Birds
A bitterly cold day with north-east breezes under sunshine/light cloud
Waders sheltering below South basin Res wall in the main.
Jack Snipe 1
Knot 1
Redshank 3
Sanderling 4
Dunlin total of 19 in main groups of 13, 2, 2, 1 & 1
Linnet flock of c50 at NW of North basin (No1)
Good numbers of Thrushes reported by other birders, mainly in riverside hedges to south of Pink Hill reserve. Also observed at north end, near housing, in company of Starlings, finches (including Goldfinch) Blue Tits and dark Buzzard, where the sheltered 'valley' was positively tropical by comparison with Res wall road!
No sign of GN Diver, BN Grebe or Med Gull in 5 hours. But 3 Goosander and various Goldeneye and other duck keeping close to wall shelter put in a good appearance.
Gull roost built on both basins included: 12x adult and 1x 3rdW Yellow-legged Gulls by 4.30pm Very tame Plastic ringed N20 Dunlin details sent to Wader Study Group for more information. Possibly one of the shorter billed races from this pic!!
- Farmoor - Sunday Roost
4.50-6.30pm. Light not good for distinguishing gulls (sharp light plus some initial air shimmer over water). Very noticeable increase in large gull numbers, since last few visits and large gulls still arriving at 6.25. Med Gull 1 adult seen when it flew...
- December Highlights
Iceland Gull by Andy Last Once again the concrete basin took most of the limelight this month and once again it involved a pelagic county mega; also a potential first for Britain but only a second for Oxon stopped off at nearby Stanton...
- Radley Lakes- 6th January
(c) Badger Smew (redhead) still there at 10:30. View for approximately 30 seconds before being lost to view in the overhanging vegetation. Viewed from the viewing platform- it was by the third island group to the north (of the four main island groups),...
- Catch Up
Thursday 3oth Dec 2.35pm Single Egyptian Goose flying south, before descending clockwise to the Thames between South Stoke and Goring.3pm White-fronted Geese flock in field north of South Stoke village, between B4009 and Railway line. 4pm Benson Lock:...
- Farmoor Res Sun 5th Dec 2010
SOUTH BASIN (F2) ONLY 1.15-4.30pm GN Diver: mid east side at 2.30 making way to NE corner by around 3.30pm Kingfisher: 1 landed on railings by octagonal tower at 2.43GC Grebe: 52 counted at 2.45 Little Grebe: 4 east; 2 south; 4 SW Goldeneye: 14f, 4m...
Birds
Farmoor Reservoir Wed 1st December 2010
A bitterly cold day with north-east breezes under sunshine/light cloud
Waders sheltering below South basin Res wall in the main.
Jack Snipe 1
Knot 1
Redshank 3
Sanderling 4
Dunlin total of 19 in main groups of 13, 2, 2, 1 & 1
Linnet flock of c50 at NW of North basin (No1)
Good numbers of Thrushes reported by other birders, mainly in riverside hedges to south of Pink Hill reserve. Also observed at north end, near housing, in company of Starlings, finches (including Goldfinch) Blue Tits and dark Buzzard, where the sheltered 'valley' was positively tropical by comparison with Res wall road!
No sign of GN Diver, BN Grebe or Med Gull in 5 hours. But 3 Goosander and various Goldeneye and other duck keeping close to wall shelter put in a good appearance.
Gull roost built on both basins included: 12x adult and 1x 3rdW Yellow-legged Gulls by 4.30pm Very tame Plastic ringed N20 Dunlin details sent to Wader Study Group for more information. Possibly one of the shorter billed races from this pic!!
- Farmoor - Sunday Roost
4.50-6.30pm. Light not good for distinguishing gulls (sharp light plus some initial air shimmer over water). Very noticeable increase in large gull numbers, since last few visits and large gulls still arriving at 6.25. Med Gull 1 adult seen when it flew...
- December Highlights
Iceland Gull by Andy Last Once again the concrete basin took most of the limelight this month and once again it involved a pelagic county mega; also a potential first for Britain but only a second for Oxon stopped off at nearby Stanton...
- Radley Lakes- 6th January
(c) Badger Smew (redhead) still there at 10:30. View for approximately 30 seconds before being lost to view in the overhanging vegetation. Viewed from the viewing platform- it was by the third island group to the north (of the four main island groups),...
- Catch Up
Thursday 3oth Dec 2.35pm Single Egyptian Goose flying south, before descending clockwise to the Thames between South Stoke and Goring.3pm White-fronted Geese flock in field north of South Stoke village, between B4009 and Railway line. 4pm Benson Lock:...
- Farmoor Res Sun 5th Dec 2010
SOUTH BASIN (F2) ONLY 1.15-4.30pm GN Diver: mid east side at 2.30 making way to NE corner by around 3.30pm Kingfisher: 1 landed on railings by octagonal tower at 2.43GC Grebe: 52 counted at 2.45 Little Grebe: 4 east; 2 south; 4 SW Goldeneye: 14f, 4m...