Highlights
February,
in most cases a quiet month, has proved to be a relatively productive month a method or
the opposite. With the addition of 5 extra species added to the county 12 months record
it now stands at 134 for 2024. There have been two primary surprises bookending the
month, a county mega within the early a part of February adopted by means of an excessively early
migrant on the latter finish.
Having been
spoilt for selection in the previous few years on the subject of vagrant American
wildfowl, you’d be expecting the county to have just a little of an opening between the following seek advice from
of a Nearctic wanderer. All over a dramatic spell all 4 commoner American duck
species had been noticed within the area of 3 months throughout overdue 2022 and early 2023,
with 3 species remarkably to be had in one day. The primary of those
species to fall in overdue 2022 used to be a Inexperienced-winged Teal, the primary
since 2018, however in contrast to its successors used to be a temporary and untwitchable report. So
when a reputedly settled, albeit far away, Inexperienced-winged Teal used to be discovered on
the 11th February at Days Lock it felt that this possibly an extended
stayer, or no less than lengthy sufficient to hook up with. A radical seek that
afternoon resulted within the briefest of perspectives at a long way for a couple of
observers and would turn out to be the closing sighting ahead of disappearing for excellent.
With the volume of habitat to be had and the abundance of Teal flocks in
the county it wouldn’t be a wonder if this chicken remained unseen within the county
all through the month and with that the look forward to a extensively to be had
chicken continues into its 6th 12 months.
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| Inexperienced-winged Teal Pit 60 2018 |
The following wonder for the month got here at the 23rd
February when a particularly early Sand Martin rocked up at Otmoor, rather
most likely regretting its existence possible choices. This report utterly smashes the
earlier early report for this species by means of neatly over per week, which got here at the 2nd
March 2019. Generally the species arrives the twond week of
March with the median arrival date since 2000 being the 15th, even supposing
the closing couple of years have began to peer sporadic early arrivals in early March.
This report got here at the tail of a number of information around the south and
southwest all probably driven north by means of sturdy climate programs in Africa previous
within the month. With meteorological Spring now upon us the following two weeks must see
the primary right kind push of migration again into the rustic and the county and I
am positive I’m really not the one person who can’t wait!
 |
| Quick-eared Owl Otmoor rspb courtesy of Richard Stevens |
Waders
Any other
conceivable signal of items to return used to be the coming of the 12 months’s first Black-tailed
Godwit picked up all through the WEBS rely at Otmoor at the 26th.
Additionally on web site all through the similar survey used to be massive rely of 234 Dunlin, most likely
remnants of the huge flock from overdue 2023 nonetheless lingering within the county and
possibly reinforced by means of birds shifting in from the coast or additional afield. That being
stated, 142 had been additionally provide right here at the 12th with smaller counts at
different websites all through the month. This species used to be additionally provide on Port Meadow thoughout the month, most commonly in small numbers despite the fact that there used to be a rely of 67 at the twenty fourth. Birds had been additionally noticed at Pit 60 within the
center of the month the place six had been right here at the 16th.
 |
| Otmoor Oystercatchers courtesy of Paul Wyeth. |
Jack
Snipe persevered to
be recorded sporadically within the county and used to be virtually in no way a real
illustration of this in most cases elusive species presence within the county. Bicester
Wetlands persevered to host a chicken even supposing it used to be best seen at the 10th
and no longer once more within the month. Northmoor, Waterstock and Weston-on-the-Inexperienced
all hosted birds this month, in most cases all unmarried observer and temporary
sightings at the 17th, 27th and 28th respectively.
Ruff additionally persevered to be recorded in February and as with January
all information got here from Otmoor the place two birds had been recorded at the 14th
and a unmarried nonetheless right here at the 20th.
 |
| Any other Ringed Jack Snipe on Port Meadow |
Woodcock information got here best from a unmarried web site this
month. Boarstall Decoy persevered to host a wholesome collection of birds inside
its perimeter with seven birds recorded right here at the 2nd due to the
sustained efforts of the native patcher there. Inexperienced Sandpiper had been recorded from best
3 places this month. Curbridge at the 4th, Sutton
Courtenay at the 13th and Bicester Wetlands at the 19th
all web hosting unmarried birds. Over at Farmoor the wintering Commonplace Sandpiper
persevered to benefit from the concrete bowl as its iciness house all through the
complete of February.
 |
| Farmoor Commonplace Sandpiper courtesy of John Workman |
As opposed to
that, the month used to be relatively quiet wader smart with the returning breeding birds
the main spotlight of February. Curlew returned again to Otmoor
on the again finish of closing month, with the haunting and enigmatic name
as soon as once more a part of the websites soundscape. A number of extra had been then noticed this month
with as much as 5 right here at the 26th. Pit 60 and Farmoor additionally
noticed transiting birds, with a bit of luck returning in the community to reproduce within the wider panorama.
Redshank had been additionally on Otmoor and Farmoor this month,
while seven websites loved the noisy go back of Oystercatcher all through
the month.
 |
| Otmoor Curles courtesy of Luke O’Byrne |
Wildfowl and so forth
Except for the briefest of visits from around the pond of a
positive yank Teal the main highlights this month got here from long-staying
birds and the bizarre rarity stoning up additionally. A lone Brent Goose made an
look at Otmoor at the 9th and used to be once more noticed at the 12th,
however with information gradual to get out used to be no longer loved by means of a much wider target market in what can
be a troublesome chicken to meet up with on an annual foundation. The 4 White-fronted
Goose persevered into the early a part of the month with the closing sighting
coming at the 3rd, having assumed to have left the county for
someplace additional north. The birds then reappeared in brief at the 25th
ahead of no longer been noticed once more the remainder of the month.
.jpg) |
| Brent Goose Otmoor rspb courtesy of Julian Parfitt |
The long-staying Nice Northern Diver in any case seemed
to have left the county with the closing sighting coming the 24th, leaving
the report neatly intact for the report staying chicken a pair years in the past and I think
that can take some beating. Scaup additionally persevered its lengthy keep on Farmoor
or even used to be joined by means of a 2nd chicken at the 7th. This 2nd
chicken used to be more than likely the person provide on Dix Pit at the 5th,
even supposing there’s a suspicious hole from the 4th – 7th of
the lengthy staying chicken at Farmoor. Finally each birds had been then provide
on Farmoor from the 7th via till the very finish of the
month.
 |
| The Farmoor Nice Northern Diver courtesy of Trudi Rowland |
Shelduck got here from 5 websites this month, with the easiest rely of 7 coming from
Port Meadow at the 18th. 4 had been additionally at Cote at the
6th with the rest of the websites recording both unmarried or pairs
of birds. Goosander had been best on the one web site this month with Port
Meadow web hosting as much as six birds sporadically. Goldeneye had been at 4
websites this month, all with a westerly distribution within the county. Dix Pit persevered
to be the most productive web site for numbers the place as much as 9 had been at the 18th,
even supposing Pit 60 additionally hosted 8 birds at the 3rd and 17th.
Farmoor and Cassington GPs had been the opposite two websites that hosted a
pair and unmarried respectively.
Mandarin had been best at two websites, each throughout the Blenheim house the place a couple
had been seen at each ends of the month. Pink-crested Pochard had been diminished
to twelve birds on Dix Pit this month, in a equivalent vein to the resident
inhabitants of Snow Ducks rather the place some of these birds cross after the iciness,
I’d be prepared to grasp. Rounding off plastic nook, a rather outstanding report of a
brood of 7 Egyptian Goose goslings/ducklings (?) had been right here with
adults at the 5th. A complete six weeks previous to the former 12 months
which noticed birds with younger at the 24th March, simply appearing how actually
gentle this iciness has been.
.jpg) |
| Returning Hybrid to Otmoor courtesy of Mark Gosling |
Herons,
egrets and so forth
Livestock
Egret had been at six
websites this month, proceeding their virtually omnipresence throughout the county for
the closing twelve months and past. The flock used to be nonetheless going sturdy and upwards of
25 birds of their favoured pasture fields by means of Wytham at the 15th.
With singles, pairs and trios seen at different websites around the county with Otmoor,
Days Lock and Sutton Courtenay proceeding to be websites that hosted
birds. New websites to host birds had been Witney Lakes, Ickford and Cassington.
Nice White Egret had been amazingly recorded from no less than from 19 websites this
month. With ever extra rain falling into the county this month, probably birds
had been being driven round by means of the emerging and falling of water ranges throughout Oxfordshire.
For as soon as no websites recorded greater than two birds, more than likely as an impact of the quantity
of birds shifting across the county and festival for the most productive foraging spaces.
 |
| Wallingford Nice White Egret courtesy of Alan Dawson |
Crane persevered at Otmoor this month
with as much as 3 provide at the 7th. A couple had been noticed flying over Shrivenham
in opposition to Swindon at the 11th, while some other pair or most likely
the similar pair had been noticed shifting again around the county at Dix Pit at the
16th.
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| Otmoor Cranes courtesy of John Workman |
Gulls
and Terns
An excessively quiet
and disappointing month for our enthusiasts of all issues gulls this month with best
one notable report of any species. A unmarried Grownup Caspian Gull used to be noticed
at Rushy Commonplace at the 9th, even supposing the report used to be made particularly
notable by means of the reality the chicken used to be it sounds as if lacking a leg. This unique
characteristic sadly didn’t imply the chicken used to be recorded any place else despite the fact that,
and not using a additional information this month.
Passerines
Data of Waxwing
persevered unabated in February with as much as 9 websites web hosting birds.
Probably the most dependable of those websites used to be in Abingdon with a small flock of
9 birds provide from the tenth till no less than the 27th.
The fortunate finder used to be even in a position to get those onto his lawn record, indisputably the dream
of all birders around the county. 30 birds had been reported at Kidlington on
the tenth however as with earlier information of mega flocks the birds had been
no longer drawing close and no signal used to be discovered of them due to this fact. Kirtlington Golfing
direction had 10 birds at the 11th while Whitecross hosted
6+ birds at the identical day, appearing that no less than 3 flocks had been provide within the
county on the identical time. Bodicote noticed the go back of birds at the 12th
joined by means of a couple of extra this time round they usually even persevered at this web site till
no less than the 18th. An area PWC patch additionally had some success when 8
birds had been provide on Thrupp Lane at the 12th. Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
used to be the following web site to host birds the place two had been noticed at the 14th
and once more at the 28th and introduced the risk to bag a unprecedented
aggregate of most likely catching web site of each a Waxwing and a former Top
Minister, each with relatively questionable hairdos. Adderbury and Wooton
had been the general two websites to host birds with 5 on the former and a couple of on the
latter at the 15th and 27th respectively.
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| Above and under, the Abingdon Waxwings courtesy of Ewan Urquhart |
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.jpg) |
| Waxwing Bodicote courtesy of Wally Warburton |
A cracking
male Black Redstart used to be some other great early addition to the county 12 months
record, with one provide within the lawn of fortunate place of abode in Chipping Norton on
the 8th. The ones in a position to react fast sufficient had been handled to a couple great
extended perspectives of the chicken feeding with Pied Wagtails at the pavements
out of doors the housing property, however sadly the chicken didn’t linger for wider
enjoyment. A unmarried Hawfinch used to be a fleeting report coming from Buckland
Warren at the 4th and not using a additional sightings on from the preliminary report.
The web site on the other hand did produce some great alternatives to watch a no longer at all times simple
chicken within the county within the type of a small flock of Crossbill. 4 had been
right here from the tenth till no less than the 12th. A cracking
flock of 15 had been additionally at Cowleaze Picket at the 17th. Brambling had been recorded at best 4
websites this month with essentially the most coming from Blenheim as soon as once more the place a
a lot diminished flock of 7 had been noticed at the 7th. Chipping Norton,
Wantage and Begbroke had been the opposite websites to host 2-3 birds.
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| Buckland Warren Crossbill courtesy of David Hastings |
The Port Meadow Siberian Chiffchaff used to be a lot more elusive this month despite the fact that used to be noticed on a couple of events.
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| Siberian Chiffchaff on Port Meadow courtesy of Ben Sheldon |
Raptors
Otmoor hosted all the notable raptor motion this
month The wintering ring-tailed Chicken Harrier persevered to be recorded
sporadically with sightings at the 3rd, 16th and 19th.
A lone Merlin used to be recorded right here at the 25th, which results a
reasonably disappointing iciness for the species throughout the county borders. A
unmarried Quick-eared Owl used to be additionally noticed searching the web site at the 26th
and 29th
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| Otmoor Quick-eared Owl courtesy of Richard Stevens |
Patchwork problem
|
Patch |
Birder |
Issues |
Species |
Spotlight |
|
Aston eyot |
Ben Sheldon |
|
|
|
|
Ardley ERF |
Gareth |
57 |
59 |
|
|
Dix pit |
Simon |
53 |
58 |
Marsh Tit (Patch first) & Nice White |
|
Grimsbury reservoir |
Gareth |
70 |
73 |
|
|
Lye valley |
Tom Bedford |
52 |
53 |
|
|
River Thames |
Geoff Wyatt |
100 |
119 |
Inexperienced-winged Teal (!) – 6 pointer |
|
Sutton Courtenay |
Conor |
87 |
93 |
Pintail |
|
Port Meadow |
Thomas Miller |
|
|
|
|
Radley GP’s |
Ian Elkins |
79 |
85 |
Nice White Egret, Marsh Harrier |
|
Freeland |
Glen Pascoe |
56 |
56 |
Brambling & |
|
South Hinksey |
Alex |
|
|
|
|
Cholsey |
Alan Dawson |
83 |
89 |
Firecrest |