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The uplifting power of cranes?
This was the amazing sunrise that greeted me as I walked by the nature reserve. A flight of Canada Geese completed the picture.
There was a roebuck snoozing in the North Pool field while out on the salt marsh several curlews, many shelducks, a number of teal, a pair of oystercatchers, a duo of gadwalls and a common sandpiper was the icing on the cake.
It was so worth getting up early!
It was a lovely afternoon for a wildlife count with plenty to see from swallows and martins to orange-tip and peacock butterflies. Plenty of birdsong too including the joyful song of a skylark drifting down from over the salt marsh.
Though this kestrel hunting across the reserve stole the show. His hour long search for food ended successfully and he flew off to the salt marsh with his prey.
The ponds on the edge of Portbury Wharf (Fennel Road side) are amphibian breeding ponds and hundreds of frogs and toads, plus some newts, have migrated there from the nearby housing estate during January-March to deposit spawn. Some of the toads were filmed by student, Yazz Ellis, for this film about migration.
This film was made by student Yazz Ellis with help from Portishead toads during this year’s migration.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
With landing gear down these redshanks were among 60 that came to North Pool Island during our wildlife count yesterday.
It was another high tide covering the salt marsh and reaching almost to the top of the sea wall. So waders like redshanks had few safe places to hold up until the water receded.
The hedgerows were also full of life from wrens to green and gold finches and cuties like this long-tailed tit. With larger birds cropping up in unexpected places. This heron was in the rhyne next to the sea wall. So engrossed in hunting it was ignoring the walkers, runners, cyclists and dogs three metres away on the sea wall.
So much March blossom surrounding the North Pool Hide! Such a wonderful sight . . . a sign that spring has arrived perhaps?
Lesser Black Backed Gulls on North Pool. One minute they are quiet…the next minute…plus a Little Dear spotted at the back of South Pool.
The sun brought in some unusual visitors to the North Pool yesterday – 3 Gadwall. These beautifully elegant birds are " amber" on the RSPB conservation list and whilst not rare they are fairly scarce.
Some of our recent posts have shown roe deer bucks in velvet. The velvet is the soft hairy skin that covers and protects the new antlers while they grow. So here are a few more of our Portbury Wharf roe bucks in varying stages of velvet.
Only the male roe deer have antlers and each year, around November time, they lose their antlers. However, new ones soon start to grow and by December you can just see the little velvet nobs of new antlers showing.
The developing antlers are more visible in February and are almost fully grown by April. So in April and May the blood supply to the velvet dries up and falls off to reveal this year’s hardened antlers. Rubbing their antlers on trees and posts often helps to remove the velvet.
Avon Wildlife Trust local group is hosting a talk tomorrow night on Plants of North Somerset’s Special Habitats by Rupert Higgins
Friday 22nd February 2019 at 7.30pm at the Folk Hall, Portishead High Street.
Entry £2
There is a talk on 29th March onThe Wildlife of the Gordano Valley by Dr Bill Dixon. Same time, same place
What’s Happening
Last updated 22 April 2019. This WHAT’S HAPPENING page tells you about the wildlife that you are likely to see on the reserve and latest events. We will also tell you when we add new species pages to the website so you don’t miss out.
So on this page:
Latest wildlife news
Spring fever is in the air. So this is such an exciting time of year with plenty of spring wildlife to look out for. Buds are budding and the first blossom of blackthorns and then hawthorns are pretty as a picture. The hedgerow by the North Pool Hide is worth a look, open the side shutters to see what birds are among the blossom. Last time I looked through the shutter a chiffchaff sang to me.
Butterflies and insects
Look out for the first butterflies and insects . . .
Birds
New spring-time arrivals
The distinctive Wheatear with its “bandit” face mask comes all the way from Africa for the summer. You might seen them anywhere, this one was on a washed up log on the salt marsh.
Breeding plumage
Many of our regular visitors are showing off their breeding plumage.
For most of the year Black-headed gulls have white heads with just a telltale white spot behind the eye. But this time of year they actually live up to their name.
Courtship displays
Our wildlife are looking to nest and rear young so this is the time for courtship displays.
Water voles
While on the Salt Marsh
Sea scurvy grass in flower on the salt marsh. It is rich in vitamin C and sailors used to eat it to prevent scurvy.
There is so much going on among our spring wildlife so this is just a taster of things to look out for.Helping the warden
The reserve is managed by North Somerset Council. The Council employs a warden who is responsible for maintaining the nature reserve and with so much to do he needs volunteers. The meeting place is normally Wharf Lane car park (BS20 7TD). Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided.
The next Volunteer Community Work Session – date yet to be confirmed
PS You can get in touch with the warden via their Facebook page at Portbury Wharf Community Volunteers.
Wildlife Counts
Both the Warden and the Friends carry out wildlife counts. You need to know what wildlife is visiting the reserve so you can manage the land effectively. These counts also feed into national wildlife records. There are at least two counts per month. You can read more about the Friends’ wildlife counts and download a spotting card on our Wildlife Monitoring page.
Next “Friends” counts:
Anyone is welcome to join us but we recommend that you contact us to confirm time and meeting place contact us. Whatever your experience this is a great opportunity to learn about the wildlife.
Wildlife Talks
The Friends give illustrated talks about Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. So if you would like to organise a talk or a walk for your group please contact us.
Just added to website
We hope you enjoy our latest page about Portbury Wharf’s Roe Deer
Latest from Facebook
Lots of wildlife sightings get posted on our Facebook page so we thought it appropriate to add the latest excerpts here. . .
Facebook Latest
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
6 days ago
The uplifting power of cranes?
This was the amazing sunrise that greeted me as I walked by the nature reserve. A flight of Canada Geese completed the picture.
There was a roebuck snoozing in the North Pool field while out on the salt marsh several curlews, many shelducks, a number of teal, a pair of oystercatchers, a duo of gadwalls and a common sandpiper was the icing on the cake.
It was so worth getting up early! ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
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Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 weeks ago
Spring has Sprung ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
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Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 weeks ago
It was a lovely afternoon for a wildlife count with plenty to see from swallows and martins to orange-tip and peacock butterflies. Plenty of birdsong too including the joyful song of a skylark drifting down from over the salt marsh.
Though this kestrel hunting across the reserve stole the show. His hour long search for food ended successfully and he flew off to the salt marsh with his prey. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
1 month ago
The ponds on the edge of Portbury Wharf (Fennel Road side) are amphibian breeding ponds and hundreds of frogs and toads, plus some newts, have migrated there from the nearby housing estate during January-March to deposit spawn. Some of the toads were filmed by student, Yazz Ellis, for this film about migration. ... See MoreSee Less
Portishead Frog Patrol
This film was made by student Yazz Ellis with help from Portishead toads during this year’s migration.I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
vimeo.com/325842674
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
1 month ago
With landing gear down these redshanks were among 60 that came to North Pool Island during our wildlife count yesterday.
It was another high tide covering the salt marsh and reaching almost to the top of the sea wall. So waders like redshanks had few safe places to hold up until the water receded.
The hedgerows were also full of life from wrens to green and gold finches and cuties like this long-tailed tit. With larger birds cropping up in unexpected places. This heron was in the rhyne next to the sea wall. So engrossed in hunting it was ignoring the walkers, runners, cyclists and dogs three metres away on the sea wall. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group updated their cover photo.
1 month ago
So much March blossom surrounding the North Pool Hide! Such a wonderful sight . . . a sign that spring has arrived perhaps? ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 months ago
Lesser Black Backed Gulls on North Pool. One minute they are quiet...the next minute...plus a Little Dear spotted at the back of South Pool. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 months ago
The sun brought in some unusual visitors to the North Pool yesterday - 3 Gadwall. These beautifully elegant birds are " amber" on the RSPB conservation list and whilst not rare they are fairly scarce. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 months ago
Some of our recent posts have shown roe deer bucks in velvet. The velvet is the soft hairy skin that covers and protects the new antlers while they grow. So here are a few more of our Portbury Wharf roe bucks in varying stages of velvet.
Only the male roe deer have antlers and each year, around November time, they lose their antlers. However, new ones soon start to grow and by December you can just see the little velvet nobs of new antlers showing.
The developing antlers are more visible in February and are almost fully grown by April. So in April and May the blood supply to the velvet dries up and falls off to reveal this year's hardened antlers. Rubbing their antlers on trees and posts often helps to remove the velvet. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve Community Group
2 months ago
Avon Wildlife Trust local group is hosting a talk tomorrow night on Plants of North Somerset's Special Habitats by Rupert Higgins
Friday 22nd February 2019 at 7.30pm at the Folk Hall, Portishead High Street.
Entry £2
There is a talk on 29th March onThe Wildlife of the Gordano Valley by Dr Bill Dixon. Same time, same place ... See MoreSee Less
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email