November is still a month worth looking for birds. It has a respectable total of 186 species recorded during the month with a few surprise birds. Remarkable records include; Britain’s first Black-bellied Storm Petrel and Britain’s 5th Pacific Diver just 2 days apart in 2009. Other national and local rarities include American Golden Plover (2013), Great Northern Diver (1984,2015), Black Guillemot (2015), Ring-necked Duck (2000), Smew (2010), Green-winged Teal (2014), White-rumped Sandpiper (1998), Long-tailed Skua (1994), Glossy Ibis (2015), Woodlark, Shorelark, Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Cory’s Shearwater (2000), Whooper Swan (1983) and Richard’s Pipit (1993, 2018), Dartford Warbler (2005,2015) and Waxwing (2005). A Merlin or two can usually be seen perched on posts anywhere between New Passage and Aust Warth. Short-eared Owls can often be seen hunting at dusk over the salt marsh at Aust Warth. Seabirds seen in South West gales include Leach’s Petrel, Pomarine Skua and Little Auk.
November 2020
30th November
A female Merlin, a Kestrel, 250 Lapwing and 30 Snipe were reported from New Passage/Pilning Wetland area.
29th November
The male Merlin, 240 Black-tailed Godwits, 200+ Dunlin, 90 Redshank, a Knot and 340 Wigeon were reported from New Passage/Pilning Wetland.
28th November
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Firecrest, 2 Merlins (male & female), 200+ Black-tailed Godwits, 200+ Lapwing, 200 Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 20 Curlew, single Snipe, Little Egret and Water Rail, 30 Canada Geese, 10 Shelduck, 14 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 450+ Wigeon, 125 Teal and 9 Tufted Ducks.
27th November
Another cold day with persistent fog. A visit to New Passage produced 10 Black-tailed Godwits, the usual Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall and Shoveler but were impossible to count. A female Blackcap was feeding on berries in a Severn Beach garden.
26th November
A cold foggy day with no reports received.
25th November
Reports from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area involved 40 Canada Geese, 250+ Wigeon, 70 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 16 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 170 Lapwing, 150 Redshank, 40+ Dunlin, 6 Grey Herons, a Little Egret and a Stonechat. Two Ravens were seen at Severn Beach.
24th November
A grey and cloudy day. The highlight from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area was 2 Merlins (male & female) where other reports involved 60 Canada Geese, 70 Teal, 10 Shelduck, 15+ Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 60+ Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Curlew, 160+ Lapwing, 24 Redshank, 90 Dunlin, 5+ Snipe, single Little Egret, Grey Heron, Stonechat and Kestrel. Another 5 Grey Herons, 20 Shelduck and 2 Stonechats were seen at Severn Beach.
23rd November
Reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included 36 Canada Geese, 10 Shelduck, 6 Tufted Duck, 60+ Black-tailed Godwits, 150+ Lapwing, 10+ Snipe, 80+ Dunlin, 2 Grey Herons, a Grey Wagtail and a Stonechat.
22nd November
The Firecrest was reported again on Northwick Warth where other reports included 30+ Canada Geese, 15 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 200+ Wigeon, single Little Egret and Water Rail, 150+ Lapwing, 15 Curlew, 90 Dunlin, 40 Redshank and a Stonechat. Another Water Rail, 60 Oystercatchers, a Peregrine, 3 Cetti’s Warblers and 3 Stonechats were reported from Chittening Warth.
21st November
Combined reports from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area included an Avocet, 80 Black-tailed Godwits, 130 Lapwing, 130 Dunlin, 9 Snipe, 38 Redshank, a Grey Plover, a Great Crested Grebe, 470+ Wigeon, 39 Shelduck, 13 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck and a Stonechat.
20th November
No reports were received today.
19th November
A windy day. A visit to Severn Beach produced just 25 Turnstones, 15 Dunlin a Sparrowhawk but no seabirds. Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included 270 Wigeon, 110 Teal, 30 Shelduck, 4 Tufted Duck, 55 Canada Geese, 110 Curlew, 80 Dunlin, 50+ Lapwing, 76 Oystercatchers, 65 Redshank, single Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Raven and Stonechat.
18th November
Another windy and wet day. A brief afternoon, low tide visit to New Passage produced 3 Avocets, 160 Oystercatchers, 70 Curlew, a Little Egret, 5 Tufted Ducks, 60 Canada Geese, 100 Teal, 100+ Wigeon, 2 Ravens and a Peregrine.
17th November
A wet and breezy day with a 14 metre Spring tide. A morning visit to Pilning Wetland produced 3 Avocets, 650 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 150 Oystercatchers, 70 Redshank, 20 Ringed Plover, single Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret and Grey Heron, a Greylag Goose, 60 Canada Geese, 80 Shelduck, 500+ Wigeon, 300 Teal, 12 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 3 Tufted Ducks and a Kestrel. Another 14 Shelduck, 10 Turnstones and 2 Rock Pipits were seen on the shore at Severn Beach.
Avocets, Pilning Wetland 17.11.20
16th November
The large flock Wigeon and 500+ Dunlin remained off New Passage.
15th November
Another wet and windy day. Reports from New Passage included a Snow Bunting, 320 Wigeon, 35 Canada Geese, 60 Curlew, 37 Redshank and 290 Dunlin.
14th November
One Snow Bunting remained at New Passage on a very wet and windy day.
13th November
The 2 Snow Buntings remained on the lower footpath/rocks at New Passage where other reports involved 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Dunlin, 60 Redshank, 20 Turnstones and 20 Curlew.
12th November
Combined reports from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area included the 2 Snow Buntings, 20+ Black-tailed Godwits, 20+ Lapwing, 25+ Ringed Plover and 15+ Turnstones. A Firecrest was found in Severn Beach near what was the Orchard Pools. A Merlin was seen at Aust Warth.
Snow Bunting, New Passage 12.11.20 © Martyn Hayes
11th November
Two Snow Buntings remained on the sea wall at New Passage.
10th November
At least 2 Snow Buntings, 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 80 Redshank, 30 Lapwing, 15+ Ringed Plover, a Little Egret, 5 Ravens, single Kestrel, Stonechat and Chiffchaff were reported in the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area.
9th November
A Snow Bunting remained at New Passage where other sightings included 30 Turnstones, a mixed flock of 24 Ringed Plover/ Dunlin and a Stonechat. Reports from Severn Beach included 90 Turnstones, 90 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 4 Redshank, 4 Grey Herons, 40+ Wigeon, 20 Shelduck and 3 Stonechats.
8th November
A misty grey day. The Snow Bunting remained at New Passage and was joined briefly by a second bird at midday. The only other reports received were a Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Redshank, 20 Lapwing, 25 Dunlin, 30 Snipe and 4 flyover Siskins in the gloom at Pilning Wetlands.
7th November
A cold morning with an East breeze. The first Snow Bunting of the year was found on the lower seawall footpath at New Passage and the first November record of Great White Egret flew North East here. Other reports from the Northwick Warth area included 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Dunlin, 32 Lapwing, 45 Canada Geese, 16 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, a Little Egret, 4 Pintail, a Peregrine, 2+ Brambling, 2 Stonechats, single Siskin, Kestrel and Grey Wagtail. At least 30 Wigeon, a drake Tufted Duck and a Stonechat were seen from the Severn Beach shore and nearby 34 Shelduck, 73 Curlew and 2 Stonechats were seen at Chittening Warth. Four Hawfinch were reported over Aust Services/Cliff.
Snow Bunting, New Passage 7.11.20
6th November
At least 300 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 70 Curlew, 30 Lapwing, 250 Dunlin, 6 Snipe, a Knot, 90 Redshank, 5 Turnstones, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Ravens, single Peregrine, Kingfisher and Stonechat were reported from the Northwick Warth area. A high tide visit to the Severn Beach shore produced a Little Egret, 30 Wigeon, 8 Canada Geese, just one Turnstone, 2 Redshank, a Curlew and a Rock Pipit.
5th November
Another frosty dawn followed by sunshine on what is the first day of England’s 2nd National Covid-19 lockdown. A Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail were the only reports from New Passage.
4th November
A cold morning with some frost. The only notable reports were a Cetti’s Warbler and 2 Little Egrets at Pilning Wetland and a Chiffchaff and a few grounded Redwings on Northwick Warth.
3rd November
A quiet day with 40 Canada Geese, 300 Wigeon, 30 Sheluduck, 8 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 60 Teal, 17 Lapwing, 60 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 90 Redshank, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets, a Raven and 3 Stonechats were seen in the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area.
Stonechat, New Passage 3.11.20 © Lisa Presland
2nd November
Another very windy day. A Great Northern Diver flew down river off Severn Beach at 07.45 where other sightings included a Great Skua, a pale morph Arctic Skua, 120+ Kittiwakes, 4 Common Gulls, 100+ Black-headed Gulls, a Peregrine, a Wigeon, 60 Curlew and 90 Oystercatchers.
1st November
A very windy start to the month. Three Kittiwakes were seen from Severn Beach on the morning high tide. The first November record of Cattle Egret was seen at New Passage.
