Sightings 31/5/11

BRISTOL:
Clifton: several species of young birds out on show around the Camera Obscura today, noted were Blackcap, Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit (K Williams).

Gorge Peregrines: as you know 5 chicks recently hatched and they have been ringed.


Blue rings with black letters, DF - DG - DH - DJ and FK


The birds will be out and about in the coming weeks, please report any sightings so we can monitor and update the story, many thanks to Ed Drewitt for the information.

SEVERNSIDE: still some wader passage ongoing:
Severn Beach: single Little Egret, 70 Ringed Plover, 5 Sanderling, 60 Dunlin (200 yesterday), single Whimbrel and Curlew and 2 Arctic Skua (per severnsidebirds).


PORTBURY WHARF:
Estuary: 32 Dunlin, 2 Curlew and 2 Redshank.

Pools: not much excitement except for the Oystercatcher parent defending her chick (hatched 21 May) against the gulls (S Hale).

The Little Owl was showing well again around the barns, we've decided to spare you another Sightings Page team photo of it.

FOREST of DEAN:

31.5.11 Redstart pair © Allan Chard, many thanks

Sightings 30/5/11

BRISTOL:
Kingswood:

30.5.11 garden Greenfinch this morning © Martyn Hayes, many thanks

SEVERNSIDE:
Severn Beach: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 60 Ringed Plover, 3 Sanderling, 200 Dunlin and 16 BH Gull.

Chittening Warth: 1 Barn Owl (per severnsidebirds).


PORTBURY WHARF:

30.5.11 Roe Deer © Sightings page team, many thanks
Showing well in front of the D'Arcy hide this morning

No sign of the Tern this morning and the usual bird suspects still at the pools. The Canada flock (31 birds) flew in from Portishead marina (S Hale).

BARROW TANKS:

Wader fest: 3 Ringed Plover, 5 Sanderling and 2 Dunlin (S Davies).

Sightings 29/5/11

 A few seabirds recorded despite the poor tides and lack of any really strong winds.

If members are stuck for anything to do tomorrow, why not pop down to Portbury Wharf......Avon Wildlife Trust are holding their summer bash in the field along Wharf lane.

Plenty of attractions on display including an 'Advanced Bird Photography' stall manned by the Sightings Page team.


BRISTOL:
Eastville park: broods reported; 5 Mute Swan cygnets, 6 Canada Goose goslings and 4 Mallard ducklings (R Scantlebury).

MANGOTSFIELD:

29.5.11 garden Jay © Sarah Loaring, many thanks

LATTERIDGE:
A Red Kite near the village duck pond and railway line 5-6pm (per G Youdale).


SEVERNSIDE:
Severn Beach:

29.5.11 Manx Shearwater © Paul Bowerman, many thanks
bird photographed over 50m away, extreme range for Severnside....

Other seabirds were single Fulmar and Kittiwake and 11+ Sanderling was the pick of the waders (per severnsidebirds).

PORTBURY WHARF:

29.5.11 Sandwich Tern at the main pool this morning

© Sightings Page team, many thanks

A Sandwich Tern fishing at the main pool this morning, a patch tick for the reserve. The bird was probably grounded by the dull drizzly weather (S Hale).

We have some slightly fuzzier pics showing the yellow-tipped bill in case there are any Gull-billed Tern enthusiasts out there.....

CLEVEDON:

Ladye Bay: final sea-watch totals: 9 Manx Shearwater (am), 2 Gannet (pm afternoon) and a Storm Petrel (pm evening) (R Hunt, H Taffs).

Kenya - Trevor & Linda Hodgetts

Trevor and Linda Hodgetts saw our website and sent us a couple of photos from their recent birding trip to Kenya.

Our recruiting sergeant on the Committee said we must post them straightaway!!
We're happy to oblige.

Glossy-blue Starling © T Hodgetts, many thanks

Wattled Lapwing © T Hodgetts, many thanks

And a more recent and local photo taken at Pembrokeshire...

Puffin

Sightings 28/5/11

Club member Ed Drewitt has been talking about local wildlife to the BBC....avoid this podcast link like the plague!
http://www.discoverwildlife.com/podcasts


BRISTOL:
Henbury: 8 flyover Crossbills late morning (E Drewitt).

PORTBURY:

28.5.11 Little Owl again © Sightings Page team, heartfelt thanks

we're in a league of our own....

CLEVEDON:
Ladye Bay: 80 Manx Shearwater up-channel 9am and then 105 Manxies down-channel 12.30pm (R Hunt, H Taffs).

BANWELL:

28.5.11 young Nuthatch © John Thorogood, many thanks
an upmarket addition to the garden list today

W-S-M:
Anchor Head: 70 Manx Shearwater and a Great Skua seen on 8.30-9.30am seawatch (per westonbirds).

Easton-in-Gordano 27/5/11:
A Quail heard calling in a barley field at the Common Lane-Happerton Lane area 3pm (J Copeland).

Sightings 27/5/11

SEVERNSIDE:

27.5.11 Mute Swan cygnets at the orchard pools this afternoon

PORTBURY WHARF:

Lesser Whitethroat © Bill Dixon, many thanks

3 Lesser Whitethroat along wharf lane to the seawall this morning and 2 Goldcrest still by the 1st hide. Pools quiet first thing except for 16 Mute Swan and 2 Canada Goose broods (S Hale).

FOREST of DEAN:

27.5.11 (wet) Pied Flycatcher © Allan Chard, many thanks

27.5.11 Redstart © Allan Chard, many thanks

27.5.11 Spotted Flycatcher © Allan Chard, many thanks

Red Kite - Gordano Valley - Bill Dixon

Some pics of the Red Kite that has been loitering in the valley this month.

Best views were obtained on 5 May when the bird was seen feeding on a kill at Walton moor and there have been further sightings up to 17th.

all photos © Bill Dixon, many thanks

If anyone has any further details or sightings, please let us know. The Gordano Valley looks ideal breeding territory for this (expanding) species, we'd sure like to add it for the county report..... 

Sightings 26/5/11

Another windy day but this time with some seabirds to report.


BRISTOL:
The Avon gorge Peregrine pair have produced 5 chicks this year (as in 2008/2010), all have been ringed. Some photos at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150628349685253.689282.599885252&l=9e015634d5

Many thanks to Ed Drewitt for the info.


SEVERN BEACH:
A Storm Petrel off the Shaft beach (close to bridge) mid-afternoon (per severnsidebirds), presumably the Holesmouth bird.


AVONMOUTH:

26.5.11 Ringed Plover © Sightings Page team, many thanks

A Storm Petrel and Razorbill reported at the Holesmouth section near Chittening Warth late afternoon (per severnsidebirds).

SAND PT:

26.5.11 Great Skua © Paul Bowyer, many thanks

Morning seawatch to 12.20pm: 45 Fulmar, 45 Gannet, 240 Manx Shearwater, 1 Great Skua, 2 Storm Petrel and a Guillemot. (per westonbirds).

BANWELL:

26.5.11 young Blue Tit © John Thorogood, many thanks

A new addition to John's garden today.

south Devon May 2011 - Allan Chard

A few pics sent in by club member Allan Chard on a recent birding break to south Devon around the Berry Head area.

Shag

Fulmar

Bullfinch

Stonechat

Whitethroat

Cirl Bunting all photos Allan Chard © many thanks

The Cirl Bunting is what Allan calls 'a distant shot!!'.......we were in two minds whether to post it or not.......

Sightings 25/5/11

PORTBURY WHARF:

25.5.11 Barnacle Goose
first appeared on the main pools on 20 May

ANCHOR HEAD:

2 immature BH Gull and a Kittiwake (per westonbirds).

RSPB HAM WALL:

The Red-footed Falcon still present (per SOS).

Sightings 24/5/11

OLDBURY POWER STATION:
1 Common Tern battling downriver in the wind and the Cuckoo still at lagoon 2 (A Middleton).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds:
Severn Beach:  few waders, just 3 Oystercatcher, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 5 Turnstone.


PORTBURY WHARF:
The Little Owl still at the barns and 2 Goldcrest along wharf lane just before the 1st hide (S Hale).