Farmoor part 1......Long-tailed Duck

31 Oct - The recent storm resulted in an adult drake Long-tailed Duck arriving at Farmoor, which I photographed on F1 in dull conditions fairly close to the causeway this morning. Also 2 Rock Pipits on the causeway.

Waterhay

24 Oct - A beautiful autumn morning, and a lot of bird activity at Waterhay - a Curlew and 9 Snipe flew over, large numbers of thrushes in the hedges, mainly Redwings with a few Song Thrushes and Blackbirds - the latter were very wary so presumably continental migrants. A male Blackcap was with them - Jays, Bullfinches, Redpolls and a male Sparrowhawk also seen. 2 Cetti's Warblers were singing in the reedbeds, and several Reed Buntings also present.

Sibe Rubythroat..........and the SemiP Plover

22 Oct - That ultimate eastern vagrant, a male Siberian Rubythroat, is on Fair Isle again today.......a stunning bird which I've seen in Asia......photos 1,2 copyright Dave Parnaby, FIBO warden. The SemiP Plover shot (3), as seen at Hayling last w/e, is courtesy of Birdforum, showing nicely the smaller size and stubbier bill.

Shorncote.....and a Semipalmated Plover

18-19 Oct - A late afternoon walk at Shorncote on 18th did not reveal any sign of the Bittern that has been seen recently, but the views of the reedbed rather restricted by vegetation until the leaves fall. 2 Cetti's Warblers and a Water Rail heard, 35+ Lapwing and a Snipe over, a few Wigeon and Teal returned for winter and 10 Fieldfares flew east. On 19th I went to Hayling Island where a Semipalmated Plover has been roosting with the wader flock (the righthand plover in the group of 4, photos 1-3) - only the 3rd or 4th record for Britain. It appeared on the beach with a flock of Sanderling, then flew to roost on the shingle beach. Smaller than the Ringed Plovers with a stubby bill, and very faint eye ring, the distinctive call was heard twice when it flew in. Other waders at Hayling included Sanderling, Dunlin, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit. A winter adult Mediterranean Gull was offshore. A quick stop at Farlington on the way home yielded c20 Grey Plovers on the pool (4-6), showing their black axillaries in flight, with 2 Knot, 4 Snipe, 50+ Black-tailed Godwits, 100+ Redshank, 300+ Curlew and 50+ Dunlin. Photos JM. Little Egret, Pintail and Shoveler also present.

Slimbridge at high tide....and winter Thrushes

11 Oct - No sign of the Baird's Sandpiper over the high tide at Slimbridge late morning, but good views of 5 Greenshanks, a smart Spotted Redshank, and several Ruff and Black-tailed Godwits. The Wild 2y Crane feeding with the usual 3 released birds in the adjacent fields. Several hundred Redwings flew north in loose flocks, along with 2 Fieldfares, my first of both species this autumn. Also several Redwings NW over the garden early morning with their distinctive calls.

Isabelline Wheatear......

5 Oct - An afternoon visit to South Wales, after a couple of excellent talks at the Cheltenham Literature festival in the morning (David Starkey on the Monarchy was very entertaining). An Isabelline Wheatear has been very obliging for several days at Martin's Haven, beyond the end of the M4, an absolutely stunning location on a sunny evening. The Izzy Wheatear performed extremely well (4-11) with several Northern Wheatears for comparison, being slightly larger, more uniformly sandy in colouration, with a blacker tail, a black alula on the wing and a more upright posture. It also has a very white underwing in flight. 3-4 Choughs (12) were flying around calling noisily as a backup cast. It took me well over a decade to get to see an Isabelline Wheatear in the UK - I've now seen 3 since 2011, but I particularly wanted to photograph one and I was not disappointed. A memorable experience as the bird was so confiding and the location so stunning with Skomer as a backdrop! And a maximum of 6 people watching the bird at any one time. Photos JM.

Yellow-browed Warbler in Oxfordshire.......

4 Oct - Brief but good views of the Yellow-browed Warbler at Port Meadow this afternoon, very small, with double wing bar and prominent supercilium, and feeding actively with a flock of Long-tailed Tits and Chiffchaffs. There has been an influx of hundreds of these Siberian Birds on the east coast during the last week, and they are presumably filtering down through the country. Photo, copyright, Roger Wyatt/Oxonbirds.