Osprey

Osprey reported for yesterday (18th) at Shotover Plain (per RBA).

Gareth

Letcombe Bassett: Ridgeway above Letcombe Bassett: 19th March

Letcombe Bassett: Ridgeway above Letcombe Bassett
Peregrine: Feasting on a supper of Woodpigeon!.

Mark Merritt

GG Shrike South Leigh Monday 19th

Click on title for a Streetmap link that shows the field in which the bird was using last year's projecting hedge growth for perches along north and south boundaries, which were in full sunshine. Perched with underside illuminated by sun, it was visible from the roadside between 11.35 and 12.20 minimum. Also much closer from the footpath alongside the south hedge boundary, where it had some comment to make on my presence !

Otmoor: 18th March

Marsh Harrier (male) flew in to reed bed from N at 18:00hrs, circled twice and went
down at southern end. Viewed from bridle path.

Peter Law

see Otmoor Birding for the complete weekend round up.

Farmoor late morning March 18

Goshawk 2
A female seen over the pylons and then a male approx 45 minutes later in the same vicinity
Red Kite 4+
Common Buzzard 6+
Common Kestrel 2
Raven 1
Little Gull 1 [adult but without hood on Farmoor 1]
Black Headed Gull 800+
Curlew 1
Common Shelduck 2 [ a pair in amongst the BH Gulls]
Sand Martin 15+
Short-eared Owl (Buckthorn Meadow per Dai)

The Insomniac Birder news from the Res

South Leigh March 18

Great Grey Shrike 1 from 0830 to at least 1000
(with grateful thanks to Sally for putting out the news)
Hen Harrier 1
Red Kite 2
Common Buzzard 8+
Common Kestrel 2

2 Short-eared Owl (Thomas Stevens)

Directions for the Shrike

Take the road from the A40 signposted to South Leigh. When you come to a sharp right hand bend in the road go back up road to top of hill (not very far) and park in nearest available layby to where the footpath crosses the road. Take the footpath on east side of road and walk down the footpath beside the hedge, with a rough field on your right to a gap in the hedge at the bottom of the field. Go through gap where there is a little bridge and look at the bushes in front of you and around the field on the other side of hedge you have just walked down beside. This is where it was this am.You could also try the hedgerows further down where the road swings sharp right. Park on bend off the road and follow the track up to the top of the rise and view left.It could be around there also. Its really luck of the draw but all the best
Ewan

Great Grey Shrike still present near South Leigh mid morning although mobile.

Otmoor 18th March

There is clearly some truth to the folk tale of a sinister hooded figure that stalks the moor.

At least seven Wheatears from hide
Merlin (per David Wilding)
Dunlin with Goldies
Sand Martin mid morning

Grimsbury Reservoir: 18th March

Rock Pipit Late morning (per Clive Payne). No sign early afternoon.
Peregrine

Gareth Blockley

Port Meadow: 18th March

18th March

Port Meadow
4 Redshank
71 Golden Plover
Dunlin
Oystercatcher
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit: still present at 14:15.

Also 3 sand martins over at 15:45 (Adam Hartley)

Peter Law

Farmoor 18th March

2 Goshawk (m/f) south of F2 nr Lower Whitley Farm late morning (per Steve Heath)
1 Little Gull (ad) still on F1
2 Shelduck
Rock Pipit (along the causeway. different bird from yesterdays)
Sand Martin (small numbers through early morning)

Sunday 18th March Port Meadow

A (rather flighty) black-tailed godwit on the floods & a singing chiffchaff along the railway track

(per Jarrod Hadfield)

Sunday 18th South Leigh: Great Grey Shrike Still

The great grey shrike is still present at South Leigh this morning at 10 am (per Badger) though mobile. Also a hen harrier.

Otmoor 17th March pm

Distant view of Wheatears from the hide (none sighted at Noke end).

Photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Great Grey Shrike South Leigh 17th March

Great Grey Shrike near South Leigh this evening.

Along road from barnard gate to south leigh,south of Green House Farm,

and east of Twelve Acre farm.

(per Sally Hula)

Otmoor 17th March

Wheatears (c) Terry Sherlock

9 Wheatear (2 nr the farm at Noke 3 Big Otmoor 4 Ashgrave)
4 Chiffchaff
1 Peregrine
1 Merlin (m Greenaways)
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Ruff    (per the Robys)
1 Snipe
4 Redpoll (on the C.F feeders)
Otter (along bridleway)

White-fronted Goose still on Ashgrave at 3.30pm (per RBA)
Otmoor Birding

Farmoor 17th March

2 Little Gull (mid afternoon on F1)
1 Rock Pipit (along causeway early morning)
30+ Sand Martin

The Insomniac Birder

Port Meadow 17th March

5 Redshank
4 Dunlin
1 Oystercatcher
3 Shelduck
No sign of Little Ringed Plover this morning.

(per The Wickster)

Port Meadow: 16th March: Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
2 Ruff
6 Redshank
Dunlin
Shelduck
4 Goosander
4 Pintail

Adam Hartley

Henley Road GPs: 16th March

16th March

Henley Road GPs
3 Smew: 1m+2rh.
2 Goosander: 1m+1rh.
Chiffchaff
3 Sand Martin

Sonning Eye GPs
Oystercatcher: Feeding on the rowing course bund.

Marek Walford

Otmoor: 16th March

Otmoor
Brent Goose

Joe Harris

Black Redstart Crowmarsh Gifford 16th March

A confiding Black Redstart at a private site in Crowmarsh Gifford today.

(Per John Redhead)

Ring-necked Parakeet Crowmarsh Gifford Howbery Park this afternoon.

(per The Wickster)

Grimsbury Reservoir: 16th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
Redshank: Still there this morning but gone by c.08:00.

Banbury: Spital Farm Lake
Goosander: f.

Gareth Blockley

Standlake Pit 60 16th March

Sand Martin 12+ (two parties)
Ruff 1
Redshank 3
Little Egret 2
Chiffchaff 2 (singing along track)
Blackcap

T3 Lake (pit adjacent to Pit 60)

Sand Martin 8+

(per Jon Prowse)

Otmoor: 15th March

Otmoor
Brent Goose: On Big Otmoor with Canada's.

Joe Harris

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Short-eared Owl

Steve Goddard

Otmoor Birding

Dix Pit March 15

White Wagtail 1 [in with flock of 35 Pied Wagtail]
Meadow Pipit flock of 30
Some of the nesting Cormorants on the island have young now two thirds grown

Farmoor 1 March 15

This Mallard has been present usually near the yacht marina for the last three years. It is always in this intriguing plumage variation which appears to be a combination of mostly eclipse plumage with some male plumage. See comments















Common Goldeneye 26 [5 males 3 imm males and 18 females]
Gadwall 4
Common ChiffChaff 1 singing

Grimsbury Reservoir: 15th March

Grimsbury Reservoir
Redshank
3 Chiffchaff: 2 singing.
Redwing: Singing. First time I've ever heard one singing.

Gareth Blockley

Banbury: 14th March

Banbury
Snipe: Flying round over my flat calling, maybe disorientated in the fog?.

Gareth Blockley

Missing Red tailed Hawk

I was wondering if you could help us…
We are looking for a Bird of prey that has gone missing in the oxford area.
The bird in question is an American Red Tailed Hawk.
The bird was last seen in the Woodeaton area at Sescut Farm on Sunday.
He’s easily identified if nothing else than by the leather straps that are attached to his legs.He’s similar in size to a female common buzzard but with a red tail.

I don’t know if there is any way that your site can help it would be great.

Thanks

Adam

If anyone has any news or sightings of the Red tail please call Adam Bloch on 07703532828

or email him at adam@bloch.com  

Otmoor 14th March pm

(c) Andy Last

Brent Goose back with the Canadas
Peregrine stooping over Big Otmoor
4 or 5 Short eared Owls
(per Andy Last)

Otmoor Birding

Farmoor Gulls

Another evenings cachophony of courting Black-headed Gulls totalling ? - so estimated at 15-20,000 which is what I also reckoned last Sunday. Around 600 L B-backs, 10 Common, 1 tiny Herring Gull, 1 adult winter Little Gull hawking amongst a massive fly emergence and 1 adult Med Gull not bothered about much; thus showing the extent of hood reaching down the neck, in comparison to BH Gull, is still viewable when the rear of bird hidden by others in the roost (as this bird was initially). 1 Oystercatcher over F2 and 24 plus Pied's (no alba)taking the walking approach to harvesting the diptera feast along the causeway. Must dispute claim on Adam's excellent Birding Diary that Cormorants are "just not that attractive" (at least when seen in good light) and I leave it to others to decide whether this bird is a carbo or sinensis

Chimney: Chimney Meadows: 14th March

14th March

Chimney: Chimney Meadows
Curlew: est 8-10 birds.
Barn Owl
Little Owl

Peter Law

Hinksey Lake: 14th March

Hinksey Lake
2 Goosander: 1 drake, 1 rh.

David Hastings

: 14th March

Garsington
Curlew: flying over Oxford Rd and calling. SP5702.

Peter Law

Farmoor 14th March

Flyover  Grey Plover  08:00hrs.
Short-eared Owl
Sand Martin 2

The Insomniac Birder

Farmoor 13th March

c20 Sand Martin went through today (per Matt Prior).
(About four days later in the county than last year).

Short-eared Owl
Stonechat

(per Dai)

More from the Res The Insomniac Birder

Otmoor 13th March

4-5 Short-eared Owl (from the 1st screen over the reedbeds today)
Green Sandpiper
Chiffchaff (noke end)

(per Richard Ebbs Oxonbirds )

Port Meadow: 13th March

Port Meadow
7 Redshank
2 Ruff
3 Dunlin
Oystercatcher
Little Egret
4 Shelduck
6 Goosander
5 Pintail
2 Snipe

Adam Hartley

Rushey Common March 13

Little Egret 1
Oystercatcher 2
Lapwing 7

Dix Pit March 13

Yellow-legged Gull 2
Little Egret 3
Red Crested Pochard 2 (pair)
Common Goldeneye 8
Northern Shoveler 20+ (only one female)
Common Teal 4
Lesser Redpoll 1

Banbury: 13th March

Banbury
Goosander: On the River Chewell this morning, in section through Spiceball Park (per Clive Payne).

Grimsbury Reservoir
Dunlin: Found this morning by Clive Payne, still present at lunch time.
4 Tufted Duck: 4drakes. Will there be 8 tomorrow?!.
Snipe: Seen circling over the cattle field then flew south. I think 2 Canada geese flushed it from the ditch.

Gareth Blockley

Banbury: 12th March

Banbury
Blackcap: m. Singing in the Breth Hill estate (per Clive Payne).

Gareth Blockley

West of Rushey Lock Mon. 12th.

8 stock dove, 4 kestrel, 1 sparrowhawk, 1 little owl, 4 buzzard, 1 peregrine falcon, 6 curlew, 50 lesser black-backed gull, 150 fieldfare, 50 redwing, 2 yellowhammer, 6 reed bunting and 5 skylark.

Dorchester: Dorchester complex: 12th March

2 Oystercatcher

Thomas Stevenson

More at Benson & Ewelme Wildlife

Port Meadow: 12th March

Shag: flew low south over the floods.
9 Redshank
2 Ruff
3 Dunlin
3 Shelduck
4 Goosander: 2m 2f.
4 Pintail: 2m 2f.

Adam Hartley

More at Port Meadow Birding

Wheatley 12th March

Kingfisher: London Road nr farm shop.
2 Raven: Shotover House estate.

Otmoor
3 Short-eared Owl: over Greenaways.
10 Curlew: on Greenaways.
White-fronted Goose on Ashgrave with Greylags.

Peter Law

Lark Hill Wantage11th March

Merlin: Low over the road at dusk, heading W. SU410874.
2 Grey Partridge: SU410874.

Leo Bateman

Radley Lakes: 11th March

2 Curlew (Lake G/ Plover Pit)
2 Oystercatcher (Thrupp Lake)
1 Water Rail
7 Shoveler
5 Gadwall
15 Teal
2 Pochard
2 Common Gull

1 Cetti's Warbler by Longmead Lake

South Abingdon GPs
1 Cetti's Warbler
1 Chiffchaff singing (my first singer of year)
10 Wigeon
2 Pochard
23 Gadwall
1 Kingfisher

Henley Road GPs: 11th March

Henley Road GPs
3 Smew: drk+2rh.
3 Goosander: rh.
5 Goldeneye: 2m+3f.
Scaup: drk.

Marek Walford

Port Meadow: 11th March

Port Meadow
2 Dunlin
7 Redshank
3 Shelduck
Pintail
3 Oystercatcher

Sydney Penner

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames: 11th March

11th March

Farmoor Reservoir: River Thames
3 Oystercatcher
2 Little Owl
Chiffchaff

Peter Law

Otmoor 11th March

Photo's (c) W P Bull.

2 Ruff

6 Dunlin

12 Redshank
Cetti's near bridge to hide

(per Bark) Otmoor Birding

Rushy Common 11th March

Egyptian Geese 2
Redshank 1

(per Clackers)

Otmoor 10th March pm

15 Curlew over the reedbeds by 1st screen

Redpoll still at the feeders

(Muntjac Deer on the Roman Road)

photos (c) Nigel Forrow

Port Meadow: 10th March

Port Meadow
6 Redshank
5 Dunlin
2 Oystercatcher
5 Shelduck
8 Pintail

Adam Hartley

Pit 60 Standlake 10th March

6 Goosander (3m)
1 Curlew
1 Redshank
3 Oystercatcher
1 Little Egret
1 Goldeneye (f)
2 Red-crested Pochard
(on pit behind N hide)

No sign of Redhead Smew this afternoon.

Ring-necked Parakeet

1 near Foxall rd, Didcot.

per Leon Chandler

Shotover Sat 10 March

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling N of Avenue

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Treecreeper

Nuthatch

Marsh Tit

The Avenue

Some fantastic Dipper footage filmed by Jeff Pursey at New Mill last month.
Viewable at 720p and 1080p HD

Jeff's Youtube Channel

Ridgeway above Letcombe Bassett 10th March

2 Corn Bunting

Mark Merritt

Foxholes BBOWT March 9

Woodcock 5
Common Crossbill 1
Siskin 25+
Goldfinch 30+
Bullfinch 2
Marsh Tit 7
Goldcrest 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 6
Green Woodpecker 1
Tawny Owl 1
Common Buzzard 2

Roe Deer 16
Muntjac 4

Drayton 1066: 9th March

Drayton 1066
2 Redshank

Paul Chandler

Port Meadow: 9th March

Port Meadow
6 Redshank
6 Dunlin
2 Oystercatcher
4 Shelduck
8 Pintail
Yellow-legged Gull: 2w.
4 Goosander

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 9th March

Short-eared Owl (western side of the res)

photos & more at The Insomniac Birder

Otmoor.A.M. 9th March.

2 Curlew (displaying over Reedbeds)
3 Redshank
1 Dunlin
1 Merlin (Noke End)
1 W.F.Goose ( with Greylags, Ashgrave S.W. corner)

Bittern Really close views as it came out of the Southern Phase of the reedbed and flew overhead landing in the north east corner of the Northern Phase.

Joe Harris

Otmoor Birding

I am sure you are now all aware of the dry conditions on Otmoor and the surrounding area. We have been monitoring this closely for the past six months and in the past few weeks, it is official, Oxfordshire is in drought conditions. Obviously, this can have serious impacts on the wetland species, which rely on Otmoor during the breeding season.

With water resources so limited across the reserve, we have decided to pump water from Ashgrave into Big Otmoor. By moving the water into Big Otmoor we should be able to achieve improved water levels which will be essential for the feeding of chicks in mid-spring. Big Otmoor is the field with the predator fence, with this added protection we felt it was best to concentrate the limited water resource in this area.

With the water being pumped from Ashgrave, the water levels in front of the hide will reduce. These water levels will recover faster than anywhere else on the reserve, as Ashgrave is the only field on the reserve that has water flowing in from off the reserve.

If you have any questions please drop the office a line.

Regards

The Otmoor team

Port Meadow: 8th March

Port Meadow
6 Redshank
6 Dunlin
Oystercatcher
2 Shelduck
8 Pintail
4 Common Gull

Adam Hartley

Farmoor 8th March

Rock Pipit along the causeway c09:30 although mobile.

(per Dai & Terry Sherlock)

more from the Res The Insomniac Birder

TONIGHT Oxford Ornithological Society Indoor Meeting.

Wednesday 7th. March 2012 A talk by Graham Lenton 'Two Islands' Graham has previously given the society interesting and well presented talks and we can look forward to being entertained and informed again this next Wednesday 7th March at Stratfield Brake Sports Ground Kidlington starting at 7.45pm. Members free others a donation is appreciated (£2 suggested) any questions? Please telephone the OOS secretary Barry Hudson 01993 852028.

Farmoor 7th March

Woodcock 2 again coming in to feed in and around the garden with the wildfowl
collection near the main gates at dusk.
Viewable from outside the main gates.

(per Dai)

The Insomniac Birder

Port Meadow: 7th March

Port Meadow
2 Yellow-legged Gull: 2w.
2 Redshank
4 Dunlin
Oystercatcher
4 Shelduck
4 Goosander
10 Common Gull: Approx count.
8 Pintail

Adam Hartley

Rushy Common March 7

Green Sandpiper 1
Yellowhammer 40+ on fallow field on far side of lake

Dix Pit March 7

Caspian Gull 1 first winter
Yellow legged Gull 6
Intriguingly one of these, a third winter showed a streaked hood and other features very reminiscent of L.m atlantis
Herring Gull,Lesser and Greater Black backed Gull, Common Gull and Black Headed Gull
Goldeneye 8
Little Egret 3
Raven 2

Cormorants already beginning nest building on the island

Otmoor.P.M. 6th March.

30+ Curlew
4 Redshank
1 Greenshank (flyover)
1 S.E. Owl
1 Marsh Tit (feeders)

Crowmarsh Gifford 6th March

Ring-necked Parakeet Crowmarsh Gifford this morning.

(per RK Broughton Oxonbirds )

Chimney: Chimney Meadows: 6th March

Chimney: Chimney Meadows
2 Curlew: across Thames.
2 Barn Owl

Peter Law

Port Meadow: 6th March

Port Meadow
7 Redshank
2 Dunlin
4 Shelduck
3 Goosander
Oystercatcher
7 Common Gull

Adam Hartley

More at Port Meadow Birding

Coleshill: Worsall Farm: 5th March

Coleshill: Worsall Farm
3 Hen Harrier: r/t. 1 just W of Worsall Farm, 2 more in fields to W of road to Buscot about a mile further on. SU224967.

Peter Law

Hawfinch

Thinking of Blenheim, has anyone seen Hawfinch there this winter?

Gareth

Snow Geese

Saturday 3rd March 31 Snow Geese (3 dark morph) were reported near Dungeness, Kent. They have raised a bit of interest in a rare bird thread on bird forum, with someone pointing out that there has been a flock very similar in Oxfordshire on 12th February... Sound familiar to anyone?
Presuming it's the same flock they were around before then in Oxon, seen at Dix pit on 13/09/11 (36 birds), Dix pit on 20/10/11 (35 birds), Farmoor res on 18/11/2011 (35 birds) and Dix pit 05/01/12 (33 birds - 3 dark morph).
There appears to have been two flocks in recent years in Oxon the very regular flock of c.10 at Blenheim that occasionally wander and this larger flock. This second larger flock was 24 to 29 birds through 2010. There was one count at Bleinheim on 23/09/2009 of 40+ birds so this could have been all of them together?
Has anyone seen any birds in Oxon recently or is the flock in Kent this larger flock we have had that have now moved on?

Gareth

More discussion on Bird Forum here (Gnome)

Port Meadow: 4th March

Port Meadow
9 Redshank
Oystercatcher
6 Pintail

Adam Hartley

White Horse Hill: 4th March

White Horse Hill
12 Corn Bunting

Childrey: Childrey Field
Short-eared Owl

Mark Merritt

Kidlington Starlings (c) Ewan

Otmoor 3rd March P.M.

1 Redpoll on feeders

4 Curlew

1 Redshank

1 Littel Egret from hide

2 Goosander (Pair at 2nd Hide)

70+ Linnet

50 Golden Plover

4 Short Eared Owls on Greenaways at dusk

Henley Road GPs: 3rd March

Henley Road GPs
2 Smew: drk+rh.
9 Goldeneye: 2m+7f.

Sonning Eye GPs
Bittern: Poor views of one in the reedbed at dusk.

Marek Walford

Noke March

Ring-necked Parakeet seen & photographed in Noke yesterday (2nd)

(per Francis Josephs OOS)

New Mill Witney 3rd March

Dipper again at New Mill this morning.

(per Graham Coleman)

Rushy Common 3rd March

Hen Harrier (ringtail)
Green Sandpiper
Oystercatcher 5

(per Clackers)

Henley Road GPs: 2nd March

2nd March

Henley Road GPs
2 Smew: 1drk+1rh.
6 Goosander: 2drk+4rh.

Sonning Eye GPs
2 Bittern: In the reedbed at the northern end of the lake but remaining within the reeds so a pretty poor view.

Marek Walford

Port Meadow: 2nd March

Port Meadow
Oystercatcher
10 Redshank
3 Shelduck

Adam Hartley

Otmoor. A.M. 2nd. March.

Ringed Plover: Northern phase of reedbed.
Green Sandpiper: Northern phase of reedbed.

Joe Harris

1 Redshank
1 Cettis Warbler (calling)
1 Water Rail (calling)
1 Tawny Owl (calling)
1 Sparrowhawk (M)
4+ L. Redpoll
21 Curlew (flew in from high up)

21 Curlew arriving this morning on Greenaways.

also : Little Egret , Redshank and the Tawny Owl 
calling in the Roman Road oak trees is the 94th 
species for the year. Also watch out for a leuchistic 
Golden Plover in the flock. (very noticeable)

Bark

 Otmoor Birding

Wildlife Photography Exhibition at Science Oxford

Really recommend this exhibition. On until the 9th March. Touring version of the one currently at the Natural History Museum. Late opening next Friday until 9pm.
Bark

Port Meadow: 1st March

3 Mediterranean Gull: ad.
10 Redshank
Dunlin
2 Shelduck

Also a bird that I thought was a 3w Caspian gull but after consultation with Ian Lewington it turned out not to be :-(

Adam Hartley

More on Port Meadow Birding

Otmoor: Long Meadow: 1st March

Otmoor: Long Meadow
Woodcock

Joe Harris

Wolvercote: 1st March

1st March

Wolvercote
3 Goosander: 2m, 1f on Thames just W of A34.
2 Bar-headed Goose: in meadows near Univ field station.

Peter Law

Foxholes BBOWT March 1

2 Woodcock - although did not cover area comprehensively
1 Tawny Owl - male calling in full sunshine
10 Marsh Tit
6+ Siskin
2 Goldcrest
6 Nuthatch
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Green Woodpecker
Great,Blue,Coal and Long tailed Tits

7 Roe Deer
5 Muntjac

1st March

Firecrest singing at private site Henley on Thames

Hugh