APRIL 2007

30th - More seawatching today from Clevedon & Portishead. At Clevedon there were 2 Pomarine Skuas (later seen at Portishead), along with c150 commic Terns and 2 smaller Skua sp. From Portishead there were c120 Commic Terns, 2 Black Terns and 3 Skua sp (thought to be Arctics).

29th - Three Purple Sandpipers were at Battery Point early this morning (2 on the evening tide). Five Ravens (3-4 juv's) were seen at Blackrock Quarry Portishead. At the Clevedon-Yeo there were 60+ Shelduck, 2 Buzzards, a Peregrine, 14 Oystercatchers, 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Lapwing, 22 Dunlin, 130 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Whimbrel, 4 Curlew, 4 Redshank, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail and 6 Wheatears. A couple of hours seawatching from Ladye Bay produced a few small flocks of mostly Common Terns with 1/2 Black Terns, a Little Gull and an Arctic Skua.

28th - A major influx of Bar-Wits into the area with 175 seen at Clevedon today along with c100 Whimbrel, 12 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Redshank, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 14 Wheater 4 Whinchats, a Yellow Wagtail and a Peregrine. A Marsh Harrier was seen in the Gordano Valley late afternoon. The Ring-necked Duck and Goldeneye remained at Portbury Wharf where there were another 25 Bar Wits and 9+ Whimbrel, 1 Whinchat, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Pochard and 2 Cettis Warblers.

27th - At the Clevedon Yeo today there was a Little Egret, 14 Oystercatchers, 8 Lapwing, 6 Bar Wits, 38 Whimbrel, a Curlew, 4 Redshank, a Yellow Wagtail, 4 Wheatears, a Cettis Warbler, a Gropper, a few Reed Warblers, 2/3 Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat.

26th - Fifteen Black Terns were seen from Battery Point today along with c20 commic Terns. Five Purple Sandpipers are still there, but wont be for much longer. Three Whinchats were at Portbury Wharf.

25th - Three Common Scoter were seen from Wains Hill, Clevedon. Tern migration is starting with c50 Common/Arctic and a Sandwich Tern seen from Ladye Bay, an Auk sp was also seen. Four Whinchats were also seen at Clevedon.

23rd - At the Clevedon Yeo today there were 16 Oystercatchers, 20+Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Cuckoo, a Sand Martin, 12+ Pied/White Wagtail (including at least 2 White), 9 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler. The Ring-necked Duck returned to Portbury Wharf along with 4 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 7+ Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warblers a Whimbrel and the long staying Goldeneye.

22nd - A good mix of migrants at Portbury Wharf today a Ruddy Duck, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 10 Lesser Whitethroats, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Ravens, a Goldeneye, 2 Oystercatchers and a Whimbrel. At the Clevedon Yeo there were 4 Ringed Plover, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 3 White Wagtails.

21st - At Clevedon today there were 10 Swifts, a Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, a fall of Blackcaps, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Whinchat and 7 Bar-tailed Godwits. An Arctic Skua and a Common Sandpiper were seen from Ladye Bay.

20th - Two Whinchats seen at Clevedon today. Two Tree Pipits flew over Wains Hil. At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there was a Common Scoter (there were 7 off Battery Pt on 17th), 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel seen (heard a few more), 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 19 Curlew, 2 Snipe, 9 Dunlin, 26 Turnstone and a Barn Owl.

19th - At the Clevedon Yeo today there were 55 Shelduck, 2 Little Egrets, 16 Oystercatchers, a Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, 12 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Whimbrel, 5 Curlews, 20 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 17 Turnstones, 5+ Swallow, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler, 3+ Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrest. At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there were 3 Lesser whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Barwits, 10 Redshank, 10 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 20 Sand Martin, 10 Swallows, 4 Tufted Ducks, a Goldeneye, a Cettis Warbler, a Buzzard (hunting around the pools and sea wall) and 4 Little Grebes.

17th - Today at Portbury Wharf there was a single Whimbrel, a Spotted Redshank, a Barwit, a Blackwit, 4 Snipe, c20 Redshank c10 Curlew, the Ring-necked Duck, the Goldeneye, 10 Little Grebes, a Cettis Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Wheatears and c30 Sandmartins.

16th - A Grasshopper Warbler was heard briefly near Channel View Farm, Clevedon. Two Tree Pipits and a Redpoll flew over Wains Hill. At Portbury Wharf there was another Grasshopper Warbler, another Tree Pipit, 2 House Martins, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, a Whimbrel, 3 Wheatears, a Snipe, a Goldeneye and a Shoveler.

15th - Phew, what a scorcher! Ridiculous temperatures for the middle of April. A Red Kite was seen low over the Portishead end of the A369 early this afternoon. A very pleasant walk along the coast path from Portishead to Walton Bay produced 4 Whimbrel, 66 Turnstones, a Common Sandpiper, 18 Shelduck, a Wheatear, a Green Woodpecker, 6 Redpoll and hundreds of Willowchiffs.

14th - A far quieter day today with only a Whimbrel and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats to note. At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there was only only Redstart left along with a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Cettis Warbler, 2 Wheatears, Ringed Plover, a Goldeneye and 13 Tufted Ducks.

13th - A good fall of migrants today with a Cuckoo, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Cettis Warblers, 7 Redstarts, and lots of Willowchiffs and Blackcaps reported from Portbury Wharf, at the Clevedon Yeo there were 9 Wheatears and a Lesser Whitethroat.

12th - At the Clevedon Yeo today there were 2 Canada Goose, 4 Teal, 7 Little Egret, a Buzzard, 10 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plover, 4+ Lapwing, 6 Dunlin (including one in fine breeding plumage), the first Whimbrel of the year, 8 Curlew, a Spotted Redshank, 40+ Redshank, 6 Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warbler and 6 Chiffchaff.

11th - The first Cuckoo of the year was at Portbury Wharf this evening. Visible migration over Wains Hill over the last few days has been very light with nil of significance being reported.

10th - Two Cetti's Warblers were at Portbury Wharf today along with plenty of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. The Ring-necked Duck was still present, thanks to Rich Andrews for the pic.

9th - A couple of new birds for the year list today with a Tree Pipit being just about the only migrant over Wains Hill and 8 Gannets seen from Battery Point where there also 2 Purple Sandpipers.

8th - Very little change at Clevedon today with 12+ Teal, 7-10 Little Egrets, 23 Oystercatchers, 8 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 12 Curlew, 110 Redshank, 24 Turnstones, 1 Wheatear, 2 Cetti's Warbler and a Raven. At Blackrock Quarry, Portishead there were 4 Buzzards, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and a Raven. The Ring-necked Duck, Goldenye and Cettis Warbler were at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve.

7th - The usual ducks at Porbury Wharf with the Ring-necked and Goldeneye. Thanks to Bill Dixon for the picture, the Ring-necked is the one on the right in the foreground (note the unusual 'gorilla' head shape).

5th - At the Clevedon-Yeo today there were 2 Bar-headed Geese (Portbury Birds?), 75 Shelduck, 10 Wigeon, 16 Teal, 2 Buzzards, 23 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Plover, 4+ Lapwing, 8+ Knot, 16 Dunlin, 40 Curlew 40 (very vocal, perhaps ready to move N), 130 Redshank, 38 Turnstone, a Wheatear and a Raven.

3rd - Two Barnacle Geese were seen briefly at Porbury Wharf Nature Reserve today before they departed. A few Swallows and Sand Martins also seen.

2nd - A little bit of migration activity over Wains Hills this morning with c50 Woodpigeons, c75 Goldfinch, c50 Meadow Pipits, 1 Swallow, 6 Redpoll, a Merlin and a few Siskins. At Battery Point there were 5 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Swallows and best of all a Crossbill flew over calling constantly.

1st - The Ring-necked Duck was back at Portbury Wharf this morning, in the last few days it has moved around quite a bit, going from Portbury to Newport, over to Avonmouth before going back to Portbury! Also here were 3 Bar-headed Geese, the female Goldeneye, 13 Tufted Ducks, 5 Little Grebes, 2 Gadwall and 3 Pochard. Four Purple Sandpipers were at Battery Point.