Oxfordshire birding (4 Viewers)

[gareth_blockley]

Afternoon all

Just catching up on stuff after a week in Morroco - if anyone is thinking of going I'd really recommend it but have much more then a week and don't get tied down to one area! Drinking tea with milk is a relief but not seeing/hearing loads of birds out of my windows isn't so good! I suppose it won't be long eh?

There has been a Great grey shrike near Wallingford and a Great white egret present at Otmoor.

Happy birding!

Gareth

 

[RobinD]

At Dix pit this lunchtime, redhead Smew and presumably on trip from Farmoor - GNDiver and pair of Scaup.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Some news of the last few days:
Bittern and Hen harrier still at Otmoor. 14+ Hawfinch still Bleinhiem. Ring necked parakeet seen at Cumnor (1st). 2 Scaup and a GNDiver still at Dix pitt.

Spring migrants have started to arrive in th UK, with Sand martin and Wheatear seen in Warks already.

Happy birding
Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Hi folks,

Seems like Farmoor is going through a massive 'dry' patch, unless anyone else knows of any birds being seen there?
Otmoor has Bittern and Hen harrier still with a supporting cast of 2 Whooper swans over the weekend. 5 Waxwings are still in the Oxford area, last report from Cowley on Friday. 2 Brambling were at Withymead NR, South Stoke - just one of very few reports this winter.

Hopefully people are starting to get excited with the anticipation of Spring arrivals - I know i am! Though i havn't been on the patch for weeks so there could be a lingering winter visitor waiting for me in the morning..

Gareth

 

[gnome]

Hi folks,

Seems like Farmoor is going through a massive 'dry' patch, unless anyone else knows of any birds being seen there?

I spoke to Nic Hallam who runs the Farmoor site recently and there is precious little to report. The two first winter scaup seem to be alternating between there and Dix Pit, the one remaining GND seems to be just at the latter site. There have been a few Med. Gulls seen in the Farmoor roost last week but the gulls scaring at Dix Pit and elsewhere has taken its toll on the numbers of large gulls roosting there with hardly any left.

Port Meadow has had a single oystercatcher pass through and a jack snipe on Burgess Field NR on Sunday. There are also a couple of shelduck about at present. The sand martins should arrive quite soon now so that'll be something to look forward to.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Spring migrants have arrived! 3 Sand martins seen yesturday at both Port meadow and Farmoor. An Avecet was also seen at Port meadow in the morning but evidently didn't stay very long.
The two Scaup are still at Dix pit.

My local wlalk produced a singing Chiffchaff - not to exciting but made me smile and filled me with anticipation. I also had a Lesser redpoll singing which I've only heard a couple of times before.

Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

I finally tracked down Cowley's Waxwings today. I saw them at c09:30 but didn't have my camera with me. Went back for an hour and a half in the afternoon but there was no sign of them. Will be interesting if they are still around tomorrow.

A little ringed plover at Farmoor today. Sandmartin's and Chiffchaffs showing up around Farmoor and 2 Iceland gulls in the roost on the 17th.

Gareth

 

[timmyjones]

Planning on going to Farmoor and for the Cowley waxwings any tips on access to these sites, especially Farmoor. Also which one is F1 and F2 at farmoor?

Thanks

 

[gareth_blockley]

Planning on going to Farmoor and for the Cowley waxwings any tips on access to these sites, especially Farmoor. Also which one is F1 and F2 at farmoor?

Thanks

For Farmoor see here http://www.farmoor-birding.com/ the home page gives you a map of the site. It is easy to find not far off the A34.

The waxwings at Cowley are here http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...archp=ids.srf&dn=768&ax=452922&ay=204290&lm=0.
Access isn't a problem as the birds are viewable from public areas but if you are driving there parking might be auklward.

HTH
Gareth

 

[Di Stone]

Stunning views of Red Kites from Watlington Hill this morning. I know the numbers are vast from the M40 but I don't think I've ever witnessed as many in a small air space as I did today.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Only just in Oxfordshire! http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=137506


A bit of belated news from my day out tuesday -
Blenheim - no sign of Hawfinches - anyone seen any recently? when do they leave the area?
Farmoor - lots of BH Gulls feeding on hatching flies but no Little gulls. Sand martins and chiiffchaffs present. Stonechat repoeted in Pinkhill.
Otmoor - 4 singing chiffchaffs, 2 redkites, 2 little egrets, 3 ruddy duck. No sign of the harriers or bittern.

Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Swallow reported Farmoor this morning and 2 at Dorchester: Days lock

Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Wheatear, 2 Swallow and a Stonechat at Farmoor today. Swallow, Ruff, 2 Little plover and 2+ White wagtail at Port meadow.
5 waxwings still in Cowley this morning too.

Cheers
Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Swallows have really made a push through in the last 24 hrs - I had 4 on my local reservoir, and c30 were at Farmoor with a Housemartin and c100 Sandmartin, 5 at Yarton and 3 at Rushy mead.
Pot meadow today had Ruddy shellduck of unknown origin, Peregrine, 4 Little plover, 2 Ringed plover, Ruff and White wagtails.
A drake Gargeney was at Otmoor in the flood field today - not a pair reported from the 1st screen.

Happy birding
Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Wheatear at Day's lock today. Waxwings still at Cowley - 2 and 4 have been reported.

Gareth

 

[RobinD]

Four Common Scoter on Farmoor 2 today. Also Little Gull amongst the masses of BGH (2000+), possibly more but I didn't have my scope

 

[gareth_blockley]

Four Common Scoter on Farmoor 2 today. Also Little Gull amongst the masses of BGH (2000+), possibly more but I didn't have my scope

Nice spot - is it 2 drakes and 2 ducks? 4+ Little gulls and a Kittiwake have been reported too.
An Iceland gull was in the farmoor roost on the 30th.

Port meadow - Osprey over on the 30th. 5 Little plover and a Ruff today.
Dix pit - 2 Scaup today.
Wantage - Osprey over on the 30th.
Cowley - Waxwings still - reports of 3 and 4 birds.


Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

Great northern diver and Iceland gull again at Farmoor.
Garganey still Otmoor yesturday. Hen harrier, Marsh harrier, Merlin and a Willow warbler singing there today.
4 Waxwings still Cowley.
Blackcap singing Radley GPs.

Happy birding!

Gareth

 

[gareth_blockley]

In the last few days more birds have arrived - Willow warblers, Blackcaps, Yellow wagtail, White wagtail and Little plovers all seen by me in the banbury area.

Otmoor has had its first Sedge warbler today, Farmoor has had more little gulls and a Water pipit through staying a couple of days and an Iceland gull still around using Sutton courteney and Farmoor.

Happy birding
Gareth

 

[jimmyg]

I'm back home in Norfolk at the moment (it seems like I would be doing better watching Port Meadow!), and was very interested to see a report of Citrine Wagtail at Draycote. I know there's no chance of it staying 'til I get back to Oxford in a couple of weeks time, but all the same I'd be interested to know anything more about this bird if anybody has any info...?