2025 Sightings

2025 SIGHTINGS

November is still a month worth looking for birds. It has a respectable total of 193 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), Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver (1984,2015,2020,2023), Black Guillemot (2015), Ring-necked Duck (2000), Smew (2010), Green-winged Teal (2014), Red-crested Pochard (2024), White-rumped Sandpiper (1998), Long-tailed Skua (1994), Caspian Gull (2003,2024), White Stork (2024), Glossy Ibis (2015), Woodlark, Shorelark, Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Cory’s Shearwater (2000), Whooper Swan (1983,2009,2013), Richard’s Pipit (1993,2018), Dartford Warbler (2005,2015), Bearded Tit (2023) 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.

Click on the calendar pictures below for previous month’s sightings..........

5th November
Unseasonably warm (17°C), gloomy, occasionally wet with a South East wind. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area included 80 Lapwings, 90 Curlew, 2 Little Egrets, 4 Grey Herons, 200+ Canada Geese, single Mute Swan and Shelduck, 22 Shoveler, 140+ Wigeon, 110+ Teal, 11 Gadwall, a Water Rail, the first November record of Whinchat, 2 Stonechats, single Cetti’s Warbler and Brambling. At least 7 Turnstones, 12 Curlew, a Grey Heron, 4 Canada Geese, 20 Shelduck, 40 Wigeon, 2 Black Redstarts and the first November record of Common Redstart, 5 Stonechats, 5+ Rock Pipits, a Cetti’s Warbler, 11 Redwings, 2 Siskins and a Green Woodpecker were reported from Severn Beach. Sightings from Aust Wetland involved 5 Snipe, 34 Mallard, 80 Teal, 2 Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers and 2 Stonechat.

Common Redstart, Severn Beach 5.11.25

4th November
A gloomy day with rain and a moderate strength Southerly breeze. Sightings from the Severn Beach shore included 15 Turnstones, 8 Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 5 Canada Geese, 11 Shelduck, 55 Wigeon, 7 Teal, a Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Stonechats, 2+ Rock Pipit and 1+ Black Redstart. At least 50 Lapwings, 50 Curlew, 80 Oystercatchers, 130 Redshank, a Little Egret, 4 Grey Herons, 150 Canada Geese, a Mute Swan, 14 Shelduck, 34 Shoveler, 290+ Wigeon, 110 Teal, 7 Gadwall, a Pintail, 2 Redpoll, single Grey Wagtail, Raven and Stonechat were reported from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area.

Black Redstart, Severn Beach 4.11.25

3rd November
An even cloudier day with some rain showers and a South West wind. The first Black Redstart of the year was found this afternoon at Severn Beach where other reports included at least 40 Turnstones, 16 Ringed Plover, 9 Curlew, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 56 Shelduck, 30+ Wigeon and 2 Rock Pipits. Reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 179 Black-tailed Godwits, 80 Redshank, 100+ Oystercatchers, 19 Curlew, 2 Greylag Geese, 180 Canada Geese, 6 Shelduck, 14 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 110 Wigeon, 180 Teal, 2 Ravens, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.

2nd November
Another day of cloud, sunshine, rain showers and a moderate South West wind. A Leach’s Petrel was a surprise find at Severn Beach late afternoon where other reports from today included 11 Curlew, 3 Little Egrets, single Grey Heron and Water Rail, 15 Canada Geese, 43 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, single Stonechat, Rock Pipit, Brambling and Redpoll. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area included a late Common Sandpiper, 5 Grey Plover, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 26 Dunlin, 4 Turnstones, 2 Snipe, 45 Oystercatcher, 70 Curlew, 75 Lapwing, 70 Redshank, a Little Egret, 3 Grey Herons, 22 Greylag Geese, 200+ Canada Geese, 3 Shelduck, 180+ Wigeon, 200+ Teal, 20+ Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 2 Kestrels, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, 2 Siskins, 2 Stonechats and a Water Pipit (Northwick Warth salt marsh). Migrants over Aust Cliff/services this morning included 26000+ Woodpigeons, 28 Redwing, 300+ Chaffinches, 3 Brambling, a Redpoll and 6 Siskins plus single grounded Chiffchaff and Blackcap were also present. Click HERE to see a short mobile phone video of the Leach’s Petrel.

Greylag Geese, New Passage 1.11.25

1st November
Some sunny periods with a few afternoon rain showers and a moderate strength South West wind. A Jack Snipe, 6 Lapwings, 27 Oystercatchers, 27 Curlew, a Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 57 Greylag Geese, 300+ Canada Geese, a Shelduck, 220+ Wigeon, 56 Shoveler, 320+ Teal, 13 Gadwall, single Tufted Duck, Great Black-backed Gull, Merlin, Peregrine, Kestrel and Water Pipit were seen in the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. Reports from the Severn Beach shore included a few Turnstones, Curlew and Oystercatchers, 3 Little Egret, 7 Shelduck, 12 Wigeon, 2 Stonechat and a Rock Pipit.