Sightings 4/10/11

NEW PASSAGE: J Martin

4.10.11 Curlew Sandpiper © John Martin
note bill

104 Wigeon, an immature male Shoveler, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew Sandpiper (1 with a straight bill), 260 Dunlin and 2 Wheatear.

PORTBURY WHARF: S Hale, CJ Stone
A Spoonbill on the north pool island mid-morning to approx 1pm but not seen after that. A Mediterranean Gull on the tide-line late afternoon.

CLEVEDON COAST: S Sanins
Highlights were: 400 Shelduck, 42 Wigeon, 135 Teal, 65 Mallard, 5 Grey Heron, 14 Little Egret, 42 Oystercatcher, 7 Ringed Plover, 275 Dunlin, single Whimbrel, 270 Curlew, single Common Sandpiper, 200 Redshank, 30 Turnstone, 500 BH Gull, 14 Skylark, 6 Wheatear and 2 White Wagtail.

Scilly Isles Sept 2011

Some photos sent in by club member John Thorogood after a week on the islands:-

Solitary Sandpiper © John Thorogood, many thanks

Pectoral Sandpiper © John Thorogood, many thanks

Lesser Yellowlegs © John Thorogood, many thanks

Peregrine Falcon

Ian Carnew sent us this link regarding a Peregrine attending a football match last Saturday. Presumably it was playing on the wing.....

Check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-15149039

Many thanks Ian.

Sightings 3/10/11

NEW PASSAGE: RF Reader
18 Wigeon, lots of Teal, 1 Spoonbill, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint, 300 Dunlin, a Ruff, 60 Curlew and 50 Turnstone,


CHITTENING WARTH: M Dadds
Sea Bank: 1 Redpoll and 5 Siskin.

Stup Pill: 1 Buzzard, 14 Oystercatcher, single Kingfisher, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, 30 Pied Wagtail, 72 Meadow Pipit, 90 Goldfinch and a Redpoll.

STEART (Wall Common):

3.10.11 Snow Bunting © Allan Chard, many thanks
present here since late September and showing well

Brandon Hill Birds (Cabot Tower Watch Group) Ed Drewitt

Another plug following our 22 September posting.


Ed sent us these pics and asked us to put a Sci-Fi flavour onto the posting but we have found this extremely difficult for 2 reasons:-

1. There is only 1 sun (star) in the sky so it's impossible to re-create that romantic planet Tatooine moment in Star Wars when Luke realises where his destiny lies.

2. Ed looks nothing like Luke Skywalker, though we can see some uncanny resemblance to those creatures in the jazz bar...

Samaritan workers talking Ed out of doing
a bungee jump with no bungee.....

Anyway, enough of the Farce, the Birds over Bristol project has been officially launched now and it's well worth checking out their website http://birdsoverbristol.wordpress.com/ to see some of their preliminary findings as well as finding out what's planned for the future and how you can take part in it. 

And in case you're still wondering, the Dark Side isn't stronger.......it's just more seductive.........

Sightings 2/10/11

NEW PASSAGE: B Lancastle, RF Reader
Best birds were 2 juvenile Spoonbill this morning, seen well on the tide-line, they flew off at around 9.30am.
(5 Spoonbill were seen here on 14 September, they later turned up at Chew Valley Lake).

Other sightings: 10 Wigeon, the usual Teal swarm, a 1st cy Peregrine, 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint, 300 Dunlin, single Ruff, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Redshank, 30 Turnstone, 2 Raven, 2 Wheatear, a flyover Tree Pipit plus some more flyover Siskin and Redpoll.

PORTBURY DOCK: CJ Stone
54 Shelduck, 35 Ringed Plover, 100 Dunlin, 66 Curlew, 243 Redshank*, 20 Turnstone, a 1st winter GBB Gull, 3 Chiffchaff and a calling Siskin.

*Redshank groups were 143 birds along river Avon shore and another 100 birds on estuary towards Portbury.


CLEVEDON COAST: HE Rose
Not much change from yesterday, pick of the birds were: 14 Little Egret, a Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 100+ Curlew, 100 Redshank, singles of Green and Common Sandpiper and 4 Wheatear.

Visit this link for some moving pics of Wheatear and Rock Pipit at the Clevedon coast this morning. Many thanks Alex.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNA3mnMLXGE

SAND PT: per westonbirds
A Wryneck at the point this morning.

MENDIPS:

2.10.11 Crossbill © Jason Wiliams, many thanks
seen whilst looking for the Pallid Harrier today

Sightings 1/10/11

CHITTENING WARTH: M Dadds
Sea Bank: Single Blackcap and Goldcrest.

Stup Pill: another good showing of migrants here this morning: 2 Buzzard, 2 Stock Dove, 4 Swallow, a Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, 11 Pied Wagtail, 2 Whinchat, 39 Meadow Pipit, 7 Redpoll and 3 Reed Bunting.

CLEVEDON COAST: S Sanins
Shed-loads of birds here this morning:
3 Mute Swan, 5 Brent Goose (Yeo), 325 Shelduck, 50 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 75 Teal, 165 Mallard, single Pintail, 1 Tufted Duck (Yeo), 4 Cormorant, 16 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, singles of Buzzard and Peregrine, 47 Oystercatcher, 40 Ringed Plover, 90 Knot, 7 Curlew Sandpiper (Yeo), 300 Dunlin, single Snipe, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 345 Curlew, 150 Redshank, 47 Turnstone, 750 BH Gull, 10 Skylark, 14 Wheatear, 175 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 12 Pied Wagtail, 50 Goldfinch and 125 Linnet.


MENDIPS:

1.10.11 juvenile Pallid Harrier © Gordon Youdale, many thanks

1.10.11 juvenile Pallid Harrier © Allan Chard, many thanks

Some shots taken today of the Pallid Harrier at the Black Down part of the Mendips. The area straddles the Avon-Somerset border, hopefully someone will record as it flying in Avon airspace as it would be a 1st county record for us.

Spotted Sandpiper & Pallid Harrier
Both these birds have been star attractions recently, especially with the photographers.

However, for some truly embarrassingly bad and awful pics of Chew's Spotted Sandpiper and the Mendip Pallid Harrier, check out http://pixelbirds.co.uk/October2011.html

Many thanks for your patience Gareth.

Bristol (Redland) 28/9/11: M Hill

A garden flyover Redwing heard.

Our earliest date ever is 7 August 1979.