Latest news –
updated 12 May 2002
(1999 diary now moved to HERE and 2000 diary to HERE)
12 May 2002
This months WEBS count a bit like a winter one with 8
Wigeon hanging on and a Goldeneye, a Ruddy duck and 4 Gadwall. First ever Dorchester WEBS count featuring a
Goldeneye as late as May. Others were:-
Little Grebe (1), Gt Crested Grebe (23), Mute Swan (13), Canada Goose (64),
Mallard (44), Tufted Duck (34), Coot (129), Moorhen (2), Greylag (1), Common
Tern (5) and Bar-headed Goose (1).
28 April 2002
Queenford:
Swift (10), Common Tern (2), Common Sandpiper (2), Little-ringed Plover
(2). Fisherman’s Car Park: Wheatear
(2), Whinchat (4).
27 April 2002
Queenford:
Swift (10). Fisherman’s Car Park:
Wheatear (2), Whinchat (1).
23 April 2002
Queenford:
Common Sandpiper. Drayton Road Pit:
Sedge Warbler. Allen Pit: Common
Whitethroat.
14 April 2002
April WEBS count with the following totals for all 7
lakes. Heron (1), Gt Crested Grebe
(27), Mute Swan (13), Canada Goose (72), Wigeon (19), Mallard (49), Shoveller
(1), Pochard (1), Tufted Duck (124), Goldeneye (4), Cormorant (1), Coot (179),
Moorhen (8), Redshank (1), Snipe (2), Lapwing (7).
13 April 2002
Queenford:
Redshank (2). River Scrape: Redshank (2).
Allen Pit: Goldeneye (4, 1M), Swallow (several), Sand Martins (25) and 2
Buzzards soaring over the lake.
24 March 2002
Day’s
Lock Scrape: Little-ringed Plover and Ruff.
Allen Pit: Sand Martin (4).
22 March 2002
Allen
Pit: RND didn’t like Dorchester but
decided to do the rounds of birding sites around the county. Little Grebe,
Goldeneye (2), Pintail (8). Day’s Lock
Scrape: Shellduck (2) and Redshank (3).
18 March 2002
At
last something interesting – even if may have recently been associating with
various exotic ducks in a collection somewhere. Alerted to the presence of a stunning drake Ring-necked
Duck. Also 5 Redshank on the river
scrape.
Click for a
somewhat blurry photo of the Ring-necked Duck – it was dull and very
windy. If it hangs around I will try
again.
3 March 2002
Seems to be getting a habit to just enter WEBS
sightings – nothing seems to happen between surveys, at least not that I can
find. March counts were:- Heron (3), Gt Crested Grebe (24), Mute Swan
(22), Canada Goose (40), Wigeon (521), Gadwall (46), Teal (53), Mallard (32),
Shoveler (7), Pochard (92), Tufted Duck (133), Goldeneye (3), Cormorant (14),
Coot (453), Moorhen (23), Black-headed Gull (72), Pintail (1), Shellduck (3),
Common Gull (1), Snipe (1), Water Rail (1), Lapwing (15). Wigeon numbers continue to decline as do
Pochard but Tufted Duck seem to be hanging on.
10 February 2002
February WEBS count today with the following totals
for the seven lakes making up the Dorchester complex:- Heron (1),
Little Grebe (2), Gt Crested Grebe (20), Mute Swan
(23), Canada Goose (6), Wigeon (1042), Gadwall (54), Teal (55), Mallard (62),
Shoveler (15), Pochard (193), Tufted Duck (135), Cormorant (10), Coot (416), Moorhen
(10), Black-headed Gull (53), Shelduck (3), Common Gull (1), Golden Plover
(65), Lapwing (340). Looks like spring
might be on the way with this count showing marked reductions in numbers of
Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck and Coot.
Interestingly Pochard have not started to go as yet and it was good to
see the Shelduck back.
18 January 2002
Managed, at last, to fit in my January WEBS count –
results as follows for all lakes grouped together:- Heron (1), Little Grebe
(1), Gt Crested Grebe (26), Mute Swan (61), Wigeon (1245), Gadwall (91), Teal
(210), Mallard (93), Shoveler (8), Pochard (192), Tufted Duck (204), Goldeneye
(1) Goosander (3), Cormorant (6), Coot (757), Moorhen
(9), Black-headed Gull (44) & Lapwing (400). Where have all the Gadwall come from? This count of 91
comfortably beats the previous highest count of 77 back in 1991. One of the highest counts of Teal, just 6
fewer than the record of 216.
1 January 2002
Started
the new year with a thrash round the county trying to get my Oxon list off to a
good start. Only average with 72
species seen. Dorchester produced six
Goosander, all male, a Little Owl in the Fisherman’s car park and a sunbathing
Tawny Owl in the bushes around the Drayton Road Pit near Wally Corner. All the usual ducks but NO Goldeneye which
is rather surprising when so many are present on Farmoor.
Click for
Tawny Owl Photographed a few days earlier but still present today.
16 December 2001
WEBS
counts are shown below. One of
yesterdays Goosanders has gone missing and the Male Goldeneye on Drayton seems
to have gone to be replaced by a female on Allen.
Heron
(3), Little Grebe (1), Gt Crested Grebe (22), Mute Swan (96), Canada Goose (33),
Wigeon (1186), Gadwall (59), Teal (101), Mallard (117), Shoveler (17), Pochard
(144), Tufted Duck (116), Goldeneye (1), Goosander (3), Cormorant (16), Coot
(703), Moorhen (8), Black-headed Gull (21), L.B.B. Gull (8) and Lapwing (110).
15 December 2001
A bit of East direction to the wind makes a world of
difference with the first Goosanders of the winter (4 males on the Allen Pit)
and the first Goldeneye of the season (a single male on the Drayton Road
Pit). Numbers of Pochard on the Drayton
pit were well up but not counted as its WEBS day tomorrow.
9 december 2001
Brief visit today but little to get excited about. Barnacle Goose [escape] with about 175 Canadas on the field beside the Thames. 3 Little Grebe and 2 “glowing” male Pintail on the Allen Pit. Around 30 teal and a similar number of Gadwell also on Allen.
18 November 2001
201 Golden Plover on Meadside but no Lapwings. A few more Pochard have found their way to the Drayton Road Pit –
counted a total of 33 today.
11 November 2001
Only 63 Golden Plover on Meadside this afternoon. On Drayton Road Pit there were 2 Little
Grebe, 21 Pochard, 86 Tufted Duck and 7 Gadwall as well as a few Mallard,
Wigeon and Coots. 3 Bullfinches and a
Goldcrest in adjacent bushes.
4 November 2001
November
WEBS count. Totals for the 7 lakes were
:- Little Grebe (5), Gt Crested Grebe (27), Mute Swan (109), Wigeon (392),
Gadwall (31), Teal (7), Mallard (52), Shoveler (9), Pochard (42), Tufted Duck
(89, Cormorant (10), Coot (701), Moorhen (17), Black-headed Gull (81), Lapwing
(57), Water Rail (1). Another 150 odd
Wigeon have arrived since 14 October and, at last, some Shoveler and a few more
Pochard.
3 November 2001
On Meadside 849 Golden Plover and 174 Lapwing.
28 October 2001
Meadside – 465 Golden Plover and about 20
Lapwing. Although rather difficult to
get an accurate count with the dips in the field and longish crop obviously
about half the flock of last week has moved elsewhere.
27 October 2001
A good flock of Mute Swans on the Allen Pit with 89
counted. Also 3 Little Grebe here but
little else, a handful of Gadwall and under 20 Wigeon. Found the rest , or at least a good number,
of the Wigeon on Drayton Road Pit. 3
Little Grebe on this lake as well and a Chiff Chaff in the bushes alongside.
21 October 2001
Some evidence of winter with 10 Shoveler and 38 Gadwall on the Allen
Pit. Also noted there 15 Cormorant and
a Little Grebe. Another Little Grebe on
Drayton Road Pit. A big influx of
Golden Plover with 1091 counted at Meadside together with 91 Lapwing.
14 October 2001
The October WEBS count today, albeit a week late, but you have to have a
holiday sometime! Totals for the seven
lakes making up the Dorchester complex were:- Little Grebe (4), Gt
Crested Grebe (34), Mute Swan (123), Canada Goose (1), Wigeon (214), Gadwall
(10), Mallard (110), Pochard (20), Tufted Duck (61), Cormorant (14), Coot
(719), Moorhen (8), Black-headed Gull (85), Kingfisher (1), Lapwing (128).
2 October 2001
Allen Pit this morning: 12 Cormorant, 114 Wigeon, 3 Little Grebe, 10 Gadwall
and a single Snipe. Interesting the
slow build up of Wigeon. First arrivals
were noted on 26 August and today is the first count of over 100 individuals. Most winters Dorchester holds around 1000
Wigeon so there are p[probably still a lot to arrive. A second (or the same) snipe on Queenford and another couple of
Wigeon.
20 September 2001
A Barnacle and 9 Greylag Geese in among the large Canada Geese
flock. The greylag have been around for
some time but I haven’t seen the Barnacle before – good time of the year for
escapes. 4 Spot Flys in the same bush
as on 15th – one still
showing downy feathers, a large yellow gape and being fed. Ducks on Allen Pit worthy of note? Included
Pintail(1), Shoveler (1), Gadwall (2), Teal (4), Little Grebe (2) and 91
Wigeon. On Drayton Road Pit 4 male
Pochard, 3 Teal, a Little Grebe and a Kingfisher. 3 Wigeon on Queenford – the total of Wigeon tantalizingly close
to the ton!
16 September 2001
September WEBS count with the following totals when all Dorchester lakes considered
together: Little Grebe (2), Gt Crested Grebe (43), Mute Swan (87),
Canada Goose (81), Wigeon (63), Gadwall (2), Teal (2), Mallard (248), Pochard
(1), Tufted Duck (35), Cormorant (2), Coot (568), Moorhen (17), Black-headed
Gull (17), Kingfisher (1), Common Sandpiper (2).
15 September 2001
Numbers of Wigeon continue to climb with 52 counted on the Allen Pit
today. 4 Cormorant, 2 Little Grebe and a single Gadwall also counted. In the bushes alongside the Allen Pit a
group of 5 Spotted Flycatchers, one of which was still “downy” and being fed by
an adult. 1 Common Sandpiper on
Queenford.
31 August 2001
Wigeon
count on Allen Pit up to 34 and, also there 4 Shoveler, 5 Little Grebe and 9
Greylag Geese. On the Drayton Road Pit,
Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Pochard.
26 August 2001
4 Eurasian Wigeon
(didn't see American) and a Shoveler on the Allen Pit; Common Sandpiper on
Queenford.
24 August 2001
2 Common
Sandpipers on Queenford, American Wigeon and 3 Pochard on the Allen Pit.
21 August 2001
No sign of the
LRP's on Queenford but as the young was present for at least 24 days after
hatching and my book indicates that they fly between 3 and 4 weeks after
hatching I think it can be assumed that it is on the way to warmer climates.
19 August 2001
August WEBS count
day with the following results: Heron (2), Little Grebe (1), Gt Crested Grebe (35), Mute Swan (53), Canada Goose (9), Mallard (217), Tufted Duck
(61), Cormorant (1), Coot (460), Moorhen (7), Black-headed Gull (81),
Kingfisher (2), Common Tern (3), Lapwing (150), Little-ringed Plover (2),
Greenshank (1). Needless to say the
LRP's were the usual adult+young on Queenford but the Greenshank was
interesting settling briefly on the weed on Cemetery Pit.
15 August 2001
No real change on
Queenford with still an adult plus juvenile LRP and a Juv. Dunlin.
11 August 2001
Allen Pit: 2
Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Common Terns, American Wigeon, Little Grebe, Kingfisher,
2 Lesser Whitethroats and 10 Greylag Geese.
10 August 2001
Queenford;
LRP+youngster, 2 Common Sandpipers, Juv Dunlin, 1 Common Tern and 105 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls flew over probably on route to Farmoor.
7 August 2001
Queenford;
LRP+youngster, 2 Common Sandpipers and 1 Common Tern.
5 August 2001
Singles of Common
Sandpiper and Turnstone on Queenford together with the LRP and still surviving
young.
3 August 2001
On the Allen pit
the first Pochard of the autumn, 3 Green Sandpipers and 3 Common Terns also
there. On Queenford the Adult + young
LRP still present and 2 Common Sandpipers.
30 August 2001
An adult plus just
one of the young Little-ringed Plovers survive on Queenford. A single Dunlin there until chased off by
the LRP.
26 July 2001
Apologies to my
reader - there must be one out there somewhere - for the long break in
records. The summer is always a quiet
time and there has been little to report.
The only news of interest concerned breeding records which I felt were
better not reported here. Nothing too
earth shattering but why risk letting the information out. Two pairs of Common Terns nested one pair of
which hatched two young on 3 July.
Unfortunately, a few days later there was no sign of the young so,
presumably, they were taken by a Gull, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Fox, Mink or
something similar. As far as I am aware
this is the first successful breeding by Common Terns on the Dorchester
complex.
The other breeding
record involves Little Ringed Plovers which hatched out 2 young, probably on 26
July. They looked like a pair of
motorized balls of fluff about the size of golf balls - absolutely superb. I wish them luck but fear for their
survival. Please email me if you see
them as I would like to keep track of them.
The last month or so has seen the increase in the Mute swan flock on
Queenford up to about 25, regular visits by Common Terns and the occasional
Common Sandpiper.
The WEBS count on
22 July revealed: Heron (1), Gt Crested Grebe (30), Mute Swan (49), Canada
Goose (43), Eurasian Wigeon (1), Mallard (39), Tufted Duck (28), Cormorant (1), Coot (332), Moorhen (13),
Black-headed Gull (39), Common
Tern (8), American Wigeon (1), Lapwing (1), Little-ringed Plover (2),
Sparrowhawk (1).
2 June 2001
2 Common Terns on
Queenford - one appeared to be sitting on a nest. Although they tried nesting last year they were unsuccessful -
lets hope for better luck this time. A
family group of 4 Kingfishers on Drayton Road Pit so they have successfully
bred this year.
24 May 2001
Day's Lock Scrape:
4 Shelduck, Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover.
Queenford: Common Tern and
Common Sandpiper.
18 May 2001
Day's Lock Scrape:
5 Shelduck, Redshank. Queenford: 2 Common Tern, Ringed Plover and a
Sanderling (one of Tuesday's or a new one?).
17 May 2001
Days Lock Scrape:
5 Shelduck, Redshank, 2 Dunlin, c10 Yellow Wagtail. Queenford: 5 Common Tern.
16 May 2001
Queenford - Little
Ringed Plover.
15 May 2001
Queenford - 2
Sanderling, 2 Dunlin and a Common Tern.
12 May 2001
2 Black Terns and
a Commic over the Allen Pit this evening.
11 May 2001
Phil Barnett
reported 2 Greenshank, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper,
a Redshank, 5 Shelduck and a Wheatear on Day's Lock scrape. The Greenshank and the LRP's were still
there when I visited in the evening.
Shelduck numbers were up to 10 and 7 Gadwall were there. In the distance, over the Allen Pit, a Black
Tern and 2 Commics were feeding on insects.
7 May 2001
Day's Lock scrape
is looking good! Black-tailed Godwit, 3
Redshank, 2 Little-ringed Plover, 14 (fourteen) Shelduck, 4 Gadwall 2 Shoveler
and a Red Kite there this morning.
6 May 2001
Redshank and 2
Common Tern on Queenford; 10 Shelduck on Day's Lock Scrape (footpath from
Dorchester to Day's Lock and Little Wittenham is open).
5 May 2001
2 Redshank and
Yellow Wagtail on the River Scrape; Common Sandpiper and Common and Lesser
Wighthroat at top end of Allen Pit, Reed Warbler round Orchid Pit (no entry!)
and a co-operative Hobby tearing meat and eating in tree at Drayton Road Pit.
30 April 2001
Garden Warbler in
hedge beside Drayton Road Pit, 2 Redshank on Queenford and the first young, a
family of Mallard/XXXX hybrids.
29 April 2001
Two Common Terns
sitting on buoys on Queenford as if they had never been away.
27 April 2001
Whimbrel on
Queenford and a handful of Swifts favouring Drayton Road and Queenford.
1 April 2001
Oystercatcher on
one of the sections of earth bunds still above water level.
31 March 2001
Around 6 Sand
Martins over Queenford.
11 February 2001
Monthly WEBS count
day. The female Smew has moved from the Allen Pit to Drayton Road and my first
Shelduck of the year was on the flood between the Allen Pit and Day's Lock
(also called "Day's Lock Scrape"). The full list follows:- Heron (2),
Gt. Crested Grebe (34), Mute Swan (3), Canada Goose (25), Wigeon (826), Gadwall
(19), Teal (23), Mallard (87), Pochard (198), Tufted Duck (106), Goldeneye (1),
Cormorant (21), Coot (328), Moorhen (12), Black-headed Gull (75), Kingfisher
(1), Smew (1), Lapwing (348), Shelduck (1).
4 February 2001
Happened to be
driving past Queenford when I noticed lots of Cormorants sitting on the earth
bund. Stopped and counted 25 - a very high number for Dorchester.
3 February 2001
Female Smew still
on the Allen Pit but little else of note.
27 January 2001
An influx of
Pintail with 6 (4M ) on the Allen Pit, and 4 (3M ) on Drayton Road Pit. 4
Goosander (3M ) and a female Smew on the Allen Pit. 6 Shoveler, 3 on Allen and
3 on Drayton Road.
20 January 2001
Very little open
water around but a patch on the Allen Pit held 6 Goosander, 4 of which were
males as well as good numbers of Wigeon and assorted other ducks. Queenford
held 2 Goldeneye and double figure counts of Great Crested Grebes and
Cormorant. The Little Owl was back in it's usual bush at the far end of the
Fisherman's Car Park beside the pile of hardcore.
14 January 2001
The first WEBS
count of 2001 was considerably enlivened by the discovery of a female Smew on
the Allen Pit and a pair of Peregrines "buzzing" the Teal on the same
pit. The totals counted for all 7 lakes forming the Dorchester complex were:
Heron (5), Gt
Crested Grebe (23), Mute Swan (8), Canada Goose (1), Wigeon (677), Gadwall
(21), Teal (44), Mallard (97), Shoveler (4), Pochard (88), Tufted Duck (143),
Goosander (2), Cormorant (21), Coot (500), Moorhen (3), Black-headed Gull
(309), Smew (1), Lapwing (160), Peregrine (2), Water Rail (1).
7 January 2001
The plovers were
back at Meadside today - 681 Golden Plover and 1830 Lapwing. 11 Shoveler, 4
Pintail a Little Grebe and a female Goosander on Drayton Road Pit.
6 January 2001
Not Dorchester but
it has to be mentioned - male Blackcap in my Benson garden visiting the
Honeysuckle.
1 January 2001
Water Rail on
Orchid, 8 Goosander on Allen (7 males) and Goldeneye on Queenford. My annual
tour round the county trying to see as many species as possible. I can strongly
recommend a visit to the new hide at Lashford Lane, Abingdon and the feeding
station at Otmoor is well worth a visit at the moment for superb views of
Willow Tit.
