MARCH 2010

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31st - Three Purple Sandpipers remain at Battery Point.  Seawatching from Clevedon only produced 2 Common Scoter today.

30th - A single Gannet reported from a Seawatch from Ladye Bay today.  At Portbury Wharf there were 3 Snipe and a mixed group of c60 Hirundines.

28th - Very little to report from the Gordano Valley today, the drake Mandarin remains at Weston Drove where their were also 8 Shelduck, 2 Tufted Ducks, a female Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, a Sparrowhawk and 3 Buzzards.  At the Clevedon coast there were 4 Mute Swans, 12 Canada Goose, 75 Shelduck, 18 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 25 Mallard, a Pintail, 2 Shoveler, 2 Grey Herons, a Sparrowhawk (attacking Wheatears), 11 Oystercatchers, 9 Lapwing, 9 Dunlin, 65 Curlew, the Spotted Redshank, 205 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, 24 Turnstones, 3/4 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Ravens and a Reed Bunting.  Portbury Wharf was quiet apart from quite a few singing Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 20 Tufted Ducks and a single Wigeon.

25th - Five Wheatears and 6 Chiffchaffs reported from Clevedon today.

24th - A Swallow and 10 Chiffchaffs at Clevedon this morning.  Two Greylag Geese were at Dowlais Farm in the evening.  At Portbury Wharf there was a Swallow, at least 7 Cetti's Warblers, 20+ Chiffchaffs and 5 Willow Warblers first thing this morning, then 50+ Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers this afternoon.  At Portishead Boating Lake there were 10 Sand Martins, 3 Swallows and a House Martin over the boating lake this afternoon.

21st - Today at Clevedon there were 2 Mute Swans, 7 Canada Goose, 110 Shelduck, 75 Wigeon, 70 Teal, a few Mallard, 2 Little Grebe, single Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 14 Little Egret, several Buzzards, 13 Oystercatcher, 3 Grey Plover, 6 Lapwing, 35 Dunlin, a Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit (with the Redshank flock), 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (with Curlew), 85 Curlew, a Spotted Redshank, 220 Redshank, 30 Herring Gull, 18 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Wheatears, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Ravens and 2 Reed Buntings.  The male Ring Ouzel remains at Portbury Wharf.  Three Bar-headed Geese were at Weston Drove (well, I say 3, one looks pucker the other 2 show various degrees of hybridism), the drake Mandarin was still here as well as c30 Fieldfares.

20th - The male Ring Ouzel remains at Portbury Wharf where there were also 5 Cetti's Warblers, 16 Tufted Ducks, 5 Gadwall, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Raven, 8 Shelduck and 4 Curlew.

19th - A Great White Egret was seen by several lucky observers this morning before it was seen to fly towards Weston.   A Ring Ouzel was a good early spring record at Portbury Wharf this morning as well.

18th - The drake Mandarin remains at Weston Moor.  At Clevedon today there were 18 Mute Swans, 5 Canada Goose, 85 Shelduck, 85 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 20 Mallard, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, a Little Egret, 13 Oystercatcher, 4 Grey Plover, 2 Lapwing, a single Knot, a Snipe, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 55 Curlew, the usual Spotted Redshank (now showing some summer plumage), 160 Redshank, 12 Turnstones, a Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Skylark, a single Sand Martin, a Rock Pipit and 2 Ravens.   A seawatch from Ladye Bay produced 4 adult Gannets this evening.

17th - The spring migration tap has been turned on at last.  Today at Clevedon there were at least 6 Sand Martins, a Wheatear, a Swallow and a Pintail.  An evening visit here produced 30 Meadow Pipits and 9 alba Wagtails heading north.  Tonight at Weston Moor a drake Mandarin was in with the Mallards, also here was a Stock Dover and c30 Redwings and a Little Owl was heard.  At Portbury Wharf this morning there were 6 Sand Martins and an afternoon visit produced 3 Chiffchaffs one of which calling. 

14th - A quick visit to Battery Point this morning failed to find the Black Redstart but their were 3 Rock Pipits, 5 Linnet, 9 Shelduck and 3 Curlews.  At Portishead Down there were 4 Buzzards, 4 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Marsh Tit, 3 Nuthatch and 6 Jays.  At the Clevedon-Yeo there were 9 Mute Swan, 9 Canada Goose, 95 Shelduck, 110 Wigeon, 45 Teal, 10 Mallard, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret, singles of Buzzard, Kestrel and Peregrine, 11 Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover, 11 Grey Plover, 6 (3 pairs) Lapwing, 18 Knot, 850 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 70 Curlew, a Spotted Redshank, 160 Redshank, 18 Turnstones, 20 Black-headed Gull, 18 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Great Black-backed Gull, a Cetti's Warbler, a Raven and 2 Reed Buntings.

13th - At Weston Moor today there were about 200+ winter thrushes mainly fieldfares, 2 Grey Herons, a Treecreeper, a Green Woodpecker, 6 Buzzards, a Water Rail, a pair of Little Grebes and 6 Canada geese. 

10th - The Black Redstart remains at Battery Point.

8th - At Portbury Wharf today there were 10 Long-tailed Tits, 28 Tufted Ducks, 5 Pochard, 6 Gadwall, 9 Canada Geese, 20 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, c25 Mipits and 20 Skylarks.  At the Royal Portbury Docks there was a Little Egret, a Med Gull and an albio Black-headed Gull.

7th - No sign of any early migrants at Clevedon today, hopefully the wind will change soon and the first Wheatear will make an appearance.  At Clevedon there were 110 Shelduck, c20 Wigeon, 80+ Teal, a Goosander, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Plover, 9 Lapwing, 100's of Dunlin, 4 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, c15 Curlew, c100 Redshank and 28 Turnstones.  Thanks to the observers of the two Snow Buntings seen in February for providing these photo's.

6th - The East Wood Firecrest(s?) is/are still present.  A 2nd winter Med Gull was also present on the shore/boating lake here.  A female Merlin was the only bird of note at Clevedon.

5th - A Firecrest is still present in East Wood, Portishead, thanks to Brian for the pic.  A Green Sandpiper was at the top of the Yeo.

4th - Today at the Clevedon-Yeo there were 110 Shelduck, 60 Wigeon, 20 Teal, 5 Goosanders, 18 Oystercatchers, 28 Grey Plover, 6 Lapwing, 600 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit (showing signs of breeding plumage), 60 Curlew, a Spotted Redshank, 180 Redshank, 12 Turnstones, 3 GBB Gulls, 3 Pied Wagtails and 2 Reed Buntings.

3rd - At Clevedon today there were 2 Oystercatcher, 19 Grey Plover, 2 Knot, 1,200 Dunlin, 65 Curlew, 20 Redshank and 15 Turnstones.  Portbury Wharf held 21 Tufted Ducks, 3 Pochard, 25+ Coot, 6 Gadwall and c10 Long-tailed Tits.

2nd - The Black Redstart remains at Battery Point, thanks to Graham Horrocks for the picture.