Birds
Review for January 2013
It's been a predictably quiet start to the year with the usual winter birds to look out for. The bird of the month has to be the Cholsey Great Grey Shrike which was around for several days though it was often frustratingly elusive
Farmoor attracted the usual birds that one might hope for at this time of year with a Slavonian Grebe spending the whole month here, as well as at least 4 Scaup though they seemed to have moved on by the end of the month. The gull roost turned up several Caspian Gulls, 2 Iceland Gulls and a Glaucous Gull. In addition Dai John had a Kittiwake knocking around for a couple of days as well.
Continuing on the Gull theme, several Caspians were seen dotted about the place, including Stanton Harcourt and Dix Pit and Appleford hosted a Glaucouse Gull and an Iceland Gull.
All in all, about what you might expect for January.
- January Highlights & News
Marsh Harrier Otmoor courtesy of Sharon Latham Highlights So that's January come and gone and, as you'd probably expect, there hasn't been a great deal of note. There's no single stand-out headline bird but instead a smattering of "good...
- 2015 And December Highlights
Juvenile Great northern Diver Farmoor courtesy of Richard Tyler Headline Birds December is not normally one in which to expect a great deal bird-wise so its nice to be able to report a few interesting snippets this month. This month has been mostly all...
- January Highlights
Golden Plover Otmoor courtesy of Richard Ebbs Headline Birds So that's January come and gone already. Traditionally it's not a great month for good birds but we managed a couple of good sightings in the month here in God's Own County so we...
- December Highlights & 2014 Highlights Montage
Smew courtesy of Andy Last Highlights The turkey or nut roast has been eaten, the drink has been drunk and with the Christmas pudding settling in the stomach it's time to look back over the month. Sadly instead of going out with a bang, what has been...
- March Round-up
Avocet at Dusk Andy Last Weather wise March came in like a lion...and ummm...went out like a lion. The unseasonably cold weather nationally certainly made a difference to numbers of migrant birds arriving in the country and they were consequently very...
Birds
January Review
White-fronted Geese on Otmoor (c) Andy Last
In what we hope will be a regular monthly feature on the O.B.L,local birder and artist Andy Last has very kindly agreed do to a painting of a chosen species each month which has occurred in Oxfordshire.
White-fronts are annual winter visitors to Oxfordshire with 5 birds first arriving at Otmoor RSPB on the 4th of January this number had increased to 11 including 2 immature birds by the 5th of January. At least 2 adults and 1 immature bird stayed on Otmoor with the feral Greylag geese throughout the month with a second group of 10 White-fronted Geese seen just north of Duxford on the 6th. Pit 60 in Standlake also hosted 7 individuals on the 25th.
The Baltic/North Sea population of European White-fronted Goose breeds in European Arctic Russia and northwest Siberia. These birds generally leave their breeding grounds in September and early October (Stroud et al. 2002). Those wintering in Britain pass through Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with a few also migrating through southern Sweden (WWT).
Review for January 2013
The elusive Cholsey Great grey Shrike.
Otmoor had a good selection of winter birds with a Bittern around for the whole month as well as a Hen Harrier and a one-day sightings of a Short-eared Owl, up to 11 White-fronted Geese hanging out with the Greylags, 2 Bearded Tits seen, a one-day stop-over Whooper Swan and a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker that was seen a couple of times.
Otmoor Hen Harrier
Port Meadow alternated between being hugely flooded and completely frozen. The highlight was a flock of 40+ Barnacle Geese which spent several days on the Meadow. These are almost certainly the Cat. C feral birds from the surrounding counties. Apart from that there was a Bar-tailed Godwit about and up to 30 Waxwings knocking around the Aristotle Lane and Burgess Field area for much of the month.The "tickable" Barnacle Geese
It's been a great winter for Waxwings in the county
Farmoor attracted the usual birds that one might hope for at this time of year with a Slavonian Grebe spending the whole month here, as well as at least 4 Scaup though they seemed to have moved on by the end of the month. The gull roost turned up several Caspian Gulls, 2 Iceland Gulls and a Glaucous Gull. In addition Dai John had a Kittiwake knocking around for a couple of days as well.
The Slav Grebe has been around all month
Continuing on the Gull theme, several Caspians were seen dotted about the place, including Stanton Harcourt and Dix Pit and Appleford hosted a Glaucouse Gull and an Iceland Gull.
Other bits and bobs from the month include a red-head Smew and a Bittern at Radley, 2 drake Smew at Dix Pit and 2 red-heads at Henley Rd GPs. In addition the feral flock of 30+ Snow Geese spent about a week at Cassington GP in the snow.
Dix Pit Smew
The mysterious feral Snow Geese
A stunning Marsh Tit photo courtesy of the "Gun Slinger"
- January Highlights & News
Marsh Harrier Otmoor courtesy of Sharon Latham Highlights So that's January come and gone and, as you'd probably expect, there hasn't been a great deal of note. There's no single stand-out headline bird but instead a smattering of "good...
- 2015 And December Highlights
Juvenile Great northern Diver Farmoor courtesy of Richard Tyler Headline Birds December is not normally one in which to expect a great deal bird-wise so its nice to be able to report a few interesting snippets this month. This month has been mostly all...
- January Highlights
Golden Plover Otmoor courtesy of Richard Ebbs Headline Birds So that's January come and gone already. Traditionally it's not a great month for good birds but we managed a couple of good sightings in the month here in God's Own County so we...
- December Highlights & 2014 Highlights Montage
Smew courtesy of Andy Last Highlights The turkey or nut roast has been eaten, the drink has been drunk and with the Christmas pudding settling in the stomach it's time to look back over the month. Sadly instead of going out with a bang, what has been...
- March Round-up
Avocet at Dusk Andy Last Weather wise March came in like a lion...and ummm...went out like a lion. The unseasonably cold weather nationally certainly made a difference to numbers of migrant birds arriving in the country and they were consequently very...