Fog and more fog

Foggy, 13°, light WNW.

Portland  

A foggy day and a day for reliance on hearing rather than sight.

The only bird to give a good view was a late Firecrest that was trapped and ringed at the obs.

Virtually everything else was heard and not seen. Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Swallow, Raven, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover.

A trip to Ferrybridge produced 2 Ringed Plover (seen) and 1 Wheatear (seen) plus a Sandwich Tern (heard).

An interesting moth trapped was a Chocolate Tip. Normally a woodland species.

Firecrest

Portland

Cloudy at first then sunshine, 19°, fresh NE then lighter SW.

First day at Portland started off quite cool and cloudy at 05:00 with a Tree Pipit overhead, however the day turned out rather quiet for migrants.

The sea produced the most activity with 2 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Northern Diver and a feeding flock of 3000+ Gulls and other species offshore. Not sure what the Gulls were feeding on but we could also see unidentified Fish sp feeding underneath them as well. Possibly Mackerel and Sea Bass etc.

The flock consisted of Herring Gull (large number), Kittiwake (large number), Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Great Blackback Gull, Common Gull, Gannet and Manx Shearwater.

Other species noted: Guillemot, Razorbill, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Wheatear, Rock Pipit, Shag, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Raven and Swallow.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Painted Lady and Red Admiral.

Moths: Bordered Straw (a migrant moth)

Guillemot

Razorbill

Some of the Gull flock

Common Whitethroat

Little Owl

Broad-bodied Chaser

Bordered Straw

Demoiselles

 Both Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle found by Alan today.

Banded above and Beautiful below

More Rain

Sunshine and showers again, 16°, breezy WSW.

The Little Ringed Plover still present on the floods out at Lollingdon but not relocated on 2nd visit later.

3 Lapwing, 4 Black-headed Gull and the Mandarin Duck also present.

Nearby 2 Swift, a Hobby, several Swallow, Common Whitethroat and Blackcap, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting.

No change along the river this afternoon apart from a Banded Demoiselle on the wing. Per Alan.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.

Reed Bunting

Black-headed Gulls with Lapwing in the background

Mandarin Duck

LRP

Overcast and early showers, 13°, light to breezy S.

Lollingdon: a Little Ringed Plover present on the flood, 3 Lapwing, Mandarin Duck and 2 Yellow Wagtail.

Nearby, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, 3 Kestrel, 2 Hobby, A Peregrine and a Raven over.

6 Swallow and several Swift and House Martin over the village.

Mammals: Brown Hare & Muntjac Deer.

Little Ringed Plover

Goldfinch

Common Comfrey

Sunshine & Showers

Sunshine & Showers, 16°, breezy SSW.

2 Wheatear still present out at Lollingdon and the flood area is drying out so very little there. 2 Lapwing, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Pied Wagtail.

Nearby several Common Whitethroat and Blackcap a single Lesser Whitethroat and 6 Swallow.

4 Swift over Church Road and a few over Station Road.

The river area, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler etc.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Paul & Alan.

Yellow Wagtail

Wheatear ↕

Large Red Damselfly courtesy Alan

Sun Fly (or The Footballer Hover Fly) courtesy Alan

Common Whitethroat courtesy Alan

Clubtail

Common Clubtail. It’s elusive as an adult, mostly seen on emergence from its riparian habitat. (Cholsey River this morning). Alan Dawson.

Lollingdon & River

Sunny, 15°, breezy E.

Lollingdon fairly quiet today, 3 Wheatear (1m & 2f), 5 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Lapwing and a single Black-headed Gull. Plus the usual Warblers etc and several Swallow.

A field that was being ploughed had 36 Red Kite and 5 Buzzard over or on the field and a flock of c100 Corvids.

A singing Goldcrest near the millennium wood.

Elsewhere, 3 Common Tern, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a Lesser Whitethroat plus the now regular Warblers.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Comma, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

 Paul & Alan.

Common Sandpiper courtesy Alan

Wheatears

Reed Warbler courtesy Alan

Large Red Damselfly courtesy Alan

May Day

Sunshine, showers, 16°, light NW.

Lollingdon: 2 (f) Wheatear, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, several Common Whitethroat and Blackcap, Mandarin Duck, 3 Lapwing, 1 Black-headed Gull, 4 Yellow Wagtail, a handful of Swallow and a (f) Common Redstart close to the Bullshole.

3 Swift, 2 House Martin and 5 Swallow over Church Road.

River: Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell & Peacock.

Insects: Dotted Bee-fly.

Paul & Alan.

Wheatear

Common Whitethroat

Yellow Wagtail

Treecreeper courtesy Alan

Green-veined White courtesy Alan

Small Tortoiseshell courtesy Alan

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