Review of the Half Year January to June
It's been an interesting first half year for this diary. There's not been much to compare it against but there have been some good birds on the Meadow. Here's a brief summary of the hightlights:
In January we had a flyover by a whooper swan and 1st winter Iceland Gull for several days.
There was not much to report in February apart from the usual but always welcome, ruff, redshank, dunlin, lapwings, snipe, golden plover and hoards of widgeon and teal.
March had a pair of ruddy shelduck of unknown provenance but a nice sight on the Meadow. There was also the little stint which spent several days consorting with a flock of dunlin. There was an adult Mediterranean Gull present for one day though it may have been missed on other occasions. We had a spell of heavy rain which turned the floods back into a lake for a few days, during which "Barry" the dodgy barnacle goose was seen. Another dodgy water fowl was the female ring-necked duck which was seen on the river. As well as the usual waders, oystercatchers and curlews were being seen and the ringed and little ringed plovers started to come through. The barn owls were being seen in Burgess Field and on the 30th March the first willow warbler appeared. Sand martins were being seen from the middle of the month.
April saw more ringed and little ringed plovers coming through and a grey plover was present for a few days. Swallows and house martins were appearing. There were a drake garganey and a black-tailed godwit also seen. The ubiquitous pied wagtails were joined by whites and yellows and a male common redstart was seen one evening. Some arctic terns graced the Meadow for a few days and the odd whimbrel was seen north of the floods as was a common sandpiper. There was also a little gull on one occasion. The Burgess Field warblers were by now well ensconced.
May started off with some greenshank and common terns. Ringerd and Little Ringed Plovers were still coming through. The Burgess Field barn owl was still being seen. Mid month a wood sandpiper appeared for a couple of days only to be joined by a Temminck's stint for a couple of days as well as a drake garganey and two sanderling. This was probably the highlight of the half year with so many interesting birds present at the same time on the Meadow. Gradually they dispersed though there was a turnstone for the odd day, some oystercatchers and a second wood sandpiper appeared for a few days before some more heavy rain raised the water levels back to "lake" proportions.
June started off with a drake garganey and some common terns before going rather quiet. There was the interest of the report of a calling spotted crake to the east of Burgess Field. It has been heard for several nights but when some local birders went to investigate it was no longer doing so. Over on Wolvercote Common a little egret and a pair of egyptian geese were seen on the small pond there. Towards the end of the month things started to pick up a bit on the Meadow with a pair of black-tailed godwits spending several days, some oystercatchers and redshanks being seen as well as several little egret sightings. Up to six common terns were around and "Barry" was back on the floods. A hobby was seen over the Meadow on one occasion.
So an intersting mix of birds with the highlight being the Temminck's stint. Let's hope the autumn passage throws up more unusual sightings.
In January we had a flyover by a whooper swan and 1st winter Iceland Gull for several days.
There was not much to report in February apart from the usual but always welcome, ruff, redshank, dunlin, lapwings, snipe, golden plover and hoards of widgeon and teal.
March had a pair of ruddy shelduck of unknown provenance but a nice sight on the Meadow. There was also the little stint which spent several days consorting with a flock of dunlin. There was an adult Mediterranean Gull present for one day though it may have been missed on other occasions. We had a spell of heavy rain which turned the floods back into a lake for a few days, during which "Barry" the dodgy barnacle goose was seen. Another dodgy water fowl was the female ring-necked duck which was seen on the river. As well as the usual waders, oystercatchers and curlews were being seen and the ringed and little ringed plovers started to come through. The barn owls were being seen in Burgess Field and on the 30th March the first willow warbler appeared. Sand martins were being seen from the middle of the month.
April saw more ringed and little ringed plovers coming through and a grey plover was present for a few days. Swallows and house martins were appearing. There were a drake garganey and a black-tailed godwit also seen. The ubiquitous pied wagtails were joined by whites and yellows and a male common redstart was seen one evening. Some arctic terns graced the Meadow for a few days and the odd whimbrel was seen north of the floods as was a common sandpiper. There was also a little gull on one occasion. The Burgess Field warblers were by now well ensconced.
May started off with some greenshank and common terns. Ringerd and Little Ringed Plovers were still coming through. The Burgess Field barn owl was still being seen. Mid month a wood sandpiper appeared for a couple of days only to be joined by a Temminck's stint for a couple of days as well as a drake garganey and two sanderling. This was probably the highlight of the half year with so many interesting birds present at the same time on the Meadow. Gradually they dispersed though there was a turnstone for the odd day, some oystercatchers and a second wood sandpiper appeared for a few days before some more heavy rain raised the water levels back to "lake" proportions.
June started off with a drake garganey and some common terns before going rather quiet. There was the interest of the report of a calling spotted crake to the east of Burgess Field. It has been heard for several nights but when some local birders went to investigate it was no longer doing so. Over on Wolvercote Common a little egret and a pair of egyptian geese were seen on the small pond there. Towards the end of the month things started to pick up a bit on the Meadow with a pair of black-tailed godwits spending several days, some oystercatchers and redshanks being seen as well as several little egret sightings. Up to six common terns were around and "Barry" was back on the floods. A hobby was seen over the Meadow on one occasion.
So an intersting mix of birds with the highlight being the Temminck's stint. Let's hope the autumn passage throws up more unusual sightings.