February is generally another quiet month with only a total of 158 species recorded. Gales in this month have produced Storm and Leach’s Petrel, Pomarine Skua and all records of Puffin. Other rarities seen include Spoonbill (2004), Bittern (2011&2012), Avocets, Ring-billed Gull (1987), Green-winged Teal (2015), Great Grey Shrike (1999,2000,2004), Shorelark (2004) and Cirl Bunting (1943).
February 2018
28th February
Another freezing day with wind chill and snow flurries. Loads of thrushes battling the cold at New passage this afternoon involving 100+ Fieldfare, 20+ Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Redwings. Other sightings here involved 11 Grey Plover, 200 Dunlin, 50 Lapwing, 40 Redshank, 50 Oystercatchers, 5 Snipe, 18 Canada Geese, 12 Shelduck, 90 Wigeon, 20 Teal and 18 Shoveler.
27th February
Another cold day with snow flurries in the afternoon. A brief windswept visit to New Passage produced just 80 Wigeon, 20 Teal, 150 Dunlin and 40 Redshank sheltering in Chestle Pill.
26th February
A bitterly cold day with a moderate strength North East wind. A Water Rail, 36 Turnstone, 150+ Dunlin, a Snipe, 60 Curlew, 200+ Wigeon and “plenty” of Fieldfares were reported from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area. Six Hawfinch were reported in Severn Beach.
25th February
The sunniest day of the year so far, but still cool in an East wind. No reports were received
24th February
Combined reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland involved 250+ Wigeon, 30 Shelduck, 3 Little Egrets, 6 Snipe, a Water Rail, single Merlin and Kestrel. Another 50 Shelduck, 20 Wigeon, 30 Dunlin, 10 Redshank, 10 Curlew, 40 Oystercatchers and 2 Stonechats were seen at Severn Beach.
23rd February
A breezy, cold visit to New Passage produced 7 Canada Geese, 200+ Wigeon, 30 Shelduck, 8 Tufted Duck, 60 Redshank and 200 Dunlin. Another 90 Dunlin, 30 Turnstones, 39 Curlew, 44 Oystercatchers, 30 Wigeon, a Peregrine and a Stonechat were reported at Severn Beach. Another Peregrine was seen at Aust Warth.
22nd February
A brief visit to New Passage produced 200 Dunlin, 100 Lapwing and a Water Pipit. A Short-eared Owl was reported early afternoon at Aust Warth.
21st February
No reports of any Owls today. A female Blackcap was present in a Severn Beach garden.
20th February
A sunny day with a cold North West wind. A blustery visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 80 Shelduck, 2 Canada Geese, 3 Mute Swans, 300+ Wigeon, 30 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 500+ Dunlin, 60 Redshank, 100 Lapwing, 60 Curlew, single Water Pipit, Siskin and Kestrel. A male Merlin, 2 Peregrine and 2 Stonechats were seen at Aust Warth.
19th February
At least 3 Short-eared Owls were hunting at Aust Warth from late morning onward, a Barn Owl was also seen at dusk. Seven Shoveler were seen off Severn Beach at high tide.
18th February
Four Short-eared Owls, a Barn Owl and 2 Stonechats were reported at Aust Warth.
17th February
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area included 80 Shelduck, 280 Wigeon, 19 Shoveler, 60 Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, a Continental Cormorant, 60 Redshank, 90 Curlew, 200 Lapwing, 700 Dunlin, a Water Rail and a Stonechat. Three Canada Geese, a Sparrowhawk and a Stonechat were seen at Severn Beach. At least 4 (up to 7) Short-eared Owls were reported at Aust Warth.
16th February
A dry and sunny day. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area involved 72 Shelduck, 2 Canada Geese, 250+ Wigeon, 40 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, 16 Shoveler, 2 Snipe, 120 Lapwing and 400+ Dunlin. A Short-eared Owl was hunting most of the afternoon at Aust Warth.
Short-eared Owl, Aust Warth 16.2.18 © Martyn Hayes
15th February
No reports were received today.
14th February
A Short-eared Owl and a Little Owl were reported at Aust Warth. Five Canada Geese flew East over Severn Beach. A pair of Blackcaps were present near New Passage.
13th February
Three Short-eared Owls and a Stonechat were seen at Aust Warth. A male Blackcap was seen in a Severn Beach garden.
12th February
At least 100 Shelduck, 300 Wigeon, 400 Dunlin and 60 Turnstones were seen from New Passage. Single Short-eared Owl, Merlin and Stonechat were seen at Aust Warth. A male Blackcap remained in a Severn Beach garden.
11th February
A day with a moderate strength cold West wind. Reports from New Passage/Pilning Wetland included 102 Shelduck, 13 Gadwall, 16 Shoveler, 300+ Wigeon, single Snipe and Sparrowhawk, 120 Fieldfare and 35 Redwing. A Common Sandpiper was seen in Cake Pill, Aust Warth where at least one Short-eared Owl was also seen. Breezy conditions produced 77 Kittiwakes off Severn Beach and a garden male Blackcap.
Kittiwakes, Severn Beach 11.2.18
10th February
A wet and increasingly windy day. No reports were received.
9th February
A quiet day. Just 112 Shelduck, 5 Canada Geese, 300+ Wigeon, 100+ Redshank and 200 Dunlin were reported from New Passage. A Merlin was seen at Aust Warth and a male Blackcap was present again in Severn Beach.
8th February
A brief visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced a Little Egret, 77 Shelduck, 80 Teal, 340+ Wigeon, 10 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck, 500 Dunlin, 90 Curlew, 160 Lapwing and a Stonechat.
7th February
A sunny but cool day. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area involved 90 Shelduck, 390+ Wigeon, 13 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe, a Water Rail, 150+ Lapwing, 42 Turnstone, a Knot, 200 Dunlin, 100 Redshank, 3 Snipe, 2 Stonechat, single Grey Wagtail, Merlin and Kestrel. Reports from Severn Beach included 72 Turnstones, 90 Dunlin, 40 Redshank, 60 Curlew, 3 Ringed Plover and 4 Stonechats. Two Short-eared Owls and a Kestrel remained at Aust Warth.
6th February
Another cold day with flakes of snow. A brief visit to New Passage produced 110 Shelduck, 150 Wigeon, 7 Canada Geese, 400 Dunlin, 40 Redshank and 50 Turnstones. Three Short-eared Owls and a Barn Owl were seen at Aust Warth.
5th February
A sunny day with a North East breeze. A high tide visit to Severn Beach produced 400 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 80 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover, a Snipe, 35 Oystercatchers, 20 Wigeon, 6 Shelduck, a Water Rail and 3 Stonechats. Nearby a male Blackcap remained on garden feeders. Another 20 Redshank, 7 Teal, 3 Stonechats and a Water Pipit were seen in the Bristol section of Chittening Warth at Stupp Pill.
Stonechat, Severn Beach 5.2.18
4th February
A Peregrine was hunting at Severn Beach.
3rd February
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area included a Little Egret, 89 Shelduck, 80+ Teal, 490 Wigeon, 8 Tufted Duck, 20+ Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 5 Canada Geese, a Continental/Sinensis Cormorant, 2 Water Rails, 750 Dunlin, 90 Curlew, 123 Oystercatchers, 60 Redshank, 120 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, a Stonechat and a Water Pipit.
2nd February
At least 80 Shelduck, 220 Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 40 Lapwing, 300 Dunlin and 30 Pied Wagtails were reported from the Northwick Warth area. Combined reports from Aust Warth involved 3 Short-eared Owls, 2 Kestrels, single Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Little Egret and Snipe. A male Blackcap and a Siskin were seen in separate Severn Beach gardens. Following on from a Shorelark on Northwick Warth in October, an American Horned Lark was identified at Staines Reservoir in Surrey. Present off and on since November, I finally made the effort to see it today. Click on the image below for a short Youtube video.
American Horned Lark, Staines Reservoir 2.2.18
1st February
A brief visit to windswept New Passage produced 91 Shelduck, 400+ Dunlin, 70 Oystercatchers and 60 Curlew. A Short-eared Owl was present at Aust Warth late afternoon.
