Some photos.....

16 April - Here are some excellent additional photos of recent birds - the top 3 are of the Little Gulls at Farmoor, copyright Matt Prior (1) and Nic Hallam (2-3), and the lower is of a male Ring Ouzel at Liddington, copyright Andy Smith.

Spring passage at Farmoor....

15 April - A late afternoon visit to Farmoor, excellent in the ongoing NE winds with 9 Little Gulls (5), including 8 superb summer-plumaged adults, feeding over F2 with at least 5 Common Terns (4). On the causeway 5 + Yellow Wagtails (1,2) were feeding with several White Wagtails (3). A large number of hirundines were also feeding over the reservoir, several hundred Sand Martins together with a few House Martins and Swallows. A Red Kite was over the sailing club. Photos JM.

Liddington again....

13 April - A cold, frosty but superbly sunny morning, and an hour at Liddington gave good views of 3 Wheatears (6-9) on the track past Folly Farm. Also seen - 2 Swallows and a Sand Martin going north, migrant Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs singing. The local Buzzards (3) much in evidence, also resident Corn Buntings (4), Yellowhammers and Chaffinches (5).

Black-winged Stilt in Oxfordshire.....

12 April - An evening visit to Standlake, west of Oxford, after work, and good views of the Black-winged Stilt found there today (photos), it flew close in when chased by Lapwings. Also there - LRP, Common Sandpiper (my first of the year) and 2 Redshank. A pair of Red-crested Pochard were out on the lake. Photos, courtesy Oxon Birdblog.
In the morning, a quick stop at Waterhay reedbed produced my first singing Reed Warbler of the year.

Red Kite.....

11 April - A Red Kite outside the surgery window this afternoon was a nice surprise, it has been seen around the area for a few weeks now....

Ring Ouzels at Liddington

6 April - An early morning visit to Liddington Hill (1) in cold, clear conditions was productive with good views of 3-4 Ring Ouzels, including at least 2 males (JM record shots, 2,3). The birds were flighty but seen perched several times. Also there, good numbers of singing Corn Buntings (5,6) and Yellowhammers (7), and a flyover Raven (4). Later, a brief stop at Waterhay was successful, giving the first 2 singing Sedge Warblers of the year, 1 seen well, as well as 5+ singing Reed Buntings(8).

More migrants

1 April - a superb sunny spring morning, and a half hour walk at Waterhay produced 4 species of warbler, including my first 2 Willow Warblers of the year - the others being a Cetti's Warbler, a Blackcap and many Chiffchaffs. At least 4 Reed Buntings also singing, and Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers active.