These aren't the droids you're looking for.....

A few more photographs of Peregrines sent in by BOC members who answered the Sightings Page team's call and who were mercifully spared the full power of the dark side of the Force on the recent homepage posting.

The Club's Peregrine watches at the Downs are on 11/12th and 25/26th June this year, details on the Club News page and volunteers and visitors are very welcome.

If you see any colour-ringed birds ('our boys') from previous breeding seasons, please report them to www.ring.ac

Many thanks.

© Darth Sideous Gary Thoburn, many thanks

© Obi-Wan Jason Williams, many thanks



© Richard Bowerman, many thanks

© Pete Evans, many thanks



© Gordon Youdale, many thanks





Sightings 11/4/11

If anyone has a cracking shot of a Peregrine in flight, pls could you send it to us.......something's just popped into our head......

Only send it if you have a robust sense of humour, many thanks.


Many thanks to everyone who responded so quickly to our call for a Peregrine photo. We received so many pics that we've decided to choose the lucky winner on a 1st come/1st served basis and we'll update the homepage tonight accordingly.

Never in our wildest imagination did we ever expect to receive a photo from a Dark Lord of the Sith......

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:
A very quiet day, the only migrants reported were a Wheatear at New Passage and a Yellow Wagtail at Severn Beach.

PORTBURY WHARF:
Nothing to shout about at the pools, migrants recorded were: 40 Sand Martin, 5 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 2 singing Reed Warbler, 5 singing Whitethroat and a Raven (L Wheatland).

GORDANO VALLEY:
A Cuckoo reported at the Walton-in-Gordano area today (per H Taffs), our first local record of the spring.

CLEVEDON:
Sorry, no further reports of yesterday's Stone Curlew.


Bristol 8/4/11:

© Ben Roberts, many thanks

male Sparrowhawk on a kill,

photographed in a Montpelier garden last Friday



Sightings 10/4/11

The Sightings Page team is meeting with Gary Thoburn in the next few days to discuss our next homepage posting......


BRISTOL:
Eastville Park: 10 Canada Goose, 1 Grey Heron, at least 3 Kingfisher, single Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Willow Warbler and plenty of Blackcap and Chiffchaff (R Scantlebury).

Stoke Park: 2 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel of note (R Scantlebury).

MARSHFIELD:
A female Ring Ouzel seen in the Shire valley area this morning (D Pearce).

OLDBURY POWER STATION:
4 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Lapwing (in display flight), 41 Redshank, 4 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow, 5 Wheatear, 2 Reed Warbler and 4 Whitethroat (A Middleton).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds, B Lancastle:
Migrants across the patch: 2 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 Redstart, 16 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 White Wagtail, 40 Meadow Pipit, 4 Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat and a Lesser Redpoll.

Other highlights: a Common Sandpiper and a Short-eared Owl at Aust Warth.

PORTBURY WHARF:
A male Redstart by the tower hide and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler by the middle hide mid-day (per S Hale).

CLEVEDON:

10.4.11 Stone Curlew © Jason Williams, many thanks

A Stone Curlew found along the coastal path (past the golf course) towards the Kenn Est around 3pm by Sarah Loaring and present to 7.15pm (P Chapman, J Williams).

An Osprey to north over the town 12.45pm (H Taffs).

The only other highlights were 30 Kittiwake and 17 Wheatear.

SAND POINT:
1 Merlin, 2 Whimbrel, 9 Sand Martin, 14 Swallow, a Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 2 Wheatear, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 4 Tree Pipit, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Brambling, 4 Siskin and 4 Redpoll (combined reports, P Marshall, per westonbirds).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: combined reports, per cvlbirding, A Gibb, R&J Staples.
Villice: 1 Oystercatcher.

Nunnery: 2 Little Gull (1 adult), a Wood Warbler (1st of the spring locally)and at least 12 Brambling.

Stratford: a male Scaup.

Heron's Green: 1 Green Sandpiper and the Garganey still present.

lake general: 16 Common Tern new in to the lake this morning.

BLAGDON LAKE:
28 Wren, 3 Reed Warbler, 26 Blackcap, 24 Chiffchaff and just 2 Willow Warbler (per BL birds).

BARROW TANKS:
6 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 2 Common Sandpiper, 40 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow and a single White Wagtail (CJ Stone).

BERROW:

10.4.11 Willow Warbler © Chris Jones, many thanks

SOMERSET LEVELS

Ham Wall: 2 Little Tern and a Cuckoo here today of note.

Meare Heath: a Green-winged Teal on the pool (per SOS).

Gordano Valley 9/4/11:
Late report just in of 2 Tree Sparrow at Walton Moor yesterday (LF Roberts).

Sightings 9/4/11

BRISTOL:
Redland: a Red Kite over Ashgrove Rd 9.30am (M Bulpitt).

Clifton: ...and another Red Kite at the Downs in view 9.15-9.45am, seen well (C Jones).

OLDBURY POWER STATION:
1 Wheatear, a Reed Warbler and 3 Whitethroat in the morning and then an early Arctic Tern 6.45pm (per opsbirding).

ALMONDSBURY:
Lower Knole farm: this morning - 2 Swallow, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 11 Blackcap, 16 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler (M Dadds).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds, B Lancastle, J Martin
NP-NW:

9.4.11 Wheatear catching lunch © Allan Chard, many thanks.

consecutive shots with the meal arriving stage left in picture 2

Other sightings here: 65 Shelduck, 25 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 4 Buzzard, 1 Red-legged Partridge (local rarity), 20 Redshank, single Snipe, 1 Tree Pipit, 4 Wheatear, 2 Raven, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and a Redpoll to NE.

Severn Beach: 2 Little Grebe, 5 Tufted Duck, just 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel, 26 Curlew, 8 BH Gull upchannel, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 White Wagtail, 4 Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler, 1 singing male Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and 2 Redpoll to NE.

Chittening Warth: single Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit, 36 BH Gull upchannel, 4 Wheatear, 1 Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat.

PILL:
At the foreshore, 2 Wheatear and 2 Reed Bunting of note (R Hawley).

PORTBURY DOCK:
Best bird was a  flyover Red Kite to East 11am.

Others: 45 Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Peregrine, 8 Turnstone, 2 Wheatear,  8 Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat (CJ Stone).

SHIREHAMPTON-SEAMILLS:
river Avon:

9.4.11 Common Sandpiper © Des Bowring, many thanks

2 Shelduck, 1 Peregrine, 58 Redshank, the resident Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper (influx), a female Redstart and 2 Raven (combined reports, D Bowring, R Hawley).

CLEVEDON COAST:
80 Shelduck, 8 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 29 Teal, 7 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Buzzard, 2 Hobby (Dowlais), 2 Peregrine, 16 Oystercatcher, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 14 Grey Plover, 6 Lapwing, 36 Knot, 135 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 37 Curlew, a Greenshank, 140 Redshank, 5 Turnstones, 38 Kittiwake, 3 Swallows, 12 Skylark, 370 Meadow Pipit, 2 White Wagtail, 18 Wheatear, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (Wain's Hill early am), 8 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 12 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, a Raven, 70 Goldfinch, 325 Linnet and 3 Bullfinch (per clevedonbirds)

SAND PT:
1 Merlin, single Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail, 4 Redstart, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 30+ Chiffchaff and 15+ Willow Warbler (per westonbirds).

WESTON BAY:
4 Common Scoter, 3m, 1f (per westonbirds).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
The male Garganey still present at Heron's Green bay this morning (S Loaring).

BREAN DOWN:

9.4.11 Whitethroat © Paul Bowyer, many thanks

4+ Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher, 10 Wheatear, 7 Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Whitethroat and 2 Common Redpoll (per westonbirds).

Sightings 8/4/11

(2 Hobby at Wrington yesterday, see 7/4/11 updated posting).

Garganey, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat new in to Avon today. Still quiet at Severnside, but only a matter of time before the handbrake comes off.......

BRISTOL:
Clifton: a flyover Redpoll and a Blackcap at the Royal Fort gardens this morning (E Drewitt, still on a roll).

Eastville Park:

8.4.11 © Allan Chard, many thanks

singing Mistle Thrush and Grey Heron at the lake today

YATE:

8.4.11 Sparrowhawk in the garden © Gordon Youdale, many thanks

eyeing up the nesting Blue Tits

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:

NP-NW: 90 Shelduck, 14 Teal, 20 Redshank, a Kingfisher, 5 Swallow, a Yellow Wagtail, 4 Wheatear and 2 Raven.

Chittening Warth: a few flyover Redpoll reported plus some Blackcap, Chiffchaff anf Willow Warbler on the ground.

Hoar Gout: the Cetti's Warbler still at the Vosa pool.

PORTBURY DOCK:

8.4.11 Wheatears this morning.

A Green Sandpiper and a Garden Warbler new in here plus 7 Wheatear along the shoreline scrub (S Hale).

PORTBURY WHARF:

8.4.11 dead tree © Sightings Page team

viewable from Wharf Lane car-park, anytime

A Whitethroat new in, bushes near the horsefields along the top path by the wharf lane car-park this morning (S Hale) and a Reed Warbler (also new in) in the reeds around the pools (A Gibb).

PORTBURY VILLAGE:
Prior's Wood: a Sparrowhawk and 7 Buzzard soaring 1pm (S Hale).

PORTISHEAD:
2 Common Sandpiper at the boating lake (A Gibb).

PILL:
A Grasshopper Warbler reeling here this morning, along the river Avon scrub (R Hawley).

GORDANO VALLEY:
Weston Moor: 20 Shelduck, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Wheatear, a Reed Warbler, single Whitethroat, 12 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff and 14 Willow Warbler PG Evans).

CLEVEDON COAST:
A male Pied Flycatcher at Blake's pool, in trees mid-day, near the owl box (P Bowdler).

Another (or same?) Pied Flycatcher in the town area (garden) in the afternoon (H Taffs)

YATTON:
Strawberry line: a Red Kite reported circling overhead, a male Sparrowhawk, a male Blackcap and 7 Chiffchaff this afternoon (M Saffery).

SAND PT:
A Whitethroat this morning (per westonbirds).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
1 male Wigeon, a male Garganey (new in at Heron's Green), the 1st winter Scaup, the male Ferruginous Duck (Herriott's), a Little Egret, 2 Snipe, 5 Reed Warbler, a singing Whitethroat (new) and a Redpoll, possibly Mealy at Moreton (KE Vinicombe).

8.4.11 Garganey © KE Vinicombe, many thanks

8.4.11 Great-crested Grebe, many thanks, you know who you are

The photographer wishes to remain anonymous, but as it's a very good, clear and crisp picture, members will obviously deduce at a stroke that it wasn't taken by the Sightings Page team.

SHAPWICK HEATH:
An Osprey through mid-morning (per SOS).

Bristol 4/4/11:
Clifton: Late report of a Waxwing at Wellington Park 5pm (M Baker).

Sightings 7/4/11

Some additional reports were received late last night so the 6/4/11 posting has been updated.

BRISTOL:
High Kingsdown: a Wheatear in a garden tree this morning (K Williams).

Fishponds: a Grasshopper Warbler reeling in bushes at Morrison's supermarket car park 11am (G Hughes).

Shirehampton: at Horseshoe bend this evening: 2 Teal, 2 Grey Heron, 48 Redshank and the resident Greenshank (R Hawley).

BERKELEY:
3 Crane flying over the power station to SSW 7.21pm this evening (per P Marshall). The Somerset birds seem to be faithful to their release site so these birds are likely to be the real deal.

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Generally quiet in line with the other coastal sites, shoreline totals from the Northwick Warth to Severn Beach stretch: 90 Shelduck, 12 Teal, a Gadwall, single Sparrowhawk and Peregrine, 75 Curlew, 30 Redshank and 150 Turnstone.

Plenty of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler but only 3 Wheatear and no Yellow Wagtail here yet.

7.4.11 Wheatear, near the 2nd sentry box this morning

PORTBURY DOCK ESTATE:

A male Redstart along the Drove Rhine cycle track near the Kerry warehouse this morning (R Hawley).

PORTBURY WHARF:

3 Wheatear and a male Ring Ouzel at the 1st hide of note this morning (K Bainbridge).

CLEVEDON COAST:
A quieter day here than of recent, fewer waders and not much in the way of migrants, highlights were; 9 Grey Plover, 48 Knot, single Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, 42 Curlew, single Spotted Redshank, 90 Redshank, just 1 Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff and a Raven (HE Rose).

WRINGTON:
2 Hobby seen over the Walled Garden restuarant area 12.30pm-2pm (M Bulpitt). Our earliest ever Avon hobby date is 30/3/90.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Dam: an Oystercatcher and a Common Sandpiper early am (S Davies).

Ringing report: 2 Sand Martin, a Swallow and an early Sedge Warbler ringed today (E Drewitt).

SHAPWICK HEATH:

7.4.11 Blackcap © Allan Chard, many thanks



Sightings 6/4/11

Small bird migrants dominate this morning's reports received so far. Pied Flycatcher and Grasshopper Warbler were new birds into our area today. Note Redstart influx.

There are lots of birds pouring into the country at the moment, the prospects for the weekend look terrific.

BRISTOL:
Lawrence Weston: a male Pied Flycatcher in trees near the pool at Kingsweston lane, past Campbells Farm and before the Traveller's camp by the motorway bridge (per G Thoburn).

YATE:
Kingsgate Park: a male Redstart, 10 Chiffchaff and 20 Willow Warbler (D Pearce).

CHIPPING SODBURY:
On the Common: 5 singing Skylark, 100 Meadow Pipit, a male Redstart, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler and a Bullfinch (D Pearce).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:

6.4.11 Linnets in the evening light at Northwick Warth

© Vic Savery, many thanks

NP-NW: the male Common Scoter (from 25 March), 24 Swallow, 30 Meadow Pipit, a male Redstart, 13 Wheatear, 3 Blackcap, 10 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler and 18 Linnet. An early Holly Blue butterfly also out on the wing.

Chittening Warth: Singles of Swallow, Wheatear and a Reed Warbler (near the pipes).


PORTBURY WHARF:

6.4.11 male Redstart (pm) © Pete Evans



6.4.11 Chiffchaff (heard singing too).

1 Little Owl, 2 male Redstart, 8 Wheatear, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 8+ Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff and 20+ Willow Warbler (several obs).

The pools were on a go-slow again today.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Heron's Green: 1 White Wagtail and a Common Sandpiper.

Moreton: Barn Owl out and a Raven.

Villice bay: a male Wigeon and another Raven.

Parkland: Orange Tip and Brimstone butterfly on the wing (all P Baber).

BARROW TANKS:
3 Gadwall, 3 GBB Gull, 40 Sand Martin and 2 White Wagtail (CJ Stone).

DUNDRY:
A male Redstart, 14 Wheatear, 14 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler (D Nevitt).

WOOLAVINGTON:

6.4.11 © Rob Chace, many thanks

www.lnrwildphoto.co.uk.

Nr Highbridge, a male Pied Flycatcher seen this morning (R Chace).

At least 6 Pied Flycatcher reported at their stronghold in Yarner Wood (Devon) today also (K Bainbridge)

BREAN DOWN:
5 Grasshopper Warbler plus a 'fall' of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap (per westonbirds).

SOMERSET LEVELS:
Ashcott Corner: 14 Black-tailed Godwit (9 at Meare Heath pool & 5 at Ham Wall) and a Whitethroat at the 1st viewing platform (R&J Staples).

RSPB TITCHWELL (NORFOLK):
A White-tailed Eagle over the reserve 1.50pm (W King). The bird has been present along this part of the coast for a few days now.