Oxfordshire birding (1 Viewer)

[gareth_blockley]

May be worth taking not that the Port meadow blog has changed host (http://oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-site-for-port-meadow-birding.html)


I have also been rooting around for some old county publications and found these two:
The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up

and A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
http://www.archive.org/stream/alistbirdsbanbu00apligoog#page/n6/mode/2up


Two great reads giving an insight into the way naturalist recorded birds of that time and the difference in birds from then to now. I believe The Birds of Oxfordshire was actually the first publication to attempt to list the birds recorded in the county.

Gareth

 

[gnome]

May be worth taking not that the Port meadow blog has changed host (http://oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-site-for-port-meadow-birding.html)


I have also been rooting around for some old county publications and found these two:
The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up

and A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
http://www.archive.org/stream/alistbirdsbanbu00apligoog#page/n6/mode/2up


Two great reads giving an insight into the way naturalist recorded birds of that time and the difference in birds from then to now. I believe The Birds of Oxfordshire was actually the first publication to attempt to list the birds recorded in the county.

Gareth

Great stuff Gareth! It's interesting how the standard solution to identification issues back then was to shoot the poor bird!

 

[senatore]

I went to Watlington Common on Monday morning to get some shots of the Red Kites but I struggled to see one.

A couple of previous visits in recent years I had been lucky enough to find loads of them all over the Common but this visit found them very thin on the ground.I wondered if I was unlucky or are they now not so numerous in the area.

Max.

 

[gnome]

I went to Watlington Common on Monday morning to get some shots of the Red Kites but I struggled to see one.

A couple of previous visits in recent years I had been lucky enough to find loads of them all over the Common but this visit found them very thin on the ground.I wondered if I was unlucky or are they now not so numerous in the area.

Max.

I think that red kites are ever-increasing in the wider area around here and are breeding successfully as well. It's possible that they may spend less time at Watlington at certain times of year or something.

 

[senatore]

I think that red kites are ever-increasing in the wider area around here and are breeding successfully as well. It's possible that they may spend less time at Watlington at certain times of year or something.

Thanks.

Max

 

[Phil Andrews]

May be worth taking not that the Port meadow blog has changed host (http://oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-site-for-port-meadow-birding.html)


I have also been rooting around for some old county publications and found these two:
The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up

and A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
A list of the birds of the Banbury district, by F.C., B. D'O. and O.V. Aplin can be read online here:
http://www.archive.org/stream/alistbirdsbanbu00apligoog#page/n6/mode/2up


Two great reads giving an insight into the way naturalist recorded birds of that time and the difference in birds from then to now. I believe The Birds of Oxfordshire was actually the first publication to attempt to list the birds recorded in the county.

Gareth

A fascinating read of what used to occur in yesteryear, particularly regarding the breeding status and range of certain species eg Wryneck, Black Grouse. Love the antiquated names - Fire-crested Wren, Rose-coloured Pastor etc.

The glossary of local names at the rear is a delight with its Nettlecreepers, Little Hickle, Fiery Red-tail, Featherbed etc.

Intrigued by the Hemipode record - perhaps Oxfordshire has its own "Hastings" case?

 

[Mari E]

Hi everyone,
I've now permanently moved back to Japan, so just wanted to thank everyone for being friendly and helpful both online and in the field. It's typical that as soon as I leave the autumn migration kicks in! I'll be birding in Japan and will still be around on birdforum

Mari E

 

[gnome]

Hi everyone,
I've now permanently moved back to Japan, so just wanted to thank everyone for being friendly and helpful both online and in the field. It's typical that as soon as I leave the autumn migration kicks in! I'll be birding in Japan and will still be around on birdforum

Mari E

Hi Mari,

Good luck in Japan, it was nice having you around the Oxon birding scene.

Adam

 

[jimmyg]

Hi everyone,
I've now permanently moved back to Japan, so just wanted to thank everyone for being friendly and helpful both online and in the field. It's typical that as soon as I leave the autumn migration kicks in! I'll be birding in Japan and will still be around on birdforum

Mari E

Glad you enjoyed it Mari, nice to have met you before you left.

I've also left the Oxford birding scene, though I'm now in Norfolk rather than Japan, and would like to echo Mari - thanks so much for a great 3 years birding!

 

[gareth_blockley]

I go away for a week and passage in Oxfordshire really kicks in, heaps of chats, waders and terns moving through along with wagtails and warblers. Even got gripped off by a mate from on local patch!

Hopefully I'll find something to make up for it in the morning.

Gareth

 

[gnome]

Happy New Year!

It's been so quiet here for such a long time that I thought that I would post something just to keep things ticking over. It used to be a nice (albeit small) birding community here.

Anyway, for those who haven't already seen it, the Oxon County 2011 Birding Review video has finally been finished and can be seen here

Elsewhere in the county at present: the GN Diver is still around at Farmoor and a Slav Grebe has been seen there also though not yesterday. I managed a Raven at Port Meadow yesterday which was a new patch tick for me.

As usual you can keep up with daily county bird news via the Oxon Bird Log.

Adam

 

[gareth_blockley]

Happy New Year!

It's been so quiet here for such a long time that I thought that I would post something just to keep things ticking over. It used to be a nice (albeit small) birding community here.

Anyway, for those who haven't already seen it, the Oxon County 2011 Birding Review video has finally been finished and can be seen here

Elsewhere in the county at present: the GN Diver is still around at Farmoor and a Slav Grebe has been seen there also though not yesterday. I managed a Raven at Port Meadow yesterday which was a new patch tick for me.

As usual you can keep up with daily county bird news via the Oxon Bird Log.

Adam

I've been thinking about resurecting the thread recently. It seemed for so long I was the only person posting, than as a few people were joining in I gave up! I'll try to keep it going. There is actually a fair few Oxon birders on here but very few contribute to the thread - maybe they need an incentive..

The 2011 round up video is a cracking reminder of the year's birding. Some great photographs of some of the rarest birds in the county last year and some fine photos of commoner but scarce species too.

Gareth

 

[gnome]

Bit of a purple patch in the county at present with two rather unseasonal birds: a grey phalarope at Farmoor and now a Temminck's stint at Rushey common. Whatever next?

 

[gnome]

Whatever next?

The answer is a whitethroat at Cuddesdon in January!

 

[swiss7]

Great day's birding in Oxfordshire today, albeit a rather grey one! We decided to visit Sonning Eye GPs after some nice birds reported, and quite easily found both Smew (inc. one drake) and Bittern walking on the ice. On the way back to Oxford we drove through some of the back roads and managed to finally find some Grey partridges just on dusk. Three great birds and three that I've been hoping to catch up with for some time now.

 

[alex berryman]

Where's the best place to see the smew at Sonning Eye GP, where to park and walk etc.?

 

[gnome]

Where's the best place to see the smew at Sonning Eye GP, where to park and walk etc.?

Hi Alex,

Sonning Eye GP is here. If you park in the side street indicated you can walk through to the gravel pit. You can't see all of the pit and visibility is restricted in places due to trees etc. but you can view a fair bit. A scope is a good idea as the birds can often be rather distant.

HTH & Good luck!

Adam

 

[gnome]

The spring Mediterranean gull passage is now well underway with one bird two days ago and three yesterday all on Port Meadow. They all tend to be adult birds is full or nearly full summer plumage. Well worth looking out for!

 

[gnome]

A marked common gull passage through the county at present. Worth checking through them for ring-billed gulls!

 

[gnome]

The first spring migrants are now in: sand martins a couple of days ago and a little ringed plover on Port Meadow this evening.