# Sightings

Date: 2022-02-25 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Many more of the black-headed gulls now have the full black head characteristic of summer plumage, as opposed to just the behind-the-eye dot of winter plumage


Date: 2022-02-28 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Flowering period is coming to an end. The flowers are much less extensive, though the leaves are still there


Date: 2022-03-01 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Woke early today, around 3:30-4:00 a.m. and noticed that the wood pigeons started cooing very softly, stopping after a few minutes. This has happened a few times lately


Date: 2022-03-01 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  The winter aconite by Wick Hall are almost finished flowering now, with far fewer flowers and the leaves starting to turn yellow


Date: 2022-03-09 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  One individual wing-flapping in a manner characteristic of juveniles asking to be fed. However, the books suggest they breed in the UK starting from April and I&#x27;ve seen no other youngsters


Date: 2022-03-22 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Investigating the Jasmine in the back garden at home - prime nesting site. Also investigating the eaves and the edge of the roofing tiles on the house behind ours.


Date: 2022-04-06 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Male and female blackbird squabbling in the back garden - fluttering up from the top of the shed fighting, then back down, and repeating.


Date: 2022-04-08 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  One robin tussling with a worm in the field to the right of the Radley Road, heading towards Thrupp Lane


Date: 2022-04-09 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including one individual engaging in wing-flapping behaviour like a juvenile trying to attract an adult to be fed. This one was in adult plumage, though, and the reference books say Starlings breed from April to July in the UK so to be in adult plumage it&#x27;d&#x27;ve been very early. Saw this earlier in the year, too


Date: 2022-05-12 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  There are a lot of juvenile starlings around in the garden and the area around the house this morning. One was caught by a magpie that proceeded to eat it on the patio.


Date: 2022-06-22 00:00:00
Notes:
  Also known as black-faced monkey or &quot;blue balls&quot; monkey after what Philip, our guide, referred to as it&#x27;s blue &quot;jingle-bells&quot;


Date: 2022-06-22 00:00:00
Notes:
  Our first sighting of a leopard up a tree. It came down as we watched and was the inspiration for our purchase of the ebony leopard, as it was in exactly that position as it climbed down


Date: 2022-06-22 00:00:00
Notes:
  This bird provides the background track for time spent in the Serengeti and Tarangire. From sunrise to sunset, it&#x27;s voice is a three-note &quot;oo-oo-rrooo&quot; repeated over and over again, sounding like &quot;work-harder&quot;


Date: 2022-06-25 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including one sub-adult male that decided to try to hunt three adult African buffalo ... they spotted him, he thought better of it!


Date: 2022-06-26 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including a &quot;nursery&quot;, where an adult looks after a group of youngsters from multiple parents. One approximately 10-day old youngster with umbilical cord still attached (dark in colour, not pink)


Date: 2022-06-26 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including two cubs perched on a rocky outcrop and a lion roaring in the near distance (up to 8 km away) in the evening (at 10 p.m.)


Date: 2022-06-27 00:00:00
Notes:
  Roaring in the near distance (up to 8 km away) in the morning (at 6 a.m.). Lionesses x 2 with a kill (large antelope such as eland or hartebeest) and 3 approximately 4-week old cubs attempting to eat from the bones with them. Female suckled the cubs while we were watching. Male was nearby, hidden in a shallow ditch. Two lionesses chilling up a tree.


Date: 2022-06-27 00:00:00
Notes:
  From a distance, we saw herds of antelope running in two opposite directions away from a point near the road. When we got there, there was a cheetah sat in the long grass just by the road at that point


Date: 2022-06-27 00:00:00
Notes:
  Male carrying a young Thompson&#x27;s gazelle that they&#x27;d captured. Observed them eating it together.


Date: 2022-06-27 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including a newborn, which was only an hour or two old - umbilical cord still attached and pink in colour, very unstable on its feet. Blended extremely well with the bush it crouched down behind


Date: 2022-06-28 00:00:00
Notes:
  Hee-hawing in the night. Saw a huge migrating herd, filtering into a plain, fanning out over it then making their way across it and the road to drink at a river. Very beautiful, very emotive.


Date: 2022-06-29 00:00:00
Notes:
  From the air (balloon safari), we saw a column of them being harassed by 4 or 5 hyenas. At the grummet river, saw many drowned (due to high water and a tendency to charge headlong and trample those who&#x27;ve gone before). Passable in the morning but on the return in the later afternoon, after a day under the hot African sun, some bodies were bloating and the stench made me retch.


Date: 2022-07-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  This is a favourite food for elephants and on occasion is poisoned by poachers and left as bait, causing indiscriminate slaughter


Date: 2022-08-24 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  For the last few weeks, I&#x27;ve seen significant groups (up to 6) of what I think are young magpies in the garden - looks like we&#x27;ve been hosting a family that&#x27;s fledged


Date: 2022-09-26 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Despite the impact of the drought and the disease that affected the horse chestnuts during it, a few of them on my morning walk route have managed to produce good crops of conkers!


Date: 2022-09-27 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  For the past few days, groups of up to 6 or so song thrushes have been gathering on the telegraph line over Peachcroft Farm. Probably a roosting aggregation, as they&#x27;re usually solitary


Date: 2023-01-24 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including one robin on the fence in the garden, watching me put the bird food out. He went straight onto the mealworm tray as soon as I&#x27;d turned to walk back into the house!


Date: 2023-01-24 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Landed on a low-hanging branch of a tree in the field next to Barrow Hills BMX track - got a good long look at it


Date: 2023-01-25 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Had to wait to close the door for a few minutes as the robin landed on the bird bath near the door as soon as I turned my back and I didn&#x27;t want to disturb him


Date: 2023-02-11 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Pair of wrens in the scrub by the cottage near Radley Boathouse - same place as we saw them last week


Date: 2023-02-15 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Large mixed flock of redwing, fieldfare, mistle thrush, goldfinch, blackbirds and woodpigeons on the football field by Thrupp Lane


Date: 2023-02-17 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Making the &quot;chuck-chuck&quot; alarm call and also singing in the garden, for the first time this year


Date: 2023-05-11 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  Including one alternately jumping up from the mealworm feeder to snatch pieces of the fat cake, above, and drinking from the water tray


Date: 2023-07-05 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  There&#x27;s been what seems to be a family group of young magpies visiting the garden for the last few weeks


Date: 2023-08-03 00:00:00
Date_Created: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Date_Updated: 1994-01-01 00:00:00
Notes:
  It&#x27;s noticeable that the large flocks of starlings and young that were flying round Peachcroft and visiting the garden have now gone


Date: 2024-02-13 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-02-13 10:10:28.911158
Date_Updated: 2024-02-13 10:10:28.911161
Notes:
  Group of 5 swooping and diving over the small copse on the dog leg on Thrupp Lane, provoking a noisy response from the crows roosting in the trees


Date: 2024-03-08 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-03-08 09:34:58.438268
Date_Updated: 2024-03-08 09:34:58.438271
Notes:
  Flew up from the low bushes at the Radley Road bend into the conifer opposite with something in its talons


Date: 2024-03-08 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-03-08 09:35:31.677736
Date_Updated: 2024-03-08 09:35:31.677740
Notes:
  Large mixed flock of fieldfare, redwing and some common starlings on the &#x27;sheep field&#x27; at Peachcroft Farm


Date: 2024-03-29 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-04-01 13:57:03.345759
Date_Updated: 2024-04-01 13:58:38.428220
Notes:
  Been very prevalent in the garden recently. One with a beak-full of nesting material this morning. Looking at the nest box camera, they are building a nest in it.


Date: 2024-04-16 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-04-16 07:46:16.343261
Date_Updated: 2024-04-16 07:48:59.692353
Notes:
  Including one on the ground feeding in the field by the dog-leg on Thrupp Lane. Couldn&#x27;t tell what it was feeding on


Date: 2024-04-17 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-04-17 07:58:27.562030
Date_Updated: 2024-04-17 07:58:27.562035
Notes:
  Perched on a horse&#x27;s back in the field by Thrupp Lane plucking fluffy fur to use as nesting material


Date: 2024-04-26 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-04-26 08:57:37.280430
Date_Updated: 2024-04-26 08:57:37.280435
Notes:
  Swooping down onto the field at Peachcroft Farm to catch something/pick it up off the ground ; couldn&#x27;t tell what it was


Date: 2024-05-05 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-05-07 08:58:30.662202
Date_Updated: 2024-05-07 08:58:30.662207
Notes:
  Chicks now have open eyes and significant fluff and feather growth. Both parents feeding them apace. Parents also chasing off house sparrows from the garden!


Date: 2024-05-09 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-05-09 14:59:48.644101
Date_Updated: 2024-05-09 14:59:48.644104
Notes:
  Chicks now very active and likely very close to fledging. Growth and change in activity over even the last 2 days is very noticeable. Parental feeding frequency might be reducing - encouraging them to fledge?


Date: 2024-05-11 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-05-12 06:43:48.611249
Date_Updated: 2024-05-12 06:43:48.611252
Notes:
  This morning, 5 out of the 6 chicks fledged (we have footage from the security camera of one strafing the fence as it found its wings in the garden). The 6th is still in the nest but being visited by the female from time to time.


Date: 2024-06-04 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-06-04 08:50:20.276776
Date_Updated: 2024-06-05 09:17:54.077219
Notes:
  Still only 3 eggs and the female has spent most of the day on the nest incubation, so that&#x27;s probably the final clutch size this time


Date: 2024-06-13 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-06-13 17:53:24.386268
Date_Updated: 2024-06-13 17:53:24.386272
Notes:
  Morning : Female arrived back at the nest but listening attentively to outside events. 3 great tits in the garden, 2 chasing one another. Full adult plumage, unable to tell if they were youngsters. Shortly later : Female repeatedly hopping up to hole to look out before briefly leaving to be fed by the male on the fence


Date: 2024-06-16 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-06-16 07:28:24.191878
Date_Updated: 2024-06-17 17:39:44.677274
Notes:
  Jackdaws nesting at the corner of the roof, behind the gutter, in the old school building behind my mum&#x27;s


Date: 2024-06-19 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-06-19 10:55:10.348763
Date_Updated: 2024-06-19 10:55:10.348768
Notes:
  4th egg has not hatched so brood of 3 chicks this time. Growth of chicks, even compared to yesterday, very noticeable


Date: 2024-06-23 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-06-23 15:00:35.221861
Date_Updated: 2024-06-23 15:00:35.221864
Notes:
  Over the past couple of days, the female has taken to sometimes standing at the edge of the nest rather than sitting on the chicks. I think this is likely because it sometimes gets hot in there, especially in the morning with the sun on the nest box


Date: 2024-07-01 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-07-01 17:53:48.073659
Date_Updated: 2024-07-02 16:15:29.135219
Notes:
  Chicks are now fully feathered, eyes fully open and preening and wing-flapping a lot. They look like &#x27;proper&#x27; great tits now. Can also hear them cheeping/chirruping from within the nest box


Date: 2024-07-03 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-07-04 04:31:17.159992
Date_Updated: 2024-07-04 04:31:17.159994
Notes:
  Lots of preening and wing flapping from the chicks in the nest box. One also flew to the top of the box, so I suspect it won&#x27;t be long until they fledge.


Date: 2024-07-05 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-07-05 11:23:44.725623
Date_Updated: 2024-07-05 11:23:44.725628
Notes:
  Chicks were in the nest this morning at ~7:10 but had fledged by 09:12, accompanied by much chirruping from the adults in the garden. Adults are still visiting the garden to collect food and take it into the tree behind, which is presumably where the youngsters are


Date: 2024-07-11 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-07-11 17:28:00.435372
Date_Updated: 2024-07-11 17:28:08.808322
Notes:
  Including blackbirds both bathing and easting on the ground feeder just 3-4 feet from where I was sitting in the garden


Date: 2024-08-06 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-08-07 14:45:42.885002
Date_Updated: 2024-08-07 14:45:42.885008
Notes:
  Bathing in the rain - fluffing out their feathers and raising their rings alternately, pointing them skywards to catch the rain on the feathers under their wings, accompanied by preening


Date: 2024-08-30 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-08-31 09:28:10.509592
Date_Updated: 2024-08-31 09:28:10.509595
Notes:
  Witnessed the woodpigeon technique for bathing today. Blackbirds et al. get in the water and flap their wings to splash water over themselves. One woodpigeon simply got in the water, fluffed up its feathers and sat down in it, sitting still for about 5 minutes to (presumably) cool off and absorb some water into the feathers.


Date: 2024-10-16 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-10-16 13:37:19.776436
Date_Updated: 2024-10-16 13:39:25.106440
Notes:
  Disappearing into hols in the wooden, thatched beach umbrella, where they presumably live/shelter/breed


Date: 2024-11-24 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-11-24 20:07:02.479175
Date_Updated: 2024-11-24 20:07:11.849302
Notes:
  Two, chasing round the garden then taking it in turns to swap between the ground feeder and bird table


Date: 2024-11-26 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-11-26 15:23:00.814318
Date_Updated: 2024-11-26 15:23:00.814320
Notes:
  Including one individual swooping low over the grass in the field nearby, attempting to catch something


Date: 2024-12-28 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2024-12-28 21:28:56.601612
Date_Updated: 2024-12-28 21:28:56.601619
Notes:
  As we sat in T5, waiting for the &quot;Airline&quot; bus back to Oxford, it scampered out from under my chair, across the floor and disappeared into the superstructure of the building!


Date: 2025-04-23 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2025-04-23 14:06:42.243725
Date_Updated: 2025-04-24 14:52:07.073294
Notes:
  Male bringing food to the female on the nest. By this evening, 4 of the 6 eggs have hatched. This is 14 days after laying, which is right on the 13-15 day range.


Date: 2025-05-11 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2025-05-12 14:35:01.218171
Date_Updated: 2025-05-12 14:35:01.218294
Notes:
  Four chicks in the nestbox this afternoon. Two fledged, one seen in the garden being fed by the adults, subsequently flew into the trees and bushes over the back wall


Date: 2025-05-13 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2025-05-14 15:49:25.405502
Date_Updated: 2025-05-14 15:49:25.405504
Notes:
  3 chicks on the nest in the nestbox this morning. 2 fledged during the morning and the final one during the afternoon


Date: 2025-08-25 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2025-08-25 12:16:54.082580
Date_Updated: 2025-08-25 12:16:54.082588
Notes:
  Two groups of 5 and then 6. Second group may have been the first with a newcomer. Seem to go round in pairs, at least


Date: 2025-10-15 00:00:00
Date_Created: 2025-10-15 15:17:14.278172
Date_Updated: 2025-10-15 15:17:14.278180
Notes:
  Including 3 on the ground in one of the Peachcroft Farm fields that the farmer was ploughing, along with many gulls, crows and jackdaws


