Sightings 30/6/11

BRISTOL
Eastville Park:

30.6.11 Grey Heron

30.6.11 Coot and chick © Allan Chard, many thanks

Also seen around the area by Allan, Kingfisher and Dipper.

PORTBURY DOCK:
18 Shelduck, 4 Oystercatcher, single Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 22 Curlew and a GBB Gull. Nearby, 4 soaring Buzzard at M5 J19 (S Hale).


CLEVEDON COAST: some stirrings of life at last
Wains hill-Yeo Est: 2 Mute Swan, 18 Canada Goose, 70 Shelduck + 2 existing broods, 45 Mallard, 2 Cormorant, 7 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, single Buzzard, 11 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, a Whimbrel, 98 Curlew, 38 Redshank, 160 BH Gull, 10 Herring Gull, single GBB Gulll, 20 Swallow, a juvenile Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff, a Raven and 15+ Linnet (HE Rose).


CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Herriott's: the Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper still present this morning (S Davies).

Yorkshire June 2011 John Thorogood

Club member John Thorogood was on his travels again 26-26 June, visiting some of the coastal birding spots around Bempton cliffs, Flamborough, Filey and environs.

Kittiwake © John Thorogood
Bempton/Flamborough

Gannets © John Thorogood
Bempton/Flamborough

Puffin © John Thorogood
Bempton/Flamborough

young Dipper © John Thorogood
Forge valley

young Swallows © John Thorogood
Filey

Great Crested Grebe family © John Thorogood
North Cave Wetlands

If any other members have recent birding trip photos they would like to share, please send them in with a few words and we'll post them.

Many thanks John.

Sightings 29/6/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

29.6.11 Spoonbill © Wilf King, many thanks
Showing well today

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
New Passage: 2 Common Sandpiper and a Mediterranean Gull of note this evening.

Black-headed Gull numbers picking up too.

CLEVEDON COAST:
Dowlais: a juvenile Black-headed Gull here today, 1st of the autumn for the patch (H Taffs).


Mystery bird photo:
We had a thunderous response to yesterday's 'Pipit species' posting, mostly from a Mrs Trellis in North Wales but we are sorry to say that she didn't have a clue.

The winning entry came from a club member who wishes to remain anonymous but we can tell you that our records show that he has seen every Franklin's Gull that has occurred in Avon over the past 27 years.

So, a days' free bird-watching at Portbury Wharf to him and a chance to ratchet up the life list....

Sightings 28/6/11

Portbury was wearing the glass slipper today.

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Severn Beach: 80 Curlew this evening. Our best count this month.


PORTBURY WHARF:

A female Teal and 5 Lapwing new in today (S Hale).

ABERGAVENNY:

A few photos sent in by Allan who was out and about on the Welsh hills around Abergavenny today.

juvenile Redstart

Yellowhammer

Whinchat

Pipit sp. all photos © Allan Chard, many thanks

Tree or Meadow Pipit?? Press the RED button and all vote now....●

Lines close 10pm. Votes cast after the deadline will not be counted but you may still be charged. Winning entries receive a days' free birding at Portbury Wharf.

Sightings 27/6/11

Some influx of waders, best being an early Wood Sandpiper at Chew.


SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Aust Warth: 4 Redshank and 2 Common sandpiper.
New Passage:

27.6.11 Mediterranean Gull © Paul Bowerman, many thanks

Wader highlights were: 9 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew, 3 Redshank and 5 Common Sandpiper.

PORTBURY WHARF:

27.6.11 Little Egret

A Kingfisher new in to the main pool this morning and 3 Little Owl around the fields. Late afternoon, a Little Egret, 80 Redshank and 2 Common Sandpiper at Chapel Pill creek (S Hale).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
BK hide: singles of Greenshank (first of the autumn), Green Sandpiper and juvenile Mediterranean Gull this morning and then a Wood Sandpiper around 6pm, also 3 Little Egret (S Davies).

Sightings 26/6/11

8 Common Scoter new in to Chew today, mid-summer/early autumn sightings not unusual here.


OLDBURY POWER STATION:
Highlights were a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler and a Treecreeper (per opsbirding).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Severn Beach: a Little Egret.

PORTBURY WHARF:
More knicker-gripping stuff, the Barn Owl out again am and then a Common Sandpiper in the pill in the evening (S Hale).

CLEVEDON COAST:

26.6.11 Little Owl, Dowlais Farm © Jason Williams, many thanks
better than that rubbish we get from Portbury.....

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: per cvlbirding, S Emery:

Yacht club: 8 Common Scoter.
Woodford: a Hobby.
Wick Green: 1 Garden Warbler at the plantation.
Denny: a Little Egret.
Herriott's: the Black-tailed Godwit still.
Lake: 3 Common Tern still.

Sightings 25/6/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:
Quality birds here today, a Spoonbill, the Spotted Redshank and the Red-necked Phalarope (per slimbridgebirds).

MARSHFIELD:
2 Buzzard, 5 Skylark, a Blackcap, single Yellowhammer and 5 Corn Bunting (W King).

SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
New Passage: 3 Common Sandpiper new in at the pill.

PORTBURY WHARF:

25.6.11 Barn Owl this afternoon

25.6.11 Little Owls together

Pools: the Black-tailed Godwit still on the island.

Estuary: a Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Curlew and c.70 Redshank (influx again) at the creek (S Hale).

CLEVEDON COAST:

16 Redshank up the Yeo Est (influx here also, only odd birds before today) (H Taffs).

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: per cvlbirding:
Stratford: the Ferruginous Duck in front of the hide this afternoon.

Elsewhere, the Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Egret, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Tern reported.

Sightings 24/6/11

OLDBURY POWER STATION:
A Redstart seen on the pathway this afternoon (1 at Severnside yesterday also).

Other sightings: 3 Mute Swan, 7 Canada Goose (inc goslings), a Little Grebe, 7 Tufted Duck and a single Oystercatcher (A Middleton).


PORTBURY WHARF:

24.6.11 Little Owl
1 or 2 birds on many dates

24.6.11 Black-tailed Godwit
present on the main pool since 18 June

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Hollow Brook: the Blue-winged Teal still viewable from the footbridge but no Garganey early on.

Herriott's: a Black-tailed Godwit and a Redshank (S Davies).

Sightings 23/6/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:
No sign of the Red-necked Phalarope today but a black Spotted Redshank turned up in compensation.

Allan sent us the following Royal Flush:

23.6.11 Spotted Redshank © Allan Chard
new in on site today

23.6.11 Ruddy Shelduck © Allan Chard
2 birds present recently

23.6.11 Mediterranean Gull © Allan Chard
an influx this month, up to 10+ birds have been present

23.6.11 Oystercatcher family © Allan Chard
THE shot

Many thanks for saving the day Allan.

ALMONDSBURY:

23.6.11 ex Mole © M Dadds, many thanks

Mark sent in this pic and comments:

You don’t see a dead mole for many years and then 3 come along all at once; well 3 in a fortnight, the latest this morning, and all at Lower Knole Farm. It would be interesting  to know if anyone else has found any dead moles recently, or if this is just happening locally.


SEVERNSIDE: per severnsidebirds
Northwick Warth: a female Redstart along the bushes late afternoon.

Peregrines - John Bimson June 2011

A few pics of some Peregrines sent in by club member John Bimson.

This pair has bred just outside our normal reporting area but still within a couple of 'flaps and glides' of Bristol.

The 3 chicks fledged yesterday (22/6/11) and left the nest for the first time but obviously they are still keeping very close to the nest site and parents.

And yes.....the architecture shows yet another church.

all photos © John Bimson, many thanks

The birds are under constant surveillance and monitoring by the local ornithological society rather like our own Avon gorge programme.

Many thanks again John.

Sightings 22/6/11

The nights are drawing in.....

A hint of some wader movement: 2 Little Ringed Plover at Severnside yesterday and today a Red-necked Phalarope at Slimbridge and a small  influx of Redshank to Portbury.


SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

22.6.11 Red-necked Phalarope © James Lees, many thanks

An adult female Red-necked Phalarope turned up overnight, Zeiss hide, rare even for here (per slimbridgebirds).


PORTBURY WHARF:

22.6.11 Little Owl © Sightings Page team, many thanks
(the live bird, not the stuffed one)

Wharf lane: 2 Little Owl this morning, a live bird and the usual stuffed one (placed around the barns by the local birders to maintain spirits).

Estuary: a Shelduck brood (10), 3 Curlew and 26 Redshank (influx).

Pools: 4 Oystercatcher (1 bird re-sitting) and 1 Black-tailed Godwit still (S Hale).

Sightings 21/6/11

PILNING:

21.6.11 Little Owl © Rod Holbrook, many thanks
a regular site over past few years

SEVERNSIDE:
New Passage:

21.6.11 Little Ringed Plover © Paul Bowerman, many thanks

2 Little Ringed Plover on the shoreline this evening, returning migrants (per severnsidebirds).

CLEVEDON COAST Channel View farm leg:
47 Shelduck (1 brood of 10 chicks), 2 Little Egret, 2 Kestrel (adult+juvenile), 2 Oystercatcher, single Bar-tailed Godwit, 67 Curlew and 10 Stock Dove (A Middleton).


CHEW VALLEY LAKE:
Hollow Brook: the Blue-winged Teal and 2 Garganey on show again (not seen yesterday).

Herriott's: singles of Greylag Goose, Wigeon and Common Sandpiper (S Davies).

FOREST OF DEAN:

Allan out and about in the forest today:

Great Spotted Woodpecker

happy young Swallow being fed

glum young Swallow, missing out
all photos © Allan Chard, many thanks

SYMONDS YAT:
Out of area but a Honey Buzzard here this morning. It could have passed us.

Sightings 20/6/11

PORTBURY WHARF:

20.6.11 Little Owl

20.6.11 Starling © Sightings Page team, many thanks
today's endorphin rush at Portbury

The patch found new ways to be dull this morning (S Hale).

HAM GREEN:
4 Mistle Thrush here this afternoon (J Williams).

LULSGATE:
A fly-past Hobby at the airport 7.30am this morning (A Hockey).

Forest of Dean 19/6/11:

Mandarin Duck © Phil Baber, many thanks

Wild Boar © Pam Buckle, many thanks

3 churring Nightjar, at least 4 roding Woodcock plus the other usual woodland species also reported by Pam and Phil.

City docks 16/5/11:

Common Scoter © Dan de Castro, muchas gracias

We've just received this report of a Common Scoter in the city docks near the Cumberland Basin on 16/17 May.


The bird was seen mainly around the Hotwells-Cottage Pub section, looking lost and disorientated and very wary of the boat traffic.

There were several sightings of Common Scoter at the coast during May and they do occur inland at Chew Valley Lake from time to time but a city docks record is truly exceptional.

Sightings 19/6/11

BRISTOL:
Patchway: an odd record of a Ringed Plover sp. seen in flight near the new road from the A38-Mall (R Scantlebury).

Clifton:

2 of our Peregrine boys on the Downs today
© Allan Chard, many thanks

If you click on the 2nd photo to view it full-frame, you'll want to touch the screen.....

PORTBURY DOCK:
Just 4 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin on this morning's tide of note (CJ Stone).


PORTBURY WHARF:

19.6.11 Bar-tailed Godwit (left) at Chapel Pill
© Chris Stone, many thanks
30 Curlew here also

19.6.11 Chiffchaff, 4 birds by the 1st hide this morning
© Sightings page team

19.6.11 Wood Mouse at wharf lane today

© Chris Stone, many thanks

CHEW VALLEY LAKE:

Hollow Brook: the Blue-winged Teal and 3 drake Garganey still here this morning.

Herriott's: A Red-crested Pochard hybrid.

Dam: the 2 Ruddy Shelduck hybrids (combined reports, S Davies, C Porter).

Dorset June 2011 V Savery

A few pics sent in by Vic Savery following his recent birding break to the Portland stretch of the coast last week.

Shag

Gannets (Razorbill also!)

Oystercatcher

Rock Pipit

Linnet

Yellowhammer
all photos © Vic Savery, many thanks

If any other club members have photos of recent birding trips, local or farther afield, that they would like to share, please send them in with a few words and we'll post them. many thanks.