Sightings 8/3/11

Please note new e-mail address for sending in sightings:

BOCbirdsightings@hotmail.co.uk

Another fine sunny day but with a cold northerly breeze to hold back the migrants. The weather is set to change tomorrow with winds veering SW. Portland had their first Wheatears today.


BRISTOL:

Horfield: a ♂ Blackcap in the garden today, the regular wintering bird not a migrant (J Bimson).

Clifton: a singing Blackcap here today (A Gibb). No way of knowing if it's a new migrant or not.

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

8.3.11 another pic of the Spoonbill
© John Bimson, many thanks

BRADLEY STOKE:
At least 20 Waxwing at the pub/Aldi store/roundabout again this evening (A Devine)


SEVERNSIDE:

New Passage: the Barnacle Goose still present. Other birds, 40 Shelduck, 100 Wigeon, 40 Teal, single Dunlin, 35 Redshank and 22 Turnstone.


Severn Beach: just 1 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall and 2 Tufted today plus a belated report of the Bittern seen here again on 26 February (per severnsidebirds).


PORTBURY WHARF:
Not much happening here yet except for an influx of 12 Pied Wagtails on the island (R Hawley). Western Power have completed their work near the pools so things should settle down soon.


PORTISHEAD:

2 Purple Sandpipers at Battery Pt today © Tim Taylor, many thanks

SOMERSET LEVELS:

8.3.11 © John Sparks, many thanks

A couple of pictures of the Great White Egrets around Shapwick today. Some of the birds are going into breeding plumage.

FOREST of DEAN:

8.2.11 Mandarin Duck © Pete Evans, many thanks
photographed on the club field trip today