More Waders

Mainly sunny, 16°, light S.

Lollingdon threw up another wader today with Alan finding a Curlew out on the flood. 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Snipe present and a flyover Redshank.

Several singing Chiffchaff nearby.

Bunk area: 6-8 Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, 40+ Fieldfare, 20+ Redwing, 38 Lapwing, an Oystercatcher, 5 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, a Little Owl and the usual Gulls.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Butterflies: Brimstone.

AD & PC.

Curlew courtesy Alan

Yellowhammer

Red Kite collecting nest material

Over the Hills and Far Away

Overcast with very few sunny spells, 17°, fresh WSW.

A breezy day on the hill.

A steady movement of birds over the hill today with c40 Swift, 50+ Swallow, 20+ House Martin, at least 3 Sand Martin, 34 Lesser Blackback Gull, 57 Black-headed Gull and a single Curlew, all moving in a roughly southerly direction.

I wonder if these diurnal migrants are using hills as navigation markers in their migration as Wittenham Clumps, Cholsey Hill, Lollingdon Hill and Lowbury hill are in a rough north south route?

3 Kestrel on the hill, a Hobby drifted over and a few Red Kite and Buzzard present.

Nuthatch still visiting the garden.

Fewer insects around in the overcast and windy conditions.

Mammals: Muntjac Deer, Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.

RBS

Prolonged rain, 15°, light to mod SW.

Another rather damp day but tempted out by a Red-backed Shrike that had been seen out at Churn just a few kilometres away.

Went out for it this morning but the rain too heavy so decided to try later and a call from TW around 13:00 got me out again. Unfortunately the rain persisted so had to wait around 3 hours before it eased enough for the shrike to show itself.

Alerted by a Whitethroat and Blackcap giving alarm calls, the shrike eventually appeared on the top of a nearby bush. It then flew to another nearby (c80m away) bush were it stayed for a time allowing the couple of us there to see it reasonably well and for me to get a few record shots.

Other species noted were Red Kite, Buzzard, Lesser Blackback Gull, Curlew, Mistle Thrush, Starling, Linnet, Yellowhammer, and Corn Bunting.

Individuals of 3 butterfly species seen braving the weather, Large White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

A rather damp looking Green Woodpecker in the meadow this evening.

Cholsey & Churn

Cloudy, light rain (heavier later), 14º, breezy from the SW.

A visit to the hill again today located 3 Wheatear (2♀ & 1♂), a single Kestrel, 2 Buzzard and a Red Kite around the south face, 4 Swallows flew over and a single Yellow Wagtail.

Approximately 20 Linnet in the vicinity today, the usual Corn Buntings and Yellowhammer, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 4 Common Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warbler.

A visit to Churn after found 2 Shelduck initially then flew off, up to 8 Lapwing, 4+ Yellow Wagtail and several Corn Bunting and Common Whitethroat and a couple of Curlew heard in the distance (30 Sand Martin flew through yesterday (per TW).

And a scarce garden bird turned up today in the form of a Starling that spent a couple of minutes foraging in the garden before flying off, have seen a few flying over the garden recently so am assuming they are breeding nearby.

 Yellow Wagtail

 Corn Bunting

 Shelduck leaving

 Yellow Wagtail

 Skylark descending

 Starling in garden

 Buff-tail (courtesy Loren)

 Cowslips (courtesy Loren)

A bit of a tour.

Sunny at first then cloudy, 10º, felt colder in the NE breeze. A few blustery rain showers, at least we have not had the snow that fell further north.

Managed to squeeze some birding in around shopping, not, more like the other way around J. Shopping in Sainsbury’s Didcot for me is, know what I want, know where it is, 20 minutes. Sorted! That’s Easter taken care of!

Lollingdon Hill hosted 2 Wheatear this morning along with c100 Meadow Pipit and the usual 2 Pied Wagtail. 2 Redwing and a Song Thrush also noted.

The Wagtails are nearly always in close association with the small flock of Sheep on the hill, whereas the Pipits are usually more spread out along the hill.

Another visit this evening saw the Wheatears again but only a handful of Pipits! They have either moved on or spread out in the surrounding area?

The Cetti’s Warbler was still present at Cholsey Marsh but very skulky. The marsh quiet otherwise with a few Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting singing. Also a Blackcap heard.

Farmoor.
Quite chilly there, (usually is) but a Little Gull (probably same one as yesterday) seen amongst the Black-headed Gulls that were there. Also 2 Sand Martin and 2 Curlew.

Dix: Stanton Harcourt.

c80 Sand Martin, 5 Swallow and 4 House Martin, also a pair Red-crested Pochard of note amongst many other ducks.

Rushy Common.

A Green Sandpiper and a ♂ Red-crested Pochard.

74 species seen/heard today.

2 Hedgehogs regular in garden lately, also a Muntjac Deer and Fox seen by neighbours recently.

                                   Wheatear

                                   Wheatear

                                          Meadow Pipit