July is another quiet month on Severnside with only 144 species having been recorded.
It does have a more optimistic feeling to it than June, with the appearance of returning waders and in recent years the regular appearance of Little Egret, Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Herring Gulls (usually towards the end of the month). Unusual species seen have included dispersing Crossbill, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Goshawk and a Stone Curlew (1999). A good July gale has yet to happen but could produce some real seabird goodies....
July 31st
A visit to New Passage produced an adult Mediterranean Gull, 55 Dunlin, 50 Turnstone, single Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. There were 3 Reed Warblers, another 2 Lesser Whitethroats and a new brood of 4 Little Grebes on Northwick Warth. A Peregrine and a Common Sandpiper were present at Aust Warth.
July 30th
Rain during the night produced a small “fall” of Warblers. There were 2 Garden Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Common Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat at New Passage. Another Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were seen in Severn Beach. Waders seen from New Passage included 70 Dunlin, 60 Turnstone, 8 Redshank, 120 Curlew, 14 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 7 Whimbrel.
Garden Warbler, Severn Beach 30.7.5
July 29th
There were 45 Dunlin, 52 Turnstone, 6 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, single Snipe and Whimbrel at New Passage this morning.
July 28th
A quiet day. The only birds worth a mention were 60 Dunlin, 40 Turnstone, 8 Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers and a Teal at New Passage. There were only 3 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover and a Redshank on Severn Beach.
July 27th
A wet start to the day. A low tide visit to New Passage produced just 25 Dunlin, 40 Turnstone, 5 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. There were just 3 Dunlin, single Ringed Plover and Turnstone on Severn Beach and migrant Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were present in a garden here. At least 70 Swifts were feeding over hawthorn scrub south of the railway station.
July 26th
A visit to New Passage produced an adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 summer plumaged Grey Plover, 34 Turnstone, 30 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Redshank, single Common Sandpiper and Sanderling. A Little Egret, a Hobby, 3 Sedge Warblers and 2 Reed Warblers were seen at Northwick Warth. The Severn Beach wader roost held 42 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover. There were 2 Green Sandpipers on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
Common Sandpiper, New Passage 26.7.5
July 25th
A cool and cloudy day with a light North wind produced a small influx of waders. Birds seen from New Passage included 65 Dunlin, 32 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover, single Sanderling, Knot, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Little Egret. At least 30 Dunlin were seen on the morning high tide at Severn Beach and 3 Peregrines were present at Aust Warth.
July 24th
The first significant rainfall for over 3 weeks occurred during the morning. An afternoon visit to New Passage produced 4 Whimbrel, 19 Dunlin, 20 Oystercatchers, 140 Curlew and a Common Sandpiper. A Lesser Whitethroat was present in a Severn Beach garden.
July 23rd
The birds remained much the same on a fine warm day. An adult Mediterranaean Gull, 30 Turnstones, 19 Dunlin, 6 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 100 Curlew, 22 Oystercatchers, a Black-tailed Godwit and 2 drake Common Scoter were seen from New Passage. A Whimbrel was seen from Severn Beach. A Green Sandpiper was on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 22nd
New Passage produced 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Turnstones, 5 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, single Common Gull, Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper. The 2 drake Common Scoter were still off Northwick Warth.
July 21st
A warm day with few migrants reported. The 2 drake Common Scoter remained at Northwick Warth along with 100 Curlew, 17 Oystercatchers and 2 Lapwings. Waders seen from New Passage included 7 Turnstones, 2 Dunlin, single Redshank and Common Sandpiper.
July 20th
Despite 2 days of moderate West wind no seabirds have been reported yet. Single adult and juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were found amongst Black-headed Gulls at New Passage today where 40 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 13 Turnstone, a Ringed Plover and Hobby were also present. There were 6 Dunlin on Severn Beach. The 2 drake Common Scoter were still “anchored” off Northwick Warth. A Green Sandpiper was seen at the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
juvenile Mediterranean Gull, New Passage 20.7.5
July 19th
The 2 drake Common Scoter remained off New Passage where 4 Dunlin, 2 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper were also seen.
July 18th
A morning visit to New Passage produced a Sandwich Tern flying North, 2 drake Common Scoter, an adult Mediterranean Gull amongst 250 Black-headed Gulls, single Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher. There were 70 Curlew and a Redshank on Northwick Warth. The late afternoon high tide produced another 40 Curlew and 3 Ringed Plover at Severn Beach.
Adult Mediterranean Gull, New Passage 18.7.5
July 17th
A few birds of interest today despite the low tide and lack of observers! An adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 drake Common Scoter, a Yellow Wagtail, 3 Redshank and a Turnstone were seen at New Passage. A Little Owl was still present at Northwick Warth and several Coot broods were seen here on the Grebe Pond.
Coot, Northwick Warth 17.7.5
July 16th
A quiet day with few birds to report. A Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher and 7 Redshank were seen at New Passage. A Little Owl was found on Northwick Warth. A roosting flock of 80 Curlew were present at Chittening Warth, a Whimbrel and just 2 Dunlin were present at Severn Beach.
July 15th
A change to fresher weather and a slight increase in birds There were 28 Dunlin, 4 Turnstones and a Sanderling on the the shore at Severn Beach, nearby a pair of Gadwall with 8 fresh young and a Raven were seen at the Orchard Pools. Two Common Sandpipers and a single Redshank were present at New Passage. A Peregrine was hunting at Aust Warth. The drake Ring-necked Duck and a Green Sandpiper were seen at the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 14th
A trickle of migrants on another hot day included 3 Turnstones, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper and 4 Sand Martins at New Passage. Another Dunlin and a Black-tailed Godwit were seen at Severn Beach. The drake Ring-necked Duck was present again on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 13th
The temperature again reached 30°C. There were 2 Common Sandpipers, 30 Curlew and a Redshank at New Passage. Three Dunlin and 2 Teal were present at Severn Beach. A Peregrine was seen hunting at Aust Warth. The drake Ring-necked Duck was present again on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 12th
The hot weather continues but with few birds to report. There were 3 Common Sandpipers in the Pill at New Passage and just a single Dunlin on Severn Beach. The drake Ring-necked Duck was present again on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool along with a drake Ruddy Duck and a Green Sandpiper.
July 11th
Even hotter today exceeding 30°C. A few birds found this morning included single Greenshank, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Lapwing and 4 Oystercatchers at Severn Beach. There were 3 Kingfishers, 3 Common Sandpipers and a Hobby at New Passage. A flock of 50 Curlews were present on Northwick Warth and another 80 at Chittening Warth. The drake Ring-necked Duck was reported again on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 10th
Another day reaching 29°C, too hot to find many noteworthy birds. There were 120 Shelduck, 50 Curlew, 2 Lapwings and a Common Sandpiper at Northwick Warth. A group of 3 Ravens flew South over New Passage.
July 9th
A warm day with the temperature reaching 27°C. A flock of 90 Curlew were seen at Chittening Warth. A male Whinchat was a good bird for early July at Severn Beach where a Common Gull remained from yesterday. Two young Little Grebes and several Coot broods were seen on the Orchard Pools. There were 2 Kingfishers in the Pill at New Passage. This evening there were another 140 Curlew, a Common Sandpiper 3 Dunlin and 2 Redshank at Northwick Warth. Two Green Sandpipers were present at the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 8th
The first settled weather for a few days produced a trickle of new migrants. A Redshank and 2 Common Sandpipers joined the usual birds on Northwick Warth. Another 2 Redshank, single Dunlin and Common Gull were seen at Severn Beach and 3 Black-tailed Godwits were feeding off Chittening Warth. A Green Sandpiper was present at the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 7th
The moderate North West wind continued for most of the day. This evening there were 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Redshank with the usual 90 Curlew and 120 Shelduck off Northwick Warth.
July 6th
Very little was reported today in a gusty North West wind. A Lesser Whitethroat was present in the hedge at Northwick Warth and 90 Curlew, 7 Oystercatchers and 120 Shelduck were still on the foreshore here.
July 5th
A grey and wet day produced just a Common Sandpiper and 4 Oystercatchers on Severn Beach. A juvenile Wheatear and a Hobby were seen at New Passage, 4 Dunlin joined the usual birds off Northwick Warth. The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 4th
A Whimbrel was found amongst 100 Curlew on Northwick Warth along with the usual 140 Shelduck. An adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Common Sandpipers were seen at New Passage where the flock of 150 Black-headed Gulls contained at least one juvenile bird. The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
July 3rd
There were 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 140 Shelduck, 40 Curlew, 200 Black-headed Gulls (including 2 juveniles) at Northwick Warth. A Kingfisher was seen in the Pill at New Passage.
July 2nd
A visit to Northwick Warth produced 100 Curlew, 140 Shelduck, 200 Black-headed Gulls on the foreshore and single migrant Reed Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat in the hedge. A party of 7 Common Scoter were present off Severn Beach mid afternoon. The moulting Ring-necked Duck remained on show at Avonmouth.
July 1st
There was an influx of 180 Black-headed Gulls with the usual 140 Shelduck, 6 Oystercatchers and 6 Curlew at Northwick Warth. The Little Grebe brood remained intact at the Orchard Pools, Severn Beach. The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Avonmouth Sewage Works square pool.
