Oxon Birding Weblog: August Evaluate

What a distinction a month makes! It’s secure to say that patch and native birding is again in full swing with a number of waders making their method via the county’s waterbodies, floods, and muddy swimming pools. Passerines are also trickling via with the autumns first Wheatear beginning to transfer via Oxfordshire’s borders too. August has seen 4 species added to the county yr listing which now stands at 181 with an additional 17 subspecies, non-BOU species and ferals additionally noticed throughout the county in 2024. One extraordinarily miserable notable absence from the yr listing in 2024 is the shortage of any Turtle Dove information, a species that has been hanging on by thread within the county for a number of years now and one which we might have misplaced altogether as a breeding species.

The spotlight of the month, sadly, was a chook not seen by the broader birding neighborhood this month. A feminine Montagu’s Harrier was current for a interval at the start of the month within the south of the county. Given the breeding standing of the species within the UK, with no confirmed breeding within the final two years, and given it was in appropriate breeding habitat on the proper time of yr it was thought of essential to withhold the document from the broader public. This coupled with it being on non-public land meant there was just one wise choice. The 2nd calendar yr feminine was curiously color ringed with a German ring and was ringed in 2023, presumably on the nest, though particulars haven’t been forthcoming from the scheme as of but. Montagu’s Harrier has a particular place in Oxon birding lore with the species having bred efficiently between 1999 and 2013, earlier than, been misplaced as breeding species altogether from throughout the nation over the next decade. A superb write up of the fortunes and breeding behaviour of Montagu’s Harrier in Oxfordshire might be discovered within the 2018 Birds of Oxfordshire Annual report. With the final two years producing information of the species in the course of the breeding season, one can solely hope that we have now not seen the final of Montagu’s Harrier as a breeding species within the county simply but.

Montagu’s Harrier

Montagu’s Harrier

Montagu’s Harrier

The Montagu’s Harrier

Waders

The spotlight of the month got here within the type of one among our most wanted autumn waders – a Little Stint. A single chook was current on Farmoor causeway on the morning of the nineteenth. Sadly, with information sluggish to get out and the chook leaving by the afternoon this chook wasn’t loved by many birders who frequent the location presently of yr. 

The Farmoor Little Stint courtesy of Dave Murphy

One species that was loved by the numerous this month was Wooden Sandpiper. With 4 websites recording birds and with an honest unfold throughout the county, loads loved this enigmatic little Tringa. Ardley ERF was the primary web site to host the species this month with one current on the tenth. This was swiftly adopted by 2 at Days Lock on the 12th and single chook at Pit 60 on the 15th, the latter having already hosted a chook final month. Peep-o-Day Lane, nonetheless, proved essentially the most enticing web site with it internet hosting a chook from the 17th till at the least the 26th – ample alternative to be loved by loads of people.

Wooden Sandpiper Days Lock courtesy of Geoff Wyatt

Pit 60 Wooden Sandpiper courtesy of Mick Cunningham

The month produced three information of Turnstone, all from Farmoor, on the 1st, 14th and 19th though it wasn’t clear if these had been all totally different birds or the identical chook hanging across the concrete bowl for a number of weeks. Sanderling, nonetheless, had been a lot simpler to trace the turnover of birds transferring via with birds sometimes in all ranges of moult and plumage. Seven information had been produced, sometimes all from Farmoor, with a max depend of 10 birds on the 25th. Henley Street GPs offered the one document of Whimbrel in August on 24th, with absolutely loads extra to comply with in September. Greenshank had been recorded from 5 websites. Farmoor produced essentially the most information with 4 information and a max depend of two on 18th. Chipping Norton (10th), Bicester (14th), Pit 60 (17th) and North Cross Valley (26th) had been the opposite websites to supply information. Black-tailed Godwit was current at just one web site with a single moulting chook at Peep-o-Day Lane on the 23rd till the 26th, likewise Ruff was reported from a single web site with Chipping Norton internet hosting a chook on the 14th. Ringed Plover information got here from two websites – Ardley ERF on the 9th and the 24th while Farmoor hosted birds from 14th via to 25th.

Farmoor Turnstone courtesy of Bryan Manston

Dunlin had been, sometimes, recorded ceaselessly from Farmoor all through the month. A most depend of 5 got here on the 25th with birds reported throughout eight days within the August. Ardley ERF & Peep-o-Day Lane had been the one different websites which produced information this month with singles right here on the 9th and 27th respectively. Six websites hosted Inexperienced Sandpiper this month with a excessive depend of 15 coming from Peep-o-Day Lane on the 25th, while six websites additionally hosted Widespread Sandpiper with Farmoor & Peep-o-Day Lane the one websites internet hosting multiple chook.

Wildfowl & Recreation and many others

An anticipated quiet interval for this group with essentially the most notable chook been a lone Ruddy Shelduck current at Peep-o-Day Lane 5th till at the least the 14th, associating with the native Egyptian Goose flock in that point. Garganey information had been few and much between with the lengthy staying moulting male nonetheless current at Pit 60 this month, albeit sporadically between the threerd and 18th. An attention-grabbing document of three flying into roost at Chipping Norton on the 18th. Mandarin had been the one different notable species this month with three websites recording single birds – Chipping Norton (2nd), Waterstock (4th) and Sonning Eye GPs (15th).

Herons, egrets and many others

The tip of the month produced the primary correct twitchable rarity of the Autumn. and would have been the spotlight of the month, had it not been for a sure Monty’s elsewhere within the county. A Shag current on Farmoor on the 30th after the fog had cleared was the primary to grace the county since 2021. August and early September are the basic time to log this species within the county with a lot of the final 20 years of information coming on this interval. While most birds away from Farmoor are typically brief stayers, birds at Farmoor tend to hold round for a couple of days if not weeks, presumably the presence of Cormorant, loads of meals and classically brutal climate makes them really feel extra at dwelling! This chook was nonetheless current by 31st and appears to set to have an prolonged keep throughout the county.

Farmoor Shag, courtesy of Steve Liptrot

Talking of prolonged stays, the Shiny Ibis at Otmoor continued its summer time vacation on the location. Largely reported coming into roost with the varied Egrets and different Wildfowl throughout night vigils the chook was nonetheless current on the finish of the month. 

The Otmoor Shiny Ibis courtesy of Steve Lavington

Shiny Ibis  Courtesy of Trish’s Nature Pix.

Cattle Egret numbers had been an enormous spotlight this month with the put up breeding flock taking to Otmoor this yr as a substitute of the fields of Farmoor village round Wytham Wooden. Counts of feeding flocks remained round 30-40 birds for a lot of the month, which in of itself would have been unheard only some years in the past. A large depend, nonetheless, of 62 coming into roost on the 24th was one thing else! Clearly breeding yr has been had by the species, though not all will probably be birds from our native breeders, and presumably one of many highest counts of birds exterior of Somerset? One other 5 websites reported birds, all within the west of the county apart from Port Meadow on the 29th. Birds had been reportedly nonetheless on nests on the 11th at Blenheim with Farmoor, Wytham and Woodstock all hosted birds sporadically.

Otmoor Cattle Egret courtesy of Steve Lavington

A grand complete of 9 websites hosted Nice White Egret this month. Most information got here from Otmoor, a web site that’s more and more sounding like a wetland within the Med. A county document of 10 birds had been current on 24th, though 2 -5 birds had been extra generally recorded. 

ADC Otmoor rspb courtesy of Malcolm Bowey

A color ringed chook (ADC) has been current on Otmoor for a while and was ringed down in Somerset the earlier yr, it has frolicked in Northants, Herts and Bucks in addition to Slimbridge early this yr see beneath. 

-Summer time Leys LNR, Northants eighth September 2023
-Wilstone Reservoir Tring, Herts seventeenth September 2023
-Willen Lake North, Milton Keynes, Bucks ninth March 2024
-Tack Lake, Slimbridge twenty fourth Might 2024

ADC is a feminine and was ringed on the nest on eighth June 2023 on the rspb Ham Wall Reserve

ADC as a chick.

One other color ringed particular person (AFT) was additionally current on Cassington GPs on the 4th. This chook was ringed as a chick on the twenty ninth of April 2024, a feminine and likewise from the rspb Ham Wall reserve in Somerset. This was its first sighting since leaving the county and was within the firm of 4 different people on web site. 

ATF Cassington GPs courtesy of Terry Godfrey

ATF as a chick on the Ham Wall rspb Reserve

For extra data relating to these lovely birds and their standing see Alison Morgan Birds of the Somerset Ranges and Moors

Pit 60 additionally hosted 5 GWE sporadically all through August with Radley GPs the one different web site to host multiple chook this month.

Passerines

In what would of have been a highly regarded chook had it been current throughout waking hours, a flyover Nightjar on the night of the 18th at Eynsham was the primary document of this species for quite a few years. Though the nocturnal and cryptic nature of the species in all probability belies its true standing throughout migration, Nightjar continues to be a significant county rarity. The illustrate the purpose, there are lots of of us which have Widespread Nighthawk in Oxfordshire however have but to see Nightjar! The wait continues!

Kingfisher courtesy of Jason Hornblow

Whinchat began transferring via the county in larger quantity this month with 9 websites reporting birds. Wytham had the very best depend of 5 on the 18th, though a number of websites hosted a number of birds. Chipping Norton had as much as 2 birds between 4th and 24th, while Waterstock and Otmoor hosted 2 and three birds on the 4th and 16th respectively. Lollingdon Hill had a single chook current on the very finish of the month. Unbelievably the primary Wheatear of the autumn got here from Oxford on the 18th, with a chook feeding on the roof of the Churchill Hospital of all locations! This was adopted by information at an additional 5 websites with most of those been confined to the Oxon Downs, with the biggest depend of three coming from Lollingdon Hill on the 31st.

Whinchat courtesy of Dave Murphy

Redstart had been the most typical and widespread of the migrant passerines this month with at the least 11 websites reporting birds. As with the earlier two species the vast majority of the information got here from websites on the Oxon Downs, with Aston Upthorpe recorded essentially the most with 4 people on the 23rd. Farmoor was the one web site that reported a number of birds exterior of the Downs with two current right here on and off between the 4th and 26th. The common roost vigil at Otmoor for the varied Egrets & Herons counts additionally produced a cracking document of at the least 276(!) Yellow Wagtail coming into roost on the 27th, one can solely think about the sound!

Stonesfield Widespread Redstart courtesy of Paul Wren

Gulls and Terns

The tip of the month produced by far the biggest number of species and information with the sooner a part of August been deathly quiet. A single juvenile Little Gull was a pleasant approach to the tip of the month with a chook at Farmoor on the 31st. Black Tern had been current at each ends of the month with a juvenile on Farmoor on the 1st, 5 at Cassington GPs on the 12th and one other juvenile at Sonning Eye GPs on the 31st.

The Farmoor juvenile Little Gull courtesy of Steve Willis

Farmoor was persistently the location to be for the rarer and Gulls and Terns, because it usually is, with 3 Sandwich Tern current on the 25th together with a lone Arctic Tern. All had departed by the next day, though a single Sandwich Tern was as current on Farmoor on the 30th.

Sandwich Terns and Arctic Tern at Farmoor courtesy of Steve Sansom

Caspian Gull continued to hold on within the county, with the inevitable inflow because of come over the following few weeks and months. Single birds had been current at Farmoor and Appleford within the 28th.

A juvenile Caspian Gull courtesy of Ian Lewington

A Baltic Gull was temporary customer to Didcot Landfill on the 23rd and sadly didn’t reappear in what’s changing into, or already was, an everyday customer to the county. A single Mediterranean Gull at Pit 60 was the one document of the species in August on the 25th.

A possible Baltic Gull at Didcot landfill briefly courtesy of Ian Lewington

Raptors

Osprey information got here from three websites this month with Otmoor this primary to get in on the motion on the threerd. An unconfirmed report got here from Abingdon the next day, in what might have been the earlier days chook following the Thames south. Farmoor additionally bought in on the motion with chook current on the 27th. Honey Buzzard are sometimes and frustratingly both temporary, unconfirmed or probables, and this month proved no totally different with a possible over Dix Pit on the tenth.

The highly regarded pale Marsh Harrier younger continued to please admirers from close to and afar at Otmoor till at the least the 17th. Given the plumage it was all the time going to be pretty easy in monitoring these distinctive birds. Certainly one of them was seen north of Otmoor at Lillbourne Meadows in Northants the next day earlier than seemingly bombing it proper via to Willow Tree Fen in Lincolnshire in a while the 18th. It has seemingly remained within the space of the character reserve ever since. 

The twond chook moved rather less far with it delighting the numerous birders and photographers at Slimbridge from the 18th onwards. After this it seems to have headed somewhat additional south to Catcott on the Somerset Ranges by the 26th August. Let’s hope the birds proceed to outlive via the autumn into the winter and delight many extra observers but!

Above and beneath taken at Slimbridge and are courtesy of Blair Jones

Courtesy of Blair Jones

Patchwork problem

The Picture Of The Month

This nice photograph by Steve Lavington of a number of Otmoor Egrets coming into roost was unanimously voted PotM by the weblog committee.

Otmoor Egrets courtesy of Steve Lavington