• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Finding Gulls in Oxfordshire (1 Viewer)

Neil Morris

Neil Morris

Well-known member
I'd appreciate any guidance on where's best these days for finding gulls in Oxfordshire. Is it still possible to walk around Dix Pit, or would I be better off trying in the Didcot/Appleford area (and exactly where)?

I'm not looking for evening roosts, but daylight opportunities to get reasonably close views. Any advice on productive sites and access would be hugely welcome. Thanks,
 
Hi Neil,

Sorry no one has replied before.

You can still access Dix pit but it is not nearly as productive as it used to be, due to capping of the landfill and bird scaring being in operation at the tip.

The Appleford/Didcot birds are around the area of SU525928 There is often a large gull loafing area in the fields on the far side of the road and there is a bathing pool the other side of the level crossing.

The best place for gulls in Oxon is of course Farmoor reservoir. (Musoman I have never had a key for the hide either!)
 
Musoman said:
Farmoor is pretty good for Gulls, and Port Meadow too.

Dont worry about lack of replies - i asked months ago about never being able find the warden for the key to the bird hide at Farmoor, and still no one has replied ;)

http://www.farmoor-birding.com/

http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/PortMeadowBirding/
Click to expand...

Greatly appreciate the response, Musoman.

I can understand that advertising to the world one's local patch is a sensitive issue for many birders, and often for good reason. So maybe the lack of response is understandable. But Berks and Oxon were once excellent places to watch gulls and the demise of Dix Pit and Pingewood have lately rather limited the options.

Thanks again for your suggestions.
 
RobinD said:
Hi Neil,

Sorry no one has replied before.

You can still access Dix pit but it is not nearly as productive as it used to be, due to capping of the landfill and bird scaring being in operation at the tip.

The Appleford/Didcot birds are around the area of SU525928 There is often a large gull loafing area in the fields on the far side of the road and there is a bathing pool the other side of the level crossing.

The best place for gulls in Oxon is of course Farmoor reservoir. (Musoman I have never had a key for the hide either!)
Click to expand...

Thanks Robin. That's really helpful. Hopefully, I can give Appleford a go before the winter is out. Cheers!
 
RobinD said:
The best place for gulls in Oxon is of course Farmoor reservoir. (Musoman I have never had a key for the hide either!)
Click to expand...

I've had a reply from Nic at Farmoor Birding ( i emailed him about this ) and i was looking in the wrong hut apparently ;)

I had always thought the cabin / hut at the very entrance just off the main road , was where the key was, and to get a permit. But thats not the right cabin / hut
 
Last edited:
Neil Morris said:
Greatly appreciate the response, Musoman.

I can understand that advertising to the world one's local patch is a sensitive issue for many birders, and often for good reason. So maybe the lack of response is understandable. But Berks and Oxon were once excellent places to watch gulls and the demise of Dix Pit and Pingewood have lately rather limited the options.

Thanks again for your suggestions.
Click to expand...

Yes Neil, its possible thats why, but i would have thought birding was a community thing, and birders would be happy to tell other birders this sort of info, so bit of a mystery :eat:
 
No real secrets! There are just not many good sites for gulls atm. The best sites are the roosts, Farmoor, QMR, Moatlands etc. Many of the landfills have been capped so the numbers of gulls are greatly diminished. Hedgerley and Calvert landfills in Bucks can be productive but finding the loafing flocks is not too easy!
 
I will have to get out to Farmoor again soon. I love that place. Maybe this time try and get the key to the hide :t:

If you're planning a jaunt to Farmoor Robin, or Neil, PM me and perhaps we can meet up in the carpark, and nobble that warden for a key
 
Caspian gull in Farmoor roost sun and mon and 2 Appleford on sat.
2 Yellow legged gulls at Otmoor on Sunday.
Yellow legged gulls seem regular at ort Meadow pre roost gatherings.

Gareth
 
Last edited:
There's been a lot of gull activity at Appleford GPs, Farmoor and Port meadow recently. Not so much being reported from Dix pit.

So far a 2nd winter Glaucous gull, several Caspian gulls, Yellow legged gulls and a few Med gulls recently.

Gareth
 
Hi all. I am spending the summer in Oxford with a bicycle with lots of time on my hands. Very experienced birder and am wondering about resources/ groups and sites etc.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

E
Herring Gull or Caspian Gull 29-02024 NW England
Replies
6
Views
665
Joern Lehmhus
Joern Lehmhus
P
Reykjavik in April
Replies
2
Views
411
trw
T
Steve.Jonesy
Norway cruise
Replies
8
Views
1K
Dyrlege
D
C
Gull roost
Replies
3
Views
435
payaminotom
P
Stonefaction
Gull, Dundee, Scotland 16/7/23.
Replies
2
Views
664
Stonefaction
Stonefaction

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top