June is the quietist month on Severnside with a total of only 146 species seen. It is the month to do those jobs at home unless any strong West or South West winds occur. This weather can produce a good selection of seabirds including Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Fulmar and Storm Petrel. The first parties of young Shelduck appear. June has had some rarities including Red Kite (2006), Franklin’s Gull (1988) and Alpine Swift (1999).
June 2008
June 30th
A calm and sunny day with little to report. Sightings from New Passage involved a Common Sandpiper, 8 Oystercatchers, 10 Curlew, 10 Shelduck, 50 Black-headed Gulls and 2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls.
June 29th
The west wind continued but the only seabirds reported from Severn Beach this afternoon were an exhausted Manx Shearwater floating up river and 2 Fulmars. Other sightings from here included 82 Curlew and 15 Black-headed Gulls. Sightings from New Passage included 15 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper and another 24 Black-headed Gulls (including 2 juveniles).
June 28th
Yet another dry and breezy day. At least 2 Storm Petrels, a Fulmar, a Manx Shearwater, 17 Shelduck, 8 Curlew, 7 Black-headed Gulls and a Hobby were seen from Severn Beach. Another Manx Shearwater was found dead on the high tide line here.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 28.6.8
June 27th
Just 45 Black-headed Gulls and 30 Curlew were reported from Severn Beach. Another 30 Black-headed Gulls were seen from Chittening Warth.
June 26th
A quiet day with just 15 Oystercatchers, 9 Black-headed Gulls and a Curlew reported from New Passage and another 4 Curlew seen at Severn Beach.
June 25th
A breezy day produced 2 Gannets, 2 Fulmar, 3 Curlew and 6 Black-headed Gulls including the first juvenile of the year from Severn Beach, A Sandwich Tern was seen roosting with 28 Black-headed Gulls on Northwick Warth where 15 Curlew and 15 Shelduck were also present.
June 24th
A trickle of returning waders and gulls today. Sightings from New Passage included 4 Redshank, 15 Oystercatchers, 16 Black-headed Gulls and another new brood of 8 young Shelduck. Single Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher and 12 Black-headed Gulls were seen at Severn Beach.
June 23rd
A fine, sunny and almost windless day producing less than exciting birds. A Peregrine and 12 Black-headed Gulls were seen at Severn Beach. Just 8 Oystercatchers, a Redshank and 4 juvenile Grey Wagtails were reported from New Passage.
June 22nd
Sightings from Severn Beach on a windy day produced a reasonable number and variety including a Storm Petrel, a pale form Arctic Skua, 160 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Gannets, at least 11 Fulmar, 3 Sandwich Terns, a “Commic” Tern, 15 Black-headed Gulls, 20 Curlew, a Dunlin and 10 Shelduck. Six Common Sandpipers, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 12 Black-headed Gulls, 7 adult and 6 duckling Shelduck were seen from New Passage.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 22.6.8
Fulmar, Severn Beach 22.6.8
June 21st
A damp and grey mid summers morning. A brief visit to Severn Beach produced a Redshank, 30 Curlew, 8 Black-headed Gulls, 9 Shelduck, flocks of juvenile Starlings, several fledged broods of both Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats.
juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, Severn Beach 21.6.8
June 20th
Just one Ringed Plover, 7 Curlew and a Peregrine were reported from Severn Beach. Another 48 Curlew, 11 Oystercatchers and 25 Shelduck were seen on Northwick Warth. A Green Sandpiper was seen near Avonmouth Sewage Works.
June 19th
Another windy day but no seabirds were reported. Four Ringed Plover, 19 Curlew and 4 Black-headed Gulls were were seen from Severn Beach and just 11 Oystercatchers and 4 juvenile Grey Wagtails were reported from New Passage.
June 18th
An unsettled day with a South West wind and occasional showers. Sightings from Severn Beach this morning included 60 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Ringed Plover, a Curlew and a Black-headed Gull. An adult Little Tern was seen here this evening. The usual 11 Oystercatchers and 6 Curlew were reported from New Passage.
June 17th
Sightings from New Passage this morning included 13 Oystercatchers, 5 Curlew and the 4 juvenile Grey Wagtails. The evening high tide produced 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew and 8 Black-headed Gulls. The first 5 Redshank since April were seen at Cake Pill, Aust Warth where 2 Shelduck broods of 6 and 8 young were also present.
Ringed Plover, Severn Beach 17.6.8
June 16th
A dry and sunny day. Sightings from New Passage included a Little Egret, 12 Oystercatchers, a Curlew, 8 Black-headed Gulls and 4 juvenile Grey Wagtails. There were 46 Curlew, 7 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin over the high tide at Severn Beach this evening. There were 4 Little Grebes, 13 Gadwall and 10 Tufted Duck at Avonmouth Sewage Works.
June 15th
Another 2 broods of Shelduck involving 12 and 5 young, 13 Oystercatchers and a Little Egret were seen from New Passage. Sightings from Severn Beach included a Little Egret, 3 Curlew, 5 Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher, an adult Great Black-backed Gull and 2 fledged Whitethroat broods. A Bee Orchid was found near Severn Beach.
June 14th
Two Shelduck broods of 3 and 8 ducklings, 14 Oystercatchers and a Curlew were seen from New Passage. Another 6 Curlew, 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Black-headed Gulls and a Lesser Whitethroat were reported from Severn Beach. A female Pheasant was seen escorting 12 half grown young at Aust Warth this morning and a Short-eared Owl was seen here at 9pm.
June 13th
Sightings from Severn Beach over the afternoon high tide involved 6 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin and a Curlew.
The brood of 6 Shelduck, 14 Oystercatchers and 3 young Buzzards were seen from New Passage. A Peregrine was reported from Aust Warth.
June12th
Sightings from Northwick Warth involved 13 Oystercatchers, 3 Lapwing, a Gadwall, several Shelduck (including a brood of 6), 2 Black-headed Gulls, 11 Pied Wagtails and a Lesser Whitethroat. Another Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Gadwall and at least 5 Curlew were reported from Severn Beach. Just to prove that some interesting birds appear in June, at least one Short-eared Owl was reported from Aust Warth this evening.
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 12.6.8 © Don Smith
June 11th
The only reports involved 11 Oystercatchers on Northwick Warth and 2 Curlew at Severn Beach.
June 10th
Typical early summer sightings included 8 Black-headed Gulls and 4 Oystercatchers from the shore at Severn Beach and a pair of Gadwall, 2 Coot broods and a Moorhen brood nearby at the Orchard Pools. Another 11 Oystercatchers were reported from Northwick Warth and another Coot brood, a Little Grebe and 3 Lesser Whitethroats were seen at Chittening Warth. A few Orchids were in bloom today including 6 Southern Marsh and 4 Pyramidal.
June 9th
The hot spell continued. Sightings from Northwick Warth included another brood of 8 Shelduck, 5 Black-headed Gulls, 11 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwing and a Yellow Wagtail. Another 2 Oystercatchers and 3 Curlew were reported from Severn Beach. A Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gadwall and 23 Tufted Duck were seen at Avonmouth Sewage Works.
Yellow Wagtail, Northwick Warth 9.6.8
June 8th
Another hot (25°C) sunny day. It does not get much quieter with just 25 Shelduck on Northwick Warth and another 4 at Severn Beach being the only birds reported.
June 7th
A warm and sunny summers day with little to report. A visit to Northwick Warth produced some Lapwing and Shelduck and 2 Peregrines were seen on the Second Severn Crossing at Severn Beach. The first Shelduck brood of the year (3 downy young), 2 Ravens and 7 singing Reed Warblers were reported from Aust Warth.
June 6th
Sightings from Northwick Warth involved just 15 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwing, a family of Pied Wagtails and Sedge Warblers feeding young. A Peregrine was seen at Severn Beach.
June 5th
A very quiet day. Just 14 Oystercatchers were reported from New Passage and the only report from Severn Beach involved the appearance of 5 Mute Swan cygnets on the Orchard Pools. Two Lesser Whitethroats and a Little Grebe were seen at Chittening Warth. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard again at Avonmouth Sewage Works.
June 4th
A warm and sunny day. Sightings from New Passage and Northwick Warth included 10 Canada Geese, 13 Oystercatchers, 10 Curlew, 2 Lapwing, 10 Shelduck and 6 Buzzards. Sightings from Severn Beach this morning included 22 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, a Turnstone and 4 Shelduck. A Little Egret was seen from Aust Warth. A Hobby, 2 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall and 11 Tufted Ducks were reported from the Avonmouth Sewage Works area.
June 3rd
Another quiet day with just 32 Ringed Plover, 11 Dunlin, 3 Curlew and 2 Oystercatchers at Severn Beach. Another 12 Oystercatchers were seen at Northwick Warth. A Peregrine was reported from Aust Warth.
June 2nd
The reports today involved 43 Ringed Plover and 23 Dunlin at Severn Beach and a Lapwing and 18 Oystercatchers on Northwick Warth.
Lapwing, Northwick Warth 1.6.8
June 1st
Much of the same today with 2 drake Common Scoter, 2 Little Egrets, 60 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin, a Sanderling and at least 8 Black-headed Gulls being seen at Severn Beach. Nine Oystercatchers and 2 Lapwings were reported from Northwick Warth. Sightings from Chittening Warth included 3 Oystercatchers, a Peregrine, 6 Reed Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats and 3 Blackcaps.
