2026 Sightings

2026 SIGHTINGS

January is a slightly better month than December, the daylight hours slowly lengthen resulting in a monthly total of 177 species. Like any of the mid winter months it can be good for wildfowl sightings if inland waters freeze, with the chance of Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander or some now rare fly by Bewick’s Swans. Seabirds seen in gales have included Cory’s Shearwater (2004), Sabine’s Gull (2023), Storm Petrel, Leach’s Petrel, Little Auk, Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Grey Phalarope. Other January birds include; Spoonbill (2023,2025), Cattle Egrets (2025,2026), Pink-footed Goose (2021), Slavonian Grebe (2010,2016,2024), Green-winged Teal (2015), American Golden Plover (2002), Great Grey Shrike (2004), 3 Penduline Tits (2026), Eastern Yellow Wagtail (1994), Shorelark (2004), Waxwing (1958,2011,2024), Common Cranes (2000), Whooper Swans (2005,2018,2023), Bittern (2011,2017), Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Caspian Gull and a few rare sightings of Hen Harrier.

7th January
A cold and sunny day with a West wind. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 180 Dunlin, 35 Turnstones, 65 Redshank, 110 Curlew, 420 Lapwing, 120 Oystercatcher, a Snipe, 2 Grey Heron, 64 Greylag Geese, 16 White-fronted Geese, 59 Canada Geese, 25 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 300 Wigeon, 60 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, Water Rail, 2 Peregrine, 2 Stonechat, single Siskin and Kestrel. At least 11 Snipe, 40 Curlew, 28 Shelduck, 40+ Wigeon, a Water Rail, 20 Redwing, 3 Stonechat and a Rock Pipit were seen from the Severn Beach shore. Single Jack Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Pintail, Rock Pipit and 4 Stonechat were seen in the Cake Pill area of Northwick Warth. The 3 Penduline Tits, 70 Redwing, 50 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, single Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Blackcap and Kestrel were seen at Aust Wetland. Reports from Aust Cliff/services included 18 Common Gulls, 2 Peregrine, 2 Raven, 3 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, single Sparrowhawk and Blackcap.

6th January
A cold day with slow thaw in the periods of sunshine. An early morning high tide visit to the Severn Beach/Chittening Warth area produced 11+ Knot, 250+ Black-tailed Godwits, 26 Snipe, 30 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, Oystercatchers, Curlews, a Grey Heron, 24 Shelduck, 16 Gadwall, 50+ Wigeon, 20+ Teal, 2 Stonechats, single Sparrowhawk, Rock Pipit and Cetti’s Warbler. Reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included a Knot, 34 Black-tailed Godwits, 300 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, 103 Oystercatcher, 300 Lapwing, 63 Curlew, 4 Snipe, 9 Turnstones, 31 Dunlin, 20 Redshank, a Cattle Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 16 White-fronted Geese, 65 Greylag Geese, 204 Canada Geese, 12 Shelduck, 4 Goosander (flying South West), 90 Wigeon, 30 Teal, a drake Pochard, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Peregrine, 3 Raven, single Water Rail, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, Rock Pipit and Kestrel. At least 3 Jack Snipe, 15 Snipe, 6 Curlew, 12 Shelduck, 80 Wigeon, single Red Kite, Kestrel and Rock Pipit were seen in the Cake Pill area of Northwick Warth. Reports from the Aust Cliff/services area involved single Snipe, Pheasant, Sparrowhawk, 600 Linnets and 200+ Chaffinch.

5th January
A sunny day following an icy (-3°C) dawn. An early morning high tide visit to the Severn Beach shore produced the rare sight of a Little Grebe on the river, 300+ Black-tailed Godwits, 10 Curlew, 12 Redshank, 3 Snipe, a Grey Heron, 26 Shelduck, 6 Gadwall, 45+ Wigeon, 30 Redwing, 2 Rock Pipit, single Kestrel, Cetti’s Warbler and Stonechat. The 3 Penduline Tits, 2 Snipe, a Little Egret, 2 Kestrel, 3 Blackcaps, 40 Redwing and 5 Stonechats were reported from Aust Wetland and nearby a Brambling, 500 Linnet, 250 Chaffinch (all in the set aside field) and a Sparrowhawk were seen at Aust Cliff/services. Single Great White Egret and Little Egret, 2 Kestrels and 30+ Rook were seen at Aust Warth. A visit to the Pilning Wetland/ New Passage area where all the pools were frozen produced 3 Knot, 48 Black-tailed Godwits, 23 Ringed Plover, 500 Dunlin, 350+ Lapwing, 80 Oystercatcher, 100+ Curlew, 60 Redshank, single Great White Egret, Little Egret and Grey Heron, 52 Greylag Geese, 16 White-fronted Geese, 110 Canada Geese, 5 Shelduck, 280 Wigeon, 60 Teal, 15 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 2 Pintail, 2 Ravens, single Peregrine, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Stonechat and Grey Wagtail plus 5 Jack Snipe, 10 Snipe, a Peregrine, 2 Stonechat and 2 Rock Pipits were seen at the North end of Northwick Warth near Cake Pill.

White-fronted Geese, Northwick Warth 5.1.26

4th January
An over night frost resulted in most pools being covered in ice on a mainly sunny day with a light West wind. The 3 Penduline Tits, 2+ Stonechat, single Great White Egret, 8 Snipe, Pheasant, Kestrel, Blackcap and Cetti’s Warbler were reported from Aust Wetland. The Aust Cliff/services area produced 16 Lapwing, a Pheasant, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, a Stonechat and in a set aside field there a Brambling was seen among 1000+ Linnets and 300+ Chaffinches. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area included 5 Knot, 4 Golden Plover, 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 4000 Dunlin, 30 Redshank, 7 Snipe, 150 Curlew, 350+ Lapwing, 11 Ringed Plover, single Little Egret and Grey Heron, 65 Greylag Geese, 16 White-fronted Geese, 118 Canada Geese, 5 Shelduck, 320+ Wigeon, 11 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 250+ Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Raven, single Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler, Stonechat, Siskin and Redpoll. At least 350 Black-tailed Godwits (seen earlier at New Passage) flew South past Severn Beach where other sightings involved 2 Knot, 2 Ringed Plover, 6 Curlew, a Redshank, 10 Shelduck, 45 Wigeon, 2 Stonechat, 2 Rock Pipits and a Kestrel.

Kestrel, Severn Beach 4.1.26

3rd January
A cold, sunny day with a ground frost and a North West breeze. The 16 White-fronted Geese, 65 Greylag Geese, 60 Canada Geese, 4 Shelduck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Jack Snipe, a Common Sandpiper (at Cake Pill), 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 450 Lapwing, 40 Curlew, 3 Snipe, 25 Redshank, 500 Dunlin, single Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kestrel and 2 Ravens were reported from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area. The 3 Penduline Tits, 15 Snipe, a Grey Heron, 4 Stonechats, 2 Peregrine, 2 Kestrel, 22 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Chiffchaff, single Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Raven and Sparrowhawk were reported from Aust Wetland. At least 10 Turnstones, 130 Redshank, 12 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 18 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 20 Teal, single Great Black-backed Gull, Kestrel and Stonechat were reported from Severn Beach.

Whinchat, Northwick Warth 2.1.26

Common Sandpiper, Northwick Warth 2.1.26

Jack Snipe, Northwick Warth 2.1.26

2nd January
Reports from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area included 2 Bewick’s Swans, 16 White-fronted Geese, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Jack Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, 50 Redshank, 340 Lapwings, 35 Curlew, 75 Oystercatcher, 20 Dunlin, 21 Snipe, single Little Egret, Cattle Egret and Grey Heron, 68 Greylag Geese, 73 Canada Geese, a Mute Swan, 10 Shelduck, 290 Wigeon, 120 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 7 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, a Whinchat, 8 Rock Pipits, 4 Stonechat, 2 Raven, single Water Rail, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. The 3 Penduline Tits, 166 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Snipe, single Grey Heron, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Kestrel and Barn Owl were reported from Aust Wetland. Nearby, reports from the Aust Cliff/services area involved 6 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 17 Wigeon, 2 Raven, single Peregrine, Firecrest and Chiffchaff.

Penduline Tit, Aust Wetland 1.1.26

White-fronted Goose, New Passage 1.1.26

Cattle Egret, Pilning Wetland 1.1.26

1st January
A cool and sunny start to the year with a Westerly breeze. The 3 Penduline Tits remained on Aust Wetland where other reports included 5 Stonechats, 5 Snipe, 19 Redwing, 14 Fieldfare, 2 Kestrel, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, single Grey Heron, Pheasant, Water Rail, Raven, Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail and Kestrel. Combined reports from the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area involved a Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 400 Lapwing, 80 Curlew, 150 Oystercatcher, 60 Redshank, a single Dunlin, 4 Turnstone, 13 Snipe, single Little Egret, Cattle Egret and Grey Heron, 68 Greylag Geese, 57 Canada Geese, 16 White-fronted Geese, 3 Mute Swans, 7 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 255 Wigeon, 145 Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, a Water Rail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, single Chiffchaff and Kestrel. The wintering Whinchat, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Stonechat, single Water Rail and Kestrel were seen in the Cake Pill pool area at the North end of Northwick Warth. A few Turnstones and Curlew, a Grey Heron, 28 Shelduck, 40 Wigeon and 2 Stonechats were reported from a brief late afternoon high tide visit to the Severn Beach shore.