Christ Church Oxford 3rd February

Black Redstart 1w male still present 08:37 (per Phil Barnett)

Letcombe Regis: 2nd February

It’s noticeable how the last week has seen a step increase in the amount of bird song around the place. Skylarks are very vocal and battling each other on The Ridgeway, Song Thrush and Robin are very vocal elsewhere. The start of spring and breeding season is not so far off.

Skylark on The Downs

Robin from Letcombe Regis this morning 

 

Chipping Norton: 2nd February

Chipping Norton
2 Stonechat: pair. Pair on the marsh on the Cornwell Estate. SP283268. 15:30.
Water Rail: On the marsh - seen briefly in flight. SP283268. 15:30.
4 Grey Heron: SP283268. 15:30.
Little Egret: SP283268. 15:30.
Reed Bunting: male. SP283268. 15:30.
Yellowhammer: SP283268. 15:30.
5 Moorhen: SP283268. 15:30.
Green Woodpecker: Heard. SP283268. 15:30.

Steve Akers

Otmoor: 2nd February

Hen Harrier imm female 

Marsh Harrier 

Barn Owl

Bittern h

Great white Egret 2

Cattle Egret 

Crane 2 both birds un-ringed 

Water Rail 5

No sign of the drake Green-winged Teal at the 1st screen by 12:35, but large numbers of Teal spread over the reserve

(et al)

One of two Crane courtesy of Anna Marlow 

Water Rail: Beneath feeders. 09:10.

2 Crane flying east over M.O.D land 
Great White Egret 09:10.

(per Nick Suckling)

Oddington Bridge
Shelduck: In flooded field between Oddington and Noke, with 2 great white egrets, also kingfisher (fishing in flooded bridleway). 10:30.

(per Simon Myers)

Water Rail courtesy of Nick Truby

Cassington GPs: 2nd February

Cassington GPs
Marsh Harrier: f/imm. Arrived at 15:30, unsettling the gulls and after a few minutes dropped down amongst the reeds where it remained for an hour or so. SP462110. 14:30.

Terry Godfrey

Fencott 2nd February

Hen Harrier r/t flew south over M40 (per RBA)

Radley GPs 2nd February

Bearded Tit 2 m&f still present 10:19 

(per Colm Ó Caomhanaigh, Ben Carpenter)

2 Egyptian Goose 11:21 Thrupp Lake 
1 Meadow Pipit 

(per Ron Groom)

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 2nd February

New Marston: New Marston Meadows
2 Stonechat: Marston Hamms, still. 10:15.
Brambling: Fem. On seed fields N of Marston Ferry Road. With normal array of finches and buntings. 10:15.

Steve Jennings

Great Tew 2nd February

Hawfinch in St Michael's churchyard 07:45 (per RBA)

Christ Church Oxford 2nd February

Black Redstart 1w male still present 09:22 (per Phil Barnett)

Henley Road GPs: 1st February

1st February

Henley Road GPs
Great Northern Diver 14:00.
38 Ring-necked Parakeet 16:00.

Ian Elkins

Otmoor rspb 1st February

Green-winged Teal drake again at the 1st screen (J) 

Hen Harrier (imm f )

Marsh Harrier 3+

Peregrine 

Barn Owl

Bittern 

Crane h

Pintail 20+

Water Rail 2 inc one on the bridleway 

(Badger et al)

Great Tew 1st February

Hawfinch 2 by church 11:37 (S.H)

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 1st February

1st February

New Marston: New Marston Meadows
Raven: Over seed fields N of Marston Ferry Road. 08:20.
Peregrine: Over seed fields N of Marston Ferry Road. 08:15.
Brambling: Female. On seed fields N of Marston Ferry Road. Along with c. 500 linnet, c. 200 chaffinch, 12 yellowhammer, 5 reed bunting and 4.greenfinch. 08:45.
Woodcock: On Marston Hamms. 09:50.

Steve Jennings

Bicester Wetland Reserve 1st February

10 Little Egret
245 Teal
2 Heron

A Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Radley GP: 1st February

Radley GP
2 Goosander: pair. 09:00.
Oystercatcher 09:00.
Snipe 09:00.

Ian Elkins

Moulsford Downs, Wellbarn Estate: 31st January

Moulsford Downs, Wellbarn Estate
Raven: Call heard nrby, poss two birds. SU5782. 12:30.

Mike Amphlett

Farmoor Reservoir 31st January

Common Sandpiper 1 wintering individual

Kingfisher 1

Water Rail 1

Otmoor

Green-winged Teal - Showing well from 1st screen. 

Water Pipit - possible flew over greenaways. 

Curlew 

 

Port Meadow: 31st January

Port Meadow
3 Caspian Gull: 2 x 2w, 1w.
4 Yellow-legged Gull: 3 x 2w, ad.
60 Pintail
Goosander: rh.
5 Egyptian Goose

Thomas Miller, Adam Hartley

Lower Windrush Valley Pit 10; 31st January 2025

 13:30-14:00

Ring-necked Duck female

(Third time lucky!)

Oystercatcher 2

Great Egret

Old Caley's Diary

Bicester Wetland Reserve 31st January

 At far end of reserve, on bank of Langford Brook

6 Chiffchaff
2 Treecreeper
15 Long-tailed Tit

Main reserve water

120 Teal
75 Snipe
10 Gadwall

A Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Otmoor rspb 31st January

Green-winged Teal drake still present at the 1st screen 14:53 (per Conor MacKenzie)

Henley Road GPs: 31st January

Henley Road GPs
Great Northern Diver: Water ski lake. 13:34.

Marek Walford

Christ Church Oxford 31st January

Black Redstart again 08:20 (per Luke O'Byrne)

Enslow: Enslow Bridge: 29th January

Enslow: Enslow Bridge
4 Little Egret: Distant at far edge of flood in downstream meadow. SP477183. 12:41.

Patrick Keiller

Otmoor rspb 30th January

Hen Harrier young female again this morning flying over the 2nd screen towards Greenaways (Paul Wilkinson, Malcolm Bowey et al)

Also seen on the 27th (A.S Luedtke)

All photos courtesy of Malcolm Bowey. 

Otmoor Thursday 30 January

Peregrine 2

Marsh Harrier 4

Little Egret 1

Water Rail 4

Yellowhammer 3

Bullfinch 7

Cetti 1

Sparsholt Firs: 30th January

Female kestrel near Sparsholt Firs

Buzzard above The Ridgeway

 

LWV Pits 30th January

No sign of the female Ring-necked Duck on pit 3 or pit 10 late morning 

Great white Egret 

Oystercatcher 

(JT)

Dix Pit: 30th January

Dix Pit
8 Goldeneye 13:34.

Matthew Lloyd

Henley Road GPs: 30th January

Henley Road GPs
Great Northern Diver: Water ski pit. 12:34.
Great White Egret: In flight at the back of the water ski pit. 12:34.

Marek Walford

Tackley: Sturdy's Castle: 30th January

Tackley: Sturdy's Castle
14 Corn Bunting: gathered on a telephone wire on the path between Sturdy's and Sansom's Farm. 08:00.

Bob Pomfret

LWV Pits 29th January

Ring-necked Duck f again on Pit 3 (per RBA)

Port Meadow: 29th January

Port Meadow
Caspian Gull: 2w.
Yellow-legged Gull: 2w.
2 Goosander: m & f.
200 Barnacle Goose
20 Pintail

Thomas Miller, Adam Hartley

Play Hatch: 29th January

Play Hatch
Great White Egret: In Play Hatch Triangle floods as i drove past. SU746764. 14:00.

Ralph Watts

Radley GPs 29th January

Bearded Tit 2 m&f still present 12:10 (per Paul Butler)

Henley Road GPs 29th January

Great northern Diver juv still present east of access road on water ski pit 12:27 

Smew rh on lefthand pit just before marina 11:30

(per RBA)

Chinnor: Cement Works: 29th January

Chinnor: Cement Works
Black Redstart: fem. Flitting about on roof of flats on Corner of Chalkley Lane and Hillside View. SP754000. 12:40.

Jez March

Courtesy of Jez March

Oxford 29th January

Black Redstart male flitting between the walls of Brasenose and All Souls (per RBA)

Stratfield Brake 29th January

Great white Egret c09:00

Keble College, Oxford: 28th January

Keble College, Oxford
3 Raven: Chasing each other and calling. SP513069. 13:35.

Steve Goddard

LWV Pit 10 28th January

Ring necked Duck 1f

Great White Egret 1

LWV Pits 28th January

Ring-necked Duck f still present on Pit 10 11:30

Great white Egret 

(per Ewan Urquhart)

Sutton Courtenay

Appleford GPs

Shelduck - 27/1

Peep-o-Day Lane

28/1

Green Sandpiper

Great White Egret 

Water Rail

Otmoor rspb 27th January

Green-winged Teal drake still present from the 1st screen 10:39 (FM)

Coot: grabbed and drowned by an otter in front of screen two.
Little Egret

(Allen Luedtke)

LWV Pit 10: 27th January

LWV Pit 10
Ring-necked Duck: f. still present.

LWV Pit 3
21 Red-crested Pochard: 16m, 5f.
Oystercatcher

Allen Luedtke

Chipping Norton: 27th January

Chipping Norton
2 Stonechat: m & f. Pair still present beside the fast flowing brook at Swailsford Bridge nr Cornwell. SP284265. 14:00.
Grey Wagtail: SP284265. 14:00.
Little Egret: SP284265. 14:00.

Steve Akers

Chipping Norton: 25th January

Chipping Norton
Peregrine: Perched on tree stump on the wetland at Swailsford Bridge nr Cornwell. 14:46.

Steve Akers

Otmoor RSPB 26th January

Green-winged Teal

LWV Pit 10: 26th January

LWV Pit 10
Probable Ferruginous Duck: Viewed through driving rain and wind, but did not see obvious hybrid features; relocated from pit 3. 13:11.
Great White Egret 13:11.

Simon Myers

Addendum
The general consensus is that this is a Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid

Gnome

Otmoor rspb 26th January

Green-winged Teal drake still present 1st screen 09:44 (per Gareth Casburn)

Curlew 2 on Closes (per Bark)

LWV Pit 3: 26th January

LWV Pit 10

Ring-necked Duck: fem. Relocated from Pit 3. 10:38.

LWV Pit 3
Probable Ferruginous Duck: Definitely has a lot of Ferruginous genes in it. 09:39.
8 Red-crested Pochard: 5 drk and 3 fem. 09:39.

2 Egyptian Goose   
Oystercatcher: FOY. 09:39.

Ian Elkins

Standlake: 26th January

Standlake
3 White-fronted Goose: Still in field by church. 09:03.

Ian Elkins

Ardley ERF 25th January

Green sandpiper - 1

Caspian gull - 2 (the same adult as last week and a third winter)

Stonechat - 1

 

Marsh Baldon: 25th January

Marsh Baldon
Barn Owl: Hunting across field at dusk. SU565999. 17:20.

Paul Torevell

Port Meadow: 25th January

Port Meadow
200 Barnacle Goose: around 200 flew in from the South East and pitched out in the middle of the meadow. 10:00.

Bob Pomfret

Standlake, 25 January

To the right of the track opposite the church. SP401037

 3 White-fronted Geese

Distant White-fronted Geese © Stephen Burch

www.stephenburch.com

Blenheim: Queen Pool: 25th January

Blenheim: Queen Pool
Water Rail: at the lake edge between the Fisheries and Seven Arches. 15:30.
32 Wigeon 15:30.
80 Gadwall 15:30.
70 Tufted Duck 15:30.
4 Little Grebe: close to the Fisheries cottage. 15:30.

Bob Pomfret

Otmoor rspb 25th January

Green-winged Teal drake again from the 1st screen 13:10 

Garganey (JD)

Teal c300

Shoveler c40

Marsh Harrier 2+

Peregrine 2

Barn Owl

Water Rail h

Cattle Egret 4

Little Egret

Great white Egret 3

(per Thomas Miller,Jeremy Dexter, Bark,Badger et al)

3 Stonechat 13:30.
Lesser Redpoll 13:30.

(per Simon Myers)

Courtesy of Badger

Marsh Harrier courtesy of John Edwards

Christ Church Oxford 25th January

Black Redstart 1w male still present this morning (per Luke O'Byrne)

Chipping Norton: 24th January

Chipping Norton
Green Sandpiper: At fast flowing waters at Swalesford Bridge nr Cornwell. 14:00.
2 Stonechat: ad pair. 14:00.
Little Egret 14:00.
Goldcrest 14:00.

Steve Akers

Radley GP: 25th January

Radley GP
2 Bearded Tit: Still present this morning. 10:30.
2 Goosander: male and rh. 10:30.
Goldeneye: fem. Still present on Thrupp Lake. 10:30.
4 Egyptian Goose 10:30.
Nuthatch 10:30.

Ian Elkins

Otmoor rspb 24th January

Green-winged Teal drake at the 1st screen 

Teal c300

(per Jeremy Dexter)

Abingdon Sewage Works 24th January

Siberian Chiffchaff 1+

Didcot Sewage Works

Siberian Chiffchaff 

(per Ian Lewington)

Stratfield Brake: 24th January

Stratfield Brake
Great White Egret 09:30.

Jason Coppock

Henley Road GPs: 24th January

Henley Road GPs
2 Pintail: m+f. Water ski pit. 12:50.
Great White Egret: Garden centre pit. 12:50.

Marek Walford

Dorchester: 24th January

Dorchester
3 Cattle Egret: 2j, 1a. with the llamas. SU573941.
Cattle Egret: with the pigs. SU573941.
Great White Egret: SU573941.
2 Stonechat: 1m, 1f. flitting back and forth over the path. SU573941.

Allen Luedtke

 

Fieldfare courtesy of Brian Walker

Chipping Norton: 23rd January

Chipping Norton
19 Teal: On the small lake nr Cornwell. SP283268. 12:15.
3 Grey Heron: SP283268. 12:15.
Great Spotted Woodpecker: SP283268. 12:15.
Kestrel: SP283268. 12:15.
17 Redwing: SP283268. 12:15.

Steve Akers

New Marston: Marston Ferry Road: 23rd January

New Marston: Marston Ferry Road
Peregrine: Attacking the huge flock of Linnet, Chaffinch, Reed bunting, Yellowhammer etc.- sparrowhawk did same soon after. 12:00.

Simon Myers

Stadlake 23rd January

Ring-necked Duck f again on Pit 3 10:06 (per Ben Sheldon)

Christ Church Oxford 23rd January

Black Redstart 1w male 08:23 (per Phil Barnett)

Henley Road GPs 22nd January

Smew 2 (m&f) still present west of access road on North Lake this afternoon (per RBA)

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 21st January

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake
3 Great White Egret 11:30.

Anthony Cheke

Port Meadow: 22nd January

Port Meadow
2 Yellow-legged Gull: 2 x 2w.
Great White Egret
200 Barnacle Goose
12 Pintail
4 Gadwall

Adam Hartley

Drayton nr Banbury 22nd January

Drayton nr Banbury
Brambling: fem. Female Brambling still present with (beginning to diminish) finch flock in set-aside fields north of Drayton. SP426423. 14:15.

Theo De Clermont

Christ Church Oxford 22nd January

Black Redstart 1w male 08:51 (per Phil Barnett)

Port Meadow: 21st January

Port Meadow
Mediterranean Gull: ad. In the roost again.
200 Barnacle Goose
5 Pintail
2 Yellow-legged Gull: ad & 2w.

Adam Hartley, Thomas Miller

Henley Road GPs 21st January

Smew drake again on North Lake 13:56 (per RBA)

Woodstock 21st January

Hawfinch 5 flew over Blenheim Palae secret garden 13:18 (per RBA)

Chipping Norton: 21st January

Chipping Norton
3 Stonechat: Fem on the marsh; pair beside the fast flowing brook at Swailsford Bridge. SP283268. 11:30.
3 Grey Heron: SP283268. 11:30.
Snipe: SP283268. 11:30.
Water Rail: Very vocal calling from the marsh. SP283268. 11:30.
Reed Bunting: SP283268. 11:30.
30 Redwing: SP283268. 11:30.
3 Kestrel: SP283268. 11:30.
Raven: Heard. SP283268. 11:30.

Steve Akers

Hinksey Lake 21st January

Goosander 2 m&f

No sign of the darke Scaup

(per Phil Barnett)

Christ Church Oxford 21st January

Black Redstart 1w male 08:48 (per Phil Barnett)

Chipping Norton: 20th January

Chipping Norton
Merlin: Hunting fast and very low at the wetland nr Swailsford Bridge - first ever record here. SP283268. 12:30.
2 Stonechat: On the marsh. SP283268. 12:30.
9 Teal: On the small lake. SP283268. 12:30.
3 Meadow Pipit: SP283268. 12:30.
Grey Heron: SP283268. 12:30.
3 Mute Swan: SP283268. 12:30.
Grey Wagtail: SP283268. 12:30.
Sparrowhawk: male. SP283268. 12:30.
2 Kestrel: SP283268. 12:30.

Steve Akers

Henley Road Gravel Pits - Monday 20th January 2025

 Smew (m), Great Northern Diver (juvenile), Little Egret, Grey Heron x 2, Jay, 

Great Spotted Woodpecker (f), Kestrel (f), Grey Wagtail.

Great Northern Diver Juvenile (distant shot)

Smew - male (distant shot)

Dix Pit: 20th January

Dix Pit
4 Goosander: 2m,2f. on lake 32.
Negative news Ring-necked Duck: no sign of our American visitor.
Goldeneye 14

Allen Luedtke

Henley Road GPs 20th January

Smew drake still present 

Great northern Diver juv on thr Water Ski pit

(per RBA)

Cassington GPs: 20th January

Cassington GPs
Marsh Harrier: f/imm. SP462110. 14:49.

Terry Godfrey

Christ Church Oxford 20th January

Black Redstart 1w male still present 09:30 (per Phil Barnett)

Begbroke: 20th January

Begbroke
8 Grey Partridge: One group of six, one pair in fields adjacent to the science park. 08:30.

Simon Myers

Farmoor Reservoir: 19th January

Farmoor Reservoir
2 Meadow Pipit 22:51.
Common Sandpiper 22:51.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 22:51.

Richard Parsons

Christ Church Oxford 19th January

Black Redstart 1w male still present 11:20 (per RBA)

Ardington Down: Ridgeway: 19th January

Ardington Down: Ridgeway
3 Stonechat: female/immature. SU436847. 12:15.

Stephen Burch

Meadow Pipit Farmoor Reservoir courtesy of Steve Liptrot.

 

Dix Pit: 19th January

19th January

Dix Pit
Goosander: fem. 13:00.
15 Goldeneye 13:00.

Standlake: West Oxon Sailing Club Lake
2 Lesser Redpoll: With siskins. 14:00.
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. Pit 3: also another, a 1w on Dix pit. 14:00.

Simon Myers

Dix Pit Stanton Harcourt January

Brent Goose 15:43 but no further sign at dusk (per Glen Pascoe et al)

Ring-necked Duck f 10:02 Dix Pit (Pit 16)

(per Simaon Bradfield)

Henley Road GPs 19th January

Smew drake still present 15:00

Great northern Diver c15:00

(per Thomas Miller et al)

Smew pit

GND pit

Thrupp, Kidlington 19th January

Cattle egret - 2 with cattle in field adjacent to river Cherwell.

Radley GP: Thrupp Lake: 19th January

Bearded Tit 2 m/f on pit to the left of the old railway track 10:34 (per Ben Carpenter)

Thrupp Lake
Goldeneye: fem. Still present this afternoon (originally found by Ben Carpenter). 13:36.
2 Goosander: drk. 13:36.

Ian Elkins

Port Meadow 18th January

4 Caspian Gulls (Ad, 2x2w, 1w)

3 Yellow legged Gulls (2x3w, 2w)

1 Mediterranean Gull (adult)

4 Common Gulls

3300 Black headed Gulls

170 Lesser black backed Gulls

150 Herring Gulls

Great white Egret 

Pintail 20+

(per Thomas Miller, Adam Hartley)

 

The adult Caspian Gull courtesy of Thomas Miller

 

Ardley ERF 18th January

Caspian gull - 1 adult on the quarry workings.

Stonechat - 3

Abingdon 18th

Peep o day lane.

Cattle egret.
Green sandpiper.

Sent from my iPhone

Standlake 18th January

White-fronted Goose 3 still present with Greylags in field east of track near church (per RBA)

Henley Road GPs: 18th January

Henley Road GPs
2 Smew: m + f. SU733744. 13:43 on southern pit

Colm O Caomhanaigh

Great Tew 18th January

Hawfinch in churchyard 13:03 (A.T)

Standlake 18th January

Ring-necked Duck f still present on Pit 3 11:13 (per Mark Pidgeon)

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 18th January

New Marston: New Marston Meadows
Brambling: fem. With chaffinches. 08:00.
150 Chaffinch: Min estimate. 08:00.
1000 Linnet: Min estimate. Spectacular flock! Numbers of this and other seed eating species have been rising since autumn on bird seed/pollinator crop along Marston Ferry Road. Kudos to Oxford Preservation Trust! 08:00.
30 Yellowhammer: Min estimate. 08:00.
20 Reed Bunting: Min estimate. 08:00.

Tom Evans

Hinksey Lake 18th January

Scaup m still present 09:45 but no further sign late morning 

Goosander m

(per Phil Barnett)

Otmoor: W: 17th January

Otmoor: W
3 White-fronted Goose: Very distant with Canada/Greylag flock - (noted that the belly markings were well spaced and one bird with maybe a lighter coloured bill). 16:00.

Jeremy Dexter

Hinksey Lake 17th January

Scaup m still present 14:09

Goosander m

Gadwall 3

Shoveler 2

Pochard 5

(per Johnny Eclipse, Gareth Casburn et al)

Courtesy of Gareth Cashburn 

Chipping Norton: 17th January

Chipping Norton
Woodcock: One, possibly three, at dusk from the copse beside the marsh nr Cornwell. SP287275. 17:05.
Tawny Owl: Heard. SP287275. 17:05.

Steve Akers

LWV Pit 3: 17th January

Ring-necked Duck: fem. Flew toward pit 10 with other ducks at 11:15hrs. 

Anthony Roberts

Great Tew 17th January

Hawfinch 3 flew over churchyard 14:37 (N.H)

Henley Road GPs 17th January

Smew 2 (drake & redhead) still present in N/E corner of north lake (per RBA)