2025 Sightings

2025 SIGHTINGS

December is one of the quietest months with only 169 species recorded during the month. It can be a good month for wildfowl with the chance of Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander if inland waters freeze or some fly by Bewick’s Swans. A good selection of seabirds have occurred in December gales including Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, Leach’s Petrel, Little Auk, Grey Phalarope and Pomarine Skua. Other rarities have included a stunning male Desert Wheatear (2013), Eastern Yellow Wagtail (1993), Cattle Egret (2022), Green-winged Teal (2013), Egyptian Goose (2013, 2019), Glaucous Gull, Waxwing (2010) and Cirl Bunting in the winters of 1940 & 1941.

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

9th December
A wet morning with a gusty Southerly wind turning more Westerly in the afternoon. At least 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 500 Dunlin, 160 Redshank, 90 Curlew, 110 Oystercatchers, 3 Canada Geese, 29 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 70 Teal, 20 Shoveler and 8 Gadwall were seen in the very windswept Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. Reports from the Severn Beach shore included 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Turnstone, a Ringed Plover, 7 Oystercatcher, 8 Curlew, 25 Shelduck, 27 Wigeon and 3 Rock Pipits.

8th December
A mainly cloudy day with rain showers in a Southerly wind. At least 24 Ringed Plover, 250 Black-tailed Godwits, 1,800 Dunlin, 190 Curlew, 60+ Redshank, 70 Oystercatchers, 90 Lapwing, a Grey Heron, 11 Canada Geese, 29 Shelduck, 290+ Wigeon, 40 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 220+ Teal, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Stonechats, single very late Whinchat, Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher were reported from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area. A Snipe, 25 Dunlin, a few Curlew and Oystercatchers, 13 Shelduck, 9 Wigeon and a Rock Pipit were seen from the Severn Beach shore. Single Curlew, Little Egret, Kestrel and Coal Tit were seen at Aust Cliff/services.

7th December
Another dismal day with rain and a strong South West wind. A new record count of at least 2,000 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot, 170+ Oystercatchers, 80 Curlew, 20 Dunlin, 4 Snipe, 120 Lapwing, 20 Redshank, a Grey Heron, just one Canada Goose, 15 Shelduck, 370+ Wigeon, 300 Teal, 40 Shoveler, 17 Gadwall, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Stonechat, single Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler and Kestrel were reported from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area. At least 10 Turnstones, 30 Redshank, 3 Curlew, 3 Oystercatchers, a Snipe, 2 Grey Heron, 27 Shelduck, 13 Wigeon, single hen Pheasant and Water Rail, 2 Cetti’s Warbler and 3 Stonechats were were reported from the Severn Beach shore.

6th December
Another gloomy day with some heavy rain showers in a gusty South West wind. At least 110 Curlew, 30 Redshank, 3 Snipe, 110 Lapwings, a Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 92 Greylag Geese, 110 Canada Geese, 9 Shelduck, 350+ Wigeon, 150+ Teal, 18 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, single Merlin and Grey Wagtail were seen in the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area. Sightings from Severn Beach included a few Turnstone, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlew, 6 Canada Geese, 6 Shelduck, 8 Wigeon, 2 Ravens and 2 Stonechats.

5th December
A gloomy day and very wet from early afternoon in a gusty South East wind. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included a Black-tailed Godwit, 250 Dunlin, 110 Oystercatchers, 25 Curlew, 150 Redshank, 140 Lapwing, a Little Egret and 2 Grey Heron, 83 Greylag Geese, 110 Canada Geese, 20+ Shelduck, 28 Shoveler, 295+ Wigeon, 28 Shoveler, 14 Gadwall, 7 Tufted Duck, a Kestrel and 2 Raven. A Ringed Plover, 60 Black-tailed Godwits, 10 Turnstone, 7 Curlew, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Heron, 15 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon and 3 Great Black-backed Gulls were reported from the Severn Beach shore.

4th December
A cool, dry day following heavy overnight rain. At least 50 Turnstones, 20 Dunlin, 12 Curlew, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Canada Geese, 26 Shelduck, 14 Wigeon, a Kestrel and 2 Stonechats were seen from the Severn Beach shore. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area included 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Jack Snipe (near Cake Pill), 110 Oystercatchers, 80+ Curlew, 250 Lapwings, 20 Dunlin, 30+ Redshank, 4 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 83 Greylag Geese, 140 Canada Geese, 30+ Shelduck, 40 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 200+ Wigeon, 150+ Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Kestrel, 5 Stonechats, single Water Rail, Whinchat (1st December record), Raven and Grey Wagtail. A Common Sandpiper, 4 Redshank, single Kingfisher and Kestrel, 2 Peregrine, 2 Water Pipit and a Rock Pipit were reported from Aust Warth.

Whinchat, Northwick Warth 4.12.25

3rd December
A sunny, dry and cool day. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 220 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 35 Redshank, 70 Oystercatcher, 52 Curlew, single Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 67 Greylag Geese, 130 Canada Geese, 32 Shelduck, 27 Shoveler, 17 Gadwall, 80+ Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 200+ Wigeon, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, single Water Rail, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Grey Wagtail. At least 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Curlew, 18 Oystercatchers, 3 Grey Heron, 24 Shelduck, 12 Wigeon, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Water Rail, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, 2 Stonechats and a Sparrowhawk were reported from the Severn Beach shore. A Common Sandpiper and at least 2 Water Pipits were reported from Aust Warth. At least 11 Snipe, 8 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon, 42 Mallard, single Teal, Kestrel, Peregrine and Blackcap, 26 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare and 3 Stonechats were seen at Aust Wetland.

2nd December
A sunny morning followed by a gloomy and wet afternoon. Reports from Severn Beach included a flock of 35 Golden Plover flying South West, 200 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Turnstone, 7 Curlew, a Grey Heron, 33 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon and a garden feeding female Blackcap. A Jack Snipe, 51 Snipe, 150 Redshank, 450 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 250 Lapwings, 90 Oystercatchers, a Grey Heron, 80 Greylag Geese, 160 Canada Geese, 17 Shelduck, 30 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 200+ Wigeon, 200+ Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Stonechats, 2 Kestrel, single Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Grey Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff were reported from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area .

Marsh Harrier, Pilning Wetland 2.12.25

1st December
A wet day with a moderate strength South/South West wind. At least 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 190 Redshank, 800 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 60 Oystercatchers, 95 Lapwing, a Little Egret, 70+ Greylag Geese, 180 Canada Geese, 18 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 110 Teal, 2 Stonechat and a Kingfisher were seen in the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area.