February 28th
Another cold day following a night temperature of -4°C. The month finished with the usual 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1500 Dunlin, a Grey Plover and the usual mixed flock of Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck at Northwick Warth. There were still 2 Stonechats, 2 Rock Pipits, 5 Gadwall, 80 Redshank and 40 Oystercatchers at Severn Beach. A drake Ring-necked Duck was present on the Square roadside Pool at Avonmouth Sewage Works accessed from Kingsweston Lane.
February 27th
There were 12 Ringed Plover, 40 Turnstone, 1000 Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 2 Stonechats and 3 Rock Pipits at Severn Beach. Northwick Warth proved to be no more exciting with with just 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 90 Curlew, 1500 Dunlin, 30 Oystercatchers, 30 Redshank, 80 Teal, 30 Shelduck and 80 Wigeon. There were 2 Ravens at Aust Warth.
February 24th
The 54 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits remained at Northwick Warth with 17 Grey Plover, 1500 Dunlin, 350 Lapwings and 30 Redshank. At Severn Beach, there were 30 Turnstone and 8 Gadwall on the foreshore, 5 Tufted Ducks and a Chiffchaff were seen at the Orchard Pools.
February 23rd
Another bitterly cold day. There were 12 Grey Plover, 1500 Dunlin, 30 Redshank, 200 Lapwings with the 54 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits at Northwick Warth. There were 8 Gadwall off Severn Beach and 4 Tufted Ducks at the Orchard Pools. A large number of Common Snipe and 17 Jack Snipe were flushed again from the field next to Avonmouth Sewage Works today.
February 22nd
A morning visit to Northwick Warth in a painfully cold North wind produced the usual Black-tailed Godwits and Bar-tailed Godwits with 1500 Dunlin, 8 Grey Plover, 200 Lapwing, 40 Oystercatchers and 35 Redshank. A Jack Snipe was flushed from the Severn Beach salt marsh and 2 Tufted Ducks remained on the Orchard Pools. Of interest, 200 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe were flushed from a “boggy” field next to Avonmouth Sewage Works on Kingsweston Lane.
February 21st
There was little change in the cold weather. The 54 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Grey Plover, 2000 Dunlin, 400 Lapwings and 50 Redshank remained on Northwick Warth. There were 2 Stonechats and 8 Shoveler on the foreshore at Severn Beach and 2 Tufted Ducks nearby at the Orchard Pools. A pair of Stonechats remained at Aust Warth.
February 20th
Another cold day with the wind forecast to come from the East and get even colder, this might produce a few more birds of interest as inland waters freeze. The usual 53 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Grey Plover and 2000 Dunlin were seen at Northwick Warth. There were at least 50 Shelduck and 70 Oystercatchers at Severn Beach late afternoon. This morning there were 250 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 2 Stonechats, 2 Ravens and 20 Skylarks at Aust Warth.
February 19th
A visit to Northwick Warth in a bitterly cold North West wind produced 53 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 Redshank, 1500 Dunlin and 50 Oystercatchers. The foreshore at Severn Beach produced 45 Shelduck, 9 Shoveler, 60 Turnstone, 30 Oystercatchers, 70 Redshank and 2 Stonechats, a Little Egret was seen here at the Orchard Pools. A pair of Stonechats remained on Aust Warth.
February 18th
A flock of 54 Black-tailed Godwits remained on Northwick Warth with 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Grey Plover, 1000 Dunlin, 400 Lapwing, 50 Redshank and 30 Turnstone. There were 80 Oysterctachers, 50 Redshank, 4 Tufted Ducks and 4 Stonechats at Severn Beach.
February 17th
There were 80 Oystercatchers, 70 Turnstone, 6 Ringed Plover, 10 Gadwall, 2 Stonechats and 4 Rock Pipits at Severn Beach, another 2 Stonechats and 2 Tufted Ducks were present nearby at the Orchard Pools. A flock of 42 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and 60 Redshank were seen off Chittening Warth. Another 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 65 Redshank, 800 Dunlin, 400 Lapwings and 9 Common Snipe were present at Northwick Warth.
February 16th
A dark-bellied Brent Goose was present at Severn Beach along with 70 Turnstone, 80 Oystercatchers, 7 Gadwall, 2 Rock Pipits and 2 Stonechats. There were 1000 Dunlin and 400 Lapwing with the usual Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck flock at Northwick Warth. A flock of 47 Black-tailed Godwits remained at Chittening Warth along with 50 Redshank and a single Bar-tailed Godwit.
February 15th
The quiet spell continues with 80 Oystercatchers, 2 Pintail and 6 Gadwall at Severn Beach. There were 47 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Stonechats and 200 Dunlin at Chittening Warth. Another Pintail, 300 Dunlin and 200 Lapwings remained at Northwick Warth.
February 14th
Another quiet day with 70 Turnstone, 2 Stonechats on the foreshore at Severn Beach and 4 Tufted Ducks nearby at the Orchard Pools. There were 75 Redshank off Chittening Warth, a Green Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff were seen nearby at the Seabank Pools. Northwick Warth produced just 33 Black-tailed Godwits, 500 Dunlin, 200 Lapwings and 56 Shelduck with the usual mixed flock of 300 Wigeon and Teal.
February 13th
A day of mixed weather made finding birds difficult and unpleasant; a strong North West wind with periods of torrential rain, hail and sleet and then short periods of sunshine. The were the usual 1200 Dunlin, 100 Oystercatcher, 120 Curlew, 200 Lapwing, 65 Redshank and just 22 Black-tailed Godwits at Northwick Warth. A female Blackcap and a pair of Pintail were seen at New Passage. Severn Beach produced just 4 Stonechats and 4 Rock pipits on the foreshore, the Orchard Pools held 4 Tufted Ducks, 2 Pochard and a Green Sandpiper.
February 12th
A visit to Severn Beach in a moderate West wind produced at least 1 Fulmar, 50 Kittiwakes, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Ravens, a single flock of 25 Pintail flying North East, 70 Turnstone and a Peregrine. There were still 2 Stonechats and the usual Rock Pipits in the salt marsh here. At least 1000 Dunlin, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, 200 Lapwing, 105 Oystercatchers, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits ,100 Redshank, 200 Wigeon, 130 Teal, 30 Shelduck and 2 Gadwall were present at Northwick Warth.
February 11th
A damp, grey day with another high (14.2m) spring tide. Severn Beach produced 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 140 Turnstone, 500 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover, 3 Rock Pipits, 3 Stonechats, a drake Tufted Duck and a pair of Shoveler on the river, another 6 Tufted Ducks on the Orchard Pools. There were many birds at Northwick Warth with at least 2500 Dunlin, 300 Lapwing, 120 Curlew, 30 Redshank, 20 Grey Plover, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Golden Plover, 16 Common Snipe, 100 Oystercatcher, 200 Wigeon, 130 Teal, 40 Shelduck, 11 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 40 Common Gulls and 5 Rock Pipits.
February 10th
Strong South West wind and a very high spring tide failed to produce any seabirds. There were 51 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Grey Plover, 50 Redshank, 1000 Dunlin, 300 Lapwings and 2 Ringed Plover at Northwick Warth. Severn Beach produced just 80 Turnstone and a Rock Pipit on the coast and 4 Tufted Duck at the Orchard Pools.
February 9th
An adult Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Ringed Plover and 2 Stonechats were seen at Severn Beach. There were 5 Tufted Ducks and a drake Shoveler nearby at the Orchard Pools. The usual 53 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Grey Plover, 40 Redshank, 2000 Dunlin, 600 Lapwing and a Peregrine were seen at Northwick Warth. A mixed flock of 200 Fieldfares and Redwings landed in trees at New Passage. Another 2 Peregrines were seen at Aust Warth and a total of 78 Shelduck were seen throughout the area today.
February 8th
A visit to Northwick Warth produced 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Grey Plover, 2000 Dunlin, 600 Lapwing, 85 Redshank along with the usual Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck. A Rock Pipit and 4 Stonechats were seen near the foreshore at Severn Beach. There were 4 Tufted Ducks and a drake Pochard here at the Orchard Pools. The variety of birds is unlikely to change unless freezing conditions or South West gales occur. Roll on Spring!
February 7th
After a cold frosty night the usual 51 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Grey Plover, 2000 Dunlin, 600 Lapwing, 65 Redshank, 30 Shelduck, several hundred Wigeon and Teal were seen at Northwick Warth. Small parties of Redwings and Fieldfares were seen flying over New Passage.
February 6th
A dry day with a light East wind produced a few new arrivals. A Great Crested Grebe was seen off Northwick Warth along with 2000 Dunlin, 500 Lapwing, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 60 Redshank, 14 Grey Plover and a Common Snipe. There were 3 Tufted Ducks on the Orchard Pools, Severn Beach. A Peregrine and a Raven were seen at the Sea Bank Pools, Chittening Warth. A pair of Stonechats remained at Aust Warth. A Chiffchaff, possibly of Siberian race was seen at New Passage.
February 5th
A dismal grey day with periods of heavy rain. The usual 1000 Dunlin, 52 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Grey Plover and 200 Lapwing were present off Northwick Warth. There were at least 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 13 Ringed Plover, 40 Turnstone, 50 Redshank, 60 Oystercatcher, a Common Snipe, 10 Gadwall, 30 Shelduck, 5 Rock Pipits, a Water Pipit and 2 Stonechats at Severn Beach.
February 4th
The first Little Egret of the year was seen at Northwick Warth along with 55 Black-tailed Godwits,
3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1000 Dunlin, 400 Lapwing and 35 Common Gulls. There were still 80 Oystercatchers, 6 Stonechats and 10 Gadwall at Severn Beach, a Water Rail was seen here at the Orchard Pools. An additional 4 Stonechats, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and 60 Redshank were present at Chittening Warth and a pair of Stonechats remained on Aust Warth.
February 3rd
Another quiet day with cloudy, mild (11°C) weather for the time of year. There were 800 Dunlin, 400 Lapwings, 52 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits with a large mixed flock of Teal and Wigeon at Northwick Warth. There were still 4 Stonechats, 4 Rock Pipits, 80 Oystercatchers and 10 Gadwall at Severn Beach.
February 2nd
A male Merlin, 500 Dunlin, 400 Lapwing and a large flock of Wigeon and Teal were seen at Northwick Warth. There were 4 Stonechats, 40 Turnstone and 10 Gadwall at Severn Beach. The 52 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits and 40 Redshank remained at Chittening Warth.
