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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 August 2023
Carterton: 31st August
Hobby: Possibly the skinnyest, most slight hobby I've seen. Presumably a male. 15:09.
Mick Cunningham
Wednesday 30 August 2023
Autumn in the air - Whitethroat Alvescot Downs Nr Carterton
I was always taught a dark iris = juv-1st W and Whitethroats hard to age in the field otherwise.
Wootton nr Woodstock: Stratford Bridge: 30th August
18 Cattle Egret: 18 + Cattle Egrets at Stratford Bridge this afternoon. 18:40.
David Grainger
Sutton Courtenay
Carterton/Alvescot: 30th August
Whinchat: This one common bird had eluded me all year. Was hoping the muckheap might deliver and so it did today. 17:05.
3 Yellow Wagtail: Still at muckheap. 17:05.
Mick Cunningham
Lye Valley, Oxford: 30th August
2 Spotted Flycatchers and a superb male Redstart this morning https://ebird.org/checklist/S148432916
Marsh Baldon: 30th August
Bullfinch: male. Settled on hawthorn bushes close to abundant blackberries. SU565999. 08:11.
Paul Torevell
Moreton nr Thame: Moreton Golf Course: 25th August
40 Yellow Wagtail 08:00.
Wheatear 08:00.
Ringed Plover 08:00.
Kingfisher 08:00.
16 Chiffchaff 08:00.
75 Swallow 08:00.
6 Whitethroat 08:00.
Raven 08:00.
2 Common Sandpiper 08:00.
5 Willow Warbler 08:00.
9 Linnet 08:00.
Sedge Warbler
Nick Marriner
Tuesday 29 August 2023
Port Meadow: 29th August
12 Egyptian Goose: mix of ad & juv.
3 Yellow Wagtail: juv.
Adam Hartley
Church Farm Backwaters, Days Lock, Little Wittenham.
Great White Egret with red darvic ring ACX.
Fledged and ringed at RSPB Ham Wall this year.
Juv Garganey also present but elusive.
Thanks to Alison Morgan, coordinator of the RSPB Ham Wall (Somerset) ringing scheme for information that ACX was ringed in the nest 23/5/23. A male, the smaller of a brood of 2, this is the first sighting of ACX away from RSPB Ham Wall.
Standlake Pit 60: 29th August
Chinnor: Cement Works: 29th August
3 Common Sandpiper: Lake 2b. 11:00.
David Stracey
Carterton/Alvescot: 29th August
Garden Warbler: A new species for the muck heap. All birds were very busy with lots of conflict within, and between, the warbler species. Lesser whitethroats especially aggressive, especially with other lesser throats. Hard to count so numbers minima. 12:13.
2 Lesser Whitethroat: Muckheap. Minimum count ... poss 3. 12:13.
4 Whitethroat: Muckheap minimum count. 12:13.
2 Blackcap: m n f. Minimum count at muckheap. 12:13.
Willow Warbler: Muckheap. 12:13.
6 Chiffchaff: Muckheap minimum count. Includes 2 scruffy moulting birds together. SP275059. 12:13.
3 Yellow Wagtail: Muckheap minimum count. SP275059. 12:13.
Sparrowhawk: Usual bird hunting the muckheap. SP275059. 12:13.
54 Swallow: Flew south between 11 10 and 11 35 am. SP275059. 12:13.
Mick Cunningham
Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 29th August
Tree Pipit
Whinchat
2 Wheatear
Redstart
6 Yellow Wagtail
3 Raven
Mark Merritt
Monday 28 August 2023
Chipping Norton: 27th August
Peregrine: juv. Present for over a week now. 18:00.
Steve Akers
Venn Mill: 28th August
Shelduck
Hatford: Sandpit
Dunlin: juv.
Hatford
Wheatear: In field between Sandpit and Buckland Warren.
Mark Merritt
North Woodstock Fields 28th August
Cattle egret - 4 adults in field with a small herd of cattle next to the minor road connecting the A44 and B4027. They are using this area regularly at the moment to feed.
Hobby - 1
Common whitethroat - 4
Whinchat - 1 seen from footpath that runs north out of Woodstock to Wootton in weedy field next to Farm.
MOD College, Watchfield: 28th August
Nuthatch: SU251890. 17:43.
White Horse Hill: Dragon Hill
50 Linnet: SU298863. 17:43.
Guy Goldsmith
MOD College, Watchfield: 28th August
5 Spotted Flycatcher: ad with 4 juv. SU250890. 17:33.
Guy Goldsmith
Farmoor Reservoir 28th August
Standlake Pit 60: 28th August
2 Ruff: reeves. Just appeared. Weren't here in am. Pale bird possibly the one from other day. Warm brown one definitely not. 16:07.
Mick Cunningham
Port Meadow: 28th August
4 Yellow Wagtail: In amongst the livestock before flying towards the boat moorings.
7 Egyptian Goose: On the dried up northern flood pool.
Adam Hartley
Kirtlington: Kirtlington Park: 28th August
3 Hobby: 1 adult and at least 2, possibly 3, young calling. 11:15.
David Watkinson
Tar Lakes, Rushy Common: 28th August
2 Redshank: Heard flight calls and saw pair fly over Tar Lake (Pit 68). 08:05.
Kingfisher: Edge of Pit 67. 08:05.
13 Red-crested Pochard: On Pit 67 (the one next to Tar Lake). 08:05.
Glen Pascoe
Sunday 27 August 2023
Otmoor: Central: 27th August
Green Sandpiper: Flyover calling. SP560134. 19:50.
2 Great White Egret: On the small island with dead tree. SP560134. 19:50.
Matthew Lloyd
Hatford: Sandpit: 27th August
Carterton/Alvescot: 27th August
Spotted Flycatcher: Hedgerow in field opposite muckheap. 18:32.
3 Yellow Wagtail: Muckheap. Minimum. 18:32.
Lesser Whitethroat: Muckheap. 18:32.
Whitethroat: Muckheap. 18:32.
Chiffchaff: Muckheap. 18:32.
Mick Cunningham
Abingdon/Sutton Courtenay 27th August
Ardley ERF Lagoon 27th August
Standlake Pit 60: 27th August
Marsh Harrier: m. 10:03.
Green Sandpiper: Flyover calling. 10:03.
2 Great White Egret 10:03.
Mick Cunningham
Childrey Field: 27th Aug
Saturday 26 August 2023
Otmoor 26th Aug
1 cattle egret at first screen
3 whinchat
Hobby
Common sandpiper
Yellow wagtail
Raven
Sent from my iPhone
Carterton/Alvescot: 26th August
3 Yellow Wagtail: Maximum number seen at once possibly more but muckheap quieter, including re warblers, so maybe migrants have moved on. 17:53.
2 Lesser Whitethroat: 1 at muck heap. 1 at opposite end of the lane. 17:53.
Willow Warbler: At muckheap with a single chiffchaff ie phylosc numbers dropped. 17:53.
Whitethroat: juv 1w. None at muckheap whether there had been minimum 5. This one at opposite end of Lane with a lesser throat. 17:53.
Mick Cunningham
Standlake Pit 60: 26th August
Common Sandpiper: juv. 17:51.
3 Great White Egret 17:51.
9 Yellow-legged Gull: Various ages from a couple of juvs to adults. With c8 herring and c25 LBBs. 17:51.
Mick Cunningham
Hagley pool: 26th August
3 Whinchat: In caged area where work on new channel is being done near Hagley pool on Thames upstream from King's lock. SP473102. 16:36.
Andrew Siantonas
Standlake Pit 60: 26th August
Ruff: juv fem on size. Flew in from west. 16:24.
Mick Cunningham
Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 26th August
Great White Egret: 1st screen. 12:37.
Paul Woodham
Chipping Norton: 26th August
Grey Heron: Flew in and settled on the marsh near Cornwell. SP283268. 10:00.
7 Lesser Black-backed Gull: 5 ad; 2 juv over. SP283268. 10:00.
Chiffchaff: SP283268. 10:00.
Whitethroat: SP283268. 10:00.
2 Green Woodpecker: H/O. SP283268. 10:00.
Great Spotted Woodpecker: SP283268. 10:00.
4 Stock Dove: SP283268. 10:00.
2 Buzzard: SP283268. 10:00.
Steve Akers
Lye Valley & Warneford Meadow: 26th August
16 Mistle Thrush, in one large feeding flock - double the previous highest count and easily the most I've seen together in the county. 1 flyover Yellow Wagtail too.
Oddington Otmoor 26th August
Standlake Pit 60: 26th August
Marsh Harrier: m. Stood on North Bank. No shoreline at the pit so no waders. 10:19.
Mick Cunningham
Letcombe Regis: Blandys Farm: 26th August
Marsh Harrier: fem/imm.
3 Redstart
3 Wheatear
3 Yellow Wagtail
10 Grey Partridge
Spotted Flycatcher
Mark Merritt
Friday 25 August 2023
Blenheim 25th August
Teal - 2
Cattle egret - 14 at least early morning. 11 flew out north-east together leaving at least 3 on the island.
Common tern - 2
Yellow wagtail - 4 or 5 feeding with about 30 pied wagtails near the palace.
Standlake Pit 60: 25th August
Mediterranean Gull: juv. Amongst a mini influx of gulls. 16:54.
2 Common Gull: 1 juv 1 ad. 16:54.
1500 Black-headed Gull: Obvious influx. 16:54.
7 Yellow-legged Gull: Various ages. 16:54.
22 Lesser Black-backed Gull 16:54.
5 Herring Gull: All juvs. 16:54.
Mick Cunningham
Shotover: Shotover Lake: 25th August
9 Spotted Flycatcher: Two groups, 5 and 4 keeping together about 1/4 mile apart near lake, apparently family parties, as some appeared to be young, but partly moulted out of spotty plumage. Suggests a good local breeding season there ! 15:29.
Anthony Cheke
Fyfield Wick: 24th August
Thursday 24 August 2023
Childrey: Childrey Field: 24th August
Marsh Harrier: imm. 21:15.
Wheatear 21:15.
39 Yellow Wagtail: Total over south around dusk. Two main groups with a couple of singles. 21:15.
Mark Merritt
Fyfield Wick: 24th August
Fyfield Wick
4 Black-tailed Godwit: Flew high west. 07:45.
Spotted Flycatcher: Flew across road. 09:55.
Marsh Harrier: fem. Fem/Juv circling medium height with 2 Buzzard then drifted South. 12:20.
3 Hobby: Hawking high level against the cloud. 12:25.
Jed Cleeter
Carterton/Alvescot: 24th August
Spotted Flycatcher: Actually in the muckheap hedgerow so assumed different from the recent one at the very far opposite end of the lane. 11:26.
Lesser Whitethroat: Muckheap. 11:26.
3 Yellow Wagtail: Dwindled to 3, poss 4+ at muckheap. 11:26.
5 Willow Warbler: Muckheap. 11:26.
6 Chiffchaff: Minimum at muckheap. 11:26.
4 Whitethroat: Minimum at muckheap. 11:26.
Mick Cunningham
Farmoor Reservoir 24th August
Fyfield Wick: 24th August
15 Yellow Wagtail: At least flying fairly high South. Picked up on 1 faint call. 07:33.
Jed Cleeter
Wednesday 23 August 2023
Farmoor Reservoir: 23rd August
85 Snow Goose: Flying upriver, seen from reservoir looking west. SP441064. 19:22.
Matthew Lloyd
Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 21st August
Great White Egret: on the island.
4 Little Egret
9 Cattle Egret: still appears to be one nest (in a different location to earlier nests) with adults feeding at least 1 juv.
Grey Heron
2 Egyptian Goose
2 Common Sandpiper
27 Great Crested Grebe
34 Cormorant
Blenheim
2 Raven
Bob Pomfret
Down Valley Way: 20th August
Caspian Gull: Single adult amongst a group of Lesser Black Backed Gulls. SP366082. 10:30.
Jon Hicks
Goddard's Barn nr Lockinge: 23rd Aug.
Abingdon/Sutton Courtenay 23rd August
Farmoor Reservoir 23rd August
Tuesday 22 August 2023
Otmoor rspb 22nd August
Chinnor: Cement Works: 22nd August
Common Sandpiper: Lake 2b. 10:30.
David Stracey
Abingdon/Sutton Courtenay 22nd August
Monday 21 August 2023
Chipping Norton: 21st August
26 Lapwing: SP283268. 18:30.
2 Grey Heron: SP283268. 18:30.
3 Reed Bunting: At marsh by small lake near Cornwell. SP283268. 18:30.
Green Woodpecker: SP283268. 18:30.
Kestrel: f. SP283268. 18:30.
3 Buzzard: SP283268. 18:30.
6 Swallow: SP283268. 18:30.
Steve Akers
Ardley ERF Lagoon: 21st August
5 Green Sandpiper: On lagoon. 16:30.
2 Redstart: Male and fem/juv in hedge and fence line adjacent to quarry fields. 16:30.
Gareth Casburn
Rotherfield Greys: 21st August
Sparrowhawk: f. Seen in tree from path. SU730826. 17:19.
Raven: Heard only. SU730826. 17:19.
Ralph Watts
Carterton/Alvescot: 21st August
Redstart: m. At the muckheap. 11:24.
Mick Cunningham
Sunday 20 August 2023
Grimsbury Reservoir: 20th August
Redstart: fem/juv type.
2 Common Sandpiper
Gareth Blockley
Carterton/Alvescot: 20th August
Spotted Flycatcher: As ridiculous as it seems, my first of the year on Alvescot Downs. Still at least 4 yellow wagtails on the local muckheap. Sparrowhawk 2. 18:22.
Mick Cunningham
Burford 20th August
(per Dave Morgan).
Farmoor 20th august
1 Green sandpiper
3 common sandpiper
1 snipe
Lesser Whitethroat
Raven
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday 19 August 2023
Waterstock: River Thame: 19th August
Little Egret 08:30.
55 Swallow 08:30.
12 Linnet 08:30.
10 Whitethroat 08:30.
2 Lesser Whitethroat 08:30.
2 Garden Warbler 08:30.
4 Sedge Warbler 08:30.
4 Blackcap 08:30.
28 House Martin 08:30.
2 Bullfinch 08:30.
Goldcrest 08:00.
2 Spotted Flycatcher 08:00.
Willow Warbler 08:00.
Whinchat 08:00.
Hobby 08:00.
Grey Wagtail 08:00.
Sparrowhawk 08:00.
2 Reed Warbler 08:00.
Reed Bunting 08:00.
7 Chiffchaff 08:00.
Nick Marriner
Cogges: 19th August
Hobby: Maybe one of the birds I had at pit60 earlier? If put up a flock of c200 large gulls surprisingly. 14:55.
Mick Cunningham
Standlake Pit 60: 19th August
2 Hobby: Arrived together. One presumed adult as raggy wrong wings presume moult. Other looked like a juv. Both chased off by lapwings and a tern. 11:59.
4 Yellow-legged Gull: 1ad 3v juv. With a fresh HG juv and half a dozen juv LBBs. 11:59.
Great White Egret: 3. 11:59.
Mick Cunningham
Bicester Wetland Reserve 19th August
14 Green Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
5 Snipe
23 Teal
3 Heron
8 Little Egret
1 Kingfisher
A Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Friday 18 August 2023
Chinnor: Cement Works: 18th August
Common Sandpiper 12:30.
Wheatear 12:30.
2 Lesser Whitethroat 12:30.
3 Chiffchaff 12:30.
3 Whitethroat 12:30.
Raven 12:30.
5 Linnet 12:30.
9 Swallow 12:30.
5 House Martin 12:30.
Nick Marriner
Blenheim 18th August
Teal - 3
Cattle egret - There is a pair with 3 nearly fledged young, and another pair with 2 or 3 young not as advanced. Over the course of the spring/summer this year it looks to me like there will have been 3 or 4 nests that have produced young with nesting staggered over several months.
Great white egret - 2
Thursday 17 August 2023
Carterton: 17th August
2 Lesser Whitethroat: Together at muckheap . Up to 6 ravens in area . 18:23.
Cogges
21 Yellow-legged Gull: North Cross way. Been up to 21 YLG of various ages though juvs decided minority. Small handful herring but c30 LBBs make up majority. Still pondering over one bird ie poss fem caspian HG or hybrid. 18:23.
Mick Cunningham
Standlake Pit 60: 17th August
5 Pochard: 2ads 3 juv. 18:18.
Common Gull: ad. 18:18.
Common Sandpiper: juv. 18:18.
Herring Gull: juv. 18:18.
7 Lesser Black-backed Gull: Inc 2 juv. 18:18.
Yellow-legged Gull: juv. 18:18.
3 Red-crested Pochard: ec drk with 2 juv. 18:18.
Mick Cunningham
Letcombe Bassett: Gramps Hill: 17th August
6 Yellow Wagtail
2 Redstart
2 Raven
Yellow-legged Gull: 2cy bird in with Lb-b's.
Mark Merritt
Warneford Meadow, Headington: 17th August
Wednesday 16 August 2023
Farmoor Reservoir: 16th August
Ruff 18:30.
Sanderling 18:30.
Turnstone 18:30.
3 Common Sandpiper 18:30.
Colin Teal
Chilton: Chilton Downs: 16th August
3 Whinchat: At the end of Upper Farm Rd towards Ridgeway. 11:00.
3 Linnet 11:00.
3 Stonechat 11:00.
Sparrowhawk 11:00.
2 Kestrel 11:00.
Raven: Heard only. 11:00.
5 Grey Partridge: Minimum - Adults + juveniles. 11:00.
Whitethroat 11:00.
J Blunt
Abingdon: Peep-o-Day Lane: 16th August
5 Herring Gull: Stonehill gp. 14:00.
6 Egyptian Goose: Stonehill gp. 14:00.
Siberian Chiffchaff: Probable - seen briefly but sufficiently well to confirm Chiffchaff. Calling frequently. Having listened to the audio recording over and over I'm 95% sure. 14:00.
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull 14:00.
Common Tern: Stonehill gp. 14:00.
Willow Warbler: juv. 14:00.
Caspian Gull: Stonehill gp - I do have some fairly distant images but no way to add on here. 14:00.
J Blunt
Oxford: Donnington Bridge: 16th August
Barn Owl: Flew west to east over the river just south of Donnington Bridge. 21:05.
Nicholas Boyd
Farmoor Reservoir 16th August
Tuesday 15 August 2023
Farmoor Reservoir: 15th August
2 Turnstone: ad + juv. Along causeway. 20:00.
1250 Black-headed Gull: Minimum count in the evening roost across both F1 and F2. 20:00.
Mediterranean Gull: ad. Landed on F1 to join the roost. 20:00.
7 Great Black-backed Gull 20:00.
2 Yellow-legged Gull 20:00.
55 Lesser Black-backed Gull 20:00.
4 Common Tern: ad(3)+juv. 20:00.
Glen Pascoe
Churn Farm: 15th August
Churn Farm
6 Whinchat: male and fem type. At least 6 possibly more East of former Agriculture Research building. Feeding over bridleway and Wheat field. SU519825. 21:11.
12 Stonechat: mix of ad and juv. Feeding on insects with Whinchats and Common Whitethroats. Over bridleway and wheat field east of former Agriculture research building. SU519825. 21:11.
Quail: Deceased Quail found on Ridgeway East of Railway bridge. Presumed it had been struct by a bicycle. SU521824. 19:00.
Steve Violette
Venn Mill: 15th August
2 Hobby: Mobbing a large gull , high overhead. 16:42.
Mick Cunningham
Standlake Pit 60: 15th August
Black-tailed Godwit: juv. 11:51.
Redshank 11:51.
2 Great White Egret 11:51.
Mick Cunningham
Monday 14 August 2023
Chipping Norton: 14th August
90 House Martin: Large number of House Martin together with Swallows hawking over the marsh, tree line, Salford Brook and the small lake near Cornwell - a fabulous sight - at least 100 birds. SP283268. 18:15.
10 Swallow: SP283268. 18:15.
Swift: SP283268. 18:15.
Steve Akers
Chipping Norton: 14th August
Hobby: W of CN alongside A44 hunting over escarpment and disused quarry. SP274288. 13:30.
Steve Akers
Standlake Pit 60: 14th August
2 Marsh Harrier: 1 juv juv, 1 other cream crown. The young juv that's been around over a week: still ginger in head with limited ginger on upper fore-wing and chest. "Mousing" on n shore. Another cream crown briefly, more faded and worn. 22:19.
6 Yellow-legged Gull: Mini influx. The lingering adult joined by a second adult,1 2nd cycle 2 juvs and an 'imm". Also a juv herring. 22:19.
2 Great White Egret 22:19.
Mick Cunningham
Chipping Norton: 14th August
Hobby: Flying alongside A44 hunting up over escarpment and disused quarry. SP273288. 13:00.
Steve Akers
Eynsham: 14th August
88 Snow Goose: 88 flying over Eynsham sports pavilion . 19:25.
Yacky Morris
Farmoor Reservoir 14th August
Sunday 13 August 2023
Bicester Wetland Reserve 13th August
1 Dunlin
8 Green Sandpiper
11 Little Egret
4 Cormorant
18 Teal
1 Green Woodpecker
3 Heron
3 Grass Snakes
A Peters
Key Holder Reserve
Chipping Norton: 12th August
3 Grey Heron: Flew up from the marsh by small lake near Cornwell. SP283268. 11:00.
3 Kestrel: 1f, 2 juv. Family group hunting together. SP283268. 11:00.
3 Reed Bunting: SP283268. 11:00.
6 Swallow: SP283268. 11:00.
76 Jackdaw: SP283268. 11:00.
Steve Akers
Carterton: 13th August
10 Yellow Wagtail: Definitely at least 10 at the muckpile. Probably more but skittish owing to raiding sprawk. 14:14.
Mick Cunningham
Saturday 12 August 2023
Freeland: Broad Marsh Wood: 12th August
2 Sparrowhawk: Pair have been present for past 5 days, calling consistently throughout the day. This behaviour has now been observed at this site during the second week of Aug for the past three years in a row. Besides this, Sparrowhawk remain infrequent visitors to Broadmarsh Woods. (I would love to know if this type of behaviour is seen anywhere else). 19:30.
Glen Pascoe
Carterton: 12th August
7 Yellow Wagtail: Minimum seen at once on muckheap. Plus 5 whitethroat together, 2 willow warblers together. C30 house sparrows, 8 yellowhammer, sparrowhawk. 17:20.
Mick Cunningham