Charlford Park near Chipping Norton - 11th February 2018

1315-1345 hrs

Black Redstart showing well on the rooftops within the business park.

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

George Best

Grimsbury Res. - 11th Feb 2018

0800-1230 hrs

1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrel
1 Coal Tit
1 Willow Tit
3 Treecreeper
10 Siskin
2 Lesser Redpoll

Lots of activity in the woods.

George Best

A329 near Moulsford: 11th February

A329 near Moulsford
Brambling: Fem, foraging for seeds I scattered, along with 12-ish H Sprogs. SU5985. 14:40.

Mike Amphlett

Ardington 11th February

Hawfinch 13+ still, a few males now in full song

Stanton Harcourt Dix Pit 11th February

Scaup (f) still present

Farmoor:
Stonechat 2 (m/f)

(per Dave Lowe)

Otmoor.A.M. 11th February.

2 Egyptian Goose
1 Hawfinch
2 Hen Harrier (reported)
3 Marsh Harrier
1 Siskin (reported by hide)
1 Marsh Tit.

per Bark  P.G.

Chalford Park 11th February

Black Redstart again at Chalford Park Barns on roof of new barn 12:51 (per Barry Batchelor, Vic Wren)
Parking is restricted during the week.

Chipping Norton 10th February

No sign of the Black Redstart at Chalford Park Barns between 14:50-15:30
(per George Best).

Pit 60: Saturday 10 Feb am

1 Little Egret
3 Oystercatchers
Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler etc

Wigeon (c) Stephen Burch

Scutchamer Knob: 10th February

10th February

Scutchamer Knob
Great Grey Shrike: 100 yds West of Scutchamer Knob, presumably the Bury/Cow Down bird. 11:30.

East Hendred: East Hendred Downs
Merlin: f. 12:20.

Mark Merritt

A329 near Moulsford: 10th February

A329 near Moulsford
Brambling: Fem, foraging under hedge, with several Chaffinches. SU5985. 12:25.

Mike Amphlett

Chalford Park nr Chipping Norton 9th February

Black Redstart still present today at Chalford Park Barns between Enstone and the first Chipping Norton turn just off of the A44 on right OX7 5QR

(per Barry O'Brien)

A329 near Moulsford: 9th February

A329 near Moulsford
Brambling: Fem, foraging under feeders with large no of Chaffinches. SU5985. 09:00.

Mike Amphlett

Otmoor. 9th. February.

3. Marsh Harrier. (1m.  1f.  1 imm.)
Hen Harrier. (Male, 2nd. winter)
Sparrowhawk.
Redpoll.  (reported.)

Per.  R.L.  T.S.  et al.

Marsh Harrier.

Hen Harrier.

Didcot Landfill - 8th February

Caspian Gull  -  two 1st winters

A329 near Moulsford: 8th February

A329 near Moulsford
Brambling: Fem, foraging under feeders with many Chaffinches and H Sparrows. SU5985. 13:30.

Mike Amphlett

Magdalen Tower Peregrine

Peregrine Falcon on the south-east and the south-west faces

of Magdalen Tower taken between 08:30-09:00 yesterday.  

All photos courtesy of Emanuela and James Owen.

Sonning Eye GPs: 8th February

8th February

Sonning Eye GPs
5 Black-necked Grebe: still in corner of pit past sailing club.
3 Goosander: 2m 1f. 10:00.

Hugh Netley

Eynsham: 8th February

3 or more hawfinch in (& flying between) various trees around Queen's Lane 13.20-13.30 - probably same one(s) seen at Tanner's Lane by Stephen Holmans at 12 noon.

Hawfinch from Velux window in our attic!

: 8th February

Tanners Lane, Eynsham
Hawfinch: fem. In flight and perched in top of garden tree. SP435095. 12:00.

Stephen Holmans

Otmoor.A.M. 8th February.

1 Brambling by feeders (h)
1 Raven (over calling)
Peregrine or Merlin (flying away with prey: D.D.)
1 Hen Harrier (north of reedbeds)
3 Marsh Harrier (reedbeds)
16+ Pintail (Big Otmoor)
3+ Water Rail (reedbeds).

Henley Road GPs: 8th February

Henley Road GPs
Smew: f. Red Head as per yesterday's report left hand corner seen from the road have your back to the first pylon and view through clearling in edge. Found by Bert May close views. 09:45.

Ralph Watts

Fyfield: 8th February

Fyfield
Barn Owl: Fresh road casualty A420 by Tubney turn. February is a nightmare for them every year for road kills.

Jed Cleeter

Otmoor.A.M. 7th February.

1 Hen Harrier
2 Marsh Harrier
1 Peregrine
5+ Stonechat
1 Nuthatch
1 Marsh Tit.
1 Treecreeper.

per  T.W.  P.R.  P.G.

Wendlebury 7th February

Barn owl flew across A41 just north of M40 junction at 06:00 (and nearly got cleaned out by car)

Standlake Pit 60: 7th February

Great White Egret: Flew south.

3 Oystercatcher: 1 on pit 60 itself 2 pit 38.

Water Rail: Heard.

Mick Cunningham

Otmoor Bullfinch

Male Bullfinch Otmoor RSPB

Courtesy of Andrew Marshall

Andrew Marshall Wildlife Photography

Northmoor GP: 7th February

Northmoor GP
31 Snipe: Flushed from flooded field.

Mick Cunningham

Harwell Lab: 7th February

  Brambling in with Chaffinch flock

Standlake Common: am 7th February

Pit 60

11 Egyptian Geese
Oystercatcher
3 Goldeneye
8 Pintail
Little Egret

Pit 27

5 Goosander

10 of 11

Henley Road GPs: 7th February

Redhead Smew at 10am this morning. There are a couple more pictures here.

West Oxon 6th February

Courtesy of P.W.

Black Redstart near Chipping Norton on private site and has been present for several days.
Access may be arranged if the bird is still present at the weekend.

(per Barry O'Brien)

Port Meadow: 6th February

Port Meadow
2 Redshank
6 Goosander

Adam Hartley

Farmoor Reservoir: 6th February

Farmoor Reservoir
Pochard: male. 15:00.
5 Goldeneye: 4 female, 1 male. 15:00.
3 Bullfinch: 2 male, 1 fem. 15:00.

Ton Yeh

Chimney: 6th February

Chimney
Barn Owl: Hunting at 4 50 pm definitely different from Yelford bird on plumage. Is there a vole shortage?.

Mick Cunningham

Yelford: 6th February

Yelford
Barn Owl: Hunting very actively at 4 15 pm. No gulls sadly.

Mick Cunningham

Northmoor Church 6th February

Hawfinch (1 in tree at back of churchyard at 11:30, 3 overhead at 12:25)

Magdalen Peregrines

2 Peregrines on Magdalen tower this morning as usual

per Thomas Miller

A329 near Moulsford: 6th February

A329 near Moulsford
Brambling: Fem forging on lawn (with at least 20 Chaffinches). SU5985. 08:15.

Mike Amphlett

5th February: Northmoor Churchyard

At least 4 Hawfinches present 10:30 - 11:30am. A few more pictures are here.

Blenheim Estate 5th February

Hawfinch between Woodstock gate and Severn Arches bridge
Little Egret
Shoveler 4
Kingfisher

(per Dave Doherty)

Woodstock Glyme Water Meadows 5th February

Great White Egret
Little Egret
Marsh Tit
Kingfisher

(per Dave Doherty)

January Highlights & News

Black-necked Grebes Sonning Eye GPs courtesy of The Gun-slinger.

Headline Birds

January can be a rather slow birding month but Oxfordshire seems to be bucking the trend. Following a cracking Little Bunting last January this year produced another genuine Oxford rarity in the form of a Green-winged Teal on Standlake's Pit 60 for two days. There was plenty of other good birding action to cheer up the short winter days with last years Kulmien's gull still around at Yelford at the beginning of the month, Red and Black-necked Grebes at Henley gravel pits, a Yellow-browed Warbler at Preston Crowmarsh, a Great Grey Shrike at Baulking Pit and a brief appearance by a Glossy Ibis near Carterton on the 18th.  All told not bad, not bad at all!

The Month In More Detail

Gull activity in January was good with the Yelford Kumlien’s Gull still present until the 4th and a probably at Baulking pit on the 20th. The taxonomy of the Kumlien’s Gull is still under debate with the majority seemingly in favour of an Iceland Gull subspecies and/or a hybrid between Iceland and the recently demoted Thayer’s Gull. There were  regular reports of roosting Iceland gulls from Farmoor and Caspian Gulls were at Farmoor on the 10th, 13th, 14th, 18th, 22nd , and 23rd, Yelford on the 24th and 28th, Port Meadow on the 14th and 16th and finally three at Didcot landfill on the 27th.

Iceland Gull Farmoor Reservoir courtesy of Nic Hallam.

Henley gravel pits provided some great grebe action with 5 Black-necked Grebes present between 18th to 29th  until the end of the month and a Red-necked Grebe from 18th to 25th although, sadly, the latter bird appeared to be injured.



Injured Red-necked Grebe Henley Road GPs courtesy of Badger.

For what was once a genuine rarity, Great White Egrets continued  their progressive UK colonisation with regular reports from Standlake Common and Woodstock during the month. Will this year be the year they bred in Oxfordshire?

Merlin Aston courtesy of Jeremy Dexter

Raptors were again well represented with regular reports of Merlin from Otmoor, Aston and other locations. Peregrines were similarly well represented with reports from Otmoor, Chinnor and other sites . A pair also appear to have taken up residence at Magdalen College .


Hen Harrier Otmoor courtesy of Tezzer.

The 2nd winter male Hen Harrier remained faithful to Otmoor throughout the month.

Great Grey Shrike Baulking Pit courtesy of Mark Merritt.

A Great Grey Shrike was a great find at Baulking Pit on the 28th with some speculation that this may be the returning bird from last winter.

A Green-winged Teal was a fantastic discovery at Standlakes Pit 60 reserve on the 15th and 16th and constitutes only the fifth Oxfordshire record and the first in nearly fifteen years.

2003 April (dk) on Otmoor RSPB
2002 10th April Dix Pit
2000 20th March Dix Pit male (possibly accompanied by a female)
1988 3rd-11th April Days Lock



Drake Green-winged Teal Pit 60 courtesy of Badger.

Beyond the Green-winged Teal that graced Standlake's Pit 60 on the 15th and 16th, other notable ducks include a Scaup on Farmoor on 6th and 19th and Dix’s pit on the 28th. A Mandarin was on Baulking Pit on the 4th. A red-head Smew was reported from Sonning Eye gravel pits on the 21st and 27th. A Whooper Swan was on Port Meadow on the 3rd.

Woodcock were very welcome finds on Otmoor on the 3rd and Port Meadow on the 9th. A Jack Snipe was reported from Sutton Courtenay on the 7th. Reports of this bird seem to be down on recent years.

Yellow-browed Warbler Preston Crowmarsh courtesy of Badger.

A Water Pipit was on Farmoor on the 6th and a presumed over wintering Yellow-browed Warbler was recorded at on Preston Crowmarsh from the 1st to the 3rd.

A very reasonable January and spring is but a month or so away!



The January highlights were compiled and written by Jim Hutchins.


News

5 Red Kites, 1 Buzzard & Raven found dead in suspicious circumstances in Oxfordshire.

Press article from the Oxford Mail.

A police investigation has been launched after five red kites, a raven and a buzzard were discovered dead in a village in Oxfordshire.

The birds were discovered by a family on Sunday, September 17, near the village of Pyrton,
on the edge of the Chilterns, who reported them to the RSPB.

All the birds were recovered and x-rayed by a local vet. The x-rays revealed no signs of shot.
However, the birds have now been sent off for toxicology testing by Natural England as part of the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS), to see if the birds have been poisoned.

All birds of prey and ravens are protected by UK law, making it illegal to kill or harm them. Those found to have done so could face six months in jail or an unlimited fine.

Thames Valley Police, Natural England and RSPB are now working together on a joint investigation and are appealing to the public for information.

If you have any information relating to this incident, call Thames Valley Police on 101.

With their six-foot wingspan, red kites are Britain’s third-largest bird of prey and feed mainly on carrion.
If you find a wild bird which you suspect has been illegally killed, contact RSPB Investigations on 01767 680551, email crime@rspb.org.uk or fill in the online form: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-campaigns/positions/wildbirdslaw/reportform.aspx

Otmoor.A.M. 5th February.

2 Brambling by Hide (per P.T.)
3 Marsh Harrier
1 Marsh Tit
6+ Pintail.

Bicester Wetland Reserve 5th February

1 Jack Snipe  (first of the winter on this site)
2 Snipe
200 plus Teal
16 Gadwall
8 Shoveler
4 Little Grebe
2 Tufted Duck
1 Heron
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Water Rail calling

Alan Peters and Bill Foley
Key Holder Reserve

Bicester: 5th February

Bicester
Hawfinch: Small park back of lyneham Road. 09:00.

John Gough

Farmoor Reservoir: Farmoor II: 4th February

Snow Goose: 60-70 including a few blue morphs on grass west side of f2.
Barn Owl: shrike meadow mainly and flew along river to pinkhill at dusk.
2 Water Rail: showing well under feeders by hide.
12 Siskin (8 females, 4 males) in trees left of shrike meadow hide.

Alan Horsley

Standlake: 4th February

Standlake
Little Egret: at Pit 26.
7 Goosander: 4 drk + 3 ducks. at Pit 60.
8 Goldeneye: 3 drk + 5 ducks. 2 pairs on 3T's Pit; male + 3 females on Pit 60.
3 Oystercatcher: pair at Pit 38; single at Pit 60.

Ian Elkins

Radley GP: 4th February

Radley GP
Little Egret
2 Egyptian Goose
Peregrine
9 Siskin
Water Rail: heard.

Ian Elkins

Otmoor 4th Feb

1 Hawfinch in Car park field

Ashgrave / July's meadow / Noke woods:
7 Yellowhammer
Sparrowhawk displaying above Noke woods
Nuthatch

Otmoor Hawfinch

Farmoor 4th Feb

Afternoon:

c80 Snow Geese
5 Goldeneye
c20 Tufted Duck
c10 Little Grebe

Snow Geese

Shotover, 3rd February

1 Hawfinch in the afternoon in Shotover at the southern edge of the wood near the ring road.

per Nick Boyd

Baulking Pit: 3rd February

Marsh Harrier (fem or imm)
3 Shelduck - all drakes
Y.L.Gull -2w
2 Snipe
Barn Owl

Influx of several hundred gulls at 17:30, too dark for resolution!

Barn Owl Farmoor Reservoir courtesy of John Workman.

Radley GP: 3rd February

Radley GP
7 Little Egret: in evening roost.
2 Egyptian Goose

Ian Elkins

Redpolls Kennington courtesy of Mark Chivers.

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake: 3rd February

Blenheim: Blenheim Lake
Great White Egret

Simon Myers

Pit 60: Saturday 3 Feb

1 Great White Egret
2 Goosander (pair)
1 Oystercatcher (sign of spring?!)
1 Cetti's Warbler
16+ Egyptian Geese
Wigeon, Teal etc

(Stephen Burch)

Dix Pit

15 Red-crested Pochard: about 15, 2 groups.

(Anthony Cheke)

Oystercatcher (c) Stephen Burch

Wigeon (c) Stephen Burch

Go to this page on my website for larger images

Otmoor 3rd February

Hawfinch
Carpark field 11 am by gate

(Bark)

3 Raven

Marsh Harrier: f.

(Anthony Cheke)

Stonechat Otmoor RSPB courtesy of Norman Smith.

: 3rd February

Barcote Cottages, near Littleworth
Lesser Redpoll: Pair seen at same location about noon 31 January. SU319972. 14:00.

Tony Hadland

Northmoor 3rd February

Hawfinch 3 (1m, 2f) mobile in area around churchyard, 11:50 - 12:10.  PL, TW

Ardington 3rd February

Hawfinch 10+ around Estate Office, 09:30
Greenfinch c40

: 1st February

Bicester village brook
Probable Little Egret: SP581219. 17:00.

Kevin Shelley

Port Meadow: 2nd February

Port Meadow
Black-tailed Godwit
8 Goosander
8 Pintail

Adam Hartley

Otmoor rspb. 2nd. February.

Peregrine.
Merlin.
Sparrowhawk.
3. Marsh Harrier.
2. Hen Harrier.  (both male)
Bittern.
Water Rail.
Cetti's Warbler.
Nuthatch.
Per.  A.L.  R.L.  T.S.  et al.

Hen Harrier.

Ardington 2nd February

Hawfinch (2;1 in churchyard, 1 in trees behind pub) 14-15:00

Old Caley's Diary

Standlake Pit 60 2nd February

Great White Egret 2 this morning (Per Brian Wyatt).

Key holder reserve.

Cholsey 2nd February

Mandarin on Thames north of Bow Bridge (Per Brian Wyatt).

Fyfield Wick: 2nd February

Fyfield Wick
Hawfinch: Landed on tree top. 07:50.

Jed Cleeter

Boarstall Decoy: 1st February

Boarstall Decoy
2 Woodcock

Colin Oram

Farmoor Roost - 1st February

Juvenile Iceland Gull sp. Maybe Kumlien's but miles away of course and no sight of an open wing....

Ardington 1st February

15:00-16:00

Hawfinch (2 possibly 3) in trees by church. Just 1 found feeding in yew tree but may have been more.

Old Caley's Diary

Otmoor.A.M. 1st February.

1 Peregrine (f)
2 Shelduck
23 Pochard
18 Snipe.

: 1st February

Ardington
20 Hawfinch: Minimum. Excellent views in churchyard. SU433883. 12:30.

Leo Bateman