Birdwatching at Oldbury Power Station

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Email me at phazelwood@blueyonder.co.uk or follow me on Twitter with username phazelwood.

Latest Sightings

13/5/12 – The Cuckoo was mobile around Lagoon 2 this evening. Only 2 Coot chicks left from the 5, but the 2nd pair of adults have a new nest. The female Peregrine came off the towers and hung in the northerly wind, about 150 foot above my head, with the setting sun lighting up her underside – magical.

A Spotted Flycatcher was reported from the glade by the metal tower at the end of the main rhine.

MB also reported the Spotted Flycatcher, at 6.30am at the south end of Lagoon 2, and also on Lagoon 2: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler and 3 Reed Warbler.

Here’s a mobile phone photo of the Pied Flycatcher seen inside the grounds of OPS on 2/5/12 (thanks JL/SS).

12/5/12 – AM reported: 8 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin (all on shore), 2 Little Grebe (pair very active on pond), 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Cuckoo (calling again from Lagoon 2), 2 Wheatear, 7 Canada Goose (6 adult + 1 young at Yacht Club).

7/5/12 – A Whinchat and, even more unusually, a pair of Yellowhammer by the green gate at the end of the main rhine. At High Tide, a Little Ringed Plover was calling avidly from in front of the hide on Lagoon 3; difficult to find in the vegetation, but I eventually did. Also 11 Ringed Plover and 5 Dunlin there. At the yacht club were 10 Bar-tailed Godwit and 8 Whimbrel. Also, 3 Yellow Wagtail over NE, 3 Wheatear, 2 Cuckoo calling again, 5 Sedge Warbler and 6 Reed Warbler (3 on Lagoon 2). Apart from the continued Swallows (and 10 Sand Martin), the only thing moving on the estuary was a Black-headed Gull downriver.

Whinchat.

6/5/12 – This evening there were 2 Cuckoo calling; one at Lagoon 2 and one to SW of Lagoon 3. Two broods of Mallard; 8 on lake and 3 on main rhine. The 5 Coot chicks are still there, but the second nest has failed. 27 Black-headed Gull went upriver.

The morning High Tide roost at the yacht club had: 48 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Whimbrel, 2 Dunlin and 1 Turnstone. Lagoon 3 had 13 Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin. A Hobby flew in off the estuary by the yacht club. Also, 2 pairs of Gadwall seen; a pair flew downriver at same time as a pair on Lagoon 1. Only 5 Black-headed Gull upriver. Lagoon 2 had 6 Sedge Warbler (+ 2 elsewhere), only 2 Reed Warbler, and a calling Cuckoo. 3 Cuckoo reported by RA. The Swallow movement continued until 9am when it slowed, with c500 upriver (105 in one flock), plus 20+ House Martin and 10+ Sand Martin.

Cuckoo, by Lagoon 3.

5/5/12 – A fantastic morning, or to be more precise a fantastic hour. Arriving at 5.45am my first look at the estuary was met with ‘tu,tu,tu’ing as 2 Greenshank flew along the shore. A few scans of the river found 2 ‘Commic’ Tern (most likely Arctic) flying upriver at 6.05am. Then a female Ruddy Shelduck was on Lagoon 3, on the water by the outlet, and later in front of the hide (but it went as the tide dropped). Also a Golden Plover was on Lagoon 3 (and later in ploughed field next to it), in not quite full summer plumage. Swallows were still moving NE into the wind, at a rate of about 150 per hour and one each of House Martin, Sand Martin and Swift seen. Also 10 Siskin (7 and 3), 9 Greenfinch and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Things went calm after that, with just 4 Wheatear (inc. 3 at yacht club), 11 Whimbrel, 4 Curlew, 3 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Cuckoo (Lagoon 2 and on track to hide). A Little Grebe was back on the lake. c50 Black-headed Gull livened things up by suddenly appearing over the power station towers and then heading upriver. Then at 9.15am a ‘Ringtail’ Harrier was out over the estuary being harassed by large gulls, which it finally got away from and headed NNE. (Thought this was a Hen Harrier at the time, but now not so sure. It was rather slight and light-coloured in the body and I estimated the wingspan as 70% of Herring Gull. But wings weren’t particularly pointed. Unfortunately it was seen at a distance of half a mile at its closest.)

Golden Plover on the ploughed, and flooded, field next to Lagoon 3.

3/5/12 – AM reported, in morning: 11 Knot, 23 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Whimbrel, 4 Wheatear, 1 Cuckoo, 20 Swift and 43 House Martin.

A report (via JL) of a Pied Flycatcher yesterday, in bushes outside the ‘OTC’ office in the Power Station grounds.

Also DS reported 2 Canada Goose gosling with adult at the yacht club on 1st, which may be the ones from the lake.

(And, just checking Earliest/Latest Dates, the Arctic Skua, Little Tern and Spotted Flycatcher below are the earliest recorded at OPS.)

2/5/12 – A Spotted Flycatcher was in trees in SSW corner of the lake (watched from lake-side) this evening, and a Hobby was again on a (different !) post on Lagoon 1. A female Teal was on Lagoon 3. On the shore were 14 Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit. The Canada Goose goslings have disappeared, and just 2 adults on the lake. But the Coot chicks have survived – 5 yesterday and at least 3 today.

1/5/12 – DS/AS had an excellent day of migration at OPS: an incredible movement of hirundines NE with uncountable numbers of Swallow and plenty of House Martin and Swift and fewer Sand Martin.
A maximum count of 81 Yellow Wagtail in the flooded ploughed fields just down-river of Lagoon 3 plus 105 over NE; also 12 ‘White’ Wagtail in those fields and at the yacht club; 12 Tree Pipit over NE; 10 Meadow Pipit over NE; and 1 Grey Wagtail over NE; 20 Wheatear dotted around; 185 Goldfinch over NE plus another 50 on the deck; 2 Cuckoo at Lagoon 2 and the yacht club; 1 Whinchat in a hedgerow alongside the ploughed fields; 1 Redstart by the metal gate on the way to the yacht club; 1 Hobby between Lagoon 2 and The Windbound; and 1 Siskin over NE.
Up-river: 1 Little Tern really close in, at first at the yacht club; a 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull with 10 Black-headed Gull; 11 Black Tern (2 feeding over the flooded stubble field (where Twite were) and 1 over the river by the yacht club), 1 Common Tern, 2 Arctic Tern and 2 Sandwich Tern.
Finally, a Grey Seal drifted down-river on the falling tide. (Unfortunately, they missed the Laughing Gull seen at Severnside, as the visibility at the time was awful.)

A nice sunny evening and Lagoon 1 had a Hobby sat on a post and a Cuckoo calling and seen (and Lagoon 1 also has water in it for the first time in about a year ?). An Arctic Skua went upriver at 7:50pm.

The Swallow movement continued right to dusk – ones and twos passing every minute or so.

Hobby on Lagoon 1.

30/4/12 – DS/AS reported: 1 Turtle Dove (on sea wall near Lagoon 1, then flew into hedgerow along NE edge of the lagoon), 1 female Redstart (near the gate to Lagoon 3), 4 Bar-tailed Godwit (1 at yacht club, 3 just down-river of the sluice at ST626973), 12 Yellow Wagtail heading NE, 1 Common Sandpiper (yacht club), 34 Wheatear (mostly between OPS and the yacht club), 2 Garden Warbler, 30+ Whimbrel, 3 Siskin (heading NE), 5+ Lesser Whitethroat, and a steady passage of hirundines with small numbers of Swift mostly heading NE. Also 2 Yellowhammer. And from NE of OPS: 2 Sanderling (just up-river of the sluice at ST626973), 1 Grasshopper Warbler (singing from a ditch NE of White House at ST618967).

29/4/12 – Sadly, the Raven nest blew down from the pylon in the high winds this morning. One chick found dead in a puddle underneath; estimated at one week old. The Canada Goose has lost 2 goslings, so 2 left.

A truly horrible day. The high wind from the east is cold and the rain incessant – the small pond to SW of Lagoon 3 has risen by 20cm this week. Virtually no birds singing and the estuary was empty; not a single Shelduck even. The only birds flying went past at knee height: 2 Swift, 3 Swallow and 6 Racing pigeon. 3 bedraggled Wheatear (2 on the shore, and one on the road by the main entrance !).

(Only 29 species seen in 2 hours – must be my lowest count ever.)

Ravens nest on pylon – the amazing construction was built in just one week (1st week in March), with the pair flying continually from hedges to nest.

Here’s a short video of the nest on the ground – the cup was made of wool and hair and the nest contained lots of bits of string with hundreds of sticks.

http://youtu.be/Qcu68dnCxUI

28/4/12 – Lagoon 2 had a Grasshopper Warbler reeling at the north end and 3+ Sedge Warbler. Visible migration was still obvious mid-morning, with birds heading NE into wind: 11 Swift, 35 House Martin, 60 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet and 1 Reed Bunting. There were also 3 House Martin, 25 Swallow and 20 Sand Martin over the lake. Plus, 1 Whimbrel at Shepperdine, 7 Ringed Plover and 6 Wheatear along the shore.

MP reported, early morning: 13 Whimbrel at the yacht club and similar numbers of ‘hirundine-types’ through.

26/4/12 – 4 Canada Goose gosling fledged.

(I now think that the recording below is a Garden Warbler and the strange sounds are noise distortion. No sign of it this morning.)

25/4/12 – A possible Marsh Warbler singing by the small triangular reedbed on Lagoon 2 at 7:50pm this evening. Listen to a recording at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxS09qWkYPI.

10 Whimbrel on shore at Shepperdine. The lake had 3+ House Martin, 5+ Sand Martin, 5+ Swallow, still 5 Coot chicks and 2+ Canada Goose goslings have fledged.

A Carrion Crow was on a nest and 2 Blue Tit nests – one in the yellow metal barrier at the main entrance !

22/4/12 – AM reported: 10 Black-tailed Godwit on flooded No 3 lagoon in summer plumage, 3 Greylag Goose on the lake, 8 Tufted Duck (4 pairs) and 2 Yellowhammer (pair).

21/4/12 – A Short-eared Owl sat on a post on Lagoon 2, behind the main reedbed, for at least an hour (7:20-8.20am). Seemed rather sleepy (see photo), so I expect it will roost there. Also on Lagoon 2: 8 Whitethroat (+ 2 elsewhere), 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 5 nesting Linnet pairs. A Black-tailed Godwit in summer plumage was on Lagoon 3, which is flooded and looking good. A Sedge Warbler in hedge between Lagoon 3 and small copse, and 2 Wheatear at the yacht club. The lake is looking excellent, with loads of weed, and there were 5 Coot chicks in one family (plus another adult on a nest – haven’t had two nests since 2006), 3 Canada Goose gosling peeped out from under their mother on the nest, 4 pairs of Tufted Duck and the Mute Swan pair (plus 3 on estuary). Also, 2 Goldcrest singing. A Fox stalked and pounced on a Vole, and then ate it, just 10 yards from the hide, and then strolled past the front of the hide while I was sat watching it ! It returned 5 minutes later with another Vole in its jaws.

That’s 100 species for me at OPS in 2012, and 118 for all-comers.

Short-eared Owl on Lagoon 2. Black-tailed Godwit, Lagoon 3

20/4/12 – A Ringed Plover and 14 Curlew on Lagoon 3 this evening. Also, 12 Sand Martin and 8 Swallow. And the first Hawthorn flowers.

19/4/12 – AM reported: 2 Redstart (males; on fence on Lagoon 1 and flying across Lagoon 2), 1 Garden Warbler (singing at side of Lagoon 2), 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 16 Chiffchaff, 5 Canada Goose, 6 Tufted Duck (3 pairs) and 3 Wheatear (at Oldbury Pill).

17/4/12 – DS/AS reported: 1 Sandwich Tern (down-river over the tidal lagoon at 11:50), 28 Kittiwake (a single flock, drifted down river in the main channel beyond the tidal lagoon at 11:45 before taking off and heading towards the bridge gaining height as they did so), 3 Whitethroat, 3 Whimbrel and 18 Wheatear. Also, overhead (mostly moving up-river): 1 House Martin, 20+ Swallow and 5 Pied/’White’ wagtail.

15/4/12 – Lagoon 2 had 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat (a week later than 2011) and 1 Reed Warbler. At 8.30am 3 Arctic Tern went slowly over the Tidal Reservoir upriver into the NE wind.

14/4/12 – In a brief evening visit, a male Ring Ouzel by the hedge between Lagoon 2 and the horse paddock to South, amd 2 Redstart (male and female) on the Lagoon 1 fence viewable from Lagoon 2. Also 5 Wheatear (2 on Lagoon 2 and 3 on shore by Lagoon 3, which is now half full of water), and 4 Swallow.

AM reported this morning: 1 female Redstart on road by lake, 5 Willow Warbler and 1 Wheatear at Yacht Club.

Male Ring Ouzel.

13/4/12 – More migrants around today. A Lesser Whitethroat singing in the bushes at south end of Lagoon 2, a Tree Pipit in bushes at north end of Lagoon 1 (earliest here by a day), a Yellow Wagtail heard over, 20 Swallow and 23 Sand Martin trickling through all morning, 8 Wheatear (4 in ploughed field by Lagoon 3 and 4 at yacht club), 1 ‘White’ Wagtail (ploughed field) and Linnets and Meadow Pipits heading through.

The bird surveyors (DS/AS) reported: an Osprey upriver at 09:20, a Little Ringed Plover over the estuary by Lagoon 3 (which has water being pumped in), another Tree Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 House Martin, 1 Redpoll, 2 Siskin and a brood of Mallard.

12/4/12 – 7 Bar-tailed Godwit on a mudbank (found by MP), 2 Swallow and 2 Willow Warbler. On the lake were 4 tiny Coot chicks with parents (which are very aggressive to the ducks), 3 pairs of Tufted Duck, 2 Canada Goose (one on nest still), 2 Mute Swan and 3 Teal (with another 14 at the yacht club).

AM reported the Tawny Owl again in the dead tree to SW of Lagoon 3 and 11 Blackcap.

The Raven is still sat on the nest near Thornbury.

Coot with chicks.

11/4/11 – 3 Willow Warbler and 1 Swallow.

DS reported from a nocturnal survey: a female Fallow Deer in a field just up-river of The Windbound and a Little Owl on the fence between Lagoon 2 and the Water Works (the first since Oct 2010 – used to nest regularly).

Chinook landing in the meadow next to the orchard.

10/4/12 – 2 Swallow moving West into wind and 4 Jay together, one of which I recorded singing its strange song – listen from 27 seconds in (sorry about wind noise !), at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nApfQk69iKk.

9/4/12 – Nothing moving up the estuary this morning over High Tide, in wet South-Westerly. 3 Sand Martin and c20 Meadow Pipit battling into the wind. Another c40 Meadow Pipit on the ground around Lagoon 1.

8/4/12 – AM WeBS count: 8 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 40 Mallard, 6 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Egret, 9 Redshank, 2 Peregrine, Buzzard at nest, 5 Yellowhammer, 22 Chiffchaff.

7/4/12 – A good day for birds of prey, but nothing else. A female Merlin flew North, over Lagoon 3 and straight over the estuary. A Tawny Owl sat in classic pose, in a hole in an old tree. The Peregrine pair were around the towers, with the male trying to land on the female, and the female later with a cached Feral Pigeon. Also, a pair of Kestrel mating on a pylon, a juvenile Sparrowhawk and a pair of Buzzard sat next to each other in the large tree they nested in last year.

Tawny Owl sat in old tree.

6/4/12 – 1+ Willow Warbler singing by the lake and 9 Blackcap. Now 2 pairs of Tufted Duck on the lake. 2 Little Egret a mile inland, by the Lower Severn Drainage Board office.

The pair of Raven were still at the nest near Thornbury.

5/4/12 – DS reported: 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Swallow (+2 in Thornbury), 5+ Wheatear, 1 Crossbill and 7 Yellowhammer. Also, a pair of Oystercatcher mating on the wall of the Tidal Reservoir.

AM/MP reported: 2 Wheatear (yacht club) and 4 Yellowhammer.

1/4/12 – No new birds in. 9 Buzzard soaring at same time, to south of Lagoon 2.

MP reported: 9 Stock Dove (one displaying male), 19 Meadow Pipit, 1 Lapwing and 2 Dunlin.

A Red Kite a few miles inland of OPS, between Kingswood and Hillesley, in Gloucestershire.

Tufted Ducks on the lake (photo by MP).

31/3/12 – AM reported this evening: a male Hen Harrier flying along the shore, past the yacht club and along Littleton Warth, then south over Littleton Brick Pits, and a Short-eared Owl at the yacht club again.

At High Tide, a Swallow and 17 Black-headed Gull upriver. Also a male ‘White’ Wagtail. And 4 Blackcap (3 males singing and a female).

MP reported another Siskin and a Wheatear over.

Visible migration was apparent this morning, with c300 birds per hour heading NE into breeze; mainly Meadow Pipit and Linnet, with a few Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch. Also, 1 Sand Martin and 2 Siskin. All action on the lake, with 2 pairs of Mute Swan and 2 pairs of Canada Goose fighting it out between and among themselves. The female Canada Goose had to come off the nest to help defend the patch. The 2 Little Grebe displaying still, a pair of Tufted Duck and 10 Teal. Very quiet on the estuary (at low tide), with NO small waders, Wigeon or Teal.

Late addition – A Little Ringed Plover was heard flying upriver at high tide, calling ‘tee-ooou’.

A Merlin was hunting near Alveston.

30/3/12 – A Greylag Goose was on the dry Lagoon 3 at dusk and the Short-eared Owl was again hunting the long grass just inland of the yacht club.

A Willow Warbler was singing in my garden at Frampton Cotterell this morning.

Greylag Goose on Lagoon 3.

28/3/12 – A Short-eared Owl hunting along the stream running from the Anchor pub to the yacht club at dusk. What a sunset it was – cloudless sky and walking around in a T-shirt (in March !). The 2 Little Grebe were on the lake again. Also 2+ Lapwing heard after dusk in the fields to SW of Lagoon 3. The Raven pair were at the nest near Thornbury.

AB/AS reported (via DS): 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 ‘White’ Wagtail and 2 Water Pipit.

27/3/12 – MP reported: a pair of Little Grebe displaying on the lake and 3 Peregrine (a pair seeing off another male).

AB/AS reported (via DS): a Willow Warbler and a Red Kite.

26/3/12 – A walker reported (via MP) a Short-eared Owl at the yacht club in the evening.

25/3/12 – 3 Blackcap singing around the site. A juvenile Peregrine was sat on the tower ledge, and later a pair were on the pylons (and AM earlier saw them flying around, calling). March records for butterfly: Speckled Wood, Peacock, Tortoiseshell and Brimstone all on the wing.

AM also reported: 3 Sand Martin (over Lagoon 2), 18 Chiffchaff, 4 Teal (2 on the pond, 2 on the river), 52 Curlew, 8 Reed Bunting and 41 Shelduck.

A Raven was sat on the nest near Thornbury.

Speckled Wood. Dead Shrew

24/3/12 – Dense fog around the estuary early morning, but the first Blackcap of the year singing along the main rhine and 20+ Chiffchaff. Canada Goose sat on nest on island in lake.

23/3/12 – MP reported: a Short-eared Owl hunting between lagoon 3 and the sailing club. c250 Curlew roosted on lagoon 3, including 10+ colour-ringed birds (but unable to see colours).

Short-eared Owl showing well.(Photo by MP)

The following interesting news from Mike Smart, about a colour-ringed Curlew . . .

FP 01439 Dark Blue (above ‘knee’, left leg), Red-over-Red (right leg)

26.09.10 Ringed Wibdon Warth

22.03.11 Coombe Hill

23.03.11 Coombe Hill

28.03.11 Ashleworth Ham

01.04.11 Ashleworth Ham

12.08.11 * Guscar Rocks (VP3)

15.08.11 Guscar Rocks (VP1)

17.08.11 Guscar Rocks (JDS)

27.08.11 Guscar Rocks (JDS)

29.08.11 Guscar Rocks (JDS)

31.08.11 Guscar Rocks (JDS)

30.09.11 Guscar Rocks (JDS)

04.12.11 Oldbury Power Station (PH)

20.03.12 Coombe Hill

Hence, after it was ringed on 26 September 2010, it was seen four times in late March /early April 2011 at Coombe Hill / Ashleworth Ham, both Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust wetland reserves in the Severn floodplain between Gloucester and Tewkesbury, where there are actually breeding Curlews in the hay meadows. We wondered last year if the bird was a local breeder, but it wasn’t seen after 1 April, so we supposed that it had hung around off-passage for a few days, feeding up, and had then moved on to nest in the Finland area. It reappeared with all the others on the Severn estuary in August, and was regularly seen.

Today, almost a year to the day from last year’s first observation, it turned up again at Coombe Hill, as one of a group of ten birds that arrived mid-morning; they had nothing whatsoever to do with the local breeders, already on site, and fed as a group on the surrounding fields. I assume from this behaviour that it was a migrant stopping off on its way north, and presumably going further north than all the birds that have already passed through. (We had one bird seen by JDS on 16 February, and sighted in the Netherlands on 24 February, and still there, behaving like a breeding bird. So maybe those that don’t go so far north to breed are departing earlier.)

20/3/12 – DS reported it being rather quiet, but 7 Chiffchaff (including 6 singing males) and 5 Siskin going over west.

18/3/12 – AM found 3 Roe Deer in a field towards the yacht club (one is unusual), a pair of Peregrine around the towers and 4+ Canada Goose at the yacht club.

A surprise flock of 42 Linnet were in the maize-field, and a male Yellowhammer still around.

The pair of Ravens were around the nest near Thornbury.

Roe Deer, sat under hedge.

17/3/12 – A male Wheatear on Lagoon 2 (by the Water Works) this morning, and 2 more males at the yacht club (one of which was singing softly !). Also a Greylag Goose at the yacht club. There were 8 Chiffchaff around the site (a high count for this early). It really felt like Spring, with Meadow Pipit singing, one of the c50 Shelduck nest-prospecting in a tree at Shepperdine and Cowslips flowering. Very few winter visitors left: 6 Redwing, 8 Wigeon and 10 Teal (on the lake – a lot for here). A Peregrine was around the towers after an absence of 3 weeks.

Wheatear at the yacht club.

11/3/12 – This evening there were 2 Mistle Thrush to south of Lagoon 2.

No sign of Ravens at the(very large) nest near Thornbury, all weekend.

10/3/12 – A fabulous Spring-like morning. A Siskin flew over, low to SW, calling. The Curlew flock at the yacht club still had 100+, and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit with them. Also 20 Redshank, 25 Meadow Pipit and 20 Dunlin there. A Chiffchaff was singing in the trees at the west side of Lagoon 3. The lake had: 1 Little Grebe (AM reported), 2 Canada Goose, a male Tufted Duck, 9 Teal (counted by MP) and 3+ Coot. There were still 30+ Redwing and 2 Fieldfare left. Also, 5 Yellowhammer, 1 Grey Wagtail , 5 Collared Dove and 3 queen Bumblebees.

AM WeBS count: 58 Wigeon, 14 Shelduck, 28 Mallard, 8 Canada Goose, 36 Dunlin, 21 Redshank, 2 Chiffchaff (1singing,1 calling), 120 Redwing and a Brimstone butterfly.

7/3/12 – DS reported: a Crossbill over West this afternoon and a male Stonechat on Lagoon 2.

6/3/12 – WK reported a Chiffchaff. (Avon Birds)

5/3/12 – DS reported, a Barn Owl feeding at night, along the sea-wall between Lagoon 1 and The Windbound, and later, along a hedgerow just inland.

4/3/12 – On the lake: the Little Grebe still, a male Tufted Duck, 3 Canada Goose, 1 Mute Swan, 4 Coot, 4 Teal, 2 Cormorant and 4 Moorhen. Another 3 Mute Swan were on the far side of the estuary.

A pair of Raven were nest-building near Thornbury.

MP reported: a Siskin on the west side of Lagoon 3 and 11 Oystercatcher at Shepperdine.

3/3/12 – At dusk, there were c100 Pied Wagtail going to roost on out-buildings, 10 Oystercatcher and 31 Shelduck (Shepperdine) and 2 Raven disturbed from roost in trees along main rhine.

A Little Grebe on the lake along with the usual wildfowl. The Damson trees are flowering very early . . .

Adult Little Grebe. Canada Goose on the lake (Photo by MP)

Damson flowers.

2/3/12 – KP reported: 4 Redpoll (in trees on NE side of Lagoon 2), 3 pairs of Bullfinch, 2 Jay, 4 Green Woodpecker (3 in same tree !) and 8 Redwing.

AM reported: 3 Siskin (feeding in Alders at the back of Lagoon 2), 47 Shelduck, 15 Redshank, just 4 Lapwing, 28 Common Gull, 15 Teal, 43 Wigeon, 34 Curlew (one colour-ringed), 7 Oystercatcher and a pair of Canada Goose that have taken up residence on the pond. Also the Surveyors recorded 4 Shoveler and a Grey Wagtail.

26/2/12 – Warm sunny day again, but not many new birds to report. A Mute Swan flew upriver, and a Raven was heard.

Grey Heron on the jetty.

25/2/12 – A lovely, warm and sunny morning. On the lake were: 1 Tufted Duck (male), 2 pairs of Coot, 4 Canada Goose (with 6 more at yacht club), 1 Mute Swan and some Teal. Plenty of birds were singing, including Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Skylark, and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker drummed. Also a Sparrowhawk did a territorial roller-coaster, up-and-down, ‘sky-dive’ at tree height. At the yacht club were: 12 Yellowhammer, 2 Rock Pipit and 20+ Meadow Pipit. I checked the maize-stubble field, but only 1 Linnet, 1 Skylark and 5 Snipe there. A Bar-tailed Godwit was with c120 Curlew on Lagoon 3. Also, 2 Peregrine, 1 Ringed Plover, 7 Bullfinch and 7 Skylark. A respectable total of 63 species.

18/2/12 – 52 Shelduck is a large increase in numbers. Not very good birding conditions today in a cold westerly wind. A Goldcrest was singing, though. Sadly, a Herring Gull had a broken wing on the lake, after hitting the power lines above it (I expect). Also, 2 colour-ringed Curlew to report.

(The male Blackcap that has been on my feeder all month has started singing today !)

17/2/12 – AM/MP reported: 12 Oystercatcher (best since Feb 2009), 2 Tufted Duck (first since July 2011), c37 Yellowhammer, 260 Dunlin, 72 Lapwing, 2 Ringed Plover, 23 Teal, 41 Wigeon.

A video of the Twite from 15th Jan is here . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDhaD0quBU (Thanks Matt P)

13/2/12 – MP reported that the thawing maize-stubble fields are teeming with birds, including 1 Golden Plover and 2+ Twite.

12/2/12 – The Peregrine pair were calling from the top of the tower at dusk, and a Tawny Owl was heard calling distantly towards the yacht club from Lagoon 3 at 7pm.

11/2/12 – A -6°C start, warming up to a barmy -0.5°C by 11:30am. The 3 Twite were with the large Chaffinch flock on Lagoon 3, with 2+ Linnet. A Chiffchaff was in bushes by the reedbed on Lagoon 2. At Shepperdine were: 1 Grey Plover (AM reported), 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Rock Pipit, and 20 Curlew (inc. 3 colour-ringed). At the yacht club was another Grey Plover, c200 Curlew and 40 Yellowhammer. Also a Treecreeper along the main rhine and a Siskin over. A Peregrine was flying around low, calling, and landed in a tree full of Jackdaws, causing them to swirl about noisily. Also 4 Foxes seen, including one out on the iced lake.

AM reported (WeBs count): 500 Dunlin, 32 Redshank, 59 Turnstone, 6 Oystercatcher, 183 Mallard, 148 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 3 Rock Pipit.

Mute Swans just managing to keep a patch of ice-free water on the lake. (The hide is in the background.)

7/2/12 AM reported: a drake Goosander fast asleep on the Tidal Reservoir. 107 Curlew, 36 Wigeon, 10 Teal, 7 Moorhen (all on the frozen lake) and c30 Stock Dove.

6/2/12 DS reported: a Short-eared Owl near The Windbound, 1+ Crossbill over NE (heard only) and 1 Little Egret.

5/2/12 – MP reported: the tailless pipit sp. flushed from the seawall by the yacht club and flew to green grassy field behind hedge just upriver. (Didn’t call again, and no details seen.) Also a Siskin over, 1 Shoveler and a Mistle Thrush. MB reported a Chiffchaff on the south side of Lagoon 2.

PQ reported: 1+ Twite in the maize stubble field, with 8+ Reed Bunting, 2+ Linnet, Chaffinches and 2 Goldfinch. Also a Peregrine stooping on Woodpigeons and 20+ Stock Dove.

WK reported: 53 Wigeon, 23 Teal and 1 Rock Pipit.

4/2/12 – 3 Twite in flight from the maize field to Lagoon 3. Also 30 Skylark, 10 Reed Bunting and 5 Linnet at the maize field. 19 Canada Goose, a pair of Pochard (reported by MP) and c30 Yellowhammer at the yacht club. 44 Stock Dove and c70 Chaffinch on Lagoon 3. The lake is frozen except 2 square yards, where 3 Coot, 2 Moorhen and the drake Wigeon (which it’s suspected cannot fly). The Mute Swan pair flew to the estuary at dawn, when -6 degrees C. Plus, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Snipe.

2/2/12 – WE reported: 3 Twite again this pm, with a small flock of Linnet, Reed Bunting and Goldfinch in the maize stubble fields.

31/1/12 – AM/DS reported: 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Pintail, c35 Yellowhammer, c900 Dunlin, 1 Peregrine, 10 Redshank, 102 Wigeon and 56 Teal. No sign of the tailess pipit this morning or this afternoon.

30/1/12 – The possible Richard’s Pipit, with no tail, was again in the green grassy field behind the first hedge to NE (just upriver) of the yacht club, but wasn’t seen on the ground – grass is long. It flew over head, and seemed to be light underneath and a flap-flap-flap-‘miss one’, flight. (But it appears to be same size as Meadow Pipit.) Once again it didn’t call, and landed in the next green grassy field upriver (to NE). This field has some lower areas of grass where it landed, in the West corner, but again I couldn’t find it. c20 Yellowhammer still here in hedge, and a Peregrine had several low stoops at a Lapwing.

29/1/12 – MP, MB and I had a hunt around for the pipit in the evening. MP found it on the boggy common land next (just upriver) to the yacht club. It flew almost immediately and landed in the green grassy field behind the hedge (where it went first time I saw it.) The light was so bad we didn’t get any details, except for the definite lack of tail feathers. (It didn’t call again.)

The Twite were reported in the stubble field again today. I found what I think was a Richard’s Pipit, with 37 Yellowhammer in the hedge just before the yacht club. I had been watching the Yellowhammers for about an hour, getting an accurate count of them. They were quite flighty, but happily flying between the saltmarsh and the hedge. I was checking the flock in my scope and found the pipit. The most striking thing about it was the huge hind-claws, which were over 1cm long and very obvious as the bird perched on a twig. As it was in the hedge with the Yellowhammers, I was expecting to get prolonged views of it. Annoyingly, when the Yellowhammers flew back to the saltmarsh, the pipit flew high on its own in the opposite direction ! Another thing became obvious when it flew – it had NO tail feathers. (It didn’t call at all.) It appeared to land in the green grassy field (last on left when walking to yacht club from OPS). I walked round this field, and across it, but there were no birds at all in it. I then walked all the way along the saltmarsh, next to the river, and found 2 Skylark and a Snipe that had not showed themselves at all. Also a Rock Pipit and 2 Meadow Pipit (all with tails !). Early morning I heard a Crossbill fly over to SW. 1 Little Egret and 4 Canada Goose at yacht club.

Yellowhammers. Bright yachts under grey sky.

28/1/12 – 3 Twite on the mud of Lagoon 3 with c100 Lapwing and c300 Dunlin at High Tide. A juvenile Peregrine on the shore at Shepperdine, hunting inexpertly, and an adult flying between pylons and cooling towers.

25/1/12 – NW reported: 3+ Twite in the stubble field to the SW of Lagoon 3 at 12:30.

23/1/12 – PL reported 4 Egret sp. in flight this morning, just inland of OPS; possibly Great White.

22/1/12 – The 4 Twite had latched on to 6 Linnet today in the large maize-stubble field. Also c30 Yellowhammer, c10 Reed Bunting and 7 Skylark. On the roost on Lagoon 3 were: 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 291 Curlew, c600 Lapwing and 4 Ringed Plover. Also 9 Pheasant on Lagoon 3.

Evening roosts: c3,000 Black-headed Gull and c160 Pied Wagtail.

3 Little Egret were 1 mile inland of OPS on the rhine by the Severn Drainage Board office.

21/1/12 – AM reported the Twite in the fields to SW of Lagoon 3.

19/1/12 – WK reported: 3+ Twite with the large Chaffinch flock, 5 Yellowhammer and 3 Reed Bunting, feeding in the stubble field to the SW of Lagoon 3 at 12:30.

18/1/12 – The 4 Twite again on the seaweed dump on Lagoon 3; unfortunately I flushed them and they flew to the trees at the west end of Lagoon 3.

AM reported: Redpoll along path South of Lagoon 3 and 25 Yellowhammer, 15 Reed Bunting and c20 Skylark in weedy fields.

17/1/12 – The 4 Twite flew over the West wall of Lagoon 3, calling, and landed on the seaweed dump on Lagoon 3 (about 30 yards to right of hide). I relocated them on the lagoon edge of the seaweed dump at 3pm. Also 32 Yellowhammer to SW of Lagoon 3.

AC saw the 4 Twite along the footpath that goes round the west side of Lagoon 3, near Yellowhammers and Chaffinch.

And AB had the 4 Twite this morning in an Alder in the hedge between the north side of Lagoon 3 and the shore; also 40+ Yellowhammer (mostly in the hedges between Lagoon 3 and the yacht club).

AM reported amazing views of a Jack Snipe on the edge of the estuary, by Lagoon 3.

3 of the 4 Twite (Photos by Allan Chard). Wren

16/1/12 – D Smith reported: 1 or 2 Twite, 1 or 2 Reed Bunting and 15+ Chaffinch from the hide (looking SW, flying between the small reedbed on the lagoon and hedges by the lake). Along the Severn, a fly-over Black Redstart, came in from the Severn heading into the Power Station.

D Spittle reported, from around the stubble fields: c30 Yellowhammer (c40 in total with a few birds along the sea-wall), c20 Reed Bunting and c50 Chaffinch. 15 Golden Plover with Lapwing flock and 3 Roe Deer dozing in the sun. Also 10 Moorhen on the lake and the drake (injured ?) Wigeon there still.

15/1/12 – Four of us (Martyn Hayes/Mark Coller/Matt Plenty and me) finally nailed down the id of the elusive Twite, two of which MP first saw on 20th December 2011. We met at 8.30am and tried to find the Chaffinch flock on Lagoon 3. But the Chaffinches were dispersed. We kept scanning Lagoon 3, and walked the public footpath that runs along the South West side of the lagoon. As the tide and the sun rose higher, the Chaffinches started flocking more, until there were about 50 in the hedges around the hide, flying onto Lagoon 3 to feed. Just before 11am (same time as when I saw them yesterday) 4 smaller birds flew from the NE end of the Lagoon, along the south bank. They looked good, and thankfully gave two clear ‘Tuee-it’ calls. They tantilisingly flew around the lagoon in front of us, but then flew off high to SW. We kept bins on them and they seemed to go down in the fields, so off we plodded once more along the footpath to SW of the lagoon (accessed by going past the lake and turning right). We had noted a flock of Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting where the footpath kinks right-left-right, and started looking in the fields here. A flock of about 5 Skylark flew up, and among them were the 4 small birds again – always sticking together. They flew up high again, but this time thankfully came down on top of a hedge 50 yards away. Unthankfully, the sun was behind the birds, and we couldn’t make markings out. We moved to get better light, but the birds flew down into the next field. Luckily we managed to locate them on the ground, and gradually crept round the field-edge to be just 10 yards from them. Magic ! It had taken us 4 hours, but it was very enjoyable and well worth it. (Thanks guys.)

We found them in the large maize-stubble field at ST603935. (About 70 yards SE of small copse on Severn Way.) But there are several weedy fields here, that they could use. We have also seen them three times on Lagoon 3. They seem to associate with the other flocks of birds.

Also: c50 Chaffinch, 22 Yellowhammer, 6 Reed Bunting, 5 Skylark , 21 Stock Dove, 2 Snipe, a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming and a Stoat.

Photos of the Twite by MC.

And by MP.

14/1/12 – 3 (or 4) probable Twite with c100 Chaffinch on Lagoon 3 this morning.

If trying to see them. Firstly, locate the Chaffinch flock - best from the hide, using telescope to scan hedges all way round Lagoon 3. They aren’t always here. Then try and get closer to them.

The only other news of note was 20 Bullfinch. (Looked for the Black Redstart with no joy.)

Probable Twite . Bullfinch.

Some late news from DS –a Woodcock on Monday night between Lagoon 1 and The Windbound.

12/1/12 – AM’s early WeBS Count : 1 Gadwall, 90 Wigeon, 87 Teal, 158 Mallard, 153 Curlew, 160 Lapwing, 65 Turnstone, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Yellowhammer.
Also DS reported an immature/female Black Redstart at Jobsgreen Farm, 400m E of Lagoon 2, feeding on the buildings with the goats in at the semi-derelict farm SE of the chicken sheds. And a Water Rail on Lagoon 2. Also a Small Tortoishell butterfly !

8/1/12 – A Bar-tailed Godwit with 251 Curlew (including 10+ colour-ringed) roosting on Lagoon 3. A Treecreeper and a Goldcrest with Long-tailed Tit flock by the lake. Also 12 Bullfinch seen.

7/1/12 – 3 Pintail (2 male + fem) with 66 Wigeon and 92 Teal at Shepperdine. A flock of 5 Raven flew upriver, and another at the yacht club. Also: 26 Stock Dove and 5 Yellowhammer.

3 Pintail with Wigeon and Shelduck. Yellowhammer in hedge towards yacht club.

5/1/12 – 3 Kittiwake heading downriver in first hour of light this morning, during high westerly winds (i.e. straight across from the other side of the river). These are the first Kittiwakes for four years at OPS. Also 200+ Common Gull heading downriver.

2/1/12 – 4 Shoveler and the male Gadwall on the lake, along with the male Wigeon. Also a Raven and a very good count of 10 Bullfinch.

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