January is a slightly better month than December, the daylight hours slowly lengthen resulting in a monthly total of 167 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 (2010,2016), Green-winged Teal (2015), American Golden Plover (2002), Great Grey Shrike (2004), Shorelark (2004), Waxwing, two Common Cranes that flew over Severn Beach (2000), Whooper Swans (2005, 2018), Bittern (2011,2017), Glaucous Gull and a few rare sightings of Hen Harrier.
January 2020
31st January
A wet and breezy end to the month. A brief visit to New Passage produced a Merlin, 90 Redshank, 150 Dunlin, 50 Shelduck, 80 Teal, 200+ Wigeon and 52 Pied Wagtails.
30th January
A Little Egret, 80 Curlew, 60 Lapwing, 8 Canada Geese, 12 Shoveler, 40 Teal, 260 Wigeon, 50+ Shelduck and a Kestrel were reported from Northwick Warth.
29th January
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth area included a female Merlin, 2 Little Egrets, 70+ Canada Geese, 87 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 200 Dunlin, 60 Turnstones, 90 Redshank, 100 Lapwing, 120 Curlew, 130 Oystercatchers, single Grey Plover and Knot. A pair of Stonechats and 2 Ravens were seen at Aust Warth. Another Stonechat was present at Severn Beach.
Stonechat, Aust Warth 29.1.20
28th January
Forty Turnstones, 4 Dunlin and 10 Shelduck were reported from Severn Beach.
27th January
At least 300 Wigeon, 80 Redshank, 200 Dunlin and 35 Turnstones were seen from New Passage. At least 50 Turnstones were seen at Severn Beach.
26th January
A wet day. Reports from the Northwick Warth area included 120 Canada Geese, 80 Shelduck, 200 Wigeon, 90 Teal, 10 Tufted Duck, 20+ Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 80 Redshank, 300 Dunlin, 3 Grey Herons and a Chiffchaff.
25th January
Three Black-tailed Godwits and the usual 260+ Wigeon were seen from New Passage.
24th January
A visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 50+ Turnstones, 400+ Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 90 Curlew, 120 Lapwing, 250+ Wigeon, 3 Pintail (2 drakes), 15 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, a Little Egret and 5 Grey Herons.
23rd January
No reports were received today.
22nd January
Two Stonechats and a Chiffchaff were seen at Severn Beach.
21st January
Another -3°C dawn with fog until late morning. Two Black-tailed Godwits, 300 Dunlin, 80 Lapwing, 90 Redshank, 80 Oystercatchers, 80 Curlew, 28 Snipe, a Little Egret, 4 Pintail (2 drakes), 6 Tufted Ducks, 110 Teal, 250 Wigeon and a Water Rail were reported from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland. Another 4 Pintail (2 drakes), 40 Wigeon, 15 Teal and 6 Ringed Plover were seen from Severn Beach.
20th January
A -3°C dawn. An impressive 17 Pintail (9 drakes) were seen off New Passage and nearby sightings on Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included 101 Shelduck, 50 Canada Geese, 120 Teal, 20 Gadwall, 20 Shoveler, 7 Tufted Duck, a Little Egret, 180 Lapwing, a Black-tailed Godwit, 110 Curlew, 23 Snipe, 100 Dunlin and 70 Redshank.
19th January
Another icy morning and a bright sunny day. Combined reports from Severn Beach included 34 Shelduck, 50 Wigeon, 30 Teal, a Little Egret, 3 Grey Herons, 150 Turnstones, 80 Curlew, 70 Oystercatchers, 20 Redshank, 2 Stonechats and a singing Cetti’s Warbler. Another Little Egret was seen at New Passage. A Harrier species was seen flying South from Aust Warth late afternoon.
18th January
A frosty dawn followed by a dry and sunny day. A Merlin, 30 Canada Geese, 40 Shelduck, 250 Wigeon, 110 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, a Little Egret, 3 Grey Herons, 150 Lapwing, 120 Curlew, 100 Dunlin, single Chiffchaff and Kestrel were reported from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area. A male Stonechat and another Kestrel were seen at Aust Warth.
17th January
An early morning low tide visit to New Passage produced 70 Canada Geese, 350+ Wigeon, 130 Oystercatchers, 140 Curlew and at least 800 Black-headed Gulls. A female Blackcap was seen in a Severn Beach garden.
16th January
No reports were received today.
15th January
A brief visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 70+ Canada Geese, 40 Shelduck, 380 Wigeon, 30 Shoveler, 11 Tufted Ducks, 120 Teal, 90 Turnstones, 400 Dunlin, 120 Redshank, 130 Oystercatchers, 160 Curlew, a Little Egret, 4 Grey Herons and a Peregrine.
14th January
An increasingly wet and windy day. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 90 Redshank, 110 Curlew, 4 Lapwing, 130 Oystercatchers, a Water Rail, 3 Grey Herons, 57 Shelduck, 680 Wigeon, 9 Shoveler, 180 Teal, 6 Tufted Duck, 29 Pied Wagtails and a Coal Tit. Ten Shelduck were seen from Severn Beach.
13th January
A breezy day with heavy showers. No reports were received today.
12th January
A windy morning with squally rain showers. An adult Kittiwake, many Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and 10 Shelduck were seen from Severn Beach. At least 400 Wigeon, 70 Canada Geese, 20 Gadwall, 20 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Ducks, 170 Redshank, 170 Curlew, 120 Oystercatchers, 200 Dunlin, 3 Knot, 350 Black-headed Gulls and 5 Grey Herons were seen in the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area.
11th January
An increasingly breezy day. An unconfirmed sighting of 5 Twite on Northwick Warth today.
10th January
Single Jack Snipe and Snipe were seen on Aust Warth this morning.
9th January
A very brief visit to New Passage produced single Little Egret, Raven and Coal Tit.
8th January
The first Coal Tit of the year was seen at New Passage.
7th January
A visit to New Passage produced 95 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 50 Canada Geese, 80 Curlew and 120 Lapwing. Another 80 Wigeon were seen at Severn Beach.
6th January
A brief late morning visit to New Passage before the rain started produced 70 Turnstones, 130 Oystercatchers, 80 Redshank, 60 Curlew, a Little Egret, 50 Canada Geese, 320 Wigeon, 25 Shelduck, a Kestrel and 29 Pied Wagtails. A Blackcap was seen in Severn Beach.
5th January
A brief visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 50 Canada Geese, 30 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 14 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck, 80 Teal, a drake Pintail, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Grey Herons, a Black-tailed Godwit, 140 Redshank, 120 Lapwing, a Kestrel, 2+ Ravens and the first Water Pipit of the year. At least 3 Jack Snipe were seen at Aust Warth.
4th January
At least 5 Knot, 10 Snipe, 160 Lapwing, 80 Redshank, 300 Dunlin, 5 Turnstones, 60 Curlew, a Black-tailed Godwit,
a Little Egret and 4 Ravens were seen on Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland.
3rd January
A sunnier day. A female Merlin, a Little Egret, 1100+ Dunlin, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 400 Lapwing, 50 Golden Plover and 60 Knot were reported from Northwick Warth. A high tide visit to the Severn Beach shore produced 15 Shelduck, 40 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 5 Stonechats, 4+ Rock Pipits and a Kestrel.
2nd January
Another gloomy day. A Black-tailed Godwit, 90 Redshank, 800 Dunlin, 240 Lapwing, 80 Curlew, 6 Snipe, a Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Water Rails, 60 Canada Geese, 5 Mute Swans, 56 Shelduck, a drake Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 21 Gadwall, 14 Shoveler, 150 Teal and 220 Wigeon were seen at Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland. Another 41 Wigeon, 12 Shelduck, 40+ Oystercatchers and 29 Curlew were seen at Severn Beach.
Pochard, Pilning Wetland 2.1.20
1st January
A damp and gloomy start to the year. Sightings from Severn Beach included 30 Turnstones, 2 Pintail, 40 Teal, 60 Wigeon, a Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons and 2 Stonechats. A brief visit to Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 1100 Dunlin, 150 Lapwing, 80 Curlew, 14 Snipe, 34 Canada Geese, 240 Wigeon, 110 Teal, 24 Shelduck, 9 Tufted Duck, a drake Pochard, 24 Gadwall, 18 Shoveler, 2+ Water Rails, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron. Three Jack Snipe were reported on Aust Warth.
