29th:

A Red Kite was seen at Frampton Cotterell in flight north-east over the Rising Sun pub at 11:30. (ST: 671 816)

28th:

Two Quail were heard calling from fields to the west of Down Road at Marshfield this morning and at least two Storm Petrel's were seen at Severn Beach around 13:00 this afternoon.

Storm Petrel at Severn Beach. June 2008.  © Paul Bowerman.

22nd:

At Severn Beach today there  was Storm Petrel, a pale phase Arctic Skua and 160 Manx Shearwaters.

Storm Petrel at Severn Beach. June 2008.  © Paul Bowerman.

A single Quail was heard singing in Rushmead Flash field at 16:40 this afternoon at ST: 785 753 on the corner of Rushmead Lane and Tormarton Road.

Two Grey Partridge in the field at the east end of Rushmead Lane this morning, also Quail calling there.

18th:

There were 60 Manx Shearwaters off Severn Beach this morning and an adult Little Tern there this evening.

A Red Kite was seen along the ring road between Keynsham and Longwell Green at 11:00 and another drifted over Lagoon III at Oldbury Power Station at 15:30, it then flew north-east along the shore to Lagoon II before being lost to view.

A Short-eared Owl was present again at Aust Warth around 21:00 this evening.

A Red Kite was seen flying towards Abbey Wood at 10:30 low at Hambrook Roundabout. It was travelling along the edge of the ring road from the Pucklechurch direction.

At least one Short-eared Owl was showing well at Aust Warth this evening.

Short-eared Owl at Aust Warth. June 2008. SE Owls have been seen in S. Gloss in all months except July. © Don Smith.

At Broadmead Brook on West Littleton Road a Red Kite appeared above the hill from the south, drifted for a minute before rising high into the upper clouds and disappeared.

Red Kite at Marshfield. June 2008.  © Len Ingram.

10th:

A moulting adult Red Kite was circling over Kingswood in Bristol this morning at 08:20 at ST: 655 735, it was last seen at 08:22 drifting south towards Longwell Green. A Quail was calling in the field opposite the house 200 metres north of Rushmead Farm at Marshfield.

8th:

A single Quail was heard singing this afternoon around 16:00 between Plough Farm and Shirehill Farm at ST: 792 763.

1st:

A Grasshopper Warbler was again 'reeling' from Lagoon II at Oldbury Power Station this morning. A summer male Black Redstart was heard singing from Culverslade Chicken Farm buildings this evening at around 20:30 from the Tormarton Road.

Just four new birds for S. Gloss this month: Arctic Skua was first documented on June 1st in 1941; Up to twelve Pallas's Sandgrouse were reported on June 3rd 1888; A Kumlien's Gull was at Oldbury Power Station on June 30th 1996 and the first Marsh Warbler was seen at Patchway in June 1909. Other star performers this month include: Golden Oriole, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, Montagu's Harrier, Red-backed Shrike, Franklin's Gull, Wryneck and Corncrake.

MAY:

31st:

An Osprey with a fish in its talons flew low upriver at Oldbury Power Station at around 14:55. It flew over the tidal reservoir near Lagoon III, gained height and headed north-north-east across the river. This report represent the second bird this year and just the seventeenth for S. Gloss!

30th

A Grasshopper Warbler was heard 'reeling' on Lagoon II at Oldbury Power Station this evening.

26th:

At least two Little Terns were present at Severn Beach this morning, one north-east past the Second Severn Crossing at 11:10 and a grounded bird on the beach at 11:50.

Little Tern at Severn Beach. May 2008. © Paul Bowerman.

22nd:

An unconfirmed report of a Red-rumped Swallow this morning on overhead wires at 10:15 in Rangeworthy. This potentially constitutes S. Gloss' third record and the first for twenty years. The previous two were at New Passage in September 1977 and April 1988.

One Quail calling from west of Northfield Lane at Marshfield with at least two calling from the Tormarton Road site (see below) with one either side of the road.

20th:

Early afternoon at Marshfield: At least three Quail calling from the loosely sown Charlock 200 metres south of Rushmead Farm plus Hobby and Red Kite.

Red Kite at Marshfield. May 2008. © Rob Laughton.

17th:

An adult Shag was present on the river off Severn Beach this morning. Not that common in our area it represents just the twenty-sixth documented record! A dark phase Arctic Skua flew east past Severn Beach at 17:50.

16th:

A Red Kite was reported from Warmley this afternoon cruising over Cock Road Open Space running parallel with the Ring Road.

12th:

A female Montagu's Harrier (the 6th and earliest S. G. Record) was seen in flight just north of Tormarton at around 11:00. It was watched in a tree, then in flight heading south towards Marshfield before returning north to be watched north of the B4040 near Lyegrove House, east of the A46.

11th:

Two Greenland Wheatears were present at Littleton-on-Severn and the 1st summer Mediterranean Gull returned to Severn Beach this morning.

Greenland Wheatear at Littleton-on-Severn. May 2008. © RS Roy.

10th:

The 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull was again at Severn Beach today.

9th:

A drake Mandarin was present on Kingsgate Pond at Yate this morning.

7th

A male Hen Harrier (and 17th S. G. record) was seen at 09:05 flying upriver at Severn Beach.

Hen Harrier at Severn Beach. May 2008. © Paul Bowerman.

6th:

Two Mediterranean Gulls, single 1st and 2nd summer birds were present at Severn Beach.

4th:

At Oldbury Power Station a Red Kite flew in off the estuary at the yacht club at about 16:00 then drifted east over pylons being mobbed by corvids. And remarkably whilst searching for the kite a presumed Common Crane (S. Gloss' eight record) was seen flying north-east before being lost to view just seconds later. Also on Severnside a Wood Warbler was reported from Aust Warth.

3rd:

A female Marsh Harrier was seen in flight over Lagoon II at OPS around 08:05 this morning and was noted heading upriver. The Short-eared Owl was still at the yacht club.

2nd:

A Short-eared Owl was reported at Oldbury Power Station again near the yacht club.

There have been eleven first for S. Gloss in May; Northern Willow Warbler in 1913 near Thornbury,  Kentish Plover in 1947 at Severn Beach, White Stork in 1971 at Hallen, Franklin's Gull in 1984 at Severn Beach, Roseate Tern in 1990 at New Passage, White-winged Black Tern in 1990 at Aust, Black-throated Diver in 1991 at New Passage, Icterine Warble in 1992 at Brentry, Red-spotted Bluethroat in 1998 at Marshfield, Subalpine Warbler in 2004 at Severn Beach and European Bee-eater in 2007 at Severn Beach.

APRIL:

29th:

The Grasshopper Warbler was still present at Severn Beach this morning. A Red Kite was at Marshfield at 14:20 in flight over the junction of High Street and the A420 near Green Lane. Heading south-west it was then seen over Cold Ashton drifting towards Swainswick Valley.

Grasshopper Warbler at Severn Beach. © Paul Bowerman and Red Kite at Marshfield. April 2008.  © Rob Laughton.

28th:

A Grasshopper Warbler was still present at Severn Beach and was heard 'reeling' this evening.

27th:

One, possibly two Hoopoe's were seen on Severnside this morning. The first was seen in flight leaving sheep fields at Aust Warth onto the Warth subsequently returning to the sheep fields at 08:15. The same or another was reported 400 metres south of Severn Beach on the track between the sea wall and railway at around 08:45. Also at Severn Beach a Grasshopper Warbler was seen, heard and photographed this morning.

Grasshopper Warbler at Severn Beach. April 2008. © Paul Bowerman.

26th:

A male Bearded Tit, the second S. Gloss record was located at Oldbury Power Station in the main reed bed at Lagoon II at 08:30. It was present for  forty-five minutes until 09:15  when it flew high and circled for five minutes before heading off high to the north-east.

25th:

Another Grasshopper Warbler today, this time one was heard 'reeling' at New Passage.

23rd:

A Grasshopper Warbler was heard 'reeling' at Oldbury Power Station this morning around Lagoon II and was still present in the evening. Another Grasshopper Warbler was noted at Northwick Warth. There was also an unconfirmed report of a Red Kite in the Tormarton area.

22nd:

A ringtail Hen Harrier was seen flying low north-east over Aust Warth this morning with several Greenland Wheatear and a male Pied Flycatcher was 'bagged' in Motocross Bushes at Marshfield (ST: 775 755).

Pied Flycatcher at Motocross Bushes. April 2008.  © Rob Laughton.

20th:

A Short-eared Owl (considered lighter in colour than the recent one) was on the shore at Oldbury Power Station and a male Pied Flycatcher was in trees at south end of lagoon II. A female Pied Flycatcher was seen along Broadmead Brook at Marshfield this afternoon. On Severnside a male Blue-headed Wagtail (the eighth for S. Gloss) was seen at Severn Beach with an impressive nearly 100 Yellow Wagtails.

19th:

A 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull was seen at Severn Beach this morning.

18th:

16th:

A Ring-necked Parakeet the fifth record for S. Gloss was seen at New Passage at around 10:15 and remarkably the same or another was seen at Oldbury Power Station along with Short-eared Owl.

15th:

A Short-eared Owl was hunting along the sea wall at Riverside Park, Severn Beach this evening.

MARCH:

30th:

A Lapland Bunting - the first for Marshfield and tenth for S. Gloss - was found at around 10:00 this morning in ploughed fields at the junction of West Littleton Lane and Lark Lane at Marshfield (ST: 776 742). An early male Garganey was seen at Oldbury Power Station between 08:00 - 08:30 this morning when it visited Lagoon III and was last seen flying low to the south-west. Three Jack Snipe were still present on the salt marsh at Northwick Warth & a Short-eared Owl was on show at Aust Warth at 18:30.