The most astonishing evening with hundreds of Arctic Terns and Bar-tailed Godwits gracing Severn Beach in glorious spring sunshine and a calming sea! Numbers are all conservative
and many more are likely to have been present.
With gusty north-east winds there was a strong passage of passerines throughout the morning.
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits (Andy Jordan)
SEVERN BEACH:(as per Ed Drewitt and Paul Bowerman)
Morning (Chris Porter):
Evening:
As high tide was eminent in the evening, the spring sunshine and weakening winds saw amazing views of terns and gulls. There were swirling flocks of terns heading up the estuary past Portishead before pausing at Severn Beach. Bar-tailed Godwits headed along the coast too, again congregating at Severn Beach with some splitting off to continue their journey.
Photo: Whimbrel (Andy Jordan)
120+ Dunlin - most summer plumage, resting and feeding near sea wall
and many more are likely to have been present.
With gusty north-east winds there was a strong passage of passerines throughout the morning.
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits (Andy Jordan)
SEVERN BEACH:(as per Ed Drewitt and Paul Bowerman)
Morning (Chris Porter):
3 Whimbrel, 25 Shelduck, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Linnet, 24 Ringed Plover, 1 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 14 Dunlin, 3 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Blackcap, 7 House Martin, and 1 Sanderling.
Evening:
As high tide was eminent in the evening, the spring sunshine and weakening winds saw amazing views of terns and gulls. There were swirling flocks of terns heading up the estuary past Portishead before pausing at Severn Beach. Bar-tailed Godwits headed along the coast too, again congregating at Severn Beach with some splitting off to continue their journey.
Photo: Whimbrel (Andy Jordan)
120+ Dunlin - most summer plumage, resting and feeding near sea wall
22 Ringed Plover resting on the shingle near the Dunlin
1000+ Arctic Terns swirling over the sea; many came to rest for a while on the saltmarsh before heading high above the bridge but then drifting back west towards Denny Island, getting higher and higher.
1 Black Tern at the front of the tern flock plus 23 Black Terns a little later
Little Gull
Little Tern
6 Arctic Skuas
Overhead views of 'bubbling' Whimbrel, 6+
Bar-tailed Godwits - 900+, some drifting along the coast or inland. Some rested with the Dunlin giving amazing views.
Grey Plover (1)
Black-headed Gull (2)
Swallows and House Martins drifting through
1000+ Arctic Terns swirling over the sea; many came to rest for a while on the saltmarsh before heading high above the bridge but then drifting back west towards Denny Island, getting higher and higher.
1 Black Tern at the front of the tern flock plus 23 Black Terns a little later
Little Gull
Little Tern
6 Arctic Skuas
Overhead views of 'bubbling' Whimbrel, 6+
Bar-tailed Godwits - 900+, some drifting along the coast or inland. Some rested with the Dunlin giving amazing views.
Grey Plover (1)
Black-headed Gull (2)
Swallows and House Martins drifting through
CLEVEDON COAST:
An Osprey to north 7.30pm and a marked passage of Yellow Wagtail, 36 birds past before 10am.
PORTBURY WHARF NATURE RESERVE
Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 2 broods of Coot, 3 Common Sandpipers,
a passage Cuckoo, a pair of Gadwall and 700+ Swallows moving along the coast along with
20+ House Martins, 30+ Swifts and a Sand Martin. Also, a flock of 100 Bar-tailed Godwits on the estuary, 50 Dunlin and 4+ Whimbrel (Ed Drewitt).
PORTISHEAD
Seawatch at Battery Point, 2 - 6.30pm (Steve Hale)
1 male Common Scoter, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, imm (chasing terns), 130 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 skua sp, 47 Black Terns, 500+ Commic terns
CLEVEDON
Seawatch at Ladye Bay (Howard Taff)
The afternoon seawatch produced:
60+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 dark phase Arctic Skua, 77 Black Tern, 577 Common Tern, 150 Arctic Tern and170 Commic Tern (H Taffs).
The Terns were still pouring through when the oberservers left.
PORTISHEAD
Seawatch at Battery Point, 2 - 6.30pm (Steve Hale)
1 male Common Scoter, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, imm (chasing terns), 130 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 skua sp, 47 Black Terns, 500+ Commic terns
CLEVEDON
Seawatch at Ladye Bay (Howard Taff)
The afternoon seawatch produced:
60+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 dark phase Arctic Skua, 77 Black Tern, 577 Common Tern, 150 Arctic Tern and170 Commic Tern (H Taffs).
The Terns were still pouring through when the oberservers left.
NEW PASSAGE
11 Dotterel flying NE this morning. 3 Black Terns and a Hobby (Severnside Birds).
SAND BAY
Kentish Plover, 5pm
(Paul Bowyer)
EASTVILLE
2 swifts (Larry Wheatland)
SAND BAY
Kentish Plover, 5pm
(Paul Bowyer)
EASTVILLE
2 swifts (Larry Wheatland)
Due to technical problems at the Sightings HQ, details may be a little sporadic over the next few days. Service to resume as soon as possible (once an engineer can come!). Apologies in the mean time.
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