NOVEMBER 2009
29th - A dismal day weather wise so surprised to get any reports but one brave sole ventured down to Clevedon and saw 70 Canada Goose, 8 Shelduck, 6 Wigeon, 3 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatchers, 18 Grey Plover, 185 Lapwing, 15 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 40+ Curlew, 70 Redshank, 3+ Turnstone and 4 Rock Pipits.
28th - A Woodcock was flushed near the Perfect Bite pools today. Three Purple Sandpipers at Battery Point.
27th - Around the pools at Portbury Wharf there was the usual Great Crested Grebe, 9 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, a Green Woodpecker, a Water Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warblers and a single Chiffchaff. On the estuary/saltmarsh, 10 Wigeon, c90 Teal, 15 Lapwing, c1100 Dunlin, 12 Curlew, 20 Snipe, 35 Redshank, 25 Skylarks and 2 Stonechats.
26th - More seawatching produced a single Gannet, up to 4 Leach's Petrels, 4 Great Skuas, a probable Grey Phalarope and a steady trickle of Kittiwakes. Two Purple Sandpipers at Battery Point.
25th - Great seawatching results from Clevedon today with a Leach's Petrel, a Gannet, an Arctic Skua, a Pomarine Skua, a Long-tailed Skua, 4 Little Gulls and c20 Kittiwakes, but all this was rather overshadowed by event further up the channel!
24th - More seawatching from Portishead produced just an adult Gannet. Three Purple Sandpipers at Battery Point.
23rd - Two Great Skuas, c20 Kittiwakes and a possible Shag from Clevedon today. Seawatching from Portishead produced 5 Gannets, a Great Skua and 14 Kittiwakes.
22nd - Seawatching from Ladye Bay produced a single Arctic Skua, c40 Kittiwakes and c25 Common Gulls. Two Purple Sandpipers at Battery Point. A coastal count at Clevedon produced 14 Mute Swans, 76 Canada Goose, c30 Shelduck, 95 Wigeon, 12+ Teal, 3 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egret, 18 Oystercatchers, a single Ringed Plover, 20 Grey Plover, 150 Lapwing, 2800 Dunlin, 19 Snipe, 115 Curlew, c400 Redshank, 32 Turnstones, 375 Bk-headed Gulls and 2+ Skylark.
20th - A Whooper Swan was seen just inside the patch after crossing the M5 near Clevedon.
19th - A Red-Breasted Merganser seen near Blackstone rocks today. On the coast at Clevedon there were 80 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, 30 Shelduck, 75 Wigeon, only 8 Teal, 30 Mallard, 4 Little Egrets, 32 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plover, 12 Grey Plover, a single Knot, 4,400 Dunlin (excellent), 6 Snipe, 130 Curlew, 260 Redshank (continuing good numbers), 18 Turnstones, 350 Black-headed Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Rock Pipits and 2 Ravens. The Dunlin count is particularly good for the time of year. At Portbury Wharf today there was an influx of birds using the salt-marsh, noted today were, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Pochard, the usual Great Crested Grebe, single Water Rail, 35 Lapwing, 2 Jack Snipe, 60 Snipe, 60 Skylarks, 6 Stonechat, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 100 Linnets and 8 Reed Buntings. Inside the Royal Portbury Docks there were c5,000 Black-headed Gulls seen at dawn, flying down the river Avon towards the city areas.
18th - There back! Three Purple Sandpipers Battery Point, Portishead today.
17th - Around Portbury Wharf today there was a Great Crested Grebe, 3 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 35 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 3 Water Rails, 23 Coot, 48 Lapwing, 165 Dunlin, 50 Snipe, 6 Curlew, 20 Redshank. 25 Skylarks, 10 Rock Pipits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechats, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Brambling, c.100 Linnets and 6 Reed Buntings
16th - A female Black Redstart was a good record from a Portishead garden today.
15th - A far quieter and sunnier day today. At Clevedon there were 40 Shelduck, 30+ Wigeon, 5 Teal, 7 Little Egrets, 4 Oystercatchers, 180 Lapwing, 1400 Dunlin, 24 Snipe, c50 Curlew, 150 Redshank, 6 Turnstones, 180 Bk-headed Gulls, 2 GBB Gulls, 25 Meadow Pipits and 8+ Pied Wagtails. At Portbury Wharf there was a Great Crested Grebe and a Water Rail. The shoreline at the Royal Portbury Docks held 25 Ringed Plover, 2 Med Gulls and 2 Ravens.
14th - A very stormy day however there were no real goodies in a sea-watch from Clevedon with just a Great Skua and 15 Kittiwakes.
8th - Seven BOC members joined me for the slog down the Clevedon coast today. In a strong NW'erly we saw 40 species. This trip list and Harvey's combined produced c40 Shelduck, 90 Wigeon, 25+ Teal, 6 Little Egrets, 30 Oystercatchers, 12 Grey Plover, 75 Lapwing, c350 Dunlin, a Purple Sandpiper, c100 Curlew, 3 Snipe, 190 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, c30 Turnstones, 3 Rock Pipits, 20 Fieldfare, 15 Redwing, 2 Ravens and 3 Stonechats.
7th - c700 Woodpigeon over Clevedon Court Wood seen at lunchtime today. On the coast a Clevedon there were only a Green Sandpiper and 8 Rock Pipits of note.
6th - At Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve there were 9 Mute Swans, 27 Canada Geese and a single Water Rail. The Chapel Pill creek held c80 Teal and c70 Redshank. Around the bushes, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Blackcap and 9 Reed Buntings on the seawall
5th - Today at Clevedon there were 60 Shelduck, 90 Wigeon, c20 Teal, 4 Little Egrets, 37 Oystercatchers 6 Ringed Plover, 7 Grey Plover, 400+ Dunlin, a Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 140 Curlew, 280 Redshank, 20+ Turnstones, a GBB Gull, 4+ Skylark, 2 Rock Pipits and a Raven. A shoreline count at Portbury Docks produced 95 Dunlin, 46 Curlew, 65 Turnstones and 2 Common Gulls
4th - At Portbury Wharf there were just 65 Teal and 115 Redshank at Chapel Pill.
2nd - The female Snow Bunting was still present at the mouth of the Clevedon-Yeo today. Also here were 40+ Shelduck, 105 Wigeon, 30+ Teal, 8 Little Egrets, 38 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Plover, 25 Lapwing, 360 Dunlin, 12 Snipe, c50 Curlew, 140 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, a possible Common Sandpiper, 34 Turnstones, 250 Bk-headed Gulls, 2+ Rock Pipits, 2 Ravens and a few Linnet.