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Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
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if anyone wants to take part in the RSPB Big garden birdwatch this weekend you can download the forms here -
www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/biggardenbirdwatch/2020/bird-id-and-counting-chart.pdf
and here
www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/biggardenbirdwatch/2020/participation-form.pdf
It was a cold and frosty January morning but things were hotting up on North Pool Island. The swans were kicking up a ruckus. Lots of chasing, wing flapping, trampling, clinches and biting.
BTW look out for the pochard, the duck with a dark chestnut head and black breast, we do not get too many of these here. . . . and the little lapwing which had to get out of the way of these colossal birds.
Look at this POSER!
Anyone who's been to the reserve will have seen the resident pair of Mute Swans, who are definitely bold enough to stand for a close up photo-shoot!
What stunning birds 😍😍😍
#swan #muteswan #birds #wildlife #resident #poser #closeup #photohraphy #wildlifephotography #portburywharfnr
#portburywharf #portishead #bristol #beauty #elegant
A Redshank 😍
These charismatic little waders aren't uncommon sights here in the winter out on the mud, but with their bright red legs I think they make great models!
#redshank #wader #bird #birdwatch #estuary #photography #wildlifephotography #portburywharf #naturereserve #naturelovers
Morning Flight
Proof our gorgeous nature reserve inspires artists and photographers as well as naturalists,
Thankyou to @bristolcrystalreiki for the beautiful image ❤️
#portburywharfnr #morningflight #roost #dawnchorus #bristolcrystalreiki #art #photography #local #nature #wildlifephotography
By January the hedgerows are a bit thin on berries. However the Sea-buckthorn still has a few left and this blackbird is making the most of them. Such colourful berries and so well co-ordinated with his beak and eye liner!
Sea-buckthorn is a fascinating plant known for its healing properties dating back 12 centuries. Its scientific name is Hippophae which is derived from the Greek for shiny horse. Apparently the Greeks prized their horses and Sea-buckthorn oil must have kept them in tip top condition.
Check us out on Instagram!
@friendsofportburywharfnr
If you have photos from the reserve you'd like to feature send them our way and we'll tag you when we post them!
Flock of Dunlin on the estuary 🐦🌊
Stay posted for more activity on this page 👀
#Dunlin #waders #birds #wildlifephotography #flock #portishead #portburywharfnr
this spectacle took place at the Reserve just before the new year. We hope that you enjoy watching it and share it on facebook for the wider Portishead Community to see what they are missing out on.
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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