SEPTEMBER 2009
29th - Highlights from Clevedon were 3 Little Egrets, 4 Oystercatchers, 6 Grey Plover, 75 Curlew, c40 Redshank, a Dunlin, 3 Wheatears, a Rock Pipit and 2 Stonechats.
27th - At last a decent bird with an America Golden Plover seen and heard over Wains Hill at 07:20 this morning, well done Howard. At the mouth of the Avon there was a fem/imm Merlin, 25 Ringed Plover, 90 Dunlin and 29 Curlew and 2 Stonechats. At the Gordano Valley Ringing Station morning 46 birds were ringed and there were 8 retraps, Summer migrants numbers reported to be dwindling, eg. only 16 Blackcaps and 6 Chiffchaffs caught. A Grey Wagtail was a new species for the ringing station.
24th - At Clevedon today there were 80 Shelduck, 45 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 80 Mallard, 13 Cormorants (Blackstone rocks), 2 Grey Heron, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Buzzard, 10 Oystercatchers, singles of Golden Plover and Grey Plover, 6 Lapwing, 40 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 80 Curlew, 70 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Curlew Sandpiper, 350 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats, 4 Wheatears and a singing Chiffchaff.
21st - Much the same at Clevedon today with 90 Shelduck, 24 Wigeon, c15 Teal, 18 Little Egrets, 35 Oystercatcher, 18 Ringed Plover, a Sanderling, a Curlew Sandpiper, 190 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 160 Curlew, 70 Redshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 38 Turnstones, a GBB Gull, 4 Stock Doves, a Kingfisher, 1+ Rock Pipit, a Wheatear and 75+ Linnet.
20th - At Clevedon today there were 7 Turnstones, c200 Dunlin, c75 Ringed Plover, 28 Oystercatchers, a Curlew Sandpiper, c50 Redshank 5 Wheaters, a Whinchat, c12 Little Egrets, 25 Wigeon, 3 Teal, c80 Shelduck, and 4 Rock Pipits. Late news of a Wryneck at Clevedon this afternoon in the hedgerows at the end of the track from Channel View Farm. Thanks to Steve Kitchen for this Wheatear pic.
19th - At the Royal Portbury Docks there were 22 Teal, 1 male Sparrowhawk (caught a Pipit), 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew Sandpipers (juvs), 1 Little Stint, c280 Dunlin, 33 Curlew, 85 Redshank, 4 Turnstones, c110 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and 6 Wheatears. A ringing session in the Gordano Valley produced a total of 107 birds of which 99 were ringed and 13 were re-traps - c25 Chiffchaffs, 58 Blackcaps and a Reed Warbler.
17th - The first Curlew Sandpiper of the autumn was seen at Clevedon today along with 95 Shelduck, 14 Wigeon, 39 Teal, 9 Little Egrets, 23 Oystercatchers, 24 Ringed Plover, 4 Knot, a probable Little Stint, 160 Dunlin, a Whimbrel, 120 Curlew, 110 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 15 Turnstones, 5 Rock pipits and 2 Wheatears. At Portbury Wharf there were 8 Canada Geese, 110 Teal, 1 Knot, 11 Dunlin, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 105 Redshank and a few Wigeon. As usual no Tufted Puffins were seen.
16th - At Portbury Wharf today there were 17 Wigeon, c12 Little Grebes, 9 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 3 Shoveler and 12+ Tufted Ducks. A flock of c100 Hirundines included c20 Sand Martin, a good count for here.
13th - Only a Whinchat and a Wheatear of note at Clevedon. Two hours at Clapton Moor showed that it was desperately quiet. I am considering creating short video guides to the main areas of the patch so as Clapton Moor was deadly quiet I have created the following http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8CQb1nj2QI . If you would like to see more like this (perhaps I will even think about what I am going to say before recording it!) then please let me know by using the e-mail link above.
12th - Two good birds in the Royal Portbury Docks area today with a Yellow-legged Gull and an Avocet (thanks to Chris for the pic), also here were 120 Redshank, 2 Knot and 100 Dunlin. At Portbury Wharf there were 6 Cetti's Warblers and 2 Lesser Whitethroats.
10th - A good selection seen at Clevedon with the highlight being a fem/imm Marsh Harrier, also here were 30 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 6 Little Egrets, 25 Oystercatchers, 40 Ringed Plover, 13 Lapwing, c100 Dunlin, a Ruff, a Snipe, 70+ Curlew, 70+ Redshank, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, c6 Turnstone, and 4 Wheatears.
9th - The 2 Bar-headed Geese seen last week in Clevedon have now turned up at Portishead Football club!
8th - Inside the Royal Portbury
Docks there were 4 Black-Wits and a Little Egret. A Cetti's Warbler was
the only bird of note at Portbury Wharf.
6th - Today at Clevedon there were 10 Little Egrets, 5 Wheatears, c150 Dunlin, 6 Turnstones, c50 Ringed Plover, 19 Oystercatchers, 2 Black-Wits, c140 Curlew, 16 Shelduck, a Teal, a Yellow Wagtail, numerous White/Pied Wagtails, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Kingfisher. Many hundreds of Swallows and House Martins passed through. The highlight however was a Weasel! At Weston Moor in the Gordano valley there were 3 Little Grebes, 30 Canada Geese, 300+ Mallard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 10 Buzzards, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Blackcap and 4 Jays.
5th - At Portbury Wharf there were 28 Teal and c55 Redshanks. On the pools, 15+ Little Grebes and 10 Tufted Ducks of note. Migrants noted around the bushes: 2 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 20 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher. Several Reed Buntings also starting to appear. Inside the Royal Portbury Dock there were c42 Ringed Plovers, c275 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Curlew, 70 Redshank and 18 Turnstones. 4 Wheatears at the shoreline rocks.
3rd - At the Clevedon-Yeo today there were 52 Shelduck, 9 Teal, 14 Little Egrets, a Peregrine, 21 Oystercatcher, 170 Ringed Plover, 30 Knot, a Sanderling, 280 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, 130 Curlew, 80 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 12 Turnstones, 70+ Swallow, 2 White Wagtails and 2 Wheatears. One Manx Shearwater was seen from Ladye Bay.
2nd - 2 Little Egrets, a Peregrine, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 6 Wheatears, 2 Ravens and 50+ Linnets were reported from Clevedon.