May is the fourth most productive month of the year with at least one individual of 187 species being seen. The summer migrants continue to move through including Garganey, Hobby, Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher, more Terns and Skuas with the chance of Pomarine. “Small” wader numbers should rise during the month with Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sanderling and the chance of a Curlew Sandpiper or Little Stint. Rarer records include Subalpine Warbler (2004), Bee-eater (2007), Spoonbill (1998), Honey Buzzard (1991,2011), Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Kentish Plover (2004), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (1990), Temminck’s Stint (2004), Broad-billed Sandpiper (1988), Dotterel (2011), Franklin’s Gull (1984), Laughing Gull (2012), Long-tailed Skua, Sabine’s Gull, Roseate Tern (1990) and White-winged Black Tern (1990).
May 2014
31st May
A trickle of migrants still moving through this morning with 2 Sanderling, 35 Dunlin, 40 Ringed Plover, 3 Turnstones and a Black-headed Gull at Severn Beach. The usual 2 Gadwall, 10 Canada Geese, a Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatchers, a Wheatear and a Peregrine were reported from Northwick Warth.
30th May
Just 30 Ringed Plover and 25 Dunlin were reported at Severn Beach. The usual 2 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 5 Black-headed Gulls and a Little Egret were seen at the Pilning Wetland. A Cuckoo and a Cetti’s Warbler were heard at Seabank Pools, Chittening Warth.
29th May
A Little Egret, 10 Canada Geese, 34 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Oystercatchers, single Little Grebe, Lapwing and Black-headed Gull and 3 Ravens were seen in the Northwick Warth area. At least 21 Sanderling, 30 Ringed Plover, 25 Dunlin, 3 Whimbrel, 8 Shelduck and a Wheatear were reported from Severn Beach. A Cuckoo was heard calling at Seabank Pools, Chittening Warth.
28th May
Just 40 Dunlin, 16 Ringed Plover and a Whimbrel were seen this evening at Severn Beach.
27th May
Four Sanderling, 30 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin and at least 2 Whimbrel were seen at Severn Beach today. A brief evening visit to the Pilning Wetland produced 4 Little Egrets, a Lapwing, 2 Gadwall and a Tufted Duck.
26th May
Two Sanderling, 40 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin, 15 Oystercatchers and 4 Grey Herons were seen from the Severn Beach shore and nearby a Cuckoo, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Gadwall, 7 Little Grebes and 2 Lesser Whitethroats were reported at the Orchard Pools. Two Little Egrets and 3 Little Grebes were seen on the Plilning Wetland at Northwick Warth.
25th May
A Knot, 30 Sanderling, 30 Dunlin, 23 Ringed Plover and 13 Whimbrel were seen at Severn Beach on the afternoon tide.
24th May
A wet day. An impressive 36 Sanderling were seen at Severn Beach on the afternoon tide along with 80 Ringed Plover, 35 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatchers and 2 Gadwall. Single Redshank, Curlew and Lapwing and 2 Tufted Duck were reported at Northwick Warth this morning.
Sanderling, Severn Beach 24.5.14
23rd May
A Common Sandpiper was seen at New Passage and 62 Shelduck and a Lapwing were reported on Northwick Warth. At least 60 Ringed Plover, 3 Sanderling and 50 Dunlin were seen on the afternoon high tide at Severn Beach and a Garden Warbler was present in the coastal scrub here.
22nd May
A brief afternoon visit to New Passage produced 4 Sanderling, a Little Egret, 35 Shelduck and 2 Canada Geese.
21st May
A Red Kite was seen flying over Severn Beach at 11.40 being mobbed by Crows. Just 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwing and 3 Whimbrel were reported from the New Passage/Northwick Warth. Two Cetti’s Warblers were reported at Chittening Warth.
20th May
A high tide visit to Severn Beach produced 22 Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin. A Little Egret, 3 Tufted Duck, 9 Canada Geese, 2 Lapwing and a Raven were seen at Northwick Warth.
19th May
The only reports received were of 2 Gadwall, 34 Shelduck, 11 Canada Geese, 2 Lapwing and 3 Whimbrel at Northwick Warth.
18th May
Sightings from Northwick Warth included single Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Curlew, 3 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall and a Yellow Wagtail. A Spotted Flycatcher was found in trees around The Glen at New Passage. A good number of Warblers were reported along the Severn Way foot path between Severn Beach and the Sea Bank Power station including 34 Whitethroats, 4 singing Lesser Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler, 6 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Willow Warbler and countless singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. A dozen Swifts were back over their local breeding area at Severn Beach village and 75 Ringed Plover, 25 Dunlin, 4 Curlew and a Whimbrel were seen on the shore.
17th May
Combined reports from Severn Beach involved a Sanderling, 2 Whimbrel, 40 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, 15 Oystercatchers, a Curlew, 4 Gadwall, 6 Shelduck, a Wigeon, 12 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Yellow Wagtail and a Cuckoo. A Ruff, 2 Little Egrets, a Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Turnstone were reported from the Northwick Warth area.
Sanderling, Severn Beach 17.5.14
16th May
A warm and pleasant day with just 2 Ringed Plover, 12 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, single Greenshank and Yellow Wagtail reported from New Passage and 20 Dunlin/Ringed Plover at Severn Beach.
15th May
No reports were received. Dismal effort for what should be the best part of spring!
14th May
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area included 6 Ringed Plover, 75 Dunlin, 2 Turnstones, 4 Whimbrel, 3 Lapwing, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Little Grebes, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Stock Doves, single Kingfisher and Wheatear. Another Lapwing and a mixed flock of 20 Dunlin/Ringed Plover were seen at Severn Beach.
13th May
A quiet day with just 5 Ringed Plover, 100 Dunlin, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits and 5 Whimbrel reported from New Passage and another 11 Ringed Plover and 4 Dunlin at Severn Beach.
12th May
A Gannet was reported at Severn Beach this morning and a Storm Petrel there this evening. Two Bar-tailed Godwits were seen at New Passage.
11th May
Another breezy day following a windy night produced a Storm Petrel, 4 Pomarine Skuas, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2+ Fulmars, 2 Kittiwakes, a Gannet, a Little Tern, 2 Arctic Terns, a Commic Tern, 15 Swifts, 5 Sanderling and 10 Dunlin at Severn Beach.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 11.5.14
10th May
A very windy day finally produced a good selection at Severn Beach on the afternoon/evening tide including a flock of 7 pale morph Pomarine Skuas (19.00-19.30) in flight and floating on the river, single Great Skua, Storm Petrel and 1st summer Mediterranean Gull, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 60+ Kittiwakes, 3 Gannets, 7+ Fulmar, 8 Common Terns and 23 Arctic Terns, 5 Whimbrel, 23 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin and a Turnstone. Just 12 Whimbrel, single Curlew, Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail were reported from the Northwick Warth area.
Pomarine Skua, Severn Beach 10.5.14
At the extreme limit of cropping taken at 500 metres range in very low light.
Hopefully some better images tomorrow.
Kittiwakes, Severn Beach 10.5.14
Mediterranean Gull, Severn Beach 10.5.14
9th May
Combined reports from Severn Beach involve a single flock of 5 Pomarine Skuas, single Fulmar and Gannet, 7 Common Terns, 11 Whimbrel, 30 Oystercatchers, 25 Dunlin, a Turnstone and a Peregrine. Just 6 Dunlin, single Whimbrel, Lapwing, Common Tern, Wheatear and Peregrine were seen in the Northwick Warth/New Passage area. A male Whinchat was seen at Aust Warth.
8th May
Another windy and wet day. An afternoon visit to the Pilning Wetland at Northwick Warth produced 36 Dunlin, a Lapwing, 12 Canada Geese, 50 Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebes, a Wheatear and 3 Swifts. A full spooned pale morph Pomarine Skua was present at Severn Beach (15.55-16.05) where other sightings included a Manx Shearwater, 5 Fulmars, 5 Kittiwakes, single Whimbrel and Curlew.
7th May
A breezy day. Sightings from Severn Beach included a female Eider, a Gannet, 2 Arctic Skuas (pale& dark morphs), 7 Kittiwakes, 10 Black-headed Gulls, 60+ Common Gulls and 60 Dunlin.
Gannet, Severn Beach 7.5.14
Arctic Skuas, Severn Beach 7.5.14
6th May
Sightings from Severn Beach included a Little Tern (upriver at 9am then the same or another down river at 11.15), a dark morph Arctic Skua, 60+ Kittiwakes, 11 Black-headed Gulls, a Sanderling, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 12 Whimbrel, 20 Ringed Plover, 50 Dunlin, 3 Turnstones, 30 Oystercatchers, a Swift and a Peregrine. Another 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, 2 Tufted Duck, a Wigeon and 3 Wheatears were seen in the New Passage/Northwick Warth area.
5th May
A Richard’s Pipit flew north from Northwick Warth where other sightings included a Bar-tailed Godwit, 21 Whimbrel, 9 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, single Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail. Twelve Whimbrel, 5 Curlew, single Ringed Plover and Turnstone, 30 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall and a Redpoll were seen at Severn Beach. Twenty Black-headed Gulls, single Whinchat and Wheatear were reported at Aust Warth.
Whinchat, Aust Warth 5.5.14
4th May
Single Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, a Whinchat, a Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail and 2 Swifts were reported from the Northwick Warth/New Passage area. A Cetti’s Warbler remained at Severn Beach.
3rd May
Combined reports from Severn Beach involved 3 Grey Herons, 12 Shelduck, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, single Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler. Another 40 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, a Little Egret, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatears, a Whinchat, Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, a Tree Pipit and 2 Swifts were seen at Northwick Warth/New Passage. A Common Sandpiper, 5 Gadwall, 2 Cetti’s Warblers and another 2 Lesser Whitethroats were reported at Chittening Warth.
Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits, Severn Beach 2.5.14
2nd May
At least 15 Whimbrel, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, single Curlew and Dunlin, 2 Gadwall, 6 Black-headed Gulls, a Raven,
a Cetti’s Warbler, 4 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers and a Yellow Wagtail were seen at Severn Beach. A Little Grebe was seen with a chick at Chittening Warth. At least 55 Whimbrel, single Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and a Wheatear were seen on Northwick Warth flash. Nearby a Little Egret, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall and 2 Little Grebes were seen on the Pilning Wetland.
Todd’s and Canada Goose, Northwick Warth 1.5.14
1st May
A quiet start to the month. A late morning visit to Northwick Warth/ Pilning Wetland in warm rain produced the Todd’s Canada Goose with 9 Canada Geese, a male Tufted Duck, 46 Shelduck, 4 Little Grebes, a Little Egret, 2 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Wheatears and 3 Swifts. Another Swift was seen at Severn Beach this evening.
