APRIL 2006
30th - At Clevedon today there was a Sanderling, 48 Whimbrel, Grey Plover, 105 Dunlin and a Grasshopper Warbler.
29th - A new patch day list record of 102 species was set today, highlights included several Tree Pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Redpolls from Wains Hill, Goldeneye at Portbury Wharf and Greenshank at the Clevedon-Yeo.
27th - A Red Kite was seen over Blackrock Quarry/Weston Big Wood Portishead at 17:45 today, so keep an eye out if you are driving through the Gordano Valley. The Ring-necked Duck and Goldeneye were at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve and a Cetti's Warbler was at Weston Moor. At 21:00hrs this evening a Nightingale was heard at Portbury Wharf, an excellent local record.
26th - A Chough was seen at Clevedon Pier mid afternoon, however despite extensive searching by the locals could not be found later in the afternoon/evening. An Arctic Skua was seen from Battery Point. Six Gannets were seen from Ladye Bay in the morning.
25th - Off Ladye Bay this evening a Black Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Skua Sp and many 'commic' Terns were seen.
24th - At Clevedon this morning there were 50+ Shelduck, 10 Teal, 5-7 Little Egrets, 18 Oystercatchers, 1 Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, 5 Dunlin, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Whimbrel, 8 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 21 Turnstone, 3 GBB Gulls, 6 Wheatears, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap. An evening visit to the Kenn at Clevedon produced 7 Wheatears, 21 Whimbrel and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits
23rd - Seawatching from Ladye Bay this morning produced a flock of Arctic Terns, a Sandwich Tern and several Gannets. Two Red-legged Partridge were seen at Clevedon and a Hobby was in the Gordano Valley. At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there were 10 Wheatears, 17 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper and the Goldeneye. A Great Skua was seen off Portishead. At Walton Bay 2 Common Sandpipers and a Grasshopper warbler were recorded.
22nd - At Portbury Wharf this morning the majority of the birds from yesterday had moved on, however the Ringed-necked Duck, Goldeneye, 50-60 Willow Warblers, c20 Chiffchaff, c10 Whitethroats, Cuckoo, Wheatear, 4 Little Grebes and 4 Redshank were still present. A now summer plumaged Spotted Redshank was seen at the Clevedon-Yeo and 26 Yellow Wagtails flew over. A male Pintail was at Weston Moor and two Common Terns were seen from Battery Point.
21st - Migration is in full flow with some bumper numbers of migrants today. At Clevedon (mostly Wains Hill area) there were a pair of Redstarts, a Wood Warbler, Garden Warbler, 100+ Willow/Chiffs, 2 Tree Pipits, Wheatear, siskin, Yellow Wagtail, a Swift and another 30+ Wheatears around the Yeo. A Sandwich Tern, 4 Commic Terns and a Skua sp. were seen from Ladye Bay. The Barnacle goose returned to the Perfect Bite Pools. At Portbury Wharf there were 2 Redstarts, a male Pied Flycatcher, a Whinchat, 3 Yellow Wagtails, at least 42 Wheatears, 60+ Willow/Chiffs, a Garden Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, c12 Blackcaps, 11 Whimbrel and a Ring Necked Duck. Thanks to Bill Dixon for the great Tree Pipit picture. A Harbour Porpoise was seen swimming up the Yeo.
20th - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there was a Cuckoo, a female Goldeneye, a Water Rail and a Little Owl. Weston Moor had a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Bar-headed geese and a male Pintail. A female Redstart was at Walton Bay. Two Redstarts and a Pied Flycatcher were t Portbury docks industrial estate.
19th - The male Ring-necked Duck made one of it's appearances at Portbury Wharf Nature reserve today, also there was a Goldeneye, a Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, a male Redstart, 7 Wheatears, c30 Sand Martins and c300 Swallows.
18th - Yet another Osprey sighting from Ladye Bay this morning and a Pomarine Skua was also seen.. A Grasshopper Warbler was present at Portbury Wharf.
17th - Two Osprey sightings from Ladye Bay today with one in the morning and another in the evening. At the Clevedon-Yeo today there were c50 Shelduck, 45 Teal, Little Egret, 22 Oystercatchers, 9 Ringed Plover, 8 Lapwing, 24 Dunlin, 6 Whimbrel, 12 Curlew, 75 Redshank, Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 14 Turnstones, 2 White Wagtails, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, c4 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. A very good find for the patch was a Red-Legged Partridge on the outskirts of Clevedon along with a Yellowhammer.
16th - At Redstart and three Wheatears were at Blackrock, Portishead today. A Cuckoo was again heard at Portbury Wharf and a few Whitethroats have now arrived. A Pied Flycatcher, six Yellow Wagtails and six Tree Pipits were around Wains Hill in the morning.
14th - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve today there were 6 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Ducks, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Redshank, a female Goldeneye, he first Cuckoo and Whitethroat of the year, 6 Blackcaps and lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. At Weston Moor there were 3 Snipe and 2 Bar-headed Geese.
13th - At Portbury Wharf there was a Common Sandpiper, a White Wagtail and a Sand Martin. Weston Moor had a Cetti's Warbler.
11th - Bird of the day was a female Black Redstart that appeared at Portishead Police HQ leading to speculation that it was the same bird that turned up on the 6th April last year. Once the rain cleared through 65 Gannets were seen from Ladye Bay along with a Fulmar and 2 Skua sp. At Portbury Wharf Nature reserve there was a Common Sandpiper in amongst the usual suspects. A Kittiwake and 6 Gannets were seen from Battery Point.
10th - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there 3 White Wagtails, a Wheatear, Spotted Redshank, Grey Plover, 6 Little Grebes, the long staying female Goldeneye, 3 Tufted Ducks, 3 Gadwall and 2 Blackcaps.
9th - Redstarts were seen near the Blind Yeo at Clevedon today and at Portbury docks industrial estate, where a Cetti's Warbler was also seen along with 10 Willow Warblers.
8th - At Portbury Wharf Nature today there was a Spotted Redshank, a female Goldeneye and c20 Willow Warblers/Chiffchaffs plus the usual other ducks. A Fulmar was seen off Battery Point this afternoon.
5th - This morning over Wains Hill 2 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, a Brambling, 4 Siskins, a Reed Bunting and various common finches were seen.
4th - At the Clevedon-Yeo today there were 8 Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover, 10 Teal, a female Merlin, 10's of Swallows and 2 Sand Martin. At Clapton Moor the first House Martin of the year was seen along with a Black-tailed Godwit.
3rd - A Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve today there were 11 Chiffchaff, 7 Willow Warblers, Spotted Redshank, 17 Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and 45 Teal. At Weston Moor a Swallow, 2/3 3 Sand Martins, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Lapwing, and a probable Water Rail were seen.
2nd - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve today there were 5 Little Grebes,
c10 Sand Martin, c6 Swallows, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, a female Goldeneye, a
Wheatear and 2 Willow Warblers. A Great Skua was seen at Ladye Bay.
At the Clevedon-Yeo there were 55 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 40+ Teal, 3/4 Little
Egrets, a female Peregrine, 18 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plover, Grey Plover,
5 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Snipe, 30 Curlew, 90 Redshank, 29 Turnstone, 1
Sand Martin, 2 Wheatears and 2 Chiffchaffs.
1st - A very good start to the month on a warm, if somewhat windy day. At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve a drake Ring-necked Duck was found (note - Ring-necked ducks also reported from Avonmouth, Chew Valley and Ham Wall today), also here were 8 Sand Martin, 3 Swallows and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. At the Perfect Bite Pools at Kingston Seymour a Barnacle Goose was an unusual find and a new record count of Little Egrets of 37 was made in this area (previous record 27 in January 2005).
