Atlasing in Stadhampton

After procrastinating somewhat after Christmas and the snow, and with the weather and wife in my favour I decided on Sunday to undertake the first of my five self-allocated TTVs (Timed Tetrad Visit) for the second half of the third winter of the Bird Atlas.

Tetrad SU69 E contains the village of Stadhampton, a large amount of farmland, a small amount of parkland and a small number of ponds; on the face of it habitats not likely to produce anything too interesting!

The tetrad species number stood at 45, and on my first winter visit I managed 38 species; so I had set myself a target of boosting the total by five to reach 50 species for the tetrad by the end of my 2-hour TTV.

The TTV started off well, with large numbers of the more urban species found in Stadhampton; at least 52 Starlings, 33 House Sparrows and 16 Collared Doves (and also some Snowdrops in flower). Other species in the village included good
numbers of Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird and Robin (with fewer encountered in the surrounding farmland, no doubt many of these birds had moved from the farmland into the village to take advantage of feeders and due to the slightly warmer
conditions). Leaving the village (and breathing a sigh of relief that nobody had come to accost me for: a) walking around a village early in the morning where nobody knew me, b) for having binoculars around my neck and occasionally looking
through them at distant roof tops (not through windows!) and c) writing stuff in a small black notebook) and into the parkland produced two calling Great Spotted Woodpeckers, excellent views of two Treecreepers and at least five Stock Doves.

Continuing into the arable farmland, and with the sun breaking through the grey cloud overhead, I spotted a large flock of thrushes moving from a group of trees onto the farmland to feed, I counted approximately 150 Fieldfares, seven
Redwings and three Mistle Thrushes (with at least one singing).

Other species encountered included a small number of Yellowhammer, Linnet and a large flock of Black-headed Gulls feeding in a field. With 15 minutes to go I started to head back to car to try and scoop up any remaining birds; on crossing a wet field I managed to flush a feeding Snipe (a tetrad tick I thought at the time), a Grey Heron, and managed to note a couple of Red Kite and Kestrel that were flying over some sheep grazed fields. Totting up back at the car showed that I had recorded 41 species, which wasn't too bad considering the habitats within the tetrad.

All in all, an enjoyable morning spent walking around a part of Oxfordshire I wouldn't normally go to, keeping fit (I estimate I walked around 5½ miles), increasing my birding skills and contributing to the Bird Atlas.

I managed to boost the tetrad species number up to 48 (two species short of my target), with Grey Heron, Snipe and Kestrel tetrad ticks. I can't think that there can be too many more species to be recorded in the tetrad, maybe
Sparrowhawk and Coal Tit, so if you happen to be passing through Stadhampton (or anywhere) and see these (or any) species, the Bird Atlas website awaits your records!