A Manx Shearwater at Farmoor Reservoir 16th September

Monday September the 15th brought southwesterly gales to Britain coinciding perfectly with the nightime departure of young Manx Shearwaters from their burrows on islands along the west coast of Britain.

Inevitably a number of these young birds become disoriented and get blown inland by the wind to land exhausted in fields, on roads and in this case Farmoor Reservoir. It is not unknown for Manx Shearwaters to be found on the reservoir in such conditions and so far there are ten records, nine of which have been in September, the last record being five years ago on the 11th of September 2020.

Today the 16th of September provided the eleventh record of this rare vagrant to the reservoir, with another exhausted individual picked up from a farmer's field at Steventon near Didcot in Oxfordshire the day before and a further less fortunate two found dead in the county, one near Banbury and one in my home village of Leafield near Witney.

I got to the reservoir at just after seven in the morning but with little inkling of the momentous event to follow.The wind was fractionally less severe than yesterday but still forceful, blowing unhindered across the churning waters of both basins. A scattering of small waders were braving the froth and waves on the causeway and a late Yellow Wagtail struggled to keep the wind from blowing its long tail over its back.

For the first hour the vague hope of a storm driven displaced Grey Phalarope remained just that as I made a fruitless circuit of the smaller basin with only Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Common Sandpipers haunting the wave lashed concrete shore. Needless to say there was no sign of a phalarope although plenty have been reported from various inland locations recently.

The sun shone on a heaving mass of restless, white crested waves creating a dazzling miasma of sparkling light and shade as a couple of Common Terns rode the wind with consummate ease, their plumage transformed to pure white in the bright sun and precipitating hopes that maybe they could be Arctic Terns but it was not to be. 

There have been large numbers of hirundines present for the last few days, House Martins mainly with up to five hundred skimming the waves and causeway in low level flight, many of them inexperienced juveniles in their dowdy first plumage, struggling to maintain a steady course in the relentless wind whilst further out more accomplished fliers, mainly adults, their pure white rumps almost glowing in the bright sunlight, endlessly moved low into the wind, crossing and re-crossing the blue disturbed waters.

A number of us sought sanctuary from the now almost gale force winds in the Causeway Hide and looked out onto the troubled waters of the larger basin.Viewing conditions were far from ideal with the sun shining almost into our eyes and the wind blowing full on and unhindered into our faces.

I cannot recall what time it was when the Manx Shearwater was discovered far out in the middle of the larger basin.We speculated whether it had just arrived or had it been here all along but hidden in the wave troughs.Whatever the circumstances here it was, undeniably, swimming low in the waves and difficult to see as it rose and fell in the choppy waters.The fact it was far out in the middle of the reservoir did not help but by concentrating very hard it was possible to discern its dark, flat backed form, black above and white below alternately rising into visibility and invisibility amongst the waves.

For the most part it remained on the water, appearing quite at home and occasionally flapping its wings, diving and even taking a couple of circuitous flights around the reservoir

This 'lost' shearwater was fortunate indeed to have found the reservoir, the currently rough waters of which would much resemble the Atlantic Ocean which the bird would have been aiming to cross on its 10,000 kilometre migration to spend the winter off Brazil and Agentina but for today sanctuary and temporary relief was here in the middle of England in Oxfordshire and about as far inland as it could possibly be.

It appeared in good health, alert and active and I considered its prospects good. A day's rest and recuperation on Farmoor Reservoir would be the ideal prelude to its interrupted migration  and before it set a course for the coast  of South America

With the news put out on the Oxon Bird Forum by mid morning it was not long before local birders began arriving and throughout the day a steady stream of birders, local and more distant came to look at this unusual visitor.

It's out there somewhere!

I would have liked to stay for the rest of the day in the hope that the shearwater might come closer to enable a half decent photograph but I had to depart for my regular Tuesday afternoon voluntary work in Chipping Norton but others did remain and sure enough the shearwater did come closer, enabling Roger, a fellow Oxonbirder and ace photographer to take the superb image below and which he has kindly allowed me to use in this blog. 

c Roger Wyatt

Voluntary duty over, I returned to the reservoir in the late afternoon with Mark (P) and we were rewarded with the bird performing, albeit distantly, an extended fly around amongst the windsurfers who were taking full advantage of the windy conditions on the larger of the two basins. Eventually the shearwater settled out in the middle of the basin and we decided to walk round to the Causeway Hide as the sun would be behind us and the view hopefully better from there

It worked a treat, as standing in the open doorway of the hide we were sheltered from the wind and the scope was free of vibration.This afforded us some of the best views we had of the bird as it swam steadfastly into the wind, breasting the waves before sinking down into a wave trough and then rising up again. 

Soon there was quite a gathering of local birders outside the Hide and after everyone had their fill of the shearwater the occasion took on a distinct air of relaxed sociability.

                                      Would that it was always like this at the reservoir

 

A Farmoor Osprey 7th September 2025

It has been a good two days at Farmoor Reservoir.

Yesterday, on arriving in the very early morning there was every birder's dream of finding a rarity in the form of two Glossy Ibis, wandering amongst a large gathering of Coot at the water's edge by the causeway but they flew off at just after seven before there was a chance of a photograph.However the ibis was a new bird species for me at Farmoor so no complaints.

There has been a large influx of Glossy Ibis into Britain lately, with double figure flocks being sighted in the southern half of England, possibly forced from their usual haunts in southern Europe by drought.

Today I returned harbouring the ridiculous hope that maybe some more Glossy Ibis might have reached the reservoir but with no sign of any I resigned myself to accept that Farmoor had already been delivered its quota of this southern ibis and there were to be no more prehistoric looking angular shapes stalking the reservoir's shores to delight me, as they did yesterday.

A slow walk up the causeway in a stiff southeast wind produced the attractive looking leucistic Pied Wagtail, a shock of white wings when it flew amongst its predominantly grey coloured fellow wagtails. Up to sixty wagtails congregate on the causeway in the early morning and late evening when disturbance is at a minimum, the attraction for the wagtails being the plentiful supply of insects.

Leucistic Pied Wagtail

I stood at the far end of the causeway, the brisk wind roaring in my ears and was joined by Dave and we agreed there was currently not much about but that might change. In situations such as this we adopt a wait and see approach and sure enough, twenty minutes later a juvenile Peregrine put in an appearance.Sadly its immaturity manifested itself in not only plumage but also behaviour as it obviously had not read the Peregrine instruction manual and initially tried its luck chasing prey that was far too large to capture such as Herring Gulls, Cormorants and even a Canada Goose.

Juvenile Peregrine

It also tried its luck with a newly arrived flock of eight Black Terns which would be more suitable victims but again was unsuccessful and retired to a tree.Not unexpectedly the terns promptly fled the reservoir.

The last we saw of the Peregrine was as it flew high in the sky but then our attention was diverted  by a slightly larger and darker bird of prey suddenly appearing next to it - a Marsh Harrier, another excellent bird to find at Farmoor. 

Things were definitely looking up, certainly if you kept your eyes to the skies!

Time passed, the wind dropped to a whisper and I sat chatting with Sally on the causeway wall.She comes every morning to try and see the last of the Swifts departing. It is getting late now but Sally has a thing about Swifts and is forever optimistic that just one more might pass through on its way to its winter home in the African Congo.

Yet another Marsh Harrier appeared high in the sky above us and three Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin skittered along the water's edge below us. A good day had now become remarkable.

Juvenile Ringed Plover

Juvenile Dunlin

Half an hour later I said to Sally

All we need now to make the day complete is an Osprey

She replied laconically 

There's one right in front of us 

I wish I replied, assuming she wasn't being serious

No, there really is one  

Where?

There, right in front of us in the sky

I looked and right before my eyes was indeed an Osprey.

It was facing us, hanging in the light wind high above the water of the smaller basin known as Farmoor One, its great wings spread wide.

It slowly circled the basin and we watched it reconnoitering the placid waters below.

There is no shortage of fish as Thames Water, at vast expense, stock the reservoir's two basins each year with trout for which fishermen pay a daily fee to catch.

For fifteen minutes the Osprey circled, rising and falling but always at some height, checking every bit of the water below, both near and far.

On three occasions it looked to have seen a fish and would stall then half retract  its wngs and dive for the water, each time without success although on two occasions it actually plunged into the water. Definitely an inexperienced bird but practice makes perfect.

Undeterred it would rise from the reservoir, shake off the water from its plumage and commence gaining height to circle once again, head facing down to the water searching, searching, only one thing on its mind -food

A fourth dive came, followed by an explosion of spray as it disappeared underwater only to as suddenly  re-emerge with a small fish in its talons, then lifting off it ruffled the water from its feathers and flew to a distant tree on Wytham Hill to consume its meagre prize.

The Osprey was a young bird hatched this year, told by the buff fringes to its upperwing feathers. It has come from most probably Scotland or possibly further north in Scandinavia. Being a juvenile, newly independent and inexperienced it is having to learn quickly so I suppose to catch a fish no matter what size is a step in the right direction and bodes well for the future. Let's hope so. 

This will be its first flight south with still a long way to migrate to its winter home in southern Africa and it will not return, all being well until the year after next. The hazards facing it are many but for now all is well. 

Farmoor Reservoir Double 2nd September 2025

Mark (P) and myself spent the morning at an unexpectedly deserted Slimbridge WWT. I suppose the reason being the schools have gone back and rain was predicted.

Certainly the conditions for viewing were less than ideal with a murky gloom settling over the grounds and the River Severn beyond. We saw a Wood Sandpiper distantly and Mark got very excited about a free flying Black Swan which, while very striking in flight, I informed him he could not count.

Whilst touring the grounds we learned that a juvenile male Garganey had been discovered at our local Farmoor Reservoir  this same morning and with little else to see at Slimbridge we departed the grounds at around noon, intent on heading for Farmoor.

Coming back over the Cotswolds the weather took a turn for the worse with rain manifesting itself as a low lying wet mist, blanketing the hills and limiting visibility. Depressingly it looked set for the day but as we got near to my home in northwest Oxfordshire it lifted and the weather now looked like it would only bring infrequent rain showers interspersed with dry spells and even sunshine

At least there was no wind to speak of.

It was grey but dry when we arrived at the reservoir in early afternoon and knowing the Garganey was at the far western end of the causeway we set off to see it. As we walked a post came on the Oxon Bird Forum about an adult Little Gull being found by Thomas M on the larger  basin of the reservoir but we were unsure of where.Scanning from the central causeway we could see no sign of any gull apart from the regular Yellow legged and Herring Gulls feasting on a dead fish that had washed up at the water's edge

I checked for the Little Stint as we made our way along but that had gone so I suggested to Mark we prioritise the Garganey, then return and look for the Little Gull which we learned was in the company of some Black headed Gulls at the other eastern end of the causeway that we had just left. Frustratingly we had almost walked right past the gull but as we did not know about it that was hardly unexpected

The Garganey was easily discovered, squatting on the concrete shelving by the water,  a noticeably small duck in the company of some larger dozing Mallard and a couple of Canada Geese and not at all phased by our close proximity.It made a brief excursion onto the water but soon returned to land.

A shake of its feathers revealed a blue grey forewing confirming it as a male and judging by the freshness of the rest of its feathers it was a juvenile.

That really was all there was to it. For once everything had gone to plan and after taking the requisite photos and admiring this diminutive summer migrant duck we made haste back to the corner of the larger basin to try our luck with the Little Gull.

We were halfway down the causeway when we noticed an ominous grey cloud that carried an imminent threat of rain and which duly delivered but thankfully both of us had had the presence of mind to don waterproof jackets in anticipation of such when we had arrived at the reservoir. Even so the rain managed to inflict its customary misery on the exposed causeway but we soldiered on determined to do our best to see the Little Gull.The rain passed as quickly as it arrived and we were now confronted with dazzling sunshine, the  sunlight turning the waters a shimmering mercury like silver.

Getting to where the Little Gull had been seen earlier I asked another birder if he had seen the gull.

No, was the abrupt reply.

We checked a scattering of Black headed Gulls hunting a shoal of small fish just offshore and which the Little Gull had apparently been  associating with earlier but now we could find no sign of its presence. 

We were on our own and looking into the sun, consequently all I was in fact checking were silhouettes of Black headed Gulls on the water.Not at all satisfactory but it did not matter as none were our prize bird. 

Had it gone in the rain or moved elsewhere on the reservoir?

Then a gull flew above the other gulls sat on the water, it looked markedly small and as it  flew closer, banked and I could see it had diagnostic black underwings. We had found the adult Little Gull. 

Initially the gull  was quite distant and the sun having turned the waters to a very similar colour to the small white gull, made picking it out flying at long range difficult but we were not about to give up. It eventually settled at the back of the other gulls to sit on the water doing very little and becoming even harder to detect.

We could wait 

We lingered for some time and then it flew back alongside the reservoir wall to the concrete hardstanding, somewhat whimsically known to the yachting fraternity as  'the beach' by the causeway and from where they launch their sailing dinghys  and here was the opportunity I craved to get some images and admire this most delicate and tern like of gulls.

It showed little fear at my or anyone else's close presence, flying around a large red buoy prospecting the shallow water and every so often crash landing in the water with wings raised to seize a small fish.

It was feisty and if a Black headed Gull threatened it, brooked no nonsense, responding with thrusting open bill and spread wings. Mind you it sometimes went the other way!

It ceased flying around and settled to stand at the edge of the hardstanding for a long time  before flying to a nearby landing stage and going to sleep there with some other gulls.

Little Gulls are regular annual passage migrants at the reservoir in variable but small numbers, mainly in Spring and occasionally at other times single birds can and do turn up but rarely if ever come as close as this individual and grant such close views for such a prolonged period.

The Little Gull is the smallest gull in the world and breeds on fresh water lakes and marshes from northern Scandinavia and the eastern Baltic to eastern Siberia. They spend the winter at sea along the coasts of Europe as far south as the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. Exceptionally in 2016, a pair successfully bred at the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg reserve in Aberdeenshire, Scotland but that remains the sole breeding record for Britain.

Looking to the southwest we could see another build up of cloud signifying impending rain so we took the sensible option of leaving the exposed reservoir.