2026 Sightings

2026 SIGHTINGS

April is the equal most productive month of the year in the number of species seen. At least one individual of 215 species have been recorded in April. Species to expect are at least three Tern species, Skuas, Redstarts, Whinchats, Yellow Wagtails with the chance of Pied Flycatcher, Grasshopper Warbler, Wood Warbler and Hobby. Rarer sightings include; Pectoral Sandpiper (2022), Stone Curlew (2006,2018), Cattle Egrets, Great White Egrets, White Stork (2015,2018,2021), Spoonbills, Slavonian Grebe (1989,2000), Ring-necked Duck (1988), Green-winged Teal (2015), Sabine’s Gull (1990,1992), Red-rumped Swallow (1988,2022), Woodlark (1976,2024,2025), Alpine Swift (1993,2025), Red-throated Pipit (2012), Willow Tit (1988), Serin (2017), Hooded Crow (1994,2024), Mealy Redpoll (2004), Long-eared Owl (2006) and 2 Citrine Wagtails (2019).

7th April
A sunny and warmest day of the year so fat with an Easterly breeze. Combined reports from Severn Beach included 3 Grey Plover, 12 Curlew, single Little Ringed Plover and Ringed Plover, 3 Little Egret, single Great White Egret and Grey Heron, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 25 Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, 2 Pheasant, the first Red-legged Partridge since 2019, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 11 Sandwich Tern, 2 Sparrowhawk, single Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Kestrel, 92 Sand Martin, 28 Swallow, 3 Willow Warbler, 4 Cetti’s Warbler, a Stonechat, 2 Wheatear and 2 Siskin. Two Greenshank, 4 Avocet, 6+ Little Ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 9 Lapwing, 30 Redshank, 40 Oystercatcher, 40 Curlew, 13 Canada Geese, 3 Mute Swan, 86 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 16 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, Sand Martins and Swallows were reported from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. At least 6 Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, single Pheasant, Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 2 Raven, a Stonechat and 6 Wheatear were reported at Aust Warth.

Sandwich Terns, Severn Beach 7.4.26

Greenshank, Pilning Wetland 7.4.26

6th April
Another sunny day wit a South East breeze. Reports from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area included a Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, 14 Ringed Plover, 12 Dunlin, 66 Redshank, 25 Curlew, 10 Lapwing, 55 Oystercatcher, a Turnstone, 3 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, 3 Greylag Geese, 12 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 55 Shelduck, 10 Shoveler, 16 Gadwall, 20 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, a female Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, a Raven, 8 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Wheatear, a Grey Wagtail and 2 White Wagtail. At least 6 Redshank, 23 Oystercatcher, 12 Curlew, a Little Egret, 4 Canada Geese, 28 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 14 Teal, single Pheasant, Great Black-backed Gull and Kestrel, 3 Sand Martin, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, single Tree Pipit and Siskin were reported from the Severn Beach shore.

Common Sandpiper, Pilning Wetland 6.4.26

5th April
A sunny day with moderate strength South West wind after a night of Storm Dave passing by. A pale morph Arctic Skua showed well off Severn Beach this morning where other reports included 5 Knot, 16 Shelduck, 20+ Swallow and a Wheatear. Two Avocet, at least 8 Little Ringed Plover, single Black-tailed Godwit and Turnstone, 5 Dunlin, 16 Ringed Plover, 38 Curlew, 60 Redshank, 10+ Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 2 Mute Swan, 9 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 16 Gadwall, 14 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Kestrel, 50+ Sand Martin, 20+ Swallow, single Cetti’s Warbler, Wheatear, Tree Pipit and White Wagtail.

4th April
A mixture of sunshine and cloud with an increasing strength South West wind. The earliest record of 2 Little Terns were found off Aust Warth this morning where other sightings included a Common Sandpiper, 20 Redshank, 10 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 2 Stonechat and a Peregrine. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area involved 2 Greenshank, 9+ Little Ringed Plover, 2 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 70+ Redshank, 9 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone, 46 Curlew, 10 Lapwing, 72 Oystercatcher, a few Snipe, 3 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, 9 Canada Geese, 6 Mute Swan, 50+ Shelduck, 27 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 5 Wigeon, 21 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, a Great Black-backed Gull, a Little Tern (1st record for the Wetland), 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, a Sedge Warbler, a mixed flock of 25 Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallows, 4 Cetti’s Warbler and a White Wagtail. At least 6 Redshank, 20 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 11 Canada Geese, 35 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, single Willow Warbler and Cetti’s Warbler were reported from the Severn Beach shore.

Little Tern, Cake Pill, Northwick/Aust Warth 4.4.26

3rd April
A day of drizzle and a gusty South West wind. Two Avocets, 4+ Little Ringed Plover, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Lapwing, 30 Redshank, 70 Curlew, 40 Oystercatcher, single Dunlin and Little Egret, 21 Canada Geese, 6 Mute Swan, 80+ Shelduck, 6 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 22 Gadwall, 20+ Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 50+ Sand Martin, 3 Swallow, single Kestrel and Cetti’s Warbler were reported from Pilning Wetland/New Passage. Reports from Severn Beach included 18 Shelduck, 7 Kittiwake, single Great Black-backed Gull and Cetti’s Warbler.

2nd April
A sunny day and a cold wind. At least 6 Little Ringed Plover, 10 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 6 Curlew, 51 Oystercatcher, a Snipe, 4 Little Egret, a Grey Heron, 13 Canada Geese, 3 Mute Swan, 20 Shelduck, 8 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 20 Teal, a drake Tufted Duck, a female Merlin, 3 Kestrel, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 2 Grey Wagtail, a White Wagtail, 6 Sand Martin and 2 Swallows were reported from Pilning Wetland/New Passage. Reports from the Severn Beach shore included 12 Redshank, 20 Curlew, a Little Egret, 2 Canada Geese, 31 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, single cock Pheasant, Kestrel, singing Willow Warbler and 3 Cetti’s Warbler.

1st April
A cloudy day with a West wind. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area involved 21 Knot, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 10 Lapwing, 55 Redshank, 3 Turnstone, 6 Dunlin, 4 Little Egret, 15 Canada Geese, 3 Mute Swan, 11 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 6 Wigeon, 20 Teal, 40 Sand Martin, 3 House Martin, 5 Swallows, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, single Willow Warbler and Raven. Sightings at Severn Beach included 16 Kittiwake, 15 Curlew, 20 Oystercatcher, 8 Canada Geese, 41 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 5 Teal, single Pheasant, Willow Warbler and 3 Cetti’s Warbler. A Stonechat and 2 Swallows were seen at Aust Warth