September review

September 2022 Review

Headliners

Birding in September, even in Oxfordshire, can sometimes lead to a feeling of anticipation in the air – an atmosphere, a feeling that anything can turn up anywhere no matter how unlikely although this feeling is usually tempered by harsh reality. That been said, for most of us September was going pretty good with patches across the county producing decent birding and some good rarities were being found. On the 26^th September though, all hell broke loose and there can be only one headline bird!

Common Nighthawk

Courtesy of Brian Walker.

Bonkers, incredible, insane or amazing – pick your adjective. No one, not even the most optimistic among us, had common nighthawk on their radar within Oxfordshire’s borders – especially not on a garden fence in urban Wantage. Initially thought by the finder to be an injured nightjar, a good county bird in its own right these days, it was our astute county recorder who quickly realised this was in fact a full blown mega and a first for the county. News quickly broke and the chaos and excitement that ensues was soon underway, this really was a drop everything and go moment. The locals were the first to arrive and a mix of bewilderment and joy could be observed on most of their faces, everyone in a state of disbelief at the sheer outrageousness of this record. The site of this incredible Atlantic crossing bird sitting nonchalantly on a drab garden fence above a bright red Audi couldn’t fail to put a smile on your face, an experience unlikely to ever be repeated certainly not within Oxon.

Twitchers watching the Nightjar courtesy of Conor MacKenzie.

The nighthawk continued in its place for the remainder of the day, occasionally turning 180 degrees or stretching a wing much to the delight of the growing crowd. Towards dusk the bird started to get more active and eventually took flight hawking briefly before flying strongly south, an incredible end to an incredible day. With upwards of 500 people making the trip from far and wide and several thousand pounds raised for charity it was successfully run twitch with many a happy birder! This constitutes the 26^th record for the UK, a fact the belies how incredibly difficult this species is to catch up with especially on the mainland. More than half those records come from Scilly, and I am sure there are plenty who revel in regaling tales of mythical encounters with these individuals over the years. Well Oxon and this encounter has now entered itself firmly into birding folklore for the 500 or so people who made the journey for this incredible bird.

Courtesy of Badger

Waders

Curlew Sandpiper, courtesy of Richard Tyler

Last month I suggested we were overdue a curlew sandpiper in the county and just like that the birding gods answered. One was present on Ardley ERF on the evening of the 6^th a well-earned patch bird for the guys up in the north of the county, unfortunately for the rest of us it departed overnight. Thankfully on the 22^nd Farmoor hosted another individual and it remained until the 23^rd. Another much sought after inland wader, little stint, also had a good showing in the county with 10 birds in total recorded across three sites. Three birds at Otmoor were present on the 6^th before been flushed by sparrowhawk a short while later. Another 3 were at Farmoor on the 21^st with one remaining until the 23^rd allowing for some great photo opportunities of this enigmatic little wader. Four dropped into Pit 60 on the 30th in inclement weather , a welcome reward for all the hours put in there by the local and a cracking count for our landlocked county.

Grey Plover, courtesy of Nick Truby

A single grey plover flew through and around Farmoor on the evening of the 21^st calling but refusing to land. Potentially the same bird was then present on Port Meadow on the 22^nd and although it took a hammering from the local dog walkers it remained until the 28^th. An amazing record of 14 on the 22^nd came from Farmoor but unfortunately, they didn’t land. Records of Turnstone bookended the month with a single bird on the 1^st and another single on the 24^th, whilst a great count of 8 came on the 4^th with all records relating to Farmoor.

Little Stint, courtesy of Richard Tyler

Farmoor had an almost continuous presence of Ruff throughout the month with a max count of 8 on the 8^th and 1 remaining until at least the 25^th. Additional records came from Cassington with 6 on the 7^th, Pit 60 from the 3^rd – 6^th and Ardley ERF hosting a pair from 20^th until the 29^th. Greenshank were recorded from 3 sites – Grimsbury (1^st), Appleford GP’s (6^th) and Radley GP’s whilst only a single Redshank was recorded outside of Otmoor with one at Farmoor on the 7^th.  Black-tailed godwit had a poorer showing this month with almost all records coming from Stratfield Brake usually relating to one bird but occasionally two recorded from the 1^st until at least the 19^th. A single record came from

Ringed plover also had a semi continuous presence at the great concrete bowl of Farmoor with birds recorded throughout, a maximum count of 6 came on the 7^th until the 8^th. Only two sites produced further records with Pit 60 (1-3^rd & 24^th) and Ardley ERF (20^th- 24^th) with 2 birds at each.  Dunlin were picked up at a least 4 sites and mostly related to single birds, with the highest count coming from Farmoor with 8 birds on the 22^nd. Additional birds came from Pit 60 (1^st-4^th and the 25^th), Bicester (19^th-23^rd) and Tar lakes (24^th).

Green sandpiper were recorded from at least 10 sites from across the county with Ardley ERF producing the largest count of 16 on the 9^th with Bicester wetlands the only other site to produce double digit counts. Common sandpiper records were spread more thinly with 7 sites producing mostly ones and twos with Farmoor holding 7 on the 8^th of the month.

Gulls & Terns

An unexpectedly quiet period for gull and tern records with the standout rarity a flurry of sandwich tern at the beginning of the month.  Three were om Farmoor briefly on the 1^st frequenting both F1 and F2. A single bird turned up, again on Farmoor, and fished around F2 before departing a short while later.

Sandwich Terns, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Only a single Caspian gull record came this month with a lone 1^st winter on Farmoor on the 8^th. Yellow-legged gulls were also thin on the ground with only one record of 3 birds frequenting Pit 60 between the 1^st and 4^th of the month. Pit 60 also played host to this month only record of Mediterranean gull with winter plumaged bird present on the 1^st.  

Wildfowl etc

Ferruginous Duck, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

The standout rarity this month was our 2^nd ferruginous duck of the year after the long staying drake back in February, found on the 2^nd and departing overnight. A stunning find on Grimsbury reservoir of a drake, probably relocating from our neighbouring county of Northamptonshire. The finder has some form of picking up rarities having found the county’s first pallas’s warbler earlier this year.

Four common scoter were a great record coming from Blenheim Palace brought in by inclement weather on the 19^th, they were present for only a couple of hours departing shortly after they were found. A single record of black-necked grebe came from Dix Pit on the 24^th whilst a single scaup was reported from Farmoor on the 18^th although it was not relocated.

Black-necked Grebe, courtesy of Ian Elkins

Common Scoter, Blenheim, courtesy of Dave Doherty

There were several records of garganey from 4 sites in the county this month. An eclipse drake at Blenheim present from the 5^th-9^th with possibly the same bird recorded at Dix Pit on the 12^th and at Appleford on the 25^th. A record of 3 birds on Sonning eye GPs on the 5^th was the first multiple records since the summer months but they didn’t linger long.

Egrets, herons etc

Last months glossy ibis pair relocated from the summer haunt of Cassington GP’s to Stratfield Brake on the outskirts of Oxford. The pair were first picked up on the 6^th and remained together until the 10^th often associating with a black-tailed godwit. One bird departed and seemingly ranged around the county picked up in Oxford (11^th), Cassington GP’s and Otmoor (17^th – 18^th). A single bird remained at Stratfield Brake on and off from the 11^th until the 27^th.

Courtesy of John Workman

Cattle egret continued in the county with multiple birds recorded across 9 sites, presumably all relating to birds from the now established breeding colony from Blenheim. The usual sites recorded birds through the month namely Pit 60, Otmoor and Chimney. Birds became more mobile though, with a large flock of 18 recorded at Wytham on the 15^th whilst a whopping 42 were recorded at Kings lock on the 24^th.  

Courtesy of Steve Liptrot

After remaining at mostly two sites in the summer months great white egret became much more mobile with additional birds seemingly joining the long staying birds in the county. At least 11 sites recorded birds and it would seem a minimum of 4 birds were present through September, possibly more. Four birds were reportedly all together at Stratfield Brake earlier in the month. Several sites recorded 2 birds – Chimney (3^rd), Blenheim (8^th) and Appleford (17^th & 25^th). Only one Crane record came this month with one over Grove on the 5^th, whilst a single Bittern was recorded briefly at Pit 60 on the 22^nd before been flushed by the local gulls.

Passerines

In what might have been the highlight in a previous September, if not for a certain mega upstaging, a Yellow-browed warbler was picked up calling in the Trap grounds by Port Meadow on the 25^th. Typically, elusive and mobile a few lucky observers managed to catch up with it, but as is the case for many of records it was a one-day wonder and gone the next day.

Wryneck, courtesy of Amy Get

September continued its run of form with Wryneck records with no fewer than 3 individual birds recorded in the month. Unfortunately, all 3 were not widely available with one in Chipping Norton garden on the 3^rd, a bird ringed in Little Clanfield on the 11^th and a unfortunate bird that flew into a window in Kennington on the 18^th although thankfully it did survive. A very young looking juvenile black redstart appeared briefly in Stonesfield on the 13^th but unfortunately was only present briefly. Rock pipit started their annual movements through the county with the first returning bird on the 21^st at Farmoor where it remained until at least the 24^th when it was joined by a 2^nd bird. A single tree pipit was heard calling amongst a large flock of meadow pipits at West Ginge, whilst two pied flycatcher were in Buckthorn on the 4^th.

Rock Pipit, courtesy of John Workman

Whinchat were recorded from 8 locations with a high count of 5 recorded from Appleford on the 6^th and Otmoor on the 8^th with Lark Hill also recorded 4 birds. Meanwhile 18 locations recorded wheatear mostly in singles and pairs but a cracking count of 9 individuals came from Lark Hill on the 18^th, with only Devils Punch Bowl and Sarsgrove recording more than 2 birds with 3 on the 6^th and 4^th respectively. Redstart were mostly recorded in singles from at least 12 locations with only Muswell Hill and Lark Hill recording more than one, with 3 on the 3^rd and 2 on the 7^th respectively. Yellow wagtail continued to move through the county with some great double-digit counts recorded. Wytham had the best of these with a cracking count of 60 on 10^th, whilst 30 were seen to roost on Otmoor on the 3^rd and at least 20 recorded at Port Meadow on the 2^nd.

Juvenile Black Redstart in a garden in West Oxfordshire, courtesy of Colm O'brien

Whinchat, courtesy of Jessia Crumpton

Raptors

A tantalising record of a slim harrier species flying over Standlake on the 11^th unfortunately didn’t linger and its identification remains a mystery, with several records of inland pallid harrier around the same time this will have to be chalked down as a near miss. A ring-tailed hen harrier up on the downs at the Devils Punch Bowl on the 24^th was in no doubt however and hopefully a sign of more to come. Osprey continued their long journey to west of Africa through Oxon airspace with 4 records relating to probably 3 birds, a single bird at Otmoor on the 4^th and another at Farmoor on the 11^th. A bird briefly at Blenheim on the 17^th was probably the same bird seen flying over Shillingford later in the day.  

Merlin Otmoor rspb courtesy of Graham Parkinson.

The first returning short-eared owl came from Otmoor on the 21^st and remained until 22^nd, whilst merlin also returned with one over Milton Common on the 21^st whilst a showy individual was present at Otmoor on the 28^th. Hobby continued to remain in the county in small numbers with at least 5 locations still hosting birds with a maximum count of 2 at Pit 60 throughout the month.

Osprey courtesy of Brian Manston

Look ahead

One might be forgiven for being complacent for the rest of year given what has just transpired, but October still has the potential to produce some decent birding and still might yet throw up the odd surprise.

Given we’ve just had a yellow-browed warbler already this month we might have had our fair share of eastern sprites for 2022 what with a pallas’s warbler back in January. But October is typically a very good month for finding these most loved of Siberian wanderers. Since 2013 we have had 8 records in October with multiple birds in 2020, 2017 and 2013, so now is a good time as any to get out and listen out for a ‘Tswe-eep!’

Moving onto something a little rarer – pectoral sandpiper has a good track record of turning up in September. Who can forget the extremely confiding bird at Port Meadow last year? Port Meadow has also hosted two birds way back in 2007 during this month and you wouldn’t bet against the next record coming from there either. An even rarer wader turned up here back in 2010 when a lesser yellowlegs remained throughout the month and into early November, with one turning up in Yorkshire recently and very quickly disappearing it would be a welcome bird indeed if it were to make its way south!