31-12-23 Sunday- Happy New Year

Temp 6°C to 9°C - A bit of everything- some sun, heavy clouds, then some really heavy rain showers and some thunder and lightening. Gusting wind from the South round to the West, up to 30mph.

A very Happy New Year to you all. Thank you for all those that have sent in reports and allowed your photos to be used, and all of you that read the blog. Let's hope 2024 is full of good birds for us all.

Lesser Scaup

Waxwing

Kittiwake

Lesser Whitethroat

Avocet

Black-necked Grebe

31-12-23 Waxwing, CVL (Merv Carlyon)

BRISTOL

Bishopston:

5 Waxwing

Elusive in the Egerton Road/Birchall Road area

Redland:

Garden: 3 Wood Pigeon, 1 Jay, 2 Magpie, 1 Jackdaw, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blackcap (m&f), 1 Robin, 3 House Sparrow

Garden: 1 Lesser Whitethroat

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:

13 Greenfinch, 25 Goldfinch

Pilning/New Passage:

60+ Greylag Geese, 14 Shelduck, 65 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 400+ Teal, 255 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 50 Lapwing, 130 Oystercatcher, 110 Curlew, 4000+ Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Raven

Severn Beach:

16 Shelduck, 40 Wigeon, 3 Ringed Plover, 100 Turnstone, 35 Dunlin, 12+ Kittiwake

31-12-23 Cormorant, Wickwar (Paul Sadley)

Wickwar:
12 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel

31-12-23 Goosander, Yate (Chris Teague)

Yate:

Brimsham Lake: 10 Goosander (5m 5f)

Kingsgate Park: 15 Tufted Duck, 3 f Goosander, 1 Cormorant over, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Grey Wagtail

Chipping Sodbury Common:
2 Snipe, 15 Cormorant, 1 Green Woodpecker, 100+ Redwing and Fieldfare, 80+ Linnet

NORTH SOMERSET

Portbury Wharf:
1 Black-necked Grebe, 10 Avocet, 12 Snipe

BELOW M4 & BANES

Warmley:
1 f Blackcap

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake

31-12-23 Waxwing, CVL (Mike Moxon)

Sutton Wick:
1 Lesser Scaup

Woodford:
3 Waxwing
These birds are generally around from 810-840am and then again around 230pm

Out of area:

Burnham: Kentish Plover still

Reported by: Mark Coller, Peter Coslett, Chris Craig, Julian Eastoe, Mike Moxon, Mike Owen, Paul Sadley, Tony Scott, Chris Teague,  blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

2023 Avon Bird Report - Rarities without any details

The Avon Ornithological Group is starting preparations for the production of the 2023 Avon Bird Report and an important aspect of this is obtaining supporting notes for locally scarce species. For all the following sightings we not only lack supporting notes but also have no details of who the observer(s) were. If you saw any of the following, or know who did, please get in touch with the Recorders Committee via avonbirds@hotmail.co.uk 

     Species                       Date                 Site.

Glossy Ibis                      20/02/2023       Congresbury 

Ring-necked Duck        20/04/2023       Portishead 

Black Redstart               21/05/2023       Weston-super-Mare 

Quail                                08/06/2023       Hinton Charterhouse 

Goshawk                         01/09/2023       Walton Common Reserve 

Caspian Gull                   19/09/2023       Chew Valley Lake 

Long-tailed Duck          22/10/2023       Blagdon Lake 

Long-tailed Duck          19/11/2023       Chew Valley Lake 

Purple Sandpiper         19/11/2023        Severn Beach

Long-tailed Duck         19/11/2023       Chew Valley Lake 

Purple Sandpiper         19/11/2023        Severn Beach