Oxon Birding Weblog: October evaluation

Highlights

Tsu-weet! Is there a sound extra
eagerly sought than that for a devoted patch birder? As soon as an Oxon mega, the
latest surge in YBW information within the final decade or so alongside Britain’s coast has
meant that the majority patch birders, inland or in any other case, can hope to discover a
little gem from the east. Anticipation often reaches fever pitch in late
September or early October when birds from the east coast begin filtering
by inland and can basically flip up wherever, often hoovered up by
roving tit flocks. With 33 recorded throughout Flamborough head on the 4th October,
and numerous many elsewhere alongside the coast, and with a rise of inland
information surrounding the county, it actually may solely be a matter of time earlier than
Oxon received its first of the autumn.

One month of YBW information up till tenth October courtesy of BirdGuides

So, with a significant inflow underway the
first report got here on the 5^th October, coming from the Lye Valley
in Oxford and far deserved reward for the ever devoted patcher there.
To not be outdone, Farmoor swiftly adopted swimsuit later that afternoon. Farmoor
has, over time develop into the premier website for locating this jap sprite
with three information since 2020 and an unconfirmed chicken in 2017. Each birds have been
current the next day, though the Lye Valley chicken was far more
forthcoming and simpler to pin down. With the Farmoor chicken departing by
the 7^th the Lye Valley grew to become the star chicken for a lot of the
counties birders. Port Meadow additionally then hosted a chicken on the 9^th,
though solely heard on a few events, however with the Lye Valley chicken
nonetheless there till the ten^th, this was positively a brand new chicken in. 

The Lye Valley Yellow-browed Warbler, courtesy of Tom Bedford

Absolutely Yellow-browed Warbler is
up there with one of many prime backyard birds round? Effectively no fewer than three
birders struck gold this month, and it appears just like the onset of home-working has
some beforehand unexpected advantages! The primary got here from Sunningwell Street
on the 14^th with one other report coming from Hurst Avenue on
the 17^th and will very nicely relate to the identical chicken, given the
distances. Neither chicken remained and the county wanted to attend an entire 8 days
earlier than its subsequent report! Dix Pit noticed the county’s 6^th report
of the autumn on the 25^th which hung round till at the least the 26^th
and brought Oxfordshire to its joint report tally for the species in a single
12 months. However we weren’t fairly achieved but, with one other fortunate birder discovering a calling
chicken of their backyard proper on the very finish of the evaluation interval, in Abingdon
on the 31^st.

With an enormous 7 information in 2024,
all coming within the house of three.5 weeks, this has been a report 12 months for the species
in Oxon. Given the unfold of information and the way silent among the birds
have been, you must marvel what number of of those beauties have truly handed
by the county unseen! The earlier report 12 months got here in 2020, the place a
comparable big inflow was famous alongside the east coast, however all the county information
got here between September and December. The focus of Yellow-browed
Warbler this 12 months has been unprecedented and also you wouldn’t guess in opposition to but
extra birds been discovered between now and the New Yr.

Yellow-browed Warbler information in Oxon 1989- 2024 courtesy of Tom Bedford

For these within the altering
fortunes of Yellow-browed Warbler and the emergence of a brand new migration
route for this species some fascinating papers are beneath:

https://www.researchgate.internet/publication/366274983_The_Yellow-browed_Warbler_Phylloscopus_inornatus_as_a_model_to_understand_vagrancy_and_its_potential_for_the_evolution_of_new_migration_routes

https://www.researchgate.internet/profile/Alexander-Lees/publication/279447524_Vagrancy_theories_Are_autumn_vagrants_really_reverse_migrants/hyperlinks/5592bedb08ae1e9cb4297652/Vagrancy-theories-Are-autumn-vagrants-really-reverse-migrants.pdf

Waders

The Noticed Redshank continued
its prolonged keep at Otmoor this month, first been reported on the three^rd
after which been sporadically reported till at the least the ten^th of the
month, given folks sufficient time to get pleasure from this notoriously difficult species within the
county with it been lower than annual. 

The Otmoor Noticed Redshank courtesy of Luke O’Burn

There have been at the least 4 information of Gray
Plover this month, with indicators of at the least certainly one of these birds probably wanting
to winter within the county, one thing which is turning into more and more annual. The
first got here from Cholsey Hill on the 16^th, usually related
with a big Golden Plover, and after briefly going lacking for a couple of days
returned to the identical spot on the 21^st, remaining till the 22^nd.
The identical chicken was then on the close by South Moreton on the 28^th
remaining till at the least the 30^th. Waterstock additionally recorded a
single chicken in amongst the plenty of water birds gathered right here on the 27^th,
while Woolstone Down had a chicken flying by on the 29^th. 

Gray Plover courtesy of Alan Dawson

Ruff information have been confined
to 2 websites this month, with most birds having handed by the county the
earlier month. A single chicken was noticed in a Lapwing flock at Peep-o-Day
Lane on the 7^th, though had apparently been current longer.
Doubtlessly the identical chicken was then at Port Meadow, additionally related to Lapwing
and in flight on the 16^th, while it was once more noticed, albeit very
distantly, a couple of days afterward the 18^th. Port Meadow additionally noticed
a number of information of Black-tailed Godwit this month with 9 birds right here on 9^th
of the month. Presumably totally different birds the place then right here on the 28^th
with solely two right here then, while a single chicken remained on the positioning till at
least the 29^th. Dunlin have been additionally on Port Meadow this
month, with information restricted to 2 websites in October. Three have been right here on
the 26^th with a single chicken remaining till the 29^th. Aston
within the west of the county, was an unlikely website to host the opposite report
this month with a single chicken right here on the 24^th. One has to marvel if
the west of the county might develop into the host to these huge flocks we noticed in November
of final 12 months when an enormous 586 birds have been seen on floods at Cote!

As with different passage waders,
Ringed Plover information have been few and much between with two websites internet hosting
birds. Farmoor had one on the 1^st of the month, while Aston
within the west of the county had two birds on the 24^th. Inexperienced
Sandpiper continued to dwindle by October as birds started to determine
their winter territories. Solely 4 websites reported birds this month with the
most coming from Curbridge on the 12^th the place 6 birds right here. Bicester
Wetlands hosted solely two birds this month, current on the 23^rd.
Single the place then reported at Ardley and Peep-o-Day Lane on the 12^th
and 14^th respectively. Frequent Sandpiper have been even scarcer,
with most birds now nicely on their option to west Africa. Singles have been at Farmoor
on the three^rd and at Port Meadow on the 24^th. Away
from the Otmoor the biggest flock of Golden Plover famous got here
from Aston with over a 1000 right here between the 24^th – 27^th,
with a good bit of wader motion right here in October this can be a website to
look ahead to the approaching winter!

Wildfowl & Sport and so forth

Following on from the transient 8
birds at Farmoor the earlier month, two Whooper Swan current in Thame
on the 13^th have been a bit extra accessible to the county’s birders.
That being stated, it got here with the added complication of which facet of the border
the birds have been on, with Oxon Bucks border working although the north finish
of the city. The 2 birds have been positively on Oxon land sooner or later
however have been seemingly crossing into Bucks when shifting between websites, the thrill
of birding on the perimeters of the county. Port Meadow subsequently hosted a
single chicken on the 22^nd and regardless of the abundance of individuals current
on this website, this particular person managed an prolonged keep till the 25^th.
By the 26^th, although, the chicken had seemingly had sufficient and departed
with presumably the identical chicken noticed flying westwards over Woodstock on
the 27^th. Two birds at Otmoor on the 30^th, may
have been the Thame birds reappearing/relocating, though they have been seemingly
gone the next day. 

The Port Meadow Whooper Swan courtesy of Adam Hartley

An unseasonal Garganey report
got here from Days Lock on the 23^rd, with at the least one chicken
wintering within the county for the previous few years, it will likely be fascinating to see
the place or if this chicken pops again up someplace later within the 12 months. One such website
the place wintering Garganey have beforehand turned up, Dix Pit noticed its
first returning Goldeneye on the 26^th holding its standing at
probably the most dependable website within the county for this dwindling wintering species. Shelduck
have been at three websites this month, with Balscote Quarry a seemingly unlikely
host for a single on the 16^th. 5 have been at South Moreton on
the 17^th, while Port Meadow hosted at the least one chicken between
the 26^th and 30^th of the month. Goosander have been
solely current at two websites, with Port Meadow internet hosting between 1 and three
birds by to the center a part of October and a single flyover by
Sutton Courtenay on the 22^nd.

On the bizarre finish of
the wildfowl spectrum the feral Ross’s Goose was simply outdoors Banbury
for spell within the early a part of October earlier than making its return to its
favoured Port Meadow and the consolation of the hordes of Canada and Barnacle
Goose. A lone Mandarin report got here from Grimsbury throughout October
and an uncommon Gadwall x Wigeon hybrid was added to the rising record
of fascinating Anas or Aythya hybrids which have graced the county
of the years.

Herons, egrets and so forth

One other species with an ever altering
standing throughout the county, this years 5^th report of Spoonbill got here
from Otmoor on the 22^nd. As soon as a county mega, with flyovers
accounting for a lot of the information pre-2020, it’s now an anticipated and even
twitchable annual. An indication of the UK’s ever increasing breeding inhabitants as
nicely as continental populations persevering with to do nicely. This chicken remained on Otmoor
till at the least the 24^th. 

The Otmoor Spoonbill courtesy of Terry Sherlock

The summering Shiny Ibis reappeared,
after a short interval of not been reported, on the 8^th October, though
it seemingly did a disappearing act as soon as extra. Though with it having been in
the county now for many of the 12 months, it wouldn’t be stunning if it have been to
flip up once more within the close to future.

Cattle Egret have been a lot much less
unfold out this month with solely 4 websites internet hosting birds in October. Otmoor continued
to host a big flock of as much as 44 birds, though most of those have been birds
coming into or departing roost with birds presumably unfold extra broadly throughout
the day. Peep-o-Day Lane hosted as much as 5 birds from the 1^st
till the 8^th, with a single right here once more on the 18^th. Wytham
additionally hosted a reasonably sizeable flock of 20 birds on the 17^th,
presumably birds that go on to then roost at Otmoor (?). Dix Pit then
had a single chicken on the 30^th, with no different websites within the west
seemingly internet hosting birds this month. 

Ca

Cattle Egret courtesy of Conor Mackenzie

Nice White Egret, although,
continued to be recorded throughout numerous websites presumably with summering
2^nd calendar years been boosted by 1^st calendar years
from down on the Somerset Ranges. No less than 15 websites recorded birds this
month, with at the least 6 of these websites hosted 2 or extra birds sooner or later in October.
The best rely got here from Radcot on the 24^th with a whopping
5 birds right here. Peep-o-Day Lane and Shifford each hosted 3 birds on
the 8^th and 13^th respectively. While Port Meadow, Clanfield
and Blenheim additionally recorded 2 birds current on the 19^th,
27^th and 30^th respectively. Radcot additionally recorded a
very excessive rely of Little Egret with 33 right here on the 24^th,
together with the 5 reported Nice White Egret in what should have been some
scene! 

Nice White Egret courtesy of Conor Mackenzie

Passerines

Yellow-browed Warbler was
not the one passerine to ‘invade’ the county in good numbers this month, with
a sizeable irruption 12 months for Hawfinch nicely below approach. The primary few
information filtered by the county on the 15^th, the place 4 have been
current at Cutteslowe Park and a single by Boars Hill on the
18^th, nothing too uncommon but. Nevertheless the latter a part of October
noticed plenty of information by nearly any website within the nation with even a marginal
bit top, and all counties have been reporting greater than ordinary numbers by.
No less than 8 websites in Oxfordshire went on to report between 1 – 4 birds
with information unfold from as far north as Grimsbury Reservoir and as far
south as Culham. Fingers crossed that the irruption continues and birds settle
down as they did in 2017, the place it felt nearly unimaginable to not discover a native Hawfinch!

The Woodstock Black Redstart continued
its keep on the website till at the least the 5^th of the month earlier than seemingly
departing for pastures new, earlier than reappearing on the 25^th on the unique
finders neighbours roof of all locations! One other cracking backyard chicken for the finder
after a Tree Pipit there in August! A website that always hosts Black
Redstart the housing property round Chinnor Quarry noticed a single chicken return
to the positioning for one more 12 months on the 22^nd, with two then right here on the
24^th and at the least one hanging on till the 25^th. Aston
Upthorpe hosted the 4^th and last report of the month with a
single juvenile right here on the 24^th.  

Black Redstart courtesy of David Stracey

October is the height month
for Rock Pipit within the county and this month noticed at the least 4 websites
report birds. The majority of the information got here from Farmoor, as is typical
of the species, with 2 right here on the two^nd diminished to a single chicken between
the three^rd and 10^th, while one other single was right here on the
22^nd. Two vis-mig information have been a stunning addition to the county
information this month with birds at Fyfield Wick on the 11^th and
at Boars Hill on the 18^th. An unidentified Anthus was
on Port Meadow on the 22^nd and was both a Rock or Water
Pipit however was too transient to be pinned down. While a possible Tree Pipit was
over Farmoor on the 4^th, however once more was too transient to be
recognized absolutely. 

Farmoor Rock Pipit courtesy of Debbie Cummins

With the season change nicely underway,
the county’s first Brambling of the autumn got here from Cutteslowe Park on
the three^rd, adopted up by information from Drayton, Wantage and Aston
Rowant on the 16^th, 25^th and 27^th
respectively. Though among the autumns southern sure migrants have been nonetheless
current or shifting by with a Wheatear at Farmoor on the three^rd
and several other Yellow Wagtail information from the Port Meadow from the
1^st to the ten^th. The altering of the guard continued as
the month went on with Swallow and Home Martin lastly departing
for probably the most half by the 12^th, with giant numbers of Redwing famous
arriving on the identical date. That being stated, the odd Swallow did hold on
for a short time with a single current on the 18^th and a small
flock of 9 within the north of the county on the 23^rd.

This part can’t end with out
an honorary point out of the annual Woodpigeon motion that’s noticed
throughout the nation, usually in the direction of the tip of October to early November.
This motion often entails many 10s of 1000’s of birds shifting south
in clear and nonetheless autumn climate, with some websites within the west of the nation
famous counts into the 100s of 1000’s! Oxon did handle to get in on
the motion this 12 months, albeit on a a lot smaller scale with solely 100s – to the
low 1000s famous, however the motion spectacular, nonetheless.

Gulls and Terns

A short 2cy Baltic
Gull was current on Port Meadow on the 1^st, in what’s turning into
nearly an anticipated annual subspecies because of the just about sole effort of 1 gull
fanatic and was the two^nd or 3^rd chicken situated this 12 months.
 

Baltic Gull courtesy of Thomas Miller

Caspian Gull, nonetheless the staple of the enthusiastic gull watcher, have been
current at three websites this month, with the majority of the information coming from Farmoor.
As much as 4 birds have been current at anybody time and information in all probability concerned at
least 6 totally different birds. Port Meadow had at the least 1 first 12 months birds, while
Appleford additionally hosted a 1cy chicken on the 6^th of the month. Mediterranean
Gull have been solely current at Port Meadow from the 9^th and
seen sporadically all through the month, a single 1^st winter chicken
typically seen coming into roost but in addition current throughout the day. 

Farmoor Caspian Gull courtesy of Ben Sheldon

Raptors

The arrival of Autumn correct noticed the
first Quick-eared Owl flip up within the county on the 13^th.
Though the primary information got here from Cow Down in Berkshire, given
the closeness of the border it appears extremely unlikely the 2 birds didn’t
often cross into Oxon airspace. Totally throughout the county although, a
single chicken was current at Otmoor from the 19^th, with it
being sporadically noticed proper up till the 31^st. Persevering with the
autumnal really feel, Merlin information got here from two websites, with the traditional website
of Childrey Discipline internet hosting a single juvenile on the 12^th, while
one other juvenile was current at Woodstock on the 18^th. 

Merlin courtesy of Gareth Cashburn

A single Pastime remained at Otmoor
this month and continued nicely into the latter a part of the month, with two
current on the 17^th and the lone chicken nonetheless there till the 31^st.
Additionally at Otmoor the makings of a spectacular Marsh Harrier roost
received below approach with a minimal of 12 birds seen coming into the reedbed by
the center and latter a part of the month. The wing-tagged chicken (AB) that was
seen final month at Pit 60 was a part of this contingent current at Otmoor.
Apparently, its sibling (AD) was current at Nosterfield LNR in North
Yorkshire, and offered some helpful context as to how birds disperse into
the broader countryside regardless of coming from the identical nest website.

Patchwork problem