29th
Not many birds at Port Meadow this afternoon, but a decent selection nonetheless. Several groups of Swifts flew over including one group of c.30 birds, and a few Sand Martins. A Buzzard also drifted over. 4 Common Terns dropped whilst I was there. A single White Wagtail was amongst the Pied Wagtails, which were very active, collectively chasing off Jackdaws and sometimes even fighting amongst themselves. A Garden Warbler sang briefly near the entrance to Burgess Field and a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near the main path, both yearers for me! The Cetti's Warbler was still present.
27th
The Magpies at St Peter's seem to have completed nest construction, though they have not started incubating yet.
26th
Several Swifts are screaming overhead. Summer has arrived! A pipistrelle was hunting in the main quad this evening.
25th
This evening a pair of Swifts flew in to St Peter's and immediately entered their nest hole for what was obviously the first time since last summer! As I watched them I glimpsed a third individual flying over. What an amazing sight!
24th
Back in Oxford, two Grey Herons flew over St Peter's College giving very close views this morning.
I have been revising for exams for the last few days, and having finished them this morning I had planned to go for the Bonaparte's Gull at Farmoor this evening and the White-throated Sparrow near Winchester tomorrow. It seems they got word I was coming. I visited Port Meadow instead, which proved unusually productive. A single Wigeon and a few Gadwall were present, along with good numbers of hirundines including Sand Martin. Burgess Field was full of warbler song, including Cetti's Warbler. A single Little Ringed Plover was on the exposed mud - my first since 2007! It just kept getting better, with two Little Egrets and 4 Common Terns dropping in as I left!
21st
One of the Swallows flew into the converted barn at Ledbury, turning a few heads! A Rock Dove type pigeon which has been walking around the farm for the last few days has several colour rings, indicating that it is probably someone's racing pigeon. It must have come a very long distance for it to be so tired!
20th
A return to Ledbury produced many Buzzards, including brief views of one interesting individual just outside Oxford; perhaps a little early for Honey Buzzard however. It was good to see the resident Swallows, which are not that common a sight around Denver anymore.
18th
Whilst doing the moth trap this morning a Great-spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming. A Jay was later seen in our garden for the first time, and an unidentified hirundine was glimsped briefly. A Tawny Owl was calling this evening.
17th
A very dreary morning at the sluice. No grounded passage migrants despite last night's conditions, though a Whitethroat and a pair of Lesser Whitethroat were my first of the year. It was worrying to see the damage caused to the reeds on the far side of the river by a group of horses - I suspect there will be far fewer nesting Acrocephalus warblers.
A Siskin was again heard calling over Denver in the afternoon; it seems quite likely that they are breeding nearby. The Starlings continue to visit the tree-hole regularly.
15th
A walk in the woods whilst visiting my grandparents in Sussex produced 4 Lesser Redpoll and 2 Marsh Tit of particular note.
14th
A party of 4 Siskin over Denver.
13th
The Blackcap was still singing and a siskin was heard several times.
12th
A male Blackcap gave nice views whilst singing behind our house in Denver.
10th
The pairs of Lapwing and Shelduck were still present at the sluice, and two sparrowhawks were settling a territorial dispute over Downham Market. Grey Wagtail and a pair of Gadwall were also present, but the star birds were undoubtedly the newly arrived migrants. We counted many Chiffchaffs, 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 4 Sedge warbler, 7 Swallow, 2 House Martin and a White Wagtail. A couple of Siskin flew over too.
A Lapwing flew over Denver and a family of rats is visiting our bird feeders!
9th
Another Egyptian Goose over Denver.
8th
A pair of Starlings is now feeding young, having nested in the hole in our apple tree! An Egyptian Goose flew over Denver mid afternoon.
5th
A morning visit to the sluice produced an unidentified hirundine as the only passage migrant (we missed a large raptor passage which occurred later on in the day). A single female Goosander was on the Ouse Relief Channel and a pair of Grey Partridges showed well.
An Accipiter hawk circling high over Denver late afternoon had to remain unidentified.
2nd
Despite the weather forecast being wholly inaccurate, the sluice produced some decent birds (though not the hoped-for passage migrants). A fantastic Little Owl flew alongside me for a short distance as I cycled to the sluice, and a Barn Owl was perched on a fence post when I arrived. A single Siskin flew over. The usual 3 Goosander were present on the relief channel, with a further female on the Ouse. A pair of Shelduck flew over and two Snipe flew up from the long grass. A Grey Wagtail was by the sluice gate briefly.
I was very surprised to hear a pair of Redpoll fly over Denver!
A Short-eared Owl was hunting on Hilgay Fen on the way back from an afternoon visit to Welney.
