April is always an enjoyable month as the summer migrants come thick and fast - in fact it's one of the few months of the year when birding around here doesn't feel quite such hard work!
Ring Ouzels are really hard to come by in this area and so the smart male at Ardley ERF, discovered by Gareth Casburn on 07/04, was probably the scarcest thing seen during April! As is the norm for Rouzels, it was super flighty and elusive but eventually settled down and gave good views along the main track.
In fact, 07/04 turned out to be a good day for passerines, with a great count of 3 Redstarts (2m, 1f) in the cattlefield at Grimsbury Res. A bit distant but still, spring male Redstarts are very hard to beat, particularly two together on the same bit of fence!
Tues 09/04, representated an excellent day at Grimsbury Res, with a couple of notable patch birds on what was a very breezy day. I'd just hopped in the car to head down to Grimsbury, when Ian Rowe reported two Kittiwakes had dropped in at the res. Luckily for me, they stuck around long enough with them initially sat out on the water, then after a a few minutes, had a couple of flyarounds, gained height and departed SW. I think my 9th Kittiwake record for the patch and also the first instance of multiple birds.
It was clearly a good passage day inland, with the first sprinkling of Terns in particular. So after work, I popped back to Grimsbury for a quick-ish circuit. A few migrants were noted, including Yellow Wagtail and Common Sandpiper. Just as I was thinking about getting back home, a couple of Terns duly dropped out of the sky and it was quickly clear they were Arctic Terns! They proceeded to give fantastic views, feeding over the water, often and quite close quarters. An absolutely magical ecounter with one of my favourite birds, in the golden evening light!
As is tradition, a spent my usual late April /early May full day out and about local sites on Monday 29/04. All in all, it transpired to be an enjoyable day. The mid-cherwell valley near Aynho proved most productive with a Greenshank, a couple of fly through Ringed Plover and my first Common Tern of the year. Best of all and bird of the day though, was a vocal Wood Sandpiper that took a while to show itself, before eventually giving good views.
Amongst a total of 83 species for the day, other notables included several Swift, 3 Firecrest, Grasshopper Warbler and Shelduck. I caught up with most species, though with a bit more time and perseverance, I could certainly have added a few more species such as Peregrine, Corn Bunting , Meadow Pipit & the x3 common owl species. But would say, 83 still represented a very steady total for these parts!
Wheatears were unusually thin on the ground this year - crazily only saw one during March and April, which is crazily abnormal - this being a smart male at Hinton Airfield on 24/03. The same day also produced by earliest every Grimsbury Res Willow Warbler and Swallow!
A few other pics from March and April:
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