2025 Sightings

2025 SIGHTINGS

December is one of the quietest months with only 168 species recorded during the month. It can be a good month for wildfowl with the chance of Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander if inland waters freeze or some fly by Bewick’s Swans. A good selection of seabirds have occurred in December gales including Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, Leach’s Petrel, Little Auk, Grey Phalarope and Pomarine Skua. Other rarities have included a stunning male Desert Wheatear (2013), Eastern Yellow Wagtail (1993), Cattle Egret (2022), Green-winged Teal (2013), Egyptian Goose (2013, 2019), Glaucous Gull, Waxwing (2010) and Cirl Bunting in the winters of 1940 & 1941.

Click on the calendar pictures below for previous month’s sightings..........

2nd December
A sunny morning followed by a gloomy and wet afternoon. Reports from Severn Beach included a flock of 35 Golden Plover flying South West, 200 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Turnstone, 7 Curlew, a Grey Heron, 33 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon and a garden feeding female Blackcap. A Jack Snipe, 51 Snipe, 150 Redshank, 450 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 250 Lapwings, 90 Oystercatchers, a Grey Heron, 80 Greylag Geese, 160 Canada Geese, 17 Shelduck, 30 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 200+ Wigeon, 200+ Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Stonechats, 2 Kestrel, single Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Grey Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff were reported from the Pilning Wetland/Northwick Warth area .

1st December
A wet day with a moderate strength South/South West wind. At least 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 190 Redshank, 800 Dunlin, 70 Curlew, 60 Oystercatchers, 95 Lapwing, a Little Egret, 70+ Greylag Geese, 180 Canada Geese, 18 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 110 Teal, 2 Stonechat and a Kingfisher were seen in the Pilning Wetland/New Passage area.