14/05/20 Thursday - multiple Red Kites

Sunshine again. Bristol temperatures 3 - 15°C

See bottom of page for notice from Bristol Water re access to the reservoirs for permit holders
NB A change from notice posted earlier this evening

Mandarin Duck
Red Kite

14-05-20 Peregrine with kill, Avon Gorge, Bristol (Henry Kirkwood)
'Witnessed the male hunting this morning. From high in the sky he started his stoop - down into the gulley where the wild goats live. 5 minutes later, he returned and began plucking this unfortunate pigeon (notice the severed head on the rocks)'

BRISTOL

Redland:
Garden - 1 Swift,  Herring Gull, 2 Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 5 Feral Pigeon, 1 Jay, 2 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackbird, 2 Robin (1 juv), 1 Dunnock, 10 House Sparrow, 1 Goldfinch

St George:

Crew's Hole/Trooper's Hill - 1 Red Kite in p.m., 2+ Swift 

St Werburgh's:

1 Jay, 2 Raven, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail

Purdown/Stoke Park:

 Swift, 6 Wood Pigeon, 1 Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 11 Magpie, 25+ Jackdaw, 2 Rook, 3 Carrion Crow, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Swallow, 6 Chiffchaff, 14 Whitethroat, 1 Song Thrush, 20+ House Sparrow, 1 Dunnock, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch

Sea Mills:

1 pr Shelduck, 25 Mallard (+13 ducklings), 2 Buzzard,1 Black-headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 1 Magpie, 1 Great Tit, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Wren, 8 Starling, 5 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 11 House Sparrow, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch

Eastville Park:
7ad Mute Swan +6 cygnets, 1 Mandarin Duck, 1 Common Sandpiper

Stoke Park:
12 Swift

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
1 pr Canada Goose with 8 goslings, 1 Mute Swan, 1 pr  Little Grebe, 30 Stock Dove 

New Passage/Northwick:
2 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, c.50 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Mallard family with young, c.40 Swift, 3 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Lapwing,  3 LBB Gull, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, flock 16 Jackdaw, 1 Magpie,  2 Skylark, 5 Swallow, 10 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, c.50 Starling – families with young, many being fed, 1 Song Thrush, c.4 Dunnock young in side lane, 8 Goldfinch, 6 Linnet, 2 male Reed Bunting.

Iron Acton:

1 Red Kite 9.39a.m.

NORTH SOMERSET

Long Ashton:

2 Swift, 2 Red Kite at 1530, 1 Buzzard

Walton Common:
1 Red Kite in p.m.

BBS count - 1 Buzzard, 2 Jay, 1 Green Woodpecker, pr. Raven, several Blackcap, 15 Swallow, 14 House Martin, 1 Pied Wagtail

Clevedon-Yeo:
1 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 5 Redshank ( inc 1 juv), 1  Black-headed Gull, 3  Sand Martin, 1  Cetti's Warbler, 1 pr Wheatear 

St Georges:

Gt Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Jay

Banwell:
1 Swift ( first of year here)

Yatton:
Wemberham Lane - 1 Wheatear,  a first summer bird: ' Looked like a lost waif. Very confiding or tired. It seems quite a late spring date to me.'

New housing estate  - 1 Wheatear - a different bird from above

14-05-20 Wheatear,  Yatton (per Trevor Riddle)
[reported by a non- birder from the new housing estate in Yatton.
[Another non birder has provided this picture, taken , would you believe, in Wheatear Road]

BELOW M4 & BANES

Batheaston:
Solsbury Hill and Bannerdown - 28 Canada Goose, 12 Swift, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Buzzard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Raven, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Swallow, 16 House Martin, 9 Chiffchaff, 14 Blackcap, 9 Whitethroat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, 8 Goldfinch

RESERVOIRS

CLOSED

Notice to all bird-watcher permit holders from Bristol Water

Bird-watching continues to be suspended at the lakes until further notice. We are adopting a phased return to services at the lakes. We appreciate that lots of keen bird-watchers want to get back out to explore our special sites but we are sadly not currently in a position to re-open for this activity.There are some particular challenges such as bird hide access arrangements that require careful thought and planning before reopening. Our team are working as quickly as possible, under challenging circumstances, to get this service back up and running.

We appreciate that this may be frustrating but it's really important that we get it right first time to ensure your safety and that of our staff. Further updates to follow next week.

BW Lakeside team

Also: 

'BRISAW (Bristol & Surrounding Areas Wildlife) is a new closed Facebook forum for people in Bristol and the surrounding areas of BANES, South Glos, N Somerset, SE Wales, Glos, Wilts and Somerset, to swap wildlife records and talk about wildlife in those areas. We welcome new members, particularly from beyond Bristol & its immediate surroundings!'

Reports: Nancy Barrett, Ken Carruthers, Jane Cumming, William Earp, Heather England, Rob Hargreaves,  Julian Head, Adrian Hockey, Michael Hutchinson, Lisegirl, Michael Moxon, Jean Oliver, Lois Pryce, Phil Quinn, Lyndon Roberts, Larry Sweetland, Trevor Riddle, opsbirding.co.uk, blagdonlakebirds, Bristol Water