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 |