30-06-19 Sunday - Osprey

Temp 15 to 21 ℃. Temperature didn't go up much, mostly cloudy and very windy, as it has been for most of the week, but clear skies in the evening as wind died down

Red Kite
Osprey
Green Sandpiper
Yellow-legged Gull
Hobby

BRISTOL

30-6-19 Bullfinch, Troopers Hill (Lee Gardiner)

Troopers Hill:
2 Bullfinch

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Northwick Warth:
Shelduck family, 10 Lapwing with at least 4 juv, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 150 BH Gull, 4 Stock Dove

30-6-19 Sparrowhawk at Severn Beach, video still (Road Holbrook)

Severn Beach:
1 m Sparrowhawk with video

NORTH SOMERSET

Portbury Wharf:
1 Osprey seen over the North Pool of Portbury Wharf NR. At around 13.00 all the adult Lesser-black Backed Gulls nesting on the island rose up en masse in a very agitated state. Flying above them was a large, long-winged raptor with a highly distinctive flight silhouette. Its wings were narrow with a long 'hand' of four dark 'fingers'. When gliding its wings were angled with the carpals held forward. It also flew with arched wings and drooping 'hands' which gave it a gull-like appearance. Its tail was short, square-cut with fine cross-barring and a darker trailing band. Its upperparts were grey-brown and underparts white with black greater coverts. A faint breast band was just discernible. After 10 minutes the bird gained height and eventually drifted West towards Portishead,.
1 ad Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Little Owlets with 1 adult, 1 ad m Kestrel

Clevedon, Dowlais:
Shelduck, Skylarks, Whitethroat and dozens of Small Heath butterflies

28-6-19 Red Kite in Tickenham (Stuart Rossiter)

Tickenham:
1 Red Kite last Friday at 11.15

BELOW M4 & BANES

Marshfield, Shire Valley:
Large flock of Swift over Shire Valley, well over 100

Siston:
1 Red Kite

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake

Dam: 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Redshank

Moreton: 1 Hobby

Herriott's: 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellow-legged Gull

CVRS:
Juv Chiffs and Blackcaps were prominent in this morning's CES ringing bto.org/our-science/pr… - 13 Chiffchaff, 19 Blackcap, Lovely to have 2 juv Sedge Warbler too

News:
Sightings of Swallows have been very low this summer in Avon. Suggestion from Bob Medland is the possibility one of the huge flocks of Swallows in their 100's of thousands, roosting in South Africa, may have all died in one catastrophe. Do send in your Swallow sightings this summer

Swift petition:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-our-swifts?bucket=email-blast-25_6_2019_swift_kick_topper

Reports: Paul Bowerman, Peter Coslett, Greg Dawes, Lee Gardiner, Robert Hargreaves, Rod Holbrook, Iris Langson, Andy Mears, Aravind Ramesh, Mathew Rogers, Stuart Rossiter

29-06-19 Saturday - Yellow-legged Gull

Very hot and sunny with high cirrus cloud.  Temperature over 30°C until a fresh westerly breeze got up, bringing welcome cloud cover and a cooler evening.

Red Kite
Yellow-legged Gull

The juvenile Peregrine at Finzel's Reach (Richard Scantlebury)

BRISTOL


Eastville Park:
5 Canada Goose, 1 Mute Swan, 38 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Moorhen, 5 BH Gull, c.30 LBB Gull, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 1 Nuthatch, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush (and 2 Emperor Dragonfly).


Stoke Park, Duchess Pond:
2 Canada Goose, 18 Mallard, 1 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 20-30 Swift, Carrion Crow, 4 LT Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat (visiting a nest with food), 1 Dunnock, 2 Greenfinch (also 2 Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonfly, many Marbled White Butterfly).


Finzels Reach:
80 Herring Gull, 60 LBB Gull, 1 (2S) GBB Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, 2 ad. Peregrine + one juv., 30+ Starling, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Goldfinches.

A spectator sport?  watching the quarrelling gulls at Finzel's Reach (Richard Scantlebury)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE


Westerleigh:
Red Kite being mobbed by a Kestrel and a gull at 11.00 a.m.

NORTH SOMERSET


Portbury Wharf:
c.25 Redshank, 1 ad. Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Hobby.

Portishead:
Does a Hummingbird Hawkmoth in my garden count as a sighting?!


BELOW M4 & BANES


Bath - Northend:
(Best of the BBS)  2 Buzzard, 1 H Gull and 4 LBB Gull following a tractor mowing grass, 1 Stock Dove, 10 Swift, 1-2 Raven, just 2 Swallow (missing from both the traditional nest sites in this square), 10 House Martin, 2 LT Tit, 1 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff singing, 1 Treecreeper (first for the patch!), 2 Greenfinch (also Comma, Painted Lady, Marbled White and loads of Meadow Brown Butterfly).



RESERVOIRS
no reports


Reports: Jane Cumming, Mike Jackson, Jon Mortin, Richard Scantlebury, Chris Stone,  blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

28-06-19 Friday - Red Kite, Little Ringed Plover

Lots of sunshine with a little high cloud. Temperature up to 28°C

Red Kite, Little Ringed Plover, Quail (27th)

28-06-19 Skylark trying not to be noticed, Weston Airfield (Paul Gregory)

BRISTOL

Avon Gorge:

Red Kite late morning.

Oldland Common:

11 Swift

28-6-19 Peregrine above Finzel's Reach (Rich Scantlebury)

Finzel's Reach:
2 Peregrines plus budding fledgeling, 1 GBB gull (2nd winter), LBB Gulls, Herring Gulls, 2 Cormorants, a family of Starlings, House sparrows & Goldfinches

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
Shelduck Pair with brood of 6, plus 3 more adults, Tufted Duck Male and Female with brood of 7, another female with a brood of 9, Curlew 2 at Windbound, Black-headed Gull 63, Chiffchaff 12, Reed Warbler 8, Blackcap 8, Whitethroat 4

New Passage/Northwick:
1 Canada Goose, 1 Mute Swan, c.30 Shelduck, 1 female Mallard with a tiny duckling (in tidal Pill), 1 Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe with young, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, 1 Cormorant, 3 Moorhen, 7 Coot, 6 Lapwing (at least some of which were juveniles), 1 Little Ringed Plover, flock c.170 Black-headed Gull, 1 Skylark, c.30 Swallow, Chiffchaff family 3-4 (in bushes by 2nd sentry box), 3 Reed Warbler, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Linnet.

Horton:
Red Kite

NORTH SOMERSET

Backwell:
Red Kite over Mariners Drive, Backwell, flying eastwards. very low, roof top height,

28-06-19 Sedge Warbler, Weston Airfield (Paul Gregory)

Weston Airfield:

Plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers


Backwell Lake:
2 Canada Goose with 6 goslings, 14 Mute Swan with 3+ 1 cygnets, Many moulting Mallards, 4 Coot with 1 chick seen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swift, 2 Jay, 2 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, Blackcap male, 2 Wren

Also Butterflies - 2 Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Comma, many Meadow Brown
Dragonflies etc: Banded Demoiselle male and female, Blue Tailed, Common Blue and Azure Damselflies, Male Emperor Dragonfly and 2 Black-tailed Skimmers.

BELOW M4 & BANES

Marshfield:
Quail calling, yesterday evening 27th, from the field across from Tormarton Road near Rushmead Farm just to the left of the derelict barns.

Lansdown:
2 Red Kite chasing one another around Lansdown Playing fields North whilst simultaneously 2 more were following grass cutting at Upper Langridge @ 1305hrs. 4 ad. Male Kestrels hunting between Beckford's Tower and the Battlefields- hopefully in support of broods!?

West Bath:
Buzzard, Sand Martin, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap along the river. 20+ Swift circling a field by the A4, 10 over Twerton, mating bees in a garden near Lidl’s with House Martins above.

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake
60 GC Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Lapwing, Kestrel, 30+ Swift, House Martin

Reports: Derek Angell, John Barnett, Paul Francis, Paul Gregory, Rob Hargreaves, Henry Kirkwood, Andy Middleton, Jon Mortin, Vic Polley, Lois Pryce, Nick Rhodes

27-06-19 Thursday - Siskin, Grasshopper Warbler

The much-advertised hot spell finally arrived this morning. Temperature up to 25°C at 6.00pm

Little Ringed Plover, Knot
Grasshopper Warbler
Siskin (record of apparent breeding)

27-06-19 Juvenile Peregrines, Avon Gorge (Henry Kirkwood)

BRISTOL

Stoke Park, Duchess Pond:

27-06-19 two of 40+ Swift over Duchess Pond, Stoke Park, Bristol  (Martin Tayler)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
3 Coal Tit (adult calling and 2+ juvs) along main rhine with large number of other juveniles: Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, 2+ Goldcrest

27-06-19 Linnet contemplating a fly, Northwick Warth (Patrick Hardyman Richards)

New Passage/Northwick:
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant, Buzzard, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Black-headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Swift, Kestrel, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Skylark, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Starling, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Linnet, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting.

7-06-19  female Green Woodpecker, Almondsbury (Vera Carpenter)

Almondsbury:

Garden  - 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Goldfinch.

NORTH SOMERSET

27-06-19 Knot surrounded by Redshank, Clevedon - Yeo (Ian Loats)

Clevedon-Yeo:
Channel View Farm- 20 Shelduck, 1 Buzzard, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Knot, 15 Curlew, 4 Dunlin, 20 Redshank, 150 + BH Gull, 20 Swift, 2 Kestrel, 6 Skylark, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat

BELOW M4 & BANES

Marshfield:
Down Road- 5 Red-legged Partridge, Swift, Kestrel, 1 Grasshopper Warbler ( evening) plus  Painted Lady

Cameley:
Swallow – breeding population in serious decline, only approx. 7 breeding pairs (and several unpaired individuals) in the Cam Valley (Temple Cloud to Hinton Blewett) compared with c22 five years ago. What’s happening?

Have others noticed that numbers of Swallows are down this year?

Siskin – one or more very young juvs at garden feeder, first probable breeding record for the locality in the last 15+ years

RESERVOIRS


No reports

27-06-19 Mallard + duckling, Chestle Pill outflow, New Passage (Patrick Hardyman Richards)

Reports: Vera Carpenter, Robert Hargreaves, Ian Loats, Bob Medland, Patrick Hardyman Richards, Nigel Sluman, Cliff Smith,  opsbirding 

26-6-19 Wednesday - Yellow-legged Gull

Cloudy in the morning but increasingly sunny and breezy in the afternoon. Temperature 16-20 °C

Little Bustard still at Slimbridge but increasingly elusive
Green Sandpiper
Yellow-legged Gull
Redstart
Wheatear

26-6-19 Grey Heron in Stoke Park (Patrick Richards)
Cold shoulder or just the bad weather

BRISTOL

Bishopston:
07:30 A rather unusual sight of a juv Peregrine being harried by a very aggressive ad Herring Gull at eye level along Surrey Road, Bishopston.

Bishop Rd to Horfield Common:
1 Herring Gull, 2 LBB Gull, 9 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 4 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Wren, 11 Starling, 5 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 20 House Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, 2 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch

Walk around Stoke Park and Duchess Lake:
5 Canada Goose, 40 Mallard, 1 Gray Heron, 1 Cormorant, 1 Buzzard, 7 Moorhen, 3 Coot, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Woodpigeon, 5 Swift,2 Kestrel, 6 Magpie, 42 Jackdaw,  3 Carrion Crow, 1 Coal Tit, 2 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 White Throat, 2 Wren, 3m 1f Blackbird, 2 Robin, 1 Song Thrush, 7 House Sparrow, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 1m Reed Bunting.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

26-6-19 Kestrel, female and its juvenile, Aust Warth (Paul Dunham)

Aust Warth:
Juvenile Kestrels successfully fledged.

Northwick Warth:
1 m Teal, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 BH Gull, 1 f Wheatear

Chipping Sodbury Common:
6 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, 2 m/f Redstart, 3 Reed Bunting

NORTH SOMERSET

26-6-19 Black-tailed Godwit at Portbury Wharf (Chris Stone)

Portbury Wharf:
2 sum plum Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper

Backwell Lake:
3 adult Canada Goose and 6 goslings, 14 adult Mute Swan + 1 gosling (previously 3 so 2 predated, 1 Buzzard, LBB Gull, 2 Kingfisher, 12 Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler

26-06-19 Little Egret, Weston Airfield  (Paul Gregory)

Weston Airfield:
Little Egret, Reed and Sedge Warblers in good numbers.

26-06-19 rather smart male House Sparrow, Weston Airfield (Paul Gregory)

BELOW M4 & BANES

Nothing reported

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake:
107 Canada Geese, male Wigeon, 14 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 2nd-yr Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Hobby, 4 Swift, 1 Jackdaw (juvenile), 8 Sand Martin, 2 Pied Wagtail

26-06-19 Juvenile Jackdaw, CVL (Talkingtobirds)

Reports: John Budd, Ken Carruthers, Mark Coller, Paul Dunham, Paul Gregory, Aravind Ramesh, Patrick Richards, Keith Vinicombe, Talkingtobears, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

25-06-19 Tuesday - no report of the Little Bustard until 15:00

Rain until 12:15 - overcast for the rest of the day.

Barn Owl
Kingfisher
Willow Warbler
Great White Egret
Hobby

BRISTOL

Ashton Court Estate:
1 Barn Owl - below the mansion house.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
2 Shelduck with 6 well-grown young, raft of 20 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck with 11 small young (lake), 3 Moorhen, group 20 Black-headed Gull, 1 Barn Owl (first in the orchard for 4 yrs), 1 Green Woodpecker, 15 Swallow, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat families (3-4 young each), Bullfinch family with 4 young, 5 Linnet.

25-06-2019 Great Spotted Woodpecker NP (Lisa Presland)

New Passage/Northwick:
60 Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, 5 Lapwing, 11 Little Ringed Plover - inc 1 full size juv, 21 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper - 1st of the autumn run, 9 Redshank, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 3 Stock Dove,  2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 1 Coal Tit.

25-06-2019 Bullfinch Severn Beach (Rod Holbrook)

Severn Beach:
1 bedraggled Bullfinch (m) plus female - looking better.

NORTH SOMERSET

Yatton - Strawbery Line - late BBS:
including - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 4 Cetti’s Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 13 Reed Warbler, 8 Blackcap and 5 Whitethroat - all Warbler were singing males.

BELOW M4 & BANES

Farrington Gurney:
1 Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (nest with juveniles), singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper, 10 Goldfinch, 7 Yellowhammer (5 singing males).

Lower Littleton
1 Kingfisher - Winford Brook

RESERVOIRS

Blagdon Lake:
2 families Great Crested Grebe  - 1 chick each,  1 Great White Egret

OUT OF AREA

25-06-2019 Chaffinch - juv Velvet Bottom (Alison Hooper)

Somerset - Velvet Bottom BOC Tuesday Walk:
3 Pheasant, 4 Woodpigeon, 1 Swift, 2 Kestrel, 3 Magpie, 70 Jackdaw, 2 Rook, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 6 Great Tit, 5 Skylark, 4 Swallow, 6 House Martin, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 12 Wren, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Blackbird, 8 Song Thrush, 3 Robin, 1 Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 1 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch + 1 juv, 7 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Yellowhammer, 1 Reed Bunting,

Reports: Pete Brain, John Budd, Nick Hawkridge, Pete Hazelwood, Shaun Henneberry, Robin Martin, Rich Mielcarek, Lisa Presland, Lois Pryce, Patrick Richards, Trevor Riddle, Chris Stone

blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

24-06-19 Monday

Weather 22 degrees, generally cloudy, light westerly breeze, 8mph.

Highlight for lots of people was the Little Bustard at Slimbridge still.
Red Kite.

New Holden Tower hide at Slimbridge coming! (Chris Stone)

BRISTOL

St Andrews Park:

4 Swift

Swift St. Andrews Park (Jon Mortin)

Whiteladies Road: 

A party of 30+ swifts over Whiteladies Road

Snuff Mills:
Mallard, Gray Heron, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Blackcap, Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Grey Wagtail.

Male Blackcap Snuff Mills (Patrick Hardyman Richards)

Preening Mallard Snuff Mills (Patrick Hardyman Richards)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power station:
Cuckoo lagoon 3

NORTH SOMERSET

Portishead - North Weston:
5 Red Kite came over about 1 min apart

Bristol Airport: 

Red Kite over Tall pines golf course next to Bristol Airport at 1430 with the same or another over the A380 Airport entrance at 15:00

Uphill:

3 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Bullfinch, no Waders

Sand Point:
Lots of juvenile birds including Long-tailed Tits and many Whitethroats.

Whitethroat and juvenile Log-tailed Tit Sand Point (Paul Gregory)

BELOW M4 & BANES

nothing reported

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake

Herriott's Pool: 

173 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 1 m Wigeon, 19 Teal, 41 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cormorant, 2 Moorhen, 6 young Coot, 4 BH Gull, 3 GBB Gull, 2 juv Pied wagtail

Reports: Michael Davis, Paul Gregory, Patrick Hardyman Richards, Pete Hazelwood, Adrian Hockey, Rob Hargreaves, Jon Mortin, David Newton, Chris Stone, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

23-06-19 Sunday - Little Bustard at Slimbridge

Overcast and muggy with drizzle later.  Not very conducive to birding and there were few reports.

Great White Egret
Red Kite
Little Bustard (out of area, but not by much...)

Who could resist headlining the Little Bustard
found at Slimbridge today? (Andy Slade)

BRISTOL

Redland:
(garden survey) 2 Herring Gull, 2 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Swift (2 more nearby), 1-2 Jay,

1-2 Magpie, 1 Great Tit, 1 singing Blackbird, 2 Goldfinch.

Nice shot of mixed gull plumages at Finzels Reach featuring a 2nd-year GBB Gull (Richard Scantlebury)

Finzels' Reach:

1 (2nd year) GBB Gull, Herring & LBB Gulls in a variety of plumages.  Woodpigeons, pair of Peregrines (one chick visible at the nest site), Starlings, House Sparrows. a Greenfinch. Goldfinches.

Stockwood Open Space:
1 Reed Bunting - lots of butterflies too.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
9 juv. Tufted Duck, 4 juv. Moorhen.

Family group of 3+ Treecreeper (record count for OPS) in tall trees at road end of main rhine.

Pilning Wetlands:
10 Little Ringed Plover (8 adults & 2 full-grown juveniles), 10+ Black-headed Gull.

Redwick:
Red Kite (11:40, flying towards Pilning)


NORTH SOMERSET
no reports - I suppose everyone is at Slimbridge.


BELOW M4 & BANES
no reports.


RESERVOIRS

Blagdon Lake:
95 Tufted Duck (numbers are starting to build), 1 Great White Egret, 1 ad. Little Egret, 2 Common Sandpiper (on the dam), 1 Hobby.

Reports: Nancy Barrett, Paul Francis, Rod Holbrook, Richard Scantlebury, 
 blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

22-06-19 Saturday - Yellow-legged Gull

Temperature 9 - 23.5 °C. Warm sunshine, high fluffy clouds for much of the day

Red Kite 
Yellow-legged Gull 

Reminder: BOC Peregrine Watch + Bristol Swifts Open Day tomorrow, Sunday (Details below)

BRISTOL

22-06-19 juvenile Peregrine, Avon Gorge (Pete Blanchard)

Durdham Downs Peregrine Watch Point:
BOC Peregrine Watch from 9.00 - 5.00 today. 2 adults plus 2 juveniles on view at various points during the day. (Third juvenile perished in poor weather last week). Steady stream of visitors to Watch Point.
Similar offer tomorrow, Sunday, 9.00am  - 5.00pm

22-06-19 Magpie enjoying the sunshine in a Bristol park (Allan Chard)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:

WeBS Survey - 35 Canada Goose including 7 well grown juveniles, 3 adult, 6 juvenile Shelduck, 8 small juvenile Tufted Duck but absolutely no sign of any adults, 5 Grey Heron, 1 Buzzard, 1 Hobby

NORTH SOMERSET

22-06-19 Yellow-legged Gull, Portbury Wharf (Chris Stone)

Portbury Wharf:

2/3 Red Kite, 1 ad Yellow-legged Gull , 1 juv Stonechat

22-06-19 Buzzard being escorted off the premises, Portishead (John Clark)

Portishead:
Merchant Square - I Buzzard overhead, being mobbed by gulls. Rock Pipit regular visitor

22-06-19 Rock Pipit, Merchant Square, Portishead (John Clark)

BELOW M4 & BANES

Keynsham:
Keynsham Butts - 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake:

Chew Valley Ringing Station:
Busy morning with last-chance CES (Constant Effort Scheme) completed for the period and hosting B2N for a ringing demo. Main themes were juv Chiffchaff and Blackcap, with the first juv Reed Warblers out of the nest (more-or-less the usual timing). 2 juv Lesser Whitethroat too.

Bristol Swifts Open Day 

Sunday 23rd June 

2.00 - 5.00pm - Stoke Bishop

Bristol Swifts is holding a National Garden Scheme/SAW event on Sunday 23rd June 2-5pm (Adults £3.50. Children Free) as part of the Swift Awareness Week (SAW). See Swifts flying around our house (weather permitting!) and watch live video from inside their nest boxes. You can wander around our wildlife friendly garden and buy plants, cards, booklets and nest boxes. The entrance fee is for National Garden Scheme selected charities; plant, card and booklet sales will be donated towards Swift conservation.

Further details of garden and location  https://www.ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/garden/34424/

 BOC Peregrine Watch

Saturday 22 / Sunday 23 June

9.00 - 5.00 pm - Avon Gorge

03-06-19 Peregrine + Jackdaw prey, Avon Gorge, (Bri Thompson)

The birds can be seen from the Watch Point ST 563741 on the Downs, at the city end of the Circular Road. Two Peregrine chicks have survived this year. Telescope views and information about this year's nest will be available from Club volunteers. All welcome.

[The second Peregrine Watch weekend will be on 13/14 July]

Reports: Pete Blanchard,  Allan Chard, John Clark, Julian Head, Andy Middleton, Chris Stone,  Bri Thompson, CVRS, TBOSG

21-06-19 Friday - Longest day - Pink-footed Goose

Summer Solstice - Temperatures 11 - 21°C. Increasingly sunny and warm. Not many reports - where is everyone?

Pink-footed Goose
Great White Egret
Little Ringed Plover 

21-06-19 Peregrine with Swift as prey, Avon Gorge (Bri Thompson)
[This  image neatly brings together two important events this weekend in Bristol -
see bottom of page]

BRISTOL

21-06-19 Peregrine, Avon Gorge (Bri Thompson)

Concorde Way cycle track:
Short lunchtime walk - 1 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Swift, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Wren, 1 Starling, 1 Blackbird, 12 House Sparrow,1 Dunnock, 3 Goldfinch

21-06-19 Collared Dove, Concorde Way, Bristol (Patrick Hardyman Richards)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

21-06-19 2 juvenile Kestrel, Aust Warth (Paul Dunham)

Pilning Wetland:

1 Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Lapwing,  3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Stock Dove, 'hardly any' Swift, 'a few' Swallow + House Martin, Reed Warbler, Linnet

Coalpit Heath:
1 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Coal Tit, 3 singing Skylark, 3 Swallow, 1 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 20+ House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Yellowhammer (2 singing)

NORTH SOMERSET

Portbury:

Sheepway Lane- second BBS visit -3 Mallard, 1 Cormorant, 1 Moorhen,  1 Black-headed Gull, 9 Herring Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 9 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 5 Magpie, 25 Jackdaw, 2 Rook, 6 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit,  1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff , 5 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 6 Wren, 11 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 6 House Sparrow, 3 Dunnock, 1 Greenfinch

Backwell Lake:

4 Canada Goose with 6 goslings, 13 Mute Swan with one cygnet seen today but 3 present yesterday so 2 either hidden or predated, lots of moulting Mallard, Grey Heron, Water Rail, Moorhen, 4 Coot with one chick, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swift, 4 Swallow, 3 House Martin, Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 m Blackcap, Pied Wagtail, 5 Goldfinch

Also dragonflies - Banded Demoiselle, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, 2 Black-tailed Skimmer, probable male Emperor Dragonfly

BELOW M4 & BANES

No reports

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake:
1 moulting adult Pink-footed Goose –  present all day in Stratford Bay, generally hanging out with the Canadas – at times would be viewable from Herriott’s, 1 Greylag, 1 m Wigeon, 1Teal, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Little Egret, 1 Curlew – short billed bird, juv or bit early?, 1 juv Black-headed Gull ( first of year for observer)  1 Kingfisher, 9 Hobby

 BOC Peregrine Watch

Saturday 22 / Sunday 23 June

9.00 - 5.00 pm - Avon Gorge

21-06-19 Peregrine adult + juvenile, Avon Gorge (Bri Thompson)

The birds can be seen from the Watch Point ST 563741 on the Downs, at the city end of the Circular Road. Three Peregrine chicks have hatched this year. Telescope views and information about this year's nest will be available from Club volunteers. All welcome.

[The second Peregrine Watch weekend will be on 13/14 July]

Bristol Swifts Open Day 

Sunday 23rd June 

2.00 - 5.00pm - Stoke Bishop

Bristol Swifts is holding a National Garden Scheme/SAW event on Sunday 23rd June 2-5pm (Adults £3.50. Children Free) as part of the Swift Awareness Week (SAW). See Swifts flying around our house (weather permitting!) and watch live video from inside their nest boxes. You can wander around our wildlife friendly garden and buy plants, cards, booklets and nest boxes. The entrance fee is for National Garden Scheme selected charities; plant, card and booklet sales will be donated towards Swift conservation.

Further details of garden and location  https://www.ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/garden/34424/ 

Reports: Dru Brooke-Taylor, Jane Cumming, Patrick Hardyman Richards, Mike Jackson, Robin Martin, Bri Thompson, Bristol Swifts

20-06-19 Thursday

Windy with plenty of high cloud. Fine and sunny apart from a morning shower.  Warm.

Whimbrels
Spotted Flycatcher

Sparrowhawk in a Severn Beach garden (Rod Holbrook)

BRISTOL

Durdham Down:
7 House Martin foraging by the water tower

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
Nuthatch - only the 7th record at this site.

Blackcap (looks like a youngster) in a Severnside garden ('Lisegirl')

New Passage/Northwick:
A family of Blackcaps in a garden.

NORTH SOMERSET

Clevedon-Yeo:
2+ Canada Goose, 9 Mute Swan, c.40 Shelduck (+ broods of 11 and 15). 50+ Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egret, 10+ Oystercatcher, 3 Whimbrel, 9 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, 7 Redshank, 30 Black-headed Gull, 50 Herring Gull, 50 LBB Gull, 6 Swallow, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Rock Pipit.

Yatton:
It's not too late - a newly-erected box for House Martins was adopted by one within 24 hours.

Banwell:
At least 3 juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 2 juvenile Bullfinches in a garden.

BELOW M4 & BANES

no reports

RESERVOIRS

Barrow Tanks:
Spotted Flycatcher in the car park.

Chew Valley Lake:
1 Greylag Goose, 2 ad m Wigeon, 1 f Goldeneye, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret, 1 m Sparrowhawk, 1 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull, 1st sum Common Gull, 2 Collared Dove, 7 Hobby (Moreton-Stratford path), singing Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Garden Warbler (in trees south of Herons Green Bay).

Reports: 'Higgy', Lisa Presland, Phil Quinn, Harvey Rose, Bri Thompson, John Thorogood, Keith Vinicombe, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

19-06-19 Wednesday - Hobby

14 to 18 C. No sun. Brightest late afternoon. 1 mm rain fell in Bristol  - warmest day of the week

Mediterranean Gull 
Hobby

BRISTOL

Finzells Reach:
Peregrine - juv. Doing very well by the size of that crop.
- below:  Great Black-backed Gull making short work of a feral pigeon.

19-06-2019 Juv Peregrine Finzells Reach (Ian Loats)

19-06-2019 Great Black-backed Gull - feral pigeon prey Finzells Reach (Ian Loats)

19-06-2019 Great Black-backed Gull - feral pigeon prey Finzells Reach (Ian Loats)

Bishop Rd to Horfield Common:
1 Herring Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 14 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 6 Swift, 8 Magpie, 2 Jackdaw, 4 Carrion Crow, 7 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blackcap, 3 Wren, 25 Starling, 4 Robin, 25 House Sparrow, 1 Dunnock, 2 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch.

Stockwood Open Spaces:
3 Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, a few Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

19-06-2019 Great Spotted Woodpecker (j) New Passage (Lisa Presland)

New Passage/Northwick/ Pilning wetland:
4 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, c.20 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 5 Mallard duckling, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cormorant, 1 Moorhen, c.10 Oystercatcher, 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker - juv, 1 Kestrel, 1 juv. Carrion Crow being fed by parents on saltmarsh, 2 Skylark, c.35 Swallow incl. juv. on power line, c.15 House Martin, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, c.40 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, flocks of House Sparrows up New Passage Road easily amounting to 50+, 5 juv. Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Bullfinch (dropping into house garden), 2 Greenfinch, c. 10 Linnet, 1 Reed Bunting


Severn Approach Business Park:
1 family of Bullfinch - very noisy.

NORTH SOMERSET

Ham Green - on the balcony feeder:
1 Nuthatch - short video

19-06-2019 juv Mediterranean Gull PW (Chris Stone)

Portbury Wharf:
3 Mediterranean Gull - two of them first-summer birds.

Portishead:
1 Cormorant - 1st in ages at H&W Marina.
Herring Gull - 4 nest worth of juv exploring the roofs in Merchant Sq.

BELOW M4 & BANES

Marshfield:
1 Little Owl, lots of Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer singing

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake

19-06-2019 Cuckoo Moreton (Bri Thompson)

Moreton:
1 Curlew - over, 1 Cuckoo, several Hobby.

19-06-2019 Hobby CVL Moreton (Bri Thompson)

Stratford Lane

19-06-2019 Stratford Lane - New plumage (Bri Thompson)

Stratford:
1 track makeover

Reports: John Budd, John Clark, Paul Francis, Robert Hargreaves, Ian Loats, Paul Milsom, Lisa Presland, Lois Pryce, Dean Reeves, Nigel Sluman, Chris Stone, Bri Thompson,
 blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG