Oxon Birding Weblog: Could Assessment

Highlights

Effectively effectively, the place to start?! Could is the magical month the place
issues occur, spring migration reaches full throttle and with a bit of luck brings
with it a rarity or two. If we’re actually fortunate and the birding gods are feeling
significantly beneficiant we could even discover ourselves dropping every little thing for a
county mega. Information of a Hoopoe someplace in West Oxon on 1st Could
felt like an anticipated county rarity this yr, given the file inflow throughout
the UK and Eire this spring. A tantalising picture popped up on one of many many
native Fb teams, however the location particulars had been frustratingly obscure. Because it
turned out, the one who took the picture had been sworn to secrecy by the
authentic finder—presumably the backyard’s proprietor. A nasty begin to the month in what
can typically be the slim pickings of the Oxon rarity listing. It later transpired
that the chook was someplace in Standlake however by the point that information broke,
the chook presumably had lengthy gone.

Onwards and fortunately just a few days later NCVW
continued its positive type and rescued the primary week of rarity discovering season
with a positive Temminck’s Stint and supply the county with first correct
twitch of the spring. With current historical past displaying us this species doesn’t grasp
a couple of fast go to to NCVW was a should on the 4^th Could,
significantly for Oxon yr listers. Having confirmed fairly effectively for a lot of the
morning, pleasing many, it grew to become extra elusive in the direction of the tip of the day
hiding simply in a few of the annual weeds which have begun sprouting on the
website. As anticipated, by the next day it had departed together with a few of its Ringed
Plover companions.

The NCVW Temminck’s Stint courtesy of Thomas Miller and video from Gnome under

With so many Pink-footed Falcon across the nation it
was extra than simply optimistic dreaming that Oxon would possibly get in on the motion,
significantly with Northants and Beds seeing a pair data in
early Could. In a case of historical past considerably repeating itself it was a photograph shared
on social media that sparked the most recent saga of this species inside Oxfordshire.
A causal submit of “Passion” hawking someplace in Oxon was rapidly
recognised as a feminine Pink-footed Falcon and so started the detective
work. Sadly, as with Hoopoe the situation wasn’t forthcoming as a result of
issues round disturbance but it surely was rapidly realised the positioning in query
was Chimney Meadows. Sadly the picture was taken on the 9^th
and the chook having spent a number of days in and across the reserve had clearly
departed the positioning.

Courtesy of Denis Kennedy

A possible sighting simply downriver at Pit 60 on the
18^th was tantalising sufficient to comply with up on and it turned out to
bang on the cash. Unbelievably this was a special chook to 1 at Chimney,
though presumably they arrived collectively. Thus ensued the mobilisation of Oxons
best to the Thames path upriver of Newbridge. It carried out superbly for
those who made the journey, often perching in a lifeless tree near the
river earlier than rising and catching mayflies together with accompanying Passion. For
these unable to make it on the 19^th the chook remained in place till
the twentieth and though it seemingly grew to become extra unpredictable it did nonetheless
carry out effectively sufficient to maintain everybody glad, earlier than departing by the 21^st.
The final file of Pink-footed Falcon got here again in 2020, throughout the peak
of Covid which looking back appears virtually like a special period. That chook was
additionally recognized from photographs taken by contractors engaged on the railway line
close to Piddington. Though heaps did handle to attach with that chook in a
transient leisure of Covid restrictions, the painful dip of this chook for
others, was lastly put to relaxation in Could 2025.

The Pink-footed Falcon, above courtesy of Ewan Urquhart, under courtesy of Thomas Miller

Video courtesy of Badger 

Nonetheless, Could was not fairly by means of with us and our
collective coronary heart charges simply but although. On the 30^th Could an out of
county birder reporting a singing Savi’s Warbler at Otmoors 2nd
display screen was pretty or unfairly handled with some wholesome scepticism, though
the habitat was spot on for the species and unsuitable for Gropper. First
responders nevertheless confirmed a singing chook from 2^nd display screen albeit
in windy circumstances. And as soon as once more birders started arriving en masse for one more
main twitch of the spring. Savi’s Warbler has solely been recorded as soon as
beforehand within the county, throughout the lockdown of 2020 when a singing chook was
fully inaccessible aside from one or two individuals who labored there and
occurred upon the file. So, with it being a brand new chook for everybody, this chook
was all the time going to be extraordinarily widespread. A basic Oxon twitching vigil ensued
with some people staying at website all day hoping to be catching a glimpse of the
trilling male, often displaying very effectively. Fortunately for these of us
unable to get there on the day the chook remained in situ till the 31^st
though was now displaying much less effectively and turning into much less predictable. It was
current till a minimum of the 1^st though by that time it was singing
a lot additional into the reedbed, and it’s assumed to have departed in a single day that
day. 

The Savi’s Warbler, above courtesy of Ian Lewington and under Roger Wyatt

Video courtesy of Rob Cadd

Recording courtesy of Thomas Miller

A Could that can definitely reside lengthy within the reminiscence with two
county megas pleasing lots of Oxons and even some out of county birders. As common
we will probably be taking our prolonged break over the summer time, so our frequently month-to-month
opinions will probably be again on the finish of July the place hopefully we’ve got one thing to
write about! Glad birding all.

Waders

Apart from the star Stint of the month, a Little
Stint at Farmoor on the 23^rd would have been a really
widespread chook provided that we get solely 1-2 data per yr. Sadly, with
information popping out slowly, the chook was in all probability again within the Arctic Tundra by
the time anybody heard about it. Extra forthcoming although was NCVW 2^nd
file of Avocet for the yr with a pair dropping in on the positioning the
morning of the 13^th. With the habitat there wanting superb, any hopes
of a breeding pair had been quickly dashed when the pair departed someday within the early
afternoon. Persevering with its positive type NCVW obtained its first Gray Plover of
the yr on the 8^th, taking its wader listing to a decent 14 for
the 2025 and if it continues to look because it does presently into the autumn you
can assure it would have a number of birders retaining common tabs on it. 

The Avocet courtesy of Glen Pascoe

Two data of Turnstone got here in Could with each
of those coming from Farmoor. The primary of those was on the night of
the 12^th earlier than leaving in a single day and in related circumstances the
second got here a number of days later within the late night of the 14^th. Sanderling
handed by means of the county in respectable numbers this month, with virtually all
data coming from Farmoor. The primary of those got here on the ten^th
with a lone particular person adopted rapidly by a pair birds on the 12^th.
Ardley ERF continued including to its rising listing of wader species with a single
chook on the 16^th. A small break in proceedings was damaged on the 24^th
with a trio of birds, this time again on Farmoor. Birds had been then recorded
virtually on daily basis till the 31^st and into early June with a
most of 4 right here on the 28^th. Virtually definitely every day noticed a
turnover of birds with new ones arriving and different departing, so the true
variety of birds that graced the positioning is difficult to establish. 

Farmoor Sanderling courtesy of Ewan Urquhart

Whimbrel continued to maneuver by means of the county within the
early a part of month, though solely dribs and drabs with solely two websites
reporting birds. Farmoor had singles by means of on the 4^th and 6^th,
persevering with its standing as probably the most dependable website for the species within the county. Otmoor
then had a single chook on website on the 17^th and 18^th
of the month. Greenshank data had been solely at Otmoor this
month with many of the birds having handed by means of the county the earlier
month. Two had been right here on the 9^th while a lone chook heard calling on
website was current on the 22^nd. Ringed Plover was probably the most
quite a few and widest unfold of the unusual waders this month, with 4 websites
reporting birds. The very best rely got here from NCVW on the 4^th,
the place 9 had been current and had introduced with them a a lot rarer wader alongside for
the journey. Seven had been nonetheless right here the next day and had decreased to simply on
one by the 8^th. The 4^th of the month clearly was a day
the species was transferring in bigger numbers with each Grimsbury Reservoir and
Ardley ERF each internet hosting birds that very same day. On the latter website two had been
current on the 16^th, while three potential tundrae candidates
had been current on the 25^th, while Farmoor additionally hosted a chook
on the 12^th.

Dunlin courtesy of Steve Liptrot

Dunlin had been current on two websites this month – Farmoor
and NCVW. The previous has a most of 6 birds between the 4^th
and 6^th, while as much as three birds had been on website between the 24^th
and 28^th though as with the Sanderling actions this
in all probability concerned a turnover of birds slightly than the identical birds regularly. NCVW
had a single chook on the 5^th and surprisingly had no additional
data of the species this month. The ten^th Could noticed the
county doubtlessly file its newest ever Jack Snipe with most birds
having departed the county and far of the south of England by the
center of April, presumably an injured chook or possibly only a late
straggler. While Widespread Sandpiper continued to trickle by means of the
county, being recorded at a minimal of seven websites all through Could. Most of
these got here from the primary 10 days of the month, though a pair current at Oxfordshire
Golf Course within the 21^st was a reasonably late file for the
species. 

Wildfowl, sport and so on

The top of Could introduced
with it the primary data of singing Quail throughout the county boundaries,
though all of those had been confined to Oxon Downs, reviews appear to
point out a minimum of 4 singing birds thus far this yr. Though it doesn’t look
to be a basic “Quail Yr”, the early a part of June will seemingly see a
few extra birds reported and a few of these could even be away from their
stronghold on the Downs. The massive shock this month was a really
unseasonable Whooper Swan which was current at NCVW on the 13^th.
Clearly a chook unable to comply with the remainder of its type again to Iceland and
was beforehand reported bouncing between websites within the south of England, and
a candidate for our newest file of the species? 

The Whooper Swan above & under courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

Garganey have been fairly
skinny on the bottom this spring, significantly in contrast with current years the place
we’ve got even had breeding confirmed a number of occasions. Two file this month was a
fairly poor return, though it’s attainable any breeding pairs at Otmoor or
even elsewhere are hidden away someplace. A drake frequented Otmoors first
display screen within the early a part of the month doubtlessly factors to one thing
attention-grabbing occurring. In any other case, the one different file got here from Peep-o-Day
Lane on the ten^th the place a drake was current for a single day. Shelduck
had been solely recorded from two websites this month, with a single chook at Peep-o-Day
Lane on the ten^th and 6 birds at Rushy Widespread on the 21^st.
No reviews of profitable breeding but however given the numbers in mid-late April
I’m certain a number of websites should have breeding pairs current. A pair of feminine Goosander
had been the one file of the species within the county this month, though
there appears to have been a minimum of two pairs breeding within the east of the county
primarily based on data from April. 

Herons, egrets and so on

For as soon as this group has a bit
extra occurring asides from the fixed presence of Cattle Egret and Nice
Egret with each species now effectively established and current yr spherical. A Spoonbill
over the second display screen at Otmoor  was a incredible reward for the few birders
that had been there on the morning of two^nd . Not fairly the rarity it as soon as
was, primarily as a result of vary enlargement in northern and jap England however
additionally will increase on the mainland, it’s nonetheless a cracking chook to meet up with in
the county. Surprisingly, given current type, this chook was solely a flyover
and appeared to bomb straight by means of the positioning and south. Way more obliging,
ultimately, was a Shiny Ibis current on the 2^nd display screen and
elsewhere from the 15^th. After being elusive for intervals, with the
roost being probably the most dependable approach to see it, as soon as it started moulting closely it
remained far more sedentary and immediately in entrance of the two^nd display screen
for a lot of the day earlier than roosting in with the Egret and Herons by
the primary display screen. It is extremely attainable this can be a returning chook from the
earlier yr, which spent a lot of 2024 at Otmoor earlier than departing on
New Yr’s Eve. 

The Shiny Ibis courtesy of Malcolm Bowey