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Oxfordshire birding (1 Viewer)

Wednesday 19th there was a bewick's swan at Chimney meadows which meant we had all 3 Swan species in the county at the same time!
A Little egret still at Ewelme cress beds.
The Water pipit still at Farmoor with a Red-breasted merganser, 8 pintail, 30+ Goldeneye and a Common sandpiper.

Gareth
 
Caspian gull around Dix pit, Water pipit still at farmoor and surprisingly the Bearded tit still (same one?), Winter finches from Withymead NR, Merlin from North stoke, Bewicks swan still at Chimney meadows.

Merry christmas everyone!

Gareth
 

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Dix pit has had the Thayer's or Kumlien's gull, Iceland gull, Glaucous gull and Caspian gull today.
A flock of 20 Brambling still at Withymead NR and a Woodcock today and Red kite seen at Otmoor RSPB.
Yesturday a male Blackcap at Cowley and Water pipit still at Farmoor.

Gareth
 
Hi all, I've just joined up and thought that I would chip in for Gareth who's seems to be doing a splendid job on this thread.

Today there were the following reports from the OOS web-site (www.oos.org.uk):
Otmoor: 5 white-fronted and 1 pink-footed geese.
Port Meadow: 5 Dunlin, 3 ruff, 5 redshank and 1 black-tailed godwit
Shrivenham: 1 female goshawk
Farmoor: 1 common sandpiper, 7 siskin, 1 male pintail, 6+ Little Grebe.

My own comments: It's been rather quiet on Farmoor recently with no updates on the Farmoor web-site since the 21st. Port Meadow (which is my local patch) is great at the moment as a lot of the flood water is starting to dry out leaving almost mud flats for the waders. There's also quite a large gull roost there in the evening.
 
gnome said:
Hi all, I've just joined up and thought that I would chip in for Gareth who's seems to be doing a splendid job on this thread.

Today there were the following reports from the OOS web-site (www.oos.org.uk):
Otmoor: 5 white-fronted and 1 pink-footed geese.
Port Meadow: 5 Dunlin, 3 ruff, 5 redshank and 1 black-tailed godwit
Shrivenham: 1 female goshawk
Farmoor: 1 common sandpiper, 7 siskin, 1 male pintail, 6+ Little Grebe.

My own comments: It's been rather quiet on Farmoor recently with no updates on the Farmoor web-site since the 21st. Port Meadow (which is my local patch) is great at the moment as a lot of the flood water is starting to dry out leaving almost mud flats for the waders. There's also quite a large gull roost there in the evening.
Click to expand...


Thanks, i don't suppose your Stephen off the Yahoo group are you?

I really should spend more time further south, i tend to stick to banbury more recently. Maybe a trip to Aston rowant to see if there are any brambling about.

A few more birds to ad to the list:
Chimney meadows: 2 Goosander, 2 Stonechat and a Marsh tit.
Ewelme cress beds: Little egret.

Gareth
 
Happy New Year to all!

I went up to Draycote Water today - I know it's Warkwickshire rather than Oxon but it's not too far away. I managed to see the Lesser Scaup which was a first for me but there was no sign of the Smew.

The Farmoor site has posted again: water pipit on the causeway, the bearded tit in Shrike Meadow and a Jack Snipe where the main interests.

On OOS: the Bewicks swan is still at Chimney today. Yesterday someone posted a very extensive list for Farmoor (probably kicking off their year list) including a Water Rail, the Bearded Tit and a Peregrine.

BirdGuides: The White-fronted geese still at Otmoor and 3 Caspian gulls at Dix pit.
 
There is a ringtail Hen Harrier flitting between Berks and Oxon at Bury Down, just north of West Ilsley. I manage to get great views this morning, at the third attempt. There are SE Owls nearby as well.

ATB

Robin
 
Thanks for the input guys it makes a change!
The yahoo group hasn't had a lot going on recently but hopefully a recent spell of goodies will get some chatter going.

Bramblings and Lesser redpoll again today at Withymead NR.

Happy new year everyone

Gareth
 
Had a quick wander round the Uni Parks yesterday afternoon... plenty of Redwings and Long-tailed tits. Off to Farmoor tomorrow morning; will report back.

Stephen (from the yahoo group)
 
Spent morning at Farmoor... Many of the usual suspects - Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Pintail, Goldeneye, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare , Grey Wagtail, Buzzard, Kestrel, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Great Crested Grebe. Saw the famous Water Pipit also. Oh, and we spied at a distance 3 or 4 (suspected) Yellowhammers while waiting for the bus.

All in all, not a bad way to spend a few hours.
 
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Around Oxford today

M40: Big flock of c.200 Golden plover and even more Lapwing near jnc9.

Farmoor: Started on the countryside walk south of F2 and got several Bullfinchs, Marsh tit, Goldcrests, Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Great spotted woodpecker and 4 Snipe over. Lots of Reed buntings the odd yellowhammer and winter thrushs around buckthorn meadow. Water pipit and grey wagtails along the causeway. Very few wildfowl around and disapointingly no sign of the Bearded tit though it had been heard early am.

Dix pit: Gulls aren't my thing but i'm determined to learn them and as it's such a good site it'd be rude not to go! I need to check through some photos but i'm confident i saw the putative Thayer's/Kumliens gull, at least one Caspian gull (adult), 3+ Yellow-legged gulls (ad), and all the commoner species. No Red-crested pochard seen.

Stanton harcourt: Female sparrowhawk gliding slowly over.

Port meadow: It had just started pelting down when i got here so just a quick look. None of the waders reported seen. c.500 Golden plover. Good numbers of wildfowl with mostly Wigeon and Shoveller with Gadwall, Teal and c.20 Pintail.

Otmoor: 5 Eurasion White-fronted geese and Pink-footed goose. These are easily veiwed from the bridle way from Noke towards the reserve.

Gareth
 
I went down to Bury down,berks today. The Ringtail was seen coming form Oxon border over the ridge, though not by me! Great veiws of SEO's and Cornbunting :t:

Seen elsewhere in Oxon today:
Otmoor - 5/6 WFGeese + PFooted, Ringtail and 2 Merlin
Port meadow - Iceland gull all day
Bladon a44 roundabout - Flock of 70+ Linnits with 2 Brambling
Chimney meadows - Bewick's swan

on the 5th c30 Brambling at Oxford airport of northern side near roundabout for Woodstock

on the 4th Whooper swan over Port meadow.


Gareth
 
Woke up early yesterday and the rest of the family were asleep so I nipped down to Port Meadow for a quick look. I caught the tail-end of the roost leaving so all the usual gulls: BHG, LBBG, GBBG, HG. Thought I saw a possible juv. Caspian though the subtleties of ID'ing this cf. a juv. Yellow-Legged is beyond me. There were the usual ducks (widgeon, shovler, teal and pintail) though I didn't see any Gadwall which I'd seen on New Year's Day. Plenty of lapwings and golden plover as well. There were also some probable ruff about though at the limit of my primitive scope's range. Fortunately at that point a more experienced and very helpful birder turned up with his super scope and quickly confirmed the ruff and added some Dunlin. He also then spotted an Iceland Gull amongst a flock of BHG which I'd missed which was a nice find.

Not bad for about half an hour!
 
gnome said:
Woke up early yesterday and the rest of the family were asleep so I nipped down to Port Meadow for a quick look. I caught the tail-end of the roost leaving so all the usual gulls: BHG, LBBG, GBBG, HG. Thought I saw a possible juv. Caspian though the subtleties of ID'ing this cf. a juv. Yellow-Legged is beyond me. There were the usual ducks (widgeon, shovler, teal and pintail) though I didn't see any Gadwall which I'd seen on New Year's Day. Plenty of lapwings and golden plover as well. There were also some probable ruff about though at the limit of my primitive scope's range. Fortunately at that point a more experienced and very helpful birder turned up with his super scope and quickly confirmed the ruff and added some Dunlin. He also then spotted an Iceland Gull amongst a flock of BHG which I'd missed which was a nice find.

Not bad for about half an hour!
Click to expand...

nice one on the iceland, they are sometimes easily missed surprisingly!

i obviously missed the Ruff and Dunlin on Saturday... Nevermind there'll be another day

Gareth
 
Drake Lesser Scaup still between Sutton Courtnay and Appleford. Floods between SC and Drayton have a few Teal, WIgeon and Shoveller pus the usual Buzzard.
 
The Lesser scaup and Bewicks swan still showing well. The Iceland gull spent the day at Port meadow on tuesday and 2 Ruff. Caspian gulls regular at Dix pix and Glaucous on thursday and 11 Red-crested pochard today. The geese at Otmoor last reported on tuesday.

Had a Peregrine over banbury yesturday. I'm sure there's one roosting somewhere but i'm yet to see where.

Gareth
 
Went down to Dix Pit this afternoon: saw 11 Red-crested Pochards and also a first winter Caspian Gull. Also managed to see the Bewick's swan which is still showing well at Chimney.
 
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