Sightings 21/4/11

The Somerset levels sites hitting form at the moment. The Lesser Yellowlegs still present at Meare Heath lagoon to 6pm at least.

Some stirring of seabird passage off Clevedon and Severnside today.


Wendy currently has c.450 Wheatear records for April so we should pass the 500 mark sometime over the holiday weekend.

We don't want to put you off but the Sightings Page team has a surprise in store for the birder who sends in the 500th record....

+ BRISTOL:
Purdown: near Duchess pond this morning, single Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker, 1 Swallow, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Meadow Pipit (L Wheatland).

Clifton: 2 Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff near the suspension bridge of note. 4 Holly Blue, 2 Orange-Tip and 4 Speckled Wood butterflies also seen (K Williams).

Eastville Park:

21.4.11 © Allan Chard, many thanks

a hungry Grey Heron at the lake early this morning

+ OLDBURY POWER STATION: per opsbirding:
Shore: 1 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper (lagoon),21 BH Gull and 1 Common Gull.

Migrants: 3 Sand Martin, a House Martin, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Sedge Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 4 Yellow Wagtail and 60 Goldfinch.

+ SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:
seabirds: 2 Arctic Skua, 2 Black Tern and 60+ Arctic Tern off Severn Beach.

waders: not much except for 6 Whimbrel off Severn Beach. No sign of any Bar-tailed Godwit passage yet.

migrants: 1 Grasshopper Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Wheatear, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 9 White Wagtail and 7 Tree Pipit.

others: 125 Shelduck at New Passage-Northwick and a Red-legged Partridge at Severn Beach.

+ PORTBURY WHARF:
pools: 2 Oystercatcher, 26 Dunlin, 2 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper at the island.

bushes/scrub: 3 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Lesser Whitethroat (S Hale).

+ PORTISHEAD:
Battery Pt: 4 Purple Sandpipers (S Hale).

+ CLEVEDON COAST:
Morning's count 6.30-9am to Yeo Est: 7 Mute Swan, 40 Shelduck, 15+ Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret, 6 Oystercatcher, 5 Ringed Plover, single Golden and Grey Plover, 8 Lapwing (still some displaying at the Yeo), 24 Dunlin, 18 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Turnstone, 2 LBB Gull, 2 GBB Gull, 20+ Meadow Pipit, single Yellow Wagtail, 5 Wheatear, 6+ Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 3+ Whitethroat, 3+ Chiffchaff and 2 Raven (HE Rose).

Dowlais: Lapwing succesfully bred, 3 chicks. 3 Wheatear also nearby (J Croxton).

Ladye Bay: this evening's seawatch totals: 7 Whimbrel, 2 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua and 140 Arctic Tern (R Hunt, H Taffs).

20/4/11: 3 Whinchat and 12 Wheatear at the Kingston Seymour seawall (J Croxton).

+ SAND PT:
1 Little Ringed Plover, 11 Whimbrel (bay), 1 Arctic Skua, a Cuckoo, 5 House Martin, a Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 5 Wheatear, 10 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Tree Pipit and 3 Redpoll (per westonbirds).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Moreton: 4 Little Egret.

Herriott's: 2 Little Egret (S Davies).

+ CATCOTT LOWS:
3 Ruff and 2 Wood Sandpiper of note today (per SOS).

yesterday's Willow Tits 20/4/11:

© Phil Baber, many thanks

Phil will send the full description plus sketches and any photographs to the Recorder.
Many thanks again Phil.

Recent past records for Willow Tit at this site are: July 2005, December 2009 and June/July 2010, many thanks to Brian Lancastle for this information.



Meare Heath 20/4/11:
A Gull-billed Tern seen by several observers but no reports of the bird so far today.