Farmoor : September Review.

 

 

                                                                    

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

September produced three outstanding birds, two being  new birds for Farmoor. The star bird was a Lesser Yellowlegs found and photographed by the sole observer Terry Sherlock on the 15th. This was followed by a Yellow-browed Warbler which was present briefly on 21st and seen by only two lucky birders. Then on the 11th a Manx Shearwater was found and stayed the day giving views to the many admirers. Other noteworthy birds were a Marsh Harrier found by Andy Last on the 12th and four Black-necked Grebe, two adults and two juveniles seen on the 11th.The first Rock Pipit of the autumn was seen on the 21st with another on the 24th. Stonechat and Wheatear number were up compared with recent years, Siskins and Lesser Redpoll noted earlier than in most years with birds seen and heard in recent weeks. Waders reported this month included Knot, Ruff, Golden Plover,Turnstone Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, Snipe, Greenshank and Redshank. Ospreys were reported on four days and Sandwich Terns on three making it a good period for them.

                                                               

                                                                          Osprey 

                   

 Osprey 

Black necked Grebe

                                                                        

                                                                        Sandwich Tern 

                                        

                                                                         

                                                                         Ringed Plover

                                                                          Dunlin 

                                                                           Wheatear

                                                                             Turnstone

Rock Pipit

                  

                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                            

 

                                   

New bird for Billy's Farmoor Life List.

Two new birds for the Farmoor 2018 year list were seen today. In the morning Dave Lowe found a Mandarin Duck which is a rare bird at Farmoor with only a handful seen here. The second was a Red-throated Diver again a rare bird at Farmoor with only three others recorded in Oxfordshire this century. Sadly the Diver was only present for a short time and was seen by only three observers Peter Allen Billy and myself. This was a new bird for Billy's Farmoor Life List and takes his total seen to 168 and Farmoors 2018 year list to 117.


                                Below are my favourite photo's taken at Farmoor in March.



 Rock Pipit (c) Tezzer

 Common Scoter (c) Jeremy Dexter

Farmoor Common Scoters ( My favourite bird )

A second visit to Farmoor on Saturday to refill the feeders at Pinkhill Reserve and Bushy Leaze Copse was rewarded when I got a phone call telling me that there were three Common Scoter on F2. On hearing the news I took a quick walk back to Bushy Leaze Copse where I had parked my car. Within two minutes I was back at Farmoor watching the Common Scoters on F2 from the East bank. I continued my drive down the causeway where I met Andy Last the finder of the Common Scoters.  We decided to drive around F2 again to see if a Wheatear I saw earlier was still present. No luck with the Wheatear but Andy did manage to spot a Ringed Plover which like the Scoters was new for the year. Well done to Andy for finding the Common Scoters which are my favourite bird,  and made my day. A mid afternoon visit Sunday produced a Jack Snipe that was flush accidentally from short grass. This is the first seen here since last Autumn, and the good spell continued when a morning visit today produced single Kittiwake and Little Gull which takes the total birds seen at Farmoor this year to 109. 


 

  

 Black-necked Grebe (c) Tezzer

Common Scoters (c) Andy Last

Kittiwake (c) Roger Wyatt

 

Siskin

 Marsh Tit

 Water Rails

Treecreeper

Barnacle Goose





Bushy leazes Cat

Farmoor September so far.

A good start to September at Farmoor, with the highlight being a Tree Pipit which was heard by Tom when on his regular first Saturday in the month walk. I believe this to be the first Farmoor record since April 2010. Also seen here on Saturday were 5 Shag, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and a Redstart. The highlight of Sunday were two Knot which were first seen at about 09:30 hrs and stayed to late morning. Other noteworthy birds seen were 17 Black Tern, 4 Hobby, 4 Shag and a Ruff. A Late afternoon visit produced 6 Black Tern and a Greenshank. The Ruff and the Tree Pipit are new birds for the Farmoor 2017 year list and takes the total to 145.




Knot

 Ringed Plover

Knot

Black-tailed Godwit

 Turnstone

New bird for Billy.

 

A good August at Farmoor with some good birds found, the rarest being a White-winged Black Tern which was found on the 11th and stayed just the day. More exciting for me were the Shags found by Stuart on Sunday which was a patch tick for Billy.This takes his Farmoor life list to 164 seen since March 2012. Other noteworthy birds seen in this period include Little Tern, Grey Plover, 14 Black Tern, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Caspian Gull.

Shag

 Turnstone

 Sanderling

 Ringed Plover

 Wheatear

 The resident Sparrowhawk

 Buzzard








Farmoor : May update

 Red-crested Pochard

Wader sightings have increased in the last week or so with good numbers seen. Fourteen Turnstone present on the 8th and the second Knot of the year seen on the 10th were the highlights. Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel seen most days. Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank and Sanderling also noted. Black and Arctic Terns seen in small numbers on many days this month. A Little Tern seen briefly late afternoon on the 2nd was the fourth seen here this year. Red-crested Pochard with nine duckling seen today are the first I have seen here and is probably the first breeding record for Farmoor.



Sanderling

Ringed Plover









Farmoor : 25th April 2017

While walking my dog Billy early afternoon around the Farmoor countryside walk, I stop for moment to scan for the long staying Bonaparte's Gull. I soon got on to the Gull and to my surprise saw a Little Tern flying close to it. This is the third recorded here this month, also a Black Tern was seen earlier in the day.

Farmoor 18th April 2017

On my afternoon walk around Farmoor today I was surprised by the numbers of Yellow Wagtail there were. Earlier in the the day on my first visit I counted five which had now increase to twenty plus. I was told later that after I had left this number had increased to over thirty.The Bonaparte's Gull was still present giving good views in the morning and the second Whimbrel of the year was seen.

Farmoor 8th Aprit 2017

A 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull found early afternoon today by Tom Wickens was the first seen here since 2009. This is the fifth county record with all coming from Farmoor this century. This is a great find by Tom and it is not only a Farmoor Reservoir year tick but also a tick for Billy's life list. This takes the Farmoor 2017 year list to 114 and Billy's life list to 161.  

Bonaparte's Gull (c) Terry Sherlock

Farmoor Reservoir 9th February: Not a lot about.

Very quiet at Farmoor Reservoir this year so far, with few birds of note seen to date. So when I made my second visit of the day my expectations were not that great. But like many times in the past  something turns up and today it was a Knot. Not a rare bird for Farmoor but one that I could miss on my self found birds year list.


Knot