24-11-2018 Saturday - Bewick's Swans

Misty, moisty, murky day, cold and drizzly - horrible!  Temp 8℃.  Not many birders out, and who can blame them?

Bewick's Swans, Long-tailed Duck, Yellow-legged Gulls, Water Pipits at Chew
Short-eared Owl, Merlin

Femail Pintail at Herriotts pool, Chew (Bob Brewer)

BRISTOL

Stockwood Open Spaces:
100 Fieldfare heading over houses towards Stockwood Open Space.

St George:

Greenfinch St George 24-11-2018 (Lee Gardiner)

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
1 Little Grebe (Oldbury Pill), 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 juv/fem Merlin attacking the Dunlin flock, 2 Chiffchaff.

Thornbury:
1 Little Egret, 1 Carrion Crow with white wings.

NORTH SOMERSET

Brent Goose (db) 24-11-2018 Clevedon (PB Chapman)

Clevedon - Hand Stadium area:
4 Brent Goose - ad + 3 1st yrs (db)

BELOW M4 & BANES

Moorhen Bath 24-11-2018 (Glen Maddison)

Bath - Walcot :
Front Room Birding - 1 Moorhen + Goldfinch - under and on the feeders'

Bath Spa University (entrance):

4 Fieldfare, 200 Redwing, 3 Goldfinch.

Another shot of that femail Pintail at Herriotts pool, Chew (Bob Brewer)

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake:

4 Bewick's Swan (from Picnic One),  2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Shelduck, 30 Pintail, 1 Long-tailed Duck (Dam), 30 Goldeneye, 3 1m Goosander (Stratford), 6 Grey Heron, 5 Great White Egret, 3 Little Egret, 66 Lapwing, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (Denny and Herriotts), 2 Jay, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Goldcrest (Woodford), 3 Meadow Pipit (S), 2 Water Pipit (S), 2 Bullfinch (W).

Dear friends in Bristol, Bath and the Chew Valley, please come to our talks by Mike Dilger, from BBC's The One Show, The Trials and Tribulations of a Wildlife Presenter and Mya-Rose Craig AKA Birdgirl's, Born to Bird, on Friday 30th Nov 2018 at Chew Valley School. Both talks will be hilarious and suitable for those 8 years and over. Mike will also be speaking at 6.30 pm for anyone interested in getting into TV, especially those in school or university, followed by the main event starting at 7 pm. There will be cheese ploughman's and bar and all proceeds will to to Black2Nature, Mya-Rose's charity which takes minority ethnic teenagers out to the countryside on nature camps. Tickets are £12 or £7 for those 18 or under, available from Eventbrite https://bit.ly/2PHdxiG

Reports: Paul Brian Chapman, Lee Gardiner, Robert Hargreaves, Glen Maddison, John Martin, Matt Scott,  Brian Thompson, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

23-11-18 Friday - Bar-tailed Godwit

Temp 4 to 9℃. DULL, Dull, dull

Bewick's Swan
Red-crested Pochard
Bar-tailed Godwit
Little Stint, Jack Snipe
Merlin
Marsh Tit 
Water Pipit 

23-11-18 Jack Snipe at Stratford (Brian Thompson)

BRISTOL

Clifton garden:
The Marsh Tit has made its first appearance of the winter, 14:10

Coombe Dingle - Garden:
4 Woodpigeon, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackcap (f+m), 3 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 2 Dunnock, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch (f+m), 2 Greenfinch, 12 Goldfinch.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
45 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 100 Lapwing, 5 Grey Plover, 85 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 820 Dunlin (420 at Oldbury Pill, 400 at Shepperdine End), 2 Snipe, 4 Redshank, 100+ Fieldfare, 150+ Redwing (both everywhere), 1 Mistle Thrush, 7 Stonechat (5 males and just 2 females in pairs)

Wickwar, Birdsbush Lane:
1 Merlin putting up 40 Redwing

NORTH SOMERSET

Portishead Marina;
16 Canada Goose, "George the Greylag", pr Mute Swans with 5 imm (as usual), 101 Mallard including a few of dodgy parentage, 7 Tufted Ducks most or all first-winter birds, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Redshank on the shore, and far fewer BH Gulls (17) than in the autumn

BELOW M4 & BANES

23-11-18 Dipper, Pensford (Ian Stapp)

Pensford:

12+ Jackdaw, 1 Dipper, 2 Grey Wagtail

RESERVOIRS

23-11-18 Red-crested Pochard pair, CVL (Brian Thompson)

Chew Valley Lake:

11 Bewick's Swan (from Picnic One),  2 Shelduck, 16 Pintail (Herriotts), 2 Red-crested Pochard, 30 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 5 Grey Heron, 7 Great White Egret, 3 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 34 Lapwing, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Jack Snipe (Stratford), 2 Snipe (Herons Green), 1 Little Stint (Stratford), 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 GBB Gull

23-11-18 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Moreton (Ian Stapp)

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine (Moreton), 3 Raven, 2 Jay, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 20 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush (Woodford), 1 Stonechat (M), 7 House Sparrow, 1 Grey & 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit (W), 2 Water Pipit (M&S), 2 Bullfinch (W), 25 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting

Reports: Jane Cumming, David Esam, Alastair Fraser, Peter Hazelwood, Andy Middleton, Ian Stapp, Brian Thompson, Dan White

2018 records

Now the 2017 Avon Bird Report has been published we have started preparatory work for the 2018 report, checking the records submitted during the first nine months of this year.

All the following records lack supporting notes so if you saw any of the birds in question please let us have your notes please, to avonbirdrecorder@gmail.com.

It helps us immensely if people submit supporting notes at the time of the sighting.

Species			Date	Site
Cattle Egret	2		03/09/2018	Clevedon-Yeo (Cl-Y)
Common Redpoll	1		15/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Common Redpoll	3		21/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Glaucous Gull	1	1w	03/01/2018	Severn Beach
Goshawk	1	♂	17/02/2018	Marshfield, Tormarton Rd, Newhouse Farm
Goshawk	1		21/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Great Grey Shrike	1		25/09/2018	Almondsbury (M4/M5 interchange)
Great Skua	1	juv	23/09/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Hen Harrier	1	♂	13/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Moreton
Hen Harrier	1	♂	12/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL)
Honey-buzzard	1		17/05/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Iceland Gull			07/04/2018	Sand Point
Leach's Petrel	1		03/01/2018	Severn Beach
Leach's Petrel	1		19/09/2018	Severn Beach
Leach's Petrel	1		21/09/2018	Clevedon, Ladye Bay
Nightingale	1		19/04/2018	Wick
Nightjar	1		22/05/2018	Oldbury Power Station (OPS)
Ortolan Bunting	1		13/09/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Ortolan Bunting	1		15/09/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth, PWL
Purple Heron	1	juv	24/07/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Main Reedbed
Purple Heron	1	juv	13/09/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Spoonbill	1		13/05/2018	Oldbury Power Station (OPS)
Turtle Dove	2		27/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Herriott's
White Stork	1		01/07/2018	Bristol, Lawrence Weston Moor

22-11-18 Thursday

Frosty morning, cold but sunny all day

Merlin (couple of sightings of probably the same bird), Short-eared Owl, Golden Plover (patch first at NSL), Marsh Tit, Avocet, Long-tailed Duck


BRISTOL

No reports


SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Oldbury Power Station:
1 Short-eared Owl, 5 Yellowhammer

Aust Warth:
1 Merlin, 2 Peregrine (m & f)

New Passage/Northwick:
c. 80 Canada Goose, 15 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, c. 250 Wigeon, c.30 Teal, 2 Little Grebe,
1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, c.25 Coot, 7 Oystercatcher, c.300 Lapwing, 3 Curlew, c.250 Black-tailed Godwit, c.30 Redshank, 1 m. Blackcap, 3 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 7 Pied Wagtail, flock 15 Linnet, 1 Red Admiral

22-11-18 Merlin (Ian Loats)

Northwick Warth:
1 Merlin (f), 1 Snipe, 20+ Redwing

22-11-18 Redwing (Ian Loats)

NORTH SOMERSET

Backwell Lake:

1 Nuthatch (Uncombe Close),  2 Marsh Tit

Sand Point/Bay:
7 Avocet (feeding on tideline approx 2pm)

BELOW M4 & BANES

Newton St Loe:
1 m Goosander (top Lake), 2 Buzzard, 14 Golden Plover (first for the patch) 

22-11-18 Golden Plover (NSL Birding)
Patch first

1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 3 Jay, 1 Raven, 1 Skylark, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Fieldfare, 50+ Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 15 Yellowhammer (back in normal place after being absent)

22-11-18 Yellowhammer (NSL Birding)

RESERVOIRS

Chew Valley Lake

Dam:
2 Egyptian Goose

Hollowbrook:
11 Bewick's Swan (easiest seen from the main picnic site as they are feeding between the two car parks at that end), GW Egret, 2 Grey Heron

Heron's Green:
1 Goldeneye, 1 Goosander, 4 Little Grebe, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, 5 G-W Egret, 1 Buzzard, 34 Lapwing, 5 Blackwits, 2 Snipe, 1 Stonechat, 11 House Sparrow, 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit

22-11-18 Blackwits (Ian Stapp)

Stratford:
Water Rail, Jack Snipe

22-11-18 Water Rail & Jack Snipe (Peter Heather)

Moreton:
1 Long-tailed Duck

Herriott's:
2 Shelduck, 12 Pintail, 3 Goosander (near the Stratford shore), 2 Grey Heron, 3 G-W Egret, 1 L Egret, 1 Water Rail, more Lapwing, (which I couldn't see well enough to count), 2-3 Snipe, 3 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper

Woodford:
1 Long-tailed Duck (way out on lake), 2 Buzzard, 2 Raven, 6 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Meadow Pipit

Reports: Lois Price, Henry Kirkwood, Peter Hazlewood, Rich Andrews, Robin Lambert, Jane Cumming, Steve Sanins, Ian Loats, Wayne Tucker, Peter Heather, Ian Stapp,   blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

21-11-2018 Wednesday - Little Stint

Dull start today, dry and cold not too windy; brightened up later.

Bewick's Swan
Red-crested Pochard,  Scaup
Black-necked Grebe, Cattle Egret, 
Avocet,  Jack Snipe
Little Stint

BRISTOL

Henbury:
3 Rook - living dangerously on the verges of Crow Lane.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE:

Northwich Warth:
1 Merlin (m)

NORTH SOMERSET

Churchill:
1 Grey Wagtail - flyover

BELOW M4 & BANES

Publow:
1 Grey Heron

Queen Charlton:
3 Buzzard,

RESERVOIRS

Blagdon Lake:
1 Egyptian Goose, 65 Wigeon, 8 Goldeneye (3m), 1 Goosander (m), 1 Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret, 195 Lapwing

Chew Valley Lake:

Reed Bunting CVL Stratford 21-11-18 (Ian Stapp)

2 Shelduck 2 Red-crested Pochard - middle of the lake, 2 Goldeneye,  3 Goosander, 2 Black-necked Grebe (way out on the Lake), 7 Great White Egret, 5 Little Egret, 7 Grey Heron,  3 Buzzard, 85 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 GBB Gull, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jay, 12 Jackdaw, 2 Raven, 30+ mixed tit - mostly Long-tailed, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 10+ Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat, 4 House Sparrow, 1 Grey Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtail, 4+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 5 Reed Bunting.

Hollowbrook -Back of Denny Island
11 Bewick's Swan (9ad+2 juv)

Woodford:
c20 Fieldfare - on berries at the entrance

Black-tailed Godwit CVL 21-11-18 (TtB)

Heron's Green:
3 Little Grebe, 1 Cattle Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cormorant, 6 Lapwing, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Sand, 1 Kestrel, 20+ Starling, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Chaffinch,

Moreton:
1 Scaup - way out, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin.

Stratford:
3 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, 2 Water Pipit, 30 Goldfinch,

Herriott's Pool:
7 Mute Swan, 16 Pintail, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail, 2 Avocet, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Pied Wagtail

OUT OF AREA

RSPB Ham Wall:
2 Yellow- Browed Warbler

Reports: Rich Andrews, Rich Mielcarek, Lois Pryce, Dean Reeves, Ian Stapp, talkingtobears, [bristol-wildlife] blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG

2018 records

Now the 2017 Avon Bird Report has been published we have started preparatory work for the 2018 report, checking the records submitted during the first nine months of this year.

All the following records lack supporting notes so if you saw any of the birds in question please let us have your notes please, to avonbirdrecorder@gmail.com.

It helps us immensely if people submit supporting notes at the time of the sighting.

Species			Date	Site
Cattle Egret	2		03/09/2018	Clevedon-Yeo (Cl-Y)
Common Redpoll	1		15/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Common Redpoll	3		21/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Glaucous Gull	1	1w	03/01/2018	Severn Beach
Goshawk	1	♂	17/02/2018	Marshfield, Tormarton Rd, Newhouse Farm
Goshawk	1		21/04/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Great Grey Shrike	1		25/09/2018	Almondsbury (M4/M5 interchange)
Great Skua	1	juv	23/09/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Hen Harrier	1	♂	13/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Moreton
Hen Harrier	1	♂	12/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL)
Honey-buzzard	1		17/05/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Iceland Gull			07/04/2018	Sand Point
Leach's Petrel	1		03/01/2018	Severn Beach
Leach's Petrel	1		19/09/2018	Severn Beach
Leach's Petrel	1		21/09/2018	Clevedon, Ladye Bay
Nightingale	1		19/04/2018	Wick
Nightjar	1		22/05/2018	Oldbury Power Station (OPS)
Ortolan Bunting	1		13/09/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth
Ortolan Bunting	1		15/09/2018	New Passage / Northwick Warth, PWL
Purple Heron	1	juv	24/07/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Main Reedbed
Purple Heron	1	juv	13/09/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Stratford
Spoonbill	1		13/05/2018	Oldbury Power Station (OPS)
Turtle Dove	2		27/04/2018	Chew Valley Lake (CVL), Herriott's
White Stork	1		01/07/2018	Bristol, Lawrence Weston Moor