Thank you for visiting my diary. It is intended both as a personal log book and for others who may be interested in my birding exploits, including everything from casual sightings and patch visits to reserve outings. I am a biology student, dividing my time primarily between Oxfordshire during term time, and Norfolk during vacations. A former member of the Young Norfolk Birders, you can find out about my past activities as a part of this team by visiting the Young Norfolk Birders site (link above).
6th
I decided to make the most of my last day in Oxford, and went to Port Meadow for the evening roost. At first there didn't seem to be much of interest, but the floods were even more extensive than when I last visited and I soon picked out 2 adult Yellow-Legged Gulls. A pair of Goosanders was an unusual find, adding to the excitement. Unfortunately I then became involved in a long conversation, and by the time I was able to continue scanning there were three times as many gulls as before and the light had deteriorated considerably. I managed to pick out a few Great Black-backed Gulls on size and a pair of Black Swans. A flock of Lapwings also held a few smaller waders, perhaps Dunlin. Not a bad haul, but I am certain I missed several good birds!
5th
With term finished, I finally had a chance for a second shot at the Rose-coloured Starling. Sleeping in slightly longer than I had planned, I arrived at Forest Hill around 11am, after a quick stop to check some interesting pits I had noticed on my last visit, which produced 4 Little Grebes. Cycling past the entrance to Breach Farm, I became aware of a sound remarkably like the windmill from teletubbies. Looking over in the direction from which it was coming, I realised that I was actually listening to Starlings... thousands of them! Setting up my scope, I commenced scanning, but soon realised I didn't stand a chance. After an hour or so, during which time I had seen a few Red Kites, a Buzzard and far too many Starlings, I was starting to give up hope. However, just as I was about to leave, a birder (whose presence I had been completely oblivious to; such was my dedication to Starling-scanning) came to my rescue - the bird had apparently been hanging around the nearby houses the entire time! Feeling slightly peeved, but very grateful, I followed him and was soon looking at my first Rose-coloured Starling. However, I have to say that it was not a particularly impressive bird, even for a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling - I'm glad it wasn't with the flock or I would never have picked it out!
A long walk around produced an unexpected male Goosander on the river at the south corner of University Parks!
30th
A Sparrowhawk flew powerfully alongside our bus for a few seconds as we travelled to Wytham Farm to study chick behaviour this afternoon.
28th
Having not been out birding for 2 weeks, I needed to escape. Planning to go to Forest Hill to look for the Rose-coloured Starling if I woke up early, and to go to Port Meadow for the pre-roost if not, I inevitably ended up at Port Meadow! With less than an hour before I had to get back I wasn't able to scan the newly-restored floods thoroughly, but still managed to pick up some good birds. Initially the pre-roost was quite small, being made up mainly of Black-headed Gulls. A winter-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit was feeding on the far side of the floods, perhaps the same bird that my fellow student Philip Birget had seen a week previously. As I scanned along the bank I also noted 3 Redshank and a Dunlin - all good birds for the meadow. A Bar-headed Goose was present with the flock of feral Greylag Geese. Turning my attention back to the gulls, I found that their numbers had swollen considerably: in amongst the Black-headed Gulls were good numbers of both argenteus and argentatus Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls. A dark-backed Herring gull stood out from the crowd, and after a double-take and quick assessment of the features I realised I was looking at an adult Yellow-legged Gull! However, the best was yet to come, as moments later I located another beady-eyed clean-headed Herring gull. A long, pale straight-sided bill and intermediate mantle shade told me I had found an Caspian Gull, an immaculate adult and perhaps the same bird seen by Adam Hartley on Tuesday, although I was unable to study the primaries as the bird was concealed in a dense group of large gulls, and I soon had to leave. I was most pleased with the fact that I had recognised it without having to study the features, showing that my gull identification skills have progressed at least a little whilst at Oxford!
25th
A flock of Canada Geese flew over Paradise Street today heading east.
23rd
A couple of Teal flew over Paradise Street today.
14th
I dipped the Rose-coloured Starling at Forest Hill today, discovering that it only showed in the morning after I had made the fifty-minute cycle ride throught the wind and rain! For much of my time there I only saw a few Redwing and a Fieldfare, though I did locate a highly mobile and quite distant flock of Starlings towards the end. Perhaps it has left, though with much-reduced coverage I suspect it may well still be present.
9th
As I went through the back door to St Peter's College a small thrush exploded from some low shrubbery - either a Redwing or a Song Thrush, but definitely a migrant. I was also treated to the very quiet subsong of a Blackbird (the only resident species of thrush) 1m away from me, and chuckled as I thought of it as the avian equivalent of humming to yourself.
2nd
The river next to my annexe was extremely high and fast-flowing today, so hopefully this will mean that the floods will soon be back on Port Meadow!
