Oxon Birding Weblog: March Evaluate

Highlights

The obvious spotlight this month is the welcome return
of our summer time migrants. I’m positive like everybody else; one can’t assist however smile
while you clap eyes on that first intrepid migratory chicken – whether or not that be the golden
eye ring of a Little Ringed Plover in your native gravel pit or the flash
of white as a Wheatear flies throughout a random arable subject in your
village. Though meteorological Spring begins on the 1^st March and
astronomical Spring began on the 20^th March, for many people Spring
shall be once we see our first correct sub-Saharan migrant. With the
inflow of those migrants this month the county record stands at a good 149,
with 15 species added in March.

Little Ringed Plover, Biscester Wetland Reserve, courtesy of Nick Truby

Evidently quite a lot of our migratory birds flip up earlier
annually and that’s considerably borne out by the crude desk under with birds
arriving earlier within the final decade than within the final close to quarter of a century.
The notion although might be typically deceptive, with our first Sand
Martin of the yr approaching the 23^rd February, primarily
nonetheless winter, however then the subsequent data not following for an additional two weeks
and all approaching the median arrival date for the reason that flip of the century – the
15^th March. However its actually true that species like Oystercatcher
are shifting considerably with birds arriving practically 2 weeks sooner than in
earlier years. The place they have been extra prone to arrive simply earlier than meteorological
Spring, they’re now returning to territories nearer to mid-Winter. My
assumption is that for many species this could solely imply dangerous information within the lengthy
time period for his or her populations however that may be a considerably bleak observe to finish on, so right here
is one thing brighter. Inside days of studying this we must always hopefully have the
subsequent tranche of spring migrants arriving within the county and placing extra smiles
on the faces of those that clock eyes on them!

The primary Wheatear of the yr on patch is all the time welcome, courtesy of Alan Dawson

Migrant
arrival dates

Waders

The primary of the scarcer waders handed by way of the county in
the early a part of the month when a trio of Avocet landed on Port
Meadow on the 7^th. A basic rarity for the early a part of March,
the birds sometimes didn’t stay lengthy and have been passed by the afternoon. A second
likelihood for native birders did come up although when a single turned up once more on Port
Meadow on the 20^th, though as soon as once more this was solely a short
refuelling go to earlier than it was gone. 

Courtesy of Russell O Allen.

On the final day of the month Otmoor bought in on the motion with a pair of Avocets spending the day on the Flood Area. The wintering Gray Plover remained
all through March turning up at each Port Meadow and Otmoor steadily
exhibiting the well-used and necessary commuting hall between these two
premier birding websites of Oxfordshire. Usually within the firm of a number of
hundred Golden Plover it was final seen on Port Meadow on the 23^rd. 

One of many two Otmoor Avocet, courtesy of Pete Roby

2024’s first Little Ringed Plover got here on the 9^th
with a chicken again on territory at Peep-o-Day Lane and was a bit of forward
of the median arrival date of the 14^th. The subsequent birds arrived a bit
nearer to this date with a chicken on Rushy Frequent on the 15^th and
Otmoor on the 17^th. Extra birds piled in thereafter with
one other six websites internet hosting birds within the latter a part of the month, with the best
depend of 5 birds coming from Chinnor on the 29^th however with
most websites internet hosting pairs. The Port Meadow/Otmoor commuter
hall additionally hosted a big flock of Black-tailed Godwit which
presumably have been utilizing the location as staging grounds earlier than heading off to
breeding grounds. The primary three birds arrived at Otmoor on the two^nd
earlier than a flock of 55 have been on Port Meadow on the 7^th which
elevated to a whopping 69 on the 8^th, with 51 seen at Otmoor the
identical and presumably a part of the identical flock. These birds continued to be seen at
each websites all through the month with the flock peaking at 80 birds on the 19^th.
Days Lock hosted as much as 10 birds between the 9^th and 10^th
while Pit 60 and Rushy Frequent hosted 2-3 birds between the on
the 9^th and 24^th respectively. 

Black-tailed Godwits on Port Meadow courtesy of Ben Sheldon

Jack Snipe data got here from three websites this month, with the one
lingering chicken at Bicester Wetlands nonetheless current on the 16^th.
New data got here from Peep-o-Day Lane on the 13^th and Iffley
Meadows on the 27^th. The Ruff continued additionally at Otmoor
this month with three nonetheless right here on the two^nd however solely a single
chicken remaining by the 18^th. The primary Ringed Plover of the
spring season got here from Otmoor on the ten^th with no different
data coming this month. Dunlin continued to be current in giant
numbers with most birds maintaining to Otmoor in March with the
occasional foray to Port Meadow. The very best depend got here on the 9^th
when 227 have been current, though triple digit counts have been made on two different
events on the two^nd (120) and 13^th (c.100). Port
Meadow’s highest depend was of 64 birds on the two^nd, presumably a
splinter group from the principle flock at Otmoor. Smaller flocks have been
recorded at Port Meadow by way of the month, while Days Lock and Waterstock
hosted three and one birds respectively and each on the 9^th.

Inexperienced Sandpiper have been at an analogous variety of areas within the earlier month
with 5 websites internet hosting birds. Three of those websites hosted two birds – Peep
-o-Day Lane (9^th), Ardley (4^th) and Curbridge
(10^th). While Bicester Wetlands and Chipping Norton hosted
single birds. The Frequent Sandpiper continued its winter vacation at Farmoor
and was recorded sporadically all through the month between the two^nd
and 23^rd. Redshank, except for Otmoor, have been at three
websites – Port Meadow (9^th), Rushy Frequent (10^th)
and Peep-o-Day Lane (13^th). 
Oystercatchers have been on no less than 9 websites this month with many
websites internet hosting breeding pairs, the best counts got here from Pit 60 the place
5 have been current on the 9^th while Peep-o-Day Lane hosted
4 birds on the 13^th.

Wildfowl and so on

The preferred rarity of the month got here within the type of
summer time plumaged Black-necked Grebe current at Thrupp Lake on the
14^th. A pleasant native discover on one in every of our Patchwork Problem patches,
the chicken caught round till no less than the 15^th and was additionally reported
there on the 16^th. A Nice Northern Diver reported from Farmoor
on the 26^th was little bit of a shock after the lengthy staying chicken
had departed final month, however with no affirmation of the document forthcoming the
chicken was presumably a brief stayer.

The Black-necked Grebe courtesy of Ewan Urquhart Courtesy of Bryan Manston.

…and a few video courtesy of Badger

The primary Garganey of the spring arrived on Otmoor on
the 16^th which is strictly the identical date as final yr. A pair have been
additionally on Peep-o-Day Lane on the 26^th however not like final yr this
pair didn’t hold round lengthy and have been passed by the afternoon. The group of White-fronted
Goose have been nonetheless on Otmoor by way of the month, being reported
sporadically. While the long-staying pair of feminine Scaup have been nonetheless on
Farmoor till no less than the 15^th, while a potential feminine was then
current on Cassington GP’s on the 22^nd. Goosander have been
current on 4 websites this month with a lot of the data coming from Port
Meadow, though the best depend got here from Pit 60 the place seven
birds have been recorded on the 9^th. The opposite two websites solely recorded
single birds – Radley GP’s and Days Lock on the 14^th
and 25^th respectively. Port Meadow additionally produced essentially the most
data for Shelduck this month and likewise the best depend with 11 birds
right here on the 17^th. An extra eight websites reported birds with most
websites internet hosting a number of birds. 

Two Goosander on the Thames at Port Meadow courtesy of Russell O Allen

Goldeneye continued no less than 5 websites, all within the west of the county.
The very best depend sometimes got here from Dix Pit the place 11 birds have been
current on the 16^th. While Farmoor, Rushy Frequent, Pit 60 and
Cassington GP’s all hosted between 1-3 birds. A excessive depend of 128 Pochard
from Otmoor om the two^nd was an important depend for the species,
while Pit 60 continued to host a rare variety of Pintail with
646 birds right here on the 9^th with Otmoor internet hosting 250 birds additionally
on the 9^th. Pink-crested Pochard have been at a number of new websites
this month, presumably with the wintering flocks of Dix Pit on the transfer.
Radley (8^th), Rushy Frequent (10^th), Appleford
(10^th) and Otmoor (17^th) all hosted 1-2 birds.
The one Mandarin data got here from Sonning Eye Frequent om the 19^th
the place a pair have been current. 

One of many two Farmoor Scaup courtesy of John Workman

Herons, egrets and so on

Issues remained a lot as they’ve been for a number of months
with each Cattle Egret and Nice White Egret widespread. The most important
distinction been the recording of two White Stork flying over Henley-on-Thames
on the 27^th. Presumably these have been the 2 Knepp Property birds
(colour-ringed reintroduction mission) that spent a few days in Buckinghamshire
and surrounding counties and have been additionally seen over Studying two days
later. Presumably these birds are actually heading again to Knepp in Sussex
to breed once more.

Cattle Egret data remained pretty static with the identical birds been
recorded repeatedly at websites which have hosted birds over the winter. Eight
websites hosted birds together with Peep-o-Day Lane and Radley GP’s the place
birds from the previous seemed to be roosting on the latter and possibly additionally
commuting between right here and Day’s Lock. Bicester Wetlands, Aynho, Witney Lake
additionally hosted single birds this month. Wytham hosted the massive flock
in the beginning of the month the place 23 birds have been current on the two^nd
earlier than presumably dispersing to websites talked about above. Otmoor recorded
as much as 10 birds this month, while a pleasant promising signal of issues to come back got here
within the kind 12 birds returning to the breeding web site at Blenheim albeit
briefly. Evidently the Gray Heron and Little Egret have moved
shortly to breed on the island at Blenheim and the competitors for house
is perhaps sturdy on the web site this yr so fingers crossed for one more profitable
breeding yr. 

BWR NT

Nice White Egret continued to be recorded from many websites, though down from
the earlier month with water ranges receding, with no less than 12 websites reported birds.
The very best depend got here from Pit 60 the place 5 birds have been recorded,
while a summer time plumaged chicken was simply to the north at Blenheim and
presumably it’s solely a matter of time earlier than we have now our first breeding document
within the county?

Gulls and Terns

With our first Frequent Tern due
any day now (median arrival 3^rd April) and Sandwich and Arctic
Tern because of comply with in a pair weeks we have now make do with the same old
suspects this month. Caspian Gull have been recorded at solely two websites this
month – Port Meadow and Appleford. Two 1^st winter
birds have been seen steadily on the Port Meadow roost at each ends of the
month while 1+ have been reported at Appleford on the 7^th.

Mediterranean Gull have been recorded from three websites and
in all probability associated to 2 birds. A single summer time plumaged chicken was on Radley
GP’s on the 1^st while presumably the identical chicken was steadily
recorded at Port Meadow from the two^nd till the 27^th.
A lone 1^st winter chicken was additionally recorded at Dix Pit on the 11^th. 

Radley Mediterranean Gull courtesy of Ian Elkins

 

Passerines

Considerably overshadowed by the start of the spring
migration, the Waxwing invasion continued to simmer throughout the county
with three websites reporting birds in March. Sonning Frequent had 20
birds feeding in a personal backyard on the 4^th however weren’t seen
subsequently. While the birds that frequented the gardens of north Abingdon
returned once more on the 6^th and surprisingly once more on the 22^nd
after lengthy durations of absence, presumably feeding up throughout the city earlier than
their lengthy journey again to northern Europe. A single chicken was additionally reported
from Lengthy Hanborough on the 6^th however not seen subsequently. The
standout for the month got here within the type of Ring Ouzel proper on the loss of life
with a shocking male seen at Aston Upthorpe on the 30^th, a
basic web site for the species proper on que. Sadly regardless of different folks
current on web site the chicken went to floor and remained elusive, though a report
did filter by way of from the afternoon however whether or not this was from the morning or
later within the day wasn’t clear. 

In all probability my most eagerly anticipated returning spring
migrant, the primary Wheatear made landfall within the county on the 15^th
and was sometimes on the downs at Scary Hill. Subsequent sightings additionally
got here from the downs at Lollingdon Hill and Sparsholt Firs each on
the 16^th. Thereafter although birds started to be reported at a wider
vary of websites with an additional seven websites reporting birds – Sutton
Courtenay, Days Lock, White Horse Hill, Ardley, Sarsgrove, Cholsey, Blewbury and
Shennington. The 24^th of the month noticed a giant fall of birds
with the best depend coming from White Horse Hill the place 10 birds have been
recorded, adopted carefully by Sarsgrove and Shennington which noticed
eight birds every! The primary Redstart additionally made an look on the very
finish of the month, once more in basic kind on the downs. This chicken was a bit of
early although with the basic arrival not been for one more week or so. While
one other feminine chicken was current on Otmoor on the 31^st

Wheatear Sparsholt Firs courtesy of Geoff Dymott

 After a really early document on the 23^rd the subsequent
data of Sand Martin have been way more consistent with the standard arrival
time with two data on the 15^th at Balscote Quarry and Farmoor.
Seven websites then recorded small flocks of birds from the 19^th to
the 24^th peaking at 30 birds over Peep-o-Day Lane on the 23^rd.
The primary Swallow was additionally bang on time with the primary chicken approaching
the 22^nd (median 23^rd) and got here from Wytham, this
was adopted by singles and pairs at 5 extra websites between the 23^rd
and 26^th. The primary Home Martin, nevertheless, was a bit of early
coming nearly every week earlier than the standard arrival time with a single chicken over South
Leigh on the 21^st. The subsequent document got here just a few days later from Blenheim
on the 25^th, additionally a single chicken and within the firm of a small
flock of Sand Martin.

Home Martin courtesy of Gareth Casburn.

One other species which appears to reach earlier annually, the
first singing Willow Warbler was heard at Warneford Meadow and Farmoor
on the 20^th, with extra birds at extra websites following shortly
behind – Radley (22^nd), Otmoor (23^rd), Marston
Meadows (23^rd), Grimsbury (24^th), Port
Meadow (27^th) and Peep-o-Day Lane (29^th). Not
sometimes on the radar till early April the season’s first Sedge
Warbler got here on the 26^th from Farmoor and presumably
was from Pinkhill Reserve or some other place alongside the Thames stretch.
Grimsbury Reservoir additionally bought its justifiable share of the migrant motion hosted
the yr’s first Rock Pipit on the 13^th in addition to the primary White
Wagtail of the spring on the 26^th. An extra 3 of those continental wagtails have been seen at Rushy Frequent on the thirty first. A feminine Black Redstart was
in an Eynsham backyard on the 15^th, a document made much more
attention-grabbing for the reason that identical backyard additionally hosted a male within the autumn of 2021,
while a 2^nd chicken was in Bodicote briefly on the 30^th.
One other intriguing document got here from Lye Valley on the 16^th
with the report of a Mealy Redpoll, though the data got here from
the birding providers and affirmation of the document was not forthcoming. 

Eynsham, Nick Tasker

The wintering pair of Siberian Chiffchaff continued to
be often reported from Port Meadow by way of March with the
ringed particular person most reported however each have been seen on the 8^th. The
final document got here on the ten^th, presumably the birds now having moved
on from the location. Brambling additionally continued to linger on within the county with
largely singles and pairs noticed throughout 4 websites, together with some cracking
males coming into summer time plumage. While the lone document of Crossbill got here
from Cowleaze Wooden on the three^rd with 4 birds right here.

A Brambling at Balscote Quarry courtesy of Wally Warburton

 

Raptors

The
latter a part of the month additionally noticed the primary Osprey data of 2024, with
birds sometimes been temporary fly by way of data. The primary got here from Otmoor with
a chicken circling there on the 22^nd while a 2^nd chicken was
additionally noticed circling Farmoor on the 24^th. The wintering Hen
Harrier continued at Otmoor by way of the entire month, though the ring
tailed chicken was solely reported sporadically. 

Looking Otmoor Marsh Harrier courtesy of Malcolm Bowey

 

Quick-eared
Owl additionally continued to be reported from
varied websites with essentially the most birds sometimes coming from the downs, with 4
birds seen on the 17^th. Single birds have been
reported at Otmoor from the 1^st – 24^th, Kidlington
and Center Barton each on the 9^th and Banbury on
the 24^th. A beautiful male Merlin was reported twice on Otmoor
this month with data approaching the two^nd and once more on 20^th.

Patchwork
problem

Patch	Birder	Factors	Species	Spotlight
Aston eyot	Ben Sheldon	59	59	Reed Bunting (Patch tick)
Ardley ERF	Gareth Casburn	64	66
Dix pit	Simon Bradfield	58	53
Grimsbury reservoir	Gareth Blockley	70	73
Lye valley	Tom Bedford	58	57
River Thames	Geoff Wyatt	125	105
Sutton Courtenay	Conor MacKenzie	106	96	Pink-crested Pochard (2nd Patch document), Nice Egret, Jack Snipe (Patch tick)
Radley GP’s	Ian Elkins	96	86	Cattle Egret, Marsh Harrier and Black-necked Grebe
Freeland	Glen Pascoe	64	63
South Hinksey	Alex Figueiredo	50	49
Cholsey	Alan Dawson	93	87