31st Dec 2020

Well that's it for another year!

Nothing new or particularly exciting to to write about in the last few days though. The pair of Stonechats remained at the Borrow Pit pool and the single female was still present in the cattle field. A drake Goosander visited on the afternoon of the 30th and was still present this morning. Three Shovelers and a decent number of Gulls still loafed around in the UCV fields. Regular winter visitors were present with Kingfisher seen in a few locations, Siskins around in low numbers still and winter thrushes (particulalry Redwings in the cattle field) showing well at times. 

Although 2020 was a difficult year, the year list didn't suffer too badly. In fact, it was actually quite a good year for numbers of species but there has been no really good stand out highlights! I can't really pick a bird of the year really, but there were several really 'good' patch birds. 

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and good birding in 2021. Let's see what highlights we have next year!

27th Dec 2020

Flooding on the 24th meant that there was no access up to the reservoir for the day but in the afternoon Mike did manage to see a few bits in the UCV, including 70 Teal and a few Wigeon, Shoveler and Gadwall. There was also an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

On Christmas Day afternoon Mike had a female Goldeneye in the same location. Technically this is outside of the patch area but would be viewable from the patch. I would normally include such sightings in the year list if it was seen from the patch but have decided not to on this occasion as it was seen from outside of the patch area only.

On the 26th Mike was up the valley again. The floods had receeded greatly and there was less wildfowl but there was a few Wigeon still, two Lapwing and four smart looking adult Yellow-legged.

This morning there was a pair of Goosander on the reservoir and a Stonechat in the cattle field. Kyle posted some pics of the Goosanders on his blog here. In the UCV Mike had an adult and 1st CY Great Black-backed Gull, two Yellow-legged, three Shoveler and nineteen Cormorants.

21st Dec 2020

The headline news from the last few weeks was a Woodcock that John flushed from the path along the river to the north of the woodland on 5th Dec. This takes the year list to 124, which is really good considering the year we've had and restrictions on people visiting etc. I doubt there are many more species to be added to this year's list, but you never know!

Due to some technical issues (my own!) I'm missing some sighting between 22nd Nov and 5th Dec, so please let me know if I've missed anything. However, I think it's generally been fairly consistent throughout the last four weeks. 

There has been fewer large gulls around the U.C.V. and it seems like the Caspians have moved on, but Yellow-legged Gulls have been around in small numbers. On the 9th Dec there was a great count of 53 Tufted Ducks on the Borrow Pit pool, which I think must be a new high for here. A pair of Stonechats are still around the Borrow Pit too.

All photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

22nd Nov 2020: another Caspian Gull

It was fairly quiet during the week and with no bird news forthcoming, the highlight of the week was the sunrise view that Adrian T got on Friday morning.

Courtesy and copyright of Adrian Tysoe

Yesterday morning John and I met up to have a good stomp around the patch. The reservoir and woodland didn't have much to encourage us tbh, with the only thing of note being a possible sighting of the Stonechat still in the cattle field - but it disappeared before I got a good look at it.

In the Upper Cherwell Valley there were lots of gulls around and as we stood and scanned the Borrow Pit pool the numbers of large gulls increased in fairly regular pulses. After a little while John picked out a 1CY Caspian Gull - the third for the patch and second this year! We also had a minimum of three Yellow-legged Gulls (definitely a near adult and two 2CY birds) and there was also, easily, double figures of Herring Gulls. The two Stonechats were still present there too and lots of winter thrushes moving around the valley. We managed to find 3-4 Common Snipe in the usual wet field before we left. 

This morning Adrian T had the Caspian Gull again at the Borrow Pit pool before they left and Mike P and Iain found it again in the new construction site near to the M40 junction, as well as two adult Yellow-legged Gulls. 

This evening I had a 1CY Mediterranean Gull at the reservoir and a single Wigeon flew around before deciding to move on up the valley.

Gull photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

If anyone is wanting to have a look at the gulls I have cobbled together the map below. The blue circle is the Borrow Pit pool where gulls are very often gathering to bath and drink. The other main area at the moment seems to be the new construction site near to the M40 junction, where gulls gather on the bare earth. The two areas to the east of the pool (in Northamptonshire), are pasture fields where gulls feed and loaf - the eastern fields nearest to Chacombe are where many gulls were gathering a few winter back and we were lucky enough to have a Glaucous Gull there. Oddly, the large gulls are not coming to the reservoir in any number at all, but it may be worth a look anyway. 

15th Nov 2020

 A fairly quiet weekend really with very few sightings reported, but yesterday morning John did have a Snipe fly over and land in the cattle field and Kirsty had a Goosander on the Borrow Pit pool in the U.C.V. - quite an odd location for this species!

13th Nov 2020

In the U.C.V. this morning John had Stonechat and Yellow-legged Gull at the Borrow Pit and saw 15 Golden Plover drop down in to the fields north of the Borrow Pit. There was also eight Snipe in the usual wet field. 

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

9th Nov 2020: Golden Plovers

This morning I had a drake Pochard early before it left, a Yellowhammer flyover and a flock of 21 Golden Plovers over south-east, as well as several flocks of thrushes (oddly mostly going east!).

8th Nov 2020: Red-crested Pochards

This morning John found a pair of Red-crested Pochards at the reservoir. These were the first here and in the B.O.S. area since the last one here in 2015. 

There was also a fly through Common Pochard, eleven Greylag Geese, Coot, flyover Yellowhammer, Stonechat and two Ring-necked Parakeets. Later Mark also had two Wigeon and two Stonechat at the Borrow Pit pool. 

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Curnow

Courtesy and copyright of Kyle Smith

2nd Nov 2020

 Mike C had a (the same) Stonechat at the reservoir and another two at the Borrow Pit pool.

1st Nov 2020

Despite the weather conditions over this weekend producing some good birds at other sites, that wasn't the case for little old Grimsbury! A Raven over today was the highlight of three visits over the weekend.

October

Highlights this month were a juvenile Sanderling found on the 8th by Mike P, a Pintail through, nine Crossbills and a Tree Pipit over on the 11th seen by John (also a probable Brambling), another Mediterranean Gull (adult this time) on the 12th (John), two Egyptian Geese over on the 14th (Mike P and GB), two Rock Pipits on the 16th (GB) and a Mandarin on the 18th found by Mike P.

The Pintail was seen again on the 14th and Mike saw it well enough to confirm it was a moulting drake. Also another eleven Crossbills were recorded by Mike P on the 18th. 

A Stonechat found by Mike C on the 5th remained around most of the month, assuming it was the same bird throughout. John had a Peregrine fly through hunting on the 12th. Passage Redpolls featured regularly again. Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon and Teal and Little Egret were all seen. A Lapwing and a Snipe flew over on the 14th. 

Flocks of Redwings became more regular as their migration really stepped up and the first Fieldfares of the autmun were seen on the 15th with six flying over (GB).

On the 11th I saw a very small Grass Snake basking on logs on the southern end of the woodland. It was so small I suspected it was a hatch from this year.

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

September

The outstanding highlight of September was the second site record of Caspian Gull found by John on the 25th. There was also a report of a Black Tern fly through on the 11th (John Gough), an Osprey over on the 6th (John), a flyover Tree Pipit on the 5th (John), a Whinchat on the 6th (John), 

A Spotted Flycatcher was still present early in the month and Little Egret, Common Sands, Yellow Wagtails, some Coot, Teal Shoveler sighting through the month and three Wigeon arrived on the 22nd.

Siskin passage really kicked off with birds recorded most days and 35 Siskins and the first Redpoll of the autumn over on the 6th (John) after which Redpolls then regularly throughout. The Cetti's was still present and recorded on the 9th (Mike P). Our first Redwings of the autumn were recorded by John on the 27th as well as a Mistle Thrush. 

Copyright and courtesy of JFT

August

Star of the month was a drake Common Scoter found by Mike P on the 17th and although it didn't stay long a few people managed to see it. 

Other highlights were a Redstart just up into the valley on the 4th found by Mark, a Curlew reported over on the 10th, two Hobbies seen in the woodland on 11th (Mike C), a Dunlin found by Mark on the 11th that stayed around for a few days and Mediterranean Gulls on the 11th, 15th, 18th and 26th (John), a Whinchat in the cattle field with two Wheatear and also Spotted Flycatcher in the wood and a flyover Greenshank on the 14th (GB) and a Tree Pipit flew over on the 15th (John).

August also continued the late summer / early autumn theme with Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall all arriving, more Yellow-legged Gulls, Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtails over and sometimes in amongst the cattle or on the reservoir banks, a Snipe flew over on the 9th (John), a Raven over the U.C.V. also on the 9th. Two Little Egrets were around sporadically. 

The Cetti's Warbler remained present and Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler all recorded. 

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

Courtesy and copyright of Kyle Smith

Up to end of July

A Redshank found by Adrian on the 10th was a great find and the first here for a couple of years. The other highlight was a few Mediterranean Gull sightings of at least two birds in the last couple of days of the month (John and Mike P), two Common Terns also on the 10th (GB), a Hobby on the 11th (John), 

A Siskin made an appearance on the 11th (John) and through mid to the end of the month there was also a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls. Other waders still present with singles of Little Ringed Plover and a few Common Sandpipers. Hirundines and Swifts featured regularly. The Cetti's Warbler and some other commoner warblers were around. The family of Tufted Ducks were still present at month end and two more broods were at the Borrow Pit pool. 

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Hobby pics courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

5th Jul 2020: Autumn already?!

Following the end of spring migration, summer arrived and also zipped by all in the matter of a few weeks! I know that technically it is still summer, but someone please tell the birds as we are are experiencing Autumn migration already!

On the 16^th June Jim had 2 Little Ringed Plovers and one Ringed Plover (was that a late one or an early one?).

John had a White-legged Damselfly on the 17th. This is great news as we know they are definitely still here, but no one else has seen any since so the population must be very low. I expect this is a result of the river being drained a few years ago, but I haven't got enough knowledge of Damselfly ecology to back this up.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

On the 25^th Mike saw a juvenile Black-headed Gull and confirmed that Tufted Ducks had nested at the reservoir by finding a female with five ducklings. This is a great record and no doubt a result of the reduced disturbance and that the grass around the reservoir hasn't been cut so far this year.

There were only four Tufted Ducklings left on the 28th, but so far (up to today) those four seem to be doing well. 

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

On the 29^th John had three Little Ringed Plovers.

Mike was up on the 1st and found five Common Sandpipers and three Little Ringed Plovers. John also had Essex Skipper and Marbled Whites in the meadow.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

John saw a Grass Snake on the 2nd.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

John had our first returning Yellow-legged Gull of the summer on the 3rd. An individual that only has one leg and has been seen at both Draycote and Farmoor over the last month or so. 

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

On the 4^th John had the same Yellow-legged again and a Polish ringed Black-headed Gull (Yellow ring with the code T2YX).

This morning, my visit was very quiet except for three Siskin that flew over as I was leaving. I called back in this evening and there were two Yellow-legged Gulls (including the one legged one) and a Herring Gull.

14th June 2020: Hobby

On the 10th Ian had two Little Ringed Plovers and a flyover Little Egret.

On Friday John had a Common Tern and two Little Ringed Plovers.

Yesterday I had a Hobby over the reservoir fly-catching high up in the blue sky. Surprisingly the first one of the year I believe.

Photos courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Today Clive was out in the morning and I had a walk around this afternoon. There weren't many birds but there were Marbled Whites, Four-spotted Chasers and Black-tailed Skimmers around.

7th Jun 2020

It was all about the return (!) of Little Ringed Plovers this week. Some birds have clearly bred locally as on the 3rd John recorded four (2 male, 1 female and a fledged juvenile).

The next day Mike saw at least three Little Ringed Plovers, including two juveniles. Also the Cetti’s Warbler singing still.

John went up on the 6th and had two female Little Ringed Plovers.

Courtesy and copyright of Mike Pollard

31st May 2020: The end of Spring?

Juvenile Grey Wagtail. Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

On the 22^nd Mike had the Cetti’s Warbler again in the morning and it now seems settled in on territory. Also recorded on the 23rd, 24th and 25th.

Blue Tit nesting along the railway embankment

On Saturday 23rd I was out a bit later with the main aim of recording damselflies. Having bumped into Clive when I got there and hearing about what he'd recorded in recent day, I was hopeful. I managed to record Large Red, Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Azure, as well as Common Blue and both Demoiselles. No White-legged yet, but I'll keep an eye out over the next couple of weeks.

Blue-tailed

Typical view of a Red-eyed perched on surface vegetation

Large Red

Beautiful

Banded

Beautiful

John called in later and had a Common Tern drop in briefly.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

On the 28^th there was a male Stonechat up near the Borrow Pit pool (Richie Thompson). This is an interesting record as it is a very late migrant or possibly nesting (although there was no sign of it on the 30th).

Over this weekend there were two Coots at the reservoir on Saturday (30th) and two new Reed Warblers in on Sunday (30th). The Reed Warblers were in the bushes at the northern end (checked and double checked!) and in the reeds along the river just north of the woodland. Some other interesting sighting today were a Mole foraging out in the open right by the river, a Water Shrew foraging in the, very nearly dried out, ditch in the woodland near the railway line and a very small Grass Snake swimming in the canal (possibly hatched last year as I think it's still a bit early for this year?).