MAY 2008
30th - No sign of the Red-backed Shrike today.
29th - A great find today at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve with a female Red-backed Shrike present from mid-morning until dusk, just my luck I was in London! Well done to Chris and Steve (and thanks to Chris for the photo). At the Clevedon-Yeo there were 30+ Shelduck, a Little Egret, 9 Oystercatchers, 21 Ringed Plover, c8 Lapwing, 6 Dunlin, a Curlew, 3+ Redshank, 4 Turnstones, 2 Wheatears and 2 Ravens.
26th - A Spotted Flycatcher was in a Clevedon garden this evening.
21st - At the Clevedon-Yeo today there were 2 Little Egrets, 13 Oystercatchers, 32 Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover, 6+ Lapwing, 70 Dunlin, a Black-tailed Godwit (in breeding plumage, islandica), a Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, a Turnstone and a GBB Gull.
20th - A Spotted Flycatcher was seen at Blackrock Villas, Portishead.
18th - For the second year in a row a Honey Buzzard was seen flying over Clevedon by one of the patch regulars. On the coast at Clevedon their was a Peregrine, 3 Little Egrets, 26 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 8+ Lapwing, 72 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 2+ Redshank, 8 Turnstones, and 42 Arctic Terns (resting on Blackstone Rocks). Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve was quiet with 2 Cettis Warblers, 6 Tufted Ducks, a Gadwall and 4 Little Grebes only of note.
16th - A Red Kite was seen over Dowlais Farm, Clevedon today.
413th - Rather unusual sighting from Ladye Bay today of 2 Barnacle Geese flying up river!
12th - From Ladye Bay a Med Gull, 15 Common Gulls and 25 'commic' Terns. 3 Grey Plover and 15 Knot were at the Clevedon-Yeo.
11th - Little to report from a seawatch from Ladye Bay, despite what looked like very promising conditions - just c30 Common Terns and a Black Tern were seen. On the coast at Clevedon, again it was quiet with 3 Little Egrets, 6 Oystercatchers, a Ringed Plover, 10+ Lapwing, 12 Whimbrel, a Curlew, 2+ Redshank, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper.
8th - Today at the Clevedon Yeo there was a Little Egret, 6 Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, 8 Ringed Plover, 8 Lapwing, 3 Dunlin, 22 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew, 4 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Turnstones 15 Arctic Terns and a Cuckoo.
6th - Migration from Ladye Bay included 4 Little Terns, 3 Common Scoter and a Little Gull. A Spotted Flycatcher was at Wains Hill.
4th - Patch bash day! An intrepid group recorded 100 species on the patch today. Highlights - Sandwich Tern, 10 Little Gulls, Black Tern on the seawatches, a female Hen Harrier and a Yellowhammer in the Gordano Valley and a female Marsh Harrier from Ladye Bay which flew in from Wales giving excellent views. An official count at the Clevedon-Yeo produced 3 Little Egrets, 15 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Grey Plover, 6 Lapwing, 95 Dunlin, a Bar-Wit, 32 Whimbrel, 5 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Turnstones and a Cuckoo. A Black Redstart was seen on the coast path at Portishead in the fuel storage compound.
3rd - At c15:40 today two Bee-eaters flew over Ladye Bay, c10 mins later one was seen briefly at Weston-in-Gordano, two were seen later over Weston Big Wood, Portishead, before a final sighting of one over Battery Point at 19:40. A Greenshank was at Clevedon-Yeo, three Black Terns and c60 Common Terns were seen from Ladye Bay. Five Purple Sandpiper remain at Battery Point where a Wheatear and a Whinchat were seen.
2nd - The only new bird today on a seawatch from Ladye Bay was a Pomarine Skua.
1st - Today at the Clevedon-Yeo there were 40 Shelduck, 2 Little Egrets, 2+ Oystercatchers, 6 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 28 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 4 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 8 Turnstones, 4 Wheatears, a Cetti's Warbler and 6 Reed Warblers.