November is still a month worth looking for birds. It has a respectable total of 184 species recorded during the month with a few surprise birds. Remarkable records include; Britain’s first Black-bellied Storm Petrel and Britain’s 5th Pacific Diver just 2 days apart in 2009. Other national and local rarities include American Golden Plover (2013), Great Northern Diver (1984,2015), Black Guillemot (2015), Ring-necked Duck (2000), Smew (2010), Green-winged Teal (2014), White-rumped Sandpiper (1998), Long-tailed Skua (1994), Glossy Ibis (2015), Woodlark, Shorelark, Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Cory’s Shearwater (2000), Whooper Swan (1983) and Richard’s Pipit (1993, 2018), Dartford Warbler (2005,2015) and Waxwing (2005). A Merlin or two can usually be seen perched on posts anywhere between New Passage and Aust Warth. Short-eared Owls can often be seen hunting at dusk over the salt marsh at Aust Warth. Seabirds seen in South West gales include Leach’s Petrel, Pomarine Skua and Little Auk.
November 2019
30th November
A cold end to the month with a North East breeze. Reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included 2 female Merlins, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 250+ Lapwing, 600+ Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 90+ Canada Geese, 120 Teal, 45 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 10+ Shoveler, 2 Ravens, a male Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel.
female Merlin, Northwick Warth 30.11.19
29th November
A sunny day with a North East breeze following a frosty dawn. A brief visit to New Passage produced a male Merlin, 200+ Lapwing, 230 Wigeon, 110 Curlew and 30 fly over Fieldfares. Two Stonechats and 11 Shelduck were seen at Severn Beach.
28th November
A late juvenile Swallow was seen at New Passage/Northwick Warth where other reports included a Golden Plover, at least 1000 Dunlin, 250+ Lapwing, 60 Curlew, 200 Redshank, 3 Snipe, a Little Egret, 19 Canada Geese, 270 Wigeon, 140 Teal, 45 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, a Water Rail and a Peregrine. Two Stonechats were seen at Aust Warth.
27th November
Sightings from New Passage included 16 Canada Geese, 30 Shelduck, 300 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 120+ Redshank, 500 Dunlin and 90 Oystercatchers. A male Blackcap was seen in Severn Beach.
26th November
A morning, low tide visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 220 Redshank, 80 Curlew, 450 Dunlin, 150+ Lapwing, 80 Curlew, a Snipe, 40+ Turnstones, 100+ Oystercatchers, a Greylag Goose, 20 Canada Geese, 30 Shelduck, 350 Wigeon, 110 Teal, 30+ Gadwall and a male Merlin. A female Blackcap was feeding in a Severn Beach garden.
25th November
A male Merlin, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 120+ Redshank, 120 Dunlin, 350 Wigeon and 60 Teal were seen from New Passage. Three Stonechats and 2 Grey Herons were seen from Severn Beach.
24th November
Another cloudy day following a foggy dawn. The usual wildfowl and wader flocks remained viewable from New Passage.
23rd November
A gloomy and wet day. At least 260 Wigeon, 60 Teal and 130 Redshank were seen from New Passage.
22nd November
An increasingly wet day with a cool East breeze. A Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Snipe, 150+ Lapwing, 80 Dunlin, 90 Redshank, 13 Canada Geese, 280+ Wigeon, 140+ Teal and 2 Water Rails were reported from Northwick Warth.
21st November
At least 260 Wigeon and 70 Teal were seen from New Passage.
20th November
The usual wildfowl, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and a Kingfisher were reported from Northwck Warth/New Passage.
19th November
A morning visit to Northwick Warth produced 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 150+ Lapwing, 60 Curlew, 60 Dunlin, 90 Redshank, 3 Snipe, a Little Egret, 2 Water Rails, 250+ Wigeon, 90 Teal, 40+ Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, 2 Ravens and a female Merlin. Another 30 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 13 Shelduck and a Rock Pipit were seen at Severn Beach. A Stonechat was present at Aust Warth.
18th November
A Brent Goose, a Black-tailed Godwit, 120+ Lapwing, 90 Curlew, 60 Dunlin, 90 Redshank, 50 Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, a Little Egret, 2 Pochard, 2 Pintail, 300 Wigeon and 70+Teal. Another 30 Wigeon, 17 Shelduck and a Snipe were seen at Severn Beach.
17th November
Reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Little Stint, 120 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 200 Dunlin, a Little Egret, 30 Canada Geese and 4 Tufted Duck. Six Grey Herons were seen at Severn Beach.
16th November
A sunny day. Two Red Kites, a Peregrine, 60 Canada Geese, 250+ Wigeon, 60 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, 30 Curlew and a Little Egret were seen from New Passage.
15th November
Morning sightings from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included 3 Grey Plover, 80+ Redshank, 50 Dunlin, 85 Oystercatchers, 250+ Wigeon, 80 Canada Geese and a Raven. At least 20 Turnstones, 30 Dunlin, 23 Ringed Plover, 30 Wigeon, 3 Siskins and a Rock Pipit were seen at Severn Beach.
14th November
A very wet and cold day. A male Blackcap was present in a Severn Beach garden. The flock of Wigeon and Teal were seen off Northwick Warth and 50+ Gadwall and 35+ Shoveler remained on Pilning Wetland.
13th November
A visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 500 Dunlin, 120 Redshank, 130+ Lapwing, 95 Curlew, a Little Egret, 2 Water Rails, 43 Coot, 11 Mute Swans, 70+ Canada Geese, 140+ Teal, 250+ Wigeon, 60+ Gadwall, 40+ Shoveler, 2 Ravens, a Cetti’s Warbler and a Chiffchaff. Another 2 Little Egrets and at least 100 Turnstones were seen at Severn Beach.
12th November
The usual Wigeon, Teal and Redshank flocks were seen from New Passage.
11th November
No reports were received today.
10th November
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Little Stint, 110 Lapwing, 50+ Curlew, 80 Redshank, 6 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, single Woodcock, Water Rail and Little Egret, 2 Ravens, single Merlin, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail. A Kestrel and Stonechat were seen at Aust Warth.
9th November
An icy dawn followed by rain. The usual wildfowl and a Little Egret were seen at New Passage.
8th November
A Red Kite drifted over Severn Beach.
I had a trip to Cornwall today and managed to see a possible Paddyfield Pipit in a Maize stubble field at Sennen, a drake Lesser Scaup in Helston along with 25+ Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls, 4 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Black Redstarts etc.
Paddyfield Pipit, Sennen, Cornwall 8.11.19
Lesser Scaup, Helston, Cornwall 8.11.19
7th November
A female Merlin, 3 Pintail, single Greylag and Pochard were reported from Pilning Wetland.
6th November
At least 90 Wigeon, 28 Shelduck, a female Pintail, 5 Grey Herons, 120+ Turnstones, 32 Ringed Plover and 25 Oystercatchers were seen at Severn Beach.
5th November
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Snipe, 30 Redshank, 90 Lapwing, a Little Egret, 120 Canada Geese, 3 Tufted Duck, a Pochard and a female Pintail, 50+ Gadwall, 60 Shoveler, 8 feeding Fieldfares, 2 Stonechats, single Raven, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher.
4th November
At least 33 Ringed Plover and 70 Turnstones were seen from Severn Beach. Highlights from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included single female Goosander, female Pintail and female Merlin, 80+ Lapwings and a calling Water Rail.
3rd Novembere the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included single Whimbrel and Greenshank, 90 Canada Geese, a Greylag, 250+ Wigeon, 3 Tufted Duck, a Little Egret, 6 flyover Siskins and single juvenile Merlin and Kestrel. A Stint sp., 30 Ringed Plover, 60 Turnstones, 50 Curlew, 14 Wigeon and 3 Stonechats were seen at Severn Beach.
2nd November
A wet and increasingly windy day. Six adult Kittiwakes were seen at Severn Beach. Three Little Egrets, 60+ Redshank and a Kestrel were reported at Northwick Warth.
Merlin, Northwick Warth 1.11.19
1st November
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a male Merlin, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 400 Dunlin, 90 Redshank, 200+ Lapwing, 3 Little Egrets, 72 Canada Geese, 240 Wigeon, 200 Teal and 20 Shelduck. Another 23 Shelduck were seen from Severn Beach.
