A Common Gull seen feeding with a group of Collard Doves under the feeders in my garden early morning was a surprise.  Waders  seen at Farmoor today included Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Redshank and a Golden Plover  which was seen on the causeway mid morning. Female Scaup still present on F1.

Farmoor 24th November.

 

                                               A brief visit today produced a Little Gull                                                                                          

Farmoor 29th October.

                                                                         Scaup F1
                                                      

Farmoor : Water Pipit and Black Redstart.

The good period continues with a Water Pipit which was first seen on the 13th October still present on the 21st.This is the first record since the 14th November 2019. A late afternoon visit to see the Black Redstart which was reported early afternoon. I spent 10 minutes  scanning the water treatment works where it had been found, but with no luck. My luck was soon to change when on returning to the car park I saw the Redstart sat on the picnic table outside the yachting club.

Farmoor Update : 11th October.

Four Whooper  Swan that were found mid morning and stayed all day could be the highlight of  the month. Other noteworthy birds seen this month are Great White Egret, Sandwich Tern and a Little Owl.

Farmoor : 29th September.

 A short morning visit today produced the first autumn Goldeneye. The two Ruff still present, Peregrine and Rock Pipit also seen.

Farmoor : 28/09/ 2022

A  Grey plover  seen briefly late morning was the 21st  seen here this year. Twelve Dunlin and two Ruff were also present.

Farmoor Waders

                                                         Photo of 12 of the 13 Grey plover
Good period for waders with a Curlew Sandpiper found early morning, Thirteen Grey Plovers  seen in flight late afternoon. Three Little Stint seen late afternoon yesterday, with one present today. Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Ruff also seen.

Farmoor update.

First Little Stint of the year for Farmoor  was found yesterday late afternoon by Bryan Manston. Then two were  seen early morning today. Other noteworthy sighting included a Great White Egret, three Stonechat and a Rock Pipit that's been present over the last few days.

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Farmoor : update

Noteworthy birds seen since the last post included 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Black Tern and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Farmoor : 13th September.

A Black Tern and the first little Gull of the Autumn were seen briefly mid morning. Other noteworthy sightings were 4 Ruff, 3 Wheatear and a Shelduck.

Farmoor : Update

Waders reported over the last week included Greenshank, Whimbrel and Ruff which were seen most days.  Maximum counts in this period were 28 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover 10 Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Turnstone. Other noteworthy sightings were, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Wheatear, 1 Redstart, 2 Great White Egret and a Osprey.

 

 

Farmoor : 9th September

A walk around F2 late afternoon produced , 4 Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpiper  3 Greenshank, 2 Ruff and 2 Dunlin.

Farmoor Reservoir : Ruff

Ruff seen on three days,one seen late afternoon on the the 1st,and probably the same bird the following morning.Today three birds flew in early morning and stayed all day. Best of other wader seen were Sanderling, Turnstone and Greenshank. Other noteworthy sightings were 16 flyover Pintails and a Great White Egret.    

Farmoor Reservoir : Waders and Terns.

Very good period for waders with eleven species seen, the highlights being 65+ Bar-tailed Godwit and 3+ Grey Plover in one flock on the 25th August. Also 6 Arctic and 20 Common Terns present on the same day. Three Sandwich Terns seen on the 26th was the second sighting in in less than a week.

Farmoor : Terns

Highlights today were 7 Sandwich Terns seen briefly early morning and 6 black Terns and a Goosander late afternoon. 

Farmoor Reservoir : Late afternoon.

On a late afternoon visit today I met Mandy and Caroline on the causeway, who told me that they had just seen two Black-tailed Godwit a Sanderling and three Ringed Plovers. I thanked them for the information and continued my walk to the West end of the causeway where I stopped to scan F2.and within a few seconds saw three Black Tern, the first multiple sighting here this year. Photo taken by Caroline Rhymes Walker.

                                                             

Farmoor Grey Plover.

The second Grey plover of the year spent a few minutes over F1 before flying East mid morning today. 

Farmoor : Update

The first Redstart of the year was found on the 29th and was still present on the 30th.Two Med Gulls were seen on the 30th, juvenile early morning and a adult late afternoon, which was probably the bird that was seen on the 28th. Green Sandpiper seen on shrike Meadow yesterday was also present today. Small number of Common Gulls seen in this period.
 

 Common Gull (Adult )

Med Gull ( Juvenile )

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Farmoor update

Black-necked Grebes

Adult Med Gull

 

Black Tern

Black-necked Grebe

Good period over the last week or so,with Turnstone, Sanderling, Little Ringed Plover and Redshank seen most days. Great White Egret seen twice, Cattle Egret once, Little Egret seen every day with a maximum count of seven. A juvenile Med Gull which was first seen on the 19th was seen again on the 23rd. Black Tern seen briefly on the 22nd and a Arctic Tern on the 25th. Birds seen today included the fourth Black Tern of the year a adult Med Gull, Turnstone, Dunlin Sanderling, Little Ringed Plover and three Black-necked Grebe..

Farmoor : 1st of July : Little Tern

                                                           
Good start to July with the first Little Tern of the year seen mid morning today. Good bird for Billy's 2022 Year List

Good period for waders this June with a Grey Plover found on the 6th being only the second June record for Farmoor this century, the other was on the 5th June 2009. Also a Geenshank seen on the 3rd was an unseasonal record. Good numbers of Sanderlings seen up to the 15th, Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper also seen in this period.

                                

Farmoor 06/06/2002

 A Grey plover  first seen briefly on the causeway at 17: 10 : flew West over Shrike Meadow, returning later..

Farmoor 30th and 31st May.

A Black Tern seen yesterday was only the second recorded here this year, making it a very poor year. Waders seen in this period included Sanderling, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover and a Greenshank.
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                                                             Photo taken by Roger Wyatt
   

Farmoor ; Update

The main interest in recent days is the steady flow of common waders seen, Which included Redshank Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and the second Turnstone of the year. Wheatear present yesterday could be the last we see here this Spring. The Great Northern Diver may have moved on, I have not seen it since Tuesday. Good numbers of Painted Lady Butterflies seen during the warm spell we are having.  .

                              

                                                                         Sanderling
 

                                                                       

                                                                       Painted Lady

                                                                             Wheatear

Morning visit to Farmoor produced the first Turnstone of the year which was seen with a small flock of waders which included 1 Sanderling 3 Dunlin and a Ringed Plover.

Farmoor update 12/05/2022

                                                               
A good  number of waders seen over the last few days which included a flock of 66 Dunlin and 8 Sanderling. Others seen were Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper,  and Whimbrel. Arctic Tern and White Wagtail were also present in this period.

Farmoor : Weekend update. 30th April- May 1st

A good weekend with some interesting birds seen on both days. Highlight of this period for me were three Bar-tailed Godwits that flew over F1 late afternoon today. Other noteworthy records included Med Gull, Arctic Tern,  Sanderling and two Sandwich terns. 

Farmoor : 27/04/2022

A  late afternoon walk around F1 with Paul Butler produced a Whimbrel, eight Yellow Wagtails and a single White Wagtail. 

Farmoor : Recent Sightings

Waders seen over the last two day included a Whimbrel, four Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover. The first Black Tern of the year was seen today along with four Common terns. Adult Med Gull was present briefly. Five Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail were seen along the causeway. Two pairs of Grey Wagtails feeding young. Ten species of warblers present with high counts of Garden and Cetti's Warblers.

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Farmoor : update 14/04/2022

Good  week at Farmoor with some good sightings including Marsh Harrier on the 9th, two Ospreys on the 10th, and two Sandwich terns on the 12th. First Cuckoo of the year was heard on the 13th. Eight species of wader were seen in this period which included the second Avocet of the year and eight whimbrel. Good numbers of common warblers present in recent days with the first Grasshopper Warbler of the year heard by Paul Butler today. Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Common Tern seen in small numbers. Two broods of Mallards were seen yesterday one with eleven ducklings.

 

                                                              

Farmoor : 10/04/2022

 Qsprey flew East high over F2 : 15:45. 

 Two Ruff causeway 16:00 hrs.