UK Bird Sightings
A comprehensive round-up of birds seen during April
AVON
First dates included Ring Ouzel and White Wagtail (4th), Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Grasshopper Warbler (6th), Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler (7th), Hobby and Yellow Wagtail (8th), Swift and Tree Pipit (9th), Cuckoo (11th), Whinchat (16th), Wood Warbler (17th) and Spotted Flycatcher (23rd). The last Fieldfares (18th) and Redwings (25th) left for points north. Recording nocturnal migration resulted in 40 reports of Common Scoters, far more than are ever seen in Avon.
CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: A Whooper Swan was at Kenn Moor (1st). A ‘nocmig’ surprise was a Night Heron over Weston-super-Mare (11th). Uphill had a Stone-curlew (24th), Crane (4th) and Golden Plover (19th). Clevedon-Yeo had three Brent Geese (15th), a Common Scoter (27th), two Avocets, 42 Whimbrels, 16 Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Knot, a Curlew Sandpiper (24th), Jack Snipe (15th), Wood Sandpiper (28th), Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and two Mediterranean Gulls.
Uphill had a Great White Egret and a regular Marsh Harrier. Sand Point had parties of Gannets (16th and 29th), two Fulmars (29th), 80 Whimbrels, two Mediterranean Gulls and three Wood Larks (9th). Two Short-eared Owls were at Nailsea Moor (3rd-4th).
Northwick Warth held two Brent Geese (19th & 21st), a Spoonbill (3rd), two Avocets, five Little Ringed Plovers, 280 Black-tailed Godwits, 70 Knot, a Spotted Redshank and two Greenshanks. Oldbury logged two Garganeys (16th), with one (21st), a Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, 29 Whimbrels, three Little Gulls, six Sandwich Terns (5th) and a Black Redstart (10th). Severn Beach had 120 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Sanderling. Arctic Skuas flew upriver on several dates, as did a few Common and Arctic Terns, and a Kittiwake (30th).
Two Pintails were at Chew (11th), with a Little Ringed Plover (18th), Black-tailed Godwit (9th), four Greenshanks (2nd), 19 Little Gulls (21st), and two Common Terns and 15 Black Terns (17th). Blagdon had a Goldeneye (5th) and Common Tern (14th). Barrow Gurney’s wintering Long-tailed Duck remained (to 23rd), with 12 Black Terns there (17th) and three Whimbrels (23rd).
The Whooper Swan remained at Newton St Loe (to 14th). A Mandarin was in a Bristol park and two flew over South Stoke, Bath. Saltford logged a Goosander (8th), 55 Golden
Plovers (7th), four Whimbrels (16th) and a Siberian Chiffchaff (14th). Flyover migrants included two Cranes, 12 Ospreys, a few Goshawks, a Montagu’s Harrier (24th) and more Whimbrels.
Hawkesbury Upton had 26 Golden Plovers (9th). Marshfield held 60 Corn Buntings and 40 Yellowhammers. Scarcer species included two Merlins, a Woodcock, Firecrests, two Nightingales, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Hoopoe at Ubley (30th) and a Serin over Bristol (27th).
CHANNEL ISLANDS
A White-tailed Eagle, the first for Jersey, was at Sorel (1st). Also there was a Fan-tailed Warbler (21st), 10 Black-winged Stilts (10th), Ring Ouzels, Wheatears, including Greenland-race birds, 18 Choughs, Dartford Warblers, Tree Pipits and thousands of hirundines. Les Landes had a Red-rumped Swallow (25th), Ring Ouzels and a Dotterel (22nd-24th). Grosnez had Manx Shearwaters, Kittiwakes and auks. Plemont had eight Puffins and 20 Razorbills. Honey Buzzards, Merlins, Hobbies and Ospreys moved through. Five Hoopoes were noted. A Hen Harrier flew over Gorselands. Firecrests were widespread. Five pairs of Cirl Buntings were on Grouville Common. There were 120 pale-bellied Brent Geese at Beaumont Marsh. Nine Ravens flew over Blanches Banques Grouville Bay held Gannets, Puffins, 10 Great Northern Divers, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Whimbrels, 15 Curlews, 30 Grey Plovers, Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstones and Ringed Plovers. Three Great White Egrets flew over Saint Aubin’s Bay (16th). Five Oaks had a Black Kite (26th). Le Hocq had Red-breasted Mergansers, 100 Oystercatchers and Sandwich Terns. Black Redstarts were in towns. Redstarts, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchats, White Wagtails and Yellow Wagtails filtered through coastal sites.
CORNWALL
Two Spoonbills flew over Hayle (1st), as did a White Stork (13th). A few Red Kites and Ospreys flew through. An Iceland Gull was around Newlyn and Drift all month, with others at Loggans Moor (11th) and Pendeen (13th). Glaucous Gulls were at St Ives (5th-7th), Newlyn (13th-30th) and Newquay (1st-18th at least). Ten Hoopoes were logged (4th-20th). Wrynecks were at St Just (17th) and Truro (27th). Ring Ouzels passed through (1st-24th). A Sardinian Warbler was at Porthleven (18th-19th). A Serin was at Porthgwarra (17th). Four Lapland Buntings flew over Nanquidno (1st), with another at St Just (18th).
DEVON
Maxima included 11 Redwings, 184 Puffins, 23 Chiffchaffs, 877 Razorbills, 1,760 Guillemots, 98 Meadow Pipits, 82 Manx Shearwaters, two Peregrines, 90 Willow Warblers, 110 Blackcaps, two Pied Flycatchers, three Ring Ouzels, 92 Wheatears, two Tree Pipits, 143 Linnets, two Redstarts, two Whinchats, four Grasshopper Warblers, 34 House Martins, six Greenland-race Wheatears, 780 Swallows, 130 Sand Martins, seven Whimbrels, nine White Wagtails, 19 Sedge Warblers, 14 Whitethroats, a Great Northern Diver, Merlin, Firecrest, Jack Snipe, Mediterranean Gull, Black Redstart, Hoopoe and Hawfinch.
An Osprey was at Northam, with two on the Taw Estuary. Braunton had 11 Black-tailed Godwits, a Bar-tailed Godwit, Marsh Harrier, Cattle Egret, Little Ringed Plover, two Red Kites, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, 11 Whimbrels and two Greenshanks. Barnstaple had two Red Kites. A Spotted Crake called at Churchill, East Down.
Fremington had three Greenshanks, six Common Sandpipers, 20 Whimbrels, a Bar-tailed Godwit, six Grey Plovers and two Cattle Egrets. Bideford had two Red Kites over. Ilfracombe had a Pied Flycatcher and three Red Kites.
A Bee-eater was at an unnamed site. Saunton had a Merlin, two Whimbrels and a few Sanderlings.
SOUTH DEVON: Exminster Marshes had two
Pintails and a Whimbrel. Slapton had a Goshawk, 39 Buzzards, a Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, three Goldeneyes, six Sandwich Terns, 350 Swallows, four Whimbrels and a Bar-tailed Godwit. The canal area of Exeter had 20 Blackcaps, six Cetti’s Warblers, 15 Chiffchaffs, a Green Sandpiper, Peregrine, three Water Rails, 15 Sandwich Terns, two Grey Plovers and five Whimbrels. Buckfastleigh had an Osprey and Red Kite.
Berrynarbor had 22 Willow Warblers, 20 Chiffchaffs, a Crossbill and Marsh Harrier. Plymouth had ten Sandwich Terns and three Red Kites. Paignton had two Red Kites, 25 Sandwich Terns and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Red Kites were at Marsh Green, Milber, Whimple, Teignmouth, Turnchapel, Dunkeswell, Lifton, Widworthy and Ivybridge. Ospreys were on the Exe Estuary, at Kingsteignton and at Aylesbeare. Torquay had four Red Kites, six Purple Sandpipers and two Great Northern Divers.
Berry Head had 300 Manx Shearwaters. A Whimbrel and Cattle Egret were at Dawlish. Brixham had nine Purple Sandpipers and two Great Northern Divers. A Firecrest was at Galmpton. Wembury had a Black Redstart, two Cirl Buntings and five Whimbrels. A Ruddy Shelduck was on the Upper Torridge. Hopes Nose had 15 Sandwich Terns. Fernworthy Reservoir had a Firecrest, two Redstarts and a Long-tailed Duck. West Charleton Marsh had a Marsh Harrier. A Nightingale sang in the Kingsbridge area. Crownhill Down had a Hobby and Whinchat. A Hoopoe was at Okehampton.
Highlights included a Pintail, Eider, 328 Common Scoters, a Red-breasted Merganser, 18 Red-throated Divers, two Black-throated Divers, 14 Great Northern Divers, 435 Gannets, 19 Fulmars, 340 Manx Shearwaters, two Spoonbills, five Red Kites, a Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, two Hobbies, two Little Ringed Plovers, 23 Grey Plovers, three Knot, a Sanderling, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 115 Whimbrels, a Stone Curlew, five Greenshanks, a Pomarine Skua, 12 Arctic Skuas, 15 Great Skuas, 12 Kittiwakes,