Oxon Birding Weblog: March Overview

Highlights

Very often birding can cling on
those that obtained away. That is very true of county birding, the place gaps
between information are sometimes measured in years, presumably even many years! So a report
of a possible Richard’s Pipit from Ardley ERF on the 4th actually
caught the eye of the native birding neighborhood. Sadly, although, the
report got here from an space with no common entry and with lots of habitat
obtainable it turned fairly clear this was going to be untwitchable even within the
occasion the report was confirmed. An extremely irritating scenario,
notably for those who repeatedly watch the close by pits – a dream patch
chicken wherever within the nation by no means thoughts in Oxon.

Presumably there’s a birder
working at Ardley ERF, with a report of the long-staying Inexperienced-winged Teal
additionally coming from an space of no common entry earlier in February. If that
birder occurs to learn this weblog, please do get in contact with the main points of
the report! With a returning chicken at Awre over in neighbouring Glos and one other
inside one other neighbour’s borders, Bucks, it’s actually a tantalising and
plausible report. The final report of Richard’s Pipit got here in Nov 2018, a chicken
many people keep in mind fondly, which graced a pony paddock in Blewbury for a couple of
days and solely the county’s 2nd report.

So, it falls to Farmoor, because it
usually does, to offer us with the spotlight rarity of the month. A pair of Slavonian
Grebe discovered on the morning of the twenty eighth, made even higher that each have been in
full summer time finery and looking out sure for a distant loch within the highlands! This
was our first report since 2023 of a species that happens each few years and
had grow to be considerably of a obtrusive omission from my very own county checklist. It’s virtually
poetic that after turning into a little bit of a joke between myself and the finder, that
he can be the one to name me while I used to be unavailable. Thankfully, for
myself and all that went, each birds stayed till no less than sundown earlier than
departing for some remoted nook of Scotland or Scandinavia!

Slavonian Grebes courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Port Meadow Little Ringed Plover courtesy of Thomas Miller

Waders

The months solely scarce wader got here
within the type of temporary flyover Gray Plover at Farmoor on the
night of the 16^th, following on from one other report on the web site in
the identical circumstances the earlier month. Probably the identical chicken going
undetected within the wider panorama or simply two birds shifting via – who is aware of!
With scarcer species skinny on the bottom within the early a part of Spring, an early trio
or ‘hill’ of Ruff over on the Oxon Downs at Lollingdon Hill on
the 4^th, following on from birds at Banbury earlier in February.
All three have been current till no less than the 8^th, though with an
abundance of flooding between the Aston’s and Cholsey they ranged
broadly in that point. 

The Ruff at Cholsey courtesy of Alan Dawson

The 9^th noticed the
county’s first Little Ringed Plover arrive again on territory at Peep-o-Day
Lane, the identical web site and date for 2024’s first arrival. The next few
days noticed Port Meadow, Day’s Lock, Lollingdon Hill and Chinnor Quarry all
host new arrivals. Most of those websites noticed a lot of the motion with passing
birds becoming a member of resident pairs throughout each Peep-o-Day Lane and Port
Meadow. By far the best depend got here from Peep-o-Day Lane the place 10+
have been current in direction of the tip of the month, though Port Meadow additionally
hosted 5 birds on the 21^st. In direction of the again finish of the month
4 extra websites hosted birds – Ardley ERF, Grimsbury, Farmoor and Widford.

Black-tailed Godwit started
their spring motion via the county, though in pretty muted style with
two websites internet hosting three information. Port Meadow had a lone chicken on the 6^th,
which was adopted by a one other single or presumably the identical chicken on Otmoor on
the 11^th. Port Meadow then noticed a pair of stunningly plumaged
birds current on the 28^th, though solely staying for a short while
earlier than departing south. 

Black-tailed Godwits courtesy of Ben Sheldon

Port Meadow continued to be the epicentre of
wader motion for March with a single Ringed Plover on the 27^th,
adopted shortly by one other 4 on the 28^th, lowered again all the way down to
one on the 29^th. Ardley ERF additionally hosted a single chicken on the
27^th remaining till the 28^th. Dunlin have been current
on three websites, with Otmoor internet hosting essentially the most the place 12 have been right here on the 8^th.
A far cry from final winter when the mega flock of almost 600 at Cote had
dispersed between Otmoor and Port Meadow by March 2024. Port
Meadow additionally had a pair birds inside as much as three between the ten^th
and 29^th, while Farmoor had a pair current on the 19^th. 

Port Meadow Dunlin courtesy of Thomas Miller

Inexperienced Sandpiper remained
a lot the identical this month, with 5 websites internet hosting between 1 – 3 birds. Bicester
Wetlands, because it normally does, hosted essentially the most birds with three right here on the
22^nd. Chipping Norton, Peep-o-Day Lane and Appleford GPs continued
to host birds this month while the one new web site in March was Pit 60
with one right here on the 23^rd.

Port Meadow Inexperienced Sandpiper courtesy of Thomas Miller

The wintering Frequent Sandpiper remained
in place at Farmoor though was solely recorded from a single day on the
28^th. One other report got here from Northern Cross Valley on the
27^th. One of many earlier returning wader species, Redshank brightened
up the patches of no less than seven websites throughout the county. Port Meadow proved
to be a preferred staging floor for birds shifting via with as much as 15 current
all through the month, birds noisily flying into the positioning within the morning having
roosted someplace close by presumably quieter and fewer disturbed. Peep-o-Day
Lane and Lolllingdon Hill each hosted two birds in March, while
an additional 4 websites hosted lone birds for single day – Days Lock, Pit 60,
Balscote Quarry and Bicester Wetlands. 

Port Meadow Redshank courtesy of Thomas Miller

Jack Snipe continued to
linger within the county in small numbers earlier than the inevitable departure for the
far northern reaches of Europe. Waterstock continued to be a very good web site
for the species with as much as 4 birds right here nonetheless by the latter a part of March
(23^rd). Rushy Frequent and Northmoor additionally hosted
singles on the 4^th and 16^th respectively. Woodcock have been
nonetheless current at six websites this month, essentially the most websites this winter. Most birds
have been noticed leaving day roosts within the early night, and birds have been recorded up
till a least the 18^th with Baulking Pit hosted the final
reported chicken.

Wildfowl and so forth

Apart from the beautiful pair of Slavonian
Grebe at Farmoor within the latter a part of the month, March had a
bunch of rarer Wildfowl to maintain locals pleased. One of many long-staying Inexperienced-winged
Teal continued within the north of the county till no less than the tip of the
first week of March. Each Ardley ERF and Clifton had a
single report, on the 1^st and eight^th respectively and
presumably was the identical chicken shifting between websites, regardless of each having hosted
birds on the identical time in February. Night visits to Farmoor can
show very fruitful presently of 12 months, not least due to discount in
disturbance. The night of the 22^nd was no exception when a pair of
Brent Goose dropped into roost simply earlier than sundown and have been passed by
dawn the next day. 

Farmoor Brent Geese courtesy of Jed Cleeter

After a very good run of Whooper
Swan information within the early a part of the winter interval January – February
noticed no information and that regarded that for one more winter. Nonetheless, a late
chicken on the 13^th graced the weird setting of a pony paddock simply
outdoors of Charney Bassett, albeit briefly earlier than it departed for
someplace additional north in a single day. 

The Whooper Swan courtesy of Ben Sheldon

The feminine Ring-necked Duck which has
been doing the rounds within the west of the county, returned to pastures acquainted at
Appleford GP’s – presuming that is the returning feminine which has been
wintering within the county over the past couple years. It was considerably outshone
although by the presence of 2025’s first dapper Garganey pair (not
together with the wintering chicken at Otmoor). This was our earliest ever returning
migrant birds, not counting wintering birds, with the median arrival being two
weeks later. Probably the identical pair have been then at Otmoor on the 8^th
remaining right here till the 15^th. Bicester Wetlands then hosted
a pair from the 21^st till no less than the 27^th.

Garganey and Ring-necked Duck courtesy of Jason Coppock

The 2 White-fronted Goose wintering
at Otmoor and Pit 60 continued at each websites, though on the
former information got here till the 15^th and from the latter from the 15^th
till the no less than the 29^th. Shelduck information have been way more
widespread in March, as birds moved overland from wintering grounds such
because the Severn Estuary the place 1000’s spend the colder months. At the very least
13 websites hosted the species this month, with Venn Mill and Port
Meadow internet hosting by far essentially the most with six and 5 on the 1^st and
10^th respectively. Waterstock and Peep-o-Day Lane each
hosted a trio of birds in the course of the first two weeks of the month with the
remaining 9 websites internet hosting 1-2 birds. Goosander have been restricted to solely 5
websites this month. Standlake hosted essentially the most with a double-digit depend of
11 on the 15^th, though this was throughout varied pits inside the
complicated of pits right here. The remaining websites supplied 1-2 birds via the latter
half of the month, with information coming from anticipated websites similar to Port
Meadow, Days Lock and Farmoor. 

White-fronted Goose courtesy of John Workman

Goldeneye information started to
dwindle this month as birds started to consider making a transfer, both to Scandinavia
or a quiet loch someplace within the far north of Scotland. That being
stated considered one of our largest counts of the winter got here this month with 22 at Dix
Pit on the 16^th. All extra information got here from the west of
the county with connectivity to the premier web site of Dix Pit, similar to Rushy
Frequent or the LWV pit complicated. Additionally, from the LWV Pit complicated
got here a big depend of 37 Pink-crested Pochard on the two^nd,
earlier than these birds depart of pastures nonetheless unknown to breed.   

Herons, egrets and so forth

The roving wintering Cattle Egret flock was pinned
down to 3 most important websites this month, with all three websites clocking birds on the
identical giving us a tough estimate of what number of people are literally concerned. Kingston
Bagpuize had essentially the most with a minimal of 32 on the 5^th. Simply to southeast
of right here a bunch of 20 have been current at on the favoured hang-out of Wytham, additionally
on the 5^th while Otmoor had a messily, by comparability that
is, seven birds on the identical day. With frequent information of single chicken on Peep-o-Day
Lane and 4 birds at Days Lock, it appears cheap to imagine that
upwards of 60 birds have been current within the county this month. A fairly
startling quantity when you think about the species standing solely 10 years in the past.

One other species that seemingly goes power to power 12 months
on 12 months, Nice White Egret have been on a minimal of 14 websites this month,
with a excessive depend of ten birds current on the Otmoor roost on the 8^th. Though I’ve stated this earlier than and but
to be proved proper, I’d not be stunned if Otmoor had the county’s
first breeding report this 12 months! Definitely, because it’s our most related reserve
to the natal web site for many of those information – Ham Wall & Shapwick
Heath. The three^rd color ringed chicken of the previous few months, AFT,
current at Pink Hill via the early a part of the month, supplied
extra proof to that impact – a feminine ringed in April 2024 on a nest
at Ham Wall. Solely Appleford (3), Rushy Frequent (3) and Port
Meadow (2) have been he solely websites that had a number of birds current this month
with throughout websites internet hosting singles.

Crane information, away from Otmoor, got here from two websites. A trio of birds
over Farmoor on the 11^th presumably on path to the previous.
While a pair have been additionally famous over Wychwood forest on the 9^th
and is perhaps the pair that has hung out within the west of the county in current
years. 

Gulls and Terns

The overland migration of Little Gull obtained effectively underway
this month, offering a cracking spotlight for those who managed to get their
native water physique. The primary of those got here, inevitably, from Farmoor when
an grownup put in a quick look on the 20^th. This was adopted by
a bunch of seven dropping into the reservoir on the night of the 22^nd,
together with two Brent Goose offering the attendees a basic Farmoor spring
night. Dorchester-on-Thames additionally had two birds on the 22^nd,
a part of a wider motion of birds proper throughout the nation. Fortunately for
these not in attendance at Farmoor on the 22^nd, two birds
dropped within the following day and linger for a lot of the 23^rd later
joined by an additional three birds that night. Northern Cross Valley obtained
in on the motion on the 27^th, adopted by the Radley Lakes on
the 29^th. Lastly, a lone chicken then dropped into Farmoor additionally
on the 29^th, rounding off a superb second of birds via the
county, with extra absolutely to come back in early April. 

Farmoor Little Gull courtesy of Ben Sheldon

In any other case, it was enterprise as standard for gull species within the
county this month. All three websites which have repeatedly hosted Caspian Gull over
the winter interval, continued to host birds this month with the standard grownup at Ardley,
1^st winter at Port Meadow and a pair of^nd winter at Farmoor.
While the grownup Mediterranean Gull continued to frequent the Port
Meadow roost between 10^th and 19^th, even joined by a
2^nd on the 13^th. 

Port Meadow Mediterranean Gull courtesy of Thomas Miller

Passerines

A Water Pipit current on Farmoor on the 12^th
would have proved to be a preferred chicken had the information been broadly shared, however
alas information filtered out too late. Curiously a possible Water/Rock Pipit over
Port Meadow on the ten^th supplied some attention-grabbing context for
this later sighting at Farmoor. Much more intriguing is the 2 possible
information calling over Otmoor earlier within the 12 months which have been later added
to a bunch of doable sightings over the winter from common watchers right here. Extra
forthcoming, nonetheless, was the Rock Pipit on the Farmoor causeway
on the 14^th and current right through to the 19^th
and proved to be a remarkably widespread chicken. 

Farmoor Rock Pipit courtesy of Brian Walker

Christchurch Black Redstart courtesy of Brian Walker

The long-staying Siberian Chiffchaff, the non-ringed
particular person, continued at Port Meadow all through March. Having
prolonged its keep till no less than the very finish of the month, it’s not shocking
that it started singing and holding a brief territory, performing extraordinarily
effectively for observers every so often. 

Siberian Chiffchaff courtesy of Thomas Miller

Recording of Siberian Chiffchaff courtesy of Thomas Miller

Additionally persevering with of their short-term winter residence have been
the favored group of Hawfinch at Hensington Cemetery in Woodstock
which, due to say some cautious seed placement, offering some implausible
viewing alternatives of a usually shy species. Further information got here from
different elements of Woodstock earlier within the month and a pair close to Begbroke
on the three^rd. 

Woodstoch Hawfinch courtesy of Ewan Urquharty

Given the very poor early spring motion of Wheatear this
12 months, you’d be forgiven for anticipating a flood of information following the obvious
false begin on the 8^th from the Oxon Downs. A reasonably early
report, beating our first Little Ringed Plover for under the two^nd
time, and coming almost every week sooner than the median arrival date. We then
obtained no information till the 22^nd the place two birds have been current at Letcombe
Bassett. A sprinkling of information got here thereafter principally from websites on Oxon
Downs with solely two websites recording birds away from there – Srasgrove on
the 27^th and two at Days Lock on the 31^st. Our
first White Wagtail information adopted scorching on the heels of the primary Wheatear
and fortunately have been extra widespread and quite a few. Days Lock had our
first report on the 12^th, with Port Meadow internet hosting essentially the most
with 10+ on the 19^th. An additional six websites hosted birds via the
month, right through till the 29^th.

The primary returning Hirundines are at all times a trigger for
celebration and for some mark clearly the beginning of Spring, though with
the primary courageous Sand Martin having already returned the earlier month
which may really feel considerably untimely. An additional 4 websites noticed extra Sand
Martin in early a part of March earlier than we obtained our first Swallow of
the 12 months at Farmoor on the 13^th, wanting notably out of
types battling the biting northeasterly that makes Farmoor insufferable at
occasions even with the solar shining. With it being about 10 days forward of the
median arrival date, the subsequent web site to see a returning chicken was Port Meadow on
the 21^st, way more in keeping with typical arrival dates. The 21^st
additionally noticed our first Home Martin report which was extra like every week forward
of time, so nonetheless early, and got here from Grimsbury Reservoir. All three
species have been recorded repeatedly thereafter throughout a number of websites, though Sand
Martin was clearly essentially the most quite a few. That being stated by the latter finish
of March websites throughout Oxon have been serenaded as soon as once more by the sound
of Swallow’s in track flight – an occasion absolutely to induce a smile even on
essentially the most hardened particular person! 

Blenheim Sand Martin courtesy of Gareth Cashburn