Friday 27 April 2012

Cholsey and Farmoor.


Sunshine and showers, sometimes very heavy, 12º, light to blustery SW.

A few hours on Cholsey Marsh this morning turned up 9 Warbler species, a single Garden Warbler, 20+ Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 20+ Sedge Warblers, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaff and as a bonus a male Redstart and a long awaited Cuckoo.

A Common Sandpiper was feeding along the riverbank.

Water Rail heard and 2 Grey Herons seen, Treecreeper heard singing and both Woodpeckers (Green and Great-spotted) seen. A steady flow of Swallows passing upriver and 3, maybe 4 Kingfishers between Bow Bridge and the 4 Arches.

Buzzard, Red Kite, a pair of Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk all seen.

Then a trip to Farmoor produced 9 Black-necked Grebe, these birds were calling and displaying to each other whilst there!

Also 3 Shelduck, a Whimbrel heard and a Short-eared Owl present, also several Common Terns, Lots of Pied Wagtails and quite a few White (alba) Wagtails and several Yellow Wagtails.

Lots of Swifts, Swallows, Sand Martins and the odd House Martin, numbers variable as they would disappear after the rain showers, presumably moving on.

6 Common Sandpipers also noted.

Just missed, by 2 minutes a Montagu’s Harrier that literally zipped through and was only seen by 2 people.

More @ http://oxonbirding.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://purplepartridge.blogspot.co.uk/

Arrived at Lollingdon Hill just as a rain shower had passed and found 5 Wheatear and another Redstart.

A Muntjac and several Roe Deer seen, also several Orange Tip and Peacock butterflies.
                                  Black-necked Grebe

                                  Black-necked Grebe

                                   Black-necked Grebe

                                  Common Tern

                      Four of the nine Black-necked Grebes

                                  Pied (White) Wagtail

                                  Pied (White) Wagtail





                                  Some ole birder @ Farmoor!

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