2017 was certainly a year of some big changes, or rather one big change (the arrival of Jacob) that set off a series of other changes. The timing couldn't have been any better, as Beddington is in such poor quality at the moment and considering we are living between Holly's in Oxford and mine at Beddington, there was the perfect excuse to start regularly birding at not only sites around Holly's (Otmoor, Farmoor and at the Old Vic) but also a half-way there patch (Staines).
Turned out in the end that is was also a good year's birding at Beddington too despite the terrible habitat management and conflict so what with Jacob and all the extra birding away- 2017 was definitely one of the best years ever.
OXFORD PATCH
SPRING 2017
First-winter Bonaparte's Gull at Farmoor in April
Black Tern at Farmoor in April
Turnstone at Farmoor in May
Temminck's Stint at Otmoor
Grass Snake at Otmoor
Fallow Deer in Spring around Holly's. The Oxfordshire countryside around Holly's hosts good populations of Deer including Fallow, Roe, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer.
Roe Deer
Chinese Water Deer
Muntjac in Holly's garden (in autumn)
Spring Bluebells at Aston Rowant
SUMMER 2017
Forester on Common Spotted Orchid at Bernwood Meadows
Common Cranes at Otmoor- the breeding pair
Marsh Helleborine at Lye Valley
Brown Hare at Otmoor
Bank Vole at Otmoor
Spotted Flycatcher at the Old Vic
Frog Orchid at Aston Rowant
Green-winged Orchids at Bernwood Meadows
Pale Tussock at the Old Vic
Drinker at the Old Vic
Varied Coronet at the Old Vic
Waved Black at the Old Vic
Turtle Dove at Otmoor
AUTUMN 2017
2017 was the autumn of the Hawfinch and we had several over the Oxford area. This one was at the Old Vic (Holly's garden)
Juvenile Knot at Farmoor in September
Shag at Farmoor in September
Osprey over Otmoor in August
Bittern at Otmoor in October
WINTER 2017
Golden Plovers at Otmoor
The 2017 crew
STAINES 2017
The half way there patch performed in style. The draining of the Staines Res South Basin was a bonus with some excellent wader habitat through the autumn.
Great Northern Diver, April
Black-necked Grebe, April
Little Gull in April
Greater Scaup in April
Whimbrels in May
First-summer White-winged Black Tern in May
Arctic Skua in September
Grey Phalarope in September
Red-necked Phalarope in September
Little Stints in September
Merlin in September
