Round up of some fantastic county birds in March, topped by an excellent Ring-billed Gull found by @tmbirding.bsky.social. April looks set to continue the great form the county is currently in, quite the start to 2026. oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2026/04/marc... #UKBirding
Think the light may be a bit deceiving for this one - looks like a LBBG to me
Nice lunchtime visit to twitch @tombedford.bsky.social's urban Redstart, a male singing on Warneford Meadow just a few minutes walk from my house. Fabulous bird especially against the ominous grey sky #ukbirding
Thanks Ben, hope you're well. A familiar species for you now I'm sure!
Now with updated images - realised how blown out most of the originals were now that I've processed them properly...
Gripped by the Pels Mick. Was always a bit of a long shot for us and needless to say we failed to see it (spoilers). September bit of a different vibe to November/december I would imagine
The introduction and Part 1 of my South Africa blog are now published. Beware that this post is extremely long - so long, in fact, that I'm not sure how I'm going to find the time to keep this up for the rest of the trip
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/03/sout...
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/03/sout...
An amazing 3 minutes in the Lye Valley, Oxford this morning, as an OSPREY circled over the Churchill Hospital before flying north! 🤯
ebird.org/checklist/S3...
An incredible new species for the Lye Valley area!
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
@patchbirding.bsky.social
@headingtonnews.bsky.social
I think he looks quite happy in that photo! Two county ticks for him
The Otmoor flood field - sadly no photos of the actual bird!
Went with Max Buckley for another look at the Otmoor American Wigeon this morning and ended up finding a Green-winged Teal! Surely not many inland sites have had a day with "the double", so I'm very pleased with this! A self-found tick for me as well, hopefully it moves to Port Meadow now #ukbirding
Have added a new page to my blog to record Port Meadow daily sightings, collated mostly from eBird and WhatsApp groups, just to have it all in once place for spring migration. Will aim to backdate it to the beginning of the year when I have a spare evening
tmbirding.blogspot.com/p/port-meado...
The Port Meadow Ring-billed Gull blog post is now out, photos will be replaced in due course with better versions as I don't currently have the computer I usually use for image processing with me. Some identification pointers inside #ukbirding
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-da...
Second calendar year Ring-billed Gull on Port Meadow 7 March 2026 (front) with second calendar year Herring Gull behind.
An appalling record shot in the gloom this evening of a very good find - @tmbirding.bsky.social pulled a first winter Ring-billed Gull out of the hat at Port Meadow. A really superb find and reward for much dedication. Fortunately there are some much better photos!
Apparently patch birding does all come good in the end. 1w Ring-billed Gull this evening and glad some people managed to connect after my rather garbled attempt at putting news out. Blog post to follow #ukbirding
Blogging slowly continues #ukbirding
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/02/smal...
Highlights of Oxon birding in 2025, in roughly chronological order from top left to bottom right: Bewick's Swan, White-fronted Goose, Smew, Scaup, Long-eared and Short-eared Owl (all Jan); Ring-necked Duck, Merlin, Hawfinch, Med Gull & Woodlark (Feb); Whooper Swan & Little Gull (March); Grasshopper Warbler & Ring Ouzel (April); Nightingale sonogram, Temminck's Stint, Red-footed Falcon & Savi's Warbler (May); Redstart (July); Little Stint, Sandwich Tern, Osprey and Marsh Sandpiper (Aug); Wood Sandpiper, Manx Shearwater & Knot (Sept); Bluethroat, Pectoral Sandpiper & Twite (October); Water Pipit (Nov) & Tundra Bean Goose (December). All photos/recordings in Oxfordshire in 2025 by self, except Red-footed Falcon by Thomas Miller.
Traditional collage of record shots of a rewarding yr's local birding. Highlights: Red-foot, Savi's Warb, Marsh Sand, Bluethroat, Twite & Tundra Bean; most of all friendly year-listing with @conormackenzie.bsky.social @tmbirding.bsky.social Simon Myers & Peerawant Chiaranunt collectively 202 species
Starting to focus on the blog again, ahead of preparing South Africa write-up #ukbirding
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/12/patc...
Part of a flock of 21 White-fronted Geese (18 visible here) flying northwards over Port Meadow, Oxfordshire, with trees in background, 26 Dec 2025.
Flock of 21 White-fronted Geese flying northwards over Port Meadow, Oxfordshire, with trees in background, 26 Dec 2025.
More of the current wild goose influx today with @tmbirding.bsky.social's flock of 21 Russian White-fronted Geese on Port Meadow a rare chance to see undoubtedly wild birds at this urban site. Inevitably disturbed by dogs off lead - hard to conceive that there was once a regular wintering flock here
Just landed in South Africa for birding trip and upon opening my phone the first message I see concerns a Spotted Redshank on Port Meadow (would be a patch tick). Disastrous scenes
Ah, likewise - good to meet you anyway. Was pleased with views of the warbler in the end despite it giving everyone the run around
Amazingly changeable in shape
Like many others enjoyed the two Pallid Swifts and Dusky Warbler at Foreness Point this morning, no opportunity for frame filling photos unfortunately as the birds were high over the housing estate but pleased to get a few shots with both in the frame #ukbirding
Sorry for the late news, ridiculously busy first couple of hours so not had time to post a photo of the Black-faced Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field on the first net round of the day - ta to Duncan Walbridge for this pic
Very hard to tell - with that yellow darvic could well be a German cactus type thing?
Thanks Joe. Yes, it's a wonder why young people even get into birding what with the state of migration these days!
As usual it seems I've totally failed at finding my own birds during my visit to Portland but at least managed to connect with this Pallas's Warbler at Avalanche Road this morning - a particularly difficult individual to see and photograph well #ukbirding
Could not believe my eyes whilst surveying on Wraysbury Reservoir this morning when this juvenile Sabine’s Gull flew into view. Incredible views of a species I’ve only seen once before - just wish I had a better camera! #UKbirding @berksbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
Caspian Gull sat on rocks with seaweed
A 1cy Caspian Gull currently in Sennen Cove. Digiscoped pic as it's miles off on the island #cornwallbirds #ukbirding
One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding
Quick turnaround for a blog post about today's Bluethroat event in Oxfordshire, written from Flamborough #ukbirding
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/last...