June is usually one of the quietest months on Severnside with a total of only 157 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. June has had some rarities including Great White Egret (2015), Rose-coloured Starling (2012), Red Kite (2006, 2010, 2013), Franklin’s Gull (1988) and Alpine Swift (1999).
June 2017
30th June
A sunny end to the month. A morning visit to Pilning Wetland produced 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Little Ringed Plover, 15 Redshank, 30+ Lapwing, a Little Egret, 10 Teal and 6 Tufted Duck ducklings.
29th June
A brief evening visit to Pilning Wetland produced at least 10 Little Ringed Plover, 20+ Lapwing, a Redshank, 30+ Sand Martins, 40+ Swift, many Swallows, a few House Martins and a hunting Hobby.
28th June
A damp, grey day. An adult Common Tern was feeding on Pilning Wetland this morning where other sightings included 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Little Ringed Plover (2 full size juveniles), 23+ Lapwing including another 2 young (8th brood so far this year), 9 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 75+ Black-headed Gulls, the 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, 10+ Sand Martins and 30+ Swift. Sightings from New Passage involved single Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper, 8 Redshank, 9 Curlew and 51 Shelduck.
27th June
A morning visit to Pilning Wetland produced single Little Egret and Black-tailed Godwit, at least 8 Little Ringed Plover (including 2 full grown juveniles), 2 Redshank, 2 small Lapwing chicks, 30+ Black-headed Gulls, 3 Teal and a Coal Tit. Two Stock Doves, 3 Green Woodpeckers, many Skylarks, many Marbled White butterflies and some Pyramidal Orchids were found on Northwick Warth Landfill site.
Lapwing chick and Little Ringed Plover, Pilning Wetland 27.6.17
Marbled White, Northwick Warth 27.6.17
26th June
Combined reports from Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth included a Little Egret, a Green Sandpiper, 5 adult and one full grown juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 20+ Lapwing, 11 Redshank, 34 Curlew, 33 Oystercatchers, 36 Shelduck plus 11 ducklings (new brood of 8 & 3 half size), 3 Teal, 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, 30+ Black-headed Gulls and 2 Ravens.
25th June
Another windy morning produced at least 80 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Kittiwakes at Severn Beach. The first Green Sandpiper of the year, at least 5 Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, 14 Lapwing, 5 Curlew, a drake Teal, at least 5 Tufted Duck ducklings, 6 Little Grebe chicks (broods of 2 & 6), 70+ Black-headed Gulls, a Peregrine and several Sand Martins.
24th June
Sightings from Pilning Wetland this morning included single Little Egret, Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwit, 5 adult and one full grown juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 14 Lapwing (including 2 small chicks), 2 Little Grebe chicks, 12 Black-headed Gulls and 3 Ravens. A Curlew, 2 Redshank and 5 Black-headed Gulls were seen at Severn Beach on the morning high tide.
23rd June
Another breezy day. An afternoon visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 8 adult Little Ringed Plover, 12 Lapwing, 3 Redshank, a Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Curlew, 100+ Black-headed Gulls, 58 Shelduck with 3 ducklings, 6 Tufted Duck ducklings and a Little Grebe chick. A Storm Petrel, a female Common Scoter, 4 Curlew and a juvenile Black-headed Gull were seen off Severn Beach on the evening high tide. Click on the picture below for a Youtube video of the Storm Petrel.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 23.6.17
22nd June
A windy and cooler day. A Common Sandpiper was seen at New Passage and 3 Little Ringed Plovers were reported at Pilning Wetland. A breezy evening high tide visit to Severn Beach produced 2 Mediterranean Gulls (summer plumaged adult & 1st summer together) and 5 Black-headed Gulls including a juvenile.
21st June
The only reports received today were of 2 Black-headed Gulls at a very hot (33°C) Severn Beach.
20th June
Too hot to be out today (32°C) so the only birds of note reported were some Little Ringed Plovers at Pilning Wetland.
19th June
An even hotter 30°C today. Reports from Pilning Wetland included 5+ Little Ringed Plovers, 36 Lapwing and 6 Tufted Duck ducklings. A Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret, 12 Black-headed Gulls and a Lesser Whitethroat were reported at New Passage. Another 5 Little Egrets and 2 Black-headed Gulls were seen at Severn Beach.
18th June
A hot day with the temperature reaching 29°C. The only reports were of 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 12 Lapwing and the 6 Tufted Duck ducklings at Pilning Wetland.
17th June
An even warmer day (26°C). More returning birds today including 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 adult Redshank, 5 Teal, 2 Black-headed Gulls plus 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, 4 Little Ringed Plover and a local rarity in the form of a Roe Deer out on the salt marsh.
16th June
Another warm and increasingly sunny day. Reports from New Passage/Pilning Wetland included a Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, 10+ Lapwing (including another new small chick, at least the 6th brood to hatch), 6 Tufted Duck ducklings still surviving, 3 Teal, 6 Black-headed Gulls, single Little Egret and Kingfisher.
15th June
An early afternoon visit to Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth produced 43 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, a Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 10 Lapwing, a pair of Teal, 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, 10 Gadwall and 2 Sand Martins.
Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank, Pilning Wetland 15.6.17
14th June
Another hot and sunny day. Some more signs of returning birds with 7 Black-headed Gulls including the first juvenile of the year present at New Passage. Three Little Egrets, a Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 3+ Redshank, a Curlew, 3 Ravens, a pair of Teal and 6 Tufted Duck ducklings were seen in the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area this morning. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard singing at Sea Bank pools, Chittening Warth. Three Ravens flew North over Severn Beach this afternoon.
13th June
A sunny and warm day. A morning visit to Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth produced a Little Egret. 3 Grey Herons (including one trying to swallow a half grown Mallard duckling), a Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Redshank, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4+ Lapwing chicks, 6 Tufted Duck ducklings. Two Black-headed Gulls were present at Severn Beach at high tide. A Little Egret and a Kestrel were seen at Aust Warth.
12th June
A drake Common Scoter, a 1st summer Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Turnstones, single Curlew and Peregrine were seen at Severn Beach this morning. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area involved a Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 8 adult Lapwings with 6 surviving young from 4 broods, 2 Redshank, 17 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Tufted Duck ducklings, a Teal, 43 adult Shelduck plus ducklings.
Common Scoter, Severn Beach 12.6.17
11th June
The South West wind increased in strength during the day. Thirteen Manx Shearwaters and a Curlew were reported early morning at Severn Beach and a Guillemot, 2 dark morph Arctic Skuas (together at 20.45 after being seen off Goldcliff, Gwent 20 minutes earlier), 2 Fulmar and an adult Gannet were seen this evening (20.15-20.50). Single Black-tailed Godwit and Little Egret, 2 Curlew, 4 Lapwing chicks and 6 Ravens were reported from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland.
10th June
Reports from Severn Beach involved 30 Shelduck, 30+ Oystercatchers, 4 Turnstones and 2 Black-headed Gulls. At least 30 Shelduck plus 8 ducklings and 8 Canada Geese were seen from New Passage. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard at Sea Bank pools, Chittening Warth.
9th June
A windy day with showers.At least 120 Manx Shearwaters (09.10-09.45), 2 Arctic Skuas (dark morph & pale morph at 09.20), single adult Gannet, Peregrine and Black-headed Gull were seen from Severn Beach this morning. A visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 8 Shelduck ducklings, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 6 Lapwing (including 3 full size juveniles), single Black-tailed Godwit and Little Egret. Click on the image below for some half speed video of part of the Manx Shearwater flock.
Manx Shearwaters, Severn Beach 9.6.17
8th June
A Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plover and 2 Redshank were reported from Pilning Wetland.
7th June
Two Gannets were reported from Severn Beach this morning. The Lapwing chicks, 2 Redshank, a Snipe, 2 drake Shoveler and a Peregrine were seen at Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland.
6th June
Strong West wind produced 9 Gannets and at least 3 Fulmar at Severn Beach over the falling morning tide and single Storm Petrel, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Fulmar, Gannet and Raven were reported here during the afternoon/evening. Sightings from the New Passage/Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Fulmar, a Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank, 54 adult Shelduck plus 8 ducklings and the single Tufted Duck duckling.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 6.6.17 © Dan White
Fulmar, Severn Beach 6.6.17
Gannets, Severn Beach 6.6.17
5th June
A wet day with an increasing strength South wind. An afternoon visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 18 Canada Geese, 2 Redshank, at least 5 Lapwing chicks with 6 adults, 6 Little Ringed Plover, the single Tufted Duck duckling, 8 Shelduck ducklings and at least one juvenile Yellow Wagtail.
4th June
The only reports were from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland where 2 Little Egrets, 22 Oystercatchers, a Curlew, 5 Lapwing chicks, 12 Canada Geese and 5 juvenile Ravens were seen.
3rd June
The 4th Spoonbill of the year was found on Pilning Wetland this morning where other sightings involved the first Tufted Duck ducking (on 1st sentry box pool), 3 Ravens, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4+ Lapwing chicks, single Redshank, Snipe, Black-headed Gull and Stonechat.
2nd June
A brief morning visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced a Grey Plover, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 9 Lapwing, 2 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatchers, a Little Egret, 9 Canada Geese, 25 adult Shelduck and 17 ducklings (8+9).
1st June
A warm and sunny start to the month. Sightings from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area involved 2 Little Egrets, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, a Curlew, 6 Lapwing chicks, 23 adult Shelduck and 8 ducklings.
