January is a slightly better month than December, the daylight hours slowly lengthen resulting in a monthly total of 165 species. Like any of the mid winter months it can be good for wildfowl sightings if inland waters freeze, with the chance of Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander or some fly by Bewick’s Swans. Seabirds seen in gales have included Cory’s Shearwater (2004), Storm Petrel, Leach’s Petrel, Little Auk, Red-throated Diver and Grey Phalarope. Other January birds include; Slavonian Grebe (2010), American Golden Plover (2002), Great Grey Shrike (2004) and Shorelark (2004), Waxwing, two Common Cranes that flew over Severn Beach (2000), two Whooper Swans (2005), Bittern (2011), Glaucous Gull and a few rare sightings of Hen Harrier.
January 2015
31st January
Reports from New Passage/ Northwick Warth included 2 Little Egrets, 18 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 94 Shelduck, 9 Canada Goose, a Greylag Goose corpse, 30+ Snipe, 70 Dunlin, 70 Lapwing, 2 Ravens, a male Stonechat, 40+ Fieldfares and 180 Redwing. Two Ravens and a male Blackcap were seen at Severn Beach.The drake Green-winged Teal remained at Cake Pill, Aust Warth.
Green-winged Teal, Aust Warth 31.1.15 © Vic Savery
30th January
The drake Green-winged Teal and 2 Ravens were seen at Aust Warth. Combined reports from New Passage/Northwick Warth included 4 Pintail, 80 Shelduck, 65 Oystercatchers, 60 Redshank, 50 Curlew, 94 Lapwing, 30 Dunlin and a male Stonechat. Four Little Egrets, a Water Rail, 3 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler and 3 Tufted Duck were reported at the Orchard Pools in Severn Beach.
29th January
The drake Green-winged Teal was reported again at Aust Warth. A Great Skua was seen flying down river from Northwick Warth where the usual 7 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, single Little Egret, Water Rail and Little Grebe, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 55 Fieldfares, 40 Redwing and a Raven were also reported.
28th January
The drake Green-winged Teal was still present off Aust Warth late morning. A drake Common Scoter and 13 Ringed Plover were seen from Severn Beach.
27th January
A Short-eared Owl and the Green-winged Teal were seen at Aust Warth. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area included 61 Shelduck, 13 Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 240 Wigeon/Teal, 77 Oystercatchers, 175 Lapwing, 82 Curlew and 50 Redshank. A Little Egret, 3 Shoveler and 6 Tufted Duck were reported from the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach.
26th January
The only report received was of the drake Green-winged Teal from Northwick Warth.
25th January
The drake Green-winged Teal remained with the Wigeon/Teal flock off Aust Warth where a Short-eared Owl, a Peregrine and a Stonechat were also seen. A Water Pipit remained with 50+ Pied Wagtails on Northwick Warth in front of the 1st sentry box. Other reports from here included a Little Egret, 50+ Shelduck, 14 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 1000 Dunlin, 150 Curlew and a Water Rail. A male Blackcap remained feeding in a Severn Beach garden.
24th January
The drake Green-winged Teal remained at Aust Warth where 80 Teal, 120 Wigeon and 800 Dunlin were also seen. Combined reports from the New Passage/Northwick Warth area involved a Little Egret, 6 Grey Herons, 2 Mute Swans, 11 Canada Geese, 58 Shelduck, 470 Wigeon, 125 Teal, 15 Gadwall, 7 Tufted Duck, 12 Shoveler, 133 Oystercatchers, 1200 Dunlin, 147 Lapwing, 80 Redshank, 227 Curlew, 12 Turnstones, a Snipe, 2 Little Grebes, 2+ Water Rails, 55 Redwing, 35 Fieldfare, 57 Pied Wagtails, single Stonechat, Water Pipit and Siskin. Sightings from the Severn Beach shore included 15 Ringed Plover, 60 Redshank, 30 Turnstones, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, single Stonechat and Rock Pipit. A male Blackcap remained in a Severn Beach garden. Another Water Rail, Stonechat and 100 Dunlin were reported at Chittening Warth.
23rd January
A bitterly cold (-4°C) dawn after a foggy night. A drake Green-winged Teal, 7 Shoveler, 80 Teal, 10 Shelduck, 200 Wigeon, 1000 Dunlin, 10 Snipe, 30 Redshank, 2 Short-eared Owls, a Merlin, 2 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and 2 Stonechats were seen at Aust Warth. A drake Red-breasted Merganser, 54 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 300 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 11 Canada Geese, 250 Curlew, 400 Dunlin and 20 Turnstones were seen from New Passage. The icy weather produced a drake Pochard, drake Pintail, 4 Gadwall, 8 Shelduck, 40 Teal, 30 Wigeon, 100+ Curlew, 60 Lapwing, 10 Snipe and 30 Dunlin at the Severn Beach shore and nearby 2 male Blackcaps were seen in a Severn Beach garden and a Barn Owl was reported at the Western Distribution Park. Click on the Teal picture below for some Youtube video of the Green-winged Teal.
Green-winged Teal and Teal, Aust Warth 23.1.15
Green-winged Teal, Aust Warth 23.1.15
Red-breasted Merganser, New Passage 23.1.15
22nd January
The only reports were from the New Passage area and included a Water Pipit, 29 Canada Geese, 40 Shelduck, 9 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Heron and a Stonechat.
21st January
Sightings from the New Passage area involved 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 120 Curlew, 30 Redshank, 1000 Dunlin, 50 Oystercatchers, 32 Shelduck, 800+ Wigeon and 100 Teal. Another 250 Dunlin and 10 Redshank were seen at Severn Beach.
20th January
Two Peregrines, 2 Ravens and 2 Stonechats were reported from Aust Warth. Reports from the New Passage/Northwick Warth area involved 28 Canada Geese, 450 Wigeon/Teal, 6 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Duck, 1000 Dunlin, 38 Redshank, 2 Ravens, a Stonechat and a Water Pipit.
19th January
A brief late afternoon visit to New Passage produced 300 Wigeon/Teal, 50 Shelduck, 120 Curlew, 200+ Lapwing, 40 Redshank and 900+ Dunlin.
18th January
A sunny day following an icy dawn. A Water Pipit, 80 Shelduck, 8 Canada Geese, 2 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 300 Lapwing, 120 Curlew, and a male Stonechat were seen and a Water Rail was heard in a brief afternoon visit to the Pilning Wetland. A male Blackcap remained feasting on fat balls in a Severn Beach garden and nearby 2 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, 3 Water Rails and 2 Little Grebes were reported at the Orchard Pools. Another Water Rail, 3 Snipe, single Jack Snipe and Stonechat were present at Chittening Warth.
Stonechat, Pilning Wetland 18.1.15
Water Pipit, Pilning Wetland 18.1.15
17th January
Combined reports from the New Passage/Northwick Warth area involved a Little Egret, a Knot, 250 Lapwing, 100 Curlew, 60 Oystercatchers, 5 Snipe, 2 Water Rails, 8 Tufted Duck, 39 Shelduck, 120 Wigeon, 60 Teal, 2 Ravens and a Stonechat. A Short-eared Owl, 4 Jack Snipe, 3 Stonechats, 2 Rock Pipits, a Raven, 250 Teal, 50 Wigeon and 20 Redshank were seen at Aust Warth. At least 65 Dunlin and 25 Turnstones were seen over the high tide at Severn Beach and a male Blackcap was feeding in a Severn Beach garden.
16th January
At least 300 Lapwing were present on Pilning Wetland and a mixed flock of 350 Teal/Wigeon were seen from Aust Warth.
15th January
A wet and windy day. At least 90 Kittiwakes, 70 Turnstones, 60 Dunlin and an Auk were seen from Severn Beach this afternoon. The dark-bellied Brent Goose, 34 Shelduck and 360 Curlew were seen from New Passage/Northwick Warth.
Kittiwakes, Severn Beach 15.1.15
14th January
The only reports received were of 7 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 4 Snipe and a Kingfisher from the New Passage area. A Sparrowhawk, 28 Oystercatchers, 150 Dunlin, 25 Turnstones and a Chiffchaff were seen at Severn Beach.
13th January
Another wet day. The only report received from New Passage was of 285 Curlew and 75 Redshank. A Water Rail, 12 Shelduck and a Snipe were reported at Chittening Warth.
12th January
A dismal wet and windy day. Just 6 Kittiwakes, a Knot and 90 Dunlin were reported from Severn Beach.
11th January
No reports were received today.
10th January
A very windy morning produced just 20+ Kittiwakes, 170 Turnstones, 80 Dunlin and a Raven at Severn Beach. The dark-bellied Brent Goose, 43 Shelduck, 115 Curlew and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls were seen at Northwick Warth. A Short eared Owl was seen at Aust Warth from 4pm.
9th January
A windy day. A Brent Goose, 4 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Peregrine and a Stonechat were seen in the Northwick Warth area. A Ringed Plover, 70+ Dunlin and 29 Turnstones were reported at Severn Beach.
8th January
A pair of Stonechats, a Raven and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls were reported at Aust Warth. A Little Egret, a Brent Goose, 30 Shelduck and 350 Wigeon were seen from New Passage. A male Blackcap remained in a Severn Beach garden and 2 Chiffchaffs were seen in the Astra Zeneca works at Severn Beach.
7th January
The dark-bellied Brent Goose, 30 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 80 Lapwing, 60 Curlew and a Little Egret were reported from New Passage/Northwick Warth.
6th January
A dark-bellied Brent Goose, 8 Gadwall, 2 Peregrines, single Water Rail, Little Egret and Rock Pipit were reported from Northwick Warth. A Short-eared Owl and 2 Stonechats remained at Aust Warth this afternoon.
5th January
A Short-eared Owl, a Jack Snipe, 2 Peregrines, 4 Stonechats and 6 Rock Pipits were seen at Aust Warth. At least 500 Lapwing and 50 Pied Wagtails were seen at Northwick Warth.
4th January
Combined reports from Northwick Warth included the dark-bellied Brent Goose, 30+ Canada Geese, 16 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 300+ Wigeon, 35 Shelduck, single Little Grebe, Little Egret and Water Rail, 550 Lapwing, 80 Curlew, 1100 Dunlin, 190 Black-tailed Godwits, 70 Redshank and a Water Pipit. Two Short-eared Owls, 2 Jack Snipe, a Snipe, 3 Rock Pipits and a Stonechat were seen at Aust Warth. Another Jack Snipe, Water Rail and 2 Snipe were reported at Chittening Warth and a male Blackcap was found feeding in a Severn Beach garden.
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 4.1.15 © Rod Holbrook
3rd January
Just 80 Redshank and 2 Stonechats were reported from Severn Beach.
2nd January
The dark-bellied Brent Goose, 35 Canada Geese, 38 Shelduck, 12 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 12 Tufted Duck, 138 Oystercatchers, 190 Black-tailed Godwits, 50 Curlew, 28 Redshank, 42 Dunlin, 280 Lapwing, 10 Snipe, a Little Egret, 2 Water Rails, 2 Ravens, 2 Peregrines and a Coal Tit were reported from the New Passage/Northwick Warth area.
Brent Goose, Pilning Wetland 1.1.15
1st January
A good start to the year with the drake Green-winged Teal from November being relocated off Northwick Warth with 90+ Teal. Other reports from here included a dark-bellied Brent Goose, 30 Canada Geese, 14 Gadwall, 14 Shoveler, 20 Tufted Duck, 35 Shelduck, 199 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 240 Dunlin, 270 Lapwing, 100 Curlew, single Little Egret and Water Rail. A Merlin was seen at Aust Warth.
