Oxon Birding Weblog: April Evaluation

Wildfowl and so forth

A sometimes quiet interval for this
group, the principle highlights bookended the month with the group of 4 White-fronted
Geese nonetheless current between the two^nd and 4^th. Garganey
have been a bit skinny on the bottom this spring, with only a few data
in comparison with 2023 the place a number of websites had pairs and one web site even had as much as six
birds for a lot of the spring. A lone feminine was on Pit 60 on the 16^th
which was then seemingly joined by a male on the 25^th simply down the
highway in Widford. The pair remined right here till a minimum of the 30^th.
A single drake was additionally current on Otmoor on the 23^rd, which
raised hopes of a profitable breeding yr right here once more with a feminine probably
tucked away elsewhere on web site. 

Widford Garganey courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Shelduck have been pretty
widespread this month with a minimum of six websites internet 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 on the 1^st,
while Farmoor, Days Lock and Rushy Frequent 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 current on the 21^st, much more
shocking was a late Goldeneye additionally right here on the 21^st the place
it remained till the next day. Mandarin have been on three 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 changing into an annual
prevalence for the reason that reintroduction venture down at Knepp Property in Sussex,
a White Stork was picked up over Oxon airspace on the 21^st
with one circling Iffley in Oxford. A number of days later it was seen
over Otmoor on the 24^th and initially appeared un-ringed solely
for the requisite bling noticed the next day when the chicken was seen on
the deck. No matter your ideas on the reintroduction venture the species appears to be like
set to be a everlasting fixture of the international locations avifauna and an everyday
prevalence within the county. 

Otmoor White Stork courtesy of Peter Milligan

One other now everlasting fixture, at
least of the southern counties, Cattle Egret continued a lot in the identical
method they did the earlier month. The wintering flock now having dispersed from
their most popular pasture subject by Wytham with six websites internet hosting birds
together with the breeding colony at Blenheim. The biggest flock nonetheless
round got here from Farmoor on the 16^th the place 10 birds have been seen
over in flight, though eight have been additionally seen at Pit 60 on the 14^th.
Nice White Egret additionally continued the place they left of the earlier month with
a minimum of 9 websites recording birds. The best depend and seemingly a county
document got here from Pit 60 on the 6^th the place a minimum of eight birds
have been recorded and probably as much as 11 have been throughout the positioning and wider
panorama. Eight have been right here on two different events and absolutely the primary breeding
document for the county can’t be too far behind. Port Meadow additionally had a
first rate variety of birds the place 5 have been current on the 22^nd. 

Nice White Egret Blenheim, courtesy of Michael Enticott

Gulls and Terns

Some of the
anticipated components of the spring season, the overland migration of the international locations
seabirds, received below method on the 6^th with the primary Sandwich Tern at
Farmoor. A 2^nd chicken adopted at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the 15^th, though each data have been sometimes temporary appearances. Kittiwake
quickly adopted when two birds have been current at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the 9^th, each adults. Farmoor adopted rapidly after with a
single chicken on the ten^th, additionally an grownup. On the final day of the month
a single Little Tern, one other not at all times annual species inside the county’s
border, was picked up at Otmoor on the 30^th not the everyday location
for this diminutive seabird. 

Courtesy of Connor Pimm

One other one in every of our diminutive species put in a
temporary look with 4 Little Gull over Farmoor on the 27^th
coinciding with a small passage of different windswept seabirds pushed in by some inclement
climate. 

Farmoor Little Gull courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

The annual
spectacle of Arctic Tern flocks over an area waterbody can also be an occasion eagerly
anticipated by native patch birders. Farmoor, sometimes, had the primary
birds the place two have been right here on the 9^th, though Grimsbury additionally
had two birds the identical day and have been presumably the identical pair. Sonning Eye GPs additionally
had two birds the next day on the ten^th. The height although got here in
the center of the month when 20 birds flew by means of Farmoor on the 15^th,
adopted swiftly by 19 birds on the 22^nd which lingered till the
subsequent day. Sonning Eye GPs additionally received extra motion with 4 birds on the 26^th
growing to 6 on the 27^th, while West Oxon Crusing Membership additionally
received in on the motion throughout the peak passage with two birds on the 15^th.
Frequent Tern made a welcome return to the county on the two^nd ,
a couple of days sooner than the median arrival date, with a single chicken at Farmoor.
This was adopted by birds at Radley on the 7^th and Port
Meadow on the 12^th. Birds then grew to become extra widespread 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 continued to hold
on within the county effectively into the month of April, considerably unsurprisingly
given the climate. You’ll be able to’t actually blame them for not considering spring had
fairly began and I can effectively think about circumstances within the north of Scandinavia weren’t
precisely beckoning. A single chicken was reported at Wantage on the 5^th
within the Waitrose carpark. However the principle tranche of data got here from Blenheim the place
between 18-21 birds have been current between the 18^th and 26^th.
What’s extra shocking, given the date, was these weren’t the newest document for
the county.

Bladon Waxwing courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Late Waxwing data

Ring Ouzel had an excellent
spring within the county. A lot of the data sometimes got here from the Oxon Downs
with 4 websites throughout the Ridgeway internet hosting a number of birds. A pair
continued from Aston Upthorpe by means of a lot of the early a part of the
month while Gramps Hill and Devils Punchbowl had as much as 5
birds by the 11^th. Ardley ERF managed to get in on the motion,
a pleasant bonus of the native birder placing within the effort there, on the 7^th.
Providing these within the north of the county a better connection in comparison with
these birds a lot additional south alongside the downs. The final chicken held on at Scary
Hill till a minimum of the 13^th. 

Ardley Ring Ouzel courtesy of Nick Truby

The one and solely Rock Pipit of
the spring got here on the 22^nd with the traditional location of Farmoor taking part in
host to this temporary flyover document. A cracking male Black Redstart was in
one other non-public backyard  in Nice Haseley this month and remained
for the only day on the 7^th.

Black Redstart courtesy of John Hewes

Whinchat have been a little bit skinny
on the bottom with possibly extra but to return within the early a part of Might, though
passage appeared to begin early throughout the nation as an entire. The primary Oxon
document was round every week sooner than typical with chicken on the Oxon
Downs on the 13^th. Birds adopted at Otmoor, Days Lock, Shennington
Airfield and Grimsbury Reservoir most coming from the center a part of
the month. Wheatear, nonetheless, continued to pile by means of the county en
masse with a whopping 18 websites recording birds all through April. By far
and away probably the most birds have been recorded from the Oxon Downs with 12 birds
at Aston Upthorpe on the 15^th, though most of the 18 websites
recorded a number of birds throughout April. 

Whinchat and Wheater at Otmoor, courtesy of Cath Rose

Redstart have been solely on six websites this
month, with just one web site recording multiple chicken. Grimsbury Reservoir recorded
two birds on the 7^th with one current right here till a minimum of the 15^th.
Cholsey, Cassington GPs, Woolstone Down, Henton and Chimney Meadows all
recorded single birds between 10^th and 23^rd. The primary Noticed
Flycatcher of the spring turned up fairly a bit sooner than anticipated when Farmoor
hosted a chicken on the 23^rd, with a median arrival date of the two^nd
Might.

Nearly all our breeding migrant
species have now returned to their summer season breeding grounds within the county, with
the continued theme of early returnees obvious throughout a number of of these species.
The primary Swift was reported on the ten^th at Grimsbury
Reservoir, almost every week sooner than common with the following birds not been
reported till almost two weeks in a while the 22^nd on the identical web site. The
yr’s first Cuckoo have been bang on time with time with a chicken at Wytham
on the 8^th, while the primary Whitethroat got here on the 7^th
at Farmoor additionally just about bang on time for the species typical arrival
date. 

Otmoor Cuckoo courtesy of Malcolm Bowey

Lesser Whitethroat nonetheless was almost every week sooner than common
with a singing chicken at Ewelme on the 9^th. Likewise the
seasons first Grasshopper Warbler was additionally a few week sooner than is
typical with a reeling chicken at Farmoor on the 6^th.

Farmoor Grasshopper Warbler, courtesy of Paul Tomlinson

The primary Backyard Warbler was
bang on time with a chicken at Port Meadow on the 14^th. However our
first Reed Warbler was almost two weeks earlier with a chicken at Otmoor
on the two^nd, adopted by different early birds on the 7^th
at Farmoor and Rushy Frequent. The primary Yellow Wagtail bucked
the development although by been a couple of days later than the median arrival for the one
of our brightest summer season birds, with a the primary at Grimsbury Reservoir on
the three^rd. The best depend got here from Churn on the 14^th
with a pleasant flock of 20 birds right here. White Wagtail have been recorded from
5 websites this month with most websites recording single birds – Grimsbury Reservoir,
Sparsholt Firs, Farmoor and Widford, though Port Meadow hosted
4 birds on the 19^th. 

Farmoor White Wagtail courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Raptors

Spring passage of Osprey was pretty
first rate in April with eight data throughout six websites. The primary of the
month got here from Otmoor on the 5^th, adopted by one other chicken
over Port Meadow on the 6^th which additionally hosted one other flyover
chicken on the 13^th. Probably the most confiding document got here from Farmoor on
the 12^th with a chicken seen perched on one of many bollards alongside the reservoirs
rim, making for a fairly surreal image. One was right here once more on the 16^th
and the 27^th which was seen later that day over Freeland. Days
Lock additionally had a fly over chicken within the 15^th, though this chicken was
a minimum of seen to catch a fish earlier than disappearing over Little Wittenham
Woods. Grimsbury additionally hosted a quick flyover document on the 16^th presumably
the identical chicken seen earlier that day over Farmoor. 

Farmoor Osprey courtesy of Steve Sansom

Quick-eared Owl continued
to linger on at Otmoor this month, though solely been recorded within the
latter a part of the month it might relate to a brand new chicken transferring by means of the county.
The only chicken was recorded sporadically from the 21^st till the tip
of the month. 

Otmoor Quick-eared Owl courtesy of Richard Stevens

A single Merlin additionally was a shock this month the place a
feminine or immature chicken was current on the Oxon Downs on the 13^th.
The primary returning Pastime of the spring got here from Otmoor on the
16^th with two birds right here and have been additionally bang on time. Birds continued
right here till a peak of 12 birds have been seen on the 27^th. Pit 60 and
Spring Hill Farm have been the one different websites that recorded a chicken with a
single right here on the 20^th and 29^th respectively.

Pastime Otmoor courtesy of Daren Curtis

Patchwork
problem

Pastime courtesy of Bryan Manston

VOLUNTEERS WANTED!

West Oxfordshire Farmland Fowl Venture is searching for ornithologists, ecologists, conservationists and anybody eager on nature! 

The West Oxfordshire Farmland Fowl Venture (WOFBP) was arrange in 2016 with the intention of monitoring farmland birds and utilizing this information to assist have interaction with and information farmer lead conservation. The monitoring includes chicken ringing, nest monitoring, and observational counts that each one feed into the British Belief for Ornithology’s (BTO) nationwide dataset in addition to native and regional databases, such because the Thames Valley Environmental Data Centre. Each our staff and these organisations use this information to raised perceive the populations of farmland birds and to feed into scientific analysis and sensible conservation tasks. The knowledge can also be fed again to the landowners, farmers, and land managers to advise how they’ll create habitat for birds and different wildlife alongside sustainable meals manufacturing. 

On the core of the farmland chicken monitoring are the surveys we conduct of our 4 goal species: Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, and Corn Buntings. Whereas we additionally survey different species resembling Gray Partridges, Tree Sparrows, Linnets, and different farmland specialists, these core species act as farmland indicator species. We use these species to evaluate the standard of the farmed surroundings and goal conservation efforts. Within the case of Corn Buntings, we now have begun increasing our surveys throughout southwest Oxfordshire with the hope of understanding their abundance, distribution, and inhabitants dynamics. 

For the Corn Bunting analysis we run an intensive color ringing venture with observational counts to map their distribution throughout a large space of farmland. As a part of this venture, we color mark roughly 150 birds per yr throughout the Thames Valley and Lambourn Downs and try and resight these birds all through subsequent years. The ensuing dataset helps to raised perceive their inhabitants behaviour, resembling post-juvenile dispersal, grownup web site constancy, grownup survival, breeding productiveness and breeding ecology. This information helps to tell us in regards to the habitats that farmers can created to preserve the species and the place these must be focused within the panorama. At the side of these surveys, we undertake observational counts of Corn Buntings throughout the venture space to map the summer season and winter populations and the place there are declines or will increase. 

A Corn Bunting within the hand

The Corn Bunting surveys and conservation work is split into three core elements of labor: supplementary feeding, observational counts, and chicken ringing. It’s these three roles that we’re presently searching for eager volunteers to hitch our staff. 

Our supplementary feeding programme throughout winter stretches throughout 14 farms in southwest Oxfordshire with most of those now internet hosting Corn Buntings. All through the winter we go to these supplementary feeding stations a minimum of as soon as a month between November and April to undertake observational counts in addition to conducting three chicken ringing surveys. We additionally undertake standardised counts throughout June and July, mapping the areas of singing males throughout our research farms. 

As a result of growth for these surveys, we’re eager to draw new volunteers trying to actively contribute to the conservation of a species that has declined by over 90% for the reason that Sixties. The information collected will play a direct function in conserving this species in Oxfordshire by guiding sensible, on the bottom conservation efforts lead by farmers. Volunteers may even get coaching that may widen their information of farmland birds and conservation of the species in addition to gaining managed entry to non-public farmland websites internet hosting chicken populations akin to these discovered on many nature reserves. 

The roles we hope to recruit volunteers to help with are listed under:

– Weekly supplementary feeding between December-April (will be single or a number of websites)

– Observational counts (summer season and/or winter)
– Fowl ringing surveys (changing into a licensed chicken ringer requires extra time and common coaching which will be mentioned additional with our staff) 

Relying on the actions undertaken by the volunteer they’d ideally be capable of attain websites by automobile (public transport is feasible for only some websites). Volunteers endeavor observational counts would require a pair of binoculars and/or telescope and have primary to superior identification expertise of farmland birds by sight and music (coaching will be offered). Volunteers don’t must decide to any variety of surveys however can cowl as many websites and visits as they want. 

Anybody concerned about contributing to the conservation of Corn Buntings, farmland birds and the broader farmland surroundings please do get in contact with us through e-mail at westoxfarmlandbirds@gmail.com. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions relating to our work and how one can get entangled. 

New document set for Oxfordshire huge day.

Congratulations to Tom Bedford, Ben Sheldon and Thomas Miller who smashed the document for the quantity of species seen inside Oxfordshire in a single day. and whats extra the day on bikes!

Regardless of punctures, the chilly and at occasions moist climate, by the tip of Saturday the twenty seventh the staff had amassed an unimaginable 118 species, effectively achieved chaps.

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

The large day staff with help from Tom Wickens. Courtesy of Ben Sheldon