Oxon Birding Weblog: September Evaluate

Highlights

September, the month the place
something can occur and simply sometimes the seemingly unthinkable does
occur. A living proof for that is the passing of the two^nd
anniversary of the counties first, and the nation’s 26^th, Frequent
Nighthawk. A extra typical September although, can nonetheless present native birders
with days to recollect, notably if the circumstances are proper. Sometimes,
these basic birding days are had at someplace the place lively migration might be
simply seen. For many this implies heading both to an elevated level or a
coastal headland, however for Oxon this often means heading to Farmoor.
The primary week of September supplied the county, and Farmoor, with
two basic birding days, the kind of days inland birders reside for and reside
lengthy within the reminiscence.

The primary of those ‘basic’ days
got here on the two^nd September with an impressive day listing produced after
sustained effort by a number of birders:

Black Tern – 17
Little Stint
Shag
Little Gull
Sandwich Tern
Arctic Tern
Frequent Tern – 12
Gray Plover
Whimbrel
Greenshank – 7
Ringed Plover – 7
Ruff
Sanderling
Dunlin
Inexperienced Sandpiper
Frequent Sandpiper – 8

 ·    Anybody that has spent greater than a
few hours at Farmoor can attest to the websites frequent tendency for bleakness. However its capability to provide days like this with the occasional rarity
thrown in it’s what retains pulling people again to the concrete bowl, and today
was a prelude of higher issues to come back. Wild climate throughout the nation, up
till the 5^th September, coincided with some massive seabird
passage which at all times will get the inland birding gears whirring, and so it was that
an early morning go to to Farmoor produced the primary correct rarity of
the yr – an Arctic Skua. The primary since 2019, with solely one other
file within the final decade, this was a correct county rarity that may clearly
be a preferred chook. With a crowd assembled, many received to get pleasure from watching this ‘pirate
of the ocean’. An grownup intermediate morph, it by no means appeared very similar to it was
going to remain lengthy sometimes trying prefer it had departed the reservoir solely
to return a couple of moments later. 

The Arctic Skua, above and under courtesy of Roger Wyatt

With the worsening climate approaching, extra
birds have been been pushed by the county, with flock of beforehand unseen Frequent
Scoter flew into view while people have been having fun with the Skua, a becoming
scene given the deteriorating climate – Scoter are the one species to
my eye that appear like they actually get pleasure from a storm! Often, a Caspian
Gull started mobbing the Arctic Skua when out of the blue a flock of seven
Little Tern additionally traversed the location, a lot to the delight of the
assembled crow, and doubtlessly a brand new file depend for the species within the
county! 

The Skua being mobbed by the Caspian Gull, courtesy of Roger Wyatt

Above and under, the Little Terns courtesy of Roger Wyatt

The climate then received actually biblical, with solely the courageous sticking it
out the virtually sideway rain, by 4pm normality had returned and everybody
together with the Skua had departed the location – a very basic day of
birding within the county! 

Above and under, “biblical” rain courtesy of Justin Taylor

Waders

September sometimes
delivers the majority of our wader data each in amount and high quality and this
yr didn’t disappoint. The primary spotlight was the arrival of a Noticed
Redshank at Otmoor on the 21^st, a not at all times annual
species within the county, this one was sadly already totally into winter
plumage on arrival. The chook remained on website till the 30^th. 

The Noticed Redshank courtesy of Paul Wilkinson

Extra Little
Stint data got here within the early a part of the month with a single chook on Farmoor
from the 1^st till the three^rd of the month. Ardley continued
its good run of latest type with a pair of Little Stint on the two^nd,
with each remaining till the three^rd. 

The Farmoor Little Stint, above courtesy of Mark Chivers, under Ben Sheldon

Ben Sheldon

A pair of Knot have been a pleasant
addition to the county yr listing, one other species that’s solely close to annual
inside the boundaries of Oxfordshire, though each solely remained for
the only day on the 17^th. One other species that was a brief stayer got here
within the type of a single fly by Gray Plover, additionally on the two^nd,
though lately this species has wintered often within the county so
this most likely received’t be the final one we are going to see this yr. 

Farmoor Knot, courtesy of Ben Sheldon

Turnstone data got here, as
ever, from Farmoor solely with a most of two on the 6^th.
Singles have been recorded on the 1^st, 5^th and eight^th
it appears possible that it was most likely the identical chook for frequenting the location. Sanderling
have been additionally restricted to the concrete bowl this month, with a single chook
current on website between the 1^st and 4^th of the month,
while a lone Whimbrel flew by the location through the epic passage day
on the two^nd. Greenshank have been a bit of bit extra widespread in
the county with at the very least 3 websites internet hosting birds. The primary of the month got here
from Pit 60 on the 1^st, while Farmoor hosted the majority
of data with at the very least one current between the two^nd and 16^th
of the month and a most of seven right here on the two^nd. Cassington
GPs hosted the one different file this month with a single right here on the 17^th.
 Ruff have been confined to 2 websites
in September with Farmoor internet hosting a lone chook between the two^nd
and three^rd and a pair of birds on the 19^th. Ardley additionally
hosted a lone chook between the 4^th and eight^th with
presumably a distinct chook current on the 17^th of the month. 

Farmoor Ruff, courtesy of CJ Kearns

Ringed Plover have been additionally
solely confined to Farmoor this month with data from 11 days
between the two^nd and the 21^st, with the best depend
coming from the two^nd with seven though 5 have been additionally right here on the
18^th. Dunlin adopted an identical sample with birds current at
Farmoor on 13 days between the 1^st and the 21^st. A
good double digit depend was recorded on the ten^th with 13 current,
however other than this most reviews associated to singles and small teams. Black-tailed
Godwit had a poor exhibiting this month with solely two data bookending the
month. A pair have been current at Pit 60 on the two^nd and a trio
have been then at Otmoor on the 28^th. 

Ringed Plover at Farmoor, courtesy of Geoff Dymott

Inexperienced Sandpiper have been
sometimes widespread this month, though numbers and websites have been down,
presumably as birds start to determine winter territories and subordinate birds
are kicked off essentially the most prime places. The max depend for the county got here from
Bicester Wetlands Reserve, which continues to reign supreme because the
premier website for passage Inexperienced Sandpiper. A depend of 12 was recorded on 3^rd
and once more on the 11^th. Ardley got here shut although with 11 birds
on the 14^th, while an additional 8 websites hosted singles and small
teams all through the month. Frequent Sandpiper have been additionally equally
widespread with 7 websites internet hosting birds. Farmoor hosted essentially the most birds, as
it usually does, the place a most depend of eight have been current on the two^nd.
The remaining websites hosted both singles or pairs with birds reported up till
the 20^th of the month. Redshank data, outdoors of Otmoor
that’s, got here from two websites this month – two at Farmoor on the 9^th
and a single chook at Port Meadow on the 23^rd.  There have been three Greenshank at Farmoor on the thirteenth.

Farmoor Greenshank, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Wildfowl & Sport and so on

One other sometimes quiet interval
for this group, though the indicators of the approaching seasonal change are all
round with numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail on the rise
throughout a number of websites inside the county’s borders. Amplifying this seasonal
change was the arrival of a flock of eight Whooper Swan at Farmoor on
the 28^th of the month, though these have been very transient guests and
clearly on the lookout for higher pastures. 

Farmoor Whoopers, courtesy of Ian Stewart

The aforementioned 10 Frequent Scoter got here
by Farmoor on the 5^th, trying very very similar to they have been
completely having fun with the biblical climate, in contrast to the assembled birders on website.
A feminine, presumably a lagger on, remained on website from the 7^th
till the ten^th of the month. 

The feminine Frequent Scoter courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Shelduck have been current at solely
two websites this month, with Farmoor internet hosting birds on the 4^th
and 18^th, while Cassington GP’s additionally had a single chook 19^th.
A tantalising file of six Brent Goose got here from Henley-on-Thames on
the 29^th, but it surely transpires that these birds have been simply over into the
Bucks border though given the proximity it appears unlikely these birds
didn’t at the very least briefly dip into Oxon airspace.

Purple-crested Pochard have been
current at two websites this month – Farmoor on the 7^th and Cassington GP’s on
the 19^th, while 3 websites recorded Mandarin with as much as 5 at
Sonning Eye GP’s, one at Pit 60 and one other on the basic website
of Blenheim on the finish of the month. Persevering with the plastic theme, the Ross’s
Goose that’s sometimes reported within the county was at Port Meadow on
the 24^th.

Herons, egrets and so on

The earlier months Shag continued
into the primary few days of the month, contributing to the cracking day listing of
that got here from Farmoor on the two^nd. The chook seemingly
departed the location by the morning of the 4^th, which was a reduction
given the state the chook appeared within the first couple days of its keep. The
long-staying Shiny Ibis continued at Otmoor, with the chook
reported till at the very least the 15^th though given its proclivity for
disappearing, there’s each probability that it’ll proceed its 5 month keep in
the county.

The long-staying Otmoor Shiny Ibis, courtesy of Mark Chivers

Though hardly ever talked about in these evaluations, Bittern is a
very notable chook away from Otmoor regardless of the inhabitants seemingly
booming there. Pinkhill Reserve, at Farmoor, appeared to be an
enticing prospect for a short go to by a person on the 8^th,
however was solely seen for a pair hours earlier than departing. Pit 60 additionally
hosted a chook later within the month on the 23^rd, in what could possibly be the
similar particular person on the lookout for a winter residence. 

The Pinkhill Bittern, courtesy of Trudi Rowland

Cattle Egret continued to
be widespread and quite a few within the county, with at the very least 8 websites recording birds
this month. Otmoor remained the place to be for giant counts of the
species, primarily returning to roost through the night vigils. A brand new county
file fell on the 11^th when a minimal of 70 people have been
counted into roost. With numbers falling to 50 on the 13^th and down
to a ‘lowly’ 30 on the 24^th. The one different website to report a double
digit depend got here from Pit 60 with 11 on the 6^th of the month,
with all different websites recording smaller teams. Nice White Egret have been even
extra widespread with a minimal of 12 websites internet hosting birds in September. A
excessive depend got here once more from Otmoor the place 5 have been current on the 17^th,
with solely Cassington GP’s coming near this with three current on the
2^nd. The remaining websites hosted both singles or pairs all through
the month. 

Woodstock Cattle Egret courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

Passerines

In what ought to have realistically
been the spotlight of the month, and probably even the yr had it been extra
forthcoming, the county’s first Dipper in practically a decade and a half was
current in Witney on the 13^th, albeit very briefly. A correct
county mega that may have proved to be a very talked-about chook had it been in any respect
twitchable, the final chook got here again in 2011 additionally in Witney. Regardless of a
thorough search of the world, which proved to be pretty unsuitable for the
species, and a few areas the final chook frequented up river no signal of the chook
was discovered. This isn’t solely stunning, for the reason that final chook within the county
was a really tough chook to catch up. Many birders took at the very least a couple of makes an attempt
at seeing it, the place it by no means remained in a single place for very lengthy, with one
birder reportedly taken 17 occasions to meet up with it!!

The primary Pied Flycatcher of
the yr was current at Days Lock on the 7^th however was
sometimes elusive and flighty all through its keep. One other chook was
then current the next day in Sutton over within the west of the county
in what can be one other classically elusive chook that stayed just for a day. The
first Rock Pipit of the autumn arrived at Farmoor on the 26^th
of the month, a basic early spring or mid-autumn species, this one was a tad
earlier within the season than is anticipated. This lone chook remained till at the very least
the 29^th.

Farmoor Rock Pipit, courtesy of Ben Sheldon

The 14^th of the month noticed Woodstock play
host to a beautiful Black Redstart on a reasonably distant farm on the outskirts
of the city. In contrast to the years earlier data up to now, this particular person took a
liking to its environment and remained till the top of the month and
continued into October, permitting loads of people to catch up it. 

The Woodstock Black Redstart courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

Commoner passerines continued to
cross by the county in first rate numbers, though the height numbers had
clearly already moved by Oxfordshire the earlier month and
motion this month had just about stopped by the center of the September. Redstart
data got here from 5 websites in September, with all data coming between 1^st
and a pair of^nd at Woodstock, Gramps Hill, Port Meadow, Grimsbury Reservoir and
Ardley. Whinchat have been a bit of extra widespread and quite a few with as much as 8
websites taking part in host to 1 extra birds this month. Oxfordshire Golf Membership hosted
the best quantity the place 5 have been current on the 4^th, while Appleford
GP’s had a minimal of three on the 7^th. All different websites had 1-2
birds with the Churn having the final file on the 16^th. Wheatear
sometimes have been essentially the most widespread and quite a few of the three species, with
at the very least 12 websites having birds in September. Oxfordshire Golf Membership once more
hosted the best depend with three right here additionally on the 4^th of the
month, though Childrey Subject additionally had three the day gone by. Virtually
all data got here by the 15^th of the month, however Curbridge hosted
a slightly late chook on the 29^th. 

Lye Valley Noticed Flycatcher, courtesy of Tom Bedford

A tough species to meet up with
outdoors of the Downs a number of Tree Pipit moved by the county at
each ends of the month. As is typical with this species the one clue to its
presence is the overhead ‘sphiz’ name as they transfer by a website. Otmoor
had one the 6^th, Letcombe Basset one on the 14^th
and Wolvercote had two on the 29^th. One file I forgot to
point out within the earlier overview interval was a considerably city file of a Tree
Pipit on one birders neighbours roof on the finish of August, a very
nice backyard tick! Massive counts of roosting Yellow Wagtail continued to
be reported from Otmoor though numbers have been down on the earlier
months superb numbers. The roost counts right here ranged between 140 and 200
between the two^nd and 11^th of the month, while a smaller
however nonetheless spectacular depend of 70 got here from Oxfordshire Golf Membership on the 4^th.  As much as 50 have been additionally seen at Port Meadow firstly of the month.

City Tree Pipit – Gareth Casburn

With massive actions of Hirundine
shifting by the county through the durations of inclement climate, typically in
the numerous a whole bunch, it isn’t stunning that a couple of late Swift data
additionally received dragged by sometimes. These have been all confined to Farmoor, the place
the biggest numbers of Hirundine additionally have been concentrated, with single birds on
the 7^th and 14^th and a trio of birds current on the ten^th
and 11^th of the month. Lastly, extra amplification of the seasonal change
got here with the primary, and early, file of Redwing for the county with a
single chook at Aston Eyot in Oxford on the 28^th,
adopted by two birds at Curbridge on the identical day. A Fieldfare was
additionally current within the county on the 28^th at Bablockhythe and it
received’t be lengthy now till the county and nation are inundated with each species
for the winter interval, with the ever current nocturnal ‘Tseep’ name filling
the night time sky.

Gulls and Terns

As already
talked about September has been a considerably epic month for this group, with
the two^nd and 5^th of the month taking part in host to 5 species
of Tern, 2 species of the rarer Gulls and a single Skua species.
Outdoors of the aforementioned days September continued to play host to
a number of species all through the early and latter components of the month. The massive
flock of Little Tern, current on the 5^th, had dissipated by
the next day with ‘solely’ three birds right here on the 6^th, though
by the top of the day these birds had departed additionally. Black Tern have been the
most quite a few and widespread of the Tern species in September. After
the 17 current on Farmoor on the two^nd birds have been current on
and off till the 24^th, though presumably the latter data on the
18^th and 24^th have been completely different to the flocks within the early
a part of the month between the two^nd and 6^th. The lone Sandwich
Tern current at Farmoor on the two^nd of the month was
adopted up by a lone chook on Pit 60 on the 7^th, while Arctic
Tern have been current at Farmoor on the two^nd, 23^rd
and 24^th of the month with one other file from Grimsbury
Reservoir on the 11^th. Little Gull have been additionally principally
confined to Farmoor this month with a chook current on the 1^st
and a pair of^nd of September with a presumably completely different 1^st
winter chook current within the Gull roost on the 27^th. The strangest
file got here from Magdalen Faculty taking part in fields on the 28^th
with a 1^st winter picked out of the Gulls loafing right here throughout
the day and was presumably the chook from Farmoor relocating. 

Farmoor Little Gull courtesy of Paul Willis

Frequent Tern continued
to maneuver by the county in smaller numbers this month, with Farmoor internet hosting
12 on the two^nd and 4 on the 24^th. Ardley additionally noticed
birds on the two^nd with two current, while Pit 60 hosted three
on the 22^nd growing to 9 23^rd. Caspian Gull continued
to be solely confined to Farmoor this month with two juveniles current
on the 4^th and the 21^st, while a single juvenile was current
on and off for almost all of the month. The one Mediterranean Gull file
got here from Farmoor this month the place a lone winter plumage juvenile was current
on the 24^th. 

The long-staying Farmoor Caspian Gull courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

 Raptors

Two data of Osprey got here, inevitably,
from Farmoor this month with a single chook current and noticed fishing
on the 4^th and one other flythrough chook on the 24^th. Persevering with
the winter really feel for the top of the month, the primary Merlin of the interval
got here through Yelford on the 29^th, with definitely extra to come back in
the approaching months. 

Farmoor Osprey courtesy of Dave Murphy

One other fascinating Marsh Harrier file
got here this month, with a wing-tagged particular person current at Pit 60. This
chook was ringed within the nest earlier this yr in Cambridgeshire on the
14^th June. This being the 5^th particular person current
at Pit 60 in latest months, a seemingly vital transit website for the
species as they transfer between websites. Readers might be happy to know that at
least considered one of ‘our’ pale Marsh Harrier juveniles continues to outlive in
the broader nation. The chook that turned up at Slimbridge early final month
continues to please the native birders there and is seemingly not but affected
adversely by the weak feathers it has developed. No information of the two^nd
chook but, sadly, however I’ll do my greatest to convey you information if any is
forthcoming. 

Patchwork problem

This month’s Photograph of the Month is that this beautiful Barn Owl captured by Colm O’Brien.

Courtesy of Colm O’Brien