2025 Sightings

2025 SIGHTINGS

February is generally another quiet month with only a total of 167 species recorded. Gales in this month have produced Storm and Leach’s Petrel, Pomarine Skua and all the records of Puffin. Other rarities seen include Spoonbill (2004,2023), Bittern (2011,2012), Great White Egret (2023), Glossy Ibis (2022), Cattle Egret (2024), Ring-billed Gull (1987), Pink-footed Goose (1996,2023), Green-winged Teal (2015), Shorelark (2004), Great Grey Shrike (1999,2000,2004) and Cirl Bunting (1943).

Click on the calendar picture below for last month’s sightings..........

Combined Species Total so far in 2025 = 97

my total so far = 91

9th February
A chilly day with short periods of sunshine with a gusty North East wind. Reports from the Orchard Pools area at Severn Beach included a rare sighting of a Marsh Tit (in a tit flock), 2 Little Egrets, 8 Coot, single Water Rail, Redpoll, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. A low tide visit to the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area produced at least 300 Lapwings, 130 Oystercatchers, 23 Redshank, 24 Curlew, 34 Shelduck, 260+ Wigeon, 80 Teal, 28 Shoveler, 30 Gadwall and 2 Tufted Ducks. A late afternoon visit to Aust Wetland produced 3 Snipe, a Grey Heron, a Shelduck, 4 Coots, single Barn Owl, Sparrowhawk and Stonechat, 22 Redwings, 40 Fieldfare and 2 Roe Deer.

8th February
Another cold unpleasant gloomy grey day with a North East wind. Yesterday’s Dark-bellied Brent Goose was relocated on Pilning Wetland where other sightings included 280+ Lapwings, 34 Curlew, single Grey Heron and Shelduck, 90 Wigeon, 22 Shoveler, 28 Gadwall, 90 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck (no reports received from the salt marsh side of the sea wall). The only birds worth a mention from the Severn Beach shore involved 12 Curlew, 6 Shelduck and 20+ Wigeon.

7th February
A brisk North East wind made it feel cold on a grey and murky day. A Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 8 Curlew, 4 Oystercatchers, single Redshank and Snipe, 41 Shelduck, 24 Wigeon, single Teal, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Pipit and female Blackcap were seen at Severn Beach. Sightings from a very windswept Pilning Wetland/New Passage included 300 Lapwings, 39 Curlew, 20 Turnstones, 9 Redshank, just 3 Dunlin, single Little Egret and Grey Heron, 17 Shelduck, 190+ Wigeon, 30 Gadwall, 28 Shoveler, 90+ Teal and a Sparrowhawk.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Severn Beach 7.2.25

6th February
A frosty and misty morning followed by a sunny afternoon. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 7 Snipe, 89 Turnstones, 300 Lapwings, 30 Redshank, 80 Curlew, 30 Oystercatchers, single Little Egret, Grey Heron and Canada Goose, 28 Shelduck, 36 Shoveler, 34 Gadwall, 280 Wigeon, 4 Pintail (2 drakes), 180+ Teal, 9 Tufted Duck, single male Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Chiffchaff. At least 12 Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers, a Grey Heron, 23 Shelduck, 20 Wigeon, single Water Rail, male Marsh Harrier and female Blackcap were reported from Severn Beach. The male Marsh Harrier was also seen hunting over Chittening Warth. Reports from the Aust Cliff/services area involved 2 Curlew, 23 Shelduck, 68 Wigeon, 2 Teal, at least 22 Chiffchaffs (at the sewage works), 2 Ravens, 2 Grey Wagtails, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.

Pintail, Pilning Wetland 6.2.25

5th February
A cool and sunny morning followed by a cloudy afternoon with the occasional rain shower. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area involved 30 Redshank, 20 Dunlin, 90 Curlew, 300 Lapwings, a Little Egret, 70 Canada Geese, 50 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 220+ Teal, 34 Shoveler, 32 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Stonechats and a Kestrel. A female Blackcap and a Sparrowhawk were seen at Severn Beach. A Merlin was seen heading South from Aust Warth.

4th February
A dry and cloudy morning followed by a moderate South West wind and rain in the afternoon. A female Merlin, a male Marsh Harrier, 110 Turnstones, 200 Dunlin, 140 Redshank, 85 Curlew, 130 Oystercatchers, 15 Canada Geese, 80+ Shelduck, 35 Shoveler, 32 Gadwall, 240+ Wigeon, 230 Teal, 6 Tufted Duck, single Chiffchaff and Rock Pipit were reported from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. At least 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, 90+ Turnstones, a Grey Heron, 30+ Wigeon and a female Blackcap were seen at Severn Beach

3rd February
A repeat of the weather. At least 350 Lapwings, 95 Curlew, 21 Turnstones, 20 Oystercatchers, 4 Redshank, single Dunlin, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Mute Swan, 13 Greylag Geese, 44 Shelduck, 36 Shoveler, 34 Gadwall, 250+ Wigeon, 210 Teal, 15 Tufted Ducks, a Water Rail, a Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechats and a Tawny Owl were reported in the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. At least 9 Snipe, 2 Curlew, a Grey Heron, 24 Shelduck, a drake Shoveler, 35+ Wigeon, 9 Teal, single Stonechat, Redpoll and another Tawny Owl were seen at Severn Beach.

2nd February
A dry and sometimes sunny day. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 350 Lapwings, 42 Curlew, 20 Redshank, 2 Turnstones, 2 Dunlin, single Snipe, Grey Heron and Mute Swan, 10 Shelduck, 240 Wigeon, 36 Shoveler, 32 Gadwall, 200+ Teal, 2 Tufted Duck and a Kestrel. A Redshank, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Curlew, a Mute Swan, 20 Shelduck, 55 Wigeon and a female Blackcap were reported at Severn Beach.

Shoveler, Pilning Wetland 2.2.25

Lapwings, Pilning Wetland 2.2.25

1st February
A cool and cloudy day with a South East breeze and Spring tides. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included a Bar-tailed Godwit, 300 Dunlin, 350 Lapwings, 130 Oystercatchers, 110 Curlew, 20 Redshank, single Little Egret and Grey Heron, 3 Canada Geese, a Mute Swan, 52 Shelduck, 38 Shoveler, 30+ Gadwall, 280 Wigeon, 300+ Teal, 2+ Tufted Ducks, single Marsh Harrier and Grey Wagtail. At least one Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, a few Curlew, a Grey Heron, 18 Shelduck 60+ Wigeon, 20 Teal, single Stonechat and female Blackcap were seen at Severn Beach.