Monday 24 April 2017

24th April '17 - Monday - first Black Tern

Rather overcast and murky, wind getting stronger and colder as the day progressed, but still mild.

Black Tern had to be the best bird today.
Hobby at Blagdon. Yellow-legged Gull at Chew.
More Cuckoos and Swifts.
The first fledgling Robin of the spring in my Portishead garden.

Kestrel at Chew (Ian Stapp)
BRISTOL
Stockwood Open Spaces:
4 Song Thrush, 7 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff


SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Emerson's Green:
1 Coot, 1 Swallow, pair Song Thrush with 2+ chicks, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting.

Whitethroat at Aust
'Lisegirl'

Aust Warth:
plenty of Skylark, 1 Whitethroat, 2+ Linnet.

Little Ringed Plover at Aust (Martin Tayler)
New Passage/Northwick Warth:
Little Ringed Plover.


NORTH SOMERSET:

Easter Compton:
1 Buzzard, 15 Rook, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler.

Nailsea:
2 Bar-headed Goose on the Nailsea School playing field (they're all feral).

Sandford - Yatton road:
Tawny Owl, deceased.

Uphill:
1 Short-eared Owl.

BELOW M4 & BANES
no reports


RESERVOIRS:

Blagdon Lake:
2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Greylag Goose, 5 Gadwall, 1 Teal, 1 Hobby, 1 Swift, 1 Kingfisher, lots House Martin.

Chew Valley Lake:


The "Hooligan Gull" at Chew (Ian Stapp)
Dam:
4 Common Sandpiper, 3 Swift, 50+ Swallow, 50+ House Martin, 20+ Sand Martin, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's Warbler.  Odd gull, the one known as "Hooligans"....

Woodford:
2 Egyptian Goose (still with 2 goslings), 1 Black Tern, 2 Chiffchaff , 1 Song Thrush.

Heron's Green:
1 Dunlin (wall), 4 Common Sandpiper (wall),  1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 10+ Goldfinch, 4 House Sparrow.

Moreton:
3 Shelduck (field drinking trough), 1 Marsh Harrier (11.20 aprox), 4 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk,  1 G BB Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler (holly tree in lane), 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Jay.

Stratford:
3 Scaup (2f., 1 m.), 1 m. Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Swift, 250+ flock of hirundines, mostly Sand Martins. 2 Raven, 1 Jay, 1 Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2+ Reed Warbler.

Herriotts End:
10 Shelduck (pond), 2 Common Sandpiper (wall), 4 G BB Gull, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2+ Reed Warbler, 100+ hirundines.

LAST CHANCE

Avon Wildlife Trust: Are running a series of Field Ecology Courses in 2017, aimed at students, practising ecologists, conservation volunteers and anyone who wishes to further their knowledge in natural history and biological recording.
On the 29th & 30th of April we will be running an Introduction to British Birds Course, taught by Ed Drewitt - bird expert and conservationist.
See http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2017/04/29/introduction-british-birds-2-day-course for details.

Reports: Sean Davies, Tim Ford, Trevor Ford, Paul Francis, Bill Hewitt, 'Lisegirl', Lois Pryce, George Rabin, Ian Stapp, Martin Tayler, blagdonlakebirds, CVRS, nslbirding, opsbirding, severnsidebirds, TBOSG