Snow Bunting is an arctic specialist with a circumpolar
arctic breeding range throughout the northern hemisphere,
its name was first coined in 1771. There is a small isolated
population in the Cairngorms of Scotland mirroring their breeding habitat
of treeless
moors, tundra and bare mountains. Some historical names include; Snow Bird, Snow Flake and Snow Fleck.
There have been around eighty Snow Buntings reported from S.
Gloucestershire;
2012: (1)
On February 5th one was heard calling over New Passage
and seen over the shingle bank before heading north-east early morning;
2011: (2)
One was showing very well on the sea wall at New Passage in
the evening on October 20th and again on October 22nd; One
flew over Aust Warth mid morning on December 10th.
2009: (1)
One was heard over Cake Pill on Aust Warth in the morning on
December 2nd.
2007: (2)
One was noted in flight and calling over Northwick Warth on
October 4th; One was seen at 14:30 on December 20th on the
sea wall near Riverside Park, Severn Beach and subsequently
on the beach.
Snow Bunting at Severn Beach. December 2007. Paul
Bowerman.
2005: (2)
A
single bird was found at New Passage on October 18th; One
was noted in flight at Severn Beach on December 17th.
2003: (1)
A
female found on November 22nd feeding on the beach at New
Passage was still present the following day on November
23rd.
Snow Bunting at New Passage. November 2003. Paul
Bowerman.
2002: (1)
One was reported in December at Oldbury Power Station.
2000: (1)
One was seen on October 19th at New Passage.
1999: (3)
Three were found on November 27th at Severn Beach and were
still present on November 28th.
1997: (1)
A
male was present on December 6th at New Passage and stayed
until December 12th.
Snow Bunting at New Passage. December 1997. Paul
Bowerman.
1996: (5)
On March 3rd a single bird was seen at New Passage; Two were
noted at Oldbury Power Station on October 13th; On October
17th one was present at New Passage; On December 22nd one
was seen at New Passage.
1994: (1)
One was observed on January 1st at Aust Sewage Treatment
Works.
1993: (4)
On February 20th one was seen at New Passage and was
possibly the same individual seen again on March 13th; On
October 23rd one was found at New Passage; Of the two that
were present on November 20th at Severn Beach one was still
present on November 21st.
1991: (1)
One seen sometime in November at Northwick Warth and was
noted on three different occasions.
1990: (2)
Two were found on December 2nd at Oldbury Power Station.
1989: (11) HIGHEST COUNT 9
On February 9th a single bird was found at Northwick Warth;
Nine were watched on November 19th at Severn Beach; One seen
on December 16th at Severn Beach was still present on
December 17th.
1988: (2)
On October 6th a male was reported at New Passage and was
present until October 12th; One on November 16th was located
at Northwick Warth.
Snow Bunting at New Passage. October 1988.
Martyn Hayes.
1987: (3)
Two were located on Northwick Warth on February 1st; One, a
female, was seen on December 13th at Severn Beach.
1985: (9)
A
female was found on January 12th at Severn Beach and was
present until January 18th; A male was seen on January 13th
at Severn Beach; A female was seen on February 16th at
Northwick Warth (corpse); Five were found on November 2nd at
Severn Beach; One was seen on November 16th at Severn Beach.
1984: (10)
On January 20th one was located at New Passage; One was
found on February 21st at Oldbury Power Station; Eight were
seen at Severn Beach on November 25th with one or two around
Aust until the end of the year.
1983: (1)
Single birds were noted on Severnside on November 2nd, 5th
and 6th.
1982: (5)
Single birds were reported from Severn Beach on March 24th
and from New Passage and Filton in either October or
November; Two were identified at New Passage in late
October.
1981: (Several)
Several individuals were reported from Severnside from
September 28th until December 17th.
1980: (2)
One or two were noted on Severnside from November 9th
onwards.
1978: (1)
A
female was present at Severn Beach on February 26th.
1976: (3)
Up to three birds were reported from Filton until February
25th and again from October 24th onwards.
1958: (5)
Five were found on January 2nd at Severn Beach.
1948: (1)
On January 2nd one was seen between Aust and
Littleton-on-Severn.