One of the new species for Cholsey in 2023 found by Alan. Looking forward to 2024.
Sunday, 31 December 2023
Tuesday, 26 December 2023
Boxing Day
Cloudy, 10°, light SE.
A short drive down to Portland Bill for breakfast then a bit of birding.
3 Fieldfare in-off, a Redwing and 2 Stonechat in the Crown Fields, 4-5 Raven, 2 Buzzard, several Rock Pipit, a Shelduck flew east and an Oystercatcher over the Obs.
On the sea, a steady flow of Guillemot back and forth, 20+ Gannet, a handful of Common Scoter and a Diver (pos Black-throated).
A short drive down to Portland Bill for breakfast then a bit of birding.
3 Fieldfare in-off, a Redwing and 2 Stonechat in the Crown Fields, 4-5 Raven, 2 Buzzard, several Rock Pipit, a Shelduck flew east and an Oystercatcher over the Obs.
On the sea, a steady flow of Guillemot back and forth, 20+ Gannet, a handful of Common Scoter and a Diver (pos Black-throated).
A Ringed Plover heard flying over Rodwell @ 19:00.
Monday, 25 December 2023
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Sunday, 24 December 2023
Christmas Eve
Overcast, 12°, breezy WSW.
A very dull (weather wise) day around Portland Harbour: a selection species seen today were, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1-2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorant, 16 Brent Geese, 3 Oystercatcher, c40 Mediterranean Gull, several Black-headed Gull, 3-4 Great Blackback Gull etc.
A very dull (weather wise) day around Portland Harbour: a selection species seen today were, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1-2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorant, 16 Brent Geese, 3 Oystercatcher, c40 Mediterranean Gull, several Black-headed Gull, 3-4 Great Blackback Gull etc.
Poor photography today
Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Getting predictable
Mainly cloudy with the odd sunny spell, 10°, light W.
Bunk line: Still not a lot going on. lots of Fieldfare still present plus 50+ Redwing, several Song Thrush and Blackbird and 200+ Starling with the flocks and 2 Mistle Thrush in song.
A Chiffchaff and Goldcrest with a Tit flock and the odd Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit on farmland and a Grey Wagtail near CSW.
The usual Gulls also present.
Bunk line: Still not a lot going on. lots of Fieldfare still present plus 50+ Redwing, several Song Thrush and Blackbird and 200+ Starling with the flocks and 2 Mistle Thrush in song.
A Chiffchaff and Goldcrest with a Tit flock and the odd Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit on farmland and a Grey Wagtail near CSW.
The usual Gulls also present.
Muntjac feeding in the garden
Fieldfare
Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Otter or not?
A lot of debate online regarding this animal.
The photo was taken by Graeme Pryce at the Bullshole early one morning and forwarded to me as an Otter by Bryan Reagan.
Although not the best of photos it clearly shows a Mustelid Mammal of some description.
My first impression was a Mink, on size, colour and face shape but these could be due to light quality and photo clarity.
The animal in the foreground is a Husky dog.
As I was not 100% on ID I loaded it to a Mammal Society web page to see if anyone could conclusively ID the species.
Results so far are Otter or Cat (most votes so far), Mink, Rat and even Guinea Pig.
One comment possibly sums it up: “It's not possible to conclusively identify the animal from this photo. There's a hint of otter about it, but also a (slightly stronger) hint of domestic cat. When confronted with an inconclusive image like this, people tend to see what they want to see.”
Otter has been seen around the Bullshole area and also Mink and Domestic Cat. I do not go for Rat, so draw your own conclusions.
The photo was taken by Graeme Pryce at the Bullshole early one morning and forwarded to me as an Otter by Bryan Reagan.
Although not the best of photos it clearly shows a Mustelid Mammal of some description.
My first impression was a Mink, on size, colour and face shape but these could be due to light quality and photo clarity.
The animal in the foreground is a Husky dog.
As I was not 100% on ID I loaded it to a Mammal Society web page to see if anyone could conclusively ID the species.
Results so far are Otter or Cat (most votes so far), Mink, Rat and even Guinea Pig.
One comment possibly sums it up: “It's not possible to conclusively identify the animal from this photo. There's a hint of otter about it, but also a (slightly stronger) hint of domestic cat. When confronted with an inconclusive image like this, people tend to see what they want to see.”
Otter has been seen around the Bullshole area and also Mink and Domestic Cat. I do not go for Rat, so draw your own conclusions.
Monday, 18 December 2023
Still rather quiet
Overcast again, 12°, light S.
Bunk line covered in morning and afternoon (AD & PC) and Long Ditch covered (AD):
2 Stonechat, Long Ditch and not much else, Bunk: a Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron, c500 Lesser Blackback Gull, (am sure there is a Caspian or Yellow-legged Gull in amongst but too distant without a scope), 50+ Black-headed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, incl the 2 regulars at CSW, Chiffchaff, 2+ Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Barn Owl plus the usual Thrushes.
Bunk line covered in morning and afternoon (AD & PC) and Long Ditch covered (AD):
2 Stonechat, Long Ditch and not much else, Bunk: a Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron, c500 Lesser Blackback Gull, (am sure there is a Caspian or Yellow-legged Gull in amongst but too distant without a scope), 50+ Black-headed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, incl the 2 regulars at CSW, Chiffchaff, 2+ Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Barn Owl plus the usual Thrushes.
Black-headed Gull
Grey Heron
Friday, 15 December 2023
Still quiet
Overcast, 9°, light SW.
Lollingdon still very quiet.
Usual Fieldfare, Redwing and several Song Thrush mixed with the flocks. A flock of Linnet and Goldfinch and a couple of Corn Bunting feeding on the flooded field, c100 birds.
20+ Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Jay, and a Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and a Treecreeper with a Tit flock.
Lollingdon still very quiet.
Usual Fieldfare, Redwing and several Song Thrush mixed with the flocks. A flock of Linnet and Goldfinch and a couple of Corn Bunting feeding on the flooded field, c100 birds.
20+ Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Jay, and a Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and a Treecreeper with a Tit flock.
11 Yellowhammer and a Blue Tit
Thursday, 14 December 2023
Waxwing
Cloudy with a few rain showers, 8°, light SW.
Waxwings are an irruptive species in varying numbers that appear in the UK from Scandinavia through to eastern Russia.
This year has seen a moderate influx to our shores with sightings from Scotland and northern England and slowly moving south.
Over the last few weeks a few sightings have been in Oxfordshire and today 2 were seen briefly in a West End Garden before flying off. (Per Richard James).
Alan has since scoured the village but no luck on finding them.
The previous record in Cholsey was in February 2013 when 7 where seen.
Waxwings are an irruptive species in varying numbers that appear in the UK from Scandinavia through to eastern Russia.
This year has seen a moderate influx to our shores with sightings from Scotland and northern England and slowly moving south.
Over the last few weeks a few sightings have been in Oxfordshire and today 2 were seen briefly in a West End Garden before flying off. (Per Richard James).
Alan has since scoured the village but no luck on finding them.
The previous record in Cholsey was in February 2013 when 7 where seen.
This photo taken in Blewbury 2013.
Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Cold & Damp
Overcast, 7°, breezy NNW.
So far December has been pretty quiet. Today both along Bunk line and still very soggy underfoot.
The usual abundance of Fieldfare and Redwing plus several flocks of Starling moving around.
Singles of Cormorant, Little Owl, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail and the usual 2 Herring Gull near CSW.
AD & PC.
So far December has been pretty quiet. Today both along Bunk line and still very soggy underfoot.
The usual abundance of Fieldfare and Redwing plus several flocks of Starling moving around.
Singles of Cormorant, Little Owl, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail and the usual 2 Herring Gull near CSW.
AD & PC.
Starling ↕
Monday, 11 December 2023
Cholsey Hill
Mainly cloudy, 10°, light S.
Cholsey Hill area. Golden Plover over, Fieldfare, Redwing, Little Owl and Reed Bunting. Per Alan.
Cholsey Hill area. Golden Plover over, Fieldfare, Redwing, Little Owl and Reed Bunting. Per Alan.
Friday, 8 December 2023
Soggy underfoot
Hazy sunshine, 10°, light SW.
A nice 1stw m Bullfinch seen on Lollingdon Hill today, only the 2nd sighting of this species in Cholsey this year.
Again a lot of Fieldfare and Redwing in the area plus at least 6 Mistle Thrush. A scattering of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Skylark plus a couple of Siskin over and 2 Raven.
2 Little Egret a couple of days ago near the flooded field.
Garden very busy this week with Coal, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great-spotted Woodpecker all visiting.
A nice 1stw m Bullfinch seen on Lollingdon Hill today, only the 2nd sighting of this species in Cholsey this year.
Again a lot of Fieldfare and Redwing in the area plus at least 6 Mistle Thrush. A scattering of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Skylark plus a couple of Siskin over and 2 Raven.
2 Little Egret a couple of days ago near the flooded field.
Garden very busy this week with Coal, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great-spotted Woodpecker all visiting.
Reed Bunting
Yellowhammer
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Wednesday, 6 December 2023
Fog & Sunshine
Foggy, clearing by 13:00, 4°, very light SE.
Bunk area fairly quiet today apart from the hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwing present feeding on Hawthorn berries, plus a good number of Blackbird.
A few small flocks of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Skylark scattered around.
Singles of Raven and Grey Wagtail.
Cholsey Hill area, c50 Golden Plover, c100 Lapwing, a Little Egret and several Meadow Pipit, Per Alan.
Bunk area fairly quiet today apart from the hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwing present feeding on Hawthorn berries, plus a good number of Blackbird.
A few small flocks of Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Skylark scattered around.
Singles of Raven and Grey Wagtail.
Cholsey Hill area, c50 Golden Plover, c100 Lapwing, a Little Egret and several Meadow Pipit, Per Alan.
Robin
A trio of Collared Dove
A very vocal Rook
Jackdaw
Blackbird
Friday, 1 December 2023
A Frosty start to December
Mainly overcast, 3°, light NNE.
Apart from the hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwing along the Bunk area today and with a good number of Blackbird there was little else to shout about.
A Raven over and several Yellowhammer, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 20+ Skylark, the usual 2 Herring Gull, 20+ Lesser Blackback Gull and 50+ Black-headed Gull.
AD & PC.
Apart from the hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwing along the Bunk area today and with a good number of Blackbird there was little else to shout about.
A Raven over and several Yellowhammer, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 20+ Skylark, the usual 2 Herring Gull, 20+ Lesser Blackback Gull and 50+ Black-headed Gull.
AD & PC.
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