
along the track south from
the hide this afternoon (Badger).
Thursday 19 June 2014
Wednesday 18 June 2014
Port Meadow 18th June
2 Oystercatchers
4 Little Egrets
4 Grey Herons
150 Black-headed Gulls
20 Gadwall
On 17th,
1 Redshank
4 Little Egrets
4 Grey Herons
150 Black-headed Gulls
20 Gadwall
On 17th,
1 Redshank
: 18th June
River Thames nr Moulsford
Cuckoo: Heard from Waterloo Close - called for 10 mins... possibly 2 birds...?. SU5985.
Mike Amphlett
Cuckoo: Heard from Waterloo Close - called for 10 mins... possibly 2 birds...?. SU5985.
Mike Amphlett
Tuesday 17 June 2014
Monday 16 June 2014
Lollingdon Hill: 16th June
An unusual movement of Swifts today with 1500+ seen moving north over a period of 4 hours.
Also 100+ House Martin, 1 Hobby and a Quail heard calling from a field to the south west.
More later on the Cholsey Wildlife Blog
Also 100+ House Martin, 1 Hobby and a Quail heard calling from a field to the south west.
More later on the Cholsey Wildlife Blog
Sunday 15 June 2014
Otmoor 15th June am.
Glossy Ibis
Bittern seen in flight twice independently by visiting birders over Big Otmoor and then
landing on Greenaways.
Little Egret c10
Quail (h)
Common Tern x4
Greenshank x3 flew in mid morning probably the same ones from Farmoor (see previous post)
Nuthatch juvenile car park field
Turtle Doves x2
Bark
Otmoor Birding
Bittern seen in flight twice independently by visiting birders over Big Otmoor and then
landing on Greenaways.
Little Egret c10
Quail (h)
Common Tern x4
Greenshank x3 flew in mid morning probably the same ones from Farmoor (see previous post)
Nuthatch juvenile car park field
Turtle Doves x2
Bark
Otmoor Birding
Saturday 14 June 2014
Radley Lakes 14th June
Hobby circling and making attacking dives with hirundines aplenty.
Mute Swan with 5 new cygnets.
Tufted Duck with 7 new ducklings on small pool, due west of NW corner of Thrupp Lake.
Downy Emerald Dragonfly in NW corner. Other dragons included Emperor, 4-spotted, Ruddy, & Black-tailed. Damsels included: Red-eyed, Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Azure.
Mute Swan with 5 new cygnets.
Tufted Duck with 7 new ducklings on small pool, due west of NW corner of Thrupp Lake.
Downy Emerald Dragonfly in NW corner. Other dragons included Emperor, 4-spotted, Ruddy, & Black-tailed. Damsels included: Red-eyed, Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Azure.
The White morning to be at Farmoor F1
White-winged Gull !
L.B-backed adult with all black in primaries replaced with pure white.
Also Mallard with body plumage white; remaining feathering as normal. Two unique sights.
Probable Sanderling flew over. (The Wickster).
Feeding Common Terns departing with fish off to the NW.
2 Juvenile B.H. Gulls fledged from breeding raft.
Otherwise many breeding birds in full song around Pink Hill reserve, including Cuckoo, Sedge, Reed, Rebo, Chiff and Blackcap.
L.B-backed adult with all black in primaries replaced with pure white.
Also Mallard with body plumage white; remaining feathering as normal. Two unique sights.
Probable Sanderling flew over. (The Wickster).
Feeding Common Terns departing with fish off to the NW.
2 Juvenile B.H. Gulls fledged from breeding raft.
Otherwise many breeding birds in full song around Pink Hill reserve, including Cuckoo, Sedge, Reed, Rebo, Chiff and Blackcap.
Friday 13 June 2014
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 13th June
Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Glossy Ibis: Perched in the dead Oak tree at the edge of Ashgrave c. 10:50 to 11:30. Appeared to come up from and return to Big Otmoor.
9 Little Egret: 9+.
2 Turtle Dove: 2 purring males.
Gareth Blockley
Glossy Ibis: Perched in the dead Oak tree at the edge of Ashgrave c. 10:50 to 11:30. Appeared to come up from and return to Big Otmoor.
9 Little Egret: 9+.
2 Turtle Dove: 2 purring males.
Gareth Blockley
Thursday 12 June 2014
Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 12th June
Balscote: Balscote Quarry
11 Curlew: ad & juv. at roost on central island.
2 Little Ringed Plover
Stephen Akers
11 Curlew: ad & juv. at roost on central island.
2 Little Ringed Plover
Stephen Akers
Balscote Quarry 12th June
No sign of probable Red-necked Phalarope by 05:07
Little Ringed Plover 2
Curlew 5
Lapwing
Sent from my iPhone
Little Ringed Plover 2
Curlew 5
Lapwing
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday 11 June 2014
Balscote Quarry Reserve 11th June
Phalarorpe sp (probably RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at this time of year) at dusk from the viewing screen at Balscote Quarry B.O.S (SP391425)
per Mark Ribbons et al
per Mark Ribbons et al
Tuesday 10 June 2014
Monday 9 June 2014
Otmoor.A.M. 9th. June.
1 Glossy Ibis still present at 18:23 in N/E corner of The Closes (per Ian Smith)
3 Turtle Dove
1 Marsh Harrier (F)
3 Turtle Dove
1 Marsh Harrier (F)
Islip: 9th June
Cuckoo (Michael Hunt)
South Leigh
Cuckoo Also calling all over the weekend.
(Richard Catling)
South Leigh
Cuckoo Also calling all over the weekend.
(Richard Catling)
Sunday 8 June 2014
Watchfield 8th June
Quail (m) singing Watchfield at 4pm
Follow B4508 from Watchfield and take Old Warf Road at 1st crossroads,
then turn right after railway bridge & drive to footpath/lane junction.
(per RBA)
Follow B4508 from Watchfield and take Old Warf Road at 1st crossroads,
then turn right after railway bridge & drive to footpath/lane junction.
(per RBA)
Otmoor.A.M.8th June.
1 Glossy Ibis
3 Common Tern
3 Turtle Dove
2+ Hobby
3 Cuckoo
2 Oystercatcher.
Glossy Ibis courtesey of Stephen Collier
Saturday 7 June 2014
Friday 6 June 2014
Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 6th June
10 Curlew: Came in to roost.
Redshank
Hobby (f) visited twice in 30 mins hunting dragonflies
Mark Ribbons
Redshank
Hobby (f) visited twice in 30 mins hunting dragonflies
Mark Ribbons
Otmoor: 6th June
Common Crane still Otmoor RSPB circling 09:00 to 09:40 then drifted south.
Glossy Ibis still this morning from the Hide c09:45
(per Paul Greenaway)
Glossy Ibis still this morning from the Hide c09:45
(per Paul Greenaway)
Abingdons leucistic Starling family filmed by Mike Flemming.
See and read Mike's full account of these beautiful birds that
have been visiting his Abingdon garden for several years Here
See and read Mike's full account of these beautiful birds that
have been visiting his Abingdon garden for several years Here
Harwell Laboratory: Rutherford Laboratory: 6th June
Harwell Laboratory: Rutherford Laboratory
2 Corn Bunting: m. Two males in a territorial dispute.
Mark Merritt
2 Corn Bunting: m. Two males in a territorial dispute.
Mark Merritt
6th June Central North Oxford
Probably Common Crane flew north over St. Hughs College at around 11:30am
(per Steve Lavington)
(per Steve Lavington)
Grimsbury Reservoir: 6th June
Grimsbury Reservoir
2 Common Tern: Flew through north then fishing along the canal. Late migrants? Possibly displaced breeding pair from heavy rain?.
Gareth Blockley
2 Common Tern: Flew through north then fishing along the canal. Late migrants? Possibly displaced breeding pair from heavy rain?.
Gareth Blockley
Thursday 5 June 2014
Otmoor. 5th June.
Glossy Ibis (Closes)
Common Crane flew over the main hide at Otmoor at 12:30 (per RBA)
Osprey flew over Otmoor RSPB at 15:55 (per RBA)
2 Turtle Dove
2 Curlew (over)
2 Common Tern
1 Oystercatcher.
Common Crane flew over the main hide at Otmoor at 12:30 (per RBA)
Osprey flew over Otmoor RSPB at 15:55 (per RBA)
2 Turtle Dove
2 Curlew (over)
2 Common Tern
1 Oystercatcher.
Common Tern & Grey Heron courtesey of John Reynolds
Tuesday 3 June 2014
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 3rd June
Otmoor: RSPB reserve
2 Turtle Dove: male. still purring by the pumping station.
John Barnes
2 Turtle Dove: male. still purring by the pumping station.
John Barnes
Monday 2 June 2014
RSPB Otmoor 2nd June
: 2nd June
A4130 nr crossroads for Nth Moreton
Corn Bunting: Heard singing, as I drove E past the crossroads. Nice to hear one so close to Didcot; used to be all around when I was a kid! ;-). SU557906.
Mike Amphlett
Corn Bunting: Heard singing, as I drove E past the crossroads. Nice to hear one so close to Didcot; used to be all around when I was a kid! ;-). SU557906.
Mike Amphlett
Sunday 1 June 2014
Otmoor 1st June
Glossy Ibis still this morning
Marsh Harrier (Stephen Collier)
Turtle Dove 2+
Hobby 2+
Cuckoo 3
Glossy Ibis & Marsh Harrier pictures
courtesey of Stephen Collier.
Full weekend round-up tomorrow
on Otmoor Birding
Wantage: Chain Hill: 1st June
Wantage: Chain Hill
Probable Short-eared Owl: Large owl sat in the road just into Berkshire. Almost hit it before it flew off into the darkness. I'm about 70% sure it was SEO, perhaps could have been LEO. Are SEO still in the area this time of year??.
Patrick Bryan
Probable Short-eared Owl: Large owl sat in the road just into Berkshire. Almost hit it before it flew off into the darkness. I'm about 70% sure it was SEO, perhaps could have been LEO. Are SEO still in the area this time of year??.
Patrick Bryan
May Highlights
Spotted Sandpiper by Andy Last
So we’ve come to the end of May and the start of the summer
doldrums. Whilst statistically this month should be the best one for the first
half of the year in terms of rarities it had to do pretty well to beat what had
been a fantastic April. So, how did it get on? Well, the answer is not too
badly at all with a nice list of headline rare birds accompanied by a good
supporting cast.
Headliners
The star of the month has to be the rather elusive Spotted
Sandpiper that was found at Farmoor on the very windy and rainy 7th. The
weather conditions meant that the bird was super skittish and sadly only six
county birders managed to see it before it disappeared. Fortunately it was
relocated on the 10th though once again it was very elusive and soon
disappeared after just three birders saw it. From its pattern of
behaviour it was deduced that it was probably roosting overnight at the
reservoir and a dawn raid the next morning proved successful, allowing most of the
hardcore county listers finally to see it. The only previous records for this species
are for 1989 and 1990, both at Farmoor so this was indeed a county Mega. Sadly
it didn’t linger much after then and was last seen on the 12th.
Spotted Sandpiper courtesy of Stephen Collier
The next three headline birds sadly were all single
observer sightings. The first was a Bee-eater seen by a visiting Hungarian
birder on the 24th who was very familiar with this species. He heard it call
twice and saw it as it flew low over Big Otmoor. Bee-eater is a real county
rarity but despite extensive searching sadly it
wasn’t seen again. The second single-observer headline sighting was of a Hoopoe near Witney though sadly (but typically for this species) the news only got out two weeks after it was seen. The third was a gorgeous Roseate Tern photographed at
Farmoor on the 29th though that was just a fly-through and not seen
again. Roseate Tern too is hard to get in the county: whilst there have been a few
records over the last 14 years, these are often only fly-throughs so hard to
connect with.
Roseate Tern courtesy of T.S
The next bird was fortunately rather more obliging. On the 12th (the date that the Spotted Sandpiper was refound) a Glossy Ibis was found
on Port Meadow that same morning having apparently been at Farmoor earlier the same day. The news was rather slow to get out as it was
only reported via e-mail though fortunately the bird stayed for most of the day
allowing quite a few people to see it. After that it moved on to Otmoor where it stayed until the end of the
month. This species is no longer the great national rarity that it once was
though this was only the 5th county record so it’s still a good bird
by local standards.
Glossy Ibis on Port Meadow courtesy of Pete Roby
The Spotted Crake obliged by staying put and continued to call near Kennington untill at least the 8th. Another elusive sighting was a White Stork that was seen by just a couple of observers over Otmoor on the 2nd. To round off the headline birds, a Great-white Egret was seen at Otmoor on the 25th and 26th. This is now
virtually an annual species, with Otmoor naturally getting most of the records. Still it's always good to get a record of this species in the county.
Great white Egret courtesy of The Gun-slinger
Best of the rest
30 Arctic Terns were at Farmoor on the 1st of May and 4 present on the 6th with 5 present on the 15th and a single on the 19th with a 1st summer on the 31st. It's been a good month for Little Terns at Farmoor with 2 birds
present on the 5th and on the 6th with a single bird on the 11th. A
Black Tern was at Farmoor on the 5th with two of these dusky beauties
present on the 19th
Little Tern courtesey of Nic Hallam
A Drake Garganey was on Port Meadow from the 1st-6th with two birds present on Otmoor on the 17th with singles seen at the same site sporadically until the end of May
Whimbrel courtesey of Steve Burch
On the wader front single Whimbrel were at Farmoor on the 4th, 15th and the 23rd and at Otmoor on the 17th. A Greenshank was at Balscote Quarry between the 5th-7th with a single bird on Otmoor on the 13th - these two birds constituted the only records all month. The highest count of Dunlin in May was of 25 at Farmoor on the 11th. Sanderling numbered 8 at Farmoor on the 22nd. There were only two records of Wood Sandpiper for the entire month: a bird was at Balscote Quarry on the 6th with a brief second bird on the RSPB Otmoor reserve 16th. Grey Plovers were at Farmoor on the 5th and at Port Meadow on the 27th. An Avocet was a very welcome discovery on Port Meadow on the 14-15th in what has been a poor spring for waders on the floods. Two Little Stint were along the causeway at Farmoor on the 15th. A fantastic near summer plumaged Ruff resided on Otmoor from the 16th-25th.
Avocet courtesy of Gnome
Ruff by Badger
Turtle Doves thankfully arrived back at
Otmoor RSPB on the 6th with up to four birds present on the reserve by
the month's end. Birds were also noted just to the north at Asham Meads
and at Arncott. A Quail was calling on the RSPB reserve on the 14th. A
fantastic male Montagu's Harrier flew over Greenaways on Otmoor on the
18th with a female Montagu's Harrier seen just north of Burford briefly a
few days later on the 20th. A female Marsh Harrier was seen on Otmoor
on the 16th-17th
Turtle Dove courtesy of Martin Chapman
A Redstart was seen at Broughton Park on the 19th and a feral Ross's Goose was seen sporadically at Otmoor over the month
Feral Ross's Goose courtesy of Stephen Collier
Looking Forward to June
June is of course traditionally a
very quiet month for birding. However a quick trawl through the RBA Scarce+
records since 2001 reveals that there are a few goodies that one might be on
the lookout for. The most likely candidates are going to be “big birds” like
Crane, Spoonbill, White Stork and Glossy Ibis etc. but here’s the list that I retrieved: Bee-eater,
White Stork, Red-backed Shrike (twice), Honey Buzzard (2), Glossy Ibis, Scops Owl, Common
Crane, Purple Heron, Marsh Warbler, Cattle Egret, Black Kite, Spoonbill (2),
Corncrake and Hoopoe (2). Note that some of these records were single-observer
sightings of birds that didn’t linger and which weren’t necessarily confirmed.
Still, at least it gives us a reason to continue searching our respective patches over the
coming month.
28th August 1983, One That Got Away
by Paul Chandler
I had cycled over to Dorchester Gravel pits for my regular week end birding; a few days earlier the weather had turned north easterly. I was not expecting much but hoping to get a few migrants as I already had seen five Wheatears in the fields at the back of where I lived. We had good access at Dorchester GP’s those days and there were a lot of Hirundines over the pits that day (i.e. 100+ House Martin, Swallows and a few Swifts) also a couple of Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, a flyover Ringed Plover, a couple of Turtle Dove and a Hobby carrying prey. I reached an area of willow scrub and picked up a large Tit flock of 80+ birds that also contained a Willow Warbler, at least 2 Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler with them. Then a small bird appeared in the top of a bush around 30 feet away from me that got my attention. I had just got my bins on it (2-3 seconds) when it flew off. I searched for a further one and half hours but did not find it again and the tit flock had also moved on. Although at that point I had not seen one before my immediate thought was a Red-breasted Flycatcher! My notes at the time were of a small plumpish bird, roughly Blue Tit size and warbler like, browny above and pale underparts and the most striking points was the throat and upper breast were a reddish orange and as it flew off I noticed a dark tail with white flashes on either side. As it was the days of no mobile phones there was no way of contacting anyone but when I got home I phoned Tony Williams and he and Brian Shaw went over but did not find anything. Three days later I located a male Red-backed Shrike not 50 foot from where I saw the Flycatcher. I submitted the record to the OOS but it was rejected and I appreciate that it was a single observer sighting with no experience of the species and would have also been a first for the county. However I am still convinced of what I saw and what it was!
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