Once again my best intentions for some more regular blog updates have gone by the wayside and I find myself being forced by the action end of year hard deadline to do a post. The truth is that there are several factors at work here. To start with news disemination these days is via WhatsApp so everyone who is interested hears about Port Meadow bird news that way. Secondly, it's been a relatively poor year so there has been less to blog about. Finally, I find my enthusiasm for checking the Patch is generally at a lower ebb this year than usual as personal matters draw my focus and this also includes writing blog posts. Still, this blog has been going since 2011 and it would be a shame if it were to fizzle out completely. I think what it really needs is some young blood to take it over so if anyone feels inclined to take up the mantle then do please let me know. Anyway, in terms of bird news I have trawled back through past WhatsApp messages since August to remind myself what has happened for this autumn and early winter.
We finished August with some more Tree Pipits (what an amazing month for them!), some Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers in Burgess Field, and some Wheatears on the Meadow. On the wader front, despite the lack of water we had a fly-over Greenshank and Whimbrel. One of the most intriguing records was of a White-tailed Eagle seen twice by the same observer over towards Wytham. Given the release scheme birds that now inhabit that south of the country it's certainly a real possibility though I'm a bit unsure how to treat them in terms of year listing. I shall leave them off for now.
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| Wheatear courtesy of Thomas Miller |
September brought a Whinchat and a Spotted Flycatcher in Burgess Field and another Wheatear up at Wolvercote. A fly-over Crossbill along Walton Well Road was a nice bonus in what is an irruption year for them across the country. Another good fly-over was a Glossy Ibis over Burgess Field at the end of the month. In Odonata news we managed to get Willow Emerald on the Trap Grounds year list with a visit to the main pond there.
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| Glossy Ibis courtesy of Thomas Miller |
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| Trap Grounds Willow Emerald |
In October we had a flurry of Ring-necked Parakeet sightings. Some Stonechat chose to hang out in the Thistles at the southern end for a while and a lovely Merganser family loitered along the river for a bit. A Little Grebe also found the river to its liking.
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| Goosander courtesy of Thomas Miller |
In November, we stretched the patch boundaries a little to accommodate a Black Redstart up in the new build homes at Oxford North. It's just about in Wolvercote so just about OK. The flood waters finally started to reform after a long absence this year. This at least brought in some bird to look at with a few Dunlin and a frustratingly late report of a Spotted Redshank (a pretty rare county let along patch bird). A smart 3w Caspian Gull livened up proceedings a little. Also, slipping under the radar was a report of a covey of 10-15 Grey Partridge that were seen by an eBirder one morning at the start of the month.
December saw the floods start to increase in size and with it came the geese. The Barnacle Geese were back and the feral Ross's Goose returned as well. We had a smart adult Mediterranean Gull fly into the roost one evening and a pair of Pochard graced the floods one day as well. We even managed to get in on the county wide goose influx with 21 White-fronted Geese one morning on the Meadow. Three Black-tailed Godwit and several Caspian Gulls of different ages were also welcome sightings.
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| White-fronted Geese courtesy of Thomas Miller |
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| Ross's Goose: despite its dodgy credentials I just find them so cute! Courtesy of Thomas Miller |
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