Other Severnside
Wildlife Pictures

Out and About Pictures

Current Severnside species year total = 181 (a new record)

Click on the Calendar picture below for detailed daily sightings and pictures for each month....

December 1st
Five Ravens were seen feeding on a sheep carcass at Aust Warth where 2 Stonechats and a Peregrine were also found. Sightings from New Passage included the male Merlin, another 2 Ravens, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 1200 Dunlin, 36 Oystercatchers, 50 Redshank, 170 Lapwing, 26 Shelduck and 2 Shoveler. There were 100 Turnstones, 40 Oystercatchers and 28 Shelduck at Severn Beach.

December is one of the quietest months with only 149 species recorded during the month. It can be a good month for wildfowl with the chance of Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander and Ruddy Duck 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 Glaucous Gull and in the winters of 1940 & 1941, Cirl Bunting.

Avocet, New Passage 2.12.6

December 2nd
The first Avocet of the year was found at New Passage this morning (It was colour ringed in France with a large Yellow ring with 2 black stripes on the left tibia, 3 colour rings on right tibia; Green over Red over White). Other sightings from here included 13 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 1000 Dunlin, 95 Redshank, 35 Oystercatchers, 150 Lapwings, 80 Turnstones and a Raven. Another 2 Ravens remained on Aust Warth.

Leach�s Petrel, Severn Beach 3.12.6

December 6th
The strong winds and sea bird influx continued. The best find this morning was the second Little Auk of the year, drifting out on the falling tide at Chittening Warth. The total number of Leach�s Petrels must have exceeded 60 with the highest single count of 45+ from Chittening Warth. Several high counts came from Severn Beach during the day that may have been some of the Chittening birds and at least 5 were seen from New Passage. The Petrels at New Passage were seen flying low over the mud flats flushing the waders. Other sightings from Chittening Warth included a Great Skua and a Stonechat. Other sightings from Severn Beach included the first Great Northern Diver of the year, 2 Kittiwakes and 100 Turnstones. A high count of 154 Common Gulls, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 500 Dunlin, 95 Redshank and 120 Lapwings were also seen from New Passage. The drake Ring-necked Duck was seen again on the square roadside pool near Avonmouth Sewage Works.

December 5th
The windy weather continued producing a minimum of 5 Leach�s Petrels and 5 Kittiwakes from Severn Beach. At least 2 more Leach�s Petrels, 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 85 Redshank, 170 Lapwings and 450 Dunlin were seen from New Passage.

December 4th
Much more of the same today. The highest single count of Leach�s Petrels was 21 from Severn Beach with at least another 2 further up the estuary off New Passage. The total number of Petrels seen today must have been even higher with reports of an additional 25 on the upper Severn at Slimbridge WWT. The only other seabird reported was a first winter Kittiwake at Severn Beach. Other sightings from New Passage included the male Merlin, a first winter Mediterranean Gull, 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 70 Redshank and 300 Dunlin.

December 3rd
The weather remained wet and windy after a stormy night and predictably produced few seabirds in the afternoon. At least 7 Leach�s Petrels were seen close to the sea defences in Severn Beach along with a Great Skua that flew inland, 20 Kittiwakes, an adult Mediterranean Gull, an Auk sp., 7 Pintail, a Peregrine, 300 Dunlin and 20 Ringed Plovers. Sightings from New Passage included 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot, 53 Oystercatchers, 40 Redshank, 100 Lapwings, 300 Dunlin and a Raven.

December 7th
Sightings from Severn Beach included at least 20 Leach's Petrels, a pale phase Pomarine Skua, 8 Great Skuas including one feeding very close to shore on a dead Gull, at least 35 Kittiwakes, a report of 2 Storm Petrels, a Common Scoter, a 1st winter Little Gull, an adult Gannet, the first Purple Sandpiper of the year, 180 Turnstones and a female Pintail. A Great Skua was seen at New Passage along with 1000 Dunlin, 150 Lapwings, 60 Turnstones and 30 Redshank.

Great Skua, Severn Beach 7.12.6

Leach�s Petrel, Severn Beach 7.12.6

Purple Sandpiper, New Passage 8.12.6

December 9th
A quiet day with with little reported. There were 4000 Dunlin, 2 Golden Plover, 120 Lapwings, 70 Redshank, 77 Common Gulls and a Blackcap at New Passage. A Raven was seen on Aust Warth and the only report from Severn Beach was of 70 Turnstones.

December 8th
The wind eased today but a few sea birds were still present. A Leach�s Petrel was reported to have been killed
by a Great Black-backed Gull at Severn Beach where a Raven flew west and a dead Kittiwake was found. Another 2 Leach�s Petrels lingered of New Passage where a Guillemot, a dead Leach�s Petrel, 48 Shelduck, 170 Common Gulls, 3500 Dunlin, 40 Redshank, 50 Turnstones, 120 Lapwings, a Grey Plover and a Purple Sandpiper were also seen. A Short-eared Owl was hunting at Aust Warth this afternoon.

Guillemot, New Passage 8.12.6

Little Gull, Severn Beach 10.12.6

December 17th
Sightings from New Passage included 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 2000 Dunlin, 250 Lapwings, 34 Oystercatchers 75 Redshank, 48 Shelduck and 3 Redpolls. Nearby on the grebe pond at Northwick Warth there were 3 Water Rails, 12 Snipe and a male Blackcap. The Short-eared Owl and 2 Peregrines were seen at Aust Warth. There were still 16 Gadwall and 7 Tufted Ducks on the Orchard Pools at Severn Beach.

December 16th
A Short-eared Owl was seen hunting at Aust Warth this afternoon where 3 Stonechats and a Blackcap were also present. Sightings from New Passage included a female type Merlin, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 43 Redshank, 250 Lapwing and 2000 Dunlin. There were 3 Stonechats, 42 Oystercatchers, a Snipe, 18 Redwings and a Grey Wagtail at Chittening Warth. Another Stonechat was seen at Severn Beach.

December 15th
A quiet day with little to report. A Golden Plover joined the 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 250 Lapwing, 140 Turnstones, 1500 Dunlin and 30 Redshank off New Passage. A Barn Owl was seen on the coast road south of Severn Beach early this morning. The drake Ring-necked Duck was seen again on the square roadside pool near Avonmouth Sewage Works.

December 14th
A Guillemot and 9 Kittiwakes were seen from the shore at Severn Beach along with 150 Turnstones. Twenty Gadwall and 5 Tufted Ducks remained nearby on the Orchard Pools. There were still 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 1200 Dunlin, 45 Redshank, 235 Lapwings, 48 Oystercatchers, 18 Snipe, 110 Curlew, 18 Turnstones and 2 Water Rails at Northwick Warth. Reports from Chittening Warth included 2 Water Pipits, a Jack Snipe, 80 Curlew, 32 Oystercatchers, 106 Redshank and 35 Gadwall.

December 13th
Another windy day produced a Guillemot and 3 Kittiwakes off Severn Beach along with 100 Turnstone and 5 Ringed Plovers. Nearby there were 16 Gadwall and 4 Tufted Ducks on the Orchard Pools. The usual 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Redshank, 1200 Dunlin, 150 Lapwings, 10 Turnstone, 6 Shoveler and at least 60 Common Gulls were reported from New Passage.

December 12th
No sea birds were seen in a sea watch from Severn Beach but there were 150 Turnstones, 80 Curlew, 9 Shoveler and a Peregrine here. Sightings from New Passage included 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Turnstones, just 50 Dunlin, the usual 200 plus Teal and a Great Crested Grebe.

December 11th
A drake Common Scoter was seen from the shore at Severn Beach this morning and 21 Gadwall were seen here at the Orchard Pools. The usual 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 35 Redshank, 52 Oystercatchers, 120 Lapwing, 2000 Dunlin, 80 Curlew and 250 Teal were seen from New Passage. A Short-eared Owl and 2 Stonechats were seen at Aust Warth.

December 10th
A wet and breezy morning produced a Great Skua and a 2nd winter Little Gull off Severn Beach where 80 Turnstones and 300 Dunlin were also seen. Sightings from New Passage included 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Golden Plover, 50 Redshank, 100 Lapwing, 2000 Dunlin and 200 Teal.

2006 Avon Year list
click here

SEVERNSIDE BIRDS has moved to www.severnsidebirds.co.uk
cut and paste the this new URL or click here to go to the new address for all the latest sightings.