Monday 13 March 2017

13 March '17 Monday - more Wheatears

A glorious spring day, fine with a light NW wind.  Chiffchaffs and Wheatears trickling steadily in.

Short-eared Owl, Jack Snipe, Purple Sandpiper.

Portrait from Eastville Park (Steve Poulsom)

BRISTOL
Eastville Park:
Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper.

Stockwood Open Space:
Stonechat, 2 Mistle Thrush.

Stoke Park, Duchess Pond:
1 Teal, 3 Meadow Pipit, 1 singing Reed Bunting.

Badock's Park, Henleaze:
pair of displaying Sparrowhawk.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
(WeBS count)
2 Great Crested Grebe (drifted upriver - unusual here), 14 Shelduck, 109 Wigeon, 28 Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Water Rail, 3 Oystercatcher, 165 Curlew, 79 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 54 Redshank, 55 Turnstone, 1 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff,

Littleton Warth:
2 Wheatear, 2 singing Chiffchaff.

New Passage/Northwick Warth:
8 Canada Goose, 40 Shelduck, 50 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 8 Shoveler, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 80 Oystercatcher, 200 Dunlin, 40 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Turnstone, Little Owl (in the general area), 15 Meadow Pipit, 20 Pied Wagtail, 1 Wheatear.

Toghill Farm, Doynton:
Another negative report - looks like the Cattle Egrets have gone.

NORTH SOMERSET:

Clevedon-Yeo:
23 Canada Goose, 205 Shelduck, 375 Wigeon, 190 Teal, 2 Pintail, 17 Shoveler (Yeo), 11 Tufted Duck, 16 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe (Blind Yeo), 1 Water Rail (Blake’s Pools), 35 Oystercatcher, 8 Ringed Plover, 28 Grey Plover, 35 Lapwing, 35 Knot, 225 Dunlin, 12 Common Snipe, 235 Curlew, 305 Redshank, 26 Skylark, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear (Yeo), 65 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 35 Goldfinch, 5 Bullfinch, 3 Reed Bunting.

Nailsea (Nowhere Wood):
2 Buzzard being chased off by 2 Raven which are nest-building nearby.  1 Great Spotted Woodpecker excavating a new nest hole.  2 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper.

Sand Point and Middle Hope:
Purple Sandpiper flew west past Middle Hope with 4 Oystercatcher. 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff singing, light passage of pipits, wagtails and finches (throughout the morning).

Another glorious photo of the co-operative Short-eared Owl at Uphill
(David Hughes)
Uphill:
(WeBS count) 2 Little Egret, 66 Mute Swan (on the Somerset side of the Axe), 84 Shelduck, 10 Mallard, 39 Teal, 75 Wigeon, 85 Oystercatcher, 245 Dunlin, 12 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 220 Redshank, few Skylark, Redwing, 29 Carrion Crow.
The big flocks of BH Gull have left, only counted 16.
A second Short-eared Owl this afternoon, or the Bleadon bird hunting further afield?

Bleadon:
Short-eared Owl out on the Levels at 9 a.,m., 3 Wheatear, singing Chiffchaff.

BELOW M4 & BANES

Paulton:
7 Buzzard, 1 Wheatear, 14 Meadow Pipit.

RESERVOIRS:

Barrow Tanks:
1 (1W drake) Long-tailed Duck (still on tank no. 3), 1 f. Goldeneye.

Blagdon Lake:
(WeBS count)
1 Egyptian Goose, 21 Shoveler, 30+ Cormorant, 21 Buzzard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 40 Sand Martin, 7 singing Chiffchaff.

pair of Scaup at Chew Valley Lake  (David Hughes)
Chew Valley Lake:
Sparrowhawk.

Dam:
Egyptian Goose.

Reed Bunting in spring plumage (George Stacey)
Bittern Trail:
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Treecreeper, 1 Reed Bunting.

Woodford:
12 Goldeneye, 5 Buzzard (circling over yacht club), 4 Redwing (orchard).

Heron's Green:
4 Snipe (lake, left-hand side).

Moreton:
3 Shelduck, 19 Scaup (9m, 10f),  15 Goldeneye, 1 m. Common Scoter, 7 Buzzard (over hills other side lake), 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Stock Dove, 1 Tawny Owl (calling), 2 Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff (some singing), 6 Long-tailed Tit.

Herriotts End:
1 Sand Martin (over the pond) , 4 Shelduck, 3 Pintail, 2 Grey Wagtail.

Reports: Paul Bowerman, Paul Bowyer, Nigel Coldicott, Paul Francis, Alastair Fraser, Patrick Hancock, David Hughes, Nicky Larry, "Lisegirl", Andy Middleton, Steve Poulsom, Steve Sanins, Vic Savery, Richard Scantlebury, George Stacey, Chris Stone, Mike Thomas, John Thorogood,  blagdonlakebirds,  CVRSnslbirding,  opsbirding,  severnsidebirds,  TBOSG