Beautiful out and about today, no wind to speak of and lots of sunshine.
Long-tailed Duck
Great White Egret
Merlin
Chew Valley Lake (yesterday):
'I saw this gull this afternoon in Heron's Green Bay. It appears to be an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull. I also saw it in flight with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and it was obviously paler on the upperparts than the Lesser. The heavily streaked hood and the dark grey upperparts are the key features.' (Keith Vinicombe)
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| 23-11-17 Presumed Azorean Yellow-legged Gull (Keith Vinicombe) |
When I clicked on the Avon Birds blog earlier I was astonished to see Keith Vinicombe's photo of a putative Azorean Yellow-legged Gull at CVL. Why? Well, on the 2nd November I was birding at Portbury Wharf NR and spotted an unusual-looking gull on the North Pool at 13.00 hours which was identical to that seen by Keith. It's mantle that was noticeably darker than that of nearby Herring Gulls, but not as dark as that of a Lesser Black-back. It legs were pink with a distinct yellowish suffusion and had a 'beady' yellow eye. It's most distinctive feature, however, was the dark dense head streaking that gave it a hooded appearance. The folded wings looked looked longer than that of a Herring Gull giving it a rather attenuated appearance.The possibility that it might be an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull did not occur to me at the the time and I passed it off as an Argentatus Herring Gull, the various sub-populations of which are extremely variable throughout its range. However, I had nagging doubts about this identification because the bird that I saw appeared to be at least a third smaller than the Herring Gulls present. This may have been due to its sleeker, more attenuated appearance. It did not stay for long on the North Pools, flying off over Portbury Wharf in the direction of the Severn Estuary. I alerted the Severnside birders via Paul Bowerman but it was not seen again on the coast as far as I know. I hope this is of interest to you,
BRISTOL
Henleaze:
Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit
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| 24/11/17 Grey Wagtail in Henleaze (Geoff Daniels) |
Mangotsfield/Downend :
Garden corridor between the houses in Kingston Drive (Mangotsfield) and those in Stockwell Close (Downend).
Marshfield:
30+ Golden Plover, 200+ Linnet, 500+ Starling, 40+ Fieldfare, 30+ Redwing, 30+ Yellowhammer, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 12 Corn Bunting, 15 House Sparrow, 2 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard,
NORTH SOMERSET:
Dundry:
Song Thrush (singing)
Portishead:
Springfield Road:
2 Song Thrush, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Goldfinch
Yatton:
Wemberham Lane:
Keynsham:
ST6567:
7 Herring Gull, 4 Feral Pigeon, 7 Woodpigeon, 3 Collard Dove, 5 Magpie, 6 Jackdaw,
RESERVOIRS:
Chew Valley Lake:
Denny Island environs:
2 Whooper Swans? 6 Pintails
Woodford:
12+ Goldeneye, 2 Mistle Thrush,1 Song Thrush, 40+ Redwing & FF (orchard), 2 Bullfinch, 3 Meadow Pipit,
3 G BB Gull
Villice Path to hide:
1 Hawfinch 6 Bullfinch 1 Green Wood 2 Jay 1 Buzzard 30 Fieldfare 20+ Redwing 1 Mistle Thrush 1 Raven 6+ L TT 1 Common Sand (Nunnery)
Moreton:
3 Jay, 1 Cetti's, 2 L Grebe, 3 Goldeneye, 2 G BB Gull, 2 Raven, 5 Goldcrest, 12+ L TT,
1 G-S Wood, 1 Blackcap (cottage), 200+ Wood Pigeon (field drive in)
Stratford:
A pair of Bearded Tits
Herriotts:
30 Lapwing, 6 Goosander (1M 5 F Channel), 3 G-W Egret, 2 L Egret, 4 Shelduck (pond),
8 Pintail (pond), 4 L Grebe (pond), 1 Water Rail (channel), 3 G BB Gull, 300+ Wood Pigeon (fly over north)
Important update on work at Stratford Hide, CVL:
Work started on the boardwalk today and will continue on the next two Thursdays, 30th and December 7th. The hide will be closed those days but should be open on all other days
Ham Wall:
REMINDER from RSPB: Until Saturday 25 Nov there will be no access to Ham Wall RSPB from the village of Ashcott. Somerset Highways are carrying out earthworks just south of the entrance. The reserve will be accessible from the village of Meare via Ashcott Road.
Reports: Simon Carder, Geoff Daniels Andy Davis, Alan Gilbert, John Griffiths, Joe McSorley, Dave Nevitt, Lisa Presland, John Rickard, Matthew Rogers, Chris Perry, Trevor Riddle, George Stacey, Ian Stapp, talkingtobears, Keith Vinicombe,
Stella Warren, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding,severnsidebirds
Ring necked parakeet
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
New Passage:
1 Merlin, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Wren, a few Curlew and Lapwing and numerous Wigeon, Dunlin and Canada Geese. Water Rail, Stonechats, Grey Wagtail
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
New Passage:
1 Merlin, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Wren, a few Curlew and Lapwing and numerous Wigeon, Dunlin and Canada Geese. Water Rail, Stonechats, Grey Wagtail
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| 24/11/17 Merlin at Pilning (Alan Gilbert) |
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| 24/11/17 Stonechat at New Passage (Lisa Presland) |
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| 24/11/17 More Stonechats at New Passage. Is the bird on the left a Stonechat or a Black Redstart asks Rob Emery? |
Olveston:
I2 Blackcap (1m, 1 f)
I2 Blackcap (1m, 1 f)
Marshfield:
30+ Golden Plover, 200+ Linnet, 500+ Starling, 40+ Fieldfare, 30+ Redwing, 30+ Yellowhammer, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 12 Corn Bunting, 15 House Sparrow, 2 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard,
200+ Wood Pigeon, 10+ Skylark, 4 Stonechat, 20+ Chaffinch.
NORTH SOMERSET:
Dundry:
Song Thrush (singing)
Portishead:
Springfield Road:
2 Song Thrush, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Goldfinch
Yatton:
Wemberham Lane:
2 Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 2 Stonechat, 10 Meadow Pipit and 20 Linnet.
Bleadon:
Bleadon:
4 Goldcrest, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk,
1 Green Woodpecker
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| 24/11/17 Sparrowhawk at Bleadon (William Hewitt) |
BELOW M4 & BANES
Keynsham:
ST6567:
7 Herring Gull, 4 Feral Pigeon, 7 Woodpigeon, 3 Collard Dove, 5 Magpie, 6 Jackdaw,
6 Carrion Crow, 14 Starling, 2 Chaffinch, 22 Goldfinch, 1 Pied Wagtail
Bath:
Lower Weston:
Bath:
Lower Weston:
Tawny Owl 6 am.
Corston Fields:
Corston Fields:
Kestrel.
Bathampton Meadows:
A flock of c.150 large waders going over the Meadows late afternoon yesterday, giving a single whistle type call - Black-tailed Godwits?
Paulton:
1 Goldcrest, 4 Redwing, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Goldfinch, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat,
Bathampton Meadows:
A flock of c.150 large waders going over the Meadows late afternoon yesterday, giving a single whistle type call - Black-tailed Godwits?
Paulton:
1 Goldcrest, 4 Redwing, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Goldfinch, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat,
RESERVOIRS:
Chew Valley Lake:
Dam:
1 Long-tailed Duck (long way out with Grebe diving a lot), 5 Goldeneye, 3 L Grebe,
2 Common Sandpiper, 30+ Redwing & Fieldfare (in berry trees on the road)
1 Long-tailed Duck (long way out with Grebe diving a lot), 5 Goldeneye, 3 L Grebe,
2 Common Sandpiper, 30+ Redwing & Fieldfare (in berry trees on the road)
Denny Island environs:
2 Whooper Swans? 6 Pintails
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| 24/11/17 George Stacey wanting to know if this is a Whooper Swan at Chew today |
12+ Goldeneye, 2 Mistle Thrush,1 Song Thrush, 40+ Redwing & FF (orchard), 2 Bullfinch, 3 Meadow Pipit,
3 G BB Gull
Villice Path to hide:
1 Hawfinch 6 Bullfinch 1 Green Wood 2 Jay 1 Buzzard 30 Fieldfare 20+ Redwing 1 Mistle Thrush 1 Raven 6+ L TT 1 Common Sand (Nunnery)
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| 24/11/17 Bullfinch at Villice Bay (Ian Stapp) |
Heron's Green:
20 Great-white Egret (2 birds with leg rings AAC & AAF), 6 L Egret, 48 Lapwing,
8 Goosander (7F / 1M), 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 L Grebe (pond),
1 Dunlin
8 Goosander (7F / 1M), 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 L Grebe (pond),
1 Dunlin
Moreton:
3 Jay, 1 Cetti's, 2 L Grebe, 3 Goldeneye, 2 G BB Gull, 2 Raven, 5 Goldcrest, 12+ L TT,
1 G-S Wood, 1 Blackcap (cottage), 200+ Wood Pigeon (field drive in)
Stratford:
A pair of Bearded Tits
Herriotts:
30 Lapwing, 6 Goosander (1M 5 F Channel), 3 G-W Egret, 2 L Egret, 4 Shelduck (pond),
8 Pintail (pond), 4 L Grebe (pond), 1 Water Rail (channel), 3 G BB Gull, 300+ Wood Pigeon (fly over north)
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| 24/11/17 Goosander at Chew (George Stacey) |
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| 24/11/17 Water Rail at Herriotts (Ian Stapp) |
Other
Chelwood :
Ploughed field by roundabout 12+ Buzzard
Marksbury:
Chelwood :
Ploughed field by roundabout 12+ Buzzard
Marksbury:
300+ Crows & Jackdaw (in fields with Alpacas)
Work started on the boardwalk today and will continue on the next two Thursdays, 30th and December 7th. The hide will be closed those days but should be open on all other days
Ham Wall:
REMINDER from RSPB: Until Saturday 25 Nov there will be no access to Ham Wall RSPB from the village of Ashcott. Somerset Highways are carrying out earthworks just south of the entrance. The reserve will be accessible from the village of Meare via Ashcott Road.
Reports: Simon Carder, Geoff Daniels Andy Davis, Alan Gilbert, John Griffiths, Joe McSorley, Dave Nevitt, Lisa Presland, John Rickard, Matthew Rogers, Chris Perry, Trevor Riddle, George Stacey, Ian Stapp, talkingtobears, Keith Vinicombe,
Stella Warren, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding,severnsidebirds
