Oxon Birding Weblog: April Evaluation

Wildfowl and so forth

A normally quiet duration for this
team, the principle highlights bookended the month with the gang of 4 White-fronted
Ducks nonetheless provide between the two^nd and four^th. Garganey
had been slightly skinny at the flooring this spring, with only a few information
in comparison to 2023 the place a number of websites had pairs and one website even had as much as six
birds for far of the spring. A lone feminine used to be on Pit 60 at the 16^th
which used to be then apparently joined through a male at the 25^th simply down the
highway in Widford. The pair remined right here till no less than the 30^th.
A unmarried drake used to be additionally provide on Otmoor at the 23^rd, which
raised hopes of a a hit breeding yr right here once more with a feminine doubtlessly
tucked away somewhere else on website. 

Widford Garganey courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Shelduck have been somewhat
well-liked this month with no less than six websites web hosting birds. Usually probably the most
birds got here from Port Meadow with as much as six birds right here between the 5^th
and 26^th. 4 birds have been at Sandpit at the 1^st,
while Farmoor, Days Lock and Rushy Not unusual all hosted between 1-3
birds within the latter a part of the month. Goosander lingered on at Pit
60 the place two birds have been provide at the 21^st, much more
sudden used to be a past due Goldeneye additionally right here at the 21^st the place
it remained till day after today. Mandarin have been on 3 websites this
month with pairs at Days Lock, Chipping Norton and Sonning Eye GP’s on
the 1^st, 8^th and 11^th respectively.

Herons, egrets and so forth

In what’s now turning into an annual
incidence because the reintroduction undertaking down at Knepp Property in Sussex,
a White Stork used to be picked up over Oxon airspace at the 21^st
with one circling Iffley in Oxford. A couple of days later it used to be observed
over Otmoor at the 24^th and to start with gave the impression un-ringed most effective
for the needful bling seen day after today when the chook used to be observed on
the deck. No matter your ideas at the reintroduction undertaking the species seems
set to be an everlasting fixture of the international locations avifauna and a standard
incidence within the county. 

Otmoor White Stork courtesy of Peter Milligan

Some other now everlasting fixture, at
least of the southern counties, Farm animals Egret persevered a lot in the similar
method they did the former month. The wintering flock now having dispersed from
their most popular pasture box through Wytham with six websites web hosting birds
together with the breeding colony at Blenheim. The most important flock nonetheless
round got here from Farmoor at the 16^th the place 10 birds have been observed
over in flight, even supposing 8 have been additionally observed at Pit 60 at the 14^th.
Nice White Egret additionally persevered the place they left of the former month with
no less than 9 websites recording birds. The very best rely and apparently a county
report got here from Pit 60 at the 6^th the place no less than 8 birds
have been recorded and doubtlessly as much as 11 have been around the website and wider
panorama. 8 have been right here on two different events and for sure the primary breeding
report for the county can’t be too a ways in the back of. Port Meadow additionally had a
first rate selection of birds the place 5 have been provide at the 22^nd. 

Nice White Egret Blenheim, courtesy of Michael Enticott

Gulls and Terns

One of the crucial
expected portions of the spring season, the overland migration of the international locations
seabirds, were given underneath method at the 6^th with the primary Sandwich Tern at
Farmoor. A 2^nd chook adopted at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the 15^th, even supposing each information have been normally transient appearances. Kittiwake
quickly adopted when two birds have been provide at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the 9^th, each adults. Farmoor adopted briefly after with a
unmarried chook at the 10^th, additionally an grownup. At the ultimate day of the month
a unmarried Little Tern, every other now not at all times annual species inside the county’s
border, used to be picked up at Otmoor at the 30^th now not the standard location
for this diminutive seabird. 

Courtesy of Connor Pimm

Some other one in every of our diminutive species installed a
transient look with 4 Little Gull over Farmoor at the 27^th
coinciding with a small passage of different windswept seabirds driven in through some inclement
climate. 

Farmoor Little Gull courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

The yearly
spectacle of Arctic Tern flocks over a neighborhood waterbody could also be an tournament eagerly
expected through native patch birders. Farmoor, normally, had the primary
birds the place two have been right here at the 9^th, even supposing Grimsbury additionally
had two birds the similar day and have been in all probability the similar pair. Sonning Eye GPs additionally
had two birds day after today at the 10^th. The height although got here in
the center of the month when 20 birds flew thru Farmoor at the 15^th,
adopted hastily through 19 birds at the 22^nd which lingered till the
subsequent day. Sonning Eye GPs additionally were given extra motion with 4 birds at the 26^th
expanding to 6 at the 27^th, while West Oxon Crusing Membership additionally
were given in at the motion all over the height passage with two birds at the 15^th.
Not unusual Tern made a welcome go back to the county at the 2^nd ,
a couple of days previous than the median arrival date, with a unmarried chook at Farmoor.
This used to be adopted through birds at Radley at the 7^th and Port
Meadow at the 12^th. Birds then was extra well-liked from there
with a number of websites recording their first birds within the center a part of the month. 

Farmoor Arctic Tern courtesy of Trudi Rowland

Grimsbury Reservoir Arctic Tern courtesy of Kyle Smith

Passerines

Waxwing persevered to hold
on within the county smartly into the month of April, reasonably unsurprisingly
given the elements. You’ll’t actually blame them for now not considering spring had
moderately began and I will smartly consider stipulations within the north of Scandinavia weren’t
precisely beckoning. A unmarried chook used to be reported at Wantage at the 5^th
within the Waitrose carpark. However the principle tranche of information got here from Blenheim the place
between 18-21 birds have been provide between the 18^th and 26^th.
What’s extra sudden, given the date, used to be those weren’t the newest report for
the county.

Bladon Waxwing courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Past due Waxwing information

Ring Ouzel had an excellent
spring within the county. Lots of the information normally got here from the Oxon Downs
with 4 websites around the Ridgeway web hosting more than one birds. A couple
persevered from Aston Upthorpe thru many of the early a part of the
month while Gramps Hill and Devils Punchbowl had as much as 5
birds through the 11^th. Ardley ERF controlled to get in at the motion,
a pleasing bonus of the native birder setting up the trouble there, at the 7^th.
Providing the ones within the north of the county an more straightforward connection in comparison to
the ones birds a lot additional south alongside the downs. The ultimate chook held on at Frightening
Hill till no less than the 13^th. 

Ardley Ring Ouzel courtesy of Nick Truby

The only and most effective Rock Pipit of
the spring got here at the 22^nd with the vintage location of Farmoor enjoying
host to this transient flyover report. A cracking male Black Redstart used to be in
every other personal lawn  in Nice Haseley this month and remained
for the one day at the 7^th.

Black Redstart courtesy of John Hewes

Whinchat have been somewhat skinny
at the flooring with possibly extra but to come back within the early a part of Might, even supposing
passage seemed to get started early around the nation as a complete. The primary Oxon
report used to be round every week previous than standard with chook at the Oxon
Downs at the 13^th. Birds adopted at Otmoor, Days Lock, Shennington
Airfield and Grimsbury Reservoir maximum coming from the center a part of
the month. Wheatear, alternatively, persevered to pile in the course of the county en
masse with a whopping 18 websites recording birds all through April. Via a ways
and away probably the most birds have been recorded from the Oxon Downs with 12 birds
at Aston Upthorpe at the 15^th, even supposing lots of the 18 websites
recorded more than one birds throughout April. 

Whinchat and Wheater at Otmoor, courtesy of Cath Rose

Redstart have been most effective on six websites this
month, with just one website recording multiple chook. Grimsbury Reservoir recorded
two birds at the 7^th with one provide right here till no less than the 15^th.
Cholsey, Cassington GPs, Woolstone Down, Henton and Chimney Meadows all
recorded unmarried birds between 10^th and 23^rd. The primary Noticed
Flycatcher of the spring grew to become up moderately slightly previous than anticipated when Farmoor
hosted a chook at the 23^rd, with an average arrival date of the two^nd
Might.

Nearly all our breeding migrant
species have now returned to their summer time breeding grounds within the county, with
the continuing theme of early returnees obvious throughout a number of of the ones species.
The primary Swift used to be reported at the 10^th at Grimsbury
Reservoir, just about every week previous than same old with the following birds now not been
reported till just about two weeks later at the 22^nd on the similar website. The
yr’s first Cuckoo have been bang on time with time with a chook at Wytham
at the 8^th, while the primary Whitethroat got here at the 7^th
at Farmoor additionally just about bang on time for the species standard arrival
date. 

Otmoor Cuckoo courtesy of Malcolm Bowey

Lesser Whitethroat alternatively used to be just about every week previous than same old
with a making a song chook at Ewelme at the 9^th. Likewise the
seasons first Grasshopper Warbler used to be additionally a few week previous than is
standard with a reeling chook at Farmoor at the 6^th.

Farmoor Grasshopper Warbler, courtesy of Paul Tomlinson

The primary Lawn Warbler used to be
bang on time with a chook at Port Meadow at the 14^th. However our
first Reed Warbler used to be just about two weeks previous with a chook at Otmoor
at the 2^nd, adopted through different early birds at the 7^th
at Farmoor and Rushy Not unusual. The primary Yellow Wagtail bucked
the fashion although through been a couple of days later than the median arrival for the only
of our brightest summer time birds, with a the primary at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the three^rd. The very best rely got here from Churn at the 14^th
with a pleasing flock of 20 birds right here. White Wagtail have been recorded from
5 websites this month with maximum websites recording unmarried birds – Grimsbury Reservoir,
Sparsholt Firs, Farmoor and Widford, even supposing Port Meadow hosted
4 birds at the 19^th. 

Farmoor White Wagtail courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Raptors

Spring passage of Osprey used to be somewhat
first rate in April with 8 information throughout six websites. The primary of the
month got here from Otmoor at the 5^th, adopted through every other chook
over Port Meadow at the 6^th which additionally hosted every other flyover
chook at the 13^th. Probably the most confiding report got here from Farmoor on
the 12^th with a chook observed perched on one of the crucial bollards alongside the reservoirs
rim, making for a moderately surreal image. One used to be right here once more at the 16^th
and the 27^th which used to be observed later that day over Freeland. Days
Lock additionally had a fly over chook within the 15^th, even supposing this chook used to be
no less than observed to catch a fish prior to disappearing over Little Wittenham
Woods. Grimsbury additionally hosted a short lived flyover report at the 16^th possibly
the similar chook observed previous that day over Farmoor. 

Farmoor Osprey courtesy of Steve Sansom

Brief-eared Owl persevered
to linger on at Otmoor this month, even supposing most effective been recorded within the
latter a part of the month it’s going to relate to a brand new chook shifting in the course of the county.
The one chook used to be recorded sporadically from the 21^st till the tip
of the month. 

Otmoor Brief-eared Owl courtesy of Richard Stevens

A unmarried Merlin additionally used to be a wonder this month the place a
feminine or immature chook used to be provide at the Oxon Downs at the 13^th.
The primary returning Passion of the spring got here from Otmoor at the
16^th with two birds right here and have been additionally bang on time. Birds persevered
right here till a height of 12 birds have been observed at the 27^th. Pit 60 and
Spring Hill Farm have been the one different websites that recorded a chook with a
unmarried right here at the 20^th and 29^th respectively.

Passion Otmoor courtesy of Daren Curtis

Patchwork
problem

Passion courtesy of Bryan Manston

VOLUNTEERS WANTED!

West Oxfordshire Farmland Fowl Mission is on the lookout for ornithologists, ecologists, conservationists and any person taken with nature! 

The West Oxfordshire Farmland Fowl Mission (WOFBP) used to be arrange in 2016 with the purpose of tracking farmland birds and the use of this information to lend a hand have interaction with and information farmer lead conservation. The tracking comes to chook ringing, nest tracking, and observational counts that every one feed into the British Agree with for Ornithology’s (BTO) nationwide dataset in addition to native and regional databases, such because the Thames Valley Environmental Information Centre. Each our crew and those organisations use this information to higher perceive the populations of farmland birds and to feed into clinical analysis and sensible conservation tasks. The tips could also be fed again to the landowners, farmers, and land managers to advise how they may be able to create habitat for birds and different natural world along sustainable meals manufacturing. 

On the core of the farmland chook tracking are the surveys we behavior of our 4 goal species: Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, and Corn Buntings. Whilst we additionally survey different species similar to Gray Partridges, Tree Sparrows, Linnets, and different farmland consultants, those core species act as farmland indicator species. We use those species to evaluate the standard of the farmed setting and goal conservation efforts. On the subject of Corn Buntings, now we have begun increasing our surveys throughout southwest Oxfordshire with the hope of working out their abundance, distribution, and inhabitants dynamics. 

For the Corn Bunting analysis we run an intensive color ringing undertaking with observational counts to map their distribution throughout a large house of farmland. As a part of this undertaking, we color mark kind of 150 birds consistent with yr around the Thames Valley and Lambourn Downs and try to resight those birds all through next years. The ensuing dataset helps to higher perceive their inhabitants behaviour, similar to post-juvenile dispersal, grownup website constancy, grownup survival, breeding productiveness and breeding ecology. This knowledge helps to tell us concerning the habitats that farmers can created to preserve the species and the place those will have to be centered within the panorama. Along with those surveys, we adopt observational counts of Corn Buntings around the undertaking house to map the summer time and wintry weather populations and the place there are declines or will increase. 

A Corn Bunting within the hand

The Corn Bunting surveys and conservation paintings is split into 3 core facets of labor: supplementary feeding, observational counts, and chook ringing. It’s those 3 roles that we’re lately on the lookout for prepared volunteers to sign up for our crew. 

Our supplementary feeding programme all over wintry weather stretches throughout 14 farms in southwest Oxfordshire with these types of now web hosting Corn Buntings. All the way through the wintry weather we seek advice from those supplementary feeding stations once or more a month between November and April to adopt observational counts in addition to engaging in 3 chook ringing surveys. We additionally adopt standardised counts all over June and July, mapping the places of making a song men throughout our find out about farms. 

Because of the growth for those surveys, we’re prepared to draw new volunteers taking a look to actively give a contribution to the conservation of a species that has declined through over 90% because the Nineteen Sixties. The knowledge accrued will play a right away position in keeping this species in Oxfordshire through guiding sensible, at the flooring conservation efforts lead through farmers. Volunteers may also get coaching that may widen their wisdom of farmland birds and conservation of the species in addition to gaining managed get right of entry to to personal farmland websites web hosting chook populations related to these discovered on many nature reserves. 

The jobs we hope to recruit volunteers to help with are indexed underneath:

– Weekly supplementary feeding between December-April (can also be unmarried or more than one websites)

– Observational counts (summer time and/or wintry weather)
– Fowl ringing surveys (turning into a certified chook ringer calls for extra time and common coaching which can also be mentioned additional with our crew) 

Relying at the actions undertaken through the volunteer they’d preferably be capable to achieve websites through automotive (public delivery is imaginable for only some websites). Volunteers enterprise observational counts would require a couple of binoculars and/or telescope and feature elementary to complex identity talents of farmland birds through sight and track (coaching can also be supplied). Volunteers don’t wish to decide to any selection of surveys however can duvet as many websites and visits as they need. 

Any person serious about contributing to the conservation of Corn Buntings, farmland birds and the broader farmland setting please do get in contact with us by means of e mail at [email protected]. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions referring to our paintings and the way you’ll be able to get entangled. 

New report set for Oxfordshire special occasion.

Congratulations to Tom Bedford, Ben Sheldon and Thomas Miller, who Smashed the report for the volume of species observed inside of Oxfordshire in one day. What is much more spectacular is they accomplished all of it through motorbike and on foot!

In spite of punctures, the chilly and every now and then rainy climate, through the tip of Saturday the twenty seventh the crew had collected an out of this world 118 species, smartly accomplished chaps.

Complete write up and species record on Out of the Blue Sky

The large day crew with enhance from Tom Wickens. Courtesy of Ben Sheldon