Sightings 23/3/11

The A400M aeroplane is doing a few circuits around Bristol tomorrow, Peregrine watchers at the Downs should get especially good views 2pm onwards. We will not be accepting any records of 'very large unidentified raptors' during this time unless accompanied by full supporting descriptions.....

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:

Aust Warth: 2 Short-eared Owl out on display 6pm.

NP-NW: Highlight today: a Red Kite to south at 10am.
Little change at the shore: the Barnacle and Brent Goose still, 80 Shelduck, 50 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 2 Pintail, 30 Oystercatcher, just 2 Dunlin, 46 Redshank, 5 Sand Martin, 1 Wheatear and a Raven.

Severn Beach:

23.3.11 Turnstone © Rod Holbrook, many thanks.

Around 60 Turnstone at the Shaft rocks area, including a Norwegian bird ringed at Revtangen 13/8/10.


PORTBURY WHARF:



23.3.11 the Little Owl again and 3 singing Blackcap were new in.


Late Reports 22/3/11:

We're posting them here to ensure they are not missed and unread.

BRISTOL:

Stoke Bishop: a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker pair at Trinity College grounds (J Bimson).

MARSHFIELD:

A Red Kite and 48 Corn Bunting (M Johnson). Our best Corn Bunting count so far this month.

BRADLEY STOKE: 15 Waxwing holding out at the Aldi/pub/roundabout area (G Ball). Reported here since 4 March.

KEYNSHAM:

4 Waxwings in the garden (P Laban)

Sightings 22/3/11

Another frustrating day with little in the way of new migrants appearing.

BRISTOL:
New Cut/city centre: a Ring-necked Parakeet at Clarence Rd 7am today (CJ Stone). Our 3rd 'exotic' record of the month, we could be being colonised!

Brentry: at Charlton Common, 8 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff plus Skylark, Mistle Thrush and Reed Bunting of note (A Devine).

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

male Scaup © Allan Chard, many thanks



SEVERNSIDE:
Aust Warth:

Short-eared Owl this morning © Allan Chard, many thanks

2 Kestrel, the male Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Swallow and 4 House Martin.

Northwick Warth: the Barnacle Goose, the Brent Goose, 73 Shelduck, the Merlin again, and 2 Raven (per severnsidebirds).

PILNING: a Green Sandpiper in a field ditch nr Easter Compton (LF Roberts).

PORTISHEAD:

22.3.11 Purple Sandpiper at Battery Pt 8am this morning.

Just 1 bird seen on the rocks first thing this morning. Our first Purple Sandpiper report since 8 March.

PORTBURY WHARF:
The Water Rail seen along Wharf Lane again today (S Hale).

LEIGH WOODS:

22.3.11 Goldcrest in the garden © John Sparks, many thanks

CLEVEDON COAST:

Plenty of birds but few migrants as yet, full list: 32 Wigeon, 57 Teal, 1 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 6 Buzzard, 2 Water Rail, 4 Oystercatcher, single Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 57 Knot, 10 Dunlin, 103 Curlew, 1 Spotted Redshank (1st since 6 March), 110 Redshank, 23 Turnstone, 14 Sand Martin, 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Raven (A Middleton).

SOMERSET LEVELS:

Meare Heath:

22.3.11 Great White Egret © Roger Staples, many thanks



Also present at the lagoons, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank and 2 Sand Martin.

Noah's Lake: the Cattle Egret (R&J Staples).



Sightings 21/3/11

BRISTOL:
Broadmead: a Ring-necked Parakeet at Castle Park this morning (G Davies). Another Parakeet type bird was reported not too far away at Coronation Rd on 7 March.

Montpelier: a Red Kite flew over the the station to SW this morning (D Bowring).

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:
A Great White Egret, the Cattle Egret and an Avocet on site today (per slimbridgebirds).

MARSHFIELD:
6 Red-legged Partridge, single Grey Partridge, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Red-legged Partridge, 9 Skylark, 200+ Fieldfare, a Raven, 30 Linnet, 12 Yellowhammer and 7 Corn Bunting (W King).

SEVERNSIDE: (per severnsidebirds):
Aust Warth: 2 Short-eared Owls pushed out by the huge tide and on show 8.15-10am at least, also 20 Swallow passing through.

NP-NW: the Barnacle Goose, 2 Brent Goose, 90 Shelduck, 44 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 1 Little Egret, singles of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Merlin, 30 Oystercatcher, just 3 Lapwing, 40 Redshank, 18 Skylark, 60 Meadow Pipit and 4 Chiffchaff.

Severn Beach: a Wheatear this morning and the Water Rail in the residents' garden again.

Orchard Pools: a flyover female Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Grebe and a Pochard (new) of note.

PORTBURY WHARF:


21.3.11 the saltmarsh fully flooded this morning



Shoreline: 46 Shelduck, 100 Wigeon, a Snipe, 40 Redshank, a Wheatear and 8 Reed Buntings (R Hawley).

YATTON:
Strawberry Line: single Grey Heron and 4 singing Chiffchaff this afternoon (M Saffery).

CLEVEDON COAST:
Over the high tide: 2 Canada Goose, 1 Brent Goose (Kenn), 95 Shelduck, 45 Wigeon, 80 Teal, a female Goosander (Blackstone), single Grey Heron, a female Merlin, 18 Oystercatcher, 17 Grey Plover, 8 Lapwing, 18 Knot, c.50 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwit (Kenn), 105 Curlew, 230 Redshank, 53 Turnstone, 15 Black-headed Gull, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Rock Pipit, 3 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 6+ Linnet and 2 Reed Bunting in song (HE Rose).

AXE ESTUARY:
A very large count of 669 Redshank near Weston STW area on this morning's tide (per SOS).

SOMERSET LEVELS:
Catcott Lows: a Garganey today (per SOS).

Sightings 20/3/11

Another fine sunny day but with a dearth of new migrants so far reported.

BRISTOL:
Horfield: Blackcap pair still present in a Maple Rd garden. At Golden Hill, 12 Fieldfare (J Bimson).

Eastville Park: highlights around the lake area today, 3 Mute Swan, 12 Canada Goose, 2 Sparrowhawk, at least 3 Kingfisher, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtail, a singing Song Thrush, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 4 Coal Tit and 20 Jackdaw (R Scantlebury).

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

Another couple of pics of some of the long-stayers, the Lesser Scaup and a Greater Scaup pair, present around the Tack Piece this morning.



20.3.11 all photos © Andy Jordan, many thanks

 The Cattle Egret turned up on the site yesterday and a Mediterranean Gull (A Jordan).

SEVERNSIDE:
Combined totals from the main sites: 5 Canada Goose, the Barnacle Goose, 80 Shelduck, 25 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 2 Pintail, single Little Egret, 7 Buzzard, 5 Kestrel, single Merlin and Peregrine, 30 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 20 Dunlin, a Jack Snipe, 60 Curlew, 20 Redshank, 25 Turnstone, 1 Short-eared Owl (Aust), 3 Sand Martin, 8 Chiffchaff and 3 Raven.

Hoar Gout: the Cetti's Warbler still calling at the Vosa pool (combined reports, B Lancastle, per severnsidebirds).

20.3.11 Robin at the Chittening Warth seabank pools this morning

© Brian Lancastle, many thanks

PORTBURY WHARF:
Underwhelming on the high tide this morning, just a Snipe and c.100 Redshank of note (S Hale, J Williams).

BARROW TANKS:
A White Wagtail here today (CJ Stone). 2 White Wagtails at Chew on 15th is our only other record so far.

CHEW STOKE:
A singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff this morning (E Drewitt).

BATH:
A flock of 157 Golden Plover in fields near Lansdown Racecourse today (J Cummimg).

BREAN DOWN:
Just 2 Wheatear, 3 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Yellowhammer of note (per westonbirds).

SOMERSET LEVELS:
A Sedge Warbler reported at Ham Wall today (per SOS).

Gordano Valley 18/3/11:
Late report just received: a male Redstart near How Ham farm at Clapton-in-Gordano (per J Williams). A new earliest date for Avon (previous 20/3/94).



Sightings 19/3/11

Avonmouth HT Sunday 20 March: 7.27am (14.24m) & 7.52pm (14.25m)


BRISTOL:
Henbury: a Green Woodpecker, a calling Chiffchaff and a singing Mistle Thrush around the garden today (E Drewitt).

Sea Mills: 290 Woodpigeon, 2 Dunlin, 108 Redshank, the resident Greenshank and 2 Raven (R Hawley).


SEVERNSIDE:
Aust Warth:

19.3.11 © Paul Bowerman, many thanks

 1 Short-eared Owl out on show in the morning, then at least 2 late afternoon (per severnsidebirds)

NP-NW: the usual spread of shoreline birds still present today, new were 2 flyover Little Egret and 2 Grey Plover.

Severn Beach: at the shore section, 1 Sparrowhawk, 120 Turnstone, a Swallow and 2 Chiffchaff. At Orchard pools, the Tufted Duck pair, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Bullfinch.

Hoar Gout: a Cetti's Warbler at the Vosa pool and 28 Snipe at the nearby Honda pools.

PORTBURY DOCK:


19.3.11 Roe Deer, not an uncommon sight in the
various wildlife corridors around the trading estate.



90 Shelduck, 12 Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, 44 Curlew, 100 Redshank, 100 Turnstone and 3 Chiffchaff (CJ Stone).

PORTBURY WHARF:

19.3.11 Dunnock © Allan Chard





Not a great deal happening on the reserve today so we took a photo of this delightful field-sketch drawn by a very young aspiring birder in the log-book in one of the hides this morning.

ABBOTS LEIGH:
Plenty of woodland birds in the garden this morning, highlights were: a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Siskin and 2 Redpoll (A Rhodes).

CLEVEDON:
A flyover Redpoll at Wain's hill today (H Taffs).

NAILSEA:

19.3.11 Blackcap pair, regular in the garden © Roger Staples, many thanks

In another garden, 3 Blackcap, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Siskin and a Yellowhammer around the feeders today (T Jeal).

W-S-M: of note on the beach and scrub areas, 57 Oystercatcher, a single Curlew, 2 Swallow (S), 3 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff (J Hansford).

Sightings 18/3/11

Avonmouth HT times for Sat 19 March: 6.42am (13.75m) & 7.09pm (13.9m).


BRISTOL:
Clifton:
28 Waxwing at Mornington Rd this morning 8-9am at least (AD Scott).

Sea Mills:
2 Dunlin, 200 Redshank and 175 Woodpigeon ( R Hawley).

Fishponds:

Blackcap & Bullfinch in the garden today

© Allan Chard

YATE:
A drake Goosander on Cooper's lake today, a patch tick (D Pearce).

WESTERLEIGH:
4 Fieldfare near the crematorium today (G Youdale).

SEVERNSIDE:
Little to report in the way of new birds of migrants, noteworthy were a Mediterranean Gull and a flyover party of 21 Siskin (per severnsidebirds).


PORTBURY WHARF:


10+ Chiffchaff along Wharf lane today



still at home



A female Merlin seen at the pools this morning (A Middleton).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Thin pickings, just a Snipe and a Green Sandpiper reported at Heron's Green (D Nevitt).

Sightings 17/3/11

BRISTOL:
Clifton:

17.3.11 Waxwing © Jeremy Inglis, many thanks

20+ Waxwing at Mornington Rd 8.45am, still present to 4.15pm at least (AD Scott, J Inglis).

Sea Mills: 1 Dunlin and 175 Redshank at the harbour area (R Hawley).

YATE:
Kingsgate Park pool 8am: 2 Gadwall (pair), a male Shoveler, a male Tufted Duck, 5 Sand Martin, c.15 Redwing, 1 singing Chiffchaff, a Coal Tit and 1 Jay (D Pearce).

PORTBURY WHARF:

17.3.11 male Stonechat, near the 1st hide

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 12+ Pied Wagtail (horsefields), 1 male Stonechat, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 15+ Chiffchaff, 3 Mistle Thrush of note first thing (S Hale).

BANWELL:



17.3.11 upside down Siskin © John Thorogood, many thanks



RADSTOCK:

17.3.11 Dipper on the river Somer © Rob Beale, many thanks