SEVERNSIDE:
Severn Beach: 1 Gannet and Kittiwake in the evening (per severnsidebirds).
PORTBURY WHARF:
4 Great Black-backed Gull on the island pool and 2 Goldcrest along Wharf lane, 30yds before the first hide (S Hale).
CLEVEDON COAST:
Ladye Bay: 25 Eider (5 males)*, 43 Manx Shearwater and a Great Skua (per clevedonbirds).
* presumably part of the same lingering flock that was seen off Severn Beach on 12th.
Monday, 23 May 2011
Lesvos May 2011 - Gordon Youdale
Our club chairman has recently returned from a birding visit to Lesvos and sent us these photos. Full report to follow later.
Many thanks Gordon.
Many thanks Gordon.
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| Short-toed Eagle © Gordon Youdale |
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| Scops Owl © Gordon Youdale |
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| Krupers Nuthatch © Gordon Youdale |
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| Collared Pratincole © Gordon Youdale |
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Sightings 22/5/11
Strong south-westerly winds in the estuary today with the 'schwerpunkt' of the seabird activity inevitably being recorded off Severnside and Sand Pt.
Reports per severnsidebirds, per westonbirds, B Lancastle, J Martin, S Hale, H Taffs.
Severnside | Avm Docks | Portishead | Clevedon | Sand Pt | |
Fulmar | 5+ | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
Manx Shearwater | 8 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 180 |
Storm Petrel | 1 | 1 | |||
Gannet | 3+ | 4 | 15 | 49 | |
Shag | 1 | ||||
Pomarine Skua | 2 | ||||
Arctic Skua | 6 | ||||
Skua sp | 1 | ||||
Kittiwake | 80+ | 80 | 1 | ||
Little Tern | 1 | ||||
Arctic Tern | 2 | 1 | |||
Razorbill | 2 | ||||
Guillemot | 5 | ||||
Auk sp. (G or R) | 4+ | 1 |
Severnside photos
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| 22.5.11 Storm Petrel © Sarah Loaring, many thanks our first Petrel of the year |
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| 22.5.11 Pomarine Skua © Paul Bowerman, many thanks |
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| 22.5.11 Arctic Skua © Paul Bowerman, many thanks |
Severn Beach: 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling and 12 Dunlin (1 of the race 'arctica') at the beach this morning.
RSPB Ham Wall: A female Red-footed Falcon, first reported at Meare Heath on 19th.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Sightings 21/5/11
MARSHFIELD:
PORTBURY WHARF:
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21.5.11 Spotted Flycatcher © Martyn Hayes, many thanks 2 pairs back in the Shire valley area of the patch |
PORTBURY WHARF:
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| 21.5.11 Reed Warbler near the D'arcy hide. |
The Barn Owl was still out hunting early this morning (S Hale).
SAND BAY:
35 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 135 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel and 10 Curlew (per westonbirds).
SAND BAY:
35 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 135 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel and 10 Curlew (per westonbirds).
Friday, 20 May 2011
Sightings 20/5/11
BRISTOL:
Clifton: a newly fledged party of 5 Mistle Thrush at the Christ Church green at mid-day (K Williams).
Fishponds:
MANGOTSFIELD:
PORTBURY WHARF:
Clifton: a newly fledged party of 5 Mistle Thrush at the Christ Church green at mid-day (K Williams).
Fishponds:
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| 20.5.11 Blue Tit © Allan Chard, many thanks ragged because it has a family to feed.... |
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| 20.5.11 Mallard © Sarah Loaring, many thanks |
Several Mallard seen resting on roof tops today.
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| 20.5.11 Barnacle Goose at the main pool early am jaw-dropping photography from the Sightings Page team |
Also at the pools, 4 Gadwall, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and a Redshank (A Middleton).
PILL:
The Raven family (at least 5 birds) still loafing around the M5 bridge area today (V Savery).
Slimbridge WWT 19/5/11:
PILL:
The Raven family (at least 5 birds) still loafing around the M5 bridge area today (V Savery).
Slimbridge WWT 19/5/11:
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| 19.5.11 Oystercatcher © Gordon Youdale, many thanks many hatchings of various species around the site now |
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Sightings 19/5/11
SLIMBRIDGE WWT:
An immature Night Heron reported on site today (per slimbridgebirds).
YATE:
Heroic deeds on the Common this morning: 10 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 1 female Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, single Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting (D Pearce).
PORTBURY DOCK:
22 Tufted Duck, 1 Peregrine (mobbing 2 Raven), 3 Whimbrel, 8 Curlew, a flock of c.50 small waders, Ringed Plover/Dunlin and a Cuckoo (CJ Stone).
PORTBURY WHARF:
4 Great Black-backed Gull on the main pool of note this morning (S Hale).
An immature Night Heron reported on site today (per slimbridgebirds).
YATE:
Heroic deeds on the Common this morning: 10 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 1 female Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, single Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting (D Pearce).
PORTBURY DOCK:
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Whimbrel 19.5.11 © Chris Stone, many thanks |
PORTBURY WHARF:
4 Great Black-backed Gull on the main pool of note this morning (S Hale).
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Sightings 18/5/11
AVONMOUTH DOCK:
11 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and 1 Whimbrel (S Hale).
NAILSEA:
A Little Owl seen 4pm (M Saffery).
11 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and 1 Whimbrel (S Hale).
NAILSEA:
A Little Owl seen 4pm (M Saffery).
Norfolk May 2011 Allan Chard
Club members Allan and Marion Chard have just returned from a birding break in north Norfolk, mainly around the 'gold coast' stretch between Titchwell to Cley.
Inspired by the Sightings Page teams' awesome photograph of 2 Egyptian Geese (see the homepage), Allan sent us some more pictures of the Norfolk classics....
Inspired by the Sightings Page teams' awesome photograph of 2 Egyptian Geese (see the homepage), Allan sent us some more pictures of the Norfolk classics....
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| Avocet |
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| Sanderling |
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| Shorelark (4 late birds near the Swarovski hide at Cley) |
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| male Marsh Harrier |
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| Egyptian Goose |
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| Little Tern |
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| Sandwich Tern all photos © Allan Chard, many thanks |
By coincidence, we have a Club field trip to the same venue this weekend and we hope to post the report on this next week.
Norfolk is still producing some good stuff at time of posting with Temminck's Stint, Great Snipe, Red-necked Phalarope and Gull-billed Tern recently being reported so the party should be kept busy.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Sightings 17/5/11
SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Chittening Warth:
CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Heron's Green: the Garganey pair still on the pool (S Davies).
Chittening Warth:
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| Bullfinch 17.5.11 |
6 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler and single Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Bullfinch along the Stup Pill leg.
PORTBURY WHARF:
Pools: a 2nd Little Grebe brood out on the water, 7 Dunlin and a Redshank on the island.
Bushes: the Little Owl still in situ (S Hale).
PORTBURY WHARF:
Pools: a 2nd Little Grebe brood out on the water, 7 Dunlin and a Redshank on the island.
Bushes: the Little Owl still in situ (S Hale).
CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Heron's Green: the Garganey pair still on the pool (S Davies).
Monday, 16 May 2011
Sightings 16/5/11
PORTBURY WHARF:
Heron's Green: a Garganey pair on the pool 7.30am this morning.
Stratford: a Ringed Plover and a Cuckoo.
Herriott's: a 2cy Yellow-legged Gull and 9 GBB Gull on the pool (S Davies).
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| 16.5.11 Little Owl again fresh pic today, not one we've recycled! |
CHEW VALLEY LAKE: early returns:Heron's Green: a Garganey pair on the pool 7.30am this morning.
Stratford: a Ringed Plover and a Cuckoo.
Herriott's: a 2cy Yellow-legged Gull and 9 GBB Gull on the pool (S Davies).
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| a distant Cuckoo, pic taken 14.5.11 around the lake © Chris Stone, many thanks |
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Poland May 2011 John Martin
John Martin and 3 other local birders spent 4 days birding in eastern Poland 8-11 May, around the usual hotspots and sent us these pics. Many thanks John.
John writes:
We flew from Luton Airport to Warsaw on Sunday morning then drove up to Bialowieza where we had rented a house for four days.
Immediately went to look for the Great Snipe lek after eventually locating the right village for our local guide for the first 24 hours. They were brilliant - 'a symphony of icicles' to quote Lars Jonsson - leaping into the air, scrapping a bit and doing their stretches and tail fanning thing in the middle of a large bog that we'd never have found without the guide.
Next day round the forest with Pygmy Owl, White-backed Woodpecker and Hazel Grouse as our main targets.
We quickly had great views of the owl, mobbed by loads of small birds. White-backed Woodpecker nest news reached us during the morning and that secured my only lifer of the trip (bit of a bogey bird - spent 11 hours failing to find them in Turkey last year).
Hazel Grouse was seen by most of the group but I had to wait til the last evening before getting a decent view of a male of this very shy grouse. While attempting to lure on in by playing the high-pitched call we attracted a Pine Marten onto the forest ride.
Next day was the marshes around a big Reservoir near the Belarus border. We found singing Citrine Wagtail, hundreds of Marsh Terns (mainly White-winged Black), White-tailed Eagles and Penduline Tit at its fab nest.
All the while we were checking sites for Bison but failed to see Europe's largest mammal. Quick look round dipping on Bison again before driving back for our flight home.
The visit was a tad early for some specialities e.g. Thrush Nightingale, Bluethroat, Barred and Icterine warblers and Rosefinch (two in on the last morning but would be common in a few days time).
This was ok as we wanted the woodpeckers (we had 7 species), owl and grouse before everywhere got too leafy as the other lads had missed them on a later trip last year.
John writes:
We flew from Luton Airport to Warsaw on Sunday morning then drove up to Bialowieza where we had rented a house for four days.
Immediately went to look for the Great Snipe lek after eventually locating the right village for our local guide for the first 24 hours. They were brilliant - 'a symphony of icicles' to quote Lars Jonsson - leaping into the air, scrapping a bit and doing their stretches and tail fanning thing in the middle of a large bog that we'd never have found without the guide.
Next day round the forest with Pygmy Owl, White-backed Woodpecker and Hazel Grouse as our main targets.
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| Pygmy Owl |
We quickly had great views of the owl, mobbed by loads of small birds. White-backed Woodpecker nest news reached us during the morning and that secured my only lifer of the trip (bit of a bogey bird - spent 11 hours failing to find them in Turkey last year).
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| White-backed Woodpecker at nest |
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| Black Woodpecker |
Next day was the marshes around a big Reservoir near the Belarus border. We found singing Citrine Wagtail, hundreds of Marsh Terns (mainly White-winged Black), White-tailed Eagles and Penduline Tit at its fab nest.
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| Middle-spotted Woodpecker mobbing the Pygmy Owl |
All the while we were checking sites for Bison but failed to see Europe's largest mammal. Quick look round dipping on Bison again before driving back for our flight home.
The visit was a tad early for some specialities e.g. Thrush Nightingale, Bluethroat, Barred and Icterine warblers and Rosefinch (two in on the last morning but would be common in a few days time).
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| Collared Flycatcher |
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| male Ortolan Bunting |
Sightings 15/5/11
BRISTOL:
Eastville Park:
ALMONDSBURY:
A flyover Red Kite 3pm at the M5 interchange (J Hatch).
PORTBURY DOCK:
PORTBURY WHARF:
Pools: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Great Black-backed Gull.
Bushes: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Lesser Whitethroat.
A few noisy Starling flocks starting to re-appear around the reserve, especially at the saltmarsh (S Hale).
CLEVEDON COAST:
Ladye bay: just 4 Common Scoter on a 2hr seawatch today (H Taffs).
Coast to Yeo: 115 Shelduck, a Little Egret, 13 Oystercatcher, 40 Ringed Plover, 6 Grey Plover, 12 Lapwing, 325 Dunlin, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Whimbrel, 9 Curlew, a Little Gull, 2 Raven, 9 Skylark, 100 Swallow, 1 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler, 10 Whitethroat, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler and 50 Linnet (per clevedonbirds)
CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
A Cuckoo at Stratford 9am and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker (C Porter).
LITTON RES:
This morning's WeBS count: 33 Mallard (+ 16 chicks), 2 Tufted Duck, single Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Coot and 4 Moorhen (C Porter).
FOREST of DEAN:
Highlight birds, a Tawny Owlet (heard), 1 ♂ Wood Warbler, a Firecrest, 2 Spotted Flycatcher. 4+ Pied Flycatcher and a few Crossbills (E Drewitt).
Eastville Park:
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Canada Geese © Richard Scantlebury |
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mum Canada Goose with kids © Richard Scantlebury, many thanks |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker at nest 15.5.11 © David Hill |
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Grey Heron with eel 15.5.11 © David Hill, many thanks |
Also noted in the park, Grey Heron, 1 Buzzard, 2 Swifts, a Kingfisher 2 Swallow, Blackcap and Chiffchaff (combined reports, D Hill, R Scantlebury).
Stoke Park:
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pale Buzzard with prey 15.5.11 © David Hill, many thanks |
A flyover Red Kite 3pm at the M5 interchange (J Hatch).
PORTBURY DOCK:
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| Wheatear 15.5.11 |
Also present, 11 Tufted Duck, 1 Whimbrel and a Cetti's Warbler (S Hale).
PORTBURY WHARF:
Pools: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Great Black-backed Gull.
Bushes: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Cetti's Warbler and 4 Lesser Whitethroat.
A few noisy Starling flocks starting to re-appear around the reserve, especially at the saltmarsh (S Hale).
CLEVEDON COAST:
Ladye bay: just 4 Common Scoter on a 2hr seawatch today (H Taffs).
Coast to Yeo: 115 Shelduck, a Little Egret, 13 Oystercatcher, 40 Ringed Plover, 6 Grey Plover, 12 Lapwing, 325 Dunlin, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Whimbrel, 9 Curlew, a Little Gull, 2 Raven, 9 Skylark, 100 Swallow, 1 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler, 10 Whitethroat, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler and 50 Linnet (per clevedonbirds)
CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
A Cuckoo at Stratford 9am and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker (C Porter).
LITTON RES:
This morning's WeBS count: 33 Mallard (+ 16 chicks), 2 Tufted Duck, single Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Coot and 4 Moorhen (C Porter).
FOREST of DEAN:
Highlight birds, a Tawny Owlet (heard), 1 ♂ Wood Warbler, a Firecrest, 2 Spotted Flycatcher. 4+ Pied Flycatcher and a few Crossbills (E Drewitt).
South Atlantic - John Sparks
Club member John Sparks has just returned from a cruise around the south Atlantic, visiting the Gough-St Helena-Tristan-Ascension areas and sent us these pics of some of the headline birds.
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| Sooty Tern © John Sparks |
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| Red-billed Tropicbird © John Sparks |
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| Yellow-nosed Albatross © John Sparks |
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| Northern Rock-hopper Penguin © John Sparks |
Had it not been for the penguins, we suspect John might have had a rather good day at Severnside. Those rocks look suspiciously like the ones at Severn Beach.
Full report at www.johnsparks.org
Full report at www.johnsparks.org
Many thanks John, please don't take this the wrong way but we think you should go off on another long cruise....
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Sightings 14/5/11
LITTLETON WARTH:
Quiet on this morning's WeBS count, noteworthy were 47 Black-headed Gull (often absent in may) and a big female Wheatear, possibly Greenland (J Martin).
CLEVEDON COAST:
Reasonable number of waders, highlights were 82 Shelduck, a Wigeon (damaged wing), 10 Oystercatcher, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 10 Lapwing, 140 Dunlin, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 42 Whimbrel, 6 Curlew, 1 Redshank, a Wheatear and 2 Raven (HE Rose).
SOMERSET LEVELS:
An immature Night Heron at Shapwick Heath (Noah's pool) this morning (per SOS).
COLEFORD (Somerset):
Not too far from Chew, a Honey Buzzard reported heading westwards 5.45pm this evening (J Hansford).
Hi everyone, we're just back from birding in Norfolk.
The best bird we saw was a Collared Flycatcher near the Holme Bird Obs on 8 May. A 1 day bird only though.
Only about 30 UK records of this little gem and many of these records are from Shetlands and other hard to twitch places. The Norfolk tribe was buzzing to get the bird onto their county lists, the track up to the Obs was packed with 150+ birders within 3 hours of the news getting out.
The Sightings Page team was in the front row, camera poised for action. Sadly (or is it fortunately?), we couldn't get a decent shot so we're posting this photograph taken by the Recorder who saw one on his recent trip to Poland. What a stroke of luck!
Normal service resumed later tonight.
Quiet on this morning's WeBS count, noteworthy were 47 Black-headed Gull (often absent in may) and a big female Wheatear, possibly Greenland (J Martin).
CLEVEDON COAST:
Reasonable number of waders, highlights were 82 Shelduck, a Wigeon (damaged wing), 10 Oystercatcher, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 10 Lapwing, 140 Dunlin, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 42 Whimbrel, 6 Curlew, 1 Redshank, a Wheatear and 2 Raven (HE Rose).
SOMERSET LEVELS:
An immature Night Heron at Shapwick Heath (Noah's pool) this morning (per SOS).
COLEFORD (Somerset):
Not too far from Chew, a Honey Buzzard reported heading westwards 5.45pm this evening (J Hansford).
Hi everyone, we're just back from birding in Norfolk.
The best bird we saw was a Collared Flycatcher near the Holme Bird Obs on 8 May. A 1 day bird only though.
Only about 30 UK records of this little gem and many of these records are from Shetlands and other hard to twitch places. The Norfolk tribe was buzzing to get the bird onto their county lists, the track up to the Obs was packed with 150+ birders within 3 hours of the news getting out.
The Sightings Page team was in the front row, camera poised for action. Sadly (or is it fortunately?), we couldn't get a decent shot so we're posting this photograph taken by the Recorder who saw one on his recent trip to Poland. What a stroke of luck!
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| Collared Flycatcher, May 2011 Poland © John Martin, many thanks |
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