Contact us at
info@fpwnr.org
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
Facebook Latest
The wildfowl on the South Pools displayed much phrenetic activity during April 2019. You might recall that a pair of Canada Geese chose the pools as their nesting site and became very possessive of the area. Consequently, they challenged any intruders, irrespective of size, who strayed anywhere remotely near to their nest. This made for interesting birdwatching and potential photo opportunities, as Shelduck, Gadwall, other Canada Geese, a Heron and even Mute Swans were set upon by the geese and scattered around the pools. I was very much looking forward to watching a repeat of the spectacle this April, but staying at home is a current imperative at this dreadful time. I have included a few images from last April’s display, which might well be repeating itself this year, albeit less well observed.
for those of you struggling to keep one child occupied think of this lady who has 13 to watch out for. Ps - dont worry the pic was taken 12 months ago.
We have received an update from the Hinkley Connection Team re the continuation of work at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve.
Next week they will be working on the bellmouths on Sheepway and will continue with preparations for the temporary haul road. You can read more about the work and the extra safety measures being taken during the COVID-19 pandemic at www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk/hinkley-connection-update-april-2020/
Hinkley Connection Update April 2020 - Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk
This update relates to the continuation of work at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve and the extra safety measures being taken during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a briefing we have received from the Community Relations Team of the... Read MoreSadly we cant really spend much time at the Reserve at the moment and so you may enjoy this little video looking back at February.
You will see number of birds in the clip at the end - see if you can identify them:
Gadwall
Lapwing
Little Egret
Blackbird,
Male stone chat
Female stonechat
Grebe- still in winter coat
Greylay Goose
Shoveller
Canade Goose
Tufted Duck
Seagull
Song Thrush
Oyster Catcher
Meadow Pippet
youtu.be/QBqb-Mzw668
February 2020 at Portbury Wharf
youtu.be
A Compilation of short clips from Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. My verbal introduction stops at about 2.15 if you would rather go straight to the action.This North Pool roe buck looks nice and warm wrapped up in his thick winter coat! His new antlers are still growing under that soft velvet.
Did you know deer hair is hollow? So each hair holds warm air close to the body . . . nature's insulation.🙂
One of the most popular questions asked - is how to find and see snipe? They are much smaller birds than people realise and you really have to look hard to find them. The best place in my experience is the south pool and at the moment they seem to like a piece of ground which sticks out on the right hand side of the pool as you look out of the hide - just before the muddy bank. There is a video clip here of 5 snipe from yesterday ( you will need to study hard to see all of them) and they will probably keep coming back to this spot for a while yet. I hope that you find them :https://youtu.be/PJdXGcbG_X0
Snipe at the South Pool, Portbury Wharf Reserve
youtu.be
Unless you look hard you can miss these little birdsIt is not only the blackthorn blossom to look out for around the North Pool. This roe buck and doe were looking at me, looking at them.
As pretty as a picture . . . did you know blackthorn flowers have both male and female reproductive parts (hermaphrodite)?
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
Share this on Facebook
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
Share this on Facebook
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
Share this on Facebook