BOC bird sightings

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Sightings 15/9/11

GORDANO VALLEY: LF Roberts

15.9.11 Grasshopper Warbler © LF Roberts, many thanks

Data from the GVRS today, 113 birds ringed and 5 retraps: a Blue Tit (+1 retrap), a Great Tit, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 78 Blackcap (+1 retrap), 16 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Treecreeper (+1 retrap), 2 Robin (+1 retrap), 1 Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch (+1 retrap) and 3 Reed Bunting.

Late August and September are the peak month for Blackcap passage here.

CLEVEDON COAST:

15.9.11 Skylark © Paul Green, many thanks
taken late afternoon, Lower Strode Rd area

Some bird photos - Paul Green

A few bird photos taken locally and sent in by Paul Green.

10.9.11 Clevedon coast

13.9.11 Goldfinch Kingston Seymour

all photos © Paul Green, many thanks

Very many thanks Paul.

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Sightings 14/9/11

SLIMBRIDGE WWT: G Youdale

14.9.11 Buff-breasted Sandpiper © Gordon Youdale, many thanks
a couple more shots of the Buffer that has been on site recently

NEW PASSAGE:

14.9.11 5 Spoonbills © Vic Savery, many thanks

The birds turned up at tea-time and later seen to fly south-east over Pilning, presumably Route 1 to Chew Valley Lake where 5 birds reported early evening.

Uganda Sept 2011 - Roger and Jean Staples

Club members Roger and Jean are just back from a Rockjumper-led wildlife tour of Uganda and sent us a few photos to share. These are just a small sample of the many birds and other wildlife they saw.

African Jacana © Roger Staples

Red-necked Francolin © Roger Staples

Hamerkop © Roger Staples

Shoebill © Roger Staples

a mandatory Gorilla © Roger Staples

the BOC bird news editors © Roger Staples

By chance, Roger was out and about at Portbury Wharf the other day and happened to come across a staff meeting of the 5 club members who produce the bird-list section of our Bird News. We thought members would like to 'put a face' to the names you see at the end of each monthly bulletin during the year.

Modesty and the laws of libel prevent us from identifying individuals but Steve Hale is the really ugly one on the right.

Many thanks Roger, enough material there for members' evening next February.....

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Sightings 13/9/11

Another eventful seabird session witnessed today in Gotham City.

NEW PASSAGE: J Martin
an adult dark-bellied Brent Goose, just 2 Shelduck, 24 Ringed Plover, 3 Knot, 1 juv Curlew Sandpiper, 50 Dunlin, 62 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, a juvenile Little Gull and 8 Wheatear..

SEVERN BEACH: B Lancastle, J Martin

13.9.11 juvenile Sabine's Gull © Brian Lancastle, many thanks
one for the Avon Bird report we think....

Others, 3 Manx Shearwater, 1 Fulmar, a Shag, 1 Peregrine,4 Sanderling, a Guillemot and a Wheatear (shaft rocks).

PORTBURY DOCK: S Hale

13.9.11 Wheatear © Steve Hale, many thanks
3 birds here today including 1 bird having a bath

PORTBURY WHARF: S Hale

The pools were back to normal this morning. Along Wharf lane to the seawall, 1 Cetti's Warbler and 5 Chiffchaff of note.

PORTISHEAD: B Atkinson
A fly-past juvenile Little Gull this morning.

AXE ESTUARY: P Bowyer
3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Grey Phalarope, a Mediterranean Gull and an Arctic Tern.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: per BWG
The Semi-palmated Sandpiper still present at Stratford today.

RSPB Swell Wood Somerset 10/9/11:
Some pics sent in by Pete Blanchard from last Saturday:

10.9.11 Coal Tit

10.9.11 Marsh Tit

10.9.11 Nuthatch
all photos © Pete Blanchard, many thanks

Monday, 12 September 2011

Sightings 12/9/11

Some really good birds are flooding into Avon at the moment, even Portbury Wharf recorded a pulse today.

SEVERN BEACH: B Lancastle, J Martin, per severnsidebirds
Seabird sightings during the day, mostly early am and evening; 7 Fulmar, 1 Manx Shearwater, a juvenile Gannet, a Guillemot, 5 Arctic Tern, 2 Leach's Petrel (1st of the autumn), a juvenile Sabine's Gull, 1 juvenile Sandwich Tern and an adult Kittiwake.

PORTBURY DOCK: CJ Stone
4 Curlew Sandpipers seen over this morning's high tide.

AVONMOUTH: S Hale
2 Wheatear at the shore scrub early this morning but no seabirds on the watch to 9.45am.

PORTBURY WHARF: S Hale, A Rhodes, V Savery, CJ Stone

12.9.11 Grey Phalarope

A Grey Phalarope was present on the main pool this morning and present until 5.30pm at least when it was thought to have flown away from the pool (it could come back!). Best seen from the middle hide but it did disappear from view from time to time as it sought shelter from the wind. Close views down to 150m which is point blank range for Portbury.

Also on the pools for the record, 24 Mute Swan, 8 Little Grebe, 14 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck and a Little Gull of particular note.

SAND PT: per westonbirds

1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Fulmar, 2 Gannet, a Grey Phalarope and an Arctic Skua.

CHEW VALLEY LAKE: J Martin, per BWG
A Semi-palmated Sandpiper (subject to BBRC) at Stratford late afternoon. Only 2 previous Avon records, 1990 (OPS) and New Passage (2009).

Also, a 2nd Pectoral Sandpiper has turned up (Moreton and Stratford), Chew is cooking on gas this autumn and it must be getting rather crowded over there for waders.

Other sightings, at Moreton, 54 Ringed Plover, 2 juvenile Little Stint, 3 juvenile Sanderling and 20+ Dunlin. Out on the lake, 4 Black Tern and 2 1st winter Arctic Tern.

A couple of photos of 2 recent good birds:

Menorca Sept 2011 - Martyn Hayes

A few pics sent in by club member Martyn Hayes following his recent trip to Menorca.

We're posting them now as a pre-emptive strike in case they are any dodgy claims coming out of Marshfield in the next few weeks.......

Mediterranean Shag

Booted Eagle

Blue Rock Thrush

Check out http://www.thebirdsofsouthgloucestershire.co.uk/ for further details, including Martyn's account of his Mediterranean Shag which appears to have been taken in the hotel swimming pool.

Many thanks Martyn.