Sightings 19/4/11

100+ Wheatear reported so far today. Allowing for some duplication of sightings, around 350+ Wheatear have been reported to us so far this month.

Grasshopper Warbler also to the fore, c.70 birds reported so far this month.

BRISTOL:
Purdown:  a female Sparrowhawk, single Green Woodpecker, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler of note (J Bimson).

OLDBURY POWER STATION:
2 Little Ringed Plover, 15 Ringed Plover, 45 Dunlin, 7 Whimbrel, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 32+ Whitethroat, 4 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 10+ Wheatear and a single Tree Pipit (per opsbirding).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds, J Martin: final totals,
Aust Warth: a Peregrine, a Common Sandpiper, 5 Lesser Whitethroat and 7 Wheatear.

NP-NW: 130 Shelduck of note.

Severn Beach: 8 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 9 Knot, 8 Dunlin, 44 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew, 3 Sand Martin, 20 Swallow, single House Martin, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtail.

NORTH SOMERSET:

19.4.11 Barn Owl

PORTBURY DOCK:
A male Redstart and 11 Wheatear this afternoon (S Hale).

PORTISHEAD:



19.4.11 Unbelievably, taken by the Sightings Page team

Battery Pt: dawn seawatch produced 5 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Turnstone, 3 Common Gull, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Wheatear (S Hale).

You couldn't mistake Portishead for Porthgwarra.

FAILAND:
2 Wheatear at Windmill Hill (A Rhodes).

PILL:
At least 2 Grasshopper Warbler singing well along the cycle track near the M5 bridge this morning (V Savery).

Shoreline and scrub: 2 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Peregrine over, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 2 Sedge warbler and 6 Wheatear (R Hawley).

CLEVEDON COAST:
Ladye bay: 20 Terns upriver 5.15pm, though to be Arctic.

Dowlais: a male Whinchat 7.30pm (H Taffs)

YATTON:
Strawberry line: this afternoon, 1 female Sparrowhawk, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler and 5 Chiffchaff ( M Saffery).

SAND BAY:
6 Ringed Plover and 23 Dunlin this evening (P Bowyer).

BARROW TANKS:

19.4.11 Dunlin © Sean Davies, many thanks

LITTON RESERVOIR:

WeBS count today: 2 Mute Swan, 31 Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, single Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great-crested Grebe, 10 Coot and 3 Moorhen.

Other sightings, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Blackcap, a Song Thrush, 1 Treecreeper and 2 Goldfinch (C Porter).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Dam: 3 Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

Villice: a Marsh Harrier through to North this morning. Migrants noted were, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 5 Garden Warbler and several Blackcap (D Nevitt).

DUNDRY:
Still cooking on gas near the village hall: this morning: 40 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 6 Tree Pipit and 12 Yellowhammer.

this evening: same field held 59 Wheatear, a Redstart, a male Whinchat and 6 White Wagtail (all D Nevitt).

(the observer has been disguising himself as a scarecrow in the ploughed field in order to get the best views).

ANCHOR HEAD (W-s-M):
A dark phase Arctic Skua and 13 Tern sp. upriver of note (per westonbirds).

ROWBERROW:

19.4.11 Cuckoo © Allan Chard, many thanks

BREAN DOWN:

19.4.11 singing Swallow and Grasshopper Warbler

© Allan Chard, many thanks

6 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Stonechat, 3 Wheatear, several Willow Warbler and countless Whitethroat on the down (A Chard).

BURNHAM-on-SEA:
An early Swift here this morning (per SOS).

MEARE HEATH:
A Wood Sandpiper on the drained pool late morning (per SOS).