Sightings 22/9/11

AUST WARTH: B Lancastle
This evening, a female and a Wheatear. At nearby Aust Cliff, 1 Buzzard, a female Merlin, a male Peregrine and 2 Raven.


NORTHWICK WARTH: B Lancastle, RF Reader
8 Wigeon, 60 Teal, 2 juvenile Knot, 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 30 Dunlin, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Turnstone, 4 Wheatear and a Lesser Redpoll.

GORDANO VALLEY:

22.9.11 Treecreeper © Dave Nevitt, many thanks
2 ringed at the station this morning

22.9.11 Lesser Redpoll © Dave Nevitt, many thanks

Other ringing highlights: 39 Chiffchaff, 19 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, a flyover Tree Pipit and a Reed Bunting.

A lot of Siskins also appearing, we could be in for a Siskin autumn/winter.

Brandon Hill Birds

We thought members may be interested to take part in this project looking at 'over the city' bird migration.....and with our own customary coastal autumn migration watches already set in the diary, it would be useful to compare results....and there could be some surprises!

The project is being co-ordinated by Sam at Brandon Hill and he writes:-

Cabot Tower Bird Study Group and Migration Watch

I am planning on forming a visible migration watch and bird study group that will meet once weekly at the top of Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill Nature Park, Clifton for the remainder of the autumn migration period, and depending on success, reforming in the spring. I've got a concessionary key so we can access the Tower as early as we want.

We will be monitoring passage migrants and looking out for raptors over the city. 

Our results will be submitted to BirdTrack and we will also be comparing results with the Tower 42 Bird Study Group run by David Lindo in central London (http://t42bsg.blogspot.com/). 

I am currently talking with the parks to gain early access to Cabot Tower and am looking for birders of any experience to join me.

The sessions will most likely take place on Thursday or Friday mornings, depending on when David and the Tower 42 BSG are meeting. 

If you are interested (or know anyone who might be) in being put on a mailing list or finding out any more information, please contact me here: brandonhillnature@gmail.com. 

Sessions will be c. 4hrs, during which you would be free to attend and leave at any point depending on commitments and I will send out a group email 1 week in advance with exact times and dates.

http://brandonhillnature.wordpress.com/cabot-tower-bsg/

Sightings 20/9/11

PILL: V Savery
M5 bridge: singles Grey Heron and Cormorant, 3 Curlew, a Greenshank, 2 Redshank and 3 Common Sandpiper along the river Avon shore.

Vladivostok: J Sparks

12.9.11 Black-tailed Gull

14.9.11 Mongolian Plover

13.9.11 Red-rumped Swallow © all photos John Sparks, Большое спасибо

John just back from a trip to the far eastern reaches of Russia (beyond ST 78) and sent in these pics.

....и большое спасибо за Ваши добрые слова ... 

Sightings 19/9/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

19.9.11 Ruff © Allan Chard, many thanks

19.9.11 Spotted Redshank © Allan Chard, many thanks

Don't go to Slimbridge if you don't like waders, there's loads of 'em there, all posing and strutting their stuff.

PORTBURY DOCK-PORTBURY WHARF: CJ Stone
54 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 1 Manx Shearwater downriver, 13 Ringed Plover, 120 Dunlin, 16 Knot, single Bar-tailed Godwit,30 Curlew, a Mediterranean Gull and 10 Chiffchaff.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: J Martin
Stratford: the male Ferruginous Duck, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 55 Ringed Plover, a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 juvenile Ruff and 4 Redshank.

Sightings 18/9/11

LYDNEY:

18.9.11 Spotted Sandpiper © John Martin, many thanks
if you're wondering why it isn't an ordinary Common, please let us know..

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

18.9.11 Buff-breasted Sandpiper © John Martin, many thanks

18.9.11 Dotterel © John Martin, many thanks

OLDBURY POWER STATION: A Middleton
A Gannet seen floating upstream this morning. Others, 7 Wigeon, 147 Mallard, 1 Peregrine, 3 Ringed Plover, 27 Lapwing, 24 Dunlin, 213 Curlew, 33 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 2 Wheatear and a Raven.

NORTHWICK WARTH: B Lancastle

18.9.11 Gannet corpse © Brian Lancastle, many thanks

Other sightings here, singles of Little Egret, Snipe and Green Sandpiper.

SEVERN BEACH: B Lancastle

1 Wheatear and a Common Tern.

PORTBURY DOCK:

18.9.11 Redstart ©  Steve Hale, many thanks
flitting around on the shoreline rocks this morning

NORTH WESTON: per J Williams
A Hobby in the village 2.30pm this afternoon.


CLEVEDON COAST: HE Rose, J Williams

18.9.11 Curlew Sandpiper © Jason Williams, many thanks

85 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 110 Mallard, singles of Cormorant and Grey Heron, 8 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine, 19 Oystercatcher, 10 Ringed Plover, 5 Knot, 2 Little Stint, 70 Dunlin, a bar-tailed Godwit, c.160 Curlew, 85 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 16 Turnstone, 8+ Swallow, 5 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat and 90 Linnet.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: C Porter, A Rhodes
Moreton: 26 Little Grebe

Stratford: 2 Little Egret, the Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 3 Redshank, 2 Black Tern and a Wheatear.

LITTON RES: C Porter
WeBS highlights were 71 Mallard and 10 Little Grebe plus 6 Nuthatch and a Goldcrest nearby in the village.

Sightings 17/9/11

Our 'Spot the Phalarope' photograph certainly had many members rushing to their inkwells to scratch out replies. Most of you said that we had mis-identified the car and that it was a Toyota Verso and a few votes also went for a Datsun Note and a VW Touran.

However, the most intriguing and perceptive reply came from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales who simply said....'It's never a Willow.....'


SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

17.9.11 Buff-breasted Sandpiper & Dotterel ©  Alex Rhodes, many thanks
still present on site today

Alex has not been able to master the club paper reporting slips so is sticking with YouTube for the time being:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMgoNNLp8iM 


LITTLETON WARTH: J Martin
WeBS this morning: 62 Canada Goose, just 1 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 58 Mallard, single Cormorant, 45 Ringed Plover, 65 Dunlin, 41 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 35 Turnstone, 90 BH Gull, a Herring Gull, 7 Wheatear and 90 Meadow Pipit.


NEW PASSAGE-NORTHWICK: W King, B Lancastle
70 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 15 Oystercatcher, 9 Ringed plover, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 87 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 67 Redshank and a Black Tern.

SEVERN BEACH: W King, B Lancastle

17.9.11 Shag this morning, off shaft rocks © Brian Lancastle, many thanks
an Avon 'description' species.....but it seems churlish to ask....

17.9.11 Shag © Sarah Loaring, many thanks
sometimes the Severnside seabirds come in quite close........

17.9.11 Renault Laguna © Paul Bowerman, many thanks
the white splodge on the concrete just before the car....
 ...is the Grey Phalarope....we think....

17.9.11 resting Gannet © Wilf King, many thanks

Others: singles of Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Sanderling and Grey Phalarope.

PORTBURY DOCK: CJ Stone
At least 1 Manx Shearwater, 35 Ringed Plover, 7 Knot, 85 Dunlin, 1 Curlew, 18 Turnstone and 2 adult Mediterranean Gull.


CLEVEDON COAST: P Chapman
3 Teal, 1 Avocet, 40+ Ringed Plover, 20+ Knot, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, single Bar-tailed Godwit and 10 Turnstone.

A Hobby seen at nearby Kingston Seymour.

BARROW TANKS: CJ Stone
8 Common Sandpiper, 7 GBB Gull and a Kingfisher

Barrow Tanks 16/9/11: CJ Stone
40 Cormorant and a Little Stint last night

Sightings 16/9/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT:

16.9.11 Buff-breasted Sandpiper © Allan Chard, many thanks

16.9.11 Dotterel © Allan Chard, many thanks
turned up today

Not much reported at Slimbridge by Allan, just the 'Buffer' and a Dotterel....we're sorry they're 'distant' shots again!

16.9.11 Dotterel © Gordon Youdale, many thanks
on the Dumbles today

CHIPPING SODBURY: D Pearce
On the Common: 2 Canada Goose, a Green Woodpecker, single Raven, a male Redstart and a Yellow Wagtail. Also, 'shedloads' of Meadow pipits apparently.


SEVERNSIDE: J Martin, AD Scott
NP-NW: 7 Wigeon, 76 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 65 Oystercatcher, 5 Knot, 50 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 82 Redshank, 4 Raven, a Wheatear and a Siskin. The warth was walked as far as the 'flash', no goodies found.

CLEVEDON COAST: A Middleton

CV Farm leg to Yeo Est: singles of Sparrowhawk, Hobby and Peregrine, 8 Little Egret, 60 Ringed Plover, 320 Dunlin, 4 Ruff, 177 Curlew, 8 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, 6 Stock Dove and 6 Wheatear.

Wick Quarry (south Glos) 14/9/11:

14.9.11 ringtail Hen Harrier © Pete Blanchard, many thanks