Bird Sightings 03/02/15

January- March 2015

Places to visit

Slimbridge in Gloucestershire is brilliant for Ducks, Swans and Geese, all giving very close views from the many hides.

The Cotswold Water Park is well worth a visit with so many pits to look at there is always something to find, there should be Goosander, Goldeneye and with a little luck Smew and Scaup, try pits 29, 30, 44, 57, 68 a, 68b and 74, if you are out late then try pit 74 or 16 for a gull roost, I have found Iceland and Glaucous Gulls here in the past

Severn Beach area can also be very good for Wildfowl, the best area is between the 2 motorway bridges at Northwick Warth / New Passage area looking upriver from the last house, Severn Beach sea wall can be worth a look and if you are lucky you might find a Diver or winter grebe, if you do please let me know!

Recent Bird records (South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the old county of Avon)

Reports in RED are my own sightings (number) = total species seen this year so far, I am trying to get to 250 in one year!

Total so far this year 105

31^st

Green Winged Teal still at Aust

30^th

A Reed Warbler was ringed at Chew Valley lake

28^th

Green Winged Teal still at Aust

27^th

Yellow Browed Warbler at Bower Ashton

3 Smew at the Cotswold water park on pit 29 another Smew on pit 74

25^th

Green Winged Teal and water Pipit still at Aust – Northwick Warth area (105)

Hawfinch, Lesser spotted Woodpecker and 2 Willow tit in Savernake Forest

24^th

Green Winged Teal still at Northwick Warth this morning

23^rd

Green Winged Teal, Merlin and 2 Short Eared Owls at Northwick Warth – Aust area

Merlin at Marshfield

22^nd

Bittern at the Cotswold Water Park on pit 74

21^st

Male and Female Blackcap in my back garden, Chippenham  (101)

20^th

Water Pipit was again at Northwick Warth area

18^th

Water Pipit was again at Northwick Warth area

7 Short Eared Owls at Blakehill

16^th

Great White Egret and Great Northern Diver both still at Chew Valley Lake

8 Smew on the Cotswold Water Park moving between pits 28 / 29 and 30

 14^th

A Glossy Ibis was seen flying low south over Kingswood Bristol at 9.45 am

Highlights from Marshfield area were Merlin, Marsh Tit, Raven and Woodcock (99)

11^th

2 Jack Snipe at Oldbury Power Station

10^th

2 Short Eared Owls and a Jack Snipe at Blakehill

21 Kittiwakes at Severn Beach

9^th

Great White Egret, Bittern and Great Northern Diver all still at Chew Valley Lake

Brent Goose at Northwick Warth

8^th

4 Short Eared Owls at Barbury Castle

7^th

Cotswold Water Park highlights, Male Smew on pit 30, 112 Red Crested Pochard on pit 44 with 2 male Goosander (88)

 5^th

Great White Egret flew over Newton Park College Bath

Black Redstart in Trowbridge

 4^th

Highlights from Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, Ferruginous Duck, Whooper Swan, Marsh Harrier and Pink footed Goose (85)

Jack Snipe on Yate Common

2 Short Eared Owls at Aust

Water Pipit at New Passage

3^rd  

Great White Egret still at Chew Valley Lake

2^nd

2 Tree Sparrows again at Shepperdine

1^st January

I was in Yorkshire watching a Little Bustard with around 400+ other bird watchers, I then called in at Wakefield to see a Blyth’s Pipit (35) 

Little Bustard

Birdwatchers

Shoveler