SOUTH WEST
Highlights
In association with
A couple of long-staying old favourites occupied the top two spots for rarest bird in the region in March: the Dorset Forster’s Tern (at both Arne and Brownsea Island) and the drake Baikal Teal at Greylake RSPB, Somerset.
AVON
CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: The Blind Yeo had 15 Goosanders. Clevedon-Yeo had a Merlin, 17 Grey Plovers (13th) and a Whimbrel (26th). There were 125 Knot at Uphill (17th). Sand Point had a Yellow Wagtail (25th), and a Redstart, Tree Pipit and 33 Willow Warblers (31st). Three Purple Sandpipers remained at Portishead.
SEVERNSIDE: Severn Beach had two Common Scoters and 13 Brent Geese (26th), 20 White-fronted Geese (7th), two Cranes (15th), two Gannets and 200 Kittiwakes (23rd), and a Redstart (31st). The wintering Black-necked Grebe was last seen at Portbury Wharf (23rd). Severnside had 26 Avocets, five Little Ringed Plovers, three Short-eared Owls, a Merlin, Woodlark (10th), Water Pipit (31st), Hawfinch (4th) and Swallow (14th). Three Black Redstarts remained at Oldbury Power Station. A Yellow Wagtail was at Northwick Wharf (25th).
THE RESERVOIRS: Blagdon’s Ring-necked Duck (stayed to 16th). Barrow Gurney’s Long-tailed Duck remained. Chew had four Scaup, seven Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, three Bearded Tits, a Firecrest, 100 Redwings, and Sand Martins (from 6th). The reservoirs held 100 Goldeneyes, 28 Goosanders, 42 Cattle Egrets and 12 Great White Egrets.
OTHER SITES: The Yate Lakes held eight Goosanders. Bristol had an Alpine Swift (from 22nd). Thermal imaging revealed eight Woodcocks and two Jack Snipe at Marshfield. An Osprey flew over Bath (22nd). A Waxwing was in Bristol (2nd), with 12 at Hawkesbury Upton (25th). Siskins were far more numerous than usual, including 250 at Newton St Loe. Twelve Redpolls were at Saltford.
CORNWALL.
NORTH AND CENTRAL: Birds remaining throughout included the Long-tailed Duck at Porth Reservoir, Spoonbills at Walmsley Reserve, the Surf Scoter off Feock and numbers of Eiders at Par. A Snow Bunting was at Porth Joke (2nd). Sand Martins were at Par Pool (6th). A Crane was at Walmsley (9th-10th). A Hoopoe was at Veryan (18th-24th). There were some 280 Common Gulls at Padstow (16th). A Little Ringed Plover was on Davidstow Airfield (22nd).
SOUTH-EAST: Great Northern Divers remained on Siblyback Reservoir, with three (21st). The two Slavonian Grebes were at
Hannafore (to 6th). Nine pale-bellied and four dark-bellied Brent Geese remained at Torpoint (to 5th). A White-tailed Eagle flew over Downderry (7th). Seven Cirl Buntings were on the Rame Peninsula (24th). A Hoopoe was at Fowey (20th).
WEST CORNWALL: Long-staying birds included the Spoonbill in Hayle, two Scaup at Stithian Reservoir and the Siberian Chiffchaff at Marazion. Hayle also had a Ring-billed Gull to mid-month, a W
