Cholsey Marsh at Dawn, 6th May.

04:45 – 06:00

1 Cuckoo, moved off down river shortly after dawn.

3 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 on the marsh and 1 on the opposite bank of the river.

3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 on the marsh and 2 more to the north.

2 Greylags on the river.

Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Grey Heron and Jay.

Cholsey, 5th May.

Cloudy, sunny spells, 20º, light to fresh SE.

Approx 12Km walk 10:00 – 16:00

67 bird species, seen/heard

4 Grey Heron, 2 along the Thames and 2 on farmland (streams) to the west.

Buzzard and Red Kite prominent, 1 Sparrowhawk and 3 Kestrel.

Both young of Coot and Moorhen on the river now, with several Moorhens breeding on the farmland streams.

Only 1 Lapwing seen and the fields they are probably breeding in was being patrolled by at least 4 Carrion Crows!

Tawny Owl heard at 04:30 this morning.

4 Lesser Blackback Gulls flew E, first gulls for a while.

4 Kingfisher, 3 along the Thames (2 nest sites) and 1 flew over the railway (Bunkie line).

Skylarks common.

Swallows and House Martins around in fair numbers now and 4+ Swift seen over the village.

All 3 Wagtail species seen today with 2 Grey at a usual breeding site, 1 Pied near the sewage works and 4 Yellow at several locations.

Both young of Song and Mistle Thrush seen being fed by adult birds.

8 species of Warbler, the commonest being Whitethroat, followed by Sedge Warbler then Blackcap and Chiffchaff. 6 Lesser Whitethroat mainly along the Thames but 1 out near Lollingdon.

Goldcrest heard singing at four separate locations.

Good numbers of Finches and Buntings around.

Dragonflies.

2 Broad-bodied Chasers, 3 Common Clubtails and 8+ Banded Demoiselles.

Butterflies.

Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, a Small Blue, Small White, Large White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White.

Garden.

Frequent visitors recently include Mallard (1♀ and 3♂), Moorhen, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, and House Martins visiting 2 nest sites.

Less frequent, Sparrowhawk, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, and Rook.

Hedgehog is another regular visitor

Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing nearby daily.

                                   Song Thrush

                                          Banded Demoiselle

                                   Broad-bodied Chaser

Cholsey Marsh, 3rd May.

05:00 – 06:15

3 Grasshopper Warbler

4 Lesser Whitethroat

Also Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Kingfisher, Grey Heron.

A walk around the farmland west of Cholsey this afternoon produced

1 Garden Warbler, 18 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail.

A steady trickle of c30 Swallow + 2 Swift all moving in a northerly direction.

also a Fox seen.

Cholsey, 29th April

Swift over the village today feeding with 6 House Martins.

Cholsey, 28th April

Sunny, 16º, fresh N.

10:00 – 15:30

Followed the railway to Winterbrook, then along the Thames to the 4 Arches, back to Bow Bridge and along Caps Lane to the village.

Railway.

60+ Hirundines feeding over Cholsey sewage farm, mainly House Martins with around 10 Swallows and a Pied Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail nearby.

At least one, possibly 3 pairs of Lapwing breeding. Probably the only ones breeding in the parish these days.

2 pairs of Grey Partridge and 3 Red-legged Partridge. Most Linnets seemed to have paired up but a flock of around 15 seen and 1 Willow Warbler singing near Wallingford Bypass.

Whitethroat, Skylark, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting regular.

Thames.

3 Sparrowhawks in the air at one time, 1♀ and 2♂. The ♀ was one of the biggest Sparrowhawks I have seen (No, it wasn’t a Gos).

A steady trickle of Swallows moving up river along with 1 House Martin and 2 Sand Martins.

1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling on Cholsey Marsh briefly along with the usual although rather subdued in the early afternoon.

2 Lesser Whitethroats and 1 Garden Warbler heard singing between Bow Bridge and the Marsh.

A Kestrel hunting over the Marsh and a Grey Heron nearby.

65 species seen/heard today.

Mammals.

Only a Fox seen.

Dragonflies.

Another Large Red Damselfly seen and a Banded Demoiselle. 2 Common Clubtails and a single Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies.

Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, both Large and Small Whites, Holly Blue, Comma, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, 1 Green-veined White and 2 Small Copper.

Lollingdon Hill this evening produced 1 Wheatear, 1 Green Woodpecker + Corn Buntings,  Linnets, Skylarks etc.

                                   Broad-bodied Chaser

Cholsey, 27th April

Sunny, 16º, fresh NE.

A nice ♀ Redstart found near Lollingdon along with 2 Lesser Whitethroats.

1 Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill (different bird from yesterday).

Whitethroats are very widespread, possibly the commonest warbler along with Sedge Warbler which are more habitat specific. Around 8 Sedge Warbler singing near the Lees along with 2 Reed Warblers.

House Martins prospecting last years nest site at Marymead and a few more seen over the village.

The Moorhen along the brook is having a hard time with one young taken by Carrion Crows and another by a Dog. That makes 1 left out of 3 young.

Several Mallard with ducklings seen on various brooks.

2 Grey Partridge and around 6 Red-legged Partridge seen, 5 Yellow Wagtail and 8 Swallow.

A single Hare noted.

Hedgehog in garden again this evening.

3 Large Red Damselflies seen, my first Dragonflies of the year.

Also another Red-tailed Bumblebee.

                                          Speckled Wood

                                          Dryad's Saddle

Lollingdon Hill, 26th April

Overcast, 12º, light NE.

1 Wheatear

1 Yellow Wagtail

1 Whitethroat
1 Green Woodpecker

+ Linnets, Corn Buntings and Skylarks.

2 Swallows flew in, fed for around 5 mins and then continued north.

Cholsey Marsh at Dawn, 26th April.

05:00 – 06:15

As I arrived, a Cuckoo flew overhead singing, managed to track it down where it joined another, a female. While watching these two another Cuckoo flew over heading up river.

2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling on the marsh, both at the northern end of the marsh today and the Lesser Whitethroat was in the same field as previously.

Many Sedge Warblers, a few Reed Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs all singing. Negative on Willow and Garden Warblers today.

Kingfisher, Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers seen.

A Muntjac also seen.

Lollingdon Hill, 25th April

 

Sunny, 19º, light NE.

short visit on way home.

2 Wheatear

1 Yellow Wagtail

Also a single Hare.

First 2 swifts over the village on Easter Sunday.

The first Rooks had fledged by Saturday.

Two pairs of Blue Tits started incubating on 23rd.

Thanks to RB.

Two new butterfly species for Cholsey recorded today - Grizzled Skipper and Green Hairstreak.

Thanks to Tony Rayner

Hedgehog in garden this evening.

Birdwatching open day at Farmoor reservoir Sunday 24th April, 9am – 2pm

Enter via gate 3 on the B4017 between Farmoor & Cumnor.
Open to all levels of experience In Focus sales area for optics.
Visit Pinkhill and Shrike Meadow reserves.
Blackwells Bookshop will be present with a selection of top Bird and Natural History titles on offer. Experienced Birdwatchers from Oxford Ornithological Society will accompany visitors.
Do you watch bird and think 'I wish I knew more about them?
Do you want to discuss birding matters with similar minded people?
Then come and meet us at Farmoor.
For further information please contact Barry Hudson OOS secretary 01993 852028

Cholsey, 21st April, part II

Sunny, 24º, Light N. (a bit warmer than this morning)

The Lees

Stream full of Phragmites (approx 500m stretch), hosted 14 singing Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler seen and a couple of Reed Buntings. More Reed Buntings singing in a field of Oil seed rape.

1 Corn Bunting, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and 4 Grey Partridge in vicinity.
A queen Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) seen also.

A ♀ Sparrowhawk over the village and 2 House Martins. Also a Yellow Wagtail flyover garden tick.

Cholsey, 21st April, part I

Cool, 7º, light mist.

Cholsey Marsh, 05:00 - 06:30

1 Cuckoo
3 Grasshopper Warbler
4 Reed Warbler
20+ Sedge Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
5 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat (bit further up river)
2 Willow Warbler
c8 Reed Bunting
1 Grey Heron
2 Swallow, Kingfisher, Bullfinch, 3 Greylags etc.

(info for evening of 20th April at Cholsey marsh,
2 Grasshopper Warblers,
1 Grass Snake
and a vixen Fox hunting small mammals.
thanks to RB for info).

Lollingdon Hill 06:45 – 08:00

4 Wheatear

1 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap
1 Whitethroat
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit
Skylarks, Corn Buntings and Linnets.

Lollingdon Hill, 20th April

Sunny, 21º, Light N.

4 Wheatear

1 Yellow Wagtail

1 Peregrine

(Whinchat seen on Sunday 17^th per TW)

House Martins over the village today and Swallows back at Manor Farm.

Lollingdon Hill this evening.

3 Wheatear
4 Yellow Wagtail
18 Linnet

Butterflies, Large White, Comma, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip.

Only mammals seen recently are Rabbits!

Cholsey, 19th April

Sunny, 21º, negligible wind.

Lollingdon and the Lees

5 Wheatears on Lollingdon Hill also 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Meadow Pipits and the usual Corn Buntings around.

Another Yellow Wagtail out by the Lees and another Corn Bunting singing. Other Totals include 9 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 12 Sedge Warbler and 6 Swallows.

Skylarks, Yellowhammers and Reed Bunting all fairly common.

A brief visit to Cholsey Marsh this afternoon proved rather quiet, a few Sedge Warbler singing along with 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and a small passage of Swallows, numbering around 30 following the line of the Thames, also a Sparrowhawk.

6 Butterfly species: Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Large White, Holly Blue, Peacock.

            One of the local Carrion Crows using the garden bird bath!

Cholsey Downs, 16th April

Cholsey: Cholsey DownsMerlin: fem. Sitting on post at head of Dean's Bottom, viewed from track up from Fair Mile to Ridgeway. SU544824.
(per Peter Law)