April bows out

Overcast, 13°, light SSW.

Alan out along the River and Bunk today. Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Yellow Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Treecreeper, Swallow, House Martin, Hobby, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Raven over and the usual Geese present (3sp).

A (f) Sparrowhawk over the allotment carrying prey and a Black-headed Gull.

Yesterday: 2 Mute Swan flew east over Church Road.

Butterflies: (yesterday) Brimstone, Small White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral & Peacock. Per Richard James.

Honey Bee

Plovers

Sunny spells, 17°, light NW.

Alan out and about this morning along the river, Bunk and Lollingdon. Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap etc. Bunk: Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Whitethroat and 2 (f) Wheatear out at Lollingdon.

I didn’t get out ‘til this afternoon and walked out to Lollingdon. 3 Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover on the flood and eventually flushed by a Hobby. Also 2 Lapwing, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, a Mandarin Duck, 5 Swallow and 2 Sand Martin.

Alan went back to the flood and the 4 Plovers were relocated late afternoon.

Tony W noted that a couple of Reed Warbler are back on Cholsey Marsh.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue and Peacock.

3 Ringed Plover and a (fuzzy) Little Ringed Plover far right.

Little Ringed Plover courtesy Alan

Mandarin Duck

Pied Wagtail

Of Cattle Egrets and Alpine Swifts

The above 2 species have been causing debate recently.

Firstly the Alpine Swift debate was by prompted an influx back in March with 50+ records throughout the UK (sadly none turned up in Oxon). There is one record in Cholsey seen by Tony Williams on the 14th July 1975. This was apparently the first Oxfordshire record.

On searching there is another record for Cholsey on the 29th August 1967 (ref: BB rarity report). Observer unknown but record accepted. Now at that time Cholsey was part of Berkshire. So we have 2 records of the species for Cholsey. One in Oxon and one in Berks.

Secondly, Cattle Egret. I reported a Cattle Egret seen by Roger Wyatt on 20th April 2023 as being a first for Cholsey.

However there was another record of a bird seen by the 4-Arches area on the 12th July 1971 found by Len Salmon and noted to commute to and from Cholsey and Moulsford. The bird was present until 4th August and was found dead on the 8th August.

The bird was despatched for analysis and apparently one thing that was noted that there was doubt it was a wild bird as it showed signs of captivity.

Just reporting what I know folks.

First Swift

Overcast, rain later, 12°, breezy SE.

Lollingdon and the Thames area covered today and Alan managed the first Swift of the year along the river. Plus Cetti’s Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Linnet etc.

2 (f) Wheatear out at Lollingdon plus Mandarin Duck, 2 Lapwing, 2-3 Yellow Wagtail, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Yellowhammer, Linnet etc.

Yellow Wagtail

Linnet courtesy Alan

Coldish

Cloudy, 11°, light SSE.

a cold SE and overcast sky did not help birding today.  

Bunk line today was ridiculously quiet today. A Grey Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat and a Blackcap was all of note.

Alan had a better time out at Lollingdon, 2 (f) Wheatear, Mandarin Duck, Yellow Wagtail, the odd Swallow, Blackcap, Whitethroat etc.

1 maybe 2 Common Sandpiper at the bottom of Ferry Lane. Per Ben.

Whitethroat on Cholsey Marsh courtesy Charlie

Blackcap courtesy Alan

Dunlin & Ringed Plover

Mainly sunshine, 10°, light NNE.

The Whinchat still present today out at Lollingdon plus at least 10 Wheatear.

Early afternoon I received a call from Alan to inform me of 2 waders on the floods out at Lollingdon. A Dunlin and a Ringed Plover found by Tony Williams.

A quick dash down there and they were both still present feeding on the mud.

Both are rare passage migrants to Cholsey and the last record of both was March 2013 in the same area.

Ringed Plover & Dunlin

Ringed Plover & Dunlin courtesy Alan

Dunlin

Ringed Plover

Cattle Egret & Whinchat

Mainly cloudy with light rain later, 9°, light NNE.

Belated news of a Cattle Egret on floods along Hithercroft on 20th April. A first for Cholsey. Per RW. Only stayed briefly.

A long awaited visitor to Cholsey since establishing themselves in Oxfordshire in 2021.  

Back to today: a Whinchat, a Redstart and 8+ Wheatear out at Lollingdon. The Redstart appeared to be a brief stayer and moved from west to east along the hill, flying from bush to bush and eventually disappeared. The rest stuck around at least until late afternoon.

A Reed Warbler out by the “Long ditch”.

Elsewhere, Sparrowhawk, Lapwing, Mandarin Duck, 3-4 Yellow Wagtail, several Whitethroat and Blackcap, several Swallow and a Willow Warbler.

Mammals: Roe Deer & Brown Hare.

Whinchat

Whinchat courtesy Alan

Whinchat

Wheatear (f)

Wheatears (m) ↕

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Alan

On the fence

 Courtesy Alan

Yellow Wag

Mainly sunny, 12°, light SSE.

Just Alan out today: plenty of bird song around. Wheatear, Corn Bunting, Black-headed Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Mandarin Duck, Swallow, House Martin, Lapwing, Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroat.

A wet start

Constant early rain but brightening later, 9°, light SE.

A lot of Hirundines thru today with 100+ Swallow, 50+ House Martin and at least 3 Sand Martin but little else on the move.

Little Owl, Grey Heron, Water Rail, Kingfisher, several Sedge Warbler and Blackcap, Lapwing and 2 Yellow Wagtail along with the regulars.

Mammals: Brown Hare & Roe Deer.

AD & PC.

Sedge Warbler courtesy Alan ↕

LRD

Sunny and breezy, 11°, fresh NW.

First Odonata of the year today. A Large Red Damselfly.

And a Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling on Cholsey Marsh. Per JT.

Plus 2 Wheatear, 2 flyover Raven, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Mandarin Duck, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, several Swallow, Kingfisher & Cormorant.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma & Speckled Wood.

PC & AD.

LRD

Lollingdon, Bunk & Thames.

A few sunny spells, 14°, fresh E.

Usual areas covered today: 2 Little Egret, 3 Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, 4 Black-headed Gull, Mandarin Duck, a Sparrowhawk going for a Mistle Thrush unsuccessfully, 1 pos 2 Fieldfare, 1-2 Yellow Wagtail, 5-6 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, several Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer & Corn Bunting.

A Common Sandpiper earlier in week along the river. Per PR.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Butterflies: Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

3 Green Sandpipers on the floods at Lollingdon courtesy Alan ↕

Black-headed Gull, 1 of 4 on the flood

Mandarin Duck with Mallards on the flood courtesy Alan ↕

Wheatear

Whitethroat

Intermittent Sunshine, 7°, breezy ENE.

Our first Common Whitethroat this year. Courtesy Alan

Redstart, Wheatear & Willow Warblers

Mainly cloudy, 14°, light ESE.

Bunk Line, River, Cholsey Hill & Lollingdon covered today.

1 (m) Common Redstart, 2 (m) Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler, 6+ Blackcap, several Sedge Warbler, Lapwing, Raven, Yellow Wagtail, 3-4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Black-headed Gull, Reed Bunting and Corn Bunting.

One of the best years in recent times for Willow Warbler in the parish so far this spring. Here's hoping some will stay and breed.  

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell & Peacock.

Alan & Paul.

Wheatear

Orange Tip courtesy Alan

Small Tortoiseshell

Wheatear

Sedge Warblers on the Marsh

Cloudy with some rain, 13°, light SW.

River, Sedge Warbler, Oystercatcher, Blackcap, Reed Bunting & Chiffchaff. Per Alan.

Wheatears

Mainly cloudy, 10°, light NNE.

6 (4m & 2f) Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill and another Bunk line. Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Swallow, House Martin, 2 Little Egret, Little Owl. Per Alan

Bit of a mix

A sunny day for a change but still windy, 11°, breezy WSW.

Lollingdon and Bunk line covered today by us both.

3 Wheatear, Little Egret, Mandarin Duck, several Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Raven, Lapwing.

Mammals: Brown Hare, Stoat & Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Peacock, Comma & Speckled Wood.

Chiffchaff ↕

Wheatear

Wheatear courtesy Alan ↕

Mandarin Duck courtesy Alan

Little Egret courtesy Alan

Roe Deer

First Sedge & Yellow Wag

 A couple of firsts for the year today found by Alan.

Sedge Warbler on Cholsey Marsh and a Yellow Wagtail out at Lollingdon.

And a nice shot of a Fox wandering off.

Another wet one

Clear at first then rain, 11°, breezy SSW.

Both Alan and myself out along the Bunk line.  

Another rainy day concentrated Hirundines over the flooded areas with c50 Swallow plus several House Martin and Sand Martin.

A Redshank heard but not seen, 2 Willow Warbler in song plus 1-2 Blackcap and several Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Herring Gull and 1 Lesser Blackback Gull.

Willow Warbler, Blackcap & Wagtail courtesy Alan