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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
Friday 30 June 2023
Striking Kite sp. Bicester 30th June
River Thames: 29th June
Quail: First identified with Merlin App then observed in flight. landed in meadow about 20 metres from me. SP320001. 11:00.
Ian Chatt
Blenheim 30th June
Common tern - 5 (2 adults, 3 young). A pair nested on an old coot nest and have hatched 3 young which are about 2 weeks old now. I believe probably the first breeding record at this site. Thanks to their hardworking parents they have so far avoided falling prey to the lurking gulls, kites, buzzards, herons, egrets, etc...
Reed Warbler - 1
Spotted Flycatcher - 2
By way of an update on the Cattle Egrets at Blenheim, I don't believe there have been any fledged young yet. They have been very hard to try and monitor this year. There have certainly been attempts but I think the initial pairs may have failed. I am still confident we may get some success.
Bicester Wetland Reserve 30th June
8 Green Sandpiper (7 at Cattle Bridge Pool,1 main reserve)
1 Little Egret
5 Teal
1 Cetti's Warbler
Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Thursday 29 June 2023
Balscote Quarry 28th June
Quail heard calling between 21.55 and 22.10 when standing at watch point wall.
Alan Peters
Wednesday 28 June 2023
Tuesday 27 June 2023
Chinnor: Cement Works: 27th June
7 Little Ringed Plover: Mixture of adult and juvenile birds. SU750997. 19:30.
Jez March
Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 27th June
Whimbrel: Flew into the quarry briefly (Edwin Barson). Also Green Sandpiper and 9 lapwing. 13:45.
Steve Holliday
Sunday 25 June 2023
Saturday 24 June 2023
Friday 23 June 2023
Warburg Reserve, Bix Bottom - Friday 23rd June 2023
Lots of youngsters around at the moment all heading to the pond in this hot weather.
Green Woodpecker ( m ), Chiffchaff, Marsh Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit x 12 (4 adults 8 juveniles)
Dunnock (1 adult 1 juvenile), Song Thrush, Blackcap ( f ) Bullfinch ( 1xmale 1xfemale 2xjuvenile)
Heard but not seen today - Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher.
Song Thrush |
Bullfinch - juvenile |
Thursday 22 June 2023
Bicester Wetland Reserve 22nd June
2 Oystercatcher
1 Kingfisher
2 Cetti's Warbler
Alan Peters
Key Holder reserve
Wednesday 21 June 2023
Fyfield Wick: 21st June
Oystercatcher: Over low calling from Large Lake. 06:27.
Jed Cleeter
Tuesday 20 June 2023
Standlake Pit 60: 20th June
Marsh Harrier: cream crown. Briefly. A very faded cream crown. 22:29.
4 Great White Egret: 2 yellow billed 2 dark billed. In addition to bare parts colours, now identifiable as individuals based on wing moult! 22:29.
850 Starling: Roost. 22:29.
Mick Cunningham
Churn: 20th June
20 Corn Bunting: Dozens, singing on telegraph wires. 13:00.
Stonechat: m. 13:00.
2 Yellow Wagtail: juv. 13:00.
10 Yellowhammer: Many singing in bushes on my walk. Seems a healthy population. 13:00.
50 Skylark: I didn't want to give a number - the whole area is seething with them, but I didn't think about estimating numbers at the time. 13:00.
2 Whitethroat: Feeding young. 13:00.
Willow Warbler: Heard singing briefly. 13:00.
3 Chiffchaff: Heard singing. 13:00.
Sparrowhawk: Seemed to be mobbed by Grey Wagtail. 13:00.
4 Greenfinch: Adults with young. 13:00.
Heather Wright
Bicester Wetland reserve 20th June
1 Redshank
7 Green Sandpiper
2 Cetti's Warbler
Alan Peters Colin Oram
Key Holder Reserve
Monday 19 June 2023
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 19th June
2 Crane: 2 grazing on fenced off area at bottom end of The Closes. 08:00.
Keith Nieland
Blenheim: 16th June
2 Oystercatcher: six months ago it would be a shock to see an oystercatcher in the park. On this visit one of them was in a willow tree!
5 Little Egret: 5 adult birds on or around the island. There are around 20 young egrets wandering over the island. With my binoculars I have no idea how many are little egrets/cattle egrets. I'm pretty sure there are both.
Wigeon: male. Still in the same spot as last month. He looks fine but I feel he must be injured.
50 Sand Martin: the colony on the bridge seems to get bigger each year.
2 Common Tern: possible nest on the island.
Bob Pomfret
Sunday 18 June 2023
Waterstock: River Thame: 18th June
2 Yellow Wagtail: Both male. 08:00.
Spotted Flycatcher 08:00.
Yellowhammer 08:00.
Little Egret 08:00.
Kingfisher 08:00.
Grey Wagtail 08:00.
Goosander 08:00.
8 Chiffchaff 08:00.
18 Sedge Warbler 08:00.
10 Reed Bunting 08:00.
Linnet 08:00.
11 Whitethroat 08:00.
Lesser Whitethroat 08:00.
Willow Warbler 08:00.
3 Reed Warbler 08:00.
2 Cuckoo 08:00.
Nick Marriner
Grimsbury Reservoir: 18th June
2 Common Tern: pair early morning, but didn't stay. seen copulating - not sure where they'll attempt to nest and seems quite late.
Upper Cherwell Valley
Yellow-legged Gull: ad/near adult briefly.
Gareth Blockley
Saturday 17 June 2023
Standlake Pit 60: 17th June
6 Shoveler: ad f and 5 ducklings. Ducklings half grown. All moved into the reeds. Soon after, the adult female twice flew out into the water alone, before returning to the reeds. 20:32.
Mick Cunningham
Friday 16 June 2023
Thursday 15 June 2023
: 15th June
Garganey: fem. Access via footpath opposite Milton turning and view front public footpath. SU488942. 19:06.
Steve Violette
Balscote: Balscote Quarry: 14th June
Whimbrel: One has flown into the reserve wetland with curlew near dark for the past 2 evenings to bathe and roost. (per SH, Mark Ribbons and Mike Pollard) Reserve access during the breeding season is currently limited to the view point at the entrance. 22:25.
Steve Holliday
Wednesday 14 June 2023
Chinnor: Cement Works: 14th June
3 Oystercatcher: 2 adults, 1 juvenile Lake 2b. 11:00.
3 Little Ringed Plover: 2 adults, 1 juvenile Lake 2b. 11:00.
David Stracey
Ardley ERF Lagoon: 14th June
4 Teal: On lagoon. 11:00.
Peregrine: On chimney. 11:00.
Green Sandpiper: On lagoon. 11:00.
3 Lapwing: On lagoon. 11:00.
Corn Bunting: At least 1. 11:00.
Gareth Casburn
Tuesday 13 June 2023
Yarnton: 13th June
House Martin: First time in at least 28 years that House Martins haven't nested in the Great Close Road/Meadow Way area of the village. 20:07.
Nick Suckling
Chinnor: Chinnor Hill: 13th June
: 13th June
Probable Lesser Black-backed Gull: ad. very dark winged (almost black), smallish; potential fuscus-type. Many other lighter winged birds present for comparison. Also 3 potential Caspian gulls, little ringed plover and Egyptian geese. All despite heavy machinery working on site. SP367084. 17:32.
Martin Clutterbuck
Monday 12 June 2023
: 12th June
Woodcock: ad. One seen flying up from the road side at 03:45 in the morning as I made my way in to work at OX44 9PU. The first woodcock I have seen for several years in summer in Oxfordshire. SU568983. 03:45.
Wylie Horn
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 12th June
4 Cattle Egret: With grazing cattle on The Closes. 15:47.
Keith Nieland
Sunday 11 June 2023
Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve: 11th June
Cuckoo: male. Heard calling from the marsh while watching cricket match. SU597860. 11:19.
Mitchell Fraser-Jones
Friday 9 June 2023
Standlake Pit 60: 9th June
4 Great White Egret: Evidence of a turnover in individuals. 3 yellow billed birds at once: 2 of which had dark legs. As well as a dark billed adult (legs hidden). At least two of the yellow billed birds with dark legs had good aigrettes. Not all summer plumaged adults get dark bills apparently. When do dark billed adults lose summer bill colour? 22:04.
Mick Cunningham
Thursday 8 June 2023
Wednesday 7 June 2023
Waterperry Gardens: Monday 29th May
Belated news of a White Stork photographed over Waterperry Gardens on Monday 29th May, then flew NE, per A. Reigen (eBird)
Frilford: Millet's Farm: 7th June
Hobby: In flight with prey. 12:46.
Jed Cleeter
Tuesday 6 June 2023
Chinnor: Chinnor Hill: 6th June
Spotted Flycatcher: 1 by path North East of car park. . SP767006. 10:30.
David Stracey
South Leigh: 6th June
Hobby: fem. defending against carrion crow. 18:45.
Richard Catling
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 6th June
Cattle Egret: 1 possibly 2 birds - with cattle on the Closes and Greenaway. 13:00.
10 Ringed Plover: 10-15 birds distant on Big Otmoor - scoped from distance hard to be 100% whether Common or Little, however fairly sure they were Common. 13:00.
5 Cuckoo: Active and singing. 13:00.
Crane: Ashgrave. 13:00.
25 Swift: 25+. 13:00.
J Blunt
Monday 5 June 2023
Kirtlington 5th June
2 Ruddy Shelduck: Pair by the lake. SP514193. 07:30.
David Watkinson
Sunday 4 June 2023
Chinnor: Cement Works: 4th June
7 Little Ringed Plover: 3 Adults and 4 chicks. SU751996. 21:11.
3 Oystercatcher: 2 adults and one chick. SU751996. 21:11.
Jez March
South Leigh: 4th June
Lesser Whitethroat: In song. 15:20.
Marsh Tit: Surprised to hear and see one in small wood near main road. 15:20.
Mick Cunningham
Cutteslowe: Cutteslowe Park: 4th June
Reed Warbler: Singing on pond island, my first here. 10:30.
Green Woodpecker: Reusing same nest hole on pond island used last year (successfully fledged two young then); at least two nestlings being fed. 10:30.
Nicholas Boyd
Otmoor rspb 4th June
Nuneham Courtenay: Nuneham Courtenay Arboretum: 3rd June
Spotted Flycatcher: Nest with sitting adult visible. SF song also heard elsewhere on-site, likely separate territories. 13:00.
Nicholas Boyd
Oxford 3rd June
2 Oystercatcher: SP500090. 10:00.
Nicholas Boyd
Bicester Wetland Reserve June 4th
2 Shelduck
2 Cetti's Warbler
1 Kingfisher
2 Willow Warbler
2 Blackcap
3 Reed Warbler
Alan Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Saturday 3 June 2023
Linch Hill (LWV Pit 18): 3rd June
Cuckoo: m. Singing from entrance road. 22:41.
Tawny Owl: m. 22:41.
Northmoor
3 Tawny Owl: 2m 1f. 22:41.
Mick Cunningham
Standlake Pit 60: 3rd June
2 Great White Egret: 1 sum plum one not. 18:50.
12 Little Egret 18:50.
Cuckoo: m. 18:50.
Mick Cunningham
Charlton on Otmoor 3rd June
May Review
Highlights
What a month May has
turned out to be! Typically one of the premier periods in the birding calendar,
this year it has exceeded all expectations with five major county rarities
making an appearance over the course the month. The Oxon year list is
ticking along nicely and now stands at a very respectable 197 with an
additional 15 species added in May. With more than half of the year left
to go it seems we are on course for a decent year list indeed.
At times in the last 6 weeks it
has felt like the county was its own little enclave of Mediterranean, both in
weather and in its avifaunal assemblage with exotic herons, ibises and waders
all making appearances. That being said, the month got off to a bad start when
the Black-crowned Night Heron at Otmoor failed to show up during an
evening vigil by Oxfordshire’s finest from the 2nd screen
looking over the reedbed. A disappointment that was partly made up by the nocturnal
soundscape consisting of trumpeting Crane, booming Bittern and
the newest addition in form of the dripping song of a Spotted Crake still
on territory later that evening. After the excitement of April all of
which came at the very end of the month, you’d be forgiven in thinking that our
rarity quota may have been done for the spring. Fortunately, less than a week
after the failed Night Heron twitch another county mega rocked up at Otmoor.
The great & the good of the county gathering for the Night Heron vigil (photo courtesy of Tom Bedford) |
Black-winged Stilt
Given the mini-invasion into the UK
with pairs and even groups touring the country at the beginning of May it
is maybe not entirely surprising that one managed to find its way into the
county this month. A lone bird found on Otmoor on the 6th it
seemed destined to follow other records when it bunked overnight, with previous
birds this century having all been one day records coming in 2017 and 2012. It
seemed that this individual possibly linked up with a trio of birds in Northamptonshire
the following day before disappearing overnight again. Where it went in the
meantime is anybody’s guess but it eventually reappeared on Big Otmoor again
on the 15th, a reappearance that allowed many county listers to get
this county mega on their lists. A presumed male bird, it remained unpaired and
on Big Otmoor until the 17th before departing once again,
possibly to Slimbridge a few days later.
Nature of record |
Site |
Date |
Adult Pair |
Pit 60 |
12th
May 2017 |
Adult female |
Pit 60 |
12th
April 2012 |
Adult (ringed
as nestling at Beauvoir-sur-Mer, Vendée, France, on 16th June 1989.) |
Shipton-on-Cherwell (also seen in
Lancashire and North Merseyside that year) |
8th
June 1993 |
3 Adults (ringed
as nestling at Beauvoir-sur-Mer, Vendée, France, on 16th June 1989.) |
Radley (presumed
same as Anglesey and Cheshire & Wirral.) |
8th
– 19th June 1993 |
Killed (no sex
or age given) |
Shiplake |
Pre 1849 no
date given |
Shot (no sex
or age given) |
Stanton
Harcourt Common |
Pre 1776 no date given |
Oxon Black-winged Stilt records
Video courtesy of Rob Cadd.
Black-winged Stilt courtesy of Peter Miligan |
...and courtesy of Nick Truby |
Temminck’s Stint
Although many more records and therefore
not quite at the same level of rarity as the previous species with the last
record coming in 2018, the actual last gettable record goes all the way back to
2012. Classically a species of mid- late May with many fewer records
coming during the Autumn passage, although surprisingly the 2012 record was an overwintering
bird at Rushy Common (19th – 27th January). A bird on the Farmoor causeway
on the evening of the 23rd then, offered a nice opportunity to get
up close and personal with this diminutive wader. It performed beautifully for
the few that had managed to get to site before the gates closed. Predictably
the bird was not present at all the following day having been replaced by a
small flock of 6 Sanderling. A Stint species present on Otmoor
on the 27th was possibly a Temminck’s but frustratingly
remained too distant and elusive to confirm ID.
Farmoor Temminck's Stint, courtesy Mick Cunningham.
Temminck's Stint, courtesy of Conor Mackenzie |
Montagu’s Harrier
A report of a male harrier
species coming on the evening of the 23rd led to much discussion and
salivation at the prospect of county mega in the form of a Pallid Harrier.
Fortunately though, one lucky observer had taken some photos which were at
least enough to identify it as Montagu’s later that evening. A report
the following morning led to a mini-twitch ensuing which allowed at least a few
lucky birders to connect with this interesting and instructive individual which
was aged as 3cy male. It again disappeared though with no sightings for the
rest of the day. A report the following morning would appear to be its last
with it seemingly departing for better pastures.
Courtesy of Joe Downing |
The terminal decline and eventual
expatriation of Montagu’s as a breeding species in Oxfordshire in
2015 followed by the rest of the UK in 2020 is one of many new depressing
realities of the UK’s avifaunal makeup. Let’s hope this young male eventually
finds itself a partner somewhere in the east of the country and produces some
much needed UK born Monty’s once again.
Montagu's Harrier, courtesy of Joe Downing |
Golden Oriole
A singing Golden Oriole found
just on the outskirts of Witney on the 25th capped a mad
24hrs in the county that surely has few equals in recent memory?! It also
surely receives the award for the best find whilst answering a call of nature
in a lay-by! Golden Oriole records have a habit of being all too brief
and/or extremely frustrating, not least because they are well known skulkers.
True to form this bird, already limited by its location on private land with
few viewing areas took several hours to even get a view. After been chased by a
Mistle Thrush it seemingly decided to become even more elusive and
remained silent and unseen for a few more hours. This was enough for some
(myself painfully included) to sack the drive over to Witney off that
evening, a mistake that will live long in the memory. Those who did make the
journey were treated to not only near constant singing but some pretty decent
(by Oriole standards) scope views and this time in a more accessible
location. Predictably there was no sign the following day.
Golden Oriole, courtesy of Gnome
...and courtesy of Simon Bradfield |
Honourable Mention
Given all the activity this
month, especially around the 24th I had completely forgotten about a
Gannet record coming from Farmoor on the 21st , a
strange record given the calm and clear weather the UK has been experiencing. Gannet
is a huge rarity in its own right and it’s inclusion within the review as a
mere honourable mention belies it’s true status and the stir a twitchable bird
would cause if found. This record though, like many others in recent years
related to a single observer flyover with the individual seemingly flying
straight through. In fact like most seabirds within the county almost all
records this century relate to either exhausted or dead birds picked up by
single observers. You have to go all the way back to 2002 to find a record of
twitchable bird on Rushy Lock, although unsurprisingly this bird was
also eventually taken into care.
Waders
Aside from the two big rarities already mentioned this month there was plenty more wader action to keep county listers and local patches alike busy throughout the month. Wood Sandpiper had a good showing in the county this month with a trio at Balscote Quarry on the 3rd and a single bird remaining on the 7th. Days Lock also produced a single bird on the 3rd whilst Venn Mill also had a trio of birds on the evening of the 3rd presumably the same birds from Balscote briefly diverting south.
Wood Sandpiper at Balscote Quarry courtesy of Edwin Barson |
Farmoor continued to be the premier wader site this month recording the majority of the species seen during May. A pair of Turnstone dropped onto the reservoir on the 15th and although not reported in between were seemingly present until the 19th when two were again seen along the causeway.
Farmoor Turnstone courtesy of Ewan Urquhart |
Sanderling
records were spread out throughout the month with the first arriving on the
8th, a tad later than the median arrival date of 20th
April. Summer plumaged Sanderling are a firm favourite of the regular
occurring spring waders and Farmoor affords an ideal opportunity to
observe these stunning high arctic species up close. A lone bird present between the 18th
and 23rd was typically very tame during its brief stop possibly en
route to Greenland. A small flock of 6 was present on the 24th,
a small consolation for those hoping the Temminck’s Stint would still be
present whilst two birds were present again at the end of the month.
Farmoor Sanderling courtesy of Conor Mackenzie |
Grey Plover were reported
from Farmoor and Days Lock on the 5th of the month.
Whilst a second individual seemed to commute between Port Meadow and Farmoor
15th and 19th with a distinct preference for Port
Meadow presumably put off by the business of both sites. Whimbrel records
only came from Farmoor this month, both being flyover records with one
coming on the 5th and the other the 15th. Both Godwit species
were recorded only once this month with a single bird of each species. A single
Bar-tailed Godwit was on Port Meadow on the 3rd whilst
a Black-tailed Godwit was on Otmoor on the 27th.
Farmoor Grey Plover courtesy of Ewan Urquhart |
A large movement of Ruff across
the country saw a much smaller flock than those recorded across the country (72
in West Sussex, 63 in North Yorks and even 17 in Bucks) with
a flock of 7 on Port Meadow on the 4th with another small
flock of 4 at Clifton on the same day. The Port Meadow flock
remained until the following day whilst a trio of birds were on Otmoor on
the 7th. A trickle of Greenshank records came throughout the
month with the first at Pit 60 on the 2nd, Farmoor followed
suit with single bird on the 5th with another lone bird at Hatford
on the 13th. Port Meadow had 2 birds on the 18th
with a nice count of 4 birds on the 26th with 2 continuing on the 28th-31st.
Otmoor had a single bird on the 19th whilst Appleford and
Balscote Quarry hosted just the single bird on the 28th and
29th respectively. An unexpected and superb count of 12 birds came
from Pit 60 on the 26th, certainly the highest count in
recent memory?
Ringed Plover followed a
similar pattern with 5 sites hosting birds. Otmoor hosted up to 4 birds
between the 5th and 15th of the month. Baslcote Quarry
hosted a lone bird on the 8th whilst Port Meadow had
between 2 and 4 birds between the 18th and 26th. Farmoor
also hosted a single individual calling somewhere over the vast expanse of
water on the 22nd and pair passed through Venn Mill on the 23rd.
A flock of at least 25 birds was another
superb count for the county with Otmoor hosting this flock on the 27th,
which also ostensibly dragged with them the unidentified Stint species
with them as well. Dunlin movements have completely tailed off this
month with only Otmoor and Farmoor hosting any birds. Four
individuals was the highest count and came from Farmoor on the 2nd
whilst single birds were here on the 3rd and the 8th. Three
were at Otmoor on the 5th with singles here also on the 8th,
15th and 27th.
Bar-tailed Godwit on Port Meadow courtesy of Matthew Lloyd |
Common Sandpiper were the most widespread of the migrating waders this month with at least 15 sites recording birds. The highest count came from Bicester Wetlands on the 28th with 5 birds dropping in briefly. Several sites also recorded 4 birds - Farmoor on the 3rd, Pit 60 on the 5th and Grimsbury on the 26th. Little Ringed Plover continued at many of the sites recording birds the previous month, with the first confirmed chicks coming from Chinnor on the 21st of the month. Records for Curlew outside of the main site of Otmoor came from Port Meadow on the 5th, whilst Redshank were also recorded at Port Meadow on the 5th and additional records from Sutton Courtenay (20th) and Rushy Common (19th).
A flock of 12 Greenshank that dropped into Pit 60, courtesy of Mick Cunningham |
Wildfowl, Game and Crakes
The Spotted Crake continued
to delight anyone who made the nocturnal pilgrimage to Otmoor sporadically
throughout the month. The great news came later when two birds were then heard
singing in different locations across the site, a fantastic record and
testament to the habitat created and managed by the RSPB and its volunteers.
The fact this bird has been singing for such a long time means that it meets
the criteria for a probable breeding record as per RBBP guidance. Males
typically fall silent once paired and with the last record coming on the 25/05 one
can hope that this will be a successful breeding season for this individual.
Spotted Crake recording, courtesy of Gnome
The first Quail was
reported on the 3rd a full 2 weeks ahead of the median arrival date
and only a day of the earliest record. Typically the record came from the Oxon
Downs with a further 2 records coming later in the month along the downs at
Lambourn on the 19th and East Hendred on the 23rd.
Away from the downs a bird was singing at Sarsgrove in the west of the
county between the 15th and 17th. Garganey records
continued along much of the same pattern as at the end of April, continuing
at four different sites with little sign of breeding (currently!). Pit 60 hosted
3 birds (2 drakes) at the beginning of the month with a pair then recorded
sporadically throughout the month. Two drakes were also at Sutton Courtenay for
the first half of the month before a single male remained throughout the second
half occasionally disappearing for a few days and reappearing with a female on
one occasion. Possibly the 2nd drake from Sutton Courtenay then
popped up at Port Meadow on the 14th and remained sporadically
through the month. Otmoor, typically the source of our late spring and
summer records also sporadically recorded a single drake through the month with
records on the 1st, 15th and 21st.
The long staying near on resident
female Ring-necked Duck was only recorded the once this month from its
regular haunt of Appleford on the 12th. Shelduck were present
on at least 5 sites with most records coming from Port Meadow, where between
1 and 7 birds were present for the entire month of May. Otmoor recorded 2
birds between the 4th and 27th, whilst 2 birds were at Cogges
on the 8th. Hatford also recorded a bird on the 8th
and 2 present at Blenheim on the 26th.
Great news came from Waterstock
where a 2nd family party of Goosander were seen with 2
adult females and up to 12 young fishing along the River Thame, this comes
after a female and 5 young were seen at Cuddeson further upstream and
possibly relates to the 2nd pair. It seems their status as a breeding bird in Oxfordshire
is now on a fairly solid footing with breeding also Northamptonshire and
Buckinghamshire, it will be interesting to see how localised the population
remains or if they will continue to march on throughout the county. Mandarin
were recorded from four locations – Cuddeson on the 5th, Sonning
Eye GP’s throughout the month and Sutton Courtenay on the 2nd
with confirmed breeding at Day’s Lock, although most records come of
pairs in suitable habitat.
The Otmoor Red-breasted Goose courtesy of John Reynolds |
Ruddy Shelduck appeared in
the county from two different sites. A pair in flight over Otmoor on the 15th were not to be seen again
and seemingly were just passing through the county. A lone bird at Weston-on-the-Green was present one the 5th and again
on the 27th , this time observed to be bearing a plastic ring
typical of wildfowl collections. Even more dubious of a record was the
unexpected Red-breasted Goose at Otmoor on the 27th
and given the timing of the record someone in the county may have lost some
prized members of their wildfowl collection.
Weston-on-the-Green Ruddy Shelduck courtesy of Nick Truby |
Herons, Egrets etc
After the no show of the Night Heron you might expect
there wouldn’t be much to highlight from this group in May, well that’s where
you would be wrong. Initially two Glossy Ibis were reported in flight
over Pit 60 on the 14th a nice highlight in its own right when
things got a bit crazy when a flock of up to 14 birds flew over Appleford not
even a couple hours later! A mega county record, this flock had been tracked
flying through neighbouring Wiltshire a few days prior and so it was
somewhat anticipated they might turn up at some point. They were then seen
touring multiple parts of the county ending up in Norfolk and Lincolnshire
a few days later, surely the first UK breeding record can’t be far away!
A vague report of White Stork photographed near Culham
on the 27th looked, on the face of it, destined to be one
of those records that didn’t come to much. Actually though the bird reappeared albeit briefly
seen in flight over Appleford GP’s the next day much to the frustration of
myself as I was a mere 1.5 miles away on Peep-o-Day Lane! It was again seen
briefly in flight on the 29th again over Appleford but not subsequently
seen. Just where on earth this conspicuous bird has been hiding in the meantime
is anyone’s guess. Cattle Egret, outside of Blenheim were
recorded from 3 additional sites. Enslow had a single on the 5th
whilst Pit 60 hosted a bird on the 20th. Otmoor, the
site of a speculated 2nd breeding colony last year, had up to birds
between the 7th and 24th.
Great White Egret continued to be reported, albeit in
much fewer numbers, throughout May. Otmoor had up to two birds between
the 1st and 18th of the month, whilst Pit 60 hosted
multiple birds (possibly 3 different individuals) throughout the month. Port
Meadow also hosted up to two birds towards the latter part of the month a
single there on the 7th. The majority of these birds were in non-breeding
plumage although one bird visiting Pit 60 frequently had acquired parts
of its breeding plumage in the form of its black bill. We could very well have 5
breeding heron species within the county by the end of the decade.
Port Meadow Great White Egret, courtesy of Gnome |
Crane continued to be recorded at Otmoor through
the month with up to 5 seen on the site presumably 2 different pairs with male
counterpart of Maple Glory seemingly paired up with a new individual. Two over Farmoor
on the 4th was an intriguing record and possibly points to
breeding elsewhere? Little Egret rarely warrant mention in the review
but this month a substantial count of 19 birds came from Port Meadow on
the 30th.
Otmoor Cranes, courtesy of Nick Truby |
Gulls
and Terns
Black Tern arrived in the county on 4th of
the month, a bit later than the median arrival date of the 25th April,
and came from where else but Farmoor with one hawking over F2. Dix Pit tends to follow Farmoor’s lead
with both clearly pulling in birds following the same overland route and so
this trend continued with a Black Tern also here on the 4th.
The single bird at Farmoor
continued on the 5th whilst 3 birds spent the evening here on
the 31st but only briefly before departing the site. Some interesting
and late records of both Sandwich Tern and Arctic Tern came this
month. A single Sandwich Tern was at Grimsbury on the 27th
and stayed long enough for many locals to connect with a cracking patch bird. Two
Arctic Tern seemed determined to not hang around flew straight through Port
Meadow on the 22nd. Two Mediterranean Gull were on Farmoor
on the 5th whilst a nice high count of Common Tern came
from Dix Pit on the 4th with at least 29 birds present and
presumably bringing Black Tern with them.
Grimsbury Reservoir Sandwich Tern courtesy of Edwin Barson |
Passerines
A wholly unconfirmed record of a Bearded Tit pinging
in the reedbed at Otmoor’s first screen came on the 1st of
the month, but unfortunately a search produced no sign of this elusive
species. Other than another unconfirmed report back in November 2022 the
last record came from Farmoor in February 2022 a record not
released to the general public. Previous to this records then go back all the
way to 2014, which makes it a rare and tricky beast to catch up with in the county!
The first Spotted Flycatcher returned to the county
on the 6th with one at Aston Upthorpe, a few days after the
median arrival date of the 1st. Records continued to trickle through
the county with at least 8 sites recording birds up until the end of the month.
Whinchat were recorded twice this month with one on West Ginge Down on
the 3rd and two birds then at Otmoor on the 5th. Wheatear
were also recorded in small numbers this month with one at Farmoor on
the 1st, 2 joining the Whinchat at West Ginge Down on
the 3rd whilst Otmoor also had a single bird on the 5th.
A remarkably late record came from Farmoor on the 27th and
was quite possibly one of the Greenland race given the lateness of the
record. A Nightingale was heard at Radley on the morning of the 6th but sadly this was to be the only performance.
Spotted Flycatcher, north Oxon, courtesy of David South |
The highest count of Cuckoo came from Otmoor with up to 5 birds here this month with at least one Hepatic female present. Yellow Wagtail were widespread as expected in the county with ahigh count of 12 coming from Churn on the 3rd.
Raptors
Osprey continued to be recorded this month with records spread throughout the entirety of May. A record from Port Meadow on the 5th was a superb record semi-urban record of this enigmatic species. Even better that it stayed in the area the next day and even observed eating a fish in the middle of the meadow on the 6th.
Port Meadow Osprey, courtesy of Gnome
Two birds together at
Farmoor on the 7th and 8th including a colour
ringed male visiting the nesting platform raised some hopes that it might
finally be put to good use. Unfortunately they departed with presumably both
birds seen at several sites in the county on the 8th including Pit
60 and over Kidlington. Late records came from Burcot on the
20th and a fly over record from Hatford on the 26th.
Farmoor Osprey courtesy of Steve Liptrot details below. |
Hobby were recorded right across the county with many
sites recording several birds. The highest count came from Otmoor with a
whopping 20 birds recorded here on a couple of occasions. Another large count
also came from Appleford with over 10 birds here on the 4th. What was a probable Honey Buzzard was also seen over Milton Common.
Patchwork Challenge
Patch |
Birder |
Points |
Species |
Highlight |
Target |
Percentage of target
|
Aston Eyot |
Ben Sheldon |
58 |
56 |
|
90 |
64.44 |
Blenheim |
Gareth
Casburn |
119 |
106 |
Shelduck |
100 |
119.00 |
Dix pit |
Simon
Bradfield |
114 |
91 |
Black Tern |
75 |
152.00 |
Grimsbury reservoir |
Gareth
Blockley |
109 |
101 |
Sandwich Tern
and Greenshank |
130 |
83.85 |
Lye valley |
Tom Bedford |
80 |
74 |
Firecrest |
80 |
100.00 |
River Thames |
Geoff Wyatt |
148 |
127 |
Wood Sand #Patchtick. Grey Plover #Patchtick.
Osprey. |
122 |
121.31 |
Sutton courtenay |
Conor
MacKenzie |
133 |
118 |
Shelduck |
140 |
95.00 |
East challow |
Mark Merritt |
61 |
58 |
|
83 |
73.49 |
Chiffchaff time for a name change..?