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it is a very quiet time for birds at the moment but i posted a brief video yesterday on my hunt for the cettis - which was all taken at Portbury wharf -https://youtu.be/3LbGYt8gmV0
youtu.be
The Cettis Warbler is the tiniest of birds and whilst its call announces its presence to the world - it is very difficult to photograph or video - simply bec...Juvenile Oystercatcher feeding heavily on the mudflats next to the Peir today.
Why can't people have more sense?
Iain, the reserve warden, has to spend a lot of time and money clearing up mess and repairing vandalism in the hides. Sadly, much of this is caused by young people in the evenings.
But it is not just the young who do stupid, irresponsible things. During the recent Dragonfly survey we were surprised to see a man (in his 50s?) crawling out of the ditch onto the main reserve track. He had scratches on his arms from the barbed wire and blackthorns. Concerned, we asked him if he was OK. "We just got a bit lost" was the reply.
Behind him, squatting in the ditch, was another man and the two of them were trying to drag two bicycles through a thick hedge, water-filled ditch and barbed-wire fence!
I assume that they had cycled down Sheepway Lane on the Docks land, found themselves in the fields and instead of cycling back to Sheepway had forced a way through where none existed, causing damage to themselves, the hedge and the fence.
Some people are a danger to themselves and the countryside!
Giles Morris
On Friday (31 July) we did our latest Dragonfly survey on the reserve and found a good mix of species. I've posted a few photos of some we saw.
Warm, sunny days are best for dragonfly spotting. But Friday was so hot that most of the dragons were hyperactive - belting around like "blue-a***d flies" (which I suppose some of them are!) and this made identification a bit harder.
Some of the human visitors were behaving a bit oddly too, but more of that in another post...
Giles Morris
On the Reserve today. Broad Bodied Chaser, Ruddy Darter, and a Blue Emperor laying eggs.
There has been a wave of vandalism on the reserve recently so please contact the police on 101 if you see any anti-social behaviour . . .
. . . a message from the warden "Sadly over recent weeks there has been a noticeable spike in incidents of anti-social behaviour across the parks and open spaces across North Somerset, including Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. The hides at the reserve, which are open again for the benefit of all visitors, have unfortunately been targets for criminal damage. The police are aware of the ongoing incidents and will be stepping up the onsite patrols in addition to the site Warden and NSC Community Safety Officers, as well as following up on some leads.
If you have any information regarding the recent incidents, or if you see anything untoward while at the reserve, please contact the police on 101 at the earliest opportunity."
This is a lovely clip of a curlew's nest so sit back for 5 minutes and enjoy.
We still see curlews at Portbury Wharf but sadly they are in trouble. Not enough chicks are surviving to sustain the population. It is a risky business nesting on the ground where both eggs and chicks are vulnerable. This film was recorded for @CurlewCountry who are running a curlew recovery project while Curlew Action are campaigning to protect curlews from extinction.
Curlew 2020 - The Final 24 Hours
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A lot happens on a Curlew nest in 24 hours. From the first pip of an egg to fledging. It all happens in just one day. Like all birds that nest on the ground,...On Wednesday 1 July the footpath/bridleway between Wharf Lane and Sheepway will be closed for one day.
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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