The Fauna of Elsfield in 1927

The following wildlife was recorded in The Manor of Elsfield by George Norman Clark, Fellow of Oriel College, 1927 (for private circulation).

There were 10 animals recorded:

Fox Badger (common in Woodeaton Wood) Otter (in Cherwell)
Brown Squirrels (a few) Grey squirrels Rabbits
Hares Stoats Weasels
Polecat (last seen 1881 by H. Parsons)

 


 

There were 3 fish recorded:

Ordinary varieties of coarse fish Crayfish (in Cherwell) Trout (in Cherwell, used to be in Bayswater Brook)

 


 

There were 55 birds recorded:

Sparrow hawk Kestrel Carrion crow
Rook Magpie Jay
Jackdaw Starling Thrush
Missel thrush Blackbird Lapwing
Partridge Pheasant Barn owl
Little owl Landrail Mallard
Stockdove Ringdove Turtledove
Great spotted woodpecker Lesser spotted woodpecker Green woodpecker
Pied flycatcher Spotted flycatcher House sparrow
Chaffinch Linnet Greenfinch
Bullfinch Goldfinch Lesser redpoll
Hawfinch Nuthatch Skylark
Yellowhammer Corn bunting Pied wagtail
Yellow wagtail Tree creeper Hedge sparrow
Swallow House martin Chiff chaff
Black cap Garden warbler White throat
Lesser white throat Redstart Redbreast
Nightingale Cuckoo Moorhen
Little grebe Reed warbler Sedge warbler
Wheatear Great tit Longtailed tit
Blue tit Wren Goldcrest
Willow warbler Nightjar

 


 

Other information:

Otmoor: Herons, snipe, redshank and curlew.Hobby nested in Pennywell Copse before it was cut down.

Peregrine falcon seen by Mr Parsons. In Summer 1920, a pair appeared above the Manor lawns, possibly from Wales.

Golden Oriole seen on road near Fox Cover in May 1921 and again in May 1922.

Hoopoe seen at north end of Woodeaton Wood April 1920.

Common sandpiper may nest at Suscot.

Mr Parsons once shot a Green sandpiper in Mill Meadow. He has also seen a short-eared owl and thinks they may breed here. He has shot the Solitary or Double Snipe. Seen Great Grey Shrike and Red backed shrike.

John Greaves recalls that when he came to Elsfield in 1840 the Kite was plentiful and the Bittern not unknown. Colony of Kites in trees below Woodperry. Saw flocks of goldfinches on Elsfield side of Bayswater brook. Sometimes shot quail and partridge and has seen the hoodie-crow.

In May 1921 all three wagtails – pied, yellow and grey – seen on Manor lawn.

Woodcock nests in Oxfordshire. May be a nest at the Wick.

Winter: migrants on Otmoor. Swans, Geese including greylag. Curlew, Golden Plover, Sheveller, Golden eye, Tufted ducks.

 


 

Local names for birds:

Gor-crow: Carrion crow
Bumbarrel: Long-tailed tit
Thrusher: Song thrush
Horn owl: Long-eared owl
Heckle: Green woodpecker
Felt: Fieldfare
Jinny polly: Whitethroat
Blue rock: Stockdove
Maggy pie: Magpie
Thin builder: Sedge warbler
Mollern: Heron
Hedge/tree magpie: Common magpie
Jay pie: Jay
Northern thrusher: Mistle thrush
Grey crow: Hoodie crow

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