Garganey, Lesser Scaup
Great White Egret
Red Kite
Avocet, Little Ringed Plover
Little Gull, Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Swallow, House Martin
Willow Warbler
Firecrest
Wheatear
Brambling, Redpoll, Crossbill
Corn Bunting
 |
| 23-3-19 Kestrel and Vole, Aust (Paul Milo) |
Filton:
1 Grey Heron flyover mobbed by Gulls
Hoar Gout:
2 Tufted Duck, 2 Peregrine, 2 Buzzard, 2 Coot, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff
Sea Mills WeBS:
2 Shelduck, 18 Mallard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 80 Redshank, 130 BH Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Oldbury Power Station, vis mig to NE:
1 Buzzard, 14 Chiffchaff singing, 1 m Brambling, 1 Redpoll, 4 Crossbill, 2 Siskin
Littleton Brick Pits:
1 Willow Warbler, 1 Siskin
Aust Wharf:
2 Kestrel, 1 f Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Raven, 1 m Wheatear, lots Meadow Pipits north
NewPassage/Northwick Warth, 0555-0930:
1 Great White Egret, 49 BH Gull, 12 Common Gull, 24 LBB Gull, 1701 (spring record) Wood Pigeon, 18 Sand Martin, 49 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redpoll all N/NW. Also, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 m Merlin, 1 Kestrel, 2 Peregrine
Severn Beach:
9 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wheatear, 3 Linnet
Yate, Brinsham Park:
2 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest
NORTH SOMERSET
Portbury Wharf:
1 Little Gull, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 30 Sand Martin, 8 House Martin, 10+ Chiffchaff
Clevedon, Wains Hill:
2 Greylag Geese, 25 Oystercatcher, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 600 Woodpigeon, 11 Sand Martin, 1 Wheatear, 64 Meadow Pipit, 21 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 8 Linnet, 1 Redpoll, 29 Goldfinch, 1 Siskin
Sand Point:
1 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 35 Curlew, 6+ Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear, 3 Rock Pipit
The summer migrants table in the sidebar has been updated with today's House Martin
No obvious new migrant for the rest of this month
The BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK
The skills required to take part in the BBS are simply the ability to identify common birds by sight and sound. A training morning (see below) is also available. The time commitment is three mornings in the first year (one to assess the route/habitat) and then two in subsequent years. Visits normally take between one and a half and two hours and are made early in the morning in the breeding season (April to about mid-June). Returns can be made online and most people contributing to the survey find it a rewarding and worthwhile activity.
Reports: Blagdonlakebirds, BUPP, Karle Burford, Peter Coslett, Chris Craig, Adam Cross, Stephen Curtis, CVRS, Mark Dadds, Ian Dickie, Barry Dursley, Patrick Hancock, Robert Hargreaves, Peter Hazelwood, Julian Head, Matt Hobbs, Andrew Lipczynski, Glen Maddison, John Martin, Nigel Milbourne, Paul Milo, Mervyn Pearce, Lois Pryce, Carol Rushton, Sova, Tony Scott, Ian Stapp, Chris Stone, Howard Taffs, Gary Thorburn, Keith Vinicombe
1 Grey Heron flyover mobbed by Gulls
Hoar Gout:
2 Tufted Duck, 2 Peregrine, 2 Buzzard, 2 Coot, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff
Sea Mills WeBS:
2 Shelduck, 18 Mallard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 80 Redshank, 130 BH Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Oldbury Power Station, vis mig to NE:
1 Buzzard, 14 Chiffchaff singing, 1 m Brambling, 1 Redpoll, 4 Crossbill, 2 Siskin
 |
| 23-3-19 Willow Warbler, Littleton Brick Pits (Mark Dadds) |
1 Willow Warbler, 1 Siskin
 |
| 23-3-19 Wheatear, Aust (Peter Coslett) |
2 Kestrel, 1 f Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Raven, 1 m Wheatear, lots Meadow Pipits north
NewPassage/Northwick Warth, 0555-0930:
1 Great White Egret, 49 BH Gull, 12 Common Gull, 24 LBB Gull, 1701 (spring record) Wood Pigeon, 18 Sand Martin, 49 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redpoll all N/NW. Also, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 m Merlin, 1 Kestrel, 2 Peregrine
 |
| 23-3-19 Linnet, Severn Beach (Rob Hargreaves) |
9 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wheatear, 3 Linnet
Yate, Brinsham Park:
2 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest
NORTH SOMERSET
 |
| 23-3-19 Little Gull, Portbury Wharf (Brian Thompson) |
1 Little Gull, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 30 Sand Martin, 8 House Martin, 10+ Chiffchaff
Clevedon, Wains Hill:
2 Greylag Geese, 25 Oystercatcher, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 600 Woodpigeon, 11 Sand Martin, 1 Wheatear, 64 Meadow Pipit, 21 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 8 Linnet, 1 Redpoll, 29 Goldfinch, 1 Siskin
 |
| 23-3-19 jet stream Sparrowhawk displaying, Sand Point (Brian Thompson) |
1 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 35 Curlew, 6+ Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear, 3 Rock Pipit
BELOW M4 & BANES
Warmley:
1 Red Kite a.m
Marshfield, Rushmead Lane;
2 Buzzard, 50 Linnet, 40 Corn Bunting, 10 Yellowhammer
Warmley:
1 Red Kite a.m
Marshfield, Rushmead Lane;
2 Buzzard, 50 Linnet, 40 Corn Bunting, 10 Yellowhammer
Bath, Prior Park:
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff
Paulton:
1 Buzzard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Yellowhammer
Bishop Sutton:
4 Collared Dove, 16 Jackdaw, 15 House Sparrow
RESERVOIRS
Barrow Tanks:
1 m Long-tailed Duck down to 15-20 yards range
Blagdon Lake:
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff
Paulton:
1 Buzzard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Yellowhammer
Bishop Sutton:
4 Collared Dove, 16 Jackdaw, 15 House Sparrow
RESERVOIRS
Barrow Tanks:
1 m Long-tailed Duck down to 15-20 yards range
Blagdon Lake:
2 Egyptian Geese, 3 2m Scaup, 1 Lesser Scaup, 6 Goldeneye, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red Kite, 13 Snipe, 7+ Chiffchaff, 50+ Filedfare and Redwing
Chew Valley Lake:
48 Canada Goose, 42 Mute Swan, 5 Shelduck, 2 Garganey, 155 Shoveler (Herriott's pool), 12 Gadwall, 13 Pintail, 67 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Great White Egret (Herriott's pool), 3 Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, 1 white Coot, 1 Avocet, 1 Common Sandpiper (Dam), 9 GBB Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, 3 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Jay, 350 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Cetti's Warbler
8 Chiffchaff, 2 Chiffchaff ringed (CVRS), 4 Goldcrest, 3 Blackbird, 3 Pied Wagtail, 20+ Chaffinch, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting
 |
| 23-3-19 Great-white Egret displaying, Herriott's channel (Ian Stapp) |
48 Canada Goose, 42 Mute Swan, 5 Shelduck, 2 Garganey, 155 Shoveler (Herriott's pool), 12 Gadwall, 13 Pintail, 67 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Great White Egret (Herriott's pool), 3 Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, 1 white Coot, 1 Avocet, 1 Common Sandpiper (Dam), 9 GBB Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, 3 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Jay, 350 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Cetti's Warbler
 |
| 23-3-19 Chiffchaff, Moreton (Ian Stapp) |
 |
| 23-3-19 Wren, Moreton (Ian Stapp) |
No obvious new migrant for the rest of this month
The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) commences in April
Volunteers are needed for the next breeding season for the following squares in the Avon BTO Region. Please contact me (dave.stoddard@tiscali.co.uk (tel 0117 9246968)) if you would like to take on one of these. Squares marked with an asterisk have not been surveyed previously as part of BBS. The y will be allocated on a 'first come first served' basis.–
B&NES
ST5665 - S of Dundry
ST5958 - White Cross, S of Bishop Sutton
ST6159 -Farmland W of Clutton
ST6356 - Hallatrow
ST6954 -
ST7160 - Farmland N of Dunkerton *
ST7257 -
ST7264 - Twerton
ST7368 - Nr Lansdown
ST7559 -
ST7669 - SE of Charmy Down
ST3962 - Rolstone, E of
ST4158 - N of Winscombe*
ST4257 - Sidcot *
ST4659 - Upper Langford*
ST4668 - Chelvey (S of Nailsea)*
|
ST5485 -
ST5580 - Hallen*
ST6088 - Elberton
ST6389 - SW Thornbury
ST6873 - Bridgeyate
Somerset (but in
ST3150 - N of Burnham-on-Sea*
ST3650 - Levels South of Rooksbridge
ST3754 - Levels S of Loxton*
ST3850 - Levels W of Chapel Allerton*
ST4456 - S of Shipham *
ST4651 - Cheddar Moor Drove*
ST4953 - Cheddar Head*
ST5050 - Westbury Beacon, Mendip*
ST5153 - Yoxter Farm, Mendip
ST5256 - Green
|
ST5454 - Lamb Bottom
ST5650 - Tower Hill (E of Priddy (Mendip)) *
ST5851 - Mendip, W of
ST6050 - SW of Emborough (W of Old Down)*
ST6054 - Farmland E of Litton
ST6154 - NW of Ston Easton *
ST6250 - N of Gurney Slade
ST6251 - Old Down (Mendip)
ST6750 - N of Holcombe (E of Stratton on the Fosse)*
ST6850 - Lipyeate
ST7050 - Wincanton Racecourse *
ST7452 - Hardington & surrounding farmland
ST7652 - E of Hardington
ST7853 - W of Woolverton (nr Rode but W of A36)*
|
BBS Training Morning – Sunday 31 March 2019
We are holding a BBS training session on 31 March meeting outside Westbury-on-Trym Library (ST569773) at 7.30am. Practical fieldwork will be followed by coffee and discussion. We should be finished before 11am. Please contact me if interested. You are welcome to attend even if you have not yet decided to take on a square but simply want to know more about what is involved.
Local Breeding Bird Survey
We also use the basic BBS methodology to survey additional squares in the Avon BTO Region in order to get a more complete picture of our local bird populations. Unlike the BTO’s National scheme you may choose any square of your choice though please check with me to avoid duplication. You might like to consider doing the kilometre square around your home – additional urban/suburban squares would provide particularly valuable additional data.
If you are interested in taking on a square, wish to attend the training session or if you have any queries about any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes
BBS Organiser for Avon
