December Overview & 2024 Highlights

 Highlights

Firstly, Merry Christmas and a
Completely satisfied New Yr to all our readers – I hope you have got managed break and
possibly even caught up with just a few of the county rarities which were accessible
this festive interval. Though there have been some unbelievable birds recorded in
the county in 2024 – see Booted Eagle, Purple Sandpiper and Hooded Crow, for
essentially the most half this 12 months has under-performed in comparison with earlier years. Rarer
Wildfowl and Waders have been notably skinny on the bottom, with
Inexperienced-winged Teal, Velvet Scoter and Purple Sandpiper the one main birds of
observe for the 12 months in contrast with a plethora of uncommon birds for each teams
recorded in 2023. We’ve been spoilt for county mega’s current years with 2022
producing three county firsts and 6 correctly uncommon birds recorded in 2023.
Though Hooded Crow isan extraordinarily uncommon fowl for the county, this was a quick
single observer document and would have been highly regarded had it stayed any
longer. Booted Eagle is sort of clearly the rarest of the birds recorded this
12 months however solely a handful managed to meet up with it earlier than it seemingly
disappeared into the expanse of the Chilterns – though I nonetheless really feel like
there’s a good probability this will likely reappear in 2025! However after all this can be
topic to acceptance by the rarities/information committees and is not at all a
accomplished deal.

County rarities of 2024

2024 has additionally under-performed in a
common sense with solely 201 species recorded – the bottom for the reason that flip of the
century and you’ll see from the under graph the worrying downward development. The overall lack of rarities has contributed to this however we are able to’t get
away from the truth that some species been probably completely expatriated
from the county’s avifauna. Turtle Dove after hanging on within the county
for the previous few years, with even the odd new website recording singing birds, has
not been recorded within the county for the primary time in its historical past. Given
the standing of the fowl nationally, this seems set to be a everlasting expatriation
following the likes of Willow Tit and Lesser Noticed Woodpecker each
of which didn’t happen in 2024. Though after a feminine Montagu’s Harrier returned
to a historic breeding website this summer season after a really lengthy absence, a sliver
of optimism stays that we should get one other 12 months the place a delicate ‘purring’
is heard in amongst the Oxon summer season soundscape. One large constructive out of
2024 although, was the unprecedented inflow of Yellow-browed Warbler which
offered so many patch and even backyard birders with a number of pleasure and I wouldn’t
be in any respect shocked if somebody doesn’t unearth a wintering fowl early in 2025. My
private guess could be on Abingdon STW, the positioning of a lot fame because of
wintering Pallas’s Warbler in 2022, which at the moment is taking part in host to
40+ Chiffchaff together with at the very least one tristis. No matter
2025 brings let’s hope it’s a fowl stuffed one and I’ll hopefully see a few of
you on the subsequent large one!

County 12 months lists for the reason that flip of the century

Waders

With the 12 months drawing to a detailed
you’d be forgiven for considering that we have been accomplished with county rarities for
2024. However as is usually the case, Farmoor managed to tug one thing
out of the bag simply as issues have been winding down with a Purple Sandpiper discovered
on the 8^th. Having hosted two birds on separate events in 2021 it
was a shock for one more to show up so quickly, notably for the reason that earlier
document to these was in 2011! For individuals who missed the 2021 birds this fowl
supplied an opportunity of redemption and is usually the case with this species it
confirmed superbly for individuals who braved the weather to go and see it. Sadly
for individuals who didn’t go on the 8^th discovered the fowl had departed in a single day,
however that was not fairly the tip of the story but. Three weeks afterward the 29^th
it seemingly reappeared on the identical part of F2 because it was discovered on beforehand,
however upon shut inspection seemed to be a very totally different particular person! Fairly
exceptional to have two paired information lately, given the county solely
had six information within the earlier 20 years. Just like the fowl on the 8^th
this fowl additionally departed in a single day. 

Courtesy of Ian Stewart

Purple Sandpiper courtesy of Mark Chivers

Considerably overshadowed by the Purple
Sandpiper information, the Crimson Knot continued on Port Meadow on
the 1^st December and is barely the two^nd December document
for the species since 2000. With this fowl having seemingly visited a number of websites
by November it appears now to have departed the county for extra
appropriate pastures. Though just like the Gray Plover which has now
reappeared, albeit briefly, at Otmoor on the 24^th it may
very properly be hiding with the lots of waders and wildfowl someplace. Black-tailed
Godwit information got here from three websites this month, the primary coming from Waterstock
on the 15^th adopted by three at Otmoor on the 20^th.
A single fowl was at Port Meadow on the 22^nd and was then the
unlucky sufferer of a juvenile Peregrine which has been searching over
the widespread after which captured in a collection of beautiful images. See under and right here.

The Peregrine with the hapless Black-tailed Godwit courtesy of Thomas Miller

Dunlin have been
recorded from two websites in December and never unexpectedly these have been Port
Meadow and Otmoor. 5 have been on Port Meadow on the 11^th
which was lowered down to a few by the 23^rd, while Otmoor hosted
as much as seven birds on the 20^th with birds presumably commuting between
websites as they typically do right now of 12 months.

Jack Snipe have been solely
current at two websites this month with as much as 4 current at Waterstock between
the 15^th and 30^th of the month, while Marston Meadows
had a lone fowl on the 27^th. With the chilly climate but to set in
correctly, extra birds appear prone to reveal themselves into January. A
single Woodcock sighting got here from Radley on the 27^th
with a lone fowl over at nightfall though presumably there are lots of extra birds out
there to be discovered. Inexperienced Sandpiper seemed to be solely wintering at one
website this month, with lone fowl recorded at Bicester Wetlands by
the month, while the only Frequent Sandpiper continued at Farmoor at
least till the early a part of the month with one reported on the 8^th.

Wildfowl and so on

A Pink-footed Goose at Port
Meadow on the 11^th would have proved a significant pull for native
birders had it determined to affix the throngs of feral and wild geese that inhabit
the positioning. Sadly, it was only a flyover fowl though I’d not be
shocked if it turned up elsewhere within the county in early 2025. 

The fly-over Pink-footed Goose, courtesy of Thomas Miller

A Nice
Northern Diver nearly squeaked into the reporting interval with a single
fowl current at Sonning Eye GP’s on the New Yr’s Eve, the county’s 2^nd
document of the 12 months. No additional reviews got here the next day, nonetheless, so it
is assumed that it departed in a single day and hopefully managed to keep away from all of the
firework shows throughout the nation. A feminine Ring-necked Duck was the
first within the county this 12 months and appears seemingly that it’s the returning grownup
feminine that has spent the previous few years wintering within the county. It was first
picked up on Dix Pit on the 15^th earlier than transferring over to the Oxon
Crusing Membership lakes simply down the highway on the 22^nd, it appears seemingly
it isn’t hiding someplace within the throngs of wildfowl over within the west of the
county.

A small flock of Brent Goose descended
on Farmoor on the 9^th of the month, a pleasant comfort prize
for these looking in useless for the departed Purple Sandpiper. A single
was then right here on the 14^th and appeared prone to be a straggler from
this flock both left behind or making an attempt to catch up. 

Farmoor Brent Geese courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Extra winter geese have been
then discovered to the west of Farmoor on the 29^th, the place a trio
of White-fronted Goose have been behind Standlake church with a bigger
group of extra typical Oxon geese. The small group have been nonetheless current
come New Yr’s Eve and seemed set to hold round into the brand new 12 months. Whooper
Swan continued to grace the county with fleeting visits with a significant spotlight
coming from Lye Valley the place a flock of 4 flew over this very city
patch on the 11^th. Presumably on transit to Otmoor, the place 4
have been current on the 15^th with three nonetheless right here on the 16^th
of the month. A single fowl was then current, albeit briefly, at Oxfordshire
Golf Course on the 18^th. 

Lye Valley Whooper Swans courtesy of Tom Bedford

Shelduck information got here from
5 websites this month, with all information coming the north and west of the county.
The best depend got here from Mid Cherwell Valley which hosted 4 birds
on the 14^th, with Port Meadow not far behind with three birds
on the 17^th. Northern Cross Valley, Cassington and Otmoor have been
the opposite websites that hosted birds this month. Goosander have been a lot wider unfold
this month with at the very least seven websites internet hosting largely singles and pairs. The best
depend got here from Standlake on the 21^st the place a bunch of seven
the place current. Virtually all websites had a most of 1s or 2s however Radley GPs had
three birds current on the 27^th of the month. Farmoor, Dix Pit, Wolvercote,
Pit 60 and Thame have been the opposite websites internet hosting birds this month. Some
distinctive counts of commoner wintering wildfowl have been forthcoming this month and
have been worthy of observe for the December overview. Pit 60 noticed an enormous inflow
of Pintail on the 14^th of the month when a large 800+ flock
was current, in what have to be a reasonably unbelievable website to see. The positioning isn’t any
stranger to large counts of the species, breaking the county document on
a number of events – 600 in 2014, 633 December 2023 and an nearly unfathomable
912 in January 2024. Dix Pit, having hosted 240+ Pochard in November,
went on to additionally host an impressive 542 Shoveler on the 15^th
of the month. Additionally right here this month the Goldeneye flock rose to a minimal
of 13 on the 27^th of the month, while different information got here from Otmoor
on the twenty eighth and Pit 60 on the 30^th the place 4 birds have been current.

Crimson-crested Pochard got here
classically from Dix Pit this month with a minimal of 14 right here on the 29^th,
while Blenheim was the one different website internet hosting birds this month. The
long-staying feral Ross’s Goose was again on Port Meadow on the 17^th
while 13 Mandarin have been at Blenheim on the 23^rd, the
highest depend within the county for a short while.

Herons, egrets and so on

A Shiny Ibis at Otmoor
appeared prone to be the long-staying fowl returning to its favoured hang-out for
its 8^th consecutive month. The identical fowl was then noticed over Fencott
and Charlton-on-Otmoor on the 31^st of the month. Cattle
Egret have been comparatively quiet all through the month with solely three websites
internet hosting birds in December. The standard website alongside the A34/Wytham Wooden was
nonetheless occupied by a small variety of birds however nothing like the big flocks of
earlier months. Days Lock internet hosting as much as 5 birds on the 16^th,
while Peep-o-Day Lane noticed the lone fowl again once more on the 27^th.

Nice White Egret have been
rather more of their normal state throughout the county, with at the very least 11 websites
internet hosting birds throughout Oxfordshire. By far the very best depend and sure a
county document (?) got here from the Decrease Windrush Valley space with a
minimal of 13 birds right here on the 28^th. Most websites hosted single birds,
with solely Blenheim, Dix Pit and Pit 60 moreover internet hosting extra
than one fowl in December, with three birds on the latter website on the 30^th
and two birds on the different websites on the 15^th and 16^th
respectively. Crane made a triumphant return to the county this month
with a pair of birds at Otmoor on the 30^th and have been nonetheless
right here on the 31^st, however they didn’t fairly settle and appeared to be on
the transfer once more as rapidly as they arrived with the identical pair of Marston on
the New Yr’s Eve.

Additionally maintaining appearances this
month was the returning Nice Bustard which has taken to wintering at Childrey
Discipline the final couple of years. As soon as once more the fowl has been noticed
associating with a herd of Roe Deer that frequents the world, typically following
the group spherical as they feed alongside the sphere margins.

Gulls and Terns

A sometimes quiet interval for this
group was damaged for two^nd consecutive month and from the identical website
when an grownup Little Gull was turned up on Port Meadow on the 13^th.
It turned out to be a really confiding fowl offering people with a unbelievable
alternative for shut views of this glorious and enigmatic species. It
remained on the positioning till at the very least the 16^th, while a 1^st
winter fowl then turned up at Balscote Quarry later within the month on Christmas
Eve however didn’t keep lengthy. 

The confiding Port Meadow Little Gull courtsey of Thomas Miller

Extra typical of the month Caspian
Gull information got here completely from Port Meadow this month. A most of
5 birds have been current in the course of the gull roost on the 15^th, with a
combination of 1^st and a pair of^nd winters largely making up the
majority of the information on the website all through the month. 

Port Meadow Caspian Gull courtesy of Thomas Miller

A potential Caspian
x Herring Gull hybrid was additionally current on the website this month, recorded on
the 11^th, 12^th and 17^th. Mediterranean Gull,
nonetheless, was recorded from a minimal of three websites – Port Meadow and Waterstock
on the 15^th and Farmoor on the 29^th. 

Med Gull courtesy of Ian Stewart

Passerines

The pair of Bearded Tit which
have been first discovered on the very finish of the month in November on Radley GP’s
then went to floor for just a few days earlier than reappearing on the three^rd
of December. Regardless of loads of people on website after the primary and a pair of^nd
appearances the pair continued to stay very elusive with nobody managing to
join till the birds have been refound nearly three weeks afterward the 20^th.
Sightings got here then each few days however the pair would go lengthy intervals with out
being seen, with loads of habitat current for the birds to vanish inside on
the Radley GP’s advanced. An important county fowl meant the positioning had an extended
procession of holiday makers and their elusiveness required most to make a number of
guests to get only some minutes of viewing time, however once they did present it
was properly well worth the effort! 

The feminine Bearded Tit courtesy of Logan Walker

Hawfinch continued to be
reported within the county, though extra sporadically than the previous few months.
Nice Tew, a preferred website for earlier wintering birds, was as soon as once more a
well-used website the place a most of eight have been current by till at the very least the
6^th. A single fowl was additionally over Standlake on the 1^st
of the month. Cotswold Wildlife Park noticed a bunch of seven over on the 23^rd
with loads of habitat accessible within the surrounding woodland right here, while
Christmas Day noticed at the very least 5 feeding within the bushes above East Lockinge church. 

Hawfinch courtesy of Nick Truby

The wintering Black Redstart on Christchurch Meadow continued to
please allcomers all through December, with the 1^st winter
male exhibiting fantastically with a little bit of endurance and a good looking setting to
boot. On the 11^th the 1^st winter male was joined by a
feminine kind however solely the male remained by the next day. Chinnor cement
works additionally once more hosted a single fowl this month, however reporting was extra sporadic
with information coming from the three^rd and the 24^th. 

Above the feminine kind courtesy of Thomas Miller and under the male courtesy of David South

Siberian Chiffchaff have been
reported from two normal websites this month with one at Port Meadow and
one other at Abingdon STW. Remarkably the fowl ringed final 12 months by the
ringing group on Port Meadow returned for its 2^nd 12 months
exhibiting unbelievable website constancy for this particular person and the significance of the particular
websites for wintering birds. A 2^nd fowl was then additionally current on the
16^th, though the positioning was once more lowered to just one fowl by the 22^nd
– 23^rd. Abingdon STW hosted at the very least one fowl on the 22^nd
in amongst at the very least 40 Frequent Chiffchaff, an especially necessary website for
wintering birds the place 50+ birds have been counted in some winters, and also you
wouldn’t be shocked to discover a rarer japanese sprite a while early in 2025 –
see wintering Pallas’s Warbler 2022. A Mealy Redpoll reported from
Otmoor on the 4^th was the primary report of the winter and simply
scraped it on to the 12 months checklist, though with the current lumping of Redpolls
this set to be faraway from future 12 months lists (and county lists too!).

Above the returning Port Meadow Siberian Chiffchaff and under the Abingdon SW one, each courtesy of Thomas Miller

 

Raptors

A Hen Harrier was briefly in
the north of county at Higher Heyford on the 19^th, though presumably
extra birds are current down within the far south of the county within the extra underwatched
areas. Together with the minimal of three Quick-eared Owl which have been frequenting
the Oxon Downs this winter, though information and site is usually delayed
from right here for good purpose. Merlin information got here from two areas this
month – Cote on the 1^st and Port Meadow on the 23^rd.

Patchwork
problem & Inexperienced Birding

I feel it’s secure to say that the
patchwork problem has continued to be a hit during the last 12 months, with
loads of rarities each on the county stage and from a patchwork perspective discovered
by all individuals. Highlights embody Velvet Scoter, Bearded Tit, Shiny Ibis,
Whooper Swan, Black Redstart, and Yellow-browed Warbler simply to call
just a few nuggets of patch gold! With the gradual loss of life of the patchwork problem group
on twitter, it has been nice to keep up a correspondence with lots of you continue to devoted
to flogging your native patches, even when for essentially the most half I’ve been extraordinarily
gripped by among the finds. It appears that evidently among the patchwork group has
now migrated over to the BlueSky, though it stays to be seen how profitable
this can be compared to its peak over on Twitter. Both manner, hopefully
most of you might be nonetheless eager to proceed even when it simply stays inside an area
context, so if that’s the case please drop me a message both by WhatsApp or electronic mail and
I’ll add you in for 2025. And if anybody else want to be part of within the PWC
please additionally do get in contact, it could be nice to have larger protection of the
county!

Patch	Birder	Factors	Species	Spotlight
Aston eyot	Ben Sheldon	83	81
Ardley ERF	Gareth Casburn	112	100
Dix pit	Simon Bradfield	91	84
Grimsbury reservoir	Gareth Blockley	134	115
Lye valley	Tom Bedford	91	83	Whooper Swan
River Thames	Geoff Wyatt	163	135
Sutton Courtenay	Conor MacKenzie	145	126	Woodcock
Radley GP’s	Ian Elkins	116	104
Freeland	Glen Pascoe	87	74
South Hinksey	Alex Figueiredo	68	65
Cholsey	Alan Dawson	112	106

The Oxon Birding 2024 Annual Overview

It is time as soon as once more for the standard Gnome Studios county birding overview to remind us of the 12 months’s birding within the county