OCTOBER 2009
31st - Single female Snow Bunting still at the Yeo mouth.
30th - Three Snow Bunting reported from Clevedon today.
29th - A good afternoon at Clevedon with both Snow and Lapland Bunting seen. Also here was a single Bar-Wit and Black-Wit, a Golden Plover, c150 Redshank, c150 Dunlin, 14 Grey Plover, 12 Turnstones, a Knot, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plover, 5-6 Snipe, 10+ Oystercatchers, c80 Curlew, 8 Little Egrets and a Grey Wagtail. Migration over Wains Hill this morning included c400 Chaffinch, 8 Redpoll, 2 Brambling, 150 Woodpigeon, 4 Siskins, 17 Redwing and a late Swallow.
26th - At Portbury Wharf today there were 8 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall, 135 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 Dunlin, 1 Curlew, 65 Redshank and a single Turnstone, 5 Cetti's Warblers and a single Chiffchaff
25th - A very windy day produced a rather sick looking juvenile Gannet at Clevedon Pill. Also on this stretch of coast were 10 Little Egrets, 2 Peregrines, c60 Shelduck, c35 Wigeon, c20 Teal, 10 Oystercatchers, 55 Curlew, 70 Dunlin, 60 Redshank, 5 Lapwing, 4 Grey Plover, 9 Turnstones, 2 Stonechats, 6 Skylarks and 2 Rock Pipits.
23rd - A single Little Gull was seen off Clevedon this morning. A late Wheatear was seen on the coast along with 3 Clouded Yellow butterflies.
21st - On the coast at Clevedon there were 9 Mute Swans, 108 Canada Geese, 20+ Shelduck, 65 Wigeon, single Gadwall, 40 Teal, 50 Mallard, 11 Little Egrets, a single Buzzard, 40 Oystercatchers, 6 Ringed Plover, 3 Grey Plover, 55 Lapwing, only 130 Dunlin, 13 Snipe, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 50+ Curlew, 340 Redshank, 30 Turnstones, 60 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Skylarks, 30 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtails, a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff and 70 Linnets. The Redshank count was particularly good for here, the birds were almost entirely up the Yeo Est stretch. Inside Portbury Dock there were 18 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 8 Mallard, 3 Lapwing, 45 Dunlin, 52 Curlew, 57 Redshank, 3 Turnstones, 20 Meadow Pipits, 1 Rock Pipit and 2 Wheatears (no sign of the grey Wheatear seen here on 10th).
18th - The annual BOC migration watch was slow going again this year, see table below. The day started cold and dry with a light NE wind. Also seen were 4 Golden Plover, 2 Peregrines, 3 Sparrowhawks. Thanks to Jim, Richard x2, Trevor, Bob and Howard for joining me. As usual Chaffinch was the most numerous bird, but only just. Three Jack Snipe were seen at Clevedon.
| Time | 07:15 - 08:00 | 08:00 - 09:00 | 09:00 - 10:00 | 10:00 - 11:00 | Total | |
| Species | ||||||
| Chaffinch | 31 | 65 | 50 | 83 | 229 | |
| Pied Wagtail | 3 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 20 | |
| Redpoll | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Grey Wagtail | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Fieldfare | 26 | 26 | ||||
| Redwing | 65 | 30 | 98 | 193 | ||
| Meadow Pip | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | |
| Siskin | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | ||
| Greenfinch | 33 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 77 | |
| Starling | 16 | 142 | 5 | 64 | 227 | |
| Collared Dove | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Blackbird | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Woodpigeon | 119 | 119 | ||||
| Skylark | 2 | 1 | 12 | 13 | ||
| Brambling | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Song Thrush | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Reed Bunting | 2 | 2 | ||||
| G S Wood | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Goldfinch | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Mistle Thrush | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 180 | 400 | 175 | 187 | 942 |
17th - c75 Fieldfare over Portishead this PM.
15th - A female Merlin was reported from the Clevedon-Yeo.
13th - A Water Rail was calling from inside the Police HQ at Portishead (I was outside the HQ and not answering questions at the pleasure of Mr Plod! (although several are secret twitchers - you know who you are!!!)). A Harrier sp. (?Hen) reported from Portbury Wharf.
11th - At Portbury Wharf today there were 2 Willow Warblers (quite a late date), a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Shoveler, 12 Wigeon, 11 Tufted Ducks, 4 Gadwall, 20 Teal, 5 Little Grebes, 5 Skylarks and 3 Redpoll.
10th - An unusually pale Northern Wheatear (see pic) inside the Royal Portbury Dock caused some interest. Also here were c100 Turnstones.
8th - Today at Clevedon there were 105 Canada Goose, c40 Shelduck, c20 Wigeon, 15 Teal, 14 Little Egrets, a Peregrine, 28 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Grey Plover, a Lapwing, 2 Knot, 120 Dunlin, 6 Snipe, 160 Curlew, 190 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 34 Turnstones, a GBB Gull, a Swallow, 4 Stonechats, 6 Wheatears, a Chiffchaff and 80+ Linnet.
4th - Very quiet at Clevedon with 15 Little Egrets, c200 Shelduck, c20 Teal, c75 Wigeon, 39 Oystercatchers, 15 Ringed Plover, 95 Curlew, a Grey Plover, c100 Dunlin, 27 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 10 Turnstones, a Stonechat, a Whinchat, 3 Wheatears, a Cettis Warbler and c15 Skylarks. Three Mistle Thrush were seen near Weston-in-Gordano. At Portbury Wharf there were 55 Teal and c75 Redshanks, a Little Egret, 2 male Shovelers, three Blackcaps around the bushes and the first three Fieldfares of the winter seen flying over. No noticeable visible migration yet. If you have lost a Harris Hawk one was at Clapton Moor this afternoon!
3rd - Seawatching was fairly dismal with just 2 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Common Scoters noted.
1st - Standard fare at Clevedon with 220 Shelduck (a record autumn count), 40 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 13 Little Egrets, 17 Oystercatchers, 14 Ringed Plover, 80 Dunlin, 60+ Curlew, 70 Redshank, 27 Turnstones, 4 GBB Gull (2 ad and 2 juvs), a Stonechat, 2 Wheatears and 20+ Linnet. At Portbury Wharf there were 4 Mute Swans, 13 Little Grebes, 21 Wigeon, 9 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 12 Tufted and a single Snipe. Bushes quiet for migrants except for 3 Chiffchaffs and 3 Cetti's Warblers.