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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, 21 August 2026

Farmoor F2: 21st August

Ruff

Black-necked Grebes




Warburg Reserve Friday 21st August 2026.

Spotted Flycatcher

The trackside hide at the reserve is now mainly mud. Birds are not visiting for a drink or a bath. Throughout August there have been daily visits by the Hawfinch family. There have been 2 x adult males, 2 x adult females and 2 juveniles. It is thought two were a returning pair from last year, the second two are younger and possibly last years juveniles. The adult Hawfinches have not been seen on the reserve since Monday. A juvenile hawfinch was seen yesterday at 1315 hrs. On the positive side a number of Spotted Flycatchers were seen today on the wider reserve but not visiting the pond at the moment. Seen today from the hide - Marsh Tit, Coal Tit.
Spotted Flycatcher

The elder of the two male Hawfinches 17/08

Hatford: Sandpit: 21st August

Common Sandpiper
2 Egyptian Goose

Mark Merritt

21 Aug 2026 20:17

Farmoor Reservoir: 21st August

Black-necked Grebe 2 on F2 16:55
(per Jeremy Dexter)

Black-tailed Godwit over 19:00 (AL)

Turnstone 3 20:01 (TM)
Dunlin 3

Ruff still present 12:09
Ringed Plover 
Little-ringed Plover 
Common Sandpiper 
Caspian Gull 1w

(per Ewan Urquhart, Conor MacKenzie,Richard Parsons,)

Dix Pit 21st August

Ferruginous Duck m still present 13:00 (per Birdguides)

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 21st August

4 Whinchat: West side of Greenaways. 11:46.
Green Sandpiper 11:46.

Steve Roby

21 Aug 2026 11:48

Thursday, 20 August 2026

Farmoor Reservoir 20th August

Ruff -juvenile male

Ruff southern end of F2 18:59 
(per Kevin Heath et al)
Ringed Plover 
Common Sandpiper 5
Yellow Wagtail 

(per Simon Myers)

NCVW 20th August

Greenshank 1

Green Sandpiper 1

Common Sandpiper 1

Little Ringed Plover 4

Common Snipe 3

Otmoor rspb 20th August

Ruff 4 at the 1st screen 15:30 (per Paul Wilkinson)
Greenshank on Ashgrave 08:00
Black-tailed Godwit 1st screen
Green Sandpiper 1st screen 
Hobby 2

(per Paul Tomlinson)

Courtesy of Paul Wilkinson 

Ruff courtesy of Paul Wilkinson 


Sonning Eye GPs: 20th August

Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 13:45.

Marek Walford

20 Aug 2026 13:54

Dix Pit: 20th August

Ferruginous Duck m.
Greenshank: h/o flyover.
8 Red-crested Pochard

Adam Hartley

20 Aug 2026 13:18

Ardley Quarry 20th August

1 juv Black-tailed Godwit on smaller pool adjacent to quarry 10:08 (JFT)

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 20th August

Spotted Flycatcher 07:30.

Steve Jennings

20 Aug 2026 09:05

Eastleach Downs 20th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still present 07:31

(per Birdguides)

Car parking field

Wytham 20th August

Cattle Egret 10+ in field with sheep west of the A34 c½ south of Peartree 06:15

Blewbury Chalkpit 20th August

Redstart
Willow Warbler 2

07:51 (per Conor MacKenzie)

Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Eastleach Downs- 19th August


 

Long tailed Shrike 1m

Whinchat 2

Common Redstart 1

Corn Bunting 8

Common Whitethroat 10+

Cornwell Marsh and Wetland: 19th August

2 Green Sandpiper 20:14.
18 Lapwing 20:14.
Little Egret 20:14.
Grey Heron 20:14.
10 Mallard 20:14.
Raven 20:14.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 20:14.

Steve Akers

19 Aug 2026 21:25

Dix Pit 19th August

Ferruginous Duck m still present 18:42 
Red-crested Pochard 8

(per Paul Butler,Kevin Polley)

Rushy Common 19th August

No sign of female Ferruginous Duck 09:00-10:00 (E.U)

Eastleach Downs 19th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still present close to border this afternoon.

(per Birdguides)

Car parking field

Sonning Eye GPs: 19th August

Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 13:43.

Marek Walford

19 Aug 2026 13:44

NCVW 19th August

 Green Sandpiper 3

Little Ringed Plover 5

Ringed Plover 1

Dunlin 1

Common Snipe 6

Great White Egret 1

Letcombe Bassett: 19th August

4 Swift 13:05.
150 Swallow 13:05.

Jed Cleeter

Otmoor RSPB 19th August

Greenshank 4 
Black-tailed Godwit 2
Ringed Plover 

1st Screen a.m (per Luke O'Byrne)

Courtesy of Luke O'Byrne 


Westcot: 19th August

Hobby 11:33.

Jed Cleeter

Monday, 17 August 2026

Rushy Common 17th August

Ferruginous Duck 1f

Cattle Egret 8

Little Egret 4

Hobby 1

Marsh Harrier 1

Green Sandpiper 2

Common Sandpiper 1

N.C.V.W 17th August

Dunlin
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Sandpiper 
Ringed Plover 3
Little-ringed Plover 4

(T.M)

Shellingford: 17th August

Yellow Wagtail: Flew W calling. 15:45.

Jed Cleeter

17 Aug 2026 22:27

Dix Pit : 17th August


 










Record shot of the male Ferruginous Duck 

Dix Pit 17th August

Ferruginous Duck m still 14:51 
(per Ewan Urquhart)

Sonning Eye GPs: 17th August

Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 12:45.

Marek Walford

17 Aug 2026 14:00

Henley Road GPs: 17th August

Mandarin Duck: drk. 13:02.

Marek Walford

17 Aug 2026 13:02

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 17th August

Kingfisher
2 Little Grebe
57 Great Crested Grebe: a very good breeding season.
5 Cattle Egret: still young birds on the island stretching their wings.
13 Grey Heron
31 Cormorant
240 Coot
350 Mallard
5 Tufted Duck
10 Sand Martin: still at least 10 around the bridge, at least 3 active nest holes.

Bob Pomfret

17 Aug 2026 12:57

Wytham 17th August

Cattle Egret 5+ in field with sheep west of the A34 ½ south of Peartree 06:30

Rushy Common 17th August

Ferruginous Duck f still 11:32
Castle Egret 2
Hobby

(per Ewan Urquhart)

Sunday, 16 August 2026

Dix Pit 16th August

Ferruginous Duck prob male 10:54 (SNT)

Eastleach Downs 16th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE again in Oxon 10:48 

Redstart

(per TrevorEllery)

Car parking field

Rushy Common 16th August

Ferruginous Duck f still present 16:08
Green Sandpiper 
Common Sandpiper 
Dunlin
Cattle Egret 7
Hobby
Marsh Harrier 

(per Simon Myers et al)

Farmoor Reservoir: 16th August

Dunlin: F1 along causeway. 11:43.
Yellow-legged Gull 12:37.
3 Little Egret 12:15.

Oliver Hedley

Ringed Plover 09:39 (per Simon Myers)

A329 near Moulsford: 16th August

Raven: Heard, quite distant, prob to N. SU5985. 11:05.

Mike Amphlett

16 Aug 2026 13:56

Pit 60 16th August

Green Sandpiper 5
Common Sandpiper 4
Little-ringed Plover 
Cattle Egret 5
Marsh Harrier 
Mandarin f

(per Andy Last)

Key Holder Reserve 

Letcombe Regis: Blandys Farm & East Challow: 16th August

Letcombe Regis: Blandys Farm
Marsh Harrier
3 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Partridge
2 Raven
65 Corn Bunting
7 Mistle Thrush

East Challow
13 Grey Partridge

Mark Merritt

16 Aug 2026 11:21

Saturday, 15 August 2026


White winged Black Tern 1 juv

I have never seen pink colouring on the neck and breast before and also faintly on underwing coverts

Surely this is not natural and has been acquired from some outside source

Farmoor White-winged Black Tern




Farmoor 15th Aug

White-winged black tern
2 Dunlin

image/jpegimage/jpegimage/jpeg

Farmoor Reservoir 15th August

WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN juv over F1 & F2 from 17:14-18:46 then flew off high to the SE (per Andy Last) et al)

Rushy Common: 15th August

2 Green Sandpiper 17:45.
Cattle Egret 17:45.

Matthew Lloyd

15 Aug 2026 17:51

Letcombe Regis: 15th August

Spotted flycatcher at the deer enclosure in Letcombe Regis

 

Farmoor; 15th August

10-12:00

Dunlin 2 (1 on each side of causeway)




Common Sandpiper 1 (F1 causeway)

Yellow-legged Gull 2ad (valve tower F1)

Great Black-backed Gull ad

Standlake, pit 60: 15th August

Green Sandpiper 7, Common Sandpiper 4, Snipe 5, Hobby 2, Cattle Egret 31, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Redstart 1m (Thames fields)

Friday, 14 August 2026

Rushy Common: 14th August

Female Ferruginous duck (some questions raised over hybrid potential/provenance)







Farmoor: 14th August

Merlin attacked Wagtails on causeway before flying west



Otmoor RSPB 14th August

0930-1230 hrs

Bittern 1

Great Egret 1

Cattle Egret 22

Little Egret 6


Marsh Harrier 3

Hobby 1

Common Buzzard 5

Water Rail 7  all heard only

Sonning Eye GPs & Henley Road GPs: 14th August

Sonning Eye GPs
Common Sandpiper 14:00.

Henley Road GPs
Common Sandpiper 14:20.

Marek Walford

14 Aug 2026 14:38

Eastleach Downs 14th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE 07:33
Redstart

(per Steve Roby)

Thursday, 13 August 2026

Eastleach Downs 13th August


1800-2000 hrs


Long tailed Shrike 1m

Whinchat 1

Northern Wheatear 3

Common Whitethroat 6

Sparrowhawk 1f



RSPB Otmoor Thursday 13 August

At the reedbed:

Great White Egret 1
Little Egret 9
Snipe 10

Over Greenaways and along the bridleway:

Cattle Egret 18
Kestrel 1
Marsh Harrier 2
Treecreeper 1
Whitethroat 1
Cetti 1


Churn 13th August

Marsh Harrier 
Hobby
Redstart

(A.L)

Sonning Eye GPs & Henley Road GPs: 13th August

Sonning Eye GPs
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 12:30.

Henley Road GPs
Common Sandpiper 12:55.

Marek Walford

13 Aug 2026 12:59

Eastleach Downs 13th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still along the Oxon/Glos border 17:15  (per Birdguides)

Car parking field

Courtesy of Jason Hornblow 


Weston on the green: 13th August

Probable Quail: SP535178. 08:25.

David Williams

13 Aug 2026 08:27

Wytham 13th August

Cattle Egret 10+ in field with sheep west of the A34 ½ south of Peartree 06:18

Wednesday, 12 August 2026

Eastleach Downs 12th August

 

Long-tailed Shrike © David Hastings

Chinnor: Cement Works: 12th August

Common Sandpiper: Lake 2b. 11:00.
2 Egyptian Goose: Lake 2b. 11:00.

David Stracey

12 Aug 2026 20:51

Woodstock 12th August

Cattle Egret - 5 

Wheatear - 1





Eastleach Downs 12th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still along the Oxon/Glos border 12:20  Car parking field

Spotted Flycatcher 

Whinchat

(per Steve Akers)

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Farmoor 11th August

Turnstone 13 flew through F1

Greenshank flew high over F2 before departing west

Sanderling

Eastleach 11th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still along the Oxon/Glos border 15:06 (per Birdguides)

Farmoor Reservoir 11th August

Sanderling in N/W corner of F1 17:22 (per Trevor Ellery)

2 Turnstone still near the causeway hide. 16:57.
(per Peter Driver et al)

Swift F1 this morning (per Paul Butler)

Courtesy of Steve Liptrot 




Fyfield Wick: 11th August

Peregrine: male. Adult circled east. 17:10.

Jed Cleeter

11 Aug 2026 17:17

Farmoor Reservoir 11th August




Black-tailed Godwit, flushed frequently by joggers before leaving high to the North.

Sonning Eye GPs: 11th August

Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 13:42.

Marek Walford

11 Aug 2026 13:42

Henley Road GPs: 11th August

Green Sandpiper 09:56.
Common Sandpiper 09:56.

Mick Hannington

11 Aug 2026 09:58

Whinchat Oxon Downs courtesy of Geoff Dymott 

 

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 11th August

Redstart: male. Marston Hamms, still. 07:20.
Peregrine: Marston Hamms, over. 07:15.

Steve Jennings

11 Aug 2026 09:06

Wytham 11th August

Cattle Egret 10+ with sheep west of the A34 ½ south of Peartree 05:56

Monday, 10 August 2026

Eastleach Downs Oxfordshire -10th August

1800-2015hrs


Long tailed Shrike 1 male - until 2015hrs at least although elusive

Whinchat 4 (incl 1 ad male)

European Stonechat 1 juv male

Northern Wheatear 1

Spotted Flycatcher 2

Common Redstart 2 (imm male/ad male)

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Common Whitethroat 5

Willow Warbler 1

Goldfimch 50+

Common Raven 1

Sonning Eye GPs: 10th August

Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 13:01.

Marek Walford

10 Aug 2026 13:02

Otmoor RSPB 10th August

Black-tailed Godwit 1st screen
Common Sandpiper 
Snipe 7

(K.N)

Henley Road GPs: 10th August

Common Sandpiper 10:46.
Green Sandpiper 10:46.

Mick Hannington

10 Aug 2026 10:48

Sunday, 9 August 2026

Otmoor RSPB 9th August

Black-tailed Godwit 3
Little-ringed Plover 
Redshank 
Snipe 
Cattle Egret 35+
Little Egret 3
Great white Egret 
Grey Heron 3
Marsh Harrier 2
Hobby 3

(per Russell Allen)

Courtesy of Russell Allen 



Farmoor Reservoir 9th August

Ringed Plover on farmoor causeway 17:46 
(per Andy Last)

Standlake Common Pit 60 9th August

Common Sandpiper 2
Lapwing 70+
Great White Egret 1
Cattle Egret 27 
Water Rail 1

David Hastings

Common Sandpiper © David Hastings


Eastleach Downs 9th August

LONG-TAILED SHRIKE still along the Oxon/Glos border 06:30 (per Birdguides)


Courtesy of Peter Milligan