Week 31
30 July – 5 August 2025
During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the thirty-first week’s recap. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate year ticks.
August 1 - Day 213: 198
Today, my dad brought my grandpa and I to Wytham woods, before work, in search of Marsh tit. We soon discovered, however, that it was shut until 10am and that we needed a permit to enter. In the half hour we were there, we heard Treecreepers and a Nuthatch, before deciding to go to Farmoor Reservoir, instead, and it was a good idea, to say the least!
We took the bus from Botley, which we missed by just a few seconds, and arrived at Farmoor village 9:20am. We arrived at the reservoir 20 mins later. Before very long, I noticed a small yellowish wagtail. Later that day, I was able to confirm my suspicions of a juvenile Yellow Wagtail. Moments later, I noticed a “Larus” gull, feeding on a dead fish. I snapped some photos, confirming with some other birders that it was a Yellow-legged Gull! I then continued walked across the causeway, spotting an adult and juvenile Dunlin. I processed to walk back to the east side of the reservoirs. I walked around the north reservoir, since a female Ruddy Duck had been seen earlier that morning. I took some time to photograph a juvenile Common Tern and to show a female Red-crested Pochard to a walking group. They told me that some birders had just shown them the Ruddy Duck and pointed me in the right direction. Indeed, the next group of birders had cameras pointed at the large flock of Great-crested Grebes. The showed me the Ruddy Duck, in the flock of grebes, not only a year tick but a lifer! I continued walking, seeing some Chiffchaffs, the Yellow-legged Gull, an Egyptian Goose, a massive group of Coot, 5 Little Grebes and a couple Cormorants. At this point, I had been satisfied with my sightings and the calories I had burnt off! Therefore, my grandpa and I took the bus back to Botley, where we had lunch with my dad. We then proceeded to take 2 more buses back to our home.
August 2 - Day 214: 199
While my sisters were at some friends house, my parents, grandpa and I went to London Luton Airport again. On the way, we stopped at Aston Rowant NNR, in the Chilterns, in search of Silver-spotted Skipper and Chalk Hill Blue. My goal was to see a total of 10 butterfly species that day. Our first was Gatekeeper, followed shortly by Green-veined White, Small White, Large White, Meadow Brown, and Speckled Wood. Then, we saw a Small Heath, and, while I was trekking through the chalk grasslands, I noticed my first target: the Chalk Hill Blue (lifer!) as well as a Common Blue. My next target was going to be harder to find, but after a little while, I noticed on the path in front of me, a Silver-spotted Skipper. I later saw some more and a Six-spot Burnet moth. Birdwise, I got my first Green Woodpecker of the year. #UK 199!
At College Lake, that afternoon we didn't see much other than a Brimstone, Red Admiral and a Hobby.
August 3 - Day 115: 200
On our way up north from Oxford, we stopped at RSPB Baron's Haugh, in South Lanarkshire, in search of some Scottish year ticks. I saw a couple Nuthatches before entering the Marsh hide. There were Mallards, Teal, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Coot, and, to my delight, 3 Green Sandpipers. Happy with our sightings, and needing to hit the road again, we put an end to our short but fun birding session.
August 5 - Day 117: 200
Today, due to a storm yesterday, we went to Girdleness to see what was kicking about. Unfortunately, seconds after our arrival, it started raining. Therefore, my dad and sisters stayed in the car while I got out to do some seawatching. As I was getting my scope out of the car, I noticed an immature “Larus” gull, with a pale head and broad, black terminal band. Over the three years I've been birding for, I have seen too many self-proclaimed Caspian Gulls, but this one was different. Deciding not to do any seawatching, I followed the gull, getting distracted by a Painted Lady and a pale-morph Arctic Skua. While scanning Greyhope bay, I saw a flock of Turnstones, Kittiwakes, and some Sandwich Terns. Suddenly, the gull flew past and I managed to get some record shots.
Day 113: https://ebird.org/checklist/S264195631
Day 114: https://ebird.org/checklist/S264510726 ; https://ebird.org/checklist/S264512133
Day 115: https://ebird.org/checklist/S264842197
Day 117: https://ebird.org/checklist/S265448933
