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My First walk on the Wharf for sometime. I saw lots of these Damselflies today, plus a few Dragonflies which were far to busy to catch on camera.
***FURTHER UPDATE*** - Hinkley Connection Team have been in touch to let us know that the bridleway/footpath will also be closed tomorrow morning, Thursday 14 May. They apologise for the overrun.
Hi everyone, the Sheepway to Wharf Lane bridleway will be closed for a day from this morning . . .
Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve - Hinkley Point C Connection Project
hinkleyconnection.co.uk
Work at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve As part of the Hinkley Connection Project, we are working with Western Power Distribution (WPD) to make changes to the local electricity distribution network. Our work at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve includes removing some of the existing pylons, replacing them...If you take your daily walk near the estuary, keep a look out for some jet setters. Some birds are international travelers and whilst we are locked down they are still flying high.
These whimbrels made a pit stop in Portishead this week on their way from Africa to their northern nesting grounds. Most are heading to Iceland but some will nest in the Shetland and Orkney Isles and northern areas of Scotland.
Hopefully they will have a productive breeding season before heading back to West Africa in the autumn. It is thought that they may make this return trip in one go. That is about a 3000 mile non-stop flight, quite some feat! See more at www.bou.org.uk/mendez-whimbrel-migration/.
Whimbrels are very similar to the more familiar curlew but slightly dumpier with a shorter bill. If you get close enough you might see their distinctive dark crown with central pale stripe and another stripe above the eye. They are sometimes called the "seven whistler" as their repeated whistles can often alert you to their presence.
Hope you see one, they won't be around here for long.
Whilst out walking the other day, i spotted this guy on the nature reserve . He is losing his winter coat and getting ready to put his lighter summer wardrobe to good use. Ironically - look at the pic that i got 2 years ago to the day
How to help our spring wildlife🐣
Our wildlife is making ready for their young. At this important time we can all do two simple things to help; KEEP TO THE PATHS and KEEP OUR DOGS ON LEADS. This will safeguard many species.
DO YOU KNOW?
Our skylarks, lapwings and other birds that nest on the ground have a tough time protecting their eggs and chicks. They already face attack from other birds and foxes so can do without us trampling their camouflaged nests. The skylark has an iconic, heart warming song. If we encourage a healthy population here then future generations will also hear skylarks.
The female roe deer will soon be having their young. Once the kids are born the does (females) will leave them hidden on the salt marsh and the reserve. They will only return occasionally to suckle them. It is when the kids are alone that they are in most danger. Both foxes and loose dogs could easily injure or even kill them.
Of course many of you will know that our swans have previously suffered attacks from both foxes and dogs. So please do not let your dog swim in the water or get close to swans.
This simple measure will also protect our dwindling water voles. They live in the rhynes and waterways and will be fattening up after the winter. The vegetation on the banks is their lunch and they eat a lot of it! It also keeps them hidden from predators. So it will help if we all stay away from the water and don’t trample down the bank.
We and our dogs can be pretty scary to the wildlife. Dogs can even scare some of the human visitors too by running up to them. So please be kind and keep your distance and keep dogs under very tight control, preferably on a lead.
Social distancing is protecting us and distancing will protect our wildlife too. Give it a go so all life can flourish at Portbury Wharf!
PS Thanks to B. Schmidt from Pixaby for the roe kid photo
I can't get out on to the reserve regularly from Pill at the moment and I'm missing out on surveying the first Dragon and Damselflies. However my garden pond has provided some consolation this week - a number of Large Red Damselflies and, on Saturday, a beautiful male Broad-bodied Chaser hatching out on the irises.
An April sun rising between dockyard cranes as geese fly overhead. A memorable photo taken at Portbury Wharf last year.
Making friends - thanks for sharing John😃Not in reserve, Newfoundland Way/Portbury Ditch today. Spring
Portbury Wharf’s Birds
Home > Portbury Wharf’s Wildlife > Portbury Wharf’s Birds
Portbury Wharf’s birds – there are so many. We have the usual garden and hedgerow birds but because we are on the coast we also have lots of visiting wildfowl and waders.
According to the RSPB, 1 in 4 UK birds are now on the Red List of Conservation Concern as numbers have dropped considerably. Eighteen of the birds that we regularly see among Portbury Wharf’s birds are on this red list with another 23 on the amber list (not quite as bad as the red list). Click here to read about the red and amber lists.
What to look out for at Portbury Wharf
Below is what you might see on the reserve, or close by, but of course this is not exhaustive. There will always be unusual visitors to keep an eye out for like avocets and bitterns. We have divided the lists seasonally so you know what you are likely to see and when.
What you may see at anytime of the year
What you will only see in the spring or summer
What you will only see in the winter
NB birds marked with * or ** may also be “Passage” birds ie passing through at other times of the year
We will be adding photos and more information about each bird in due course. Though with so many species this will be a labour of love and will take a little while to detail all of Portbury Wharf’s birds. So please be patient with us.
You can download our A5 spotting card to take with you to the reserve. You will find it on our Wildlife Monitoring page.
Birds you could see at any time of the year
The Summer Birds
These birds fly from Africa and beyond to spend the summer here. They will nest and raise their families before flying back to warmer climates for the winter.
* these are Passage birds ie on their way through in spring and summer.
The Winter Birds
These birds fly from northern and arctic regions to spend the winter here. So they will escape the worst of the cold harsh conditions to spend a relatively mild winter here. In spring when the arctic temperatures rise and the light increases they will fly back north to nest.
Dunlin**
Wigeon
** these are also “passage” birds ie on their way through in spring and summer
Bird Posts
January – What to look out for
Happy New Year! It’s January and a new decade starts here. This month I thought we would concentrate on one species of bird which is on the reserve in big numbers at the moment. There are a number of… Read More
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Murmuring starlings or whispering dunlins?
It was twilight. The stars had faded away but it was not yet sunrise when hundreds of pairs of wings purred past my shoulder. What were they? Where had they come from and where were they going? I… Read More
Gordano Valley Lapwings
This morning at sunrise I watched 18 lapwing lift off from the North Pool. Once upon a time you would have seen flocks of a hundred strong. Sadly over the last 20 or so years, numbers have fallen… Read More
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Winter Birds
Look out for the winter birds: From August onwards lots of birds migrate here to escape the harsh northern winters. These winter birds will stay until the spring before heading back up to breed so in the meantime… Read More
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