Oxon Birding Weblog: January Overview

Waxwings by way of Jane Tomlinson..

Highlights

January was once a month of deluges, first within the
standard sense with massive quantities of rain resulting in in style flooding
all the way through the county and inflicting localised chaos. The second one deluge was once a far
extra welcome one when the dam in the end burst at the Waxwing invasion,
with Oxon seeing dozens of birds up and down the county. We had been made to
wait a short while even though, with the sport of whack-a-mole proceeding on from December
and the primary data of 2024 stoning up in numerous puts best to
disappear once more into the gardens, business estates and supermarkets of Oxfordshire.
The primary document was once belated information of 2 birds within the grounds of a Faculty in Chilton
at the 2^nd, Ardington then had a hen at nightfall at the 5^th
while tomorrow a flock of eleven had been in Kennington and a unmarried
at Thame. None of those birds had been noticed following their preliminary
sightings regardless of some thorough looking out, specifically at Kennington. The
first semi-twitchable birds in the end broke duvet at the 7^th with
3 birds in Bodicote within the a long way north of the county, permitting just a
few people to reach at the scene in time. Thame additionally hosted birds at the
7^th with 5 reported at the birding services and products. Once more, following the
now well-established development neither of those birds had been provide the next
day.

The Wantage/Grove Waxwing courtesy of Stephen Burch

 

One of the vital Plater Force Waxwings courtesy of Ben Sheldon

The mini onslaught of data saved coming with a unmarried hen
at the A420 slip street by way of Cumnor at the 8^th with perhaps extra
than one found in a short lived statement. Issues in reality kicked up a equipment even though
at the 9^th when information broke of an enormous flock of as much as 70 birds provide
in Didcot ranging extensively between the Ladygrove Property and the Tesco
at the outskirts of the city. With the birds reputedly provide for a number of
days, the counties dangerous success persevered with no longer a unmarried hen nonetheless provide on
the ten^th. That being mentioned, a flock of 13 did pop up once more at the 13^th.
 A couple of birds within the death mild in Oxford
at the 9^th appeared set to observe all overs and disappear.
In the end, even though, some right kind success was once within the offing and this pair had been nonetheless
provide tomorrow. Despite the fact that they then bunked for per week this pair grew
to seven at the 17^th with a minimum of one hen striking round till the
21^st, permitting quite a lot of people to meet up with them and a few
surprising pictures to look. The citizens of Plater Force must take a
massive quantity of credit score for being so accommodating to the photographers and birders
that quickly took place of abode at the cul-de-sac. Some very considerate other folks
even created a small espresso and tea stand for the blokes who had spent the day
camped out on boulevard! 

The Plater Force Waxwings, courtesy of Gnome

 

 

Tea & Espresso kindly equipped by way of the citizens Picture courtesy of Andy Ultimate.

Glad Birders in Jericho courtesy of Jane Tomlinson.

The ten^th noticed every other record of a mega flock when
50 had been reportedly at Thame, probably a part of the similar flock that had
been in Didcot yesterday. Stories then adopted identical development of
birds reported or noticed best very in brief. Grove and Kidlington noticed
unmarried birds at the 13^th and 17^th respectively, while
the 20^th noticed many extra data throughout a much broader vary. Cholsey and
Standlake each had flocks of 5 in birders gardens at the 20^th,
certainly the dream! Freeland additionally had a flock of 16 reported at the 20^th
however a lot of these data had been transient as we had grow to be aware of. Abingdon additionally
were given in at the motion with one in brief in every other birders lawn at the 21^st
and provide once more tomorrow, while a couple was once then provide at the 24^th
once more best in brief. 

Looking at the ‘wings in Lengthy Hanborough courtesy of Moth.

The following twitchable birds fell at the 25^th when
an out of this world flock of 21 was once situated in Lengthy Hanborough. This allowed
virtually everybody else to hook up with this enigmatic and characterful species in
the county with a mini-twitch resulting. Probably the most extraordinary Waxwing record
got here from RAF Brize Norton, the place a unmarried hen was once it seems that perched
at the wing of an A400 at the 19^th, in what would have made for a
implausible photograph! A flock of 18 had been then additionally it seems that provide right here at the 25^th.

All in all it in reality has been an out of this world January,
with Oxon in the end getting its fair proportion of the most important Waxwing irruption
in a few years. With the ultimate main irruption achieving Oxfordshire extra
than a decade in the past in 2013, lengthy sooner than a few of us even arrived within the county, let’s
hope the motion continues for the following couple of months because it did again then.

Waders

The marvel document of the month got here within the type of a couple
of Knot at the Farmoor causeway. An overly early document for this
species with median arrival date being the 27^th March and definitely
is an out of this world iciness document for this no longer all the time annual species. The pair provide
at the 8^th was once no longer moderately the earliest document because the flip of the century
even though, with a document beating it by way of a unmarried day coming at the 7^th
January in 2006. The pair had been provide till the 16^th when just a unmarried
hen remained from the 17^th till a minimum of the 24^th. Even
extra sudden was once the potential of a 2^nd pair on a flood close to Thame
in Cuttlebrook at the 14^th. Frustratingly the pair
remained distance hidden in among the huge Lapwing flock. 

One of the vital two Farmoor Knot, courtesy of Steve Liptrot

 

Gray Plover persevered their
iciness place of abode within the county even supposing data almost definitely best associated with a unmarried
person ranging throughout two websites. A lone hen was once in the end pinned down on Port
Meadow at the 14^th after a couple of close to misses previous within the month
and was once once more provide at the 20^th. Possibly the similar hen was once then
picked up at Otmoor all through the WEBS rely right here at the 29^th among
the 1000’s of Golden Plover, Lapwing and more than a few wildfowl wintering
at the website online. Ruff had been at two websites additionally this month with a unmarried hen
at Chimney Meadows at the 21^st after which 5 on Otmoor
all through the WEBS rely at the 29^th. Dunlin, on the other hand, had been very
a large number of and in style this month a conceivable outcome of the mega flocks
dispersing from the top of 2023 into extra portions of Oxon because the water ranges
rose. Port Meadow had by way of the a long way the most important choice of data and
people this month with a prime rely of fifty at the 14^th, even supposing
30+ was once reached on a number of events while birds had been semi-resident on website online
all the way through the month. Otmoor additionally noticed a number of double digit counts with
the perfect rely of twenty-two at the 15^th, while Farmoor had 25 fly
in the course of the website online at the 17^th. Somerton, Pit 60 and Chimney
Meadows all hosted birds in January with double digit counts reached
at the latter two websites, with a prime of 29 on Chimney Meadows at the 21^st. 

Farmoor Dunlin, courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

 

Water Rail on a frozen Otmoor courtesy of Sue Carruthers.

The primary giant signal of spring on
its means, with the exception of the lighter mornings and evenings, got here within the type of an
early Oystercatcher at the 27^th at Rushy Commonplace adopted
by way of birds at the 30^th at Pit 60 and Blenheim at the 31^st.
Despite the fact that no longer moderately the earliest document of the ultimate close to quarter of a century,
that exact accolade is going to a hen arriving at the 12^th January
in 2021, it nonetheless a fortnight previous than the median arrival date because the
flip of the century. That being mentioned, birds had been arriving previous and previous
lately with a specific exchange of arrivals famous in 2017 and it’s a development
I think will proceed with milder winters the brand new ‘customary’. Redshank had been
best famous at one website online this month – Port Meadow. A unmarried was once close to
resident at the commonplace for many of the month and joined by way of a 2^nd
hen in brief at the 9^th.

Inexperienced Sandpiper looked as if it would
have wintered at few websites within the early a part of the iciness length, however a number of
websites hosted birds within the New 12 months.  4
websites hosted birds in January with a prime rely of 3 at Bicester Wetland’s
at the 2^nd. Further websites had been Ardley (1^st),
Grove Airfield (13^th) and Peep-o-Day Lane (26^th).
Commonplace Sandpiper was once provide at one website online this month, with Farmoor webhosting
the similar wintering hen that was once provide the former month and was once once more
provide for the entire of January. I’m conscious about Inexperienced Sandpiper appearing
fantastic website online constancy for wintering websites however no longer sure of Commonplace Sandpiper however given one has wintered at Farmoor for the ultimate couple of years you need to ponder whether it’s the similar hen.

Farmoor Commonplace Sandpiper courtesy of John Workman

Two Jack Snipe data
got here this month with probably the most attention-grabbing one from Port Meadow at the 12^th.
This hen was once stuck as a part of a ringing effort at the website online and was once facilitated
by way of the new emerging waters and a thermal imager, ensuing within the cracking photograph
beneath. A 2^nd hen was once noticed in flight at Otmoor at the 31^st
when flushed by way of quartering Marsh Harrier.

A ringed Jack Snipe, courtesy of Gnome

Woodcock got here from 3 websites
and all had been generally situated via flushing or noticed in flight. Boarstall
Decoy equipped the majority of the sightings even though or even crowned the former
months prime rely with a large rely of 21 in overall, even supposing I’m really not sure
of the document rely for this species within the county this will have to be up there as one in all
the perfect for a unmarried website online. Warburg and Garford had been the opposite
two websites to document birds, albeit a a lot more standard unmarried hen in flight. 

Despite the fact that frequently overpassed within the per 30 days
critiques, Golden Plover and Lapwing had been found in massive numbers
on Otmoor over the iciness length. The prime counts this month of 4000 and
5000 respectively make for a terrific spectacle, particularly whilst you upload within the
1000’s of Wildfowl, looking raptors of a number of species and 50+ thousand Starling
– we’re certainly very fortunate to have this type of reserve inside our counties borders. Waterstock
even though additionally hosted an enormous choice of Lapwing this month with
roughly 4000 right here additionally, an ideal rely for a lesser identified website online and
this is obviously additionally doing one thing proper for our wintering birds.

Wildfowl and so forth

A mix of lengthy staying birds
and the abnormal new one was once the tale of wintering wildfowl this month. The Nice
Northern Diver persevered its iciness vacation at Farmoor and was once
provide all of the means till the top of January. Having been provide now
because the 11^th December it nonetheless has some technique to pass to overcome
the document staying hen of 2021/22 which stayed for a whopping 155 days between
the 12^th December and 16^th Might. 

The Farmoor Nice Northern Diver courtesy of Nick Truby

The wintering feminine Scaup
additionally persevered on website online for far of January even supposing it sort of feels it had
determined to bunk at the 26^th of the month and was once perhaps the similar
hen in brief on Rushy Commonplace of all puts at the 27^th. A male
Scaup was once a pleasant addition then, additionally within the not up to standard spot of Blenheim
at the 22^nd and a pleasant bonus patch tick for one native birder. Sadly
the hen had long past tomorrow and in conjunction with the feminine was once no longer noticed
once more within the latter a part of January. 

 

The Farmoor feminine Larger Scaup courtesy of Nick Truby…

…and the male at Blenheim courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

 

A lone feminine Commonplace Scoter was once
the standout rarity of the month, even supposing sadly after spending a lot of
the day loafing with the Tufted Duck flock at the 6^th it had
departed the website online by way of tomorrow. Some other spotlight of the month was once the arriving
of 4 White-fronted Ducks on Otmoor at the 26^th of the
month. The 3 juveniles and unmarried grownup had been nonetheless provide against the top
of the month or a minimum of till the 29^th, a pleasant addition to the month
with this close to annual species and no longer all the time a very easy hen to meet up with in
the county.

White-fronted Ducks Otmoor rspb courtesy of Paul Wyeth.

Six websites hosted Shelduck this
month with a most rely of 8 coming from two websites – Chimney Meadows and
Port Meadow at the 16^th and the 22^nd respectively.
Cote, Peep-o-Day Lane and North Moreton all hosted a couple of birds
all the way through the month while Farmoor had a couple of birds fly via on
the 27^th. Goosander had been additionally in style with 9 websites recording
birds. The prime rely got here from Port Meadow the place as much as 9 birds had been
provide at the 7^th, even supposing Radley Lakes got here shut with 8
birds at the 14^th. Different websites recording birds had been Peep-o-Day Lane,
Blenheim, Pit 27 & Pit 60, Farmoor, Kennington and Henley Highway GP’s.
Goldeneye continues to dwindle in quantity inside the county with best 5
websites recording birds with just one double digit rely any place in Oxon. Dix
Pit, probably the most dependable website online now, hosted 12 birds at the 13^th. Different
websites that recorded birds had been all shut within the neighborhood of Dix Pit with
Pit 27 & Pit 60, Farmoor and Rushy Commonplace all had a minimum of
one hen found in January.

An unusual rely of Pintail
got here from Pit 60 this month when 912 had been counted at the 20^th.
This rely smashes the former county document coming from the similar location with
600 right here in 2014. The BTO estimates 20,000 people iciness in the United Kingdom (2012-2017) and this rely equates to roughly 4.5% of the wintering inhabitants, a loopy
document for unmarried website online in Oxfordshire and a nationally essential quantity
of birds. 

Blended wildfowl courtesy of Pete Alfrey

 

 

Herons,
egrets and so forth

Livestock Egret just about persevered the place they left off
from the former month. Peep-o-Day Lane persevered to host a trio of
birds, which higher to six at the 12^th and was once back off to a couple by way of
the top of the month. Farmoor Village had the perfect rely once more with a
whopping 31 feeding within the cattle pasture on New Years Day, the flock persevered
to ebb and glide in quantity in the course of the month with 20 simply down the street at Swinford
at the 6^th. Blenheim hosted a unmarried hen at the 10^th,
while Otmoor and Days Lock hosted a number of birds sporadically in January.

Nice White Egret had been very in style within the county
this month with 16 websites webhosting a minimum of one hen with a couple of websites webhosting a number of
birds. The prime rely got here from Blenheim as with earlier months the place
4 birds had been noticed at the 16^th, even supposing 4 had been additionally noticed at Tadpole
Bridge at the 12^th. The Salisbury Undeniable Nice Bustard persevered
to surprisingly observe the Roe Deer herd round Childrey Box on
the Oxon Downs and was once reported sporadically within the month. An unconfirmed record
of 2 White Stork over the A40 at Woodland Hill got here at the
12^th and not using a additional reviews any place else the county this month.

Gulls
and Terns

A protracted staying Little Gull over the border in Gloucestershire was once reputedly crossing the tri-county border of Glos/Wilts/Oxon quite often
because it ranged with the Black-headed Gull flock within the early a part of the
month and was once a pleasant early addition to the county checklist for this species. A lone
Mediterranean Gull document got here from Farmoor at the 29^th
all through a rely of the gull roost becoming a member of the remainder of just about 12500 gulls
roosting there that had been counted at the 19^th as a part of the BTO Gull
rely.

Caspian Gull had been recorded from 4 websites this month,
with the website online having probably the most motion being Appleford Village. A minimum of
10 people had been noticed right here over the process the month together with two ringed
birds – one from the Netherlands and the opposite from Lithuania. Port Meadow often
had a 1^st iciness hen roosting all through the month while a three^rd
iciness joined the roost at the 9^th. Blenheim had an grownup
hen provide at the 11^th and the 26^th and looked to be
a often returning hen that has been right here for the previous few years. Rushy
Commonplace was once the opposite website online and hosted a unmarried 1^st iciness at the
27^th. 

The semi-resident first iciness Caspian Gull at Port Meadow courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Passerines

The wintering ringed Siberian Chiffchaff persevered
at Port Meadow and was once often reported from Burgess Gate while infrequently
a 2^nd hen was once additionally reported in January, reviews of every other hen got here from Shifford at the 28^th. A unmarried
document of Firecrest got here from Peep-o-Day Lane on New Years Day, while
Crossbill had been reported from two websites – Buckland Warren and Bagley
Picket at the 6^th and 9^th respectively.

Siberian Chiffchaff Burgess Box courtesy of Thomas Miller.

Brambling had been recorded from a minimum of 8 websites
this month. Via a long way the perfect rely got here from Blenheim the place 35+ birds
had been counted feeding within the sunflower fields at the website online. Lots of the different data
associated with unmarried and pairs and not using a different double digit counts from another
website online. Ring-necked Parakeet persevered to collect in a big roost in Cowley,
Oxford with 30 at the 22^nd after which an enormous 42 at the 29^th.

Rob Cadd took an ideal little bit of video of the dancing Starlings at Otmoor ultimate month.

Raptors

The 2 wintering ringtail Chicken Harrier persevered at the Oxon
Downs and Otmoor this month with each noticed sporadically, even supposing the
Otmoor hen was once a lot more dependable owing to the Starling Roost and
probably a lot higher protection. The website online additionally hosted a Merlin at the
13^th and 27^th and was once one in all best two document this month
with the opposite coming from Fyfield Wick at the 18^th.

Ringtail Chicken Harrier Otmoor rspb courtesy of Andy Coates.

In what has been an out of this world 12 months for Quick-eared Owl throughout
the rustic, Oxon was once no longer unnoticed from the motion. A minimum of 8 websites
hosted birds and ranged from all portions of the county. Some websites hosted as much as seven
birds with a couple of birds recorded throughout a minimum of two places. It simply makes
you marvel what number of birds are if truth be told wintering within the county on this irruption
12 months for the species.

                         Quick-eared Owl and Lengthy-eared Owl ringed lately within the county (courtesy of WORG)

Patchwork problem

Patch	Birder	Issues	Species	Spotlight
Aston eyot	Ben Sheldon	51	51
Ardley ERF	Gareth Casburn	59	57
Dix pit	Simon Bradfield	43	40
Grimsbury reservoir	Gareth Blockley	70	73
Lye valley	Tom Bedford	51	50
River Thames	Geoff Wyatt	104	91
Sutton courtenay	Conor MacKenzie	85	80	Firecrest & Livestock Egret
Port Meadow	Thomas Miller
Radley GP’s	Ian Elkins	75	72	Nice White Egret & Goosander
Freeland	Glen Pascoe	34	32
South Hinksey	Alex Figueiredo	42	41
Cholsey	Alan Dawson	81	78

Quick-eared Owl courtesy of John Reynolds.

The place do the birds pass?

Piece in combination a map of hen migration.