The following is a list of species I encountered:

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1. Cormorant – seen throughout the year along the river

2. Grey Heron – seen along the river regularly

3. Great White Egret – twice seen flying over village

4. Mute Swan – regularly seen on river, pair with young noted

5. Greylag Goose – regularly seen along river and in fields

6. White fronted goose – one of the highlights of the year, a family party of 6 were located by 4 arches bridge in February, these birds are most likely from Russia and were the first in the immediate vicinity since 2011.  2026 has been a particularly good year for these birds in the UK and at the there has been a flock of over 250 at Rspb Otmoor in Oxford

7. Canada Goose – regularly seen along river and fields

8. Egyptian Goose – 85 seen together on one occasion in the field to North of Woodcote Road

9. Ruddy shelduck – seen on a couple of occasions in September amongst the other geese

10. Mandarin duck – male seen flying along river

11. Mallard – along river

12. Red Kite – widespread

13. Marsh Harrier – a highlight was a young male marsh harrier that seemed to be resident around the village in Spring / early summer​

14. Sparrowhawk – seen regularly around village

15. Buzzard – seen regularly around village

16. Kestrel – seen regularly around village

17. Hobby – seen twice around village in Summer/Autumn

18. Peregrine – seen and heard on several occasions around the village, a highlight in the Summer when an adult female and two young spent considerable time around the village

19. Red-legged partridge – regularly seen around arable areas

20. Grey partridge – seen on a couple of occasions around arable areas, much trickier to find than red-legged

21. Pheasant – widespread

22. Water Rail – periodically encountered in wetter areas around village, seen on several occasions but heard more frequently

23. Coot – on river occasionally

24. Moorhen – on river regularly

25. Oystercatcher – 2 flying along river in June

26. Golden plover – only encountered on one occasion over arable fields

27. Lapwing – around Arable areas, mainly in winter

28. Snipe – in area along river in early spring, particularly just before dusk when birds would leave sedgy areas. Had hoped to encounter “drumming” birds which might be indicative of breeding but no such luck

29. Common sandpiper – periodically seen along river in spring and early summer

30. Black headed gull – congregating in arable fields mainly autumn/winter

31. Lesser black backed gull – congregating in arable fields often in large numbers 700 +

32. Herring gull – smaller numbers present

33. Common gulls – congregating in arable fields 

34. Common tern – along river in summer

35. Stock dove – flock of 300+ seen in field in September

36. Wood Pigeon – widespread, large flocks in autumn/winter

37. Collared dove – widespread

38. Ring necked Parakeet – the 100th   bird species of the year over Withymead in October

39. Cuckoo – seemed to be a good year for Cuckoos lots of calling and sightings predominately along river in Spring & Summer

40. Green Woodpecker – encountered on most loops

41. Great spotted woodpecker – regularly seen or heard

42. Skylark – present in good numbers through arable areas, lots of singing in spring and large numbers in stubble areas in autumn / winter

43. Sand martin – seen twice along river in spring/autumn

44. Swallow – seen throughout spring/summer

45. House Martin - seen throughout spring/summer

46. Meadow pipit – numbers largest in autumn/winter in arable areas, often quite noisy

47. Yellow wagtails – noted throughout summer in arable fields

48. Grey wagtail – throughout year along river

49. Pied wagtail – throughout year

50. Wren – throughout year

51. Dunnock – throughout year

52. Robin – throughout year

53. Whinchat – encountered on three occasions in Autumn, had been trying to find one and eventually located on weedy areas around arable fields

54. Stonechats – quite surprising number of sightings in various areas around village throughout year. Breeding confirmed in two different areas with fledged young seen ( 2 + 4 ). This is an infrequent breeder in Oxfordshire though increasing

55. Wheatear – eventually found one in October in the area around Whitehills Quarry

56. Blackbird – common

57. Song Thrush – common

58. Mistle Thrush – periodically seen

59. Redwing – seen on most winter loops

60. Fieldfare – seen on most winter loops, sometimes in groups of 100

61. Cettis warbler – seen or heard on almost every loop along river

62. Grasshopper warbler – seen or heard regularly in spring or summer, seemed to be a good year along the river with at least 4 calling

63. Sedge warbler – common along the river in spring and summer

64. Reed warbler – in spring and summer, much less common than sedge warbler

65. Lesser whitethroat – eventually tracked one down in August by the sewage plant in amongst dozens of other warblers

66. Garden warbler – small numbers located in spring/summer

67. Blackcap – seen most months on loops and other visits

68. Whitethroat – common in spring and summer

69. Chiffchaff – common throughout year, there must have been 50+ around the sewage plant in August / September

70. Willow warbler - seen and heard occasionally, mostly in spring

71. Goldcrest – seen each loop

72. Long tailed tit – common throughout area

73. Coal tit – periodically noted

74. Blue tit – common

75. Great tit – common

76. Nuthatch – proved quite difficult to find in areas of the village I visited, eventually seen at Withymead

77. Treecreeper – seen on various loops around the village and along river often amongst flocks of tits and other birds

78. Jay – seen periodically 

79. Magpie – seen on almost every visit

80. Jackdaw – common

81. Rook – common

82. Carrion Crow – common

83. Raven – encountered regularly including seven on one loop with four together in trees close to river

84. Starling – common

85. House sparrow – common

86. Chaffinch – common

87. Goldfinch – common

88. Greenfinch - common

89. Siskin – periodically encountered in winter months, in alders along river

90. Redpoll – encountered on two occasions in winter months in alders

91. Linnet – one of the highlights of the year was a significant linnet flock of 1500+ in weedy area north of Woodcote rd in winter. One of the highest counts of Linnet in Oxfordshire over last 20 years.      

92. Crossbill – heard and seen on two occasions in Autumn / Winter

93. Yellowhammer – seen in arable / hedge areas around village, flock of 20 + noted at end of year

94. Reed Bunting – seen regularly along river and also in arable fields in summer where I presume they breed

95. Corn-buntings – good vocal numbers throughout the arable / hedge areas around village 

96. Barn Owl – encountered periodically at dusk

97. Little Owl – seen once early in the year but not seen again

98. Tawny Owl – often heard at dusk

99. Swift – seen regularly in Summer

100. Kingfisher – seen or heard on almost every loop along river

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This list of one hundred species is testament to a wonderful array of wildlife in the South Stoke area. There are several more that could easily have been added too however, they chose not to make an appearance on my official list such as Bullfinch and Marsh tit. Perhaps one or two waders might have been seen and some other duck species.

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This task showed me what sort of variety there is around the village and you should be ready for the odd surprise!

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I hope this list will inspire readers to keep their eyes and ears open and where possible, add sightings to the eBird database. In spite of the challenges faced by British wildlife, we live in an area of abundant species and it's great to see SSWCG initiatives attempting to keep it that way.

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Paul Rainsden