Oxon Birding Weblog: August Overview

 Highlights

And identical to that the summer time
lull has dissipated and the thrill of autumn is rolling in, presumably extra
with a whimper than a bang however no less than issues are starting to kick off! That
time of 12 months the place an early morning or late night go to to the patch can
produce a little bit of patch gold, with waders the staple of most patch birders
ambitions and the obvious goal. It’s early doorways but however the selection and
unfold of migrant wader information began to choose up across the center of the
month albeit in a trickle moderately than a flood, hopefully with lots extra birds
and species to come back over the subsequent couple weeks. August failed to offer any
additions to the 12 months listing, so the whole nonetheless stands at 198 with the
further 11 non-BOU species and the odd subspecies additionally. September could be very
more likely to tip us over the 200 mark and hopefully high the lowly 204 achieved
final 12 months, the joint 2^nd lowest species recorded this century. Little
Stint must be a given, having solely been lacking from two out of the final
20 September’s while one other Curlew Sandpiper or a summer time plumaged Noticed
Redshank could be most welcome additions.

Sadly, there was no actual
standout rarity this month that warranted a spotlight, so beneath is a pair
information of word that appeared deserving of highlighting as an alternative.

Norwegian ringed Widespread
Sandpiper

A cracking picture from Pinkhill
of a flagged and color ringed Widespread Sandpiper supplied an excellent
alternative to get some context for these pretty frequent and widespread migrants
inside the county. A fast search recommended that ‘LTN’ was ringed in Norway
moderately than from our personal breeding inhabitants within the north of England or
even Scotland. Southern England is a crucial fuelling floor
for each our ‘personal’ breeders and people from additional north, significantly the Fenno-Scandinavian
birds which quantity half one million pairs, en path to the wintering grounds
in West Africa. Sadly essentially the most particular particulars we might acquire
for ‘LTN’ was that it was probably ringed as a younger chook this summer time in Rogaland
county, SW Norway presumably on its approach roughly 900km
southwest to Farmoor.

The ringed Widespread Sandpiper at Pinkhill, courtesy of Paul Mallarini

Breeding Quail

In what has been an excellent 12 months for
uncommon breeding species within the county (see Cattle Egret, Goosander, Noticed
Crake and Black Redstart). A implausible report of a Quail household
celebration at Otmoor on the 22^nd offers some uncommon affirmation of profitable
breeding for a species that’s more likely to breed yearly inside the county however
extremely troublesome to verify. In any given 12 months it may be troublesome to pin
down precisely what number of birds have been recorded resulting from their elusiveness and their
virtually ventriloquist like capability to sound in a number of locations without delay. The truth is
the final solidly confirmed breeding report (i.e bodily proof of success)
got here again in 2011 when our personal Roger Wyatt staked out a subject due for harvest
which resulted within the survival of the brood and a few implausible pictures (see
beneath). This 12 months, though not fairly at ‘Quail’ 12 months standing, has seen a
good unfold of information throughout the county with Otmoor seeing a number of
singing males current in summer time, a website that surprisingly information few Quail 12 months
to 12 months. With Noticed Crake seemingly added to breeding chook assemblage there
this 12 months, Otmoor has had cracking 2023.

Breeding Oxon Quail again in 2011, courtesy of Roger Wyatt

Waders

The primary returning Wooden
Sandpiper of the autumn was most likely the standout rarity for this group in August.
A lone chook at Peep-o-Day Lane was current from the 21^st
till no less than the 27^th, sadly preferring the furthest half
of the flood and solely affording folks largely distant views. 

Wooden Sandpiper at Peep-O-Day Lane, courtesy of Badger

A pair of Turnstone
on the Farmoor causeway on the 13^th as anticipated afforded
observers significantly better views. A juv and a stunning summer time plumaged grownup had been
current for a single day with the grownup hanging on till the 15^th. A
2^nd chook appeared on the 15^th with two nonetheless current up
till no less than the 23^rd.   

Farmoor Turnstone, courtesy of John Workman

A
lone Sanderling on the 16^th additionally got here from Farmoor in
the corporate of a number of different wader species. Presumably a 2^nd chook
was current on the 23^rd. Additionally current on the 16^th was a cracking
juvenile Ruff and was usually confiding up till its departure on the 17^th.  Pit 60 additionally hosted a single juvenile on the 26^th with two
birds then right here on the 28^th till no less than the 29^th. 

Farmoor Ruff, courtesy of Steve Liptrot

A
nice vis-mig report of 4 Whimbrel over Fyfield Wick on the 24^th
had been the primary of the autumn and simply goes to show what we could be lacking
flying immediately over our heads throughout this busy interval.

Greenshank had been noticed
at 3 areas this month. With the primary coming from John Allen Pit in Dorchester-on-Thames
on the 9^th. A chook calling over Farmoor presumably was
in search of someplace to relaxation up however didn’t stick round on the 23^rd
while two birds had been on Hatford Pit on the 27^th. Ringed
Plover information solely got here from Farmoor in August with two
birds calling over the reservoir on the 14^th, a lone chook on the 19^th
and a trio of birds there on the 23^rd. A single Black-tailed
Godwit was on Pit 60 on the three^rd with presumably one other
right here on the 15^th, while a gaggle of 4 had been clocked heading over Fyfield
Wick on the 24^th. Dunlin information had been nonetheless largely
confided to Farmoor via August with solely Bicester Wetlands
and Hatford internet hosting some other birds this month. A most of 5
had been on Farmoor on the 4^th with three remaining till the 6^th,
with a brand new pair of birds additionally right here on the 23^rd. Bicester hosted
a single chook on the 7^th and it continued to be recorded up till at
least the 13^th, while a juvenile was at Hatford on the 28^th.

As anticipated, Inexperienced Sandpiper and
Widespread Sandpiper made up the majority of wader information this month with a
massive unfold all through the county. Inexperienced Sandpiper had been reported kind eight
websites this month with a number of websites recorded a number of birds. The best depend
got here from Bicester Wetlands which retains its standing as one of the best website in
the county for Inexperienced Sandpiper throughout each migration intervals, a most
of 15 had been right here on the 9^th. Peep-o-Day Lane recorded the subsequent
highest depend with three birds on the 23^rd. Widespread Sandpiper on
the opposite hand had been noticed from no less than 12 websites. Most information relate to
single birds with the best depend of three coming from Grimsbury on
the 1^st and Chinnor on the 29^th. Non Otmoor
Redshank information got here from Farmoor on the ten^th &
28^th, Pit 60 on the 15^th and Rushy Widespread on
the 28^th.

Farmoor Dunlin, courtesy of Mark Chivers

Wildfowl, sport and crakes

Other than the superb report
of the household celebration at Otmoor, with two birds subsequently seen in
flight on the 27^th, the one different report this month was of a tragic
report of a useless chook up on the ridgeway within the early a part of August. Though
it has been an excellent month for Garganey information with a number of websites have
a number of birds current throughout the late spring, there was no confirmed
breeding information forthcoming. A number of stories of a feminine down Peep-o-Day
Lane confirmed no indicators of younger in attendance regardless of seemingly being current
since April. A juvenile on Church Farm Scrape might hopefully level
to native breeding someplace however might simply have simply come from wherever in
actuality.

The Ruddy Shelduck continued
on Peep-o-Day Lane spending a lot of its time with massive and seemingly
rising flock of Egyptian Goose. The chook was reported on and off
all through the month with a 2^nd chook becoming a member of on the 28^th.
A Shelduck noticed on Venn Mill on the 28^th was the
solely report of this species this month, while the one Mandarin report
got here from Pit 60 on the 5^th.

Herons,
egrets and so forth

After one other profitable breeding 12 months Cattle Egret noticed
extra widespread information inside the county this month, as juveniles and grownup
feeding events started to get lost from their natal grounds at Blenheim. Breeding
this 12 months seems to have been staggered with a number of nests at completely different levels
nonetheless current all through August. The utmost depend got here from Otmoor on
the 19^th with no less than 12 birds which included no less than three
juveniles, while on the 18^th there was no less than six juveniles
throughout two nests with a special nest containing one juvenile on the 23^rd.
All of this factors to very productive 12 months for the now effectively established colony.
Away from Otmoor and Blenheim 5 further websites recorded at
least one Cattle Egret this month. A number of had been flyover information i.e Frilford
on the 7^th or 11 over Farmoor on the 24^th. Singles
had been current at Church Farm Scrape and Ardley ERF on the 6^th
and 11^th respectively, while 4 had been at Woodstock on the
28^th.

Juvenile Cattle Egret, at Otmoor, courtesy of Peter Barker

Nice White Egret continued their ever presence in
the county via August. 5 websites recorded birds this month with a
most depend of three birds current on Pit 60 on the 26^th,
while two birds had been current all through the month at Blenheim and Otmoor.
A color ringed chook at Church Farm Scrape on the 29^th was a
1^st summer time chook ringed this 12 months down at Ham Wall in Somerset,
the probably supply for the whole lot of our information throughout the summer time months.
With a seemingly report 12 months down on Shapwick Heath with 88 chicks
fledged this 12 months, one has to hope we’ll finally see the primary breeding in
Oxon someday quickly.

Gulls
and Terns

Sadly most good information this month relate to birds
flying via Farmoor on not lingering very lengthy. The spotlight for the
interval got here within the type of a shocking grownup Little Gull on the 16^th
from Farmoor while a pleasant flock of 11 Sandwich Tern bombed
via Farmoor on the 14^th with a single chook hanging round
a short while longer. A single Black Tern was current on Farmoor on
the afternoon of the 18^th which finally grew into 13 birds later
that night. As anticipated, these birds had been passed by the next morning. Virtually
too late for the assessment got here one other report of single Black Tern on Farmoor
on the night of the 31^st and possibly this one will cling round into
September. 

Farmoor Yellow-legged Gull courtesy of Nick Truby

A one legged grownup Caspian Gull on the 20^th
was the one report of this species albeit an intriguing one at that, with the
chook current at Gill Mill Quarry. A single juvenile Mediterranean
Gull was current on Farmoor on the 25^th with doable the
identical one current the subsequent day at Pit 60. 

One legged Caspian Gull at Gill Mill Quarry, courtesy of Paul Hicks

Passerines

After a couple of early migrants within the latter half of final month Passerine
migration received into full swing this month with good numbers of all of the
frequent and anticipated species. Whinchat had been recorded from no less than 11
areas. By far the most important depend got here from Otmoor had been a minimal of 18
had been seen on the 23^rd, a whopping depend and an particularly painful
quantity for these us who would take only a single chook on their patch. Usually,
an apparent bias was in direction of the downs with the subsequent highest depend coming from Cholsey
with 6 on the 15^th. Trio’s had been famous on Kings Lock and the
Chilton Downs on the 26^th and 16^th respectively.
Singles had been famous from Cholsey, Farmoor, Woodstock, Childrey Area, Lark Hill,
Caterton and Gramps Hill. 

Whinchat alongside the Bunk Line, Cholsey, courtesy of Alan Dawson

Wheatear adopted the same trajectory via the
county though apparently in much less numbers. The biggest group got here from Lark
Hill the place 4 had been current on the 15^th. Trios had been current at
the Devils Punchbowl, Childrey Area and Letcombe Regis on the 6^th,
24^th and 26^th respectively. Different areas included Farmoor,
Hatford, Gramps Hill and Caterton. Redstart had been definitely essentially the most
widespread migrant this month with information from no less than 16 websites. Otmoor recorded
birds essentially the most incessantly, because it typically does, with birds recorded on and off all through
August. Solely two websites recorded greater than two birds with three people
at Gramps Hill and Letcombe Regis on the 23^rd and 26^th
respectively. 

Redstart, Burgess Area, Port Meadow, courtesy of Matthew Lloyd

Notable counts of Yellow Wagtail got here from two websites
this month. Moreton Golf Course recorded 40 birds on the 25^th
while Childrey Area recorded 39 birds on the 23^rd. 

Yellow Wagtail on the Bunk Line, Cholsey, courtesy of Paul Chandler

Tree Pipit had been recorded from 4 websites with the
most notable of those coming from town of Oxford with two birds over
Warneford Meadow on the 19^th. One other notable report and definitely
the rarest of all of them inside its personal distinctive context was the report of a Corn
Bunting additionally from Warneford Meadow in Oxford on the 17^th.
Extremely the primary Oxford report in 43 years! A extremely cracking
city report and proves what can discovered with sustained effort even in essentially the most
constrained of greenspaces. 

Raptors

Sadly it was a quiet month for Raptor information with
essentially the most notable report coming very early within the month when a White-tailed
Eagle was seen alongside the Berks/Oxon border on the 1^st. Virtually
definitely a chook from the IoW reintroduction venture and was fairly
presumably G452 a 3cy feminine that has travelled extensively all through the
nation since her launch. She was seen at Rutland later that month and
presumably travelled via Oxfordshire en route. No matter its origin
and id with the success of the venture, having had their profitable
breeding and fledging this 12 months we’re more likely to get an increasing number of information from
now on!

An early Merlin was additionally fairly notable when a single chook
was seen at Childrey Area on the 27^th and presumably the
identical chook caught across the downs when a Merlin was additionally seen round Churn
Farm the next day. 

Patchwork problem