February is generally another quiet month with only a total of 153 species recorded. Gales in this month have produced Storm and Leach’s Petrel, Pomarine Skua and all four records of Puffin. Other rarities seen include Spoonbill (2004), Avocets, Ring-billed Gull (1987), Great Grey Shrike (1999,2000,2004), Shorelark (2004) and Cirl Bunting (1943).
February 2011
February 28th
A typically quiet end to to a quiet month. Reports from New Passage involved 52 Shelduck, 70 Wigeon, 40 Teal, a Gadwall, 59 Oystercatchers, 8 Dunlin, 16 Curlew, just 6 Redshank and 2 Ravens. Sightings from the shore at Severn Beach included another 30 Shelduck and 10 Redshank and nearby 2 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, and 4 Bullfinches were present at the Orchard Pools. Another 14 Teal and 2 Tufted Duck were seen on the VOSA Pool near Avonmouth Sewage Works.
Tufted Ducks, Orchard Pools 28.2.11 © Steve Hale
February 27th
The only reports from New Passage involved 94 Shelduck, 70 Teal, 110 Wigeon, 30 Oystercatchers, 40 Curlew and 15 Redshank. Another 20 Shelduck, 20 Oystercatchers and 230 Black-headed Gulls were seen from Severn Beach.
February 26th
Much of the same today with 67 Shelduck, 40 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 30 Oystercatchers, 30 Curlew, 20 Redshank, 160 Turnstones, a Knot, 2 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, a Raven and a Grey Wagtail being reported from New Passage. Another 20 Shelduck, a Gadwall, 40 Oystercatchers, 40 Dunlin, 20 Redshank and 2 Rock Pipits were seen from the Severn Beach shore. A Kingfisher was seen at Chittening Warth and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard near Avonmouth Sewage Works.
February 25th
A Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Oystercatchers, 15 Curlew, 11 Redshank, 45 Dunlin, at least 115 Turnstones, 72 Shelduck and 40 Wigeon were reported from New Passage. A Golden Plover, 36 Oystercatchers and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls were seen at Stupp Pill, Chittening Warth. A female Blackcap remained in a Severn Beach garden.
February 24th
Much of the same today with 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 55 Dunlin, 28 Curlew, 86 Redshank, 38 Turnstones, 48 Turnstones, 66 Shelduck and 110 Wigeon reported between New Passage and Aust. A female Blackcap was feeding in a Severn Beach garden.
February 23rd
A brief afternoon visit to New Passage produced a Bar-tailed Godwit, 25 Oystercatchers, 66 Shelduck and 150 Wigeon.
February 22nd
The male and female Merlins were seen again on Northwick Warth where other reports involved a Little Egret, 500 Dunlin, 19 Redshank, a Snipe, 25 Teal, 52 Wigeon and 36 Shelduck. A Stonechat remained on Aust Warth. A Grey Plover, 16 Gadwall and 21 Teal were seen at Chittening Warth and combined reports from the Avonmouth Sewage Works area included 18 Gadwall, 22 Teal, 11 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard and a Shoveler.
February 21st
Sightings from Aust Warth this morning included male and female Merlins, a pair of Stonechats (first of the year) and 4 Rock Pipits. A 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, 110 Dunlin, 18 Redshank and a Rock Pipit were reported from New Passage. Six Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck and 5 Coot were seen on the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach.
Stonechat, Aust Warth 21.2.11 © Allan Chard
Stonechat, Aust Warth 21.2.11 © Rod Holbrook
February 20th
An even higher tide finally pushed 3 Short-eared Owls out of their roost at Aust Warth this morning. They showed well for a few minutes while being mobbed by Gulls and Crows that had been feeding on washed out voles. There is another high tide tomorrow at about 09.30. The Owls favoured the tall grassy area close to the road 150 metres north of Cake Pill sluice. Other sightings at Aust Warth included 150 Dunlin, 20 Curlew, 10 Redshank, 30 Wigeon, 10 Teal, a Raven and 2 Green Woodpeckers.Two Mediterranean Gulls (a summer plumaged adult and a 2nd winter bird), a female Merlin, a Peregrine, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a flighty flock of 700 Dunlin, 70 Oystercatchers, at least 200 Curlew, 60 Redshank, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 150 Black-headed Gulls, 30 Common Gulls, 50 Shelduck, 130 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 4 Shoveler and 3 flyover Siskins were seen from New Passage.
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 20.2.11
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 20.2.11
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 20.2.11
February 19th
A 14.2 metre high tide produced a good variety on a wet morning. The highlight was a Diver species (probably Red throated) seen flying low and fast down river from Aust Warth at 07.50 but was lost into the mist. Other sightings from Aust over the high tide were a Jack Snipe, 900 Dunlin, 50 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 6 Shelduck, a drake Pintail, 3 Rock Pipits and 5 Pheasants. Reports from the Northwick Warth area included 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Golden Plover flying north east, 3 Lapwing, a Ringed Plover, 3 Turnstones, 2 Snipe, 150 Dunlin, 70 Oystercatchers, 50 Redshank, at least 100 Curlew, a Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 70 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 15 Shelduck, a Peregrine and a Rock Pipit. A visit to the shore at Severn Beach on the falling tide produced 3 Ringed Plover, at least 100 Turnstones, 300 Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 20 Shelduck and 6 Rock Pipits. At least 32 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck and a Pochard were reported from Avonmouth Sewage Works.
Jack Snipe, Aust Warth 19.2.11
they do get found in unexpected places. Taken in the early morning rain and poor light.
February 18th
A Woodcock was flushed at Chittening Warth this morning.
February 17th
A Red Kite was reported drifting north from Avonmouth Sewage Works this morning. Sightings from the New Passage area included 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 200 Dunlin, 94 Oystercatchers, 35 Redshank, 30 Curlew, 50 Teal and 60 Wigeon. At least 40 Shelduck and 50 Dunlin were seen at Severn Beach and at least 900 Dunlin, 4 Rock Pipits and a Raven were reported at Chittening Warth.
February 16th
Three Greylags flew north east over Severn Beach early morning and a Water Rail reappeared in a garden here.
February 15th
An increasingly wet day. Combined reports from New Passage involved 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit,
18 Lapwing, 25 Redshank, 4 Turnstones, 40 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 10 Oystercatchers, 25 Shelduck, 50 Teal and 120 Wigeon. Another 35 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 25 Oystercatchers and 4 Ringed Plover.
February 14th
A quiet day with just 107 Oystercatchers, 38 Curlew, 8 Redshank, 4 Turnstones, 90 Wigeon and 2 Buzzards being seen from New Passage. Two Canada Geese, 4 Teal, single Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker and Buzzard were reported from the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach.
February 13th
A very wet day kept most people at home. Reports from New Passage included 30 Redshank, 90 Dunlin, 35 Oystercatchers, 150 Wigeon, 50 Teal and 30 Shelduck. Another 160 Redshank, 300 Dunlin, 100 Turnstones, 40 Oystercatchers, 40 Shelduck, 5 Gadwall, 4 Rock Pipits and a Water Pipit were seen from the shore at Severn Beach.
February 12th
A fine dry and sunny day. Reports from Severn Beach involved the Bittern, a Kingfisher and a Coal Tit at the Orchard Pools, a Water Pipit, at least 4 Rock Pipits, a fly over Redpoll, 50 Shelduck, 70 Oystercatchers, 50 Turnstones and 20 Curlew from the salt marsh and a Treecreeper in a garden with a tit flock. A brief visit to New Passage produced a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 150 Dunlin, 30 Redshank, at least 60 Turnstones, 70 Curlew, 180 Wigeon, 40 Teal and 4 Shelduck.
Ringing update; a Reed Bunting trapped and ringed at the Grebe Pond, Northwick Warth on 17th October 2009 was retrapped at Corsham Lake, Wiltshire (37 Km ESE, 398 days later) on 19th November 2010.
Bittern, Severn Beach 12.2.11
Water Pipit, Severn Beach 12.2.11
February 11th
Combined reports from the Avonmouth Sewage Works area involved a Cetti’s Warbler, a Little Grebe, 31 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 17 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler and 4 Pochard. At least 150 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 30 Redshank and 2 Ravens were seen from New Passage.
February 10th
The Bittern was seen again this afternoon on the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach where other reports included a Kingfisher and 2 Tufted Duck. A Little Egret flew south over the village late afternoon. Three Bar-tailed Godwits and a Peregrine were seen from New Passage.
February 9th
A Jack Snipe, 38 Redshank, 16 Dunlin, 24 Turnstones, 13 Teal, 4 Gadwall and 3 Rock Pipits were reported from Chittening Warth. Three female Blackcaps were feeding on sliced apples in a Severn Beach garden.
February 8th
A foggy start followed by a fine sunny day. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area involved a group of about 10 Greylags lost in the fog, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1000 Dunlin, 15 Redshank, 2 Turnstones, 200 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler and 2 Ravens. A Water Rail remained in a Severn Beach garden. A drake Goosander flew south over Aust Warth late afternoon where 2 Peregrines were also seen.
Water Rail, Severn Beach 8.2.11 © Mike Pruett
February 7th
Early morning reports from Northwick Warth included the male Merlin, a female Peregrine and 3 Brent Geese. The Black Redstart was seen again on the seawall at Severn Beach where a Water Rail and a female Blackcap were visitors to a garden.
Blackcap, Severn Beach 7.2.11 © Mike Pruett
February 6th
A less windy day. A visit to New Passage produced 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 130 Dunlin, 2 Turnstones, 40 Redshank, 40 Curlew, 50 Teal, 45 Shelduck and 250 Wigeon. Another 50 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 40 Oystercatchers and 10 Redshank were seen in Cake Pill, Aust Warth. Just 2 Gadwall and 2 Tufted Duck were seen on the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach. A Black-tailed Godwit, 50 Dunlin, a Kittiwake and at least 2 Rock Pipits were seen from New Pill, Chittening Warth.
February 5th
Another very windy and murky day. A flock of at least 200 Kittiwakes were seen again off Severn Beach. Other reports from Severn Beach involved 90 Black-headed Gulls, 30 Common Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and 80 Turnstones. Further up the estuary, reports from New Passage included 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 150 Dunlin, 50 Redshank, 15 Lapwing, 17 Oystercatchers, 40 Curlew, 3 Pintail flying high south, 52 Shelduck, 300 Wigeon and 60 Teal.
Kittiwakes, Severn Beach 5.2.11
Kittiwakes, Severn Beach 5.2.11
Just part of a large flock that lingered in the burger bar bay. They don’t like passing the bridge.
February 4th
A windy day. A flock of 200 Kittiwakes were seen off Severn Beach at 11.30 this morning.
February 3rd
Six Bar-tailed Godwits, single Black-tailed Godwit and Knot remained at New Passage where other reports involved 17 Lapwing, 15 Redshank, 44 Curlew, 40 Oystercatchers, 300 Dunlin, 6 Gadwall, 18 Shelduck and 300 Wigeon. The only report from the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach was of 10 Gadwall.
February 2nd
The only reports were from New Passage with 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot, 30 Redshank, 130 Oystercatchers, 2 Turnstones, 500 Dunlin, 300 Wigeon, 80 Teal and 7 Gadwall being seen.
February 1st
A typically quiet start to the month with just 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 25 Redshank, 90 Oystercatchers, 40 Curlew, 40 Lapwing, 3 Turnstones, 240 Wigeon, 100 Teal and a Raven reported from New Passage.
