PREDICTED ADDITIONS TO THE FARMOOR LIST

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Over the course of the last 12 months there have been no fewer than seven new species added to the Farmoor list: Purple Heron, Great White Egret, White Stork, Shorelark, Quail, Marsh Sandpiper and Buff-bellied Pipit. With the exception of the last two, all were predicted to appear sooner or later. It seems an opportune moment to compile a list of the others that are eagerly anticipated:

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Storm Petrel Unlike Leach's Petrel, 'Stormies' are far less vulnerable to inland displacement, but they have been very rarely observed in neighbouring counties, ie: at Draycote Water, Warwickshire in September 1970 and Queen Mother Reservoir, Berkshire on the seemingly unlikely date of 2nd December 2003.

Night Heron With the occurrence of Purple Heron and Great White Egret on the Pinkhill/Shrike Meadow Reserve within the last eight months, it's perhaps not that unreasonable to hope that this might be the next heron species to put in an appearance.

Cattle Egret Considering the recent widespread influx into the UK, this really was the year when a Cattle Egret was a more likely addition to the list than a Great White Egret. If this species continues to increase, there’s always a chance of one being seen at Farmoor, maybe in the sheep fields alongside the river.

Spoonbill It feels as if this really should be on the Farmoor list already. Spoonbill has been recorded with some regularity at other inland counties, and has been seen at nearby Dix Pit and on Otmoor. However the available habitat is perhaps not that attractive, so it will most likely be just be chance 'fly-over'.

Cattle Egret, St Ives, Cornwall, December 2007 & Spoonbill, Portugal, March 2005.

American Wigeon In 'the old days' when the numbers of Wigeon wintering at the reservoir reached triple figures, finding this duck in amongst them was a distinct possibility. Now we are lucky to get even a dozen birds, so American Wigeon at Farmoor is in fact a fast fading dream.

Green-winged Teal Just occasionally small parties of Teal arrive at Pinkhill, or frequent flooded fields alongside the Thames. There's no reason why there shouldn't be one of their American counterparts in amongst them. There have been Oxon records from Day's Lock and Dix Pit already.

Green-winged Teal, Hayle, Cornwall, December 2004.

Black Kite Seemingly increasing as an early spring vagrant around the country. It'll be a 'fly-over' and will have to be well seen, given that Red Kite is an increasing visitor to the reservoir.

Honey Buzzard This migrant raptor must surely have passed undetected through Farmoor airspace already. Only a matter of time before it’s added to the list.

Goshawk Perhaps systematic scanning of the skies above Wytham, on fine days in late winter just might produce a sighting. It's still a very rare bird in the county though.

Red-footed Falcon There are 4 records in Oxon already, including a very ‘showy’ female which spent a few days around Merton Pit in late June 1997. There was nothing particularly special about it's chosen habitat. Pinkhill/Shrike Meadow could easily host the next one.

Red-footed Falcon, Marston Vale, Bedfordshire, June 2006.

Spotted Crake Pinkhill in mid August, if the water levels are low, looks 'tailor made' for this small crake. One has occurred at the not dissimilar habitat of Wormleighton Reservoir just up the road near Banbury.

Black-winged Stilt Another species that has been seen in the county on more than one occasion, and could easily be recorded again. It’s not too difficult to imagine one….or two, striding around Shrike Meadow.

Black-winged Stilt, Portugal, March 2005.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper A bit of a long shot, but there have been three records at Draycote Water, which is just 55 miles to the north east. However the concrete shoreline of Farmoor is unlikely to be attractive to this species and Port Meadow just over the hill is a more likely location.

Lesser Yellowlegs A distinct possibility. Other Tringa waders such as Redshank and Greenshank happily feed along the shoreline and a ‘Lesser-legs’ could easily join them one day.

Lesser Yellowlegs, Hayle, Cornwall, December 2003.

White-rumped Sandpiper Perhaps one of these American ‘peeps’ might consort with a small autumn group of Dunlin feeding along the causeway. Already on the Oxon list by virtue of the juvenile at Radley in late October 2005.

Solitary Sandpiper There have been an incredible 4 records of this American wader in the nearby land-locked county of Hertfordshire! Solitary Sandpiper is renowned for inhabiting the smallest of water bodies. With both Green Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper occasionally visiting Shrike Meadow and Pinkhill, it's always worth bearing this wader in mind during the late summer and autumn.

Wilson's Phalarope Another new world species that has been discovered at inland water bodies on more than one occasion, most notably with recent records from Buckinghamshire. Whilst it commonly walks the shoreline, this wader also habitually swims, and could happily feed in this manner at Farmoor if the concrete shoreline wasn't to it's liking.

Laughing Gull There have been 3 Bonaparte's Gulls and 2 Franklin's Gulls at the reservoir, but so far, no Laughing Gull. Without doubt the most widely predicted addition to the Farmoor list. It has not been recorded at all in Oxon, but has been seen in all neighbouring counties. Farmoor is perhaps the most likely location for the first record. If so, It will probably be found buried deep in the winter gull roost, but could just as easily be a summer plumaged adult loitering around the reservoir perimeter one spring morning.

Adult Laughing Gull, Reading, Berkshire, February 2006.

Caspian Tern This impressive and unmistakeable tern is no stranger to inland waters. It has been seen nearby in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. It does however seem to like hanging about on muddy spits and shorelines, both of which are in short supply at Farmoor. It could linger on one of the large sailing club buoys but more likely will pass through quickly, in much the same manner as spring Little and Sandwich Terns.

Whiskered Tern Rarely do the months of April and May pass by without local birders muttering about this species. It is as widely predicted to occur as Laughing Gull. Recent records from the nearby Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire and Willen Lake, Buckinghamshire are keeping Farmoor birders ever alert to this very striking marsh tern.

Whiskered Tern, Radipole, Dorset, May 2008.

Guillemot The auk list for Farmoor is not surprisingly very slim, in fact limited to one record of a briefly seen Little Auk in November 1998. Perhaps a Guillemot (or Razorbill or Puffin for that matter) might arrive one hot sunny summers afternoon, having been displaced by coastal sea fog (see Palmer, British Birds, Vol. 93 page 204).

Alpine Swift Along with Whiskered Tern and Laughing Gull, this swift completes the trio of most predicted species. Unlike the other two though, it's pointless going looking for one. It can occur anytime from late February to early autumn but will no doubt be a pleasant and unexpected surprise for somebody one day.

Hoopoe Very nearly on the Farmoor list…but not quite. Hoopoes have been seen at the Swinford Toll along the Thames, and up the hill in Cumnor. Surely one will be found within the reservoir boundary one of these days.

Hoopoe, Reading, Berkshire, April 2005.

Bee-eater On a hot sunny day, in a good year for the species, they can turn up anywhere. There have been several Oxon records.

Red-throated Pipit If Buff-bellied Pipit can make it onto the Farmoor list, this species can. Perhaps most likely mixed in with an autumn flock of Meadow Pipits, or even a chance sighting of a spring red-throated bird. A bit of a long shot though.

Waxwing In an invasion winter, a Waxwing or two in the car park trees or the back gardens of Farmoor village adjacent to F.1. is a distinct possibility.

Great Reed Warbler Perhaps, on the face of it, rather wishful thinking, but vagrant Great Reed Warblers have happily sung from smaller reed beds than those at Shrike Meadow and Buckthorn Meadow. They have been recorded further down the Thames Valley in Berkshire as well as several other inland counties.

Great Reed Warbler, Allesa, Cyprus, March 2008.

Yellow-browed Warbler The various bits of 'cover' between the reservoir and the river are proven staging posts for migrating warblers in late summer. Perhaps in September or October a YBW might also pass through these trees and bushes, or find itself in company with one of the many tit flocks found in these areas later in the year.

Firecrest As with the above species, there is always the chance of one of these in the midst of a winter tit flock. Or maybe even a singing bird in spring in the conifers behind Farmoor village.

Golden Oriole There have been at least 2 records from Wytham, which is well within sight of Farmoor. There is just an outside chance of one turning up in the more wooded areas adjacent to the reservoir.

Red-backed Shrike Perhaps surprisingly there are no known records of this shrike from the early days of Farmoor. It's probably a bit late now for this ever decreasing visitor, but one could just make it. Another very long shot.

Woodchat Shrike Actually a better contender than the above. The areas of scrubby grassland that border the north western section of F.1. have plenty of ideal shrike bushes. Already on the Oxon list with five records to date.

Woodchat Shrike. Portugal, March 2005.

Crossbill About as likely as Hawfinch to occur at Farmoor, but the latter has been recorded on two occasions, and so could Crossbill. Given that the species is sometimes prone to irruptive movements that take them well away from their preferred habitat, a single bird, or a small group, could fly over, and the distinctive and far carrying call would give them away.

Little Bunting The areas of reeds around Buckthorn Meadow have attracted large numbers of Reed Buntings and the recently established feeding station in the area regularly produce late winter counts in excess of 40 birds. Careful checking of these flocks could easily produce a Little Bunting.

Rustic Bunting As above, but much less likely. Inland birds are very rare but have included wintering records from Worcestershire and Surrey.

Lapland Bunting Although Snow Bunting has been recorded several times along the causeway, Lapland Bunting has somewhat different habits. Maybe a calling bird flying over, or perhaps feeding with Skylarks in stubble alongside the Thames.


….and there is always scope for the totally UN-PREDICTABLE as the following records from other inland water bodies testifies:

Great Shearwater: Willen Lake, Bucks, 27th December 1999.

Little Shearwater: Rostherne Mere, Cheshire, 29th June-2nd July 1977.

Yellow-nosed Albatross: Carsington Water, Derbyshire, 2nd July 2007.

Bridled Tern: Rutland Water, Leicestershire, 8th-9th June 1984.

Bridled Tern: Earl's Barton Gravel Pits, Northamptonshire, 29th May 1993.

Sooty Tern: Staines Reservoir, Middlesex, 18th August 1971.

Sooty Tern: Ditchford Gravel Pits, Northamptonshire, 29th-30th May 1980.

White-throated Needletail: Wierton Hill Reservoir, Kent, 26th May 1991.

White-throated Needletail: Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire, 1st June 1991 (presumed same bird as Weirton Hill Reservoir).

Pallid Swift: Willington Gravel Pits, Derbyshire, 3rd August 1998.

Little Swift: Netherfield Lagoon, Nottinghamshire, 26th-29th May 2001.

Crag Martin: Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire, 17th April 1999.

Desert Wheatear: Greater London, Barn Elms Reservoir, 13th-14th April 1989.

Black-eared Wheatear: Bewl Water, Kent, 5th May 1988.

Radde's Warbler: Bough Beech Reservoir, Kent, 28th October 1984.

Arctic Warbler: Blithfield Reservoir: Staffordshire, 8th-11th September 1993.

Penduline Tit: Brent Reservoir, Middlesex, 16th-22nd November 1996.

Black-faced Bunting: Pennington Flash, Greater Manchester, 24th April-8th March 1994.

Blackpoll Warbler: Bewl Water, East Sussex, 10th-20th December 1994.

White-throated Needletail, Weirton Hill Reservoir, Kent, 26th May 1991. (photo © Tim Loseby).

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© Nic Hallam May 2008.