APRIL 2009
 
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28th - Very quiet at Clevedon today with 40+ Shelduck, 4 Little Egrets, 7 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 52 Whimbrel, 3 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 10+ Swallows, a Wheatear, 4+ Whitethroats, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Whinchat.
 
26th - At the Clevedon-yeo today there were 47 Whimbrel, a Bar-Wit, 25 Dunlin, 3 Turnstones, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwing, 3 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 5 Wheatears, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Grasshopper Warblers (2 at Dowlais and one at Broadstone Lane), a Garden Warbler, a Whinchat and a Swift.   A Yellow Wagtail and a Redpoll flew over Wains Hill.The coast path near Walton Common produced 6 Whimbrel, a male Cuckoo; several Whitethroat; 1 Lesser Whitethroat; 1 Stonechat.  Two Whinchats dropped into Clapton Moor this evening.

25th - A female type Marsh Harrier was seen flying inland from Battery Point today.
 
24th - Seawatching produced 2 Arctic Skuas (1 pale and one dark) which were watched chasing and then killing a small passerine mid-estuary, 17 Whimbreal also flew past.  On the coast at Clevedon there were 40+ Shelduck, a Little Egret, a Coot (Yeo Bank Farm), 6 Oystercatcher, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, a Knot, 12 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwit (YBF, in breeding plumage), 8 Bar-tailed Godwit 8 (3 in breeding plumage), 72 Whimbrel,  3 Curlew, 4 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Turnstones, 25+ Swallows, 3 White Wagtails, 7 Wheatears, 3+ Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 3+ Whitethroats, 1+ Lesser Whitethroat and a Yellowhammer (only heard but good song).  A Swift flew over Wains Hill where a Cuckoo was also heard calling near the allotments.  Anyone lost a Glossy Starling?  This one was in Clevedon.


 

22nd - A Yellow Wagtail and a Grasshopper Warbler were at Dowlais Farm, Clevedon today.
 
21st - Two Wood Warblers were at Wains Hill and the two Lapwing broods reported from Dowlais Farm.
 
20th - A visit to Dowlais Farm produced three Lapwing chicks on the scrape (seems early?),  three Yellow Wagtails (2 females & a Male) and a Whitethroat.  Thanks to Lyn Loder for the pic.

19th - A BTO atlas walk in Portishead was not exactly riveting, the highlight being a Grasshopper Warbler at Battery Point.  At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve the only birds of note were 26 Dunlin and a Sanderling.
 
18th - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve today there were 5 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaff 3, 2 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail and the first Cuckoo of the year was heard.
 
17th - A Common Sandpiper was at the swimming pool end of Portishead marina along with 17 Mute Swans and a Canada Goose.
 
16th - A Portishead garden enjoyed a visit from a mixed group of 2 Goldfinches, 6 Siskins and 2 Lesser Redpolls today.
 
15th - An Osprey was the star turn over Wains Hill this morning (hopefully the picture will not cause to many concerns!), also here was a female Ring Ouzel, flyovers included a flood of Hirundines and hundreds of Goldfinches with a few Redpolls, Siskins and Linnets and a Tree Ppipit and a Yellow Wagtail.  On the coast at Clevedon there were 40 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets,  6 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwing, 4 Dunlin, 5 Curlew (2 possibly Whimbrel - too far off to be certain), 60 Redshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 15 Wheatears (all females), a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers and 6 Chiffchaffs. House Martins were seen in the Gordano Valley.   A Grasshopper Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, a Redpoll and the female Goldenye were at Portbury Wharf.  Oh, and there was another report of a Goshawk in the Kenn area of Clevedon....

14th - Two Bar-tailed Godwits and a Spotted Redshank were at Dowlais farm.  Three Tree Pipits flew over Wains Hill this morning and a small flock of Redpolls were also seen along with a male Shoveler.  A Whinchat was at Portbury Wharf.
 
13th - A Redstart day at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve with 4 males and a female seen alongside at least 5 singing Cettis Warbler, a Little Owl and many Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps.  The Goshawk was again seen at Clevedon, this time perched in a tree before being driven off by crows.  On the coast at Clevedon it was quiet with 3 Wheatears, 7 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Oystercatchers, 32 Shelduck, 2 White Wagtails and 3 Sand Martins.
 
12th - At the Clevedon-Yeo today the first Whimbrel of the year was seen along with 12 Mute swans, 55+ Shelduck, 3 Teal, a Peregrine, 3 Herons, 4 Little Egrets, 32 Oystercatchers, c10 Lapwing, 22 Curlew, 85 Redshank, a Spotted Redshank(heard only), a Cetti's Warbler, the first Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler of the year, 4+ Chiffchaff and 3 Redpoll.
 
Addendum to Goshawk sighting posted 5th April.  Two additional flight shots of the first-adult male Goshawk from 5th April 2009. (The bird having been previously seen on 14th February, 29th March and 4th April.)

 

 
11th - A patch tick for a few of the regulars with a pair of Grey Partridge near Clapton-in-Gordano this afternoon.  This morning at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve their were plenty of common Warblers but only 9 Tufted Ducks, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Bullfinch and c15 Redshank were of note.

10th - A fall of migrants at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve this morning with a Grasshopper Warbler, c6 Blackcaps, c6 Willow Warblers, 80 Redshank, 15 Dunlin, a Grey Plover, 30 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins, Yellow Wagtails and 3 Redpoll.  At Clevedon there was another Grasshopper Warbler, 30+ White Wagtails, a Yellow Wagtail and Sedge Warblers.

8th - A good blow overnight persuaded the sea watchers out and they were rewarded with 3 Great Northern Divers, 6 Sandwich Terns and 8 Gannets from Ladye Bay, Clevedon.  From Battery Point a pale phase Arctic Skua was seen going up and then down the estuary along with c60 Kittiwakes and a Peregrine.
 
6th - A Ring Ouzel was found near the Salthouse, Clevedon this morning, however it could not be re-found this afternoon.
 
5th - An Arctic Skua was the lone highlight from a sea watch at Ladye Bay.  Walton Common was desperately quiet first thing with just a few Reed Buntings of note (6-7 Roe Deer and 2 Hares also here).  A visit to the Perfect Bite pools at Clevedon by the planning committee of the patch watchers Latvian adventure (if anyone has any gen on birding in Latvia in May please use the e-mail link above!) was rewarded by good views of the apparently resident male Goshawk.

 
4th - A Redstart was seen at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve.  A male Goshawk was seen at Clevedon.
 
3rd - Four Siskins were seen in a Clevedon garden today.