FEBRUARY 2010
28th - At Portbury Wharf there was a Barn Owl hunting in the fields behind the sewage farm this morning (S Hale) Late report 27/2/10: a female Goosander was on the pools (A Gibb). Only the 2nd record for the reserve, the first was in 2005 just after the pools were excavated.
26th - The Black Redstart is still present at Battery Point. Seventeen Little Egrets were counted at Clevedon (just inland from the Yeo). At Portbury Wharf there was a Peregrine, 13 Gadwall, 90 Teal, 9 Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck, 400 Dunlin, a Woodcock, 110 Redshank and 2 Cetti's Warblers heard around the pools.
22nd - No sign of the Slavonian Grebe today (which started quite snowy). At Portbury Wharf there were 35 Tufted Ducks, 8 Pochard, 40 Lapwing, 9 Gadwall, 5 Bullfinch, a Woodcock, 2 Ravens and 60 Redwings. A pair of Peregrines were inside the Royal Portbury Dock.
21st - A great find at Portishead today with a Slavonian Grebe just outside the harbour, thanks to Andy Gibb for finding it and too John Martin for confirming the ID and the photo. The Black Redstart remains at Battery Point with a couple of Rock Pipits and in East Wood there was a Mistle Thrush, a Nuthatch and a couple of Goldcrests. At the Clevedon-Yeo there was a good spread of birds recorded with 4 Mute Swans, 6 Canada Geese, 75 Shelduck, 110 Wigeon, 80 Teal, 4 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plover, a single Golden Plover, 18 Grey Plover, 80 Lapwing, 900 Dunlin, 11 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 90 Curlew, the Spotted Redshank, 120 Redshank, 18 Turnstones, 240 Black-headed Gulls, 25 Herring Gull and 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 2 Peregrines. No Goosanders were seen.
20th - A Firecrest is still present in East Wood, Portishead (thanks to Brian for the pic), also here were 2 Nuthatch and 2 GS Woodpeckers. A Little Owl was seen at Dowlais farm, Clevedon this evening.
18th - Despite the rain and snow a brave individual managed to see the following at Clevedon today - 80+ Shelduck, 120 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall (up Yeo), 80 Teal, 8 Goosander (4 males), 2 Little Egrets, 9 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plover, 24 Grey Plover, 95 Lapwing, c4 Knot, 1600 Dunlin, 55+ Curlew, a Spotted Redshank, 90+ Redshank, c8 Turnstones and male Reed Buntings singing at Wain's Hill marsh and Blake's Pools. At Portbury Wharf there were 28 Tufted Ducks, 7 Pochard, 7 Gadwall, 13 Stock Doves and 25 Curlew.
17th - Four Purple Sandpipers and the Black Redstart remain at Battery Point. At Portbury Wharf it was fairly dismal with 19 Canada Geese, a Little Grebe, 8 Pochard, 24 Tufted Duck plus a few Gadwall, Mallard and Coots.
15th - Another Firecrest today, this time at Portbury Wharf, also here were 180 Wigeon, 34 Tufted Ducks, 13 Pochard, 9 Gadwall, 46 Coot, 50 Lapwing, 2 Cetti's Warblers, some Siskins calling, a Water Rail, 4 Song Thrush, 13 Reed Buntings, a pair of Stonechats and a Woodcock.
14th - Today at the Clevedon-Yeo there were 2 Canada Goose, 120 Shelduck, 140 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 12 Goosander (6 males and 6 female/imm), 30 Oystercatchers, 5 Ringed Plover, 12 Knot, 28 Grey Plover, 90 Lapwing, 1400 Dunlin, 120 Curlew, 140 Redshank, 24 Turnstones, a Green Woodpecker and a Cetti's Warbler and 2 Little Egrets. Whilst unsuccessfully searching for an unidentified Owl in East Wood, Portishead this evening we did managed to turf up 1 (quite possibly 2) Firecrests.
13th - Inside the Royal Portbury Docks today there was a Sparrowhawk, 25 Moorhens, a minimum of 4 Mediterranean Gulls, a Kingfisher, 20 Long-tailed Tits, 8 Bullfinches and 12 Reed Buntings. A possible Goshawk was seen over the West Hill area of Portishead just before lunchtime but views from the car were too brief and distant to be definite.
12th - Today at Portbury Wharf there were 6 Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 9 Pochard, 32 Tufted Duck, a Peregrine, c20 Coot, a Jack Snipe, 20 Snipe, 30 Curlew, a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Stonechat and 10 Bullfinch.
11th - The resident Black Redstart continues it's stay at Battery Point.
10th - Black Redstart still at Battery Point and seven Pochard on the boating lake.
9th - A Med Gull was at Portishead Marina.
7th - At Clevedon today there were 2 Mute Swans, 9 Canada Geese, 20 Shelduck, 70 Wigeon, 85 Teal, single Shoveler, 6 Goosander (inc 3 drakes), a Little Egret, 14 Oystercatcher, 4 Grey Plovers, 160 Lapwing, 200 Dunlin, 5 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 90 Curlew, a Spotted Redshank (heard only), 100 Redshank, 12 Turnstones, 4 Knot, 100+ Black-headed Gulls, 40 Herring Gull, 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls (2 ads, 1 immature), single Raven and Reed Bunting. Weston Moor had a Water Rail and 3 Siskins of note. In the Portbury Wharf area there were 35 Wigeon, 200 Teal, 90 Lapwing (fly-overs), 13 Canada Geese, 8 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 3 Pochard and 24 Tufted Duck. A couple of pairs of Gadwall and Shoveler were in display, 800 Dunlin and 35 Redshank. A Little Owl was again at Dowlais. Two Grey Partridge remain at Clapton-in-Gordano. In Clevedon Court Wood there was a Marsh Tit, a Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker.
6th - Two Grey Partridge were at Clapton-in-Gordano. A female Merlin was at the Clevedon-Yeo along with 3 Bar-wits. A pair of Little Owls were at Dowlais farm.
5th - Black Redstart still at Battery Point and another at Fennel Road/Phoenix Way in Portishead.
4th - At the Clevedon Yeo today there were 6 Canada Geese, 55 Shelduck, 120 Wigeon, 80 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, 1 Buzzard, 18 Oystercatchers, 7 Ringed Plover, 38 Grey Plover, 210 Lapwing, 3 Knot, 1,600 Dunlin, 1 Jack Snipe (unusually on the tide-line), 3 Snipe, 50 Curlew, 120 Redshank, 23 Turnstones, 100 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Rock Pipits and 35 Linnets. The Purple Sandpipers and Black Redstart remain at Battery Point. Whilst at Portbury Wharf there were 20 Canada Geese, 8 Gadwall, 11 Pochard, 35 Tufted Duck, 3 Woodcock and a Stonechat.
1st - A good start to the month with a least 6 Grey Partridge and a Red-legged Partridge in the Gordano Valley near Clapton.