January to December 2022

A record total of 160 species recorded at the site from all-comers in 2022 (beating 159 in 2021). (See 2022 Species for details.) With my personal total for the site in 2022 also a record, at 158 species (beating 155 in 2021). The result of 315 visits (19 more than the previous most, in 2021). Average number of species per visit = 42 (my highest average was 51 in 2006, and it was 44 last year).
Highest number of species in a day was 67 (68 in 2021) on 5th May. (My highest day-total at OPS is 78 on 18th April 2019.)
I added Eider to my OPS list (bringing it to 203 species for me at OPS). But no new species were added to the OPS list (leaving it at 234).

Although only one species was added to the lists, it was the best year (in the last 16 years) for the total number of Very Rare birds, at 9 (best before was 2010 with 7), and the equal 2nd best year for Extremely Rare birds at 4 (best 2021 with 6). The only 'common' (for OPS) bird not seen this year was Arctic Skua (no Skua species were seen), and the other commonest NOT seen were: Common Scoter, Crossbill, Little Gull, Red-legged Partridge and Wood Warbler (all seen in at least half of the last 10 years). The other relatively common birds not seen at the site were: Guillemot, Pied Flycatcher, Pochard, Ruff and Garganey. (Last 4 same as last year.)

The year started excellently, with 94 species (a record) by end of January (and 56 on the 1st day). Record numbers of species continued through end of February (100), March (113) and April (138). (In Jan. and Feb. I had the most species I have seen in those months in any year, at 89 & 87. And March was one species short of best at 99.) By end of April I also had my record 134 species, as birds moved earlier than usual due to nice weather. However, May and June were very poor with only 4 new species added, putting the total at 4 off the best after 6 months (and me 6 off !). Then, early autumn was really good due to prolonged hot weather, and by end of September the species number was back to a record 151 (and record 149 for me). Migration was pretty much over by start of October and not a single new species was added that month! Leaving me 3 off my best at this point in year and all-comers 5 off. A good November took the species count to 156, within 3 of the record year-end for all-comers, and 154 for me, just one short. Then a freezing spell of weather in December meant species were on the move and 4 were added, taking the total to a record 160 species (and record 158 for me). (In Sep. Nov. and Dec. I also had the most species seen in those months in any year, at 107, 92 & 86.)

The highlights through the year, were :
Jan - The year started with 3 Otter (adult + 2 young) on the lake for 2 weeks. And the birds didn't disappoint, with a juv. Shag, a Spoonbill and 16 White-fronted Goose over to SW. Up to 3 Black Redstart (inc. an adult male) and 11 Yellowhammer around all month; a mesmerising Starling murmuration contained up to 4,000 birds over Lagoon 3 and a Nuthatch. A Barnacle Goose arrived and stayed until May, the first of many Marsh Harrier and a Goshawk circling.
Feb - The female Marsh Harrier continued its stay, 3 Avocet, 80 Golden Plover over and 48 on the Tidal Reservoir mud. Storm Eunice brought 2 Fulmar and 5 Kittiwake upriver; a juv. Glaucous Gull flew upriver at Shepperdine; and a 'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit on the seawall.
Mar - my first Jack Snipe for 3 years, and 3 Coot on the lake for first time in 3 years. A Barn Owl at yacht club, the second Green Sanpiper and 7th Merlin record of the year; a Great White Egret upriver; a Water Pipit; a 4-Goose morning with Brent (Dark-bellied), Barnacle, Greylag and Canada; a Little Stint briefly; 2 Kingfisher together and a Grey Seal.
Apr - A Goosander, a Little Ringed Plover, 4 Kittiwake, a Sandwich Tern (for 8th Spring in row), 2 Great Crested Grebe; OPS record counts of 5 Grasshopper Warbler and 26 Oystercatcher; a 2cy Iceland Gull on the far Tidal Res. wall for 25 mins., Jays video'd migrating over and the Canada Goose pair walked their 3-day old young over 1 km from the lake to the yacht club! Two Cuckoo, a Garden Warbler, male and female Ring Ouzels separately, 2 Avocet and 80 Whimbrel.
May - A pair of Little Grebe had 3 young and a pair of Stonechat had the first young in S. Gloucs. for at least 14 years ! A Cuckoo and a Grasshopper Warbler still, a flock of 50 Kittiwake upriver, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a pair of Eider drifted up on the tide (the first for 28 years!) and 7 Sanderling.
Jun - A Cuckoo still, 6 Little Grebe (a 3rd adult joined the pair + 3 juv.), 2 young Coal Tit, 22 Reed Warbler and 10 Sedge Warbler; two new Bees for OPS: Brown-banded Carder and Wilke's Mining Bee; another 2 Avocet; Scarce Chaser dragonfies and 1000+ spikes of Pyramidal Orchid; an Osprey and a Garden Warbler.
Jul - A Greenshank; 45 Marbled White, a Clouded-yellow, a Silver-washed Fritillary and 2 Ringlet butterflies; and 29 Mistle Thrush (OPS record). The farmer cut the meadow later for once, allowing the purple Knapweed to flower. A Redstart, the Kestrel pair fledged 3 young, headstart Curlew '23' returned, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Barn Owl, the Stonechat pair with a second brood of four and a second brood of 2 Little Grebe, 3 Sanderling, my first Tawny Owl of the year and 9 Glow-worm.
Aug - 2 Spotted Flycatcher all month, a Barn Owl, a Hobby, a Garden Warbler, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Tree Pipit, 5 Glow-worm still, a female Marsh Harrier, a Great White Egret, a juvenile Kittiwake sat on the seawall and 11 Raven.
Sep - Up to 7 Spotted Flycatcher all month (OPS record - previous best was two!), 2 Great White Egret records, a Hobby, a Barn Owl, a Nuthatch and a Little Owl both heard, 7 Sanderling, a Firecrest, 28 Knot, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Mandarin included 3 leucistic, a Little Stint, 2 Redstart, 14 Greylag Goose over to SW, a Greenshank, 3 Wild Service Trees identified, a Jack Snipe, a Merlin and 2 Treecreeper.
Oct - 538 Canada Goose (OPS and S. Gloucs. record count) and 7 Greylag with them (inc. 2 completely white), a juv Curlew Sandpiper, a Weasel, the earliest Brambling (3rd) and Black Redstart (9th) for OPS, a Firecrest, a Merlin, 6 Great White Egret (OPS and equal S. Gloucs record) and a Short-eared Owl.
Nov - A distant Long-tailed Duck downriver (first for 11 years), yet another Great White Egret, a Tawny Owl perched, a redhead Goosander, a Corn Bunting (for a fourth winter), a Green Sandpiper, 37 Greylag Goose downriver, an Otter, a flock of 633 Woodpigeon migrating, 4 Hawfinch, a female Goldeneye on the lake then Oldbury Pill (last in 2011), 4 Black Redstart (2m, 2f), 3 Kittiwake and a Gannet upriver and a Water Pipit.
Dec - a Short-eared Owl (only 2 records all year), c2,500 Dunlin, 2 Jack Snipe , up to 18 Yellowhammer all month, up to 52 Golden Plover in cold spell, a Whooper Swan over the lake, Oldbury Pill frozen over, 3 Common Dolphin, a Cattle Egret to NE, a Woodcock, 2 Marsh Harrier together the last of 16 bird-days (!) this year, a Diver species (most likely Great Northern Diver) and the first Light-bellied Brent Goose for OPS.

31/12/22 – Last birdwatch of the year done. 3 Mistle Thrush in trees at SE corner of Lagoon 2 included the beautiful sound of one in full song. 6 Yellowhammer (2 in scrub between Lagoon 3 and lake at dawn - probably roosting there, and 4 at yacht club), and 250+ Common Gull.
(No Brent Goose with the 38 Canada Goose flock in flooded field.)

30/12/22 – A Chiffchaff on Lagoon 3, in the reeds by the lake. (The Brent Goose not around late afternoon.)

29/12/22 – The Brent Goose (Pale-bellied) still. Also reported: 224 Curlew, 160 Wigeon, 46 Redshank and 9 Great Tit.

27-28/12/22 – The Brent Goose (Pale-bellied) remained. And news of the Dolphins - the mother and calf were stranded on a mudbank upriver on 26th Dec, but were moved to the river and swam off.

26/12/22 – Heather England reported: a Brent Goose (Pale-bellied) in the flooded field between Lagoon 3 and yacht club this morning, with 28 Canada Goose. (Photo by HE below.) It was still there this afternoon and is the first record of this subspecies at OPS. Video. These birds breed in Greenland and Svalbard. (The almost annual subspecies here, Dark-bellied, breed in Siberia.) HE also reported: 150+ Lapwing, 50 Curlew, 400+ Dunlin, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Peregrine and 100+ Wigeon.

23/12/22 – The immature male Marsh Harrier again this afternoon, this time around the reedbed on Lagoon 2.

22/12/22 – The immature male Marsh Harrier was stood in the field between Lagoon 3 and yacht club with 39 Canada Goose this morning. They really are big birds; nearly as tall as a goose when stood on those long legs. Video (NB. it is a less mature male than one photo'd on 8th Dec.) It stayed all day, mainly around Lagoon 3, but ranging from Shepperdine to the yacht club (photo on right cropped from one by Paul Sadley).

21/12/22 – A Diver species, most probably a Great Northern Diver far out on the estuary off Lagoon 3 this evening. (Poor video at distance in fading light.)
That is now 158 species for me at OPS this year, and 160 species for all-comers (both records).

TWO Marsh Harrier circling around Lagoon 3 (an immature male and a female). First time two have been seen at OPS. Nice video by Matt Plenty.

20/12/22 – Heather England/Andy Middleton reported: 1200 Dunlin, 112 Lapwing, 4 Grey Plover, 6 Yellowhammer, 4 Bullfinch, 3 Stonechat and dozens of both Redwing and Fieldfare.

17/12/22 – A superb morning's birding in the company of the BOC walkers. The best sighting has to be the 3+ Common Dolphin that were feeding just downriver of the Tidal Res.. Video. We watched them continuously coming to the surface for 10 minutes, with a flock of Herring Gull above them, which gave away their presence. (Only had one here before - in Sept. 2017.) The rarest bird (for OPS) was a Cattle Egret that flew NE, virtually overhead. (The flock of up to 7 last year, were the first records for the site.) But we also flushed a Woodcock from the grass bank of Lagoon 2 near the recycling bins - it flew low across the Lagoon. Other notable birds were: a male Pintail and 2 male Tufted Duck on the Tidal Res., a Bar-tailed Godwit (and a Black-tailed Godwit), and 17 Yellowhammer (yacht club). An excellent 60 bird species in total.
And that is now 157 species for me at OPS this year, and 159 species for all-comers (both records).

16/12/22 – Morris Benson reported an immature male Marsh Harrier hunting over lagoon 3 late morning. This afternoon, a Water Rail legged it across the frozen lake ! (Someone dug up a Roman Pot with a rib bone in it from the mud along the shore between Lagoon 3 and the yacht club.)

14/12/22 – A Whooper Swan called 'whoop' as I was at the stile by the road at 8:15am, and it circled the lake. I walked up the track to Lagoon 3, hoping it would land with the 2 Mute Swan. But it flew from SW, over the lake once more, called again and went off to NE. (This is my 5th record here, last was 4 on 8th Dec 2020, 2 days before I found the Tundra Bean Geese.) Also, 52 Golden Plover - a flock of 40+ flying SW about a mile inland ('scoped from Lagoon 3), 6 in fields between Lagoon 3 and yacht club, another 6 flying around over Lagoon 3 and went down in fields to S of here; c420 Lapwing (inc. 320 in frozen field between Lagoon 3 and yacht club), a male Tufted Duck on the Tidal Res. and 13 Yellowhammer. It was -7C this morning, and Oldbury Pill was frozen over from the sluice right down to the yacht club - don't remember that happening before.
That is 155 species for me at OPS this year - equaling my record last year, and 157 species for all-comers (two behind record last year).

14/12/22 – 13 Golden Plover flew from inland to the shore at dusk, 3 Greylag Goose have joined the c40 Canada Goose in field near yacht club, a Treecreeper in hedge between Lagoon 3 and shore and 18 Yellowhammer.

13/12/22 – Another frosty morning (-2C), and High Tide: a flock of 45 Golden Plover flew low from Littleton Wharth towards OPS (but not found on ground), 2 male Pintail (Shepperdine), a juv. Mute Swan on est., c340 Lapwing (inc. flocks of 70 & 50 highish over to S), c1,000 Dunlin, c120 Curlew and 15 Yellowhammer.

12/12/22 – Matt Plenty reported 41 Golden Plover (17 by squeaky gate before yacht club, 1 in field S of Oldbury Pill and 23 in sheep fields at Littleton Wharth). 14 Yellowhammer (and a possible brief Corn Bunting) around the saltmarsh at the yacht club. Andy Mddleton had the adult male Black Redstart on the fence by the recycling bins (from Lagoon 2) and c1,500 Starling leaving roost at dawn. AM's WeBS (+ a few of my counts): 500 Dunlin (and MP had 1500 at Littleton), 88 Curlew, 200+ Lapwing, 2 Jack Snipe with 8 Snipe on the saltmarsh, 40 Turnstone, 22 Redshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Teal, 94 Wigeon, 50 Mallard, 3 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Ringed Plover and 1 Grey Plover.

10/12/22 – Frost and -3 degs C again. c2,500 Dunlin over HT - this is the whole OPS/Littleton flock, pushed to the yacht club by fishermen at Littleton pre-dawn. And 2+ Yellowhammer (1+ again at yacht club and 1 at Lagoon 1). Also 2 Water Rail (Barry Dursley had one on pond by Lagoon 2 and one on Lagoon 3.)

9/12/22 – Tony Krajewski had a Short-eared Owl at 3:45pm between Lagoon 3 and yacht club, and 3 Yellowhammer by the yacht club. And a Water Rail flew over the ice on the lake to the island. The Mute Swan pair have managed to keep a patch of water ice-free.

8/12/22 – Frost and -3 degs C, but beautifully still. An immature male Marsh Harrier flew downriver along the near shore at Shepperdine. Video. HT at yacht club: 1000+ Dunlin, 365 Lapwing, 140 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Grey Plover, 6 Oystercatcher and a few Turnstone. Also 4 Yellowhammer. I am a bit worried for the 2 Mute Swan on the lake, which are frozen in.

7/12/22 – c1,600 Starling flew in to roost in the reedbed in SW corner of Lagoon 3 at dusk. (Straight to roost, no murmuration.)

3/12/22 – Cold E wind. A flock of 11 Black-tailed Godwit flew highish over to ENE and a Water Rail ran from a large muddy puddle along the path round Lagoon 2

2/12/22 – Yacht Club at HT: c500 Dunlin, c230 Lapwing, c300 Starling and the male Yellowhammer.

Photos of the Peregrine pair by Alan Daniells.

29/11/22 – Dense fog ! But 2 Coal Tit in a Long-tailed Tit flock (5 flocks totalling 23+), and a male Yellowhammer at the yacht club again.

28/11/22 – A Black Redstart reported again this afternoon.

27/11/22 – A female Black Redstart reported on Avonbirds.

26/11/22 – Rob Emery reported the male Black Redstart (photo by RE below).

25/11/22 – A Water Pipit with c20 Meadow Pipit around the pontoon jetty at the yacht club at High Tide this morning. 61 species seen today. The HT roost between yacht club and Pillhead Gout was good again: 11 Grey Plover, 10 Oystercatcher, 900+ Dunlin, c200 Lapwing, 170+ Curlew and 5 Ringed Plover. Best find was a male Stonechat (one of 5 around) which was on a small corner of set-aside by a footpath inland towards Oldbury village - it doesn't take much to give nature a chance. Peter Coslett had 2 late flying Brimstone butterflies.

24/11/22 – a Black Redstart alarm-calling by jetty at dawn (probable female-type, only seen in silhouette).

23/11/22 – Heavy, cold, showers with blustery SW wind pushed 3 Kittiwake (2 adult and a 1st-winter) and an adult Gannet upriver late afternoon. That is my 154th bird species at OPS this year. 156 species for all-comers.
(Some late news about a Buzzard corpse I found in January 2021 - a post-mortem by the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme concluded it died of starvation.)

Kittiwakes; 2 adults on the Tidal Res. at dusk and a 1st-winter on the Tidal res. shore.

Best I could do with the Gannet - only picked it up as it was about to go round the corner of Shepperdine.

22/11/22 – 3 Yellowhammer at yacht club, and 25 Reed Bunting about (32 counted on Saturday, 19th). Pillhead Gout after HT: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit with 27+ Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Grey Plover.

20/11/22 – 2 female-type Black Redstart reported by Heather England on the jetty (photo by HE below).

19/11/22 – The first frosty morning (-1 degs C), saw a Great White Egret to SW at dawn and a Mute Swan flew in from the estuary and circled the lake (trying to join the resident pair) before leaving. And lots of Redwing in the hedges. 2 Black Redstart (a male and a female-type) reported again (photo below by Tim Salkeld), and a Hawfinch reported calling in flight around the car park.

18/11/22 – 2 Black Redstart (a male and a female-type) reported by Morris Benson in morning - between Lagoon 2 and power station. (One was at the waterworks at dusk.)

17/11/22 – 2 male Black Redstart at the waterworks this morning - a superb adult in breeding plumage (video) and a moulting 1st-winter. Also, c700 Dunlin moving before HT, 6 Grey Plover at Shepperdine, a Water Rail in the pond by Lagoon 2 and c30 Chaffinch trickling over to SW.

16/11/22 – A nice walk back from the yacht club with Mike Smart and Mary Caldwell (from Curlew Action), who reported the female Goldeneye at Oldbury Pill sluice over HT, then flew up the Pill. (Was expecting it to be back on the lake after, but not when I looked.) The HT roost at the yacht club was good: a Golden Plover, 500+ Dunlin, 100+ Lapwing, 15 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover and c30 Curlew in a field. Also, 2 Yellowhammer at the yacht club and a Red Admiral butterfly along the shore to SW.

14/11/22 – Andy Middleton found a female Goldeneye on the lake at 12:20pm (and still there at 1pm) - used to be seen annually when the Lagoons were flooded. But the last one at OPS was in 2011 (on the estuary at Shepperdine), and before that 2007 when one was on flooded Lagoon 1. AM also had 5 Yellowhammer (3 by NHS bench and 2 by Lagoon 2 outflow). 3 Shoveler (m, 2f) were on the estuary at HT and a flock of 650 Starling were feeding with the sheep on the saltmarsh at Pillhead Gout, where 139 Curlew were. AM's WeBS count: 21 Teal, 72 Wigeon, 15 Shelduck, 39 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan, 12 Moorhen, 1 Little Grebe, 68 Snipe, 7 Oystercatcher, 168 Lapwing, 57 Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, c600 Dunlin, 85 Redwing and 20 Fieldfare.

Redwing.

12/11/22 – 3 Redpoll over and a Siskin in trees, Lagoon 3. Also, a Mistle Thrush.

10/11/22 – 4 Hawfinch over this morning (record OPS count, beating 3 on 24/10/2017) - 1 over lowish to SW at yacht club just ahead of a flock of 300 mixed Redwing/Fieldfare at 8:25am, and 3 low over Lagoon 2 to W at 9:45am, showing the distinctive black/white/black underwing. Other vismig to SW: 400+ Redwing, c200 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush and 13 Chaffinch. Also, 12 Greenfinch feeding on brambles in small wood on way to yacht club (and another on Lagoon 3).

9/11/22 – Andy Middleton reported: 160 Redwing, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and 68 Wigeon. Also 2 Coal Tit this afternoon.

8/11/22 – Movement to SW into blustery wind this morning (after heavy overnight rain): 600+ Redwing, 130 Fieldfare, 300+ Starling, 50+ Chaffinch and 2 Golden Plover. And the Corn Bunting flew from saltmarsh to nearest field inland.

5/11/22 – An Otter in the lake at 8:40am ! (Last seen here in January.) Video. Also, a Tawny Owl sat in tree at dawn by road next to lake, being mobbed by: 2 Jay, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Blackbird, Wren, Robin, etc.. And the first big flock this autumn of Woodpigeon flying over to SW as it started raining - 633 counted from video. Plus the male Yellowhammer again at yacht club and 3 Shoveler there.

4/11/22 – An eventful afternoon, as the tide came in. A fem-type Black Redstart on a roof on SW side of towers, a 'redhead' Goosander flew downriver along the near shore, a flock of 37+ Greylag Goose flew downriver over the Tidal Res. and landed on the far side of the estuary and a Corn Bunting was feeding on the saltmarsh by the yacht club - the fourth winter in a row that one has been here ! This morning, Morris Benson reported a Green Sandpiper, flying around the lake, but didn’t land, and then flew inland.

3/11/22 – A Great White Egret upriver, a Tawny Owl calling from trees at S end of Lagoon 2 early morning, and Lagoon 1 had: 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Fieldfare and 5 Redwing.

2/11/22 – No seabirds in blustery, wet, afternoon and evening, on falling tide, but c60 Black-tailed Godwit flew from upriver into Shepperdine to feed at dusk.
And news from John Sanders of a Redshank with ring 'AVL', at Littleton Warth on 3rd Oct, which was ringed at Ynyslas NNR, north of Aberystwyth, on 9 Sept 2021, and not reported anywhere else since.

1/11/22 – What seems to be a female-type Long-tailed Duck flew downriver just after 8am, following a quite stormy night. (Last one at OPS was on Lagoon 1 in 2001.) The video quality on Youtube isn't good enough to see, but stills taken from the original video below. And a Nuthatch called from trees along track to Lagoon 3 ramp.
That is my 150th bird species at OPS this year, with all-comers on 151 species. Just two regular species missing from the year list: Arctic Skua and Short-eared Owl.

31/10/22 – 2 Yellowhammer at the yacht club this morning. A Knot with the Redshank flock, 7 Snipe and 128 Lapwing (latter counted by Andy Middleton). The whole HT roost was flushed by a woman with 2 dogs on the saltmarsh. Also 6 Raven to NE.

29/10/22 – A Knot with the Redshank flock at yacht club, briefly, over HT. The HT roost was flushed by the yachts in a race (which Malcolm Worster seemed to come last in !). At dawn, the Tidal Res. had 535 Canada Goose roosting on it ! (Count from video.) (Plus one white Greylag Goose.) They all flew to the far side of the estuary. The male Yellowhammer still with 11 Reed Bunting. 2 Brambling over to SW, calling.

28/10/22 – Tony Krajewski had a Short-eared Owl this morning; it flew across the path around Lagoon 3, and over the hedge to the river, but then it was later at the SW end of Lagoon 3.

27/10/22 – A very good morning at the yacht club after rain cleared. 6 Great White Egret downriver (OPS and equal S. Gloucs record - photo below by Aravind Ramesh as they went past Aust), a Jack Snipe (video) with 6 Snipe, and a male Yellowhammer with a surprise 17 Reed Bunting in the hedge (and 8 more on Lagoons). The HT roost was also good: a Greenshank, 14 Black-tailed Godwit, c250 Curlew, c500 Dunlin, 103 Lapwing, c50 Redshank and 6 Grey Plover. Also, increases in thrushes: 25 Blackbird (2 flocks of 10 on hedges), 15 Song Thrush, 4 Mistle Thrush (Lagoon 1), but only c10 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare.

25/10/22 – A juv/fem Merlin hunting Meadow Pipits in field by yacht club with flick-flick-miss one . . . wingbeats in fast final approach. And a juv. Peregrine flushed the HT roost at the yacht club, which contained: c250 Curlew, 550 Dunlin, 92 Lapwing, c50 Redshank, c70 Turnstone (which flew in from upriver), 3 Ringed Plover, 90 Canada Goose and a Black-tailed Godwit. (Combined HT counts with Andy Middleton.) Birds flying over: 3 Fieldfare, 3 Siskin (2 landed in Lagoon 2 trees), a Redpoll and 14 Skylark (+ another 12 in fields). Also, a Rock Pipit at the yacht club and 3 Blackcap on Lagoon 2. AM and I had 15 Stonechat between us (6 x Lagoon 3, 3 x Lagoon 2, 2 x Lagoon 1, 2 x yacht club and 2 x Shepperdine). AM also reported: a juv/fem Redstart sp. (seen on Lagoon 2 by a photographer), 40 Pheasant near Lagoon 1 (OPS record, beating 34 from 2020), 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, and a Clouded Yellow butterfly at Shepperdine.

A couple of new fungi for OPS. Evasive Agaric and Wood Blewit (both on Lagoon 3).

23/10/22 – Barry Dursley reported: 2 Raven, Peregrine pair, 30+ Pied Wagtail, 12+ Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit and a Fieldfare on Lagoon 2.

22/10/22 – Not much vismig, but 5 Siskin, inc. one landing in tree on Lagoon 2, and a pair of Bullfinch over. Also, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Cormorant (inc. a flock of 7 downriver), and an increase to 17 Reed Bunting and 90 Lapwing (inc. 21 that flew in from upriver). Plus, 5 Mute Swan (4 adults on lake and Andy Middleton reported a juv. downriver), a late Clouded Yellow butterfly (seen by AM) and c425 Canada Goose (c410 on far side of estuary, i.e. Gloucs.), with 4 Greylag Goose (inc. 2 white). 64 bird species seen this morning - equal 2nd highest this year (67 best).

20/10/22 – A female and a juvenile Pintail on the shore at Shepperdine in rain this morning. Wigeon numbers increased to 105.

19/10/22 – The birds finally think it is autumn ! This afternoon (2-3:45pm): 123 Fieldfare (50 over; to W, then NE, and 73 in a field at end of main rhine), 56 Redwing, 18 Chaffinch to NE and a fem/juv Pintail downriver. Also, 4 Mute Swan (2 adult pairs) and 25 Teal on lake; and a late Clouded Yellow butterfly along the seawall. Tony Krajewski photo'd a Bar-tailed Godwit at Shepperdine.

18/10/22 – 2 Redpoll low in thick fog this morning, and the 2 Little Grebe still on the lake.

17/10/22 – 5 Swallow to S and 20 Chaffinch to SW; 11 Grey Plover (6 on shore by Lagoon 3 and 5 flew into Shepperdine from upriver); 2 Little Grebe and 19 Teal on lake.

Photos by Tony Krajewski.

16/10/22 – Heather England reported 6 Grey Plover on shore by Lagoon 3. Barry Dursley reported: 10 Black-tailed Godwit and 30+ Pied Wagtail in evening.

15/10/22 – 6 Raven low to NE at dawn (probably coming out of roost).

14/10/22 – Morris Benson reported a Firecrest with a mixed tit flock, back end of Lagoon 2, this morning.

13/10/22 – Thick fog this morning, but still a Coal Tit and a Treecreeper seen.

11/10/22 – First frost of autumn (zero Degs C). Pillhead Gout, this morning, after fog cleared: 1 Swallow, 42 Skylark (22 over, mainly to E, and 20 on ground), 45 Curlew (roost, inc. HS '23'), 70 Redshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Lapwing and 13 Oystercatcher. Vismig: 18 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 70 Jackdaw, 110 Rook, c10 Meadow Pipit and a Yellowhammer (heard). Also, a Coal Tit, a Little Grebe, a Mistle Thrush on Lagoon 2 and 12 Stonechat (5 x yacht club, 4 x L3, 3 x L2).

10/10/22 – 9 Stonechat in Lagoon 3 reeds (and another 5+ reported by Rob just upriver of the Windbound). Andy Middleton's WeBS count: a Curlew Sandpiper, a Water Rail and a Kingfisher on the lake, 2 Grey Plover, 114 Curlew, 54 Redshank, 60 Turnstone, 315 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 15 Lapwing, 5 Little Egret, 7 Grey Heron, 20 Teal, 74 Mallard, 120 Jackdaw, 60 Starling, 35 Linnet, 66 Meadow Pipit and a Clouded Yellow butterfly. (The maize stubble fields have been ploughed, so the brief Goose bonanza is over !)

9/10/22 – Heather England found the earliest Black Redstart for OPS (previous earliest was 23/10/2007). (Photo by HE below, on Lagoon 3 outfall.) She also reported: 70+ Turnstone, 150+ Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 25 Ringed Plover, 26 Canada Goose flew in to lake first thing to join 6 Teal and 1 Gadwall, a juvenile Mute Swan on estuary and 4 Stonechat on Lagoon 3.

8/10/22 – The juv. Curlew Sandpiper was with the small Dunlin and Ringed Plover flock on the seawall by Lagoon 1 at HT. Also 14 Stonechat (8 x Lagoon 3, 5 x yacht club, 1 x inland hedge) and 3 probable migrant Great Spotted Woodpecker, flying SW along the shore. One in a small tree then flew towards yacht cub (treeless). Then 2 together over the shore-end of Lagoon 2, one of which flew up the face of the towers and nearly landed on the top ! Before flying off SW with the other one. Plus an increase to 13 Chaffinch and a Treecreeper.

7/10/22 – No seabirds in 2 hours of SW wind and rain, but a Weasel along the Severn Way by Lagoon 1.

6/10/22 – A Kingfisher on the pond by Lagoon 2 this morning. 15 House Martin (inc. juvs which look like Sand Martins below, but with off-white rumps) and 9 Swallow feeding over Lagoon 2.

5/10/22 – A juv. Curlew Sandpiper on the shore at Shepperdine. 474 Canada Goose on the shore by Lagoon 3 with a Greylag. (And another 100 on far shore of estuary, i.e. Gloucs., with the 2 white Greylag.) 30 Swallow heading S. The Canada Goose flock was flushed by something much bigger landing !

4/10/22 – The juv/fem Merlin again - going after the Meadow Pipit flock on Lagoon 1. Casual vismig (mainly to SW into wind): 2 Redwing (heard), 1 Redpoll (to N) and 19 Linnet (7,7,5).
A good bat talk & walk last night at OPS, by Graeme McLaren (Magnox). Bat detectors got Common Pipistrelle. & Noctule (in car park), and possible Serotine & Leisler's. No Daubentons over lake, surprisingly.

3/10/22 – 538 Canada Goose mainly in the maize stubble fields by the yacht club (OPS and S. Gloucs. record count), and 7 Greylag with them (inc. the 2 white ones). (Then they all flew to the estuary.) One of the Canadas at Shepperdine was a small Todd's-like subspecies - video swimming, video walking. (A similar one was here in 2016.) And a Barnacle x Greylag (?) was also present (same as last year). An adult winter Mediterranean Gull flew across the estuary. Vismig, mainly to NE: a Brambling (earliest record for OPS), 15 Skylark (to S), 1 Siskin, 4 Chaffinch and a Greenfinch.
John Sanders reported from Littleton: 1 juv. Curlew Sandpiper, 30 Dunlin, 70 Redshank (inc. a coded-ringed one) and a Wheatear.

2/10/22 Heather England reported a Snipe and a Kingfisher on the lake. (Great photo by HE below !)

1/10/22 – 365 Canada Goose flushed by a dog from the maize stubble fields to the estuary, with a normal plumaged Greylag. Still 45 House Martin over the lake. Vismig: the first 3 Redwing of autumn (landed in trees on Lagoon 3, then to SW), 12 Skylark (SW), 2 Siskin, 4 Swallow and another House Martin (low to NW), 2 Chaffinch and 2 Meadow Pipit (plus c20 on ground). Also on a scan of the estuary, I picked up a Great Spotted Woodpecker (of all things!) flying up from the seawall by the waterworks (possibly bathing/drinking at outflow) and then it flew upriver. Plus 3 Knot flew downriver and 6 Blackcap (4m) bathing in a puddle ! (video)

30/9/22 – As fog this morning just about lifted 419 Canada Goose flew from the estuary to the maize stubble fields in waves, and 2 completely white Greylag with them. Later c200 House Martin and c10 Swallow fed all around the site. Also, a juv Curlew Sandpiper with c150 Dunlin at Shepperdine, and a Mistle Thrush there. And 14 Black-tailed Godwit on the shore, plus 10 Stonechat (8 x Lagoon 3 and the pair at Shepperdine).
During this September I saw 107 bird species at OPS - my second best month ever (behind 108 in an April).

29/9/22 – A juv/fem Merlin sat at top of tree, at end of tarmac'd track to Lagoon 2, during showers. And a fall of warblers after overnight rain: 7 Blackcap, 16 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Whitethroat (Lagoon 3 by lake) and 2 Treecreeper in different tit flocks.

28/9/22 – A Mediterranean Gull flew upriver.

27/9/22 – The wildlife disturbance was at a whole new level this morning, with a fisherman waist deep in the lake (!) and the Berkeley Hunt all over Lagoons 1 & 2. The only birds about were a flock of 70 Turnstone on the seawall at HT, 5+ Stonechat on Lagoon 3 and 12 Swallow low to NW into wind.

26/9/22 – A Jack Snipe flew up from the saltmarsh at Pillhead Gout this morning, and surprisingly flew around me for a couple of circuits, actually getting too close for binoculars ! And a Great White Egret flew from S (inland) and then went upriver. The Peregrine pair were sat on the very large log past Pillhead Gout.

Ringed Plover and Dunlin on the seawall - photos by Matt Plenty.

25/9/22 – Andy Middleton reported: 9 Grey Plover, 63 Redshank, 32 Curlew, 7 Lapwing, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Wheatear, 80 Meadow Pipit, 90 Jackdaw and 45 Goldfinch. Tony Krajewski reported 3 Black-tailed Godwit (photo by TK below).

24/9/22 – Heather England reported: 1 Sanderling, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 200+ Dunlin, 50+ Ringed Plover and 10 Stonechat (inc. 6 on Lagoon 3).

23/9/22 – 7 Stonechat in Lagoon 3 reeds, a pair of Muntjacs on Lagoon 1 and 3 Clouded Yellow butterflies between Lagoon 3 and the jetty.

22/9/22 – This morning: a Greenshank with 26 Redshank at Oldbury Pill, 6 Grey Plover, 1 Sanderling, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, c100 Dunlin and 15 Teal on the lake. But the best find was 3 Wild Service Tree - 2 along tarmac'd track from car park to Lagoon 2, on right, just past orchard. And the biggest one, on S side of the meadow next to car park. It says on one of the information boards on the Nature Trail that the area was planted with a long list of trees, including these, but I have just found them as they stand out currently as half the large leaves are green and half brown.

The Wild Service Tree by the meadow and a leaf (like Maple, but side veins not from a single point).

One of the smaller trees along the track to Lagoon 2.

21/9/22 – A nice increase in number and variety of waders at Shepperdine in the run-up to HT: 1(or 2) juvenile Curlew Sandpiper (video), 1 Greenshank, 1 (juv.) Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Grey Plover (reported by John Sanders), 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 150+ Dunlin, but still the same c20 Ringed Plover. Also an increase to 12 Wigeon, plus 11 Teal on lake. Also 2 Clouded Yellow butterflies.

Curlew Sandpiper and Greenshank (last bird on right).

Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit (left) with 2 Black-tailed Godwit.

20/9/22 – A Water Rail showing well on the island in the lake (viewed from Lagoon 3). The juv/fem Redstart still at S end of Lagoon 2 and 5 Black-tailed Godwit at Shepperdine.

18/9/22 – A juv/fem Redstart in SE corner of Lagoon 2 and a Treecreeper there. Heather England reported: 2 Sand Martin and the pair of Stonechat at Shepperdine.

17/9/22 – A flock of 14 Greylag Goose flew highish downriver, 4 Black-tailed Godwit on the shore at Shepperdine and a Snipe on exposed mud in Oldbury Pill. Tony Krajewski reported 3+ Spotted Flycatcher on Lagoon 2 (photo below from TK).
LATE NEWS and stunning photos of an Osprey on the Tidal Reservoir on 23rd June (photos by Dave Staley below - thanks !)

Osprey from 23rd June (photos by Dave Staley).

16/9/22 – 4 Spotted Flycatcher again around SE corner of Lagoon 2 - one plucked a black Dogwood berry and flew off with it. (BWP says, "berries taken occasionally during breeding season, more regularly in autumn".) Also, 2 juv/fem Redstart (Lagoons 2 & 3). And a Treecreeper with a tit flock.

15/9/22 – Best bird of a good morning was a Little Stint, with c50 Dunlin at Shepperdine, briefly, before flying off upriver; and the Sanderling still. Also, FIVE Spotted Flycatcher are still around (4 together in SE corner of Lagoon 2, and 1 in open space near where tall weather tower was), and a Redstart along S end of Lagoon 2. Vismig: 50+ Swallow, c50 House Martin (some flying N into wind) and a Mute Swan flew to NE inland.

Think I just caught the Little Stint as it flew. But looks like Sanderling, also ! Can't decide which it is. Both were present.

This shelf cloud moved in slowly from N.

13/9/22 – Still 2 Spotted Flycatcher with tit flocks on NE side of Lagoon 2, the Sanderling still on the seawall, and 2 Wheatear at Shepperdine. Vismig, in 10 mins at 9am to NE into cool wind: 45 Swallow, 1+ House Martin, 7 Meadow Pipit and 3 Linnet. (But then went quiet.)

10 Grey Heron and 2 Little Egret on Lagoon 1 at High Tide.

12/9/22 – 8 Mandarin ducks were on the shore over HT this morning; 5 male eclipse (two leucistic, with light brownish plumage where dark brown should be, e.g. back), 3 fem/juv (one leucistic as above). A couple of videos: video 1 on shore, video 2 in vegetation. Also, a Kingfisher at Oldbury sluice, a Mediterranean Gull on shore at Shepperdine, a Sanderling, 3 Whinchat (2 x yacht club common, 1 x Shepperdine) and 6 Stonechat (3 x Lagoon 3, 1 x yacht club, 2 x Shepperdine from AM). Plus a Muntjac deer barking from Lagoon 3 - video.
Andy Middleton's WeBS count: 15 Teal, 121 Mallard, 1 Snipe, 38 Ringed Plover, 24 Dunlin, 13 Grey Heron, 9 Little Egret, 1 Gadwall, 20 Canada Goose, 2 Common Sandpiper, 60 Turnstone, 4 Willow Warbler, 5 House Martin, 1 Wheatear and 2 Clouded Yellow butterfly (yacht club common).

Whinchat below.

11/9/22 – 2 Mediterranean Gull at Shepperdine (one flying upriver and second on shore, then upriver), and 2 pure white Greylag Goose with c85 Canada Goose there. Also, a Sanderling on the seawall, 1 Whinchat and a Stonechat at Shepperdine, a Spotted Flycatcher on the power line over the lake corner again and c150 House Martin gathering on the towers. Heather England reported : a Red Kite (photo by HE below), 4 Yellow Wagtail and 11 Oystercatcher.

10/9/22 – Heather England reported 2 Curlew Sandpiper (HE photo below). TK photo'd a Sanderling and a Wheatear (below), and also 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the fence between Lagoon 2 and the waterworks in evening. 50+ House Martin gathering on the towers. They used to do this every year in their hundreds, but the last time was 2019. Also 1+ Sand Martin and 10+ Swallow, a Redpoll over, 3 Common Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing and total of 5 Wheatear (2 x Pillhead, 2 x jetty, 1 x Shepperdine). Andy Middleton also reported: 29 Redshank, 10 Oystercatcher, 40 Linnet, 100 Starling and a Wigeon.
A late update of a Barn Owl at dawn on Tuesday (confirmed by the early dog-walkers from Oldbury village - thanks!).

9/9/22 – 28 Knot (a good number for here - highest since 2019) and a Sanderling at Shepperdine this afternoon. Craig Lewis reported: 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the security fence (excellent photo by CL below), 10 House Martin, 20+ Swallow and a Kingfisher flew over, calling loudly.

8/9/22 – 2 Spotted Flycatcher still (ones at S end and SW side of Lagoon 2).

7/9/22 – A Firecrest (think it was a male) in the hedge between the road and the lake, during showers at midday, with 2 Goldcrest, Chiffchaffs and a mixed tit flock - all very mobile. Also a Tree Pipit heard on/over Lagoon 2, and 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the SW fence of Lagoon 2. (The last Firecrest at OPS was in 2019, and before that in 2015 (2 records) and 2013 (2 together)). Tony Krajewski photo'd a Knot on the seawall at HT this evening.

6/9/22 – A Barn Owl just after dawn, flew from the seawall to fields inland, towards yacht club. 2+ Spotted Flycatcher still with tit flock around lake area (mobile), and Morris Benson had a Treecreeper with them. A Nuthatch called from the wood by the lake and a Little Owl called for at least 10 minutes from the orchard at Shepperdine (both heard only). Also 4 Swift and 10 House Martin feeding high over the lake, and the first 4 Wigeon back on the Tidal Res. shore. Heather England had 7 Sanderling (photo by HE below) and 47 Ringed Plover at HT late afternoon.

5/9/22 – 7 Spotted Flycatcher this afternoon. (5 together by pylons at ramp up to Lagoon 3, one on power line above corner of lake and one on other side of Lagoon 3.) 2 Tufted Duck and a Gadwall on the lake. AM also reported: 1 Whinchat, 19 Teal, 9 Grey Heron and 18 Ringed Plover. Craig Lewis also reported: 5 Willow Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff and 2 Whitethroat.

Two of the flycatchers on power line (with Chiffchaff), and a Jay.

There are other jobs I would prefer than this in the rain !

4/9/22 – An OPS record count of 5 Spotted Flycatcher ! 4 together in far left corner of lake (from road) - all four in this video, and 5th on security fence along SW side of Lagoon 2. This is remarkable, bearing in mind there were only 9 birddays reported for this species at OPS in the 30 years 1975-2006, there have now been 11 birddays THIS WEEK ! At least one flycatcher has been around the site for a whole month now. Also, another first for me was a Lesser Whitethroat in subsong, including the rattle at the end, on Lagoon 1. And a Hobby flew low over the lake and along the SW side of Lagoon 3, then c50 Swallow went fast and noisily in the opposite direction ! Plus 11 Teal on the lake.

Three of the Spotted Flycatchers (photo by Heather England).

3/9/22 – 1+ Spotted Flycatcher at S end of Lagoon 3 - video, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 2+ Reed Warbler still. Also 4 Grey Wagtail over (inc. 3 together to SW) and a Coal Tit along main rhine.

2/9/22 – John Sanders reported a Great White Egret on the shore at Pillhead Gout, then flew upriver. A Water Rail preening in the reeds around the edge of the lake, the Tufted Duck in Oldbury Pill again, and at the yacht club: a Yellow Wagtail, 200+ Starling feeding on brambles, 100 Swallow, 5 House Martin and a Sand Martin. Heather England reported (pm): Spotted Flycatcher (meadow by car park), 2 Clouded Yellow butterfly (near Lagoon 1), 2 Whitethroat, 1 Whinchat and 2 Wheatear (Shepperdine). Mike Smart counted 350 Curlew on Shepperdine Sands (just past the Tidal Res.) from the other side of the estuary, and estimates 450-500 total Curlew in the area.

1/9/22 – A Spotted Flycatcher still on NE side of Lagoon 2. (This year we have had the highest number of bird-days (17) for this species at OPS ever recorded, with probably up to 3 birds present. The previous best year was 2019 with 10 bird-days. Even when the species was much more common in the UK, it was rarley recorded at OPS, as at that time there were few mature trees. Before 2006 there had only been nine records in total !)

31/8/22 – This afternoon, 9 Teal on lake, 7 Little Egret feeding on the seaweed at Shepperdine, and Clouded Yellow and Brown Argus butterflies on Lagoon 1. This morning, HE reported : two Spotted Flycatcher (NE side of Lagoon 2), 1 Lesser Whitethroat, and at Shepperdine - 1 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat (photo by HE below), 1 Stonechat still. 92 species seen in total this month - the same as in May.

Brown Argus - just about showing lack of spots on underside of forewing, to differentiate with Common Blue.

30/8/22 – Feeling autumnal, early morning, with cold wind from NE. A Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher along the path on NE side of Lagoon 2. 45 Swallow low (knee-high) to NE, counted in 45 mins., plus 6 House Martin and a Sand Martin. 600+ Black-headed Gull roosting at Pillhead Gout over HT, and 5 Wheatear (4 x yacht club, 1 x Shepperdine). The Tufted Duck from the lake, yesterday, was at Oldbury sluice.
(Yesterday, a possible Wryneck flushed from the grassy seawall at Shepperdine 10 yards on from my bench at 8:30am. Brown back with a light stripe down each side of its back, is all I got. It flew up to the mixed pine trees in N corner of Lagoon 1, but landed just behind a tree. Searched for it for an hour, then looked again in evening, and again this morning, but no further sign.)

29/8/22 – 11 Raven over at dawn: groups of 5 & 5 flew high from S, one group headed upriver, the other downriver. And one lower at same time, then sat on pylon - presume this one was resident. (Third highest OPS count after 13 in 2005 and 12 in 2014.) A Whinchat and a Stonechat at Shepperdine, a Tufted Duck on the lake - first one since 16th April and 6 Black-tailed Godwit downriver. Rob Emery reported a Spotted Flycatcher on Lagoon 3 in morning.

27/8/22 – 2 Yellow Wagtail in field with cows at end of main rhine this morning. Heather England reported 2 Spotted Flycatcher again in the meadow by the car park this afternoon.

25/8/22 – Just after HT at Shepperdine: 1 Sanderling, 80 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin and 40 Turnstone.

Heather England photographed 'Headstart' Curlew '21' at Shepperdine - first sighting of it this autumn here.

24/8/22 – A juv. Teal and a Gadwall on the lake. Heather England reported: 2 Stonechat (yacht club), 3 Wheatear and 5 Lapwing. (Photo by HE below.)

23/8/22 – Andy Middleton found a Great White Egret circling the lake at 11:45am, but it didn't land and flew off NW. A juvenile Kittiwake, found by Morris Benson at 7:30am, sat on the seawall in the morning (photo by MB below). It was then sat on the Tidal Res. at 12:30pm and later on the mud off Lagoon 1 at 1pm, and then on the Severn Way by Lagoon 1, obviously ill. 130 Canada Goose on the estuary (only 23 on the near side). AM also had: 5 Buzzard ('kettling' SE of lake), 4 Kestrel, 1 Gadwall, 28 Starling and 3 Wheatear (yacht club).

21/8/22 – Heather England had 2 Spotted Flycatcher in the wildflower meadow next to the car park this evening (photos by HE below).

19/8/22 – Early morning, a female Marsh Harrier flew low along the shore heading upriver. Just before it appeared, 70 Canada Goose flew silently out to the mudflats, probably flushed from Littleton. And the Spotted Flycatcher again, in wood by lake, then flew right across lake to corner of Lagoon 3, where refound along the bridleway next to the lake.

18/8/22 – A Spotted Flycatcher briefly in poplars, SW corner Lagoon 3. And a juvenile Sparrowhawk chased a Green Woodpecker, which had to take avoiding action to escape !

17/8/22 – Heather England found a Sanderling with 19 Ringed Plover and 9 Dunlin on the seawall (photo by HE below). A Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear and 700 Black-headed Gull at the yacht club.

16/8/22 – A Kingfisher on the lake first thing this morning. Roving tit flocks included a Garden Warbler on Lagoon 2. Also, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Warbler still. A Yellow Wagtail on the rail of Lagoon 1 outflow and 2 Common Sandpiper.

14/8/22 – A BOC walk this morning was nice, with 20 Ringed Plover (inc. one with light feather aberration - below), 7 Dunlin and a Turnstone on the seawall. Also a Clouded Yellow butterfly and a Blue-tailed Damselfly. The peace was rather broken by a convoy of 24 vintage Tractors going along the Severn Way !
Andy Middleton's WeBS count: 1 Gadwall, 11 Moorhen (inc. new brood of 2+), 126 Mallard, 6 Little Egret, 12 Shelduck (inc. new brood of 7) and 40 Turnstone. Also 2 Tree Pipit (on hedge on shore side of Lagoon 3, then flew), 2 Wheatear (yacht club), 3 Skylark, 650 Black-headed Gull and 5 Common Gull. Tony Krajewski photo'd 2 juv. Green Woodpeckers.

12/8/22 – This morning, over HT: 8 Bar-tailed Godwit pushed off sand bank as tide rose (some in breeding plumage), and a Whimbrel at Shepperdine. A Spotted Flycatcher with tit flock along main rhine, 2 Wheatear in field at end of main rhine and an eclipse Gadwall on the lake. In the evening, Heather England reported 5 Glow-worm along the tarmac track to the yacht club (photos below).

11/8/22 – In trees by the paddock to S of Lagoon 2 this morning, a Tree Pipit called as it flew and a Spotted Flycatcher. And a Yellow Wagtail flew over low to NE. Heather England reported: adult + 2 juv Stonechat and a Sparrowhawk with a young Moorhen kill (photo by HE below).

Lesser Whitethroat with Whitethroat, S end of Lagoon 2 (briefly!) and "Hey Stupid!" - young Woodpigeon.

10/8/22 – A Yellow Wagtail near jetty with c30 Pied Wagtail in evening roost. And at HT, 25 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper on the seawall by Lagoon 1, plus 2 Lapwing at yacht club. Tony Krajewski reported a Willow Warbler (photo by TK below) and a 2 Clouded Yellow butterfly.

9/8/22 – A Garden Warbler on Dogwood at N end of Lagoon 2, and a Treecreeper along main rhine. Also, a Great Spotted Woodpecker acting like a migrant - flew from small wood along shore to yacht club, and went out over the estuary, but then circled to gain height and headed quite high along the shore to SW. An adult with a bright red undertail.
Liz and Helen reported 2 Kingfisher at Anchor Inn in last few days and 9 Glow-worm at night 2 weeks ago along the tarmac'd track to yacht club.
Heather England reported at yacht club/Pillhead Gout: 3 Wheatear, 4 Kestrel hunting saltmarsh below fallen tree, and dragonflies on Pill: 3 Migrant Hawker, 1 Southern Hawker and 1 Brown Hawker.

'Headstart' Curlew '23' on the shore by Lagoon 1.

8/8/22 – A Whimbrel heard (only) at Shepperdine. The Stonechat pair still with 2+ juvs and a juv Wheatear at Shepperdine. c700 Black-headed Gull on the shore and then c300 of them over Lagoon 3 with flying ants emerging. Also 10 Oak Eggar moth (large brown and orange with fast erratic flight) and a Clouded Yellow buttefly (seawall, Lagoon 1).

7/8/22 – Craig Lewis photo'd a Garden Warbler by the lake, a nice Reed Warbler and a large Hornet. Mike Davis reported a Green Sandpiper at the yacht club in the morning.

6/8/22 – Heather England found the first 2 returning Wheatear at Pillhead Gout (photo by HE). 7 Ringed Plover at Shepperdine, a juvenile Sparrowhawk begging from trees near the lake and 3 Clouded Yellow butterfly along seawall.

Small Heath - used to be very common when Lagoon 2 was grassland, now uncommon. And Green-veined White.

5/8/22 – A Hobby hawking for dragonflies around the lake this morning, a juv. Willow Warbler (Lagoon 3) and a Clouded Yellow butterfly along the seawall by Lagoon 1. And Heather England photo'd a Migrant Hawker freshly emerged.

4/8/22 – A Spotted Flycatcher picked up as it flew overhead from tallest trees on Lagoon 3 to Poplars in S corner, where it joined a roving flock of 10+ Blackcap, 1+ Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat. Also 6 Greenfinch there. And a Barn Owl reported 'a couple of weeks ago', flying across E end of Lagoon 2 early morning. Lois Pryce reported 20 Sand Martin by the lake and 30 Starling. Dave Poulter reported 3 Clouded Yellow butterfly along the seawall.
Mike Smart estimates current totals of 60 Curlew on our side of the estuary and 450 on the other side.

The only photo of the Flycatcher and Denny Island viewable this morning, 13 miles away !

3/8/22 – Shepperdine at HT: 24 Black-tailed Godwit (probably fresh in from Iceland !), 30 Turnstone, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin.

1/8/22 – An adult Mediterranean Gull at Shepperdine, moulting out of summer plumage, and 3 Little Grebe (2 juv.) still.

31/7/22 – Heather England photo'd a Kingfisher at Oldbury Pill in the afternoon. Andy Middleton reported 5+ Stonechat (4 juv. and a male) still.

29/7/22 – My first Tawny Owl of the year, calling near the lake at 6am. My 140th species at OPS this year (144 for all-comers). And a Clouded-yellow butterfly again, along the seawall by Lagoon 1. 58 bird species this morning, inc.: a Grasshopper Warbler reeling briefly, Sedge Warbler with food and 4 juv. Cetti's Warbler calling 'chet' repeatedly (2 families).

28/7/22 – Andy Middleton reported, at Pillhead Gout: 9 Lapwing, 6 Redshank, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Sand Martin, 15 House Martin and at Shepperdine: 15 Turnstone and 1 Whimbrel.

27/7/22 – Heather England found the first Clouded-yellow butterfly of the year (photos by HE below) and a Marsh Harrier over Lagoon 1 and estuary.

26/7/22 – The second brood of 2 Little Grebe on the lake again, a bright yellow juv. Willow Warbler; 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Redshank and a Hare (among the caravans/tents!) at the yacht club.

25/7/22 – The Stonechat pair with a second brood of four. (All four newly fledged juvs. seen well and video'd.) At Shepperdine, over HT this afternoon: 3 Sanderling, 18 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover and 7+ Turnstone. Heather England saw a second brood of 2 Little Grebe on the lake (photo by HE below). The meadow next to the car park has been cut a bit early again - was meant to be in August.

23/7/22 – This morning, a Yellow Wagtail over to E, 2 Lapwing at The Pill and a new brood of 3 Moorhen on lake.

22/7/22 – The Stonechat pair have a second brood of four ! Also, a Siskin over estuary to N, 5 Turnstone on the green 'Ledges' buoy and Shelduck broods of 8, 3 & 2 still.

21/7/22 – Nice photo of a Sedge Warbler by Lisa Presland.

15/7/22 – Andy Middleton's WeBS count: 7 Dunlin (Shepperdine), 4 Common Sandpiper (3xShepperdine, 1xYacht Club), 1 Redshank, 2 Little Egret, 45 Canada Goose, 65 Mallard, 6 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 9 Moorhen, 6 Stonechat (4 adults, 2 juvs), 2 Common Gull, 500 Black-headed Gull and a Muntjac deer. Also the Stonechat pair with 2 juvs and another pair on nearby fence.

14/7/22 – A Ringlet buttefly.

13/7/22 – The Barn Owl reported again near yacht club this evening.

12/7/22 – Heather England reported a Barn Owl by the yacht club in the evening. (Photo by HE below.)

11/7/22 – A Grasshopper Warbler reeling intermittently in S corner of Lagoon 3 this morning. Last heard on 21st May, so this is presumably a returning migrant. In spring, up to 5(!) were heard from 19th April to 28th April (when still 4), but they then were not heard for 2 weeks until one started singing from 12th to 21st May. So I'm guessing they didn't attempt to nest. Some more very early returning migrants: a Whinchat by the small reedbed near the squeaky gate on way to yacht club; 4 Black-tailed Godwit flew upriver, 5 Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper at yacht club, 28 Curlew (Littleton roost), 1 Redshank and 2 Oystercatcher.
NB. About 200 Curlew are already back in the HT roost on the far side of the estuary, post-breeding. Of 20 nests monitored in the Severn and Avon Vales this year, only 6-8 chicks fledged.

9/7/22 – 3 juv. Kestrel on the towers and pylons, 12 Mistle Thrush flew from Bird-cherry to pylons, a Muntjac Deer barking continuously and 2 Willow Warbler singing on Lagoon 2 (returning migrants). Headstart Curlew '23' is back on the shore by Lagoon 1 this morning - he nested with his mate again this year at Minsterworth Ham, but abandoned early on. Still 3 broods of Shelduck around: 4 & 3 well-grown and 3 small. A bad year for Shelduck broods on the estuary (following an excellent one last year). Here are details of the broods for the last 19 years:

Year	No. of broods	No. hatched	No. survived	First brood	Last juvs noted
2022	4	29	10	12th May	9th July
2021	6	41	22	18th May	29th Jul (8)
2020	4	28	17	29th May	18th Jul
2019	c5	38	21	10th Jun	24th Aug
2018	5+	40	16	16th May	6th Aug (3)
2017	c3	31+	16	24th May	30th Jul
2016	4	24	3+	3rd Jun	6th Aug
2015	3	13	6	2nd Jun	29th Jul
2014	4	29	19	21st Jun	22nd Jul
2013	4+	22+	9	12th Jun	27th Jul
2012	2+	16+	4	7th Jun	19th Jul
2011	2+	10+	2	12th Jun	29th Aug
2010	3+	32	10+	3rd Jun	24th Jul
2009	2+	18+	16+	23rd May	12th Jul
2008	c5	48	9+	20th Jun	18th Jul
2007	4+	33	27	13th May	29th Jul
2006	3+	30	13+	27th May	25th Aug
2005	3+	27+	18		10th Jul
2004	2+	10+	9+		18th Jul

8/7/22 – Andy Middleton reported: a Silver-washed Fritillary along the main rhine bridleway, 3 Kestrel (all appeared to be juvs), 1 Peregrine, 2 Little Grebe (ad & juv), 235 Black-headed Gull, 12 Moorhen and 37 Swallow. Heather England photo'd a Small Red-eyed Damselfly (one of many) by the lake.

7/7/22 – A Redstart by the outfall on Lagoon 3 this morning; an OPS record count of 29 Mistle Thrush, mainly juvs., on pylons and then most flew to SW (possibly feeding on masses of bird-cherry & damsons in the hedges); the Kestrel pair have fledged 2+ youngsters - noisily begging on towers; and a female Roe Deer with two fawns came within 5 yards of me on Lagoon 1 !

6/7/22 – An early returning Dunlin (earliest at OPS is 2/7/19), a Turnstone and 2 Redshank at Shepperdine.

5/7/22 – 13+ Mistle Thrush flitting around the two pylons by the ramp up to Lagoon 3, bizarrely. Mixed flocks contained: a Treecreeper, a Lesser Whitethroat, c15 Blackcap (eating Bird-cherry) and c10 Whitethroat. Finally, this year we have stopped the farmer cutting the meadow next to the car park, and the result is a glorious show of purple Knapweed.

4/7/22 – A Greenshank on the shore at Shepperdine and a young Skylark along the Severn Way. Also 45 Marbled White butterfly counted (inc. 30 along the grassy seawall between Lagoon 1 and Shepperdine), 4 Ringlet and 2 Gatekeeper.

28/6/22 – Andy Middleton reported: a Red Kite, 5 Little Grebe, 9 Moorhen, 9 Curlew, 2 Kestrel, 15 Linnet and 20 Pied Wagtail. Morris Benson reported a Garden Warbler seen well on west side of Lagoon 2.

24/6/22 – Jackie Miles reported a probable Osprey - "walked along the river bank and Lagoon 3 at 12:30 onwards. There was a large bird of prey over the estuary. I thought at first that it was a gull but I'm uncertain as it was hunting like a bird of prey. It definitely had a white underside to its body but dark wings."

23/6/22 – Dave Staley photo'd an Osprey on the Tidal Res..

22/6/22 – Heather England found several Scarce Chaser dragonfies this evening (photo by HE below). Also 1000+ spikes of Pyramidal Orchid around the site ! Best group along the NW embankment of Lagoon 2 (along Severn Way), where there is also some Common Centaury flowering (photo below). And the clump of Yellow Loosestrife is flowering near the orchard.

Common Centaury and Yellow Loosestrife.

21/6/22 – The 6 Little Grebe (4 ad, 2 juvs) on the lake again and Heather England photo'd a Ringlet butterfly.

20/6/22 – Andy Middleton's WeBS count: 6 Little Grebe (4 ad, 2 juvs), 42 Canada Goose, 20 Shelduck, 40 Mallard, 8 Moorhen, 1 Curlew, 31 Black-headed Gull (inc. 1 juv), 3 Little Egret, 1 Red Kite, 2 Kestrel and 1 juv. Stonechat on Lagoon 2.

17/6/22 – Craig Lewis photo'd a Common Blue butterfly and some Pyramidal Orchids.

16/6/22 – 2 Avocet at the yacht club this morning (phone-scoped, below) and a Redshank in Oldbury Pill.

A couple of new beetle species for OPS yesterday - Black-and-Yellow Longhorn Beetle and Wasp Beetle.

And a couple of new Bee species for OPS found recently at SW end of Lagoon 3 - Brown-banded Carder Bee and Wilke's Mining Bee (photos by Matt Plenty).

14/6/22 – Early morning I did a thorough survey of Lagoons 2 & 3, Shepperdine and the yacht club: 16 Blackcap, 30 Blue Tit (OPS record ! Mainly juvs.), 4 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Chaffinch singing - better than recent years, 25 Chiffchaff, 6 Great Tit, 11 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Mistle Thrush (singing, Shepperdine), 13 Pied Wagtail (inc. 4 juvs with parent on jetty), 22 Reed Warbler, 10 Sedge Warbler, 11 Stock Dove, 17 Whitethroat, 33 Wren, 48 Canada Goose, 17 Black-headed Gull and a single Curlew (yacht club).

This Bullfinch was being uncharacteristically helpful.

13/6/22 – Andy Middleton reported a Cuckoo calling, a Kingfisher preening and producing a pellet perched over a rhyne, 45 Canada Goose (broods of 1 and 5 still), a Whimbrel heard, 120 Starling (all juvs.) and 5 Black-headed Gull including a juv.. Matt Plenty had 2 Red Kite over Lagoon 3, one of which was following a tractor mower nearby, later.

A Salmon fisherman using a lave net out on the estuary this afternoon.

11/6/22 – A drake Teal on the lake is a surprise for June.

10/6/22 – 2 juv Coal Tit in pines by the wildflower meadow, a juv. Pheasant with a female on Lagoon 3 and the first Marbled White butterfly of the year. Also Tufted Vetch on Lagoon 2.

The statistics for Common Birds has been updated, comparing reporting rate for the period 2003-12 with 20012-21, and can be found here -

9/6/22 – 6 Little Grebe on the lake - a 3rd adult (first seen on 2nd June) being chased by the pair and the 3 juvs. still. 42 adult Canada Goose on the estuary - I presume they are moulting. And the 2 Canada Goose families with 5 & 1 juvs. together by the yacht club. Andy Middleton reported a Cuckoo.

7/6/22 – 3 Greylag Goose flew upriver together this morning, and 44 Canada Goose on the estuary. Plus the latest recorded Dunlin (beating 6/6/2017), flew from yacht club upriver, calling. Rory McKenzie reported a female/juv Stonechat on lagoon 2 and the Rock Pipit pair on the jetty still (photo below by RMcK).

6/6/22 – David Poulton reported from Shepperdine: a Cuckoo, 3 Ringed Plover, Dunlin and c20 Bee Orchid.

2/6/22 – This morning, the Cuckoo was still about; a flock of 33 Canada Goose on a mudflat in the estuary, including broods of 5 & 1 still; the pair of Rock Pipit on the jetty, with male singing; 3 Skylark going high over to N (?!); a 3rd adult Little Grebe on the lake, being chased around; and 4 Ringed Plover on Tidal Res. shore.

1/6/22 – Heather England found a Brown Argus butterfly today (photo by HE).

30/5/22 – A Red Kite circling high inland and drifting slowly NE this morning, with 4 House Martin and 3 Swift. And the Cuckoo touring Lagoons 2 & 3, calling.

Photos from Tony Krajewski of a Roe Deer fawn and a Reed Bunting food-carrying to young in nest.

29/5/22 – The Little Grebe pair still have 3 juvs. on the lake (photo by Heather England), and the Bee and Pyramidal Orchids are starting to flower. Also Southern Marsh and Common Spotted Orchids.

28/5/22 – The Stonechat family still have 3 juvs., a male (not in full breeding plumage) Wheatear at Shepperdine, and on the seawall at HT: 1 Turnstone, 14 Ringed Plover and 11 Dunlin still. Plus a 3ft Salmon leaping in the estuary and 2 Siskin over Lagoon 2.

Whitethroat singing, and the most interesting thing on the estuary this morning.

This huge Dog Rose and a Fruit Bat.

25/5/22 – The first Moorhen brood of 6 on the lake, along with Mallard broods of 8 & 6.

24/5/22 – A Red Kite sat in a tree by yacht club, flushed by dog-walker and drifted off to NE. In evening, Heather England reported: 13 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin and 1 Turnstone at HT.

23/5/22 – The Cuckoo still calling, but mobile around Lagoon 3 (photo below), and a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest in a dead tree has young in it. Also a Painted Lady butterfly - there has been a large influx into the UK in the last week.

22/5/22 – Heather England reported: Broad-bodied Chasers (photo below), Four-Spotted Chaser, Large Red Damsels, Azure & Blue-tailed Damselflies.

21/5/22 – 2 Greylag Goose low to NE early morning.
A Red Kite reported by Stuart Evans along Kington Lane, Oldbury on Severn.

Craig Lewis found the first of the Orchids out - a probable Early Marsh x Southern Marsh crossbreed.

20/5/22 – 2 probable Great White Egret flying high to NE, distantly and inland.

19/5/22 – The Cuckoo still calling, but mobile around Lagoon 3. The photo below is of a Hairy Snail - widespread in UK, but a first for OPS and for me. Tony Krajewski reported a Marsh Harrier over Lagoon 2 and his superb photos of the Peregrine pair, below.

18/5/22 – A probable 3cy Yellow-legged Gull on shore and 4 Painted Lady butterflies. Lois Pryce reported: 9 Chiffchaff, 12 Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 10 Song Thrush and a Rock Pipit carrying food on jetty.

16/5/22 – A young Treecreeper frozen in motion on a tree branch near the small triangular reedbed on Lagoon 2, a Gadwall flew downriver and a nice male Bullfinch posed - video.
Andy Middleton's WeBS count: 1 Whimbrel (heard), 35 Shelduck - plus broods of 4, 6 and 9, 26 Mallard (plus brood of 13), 2 Little Grebe (plus a brood of 2+), 1 Cuckoo (calling), 13 Chiffchaff and a Painted Lady butterfly.
Matt Plenty's WeBS count at Littleton: 1 juv. Mute Swan, 8 Whimbrel, 7 Curlew, 11 Ringed Plover, 14 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone and 2 Wheatear.

15/5/22 – A Treecreeper in tall trees by the triangle reedbed on Lagoon 2 and plenty of Azure Damselflies along the main rhine (photo of female below). Barry Dursley reported a Willow Warbler (photo below by BD).

14/5/22 – The first 4-Spot Chaser dragonfly of the year along the main rhine this morning, and a mobile Cuckoo calling around the site. Also a Weasel ran across the path on Lagoon 3. There are still 10 of the juv. Shelducks in the Pill, but the 11th has been stolen by a male and was right out in the middle of the estuary, being hassled by more males. Andy Middleton reported from Pillhead Gout: a Marsh Harrier, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Sanderling.

13/5/22 – Waders on the shore again at Shepperdine at HT: 3 Sanderling, c75 Dunlin and 10+ Ringed Plover. Also 3 Whimbrel and a Curlew at the yacht club and a Mallard with 12 ducklings on the lake (photo by Heather England below).

Gulls in the weedy field being ploughed, inc. a 2y Common Gull.

12/5/22 – A Grasshopper Warbler reeling at the yacht club, on far side of Pill, from a hedge between two uncut grass fields. The first brood of 11 Shelduck juvs. in the Pill, being hassled by 5 adults as usual for first ones. There are now two broods of Canada Goose in the Pill - 5 & 1 ! And 6 Wheatear (3 x Pillhead Gout, 3 x ploughed field).

Possible 'Arctica' Dunlin (photos by Tony Krajewski), on their way to Greenland !

The Shelducks, and one of the Little Grebe pair feeding 2 of the 3 juvs., with the Coot still.

11/5/22 – Some waders on the shore at Shepperdine at HT: 7 Sanderling, c70 Dunlin, 22 Ringed Plover and 2 Turnstone. The Stonechat pair now have TWO juveniles. And on the lake, I finally found the Little Grebe nest - with THREE juvs back in it for a rest, and the Coot is back.

Sanderling in mix of summer and winter plumage, and the 3 Little Grebe juvs..

10/5/22 – A damp morning. 4 Swift over to N and 2 Siskin over to W. (All heard before seen.)

9/5/22 – A Fox foraging in the seaweed right out on the estuary at Low Tide - a first for me ! A silent Cuckoo on Lagoon 3 and the Stonechat pair still with a juvenile. Heather England reported in evening at yacht club: 42 Whimbrel (11 in Weedy field), 1 Whinchat, 7 Wheatear and the Canada Goose pair with one gosling.

Fox and Bird Cherry in flower.

8/5/22 – Tony Krajewski reported a Red Kite over Lagoon 3 this morning and a Whitethroat. A Little Grebe parent was feeding the two chicks on the lake.

7/5/22 – A pair of Eider drifted up past Pillhead Gout on tide at 10:30am (having been found by Oscar Dewhurst at Severn Beach, then seen at Aust Wharf at 9am). Video. They were then flushed by a yacht at 10:45am and flew upriver - Video. (Later seen at Berkeley at 10:55am, and then at Sharpness at 11:30am, where they stayed as tide turned, then drifted back down to Berkeley at 1:30pm.)
This is the third record of Eider for OPS - last in 1994 ! It is a new OPS species for me - my 203rd.
Two Cuckoo flying around Lagoon 2, calling, early morning.

6/5/22 – This odd looking Gadwall is at Oldbury sluice - it has adult male features, apart from its head, which looks like an adult female. I have been advised that it is a male going into eclipse plumage early (usually done in autumn !). And the two helicopters landed. Also, 22 Whimbrel, 6 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin.

5/5/22 – A pair of Stonechat have fledged the first young in S. Gloucs. for at least 14 years ! [A pair probably bred on Lagoon 2 in 2006, when 2 juvs on 7th July and adult on 1st May, and young juvs also seen at OPS on 27/6/16 & 29/6/20.] Also a Sanderling in summer plumage at Shepperdine with 2 Ringed Plover, c25 Whimbrel around, and 13 Jay (6 to NE landed in tall trees by Windbound and 7 in trees on Lagoon 2). The Cuckoo has called all week.
The Canada Goose pair and their one remaining juv. were out in the middle of the estuary this morning. I wrote an article for the Oldbury Community Magazine about the journey they undertook, including map - here (page 4)
67 bird species today - best this year.

The middle estuary over the far Tidal Res. wall was busy - the Canada Goose family were there and a Roe Deer walking and swimming over from far side.

4/5/22 – A flock of c50 Kittiwake upriver at 10:53am just after HT. (The second largest flock ever reported here, behind 90 in Feb 2014.) A Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) at Littleton Warth, the Barnacle Goose still, c25 Whimbrel at yacht club/Littleton, and 15 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper at yacht club.

3/5/22 – A Little Grebe parent still carrying 2+ young on the lake this morning. A Cuckoo reported by walker calling at Severn House Farm, upriver of Shepperdine.

2/5/22 – In mist and drizzle and slight NE breeze, still lots of hirundines moving upriver: 800 Swallow, 115 Sand Martin, but only 10 House Martin, and 3 Yellow Wagtail. The Cuckoo still singing from Lagoon 2. At Shepperdine: a Whinchat, a Mistle Thrush singing and 10 Whimbrel. Warbler counts from Lagoons 2 & 3: 15 Sedge Warbler, 16 Reed Warbler and 7 Lesser Whitethroat. Also 2 Greylag Goose flew over (one with a distinct crooked neck).

1/5/22 – Reported on Avon Birding: 100 Swallow, 50 Sand Martin, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Tawny Owl and 1 Grasshopper Warbler.

30/4/22 – 80+ Whimbrel between yacht club and Littleton at HT, a Cuckoo flew between yacht club and Littleton (probably new in), and the Little Grebe pair have 2+ new young on the lake (carried on one's back) - video. Also 50 Sand Martin and 50 Swallow low to NE (but no House Martin this morning), and a Yellow Wagtail over. And a 2cy Mediterranean Gull with ad Common Gull and 11 Black-headed Gull upriver at HT. Pairs of Grey Wagtail and Rock Pipit on the jetty.

29/4/22 – 2 Avocet feeding on Tidal Res. at Shepperdine (Andy Middleton reported them at Pillhead Gout in morning), AM also reported 2 Cuckoo on Lagoon 2 (one seen in NE corner whilst another was calling from SW corner), 50+ Whimbrel between yacht club and Littleton and a Kingfisher by the Anchor pub this evening. Swallows streaming through to NE all day.
Andy Middleton also reported this morning, at Pillhead Gout: 6 Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail.
That is 134 bird species at OPS in 2022 for me - my record by end April (with the total for all-comers on 138 - also a record).

Avocets and a Lesser Whitethroat on Lagoon 3.

28/4/22 – Hirundines streaming through to NE this morning (especially early on): c200 Swallow, c70 House Martin, 15 Sand Martin and a Tree Pipit (heard). Also 5 Greylag Goose flew upriver, 17 Whimbrel on shore and a Mistle Thrush singing at Shepperdine.
Heather England reported in evening, at yacht club: 42 Whimbrel, 1 Whinchat, 7 Wheatear and the Canada Goose pair with just one remaining gosling.

The difference between native Bluebells (left) with drooping heads and flowers on one side, curled flower tips (& nice scent) and Spanish bluebells (right), with upright stem and open tips (& no scent). Both are along the wooded path from the road entrance/lake to the shore.

27/4/22 – Amazingly, another Ring Ouzel, a male, was in the weedkilled field to SW of Lagoon 3 (video). It stayed for over 1.5 hrs. (Photo by Heather England below.) As the tide came in this evening, 37 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Ringed Plover on the shore. Also, a Whinchat in the N corner of Lagoon 3 and the first Swift flew to NE. HE also had a Kingfisher and 2 Common Sandpiper at yacht club.

26/4/22 – Andy Middleton reported: the first Garden Warbler of the year, 7 Whimbrel (6 at Windbound), 3 Wheatear, 15 Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 17 Whitethroat and 9 Reed Warbler.

Rock Pipit (photo by Tony Krajewski).

25/4/22 – A female Ring Ouzel sat on a hedge at Shepperdine for a few minutes (video), but bizarrely flushed by a Peregrine attacking a Jay flying along the shore ! The Jay was screaching loudly, and forced to ground on the Tidal Res. mud. Another 3 Jay over to S/SW (which is odd in a NE wind) and 3 in a tree. Also at Shepperdine, a Tree Pipit flew to NE from a tree and a Wheatear. Jackie Miles & Ray Lemin reported a Cuckoo calling from Lagoon 2. Plus, 4 Willow Warbler singing this morning - video. And sunrise wasn't too bad either...

24/4/22 – c60 each of House Martin and Swallow to NE this afternoon. Also 9 Sand Martin, a Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Ringed Plover and 1 Dunlin. The Scurvy Grass is flowering on the saltmarshes (photo below). Heather England reported: a Whinchat at the yacht club, a Common Sandpiper, Barnacle Goose still and 4 Wheatear. Incredibly, the Canada Goose pair have done the same as suspected last year and walked the 3-day old young over 1 km from lake to the yacht club!! Presumably overnight.

Whinchat (photo by HE) and a juvenile Blackbird on Lagoon 1

Pheasant Egg on Lagoon 2 and Scurvy Grass.

23/4/22 – A good seawatching session this morning (6-8:30am), with birds moving to NE into cold medium wind: a 2cy Iceland Gull loafing and flying with 5 juv. Herring Gull on the far Tidal Res. wall at dawn, and stayed for 25 mins.,then all six flew slowly upriver (mis-id'd by me as Glauc Gull, but later found by Martin McGill at Framilode (Gloucs.), then photo'd at Longney); c27 Bar-tailed Godwit (12 + c15), an Arctic Tern, 4 Little Egret, 14 Black-headed Gull and 9 Swallow. A lovely Whinchat on the saltmarsh at Shepperdine. And a pair of Stonechat looking like they have young! Also, a flock of 8 Jay flew over (or from trees) on Lagoon 2 to NE. Heather England reported 18 Dunlin at HT (photo by HE below).
That is 130 bird species at OPS in 2022 for me (with the total for all-comers on 134).

Iceland Gull - photos by @RobertaBirder

Whinchat (phone-scoped) and Dunlin (photo by HE)

22/4/22 – 3 Whimbrel at HT. Matt Plenty had (to NE): 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Black-headed Gull, 1 Little Egret, 2 Redpoll and 4 Linnet.

21/4/22 – This morning, a Grasshopper Warbler still reeling on SW side of Lagoon 3 (heard from metal dismantled weather station). Matt Plenty had a Tree Pipit along the bridleway to shore (photo by MP below). Also 2 Whimbrel on the shore at Shepperdine and the Canada Goose pair have 8 goslings fresh out the nest !

Little Grebe on the lake and a Curlew for World Curlew Day

20/4/22 – This afternoon, 2 Red Kite flew low to NE over Lagoon 1, kept going to Shepperdine, then circled up high and went inland.

19/4/22 – I picked a good morning to do an audit of singing warblers on Lagoons 2 & 3 (+ yacht club): An OPS record count of 5 Grasshopper Warbler reeling at SW end of Lagoon 3 (video), my first 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 16 Whitethroat, 11 Sedge Warbler, 9 Reed Warbler, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 20 Blackcap and 9 Chiffchaff. Also, an OPS record count of 16+ Jay (3+3 flew high to NE - see videos below, then 15 together in tall trees at old Windbound site, and another lowish to NE later), a Red Kite (on far side of estuary, i.e. Gloucs.) and my first Common Sandpiper on Tidal Res. wall. Heather England had 4 Common Sandpiper on jetty at HT, later.
Video of the first group of 3 Jay over, with a Grasshopper Warbler alarm-calling, "click, click, click..." at me ! (You can hear me snigger in the video when I realise what it is - I did move away.) And video of second group of 3 Jay.

18/4/22 – Andy Irving had the first Lesser Whitethroat heard on Lagoon 2 this afternoon, and also a Red Kite circled over at 15.45pm from the W and drifted off to the E. That is the 130th species at OPS in 2022 for all-comers (with my total on 124).
My first Grasshopper Warbler of the year, reeling in the SE corner of Lagoon 2 this morning. At Pillhead Gout over HT: an OPS record count of 26 Oystercatcher (beating 25 from 2021 & 2009), 4 Dunlin, 4 Redshank and 6 Wheatear. A pair of Kestrel are nesting in the rusty vent holes just below the Peregrine nest-ledge.

17/4/22 – Heather England found the first 2 Common Sandpiper of the year on the jetty this morning (photo by HE below).

16/4/22 – A Grasshopper Warbler reported by Tim Salkeld at 1pm, reeling "left hand side of the road south of the power station". This morning, the first Whimbrel, at Pillhead Gout with 12 Curlew and 6 Oystercatcher. At the yacht club, 4 Wheatear, a Ringed Plover (heard) and the injured Barnacle Goose still. A Redpoll went over to NE, calling. Andy Middleton reported (WeBS): a female Black Redstart on the fence between jetty and old disused cylinders (late, but not quite as late as 25/4/20!), 27 Chiffchaff, 36 Mallard, 38 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 17 Great Tit and 16 Blackbird.

Whimbrel with a Curlew

15/4/22 – A Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) flew downriver at 7:55pm.

14/4/22 – The first 3 Yellow Wagtail over to NE, 7 Sedge Warbler, 9 Whitethroat (inc. 3 from Matt Plenty in hedge towards yacht club), 2 Willow Warbler, a near-record 7 Cetti's Warbler (best was 10 last April), a Greylag Goose upriver and Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) out on the estuary (equal latest date with 14/4/2018). Andy Middleton also had: 14 House Martin, 3 Wheatear and the Barnacle Goose at the yacht club (so another 4-goose day for OPS), 34 Chiffchaff, 60 Linnet, 1 Little Egret, 41 Curlew (inc. colour-rings BYY & RYO), 31 Swallow, 11 Teal, 32 Sand Martin and 2 Reed Warbler.

Brent Goose and Whitethroat (latter photo thanks to Heather England)

13/4/22 – The first 2 Whitethroat seen (1 each in NE corners of Lagoons 2 & 3 - first found by Matt Plenty this morning), 2 Willow Warbler singing and 20+ Blackcap. And numerous butterflies: a pair of Orange-tip, 6 Speckled Wood, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock and 3 Brimstone. And Heather England had 13 Wheatear at the yacht club (10 males).

12/4/22 – In the afternoon, leading to HT, 2 Common Tern went upriver, then a Sandwich Tern fished around the (flooded) Tidal Res. for about an hour (from 3:20pm), then at 4:30pm, 2 Sandwich Tern went upriver, and 2 Great Crested Grebe drifted up on tide, right out in middle of river. (I only saw them because they attracted the attention of the local gulls.) This morning, the first 3 Sedge Warbler (2 x Lagoon 3, 1 x Lagoon 2), 1 Reed Warbler still and 2 Willow Warbler all singing in the rain. That is 120 species at OPS this year for me, and 124 for all-comers.

Sandwich Tern and Loch Ness Monster !

11/4/22 – This afternoon, as tide came in, at Shepperdine: a Little Ringed Plover, 9 Ringed Plover, 12 Turnstone and 2 Dunlin. And a Sandwich Tern flew at medium height upriver at 3pm - the 8th Spring in a row I have had this species here ! This morning: a Reed Warbler singing at S end of lagoon 2, 1 Tree Pipit (heard, over), 15 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 4 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler singing, 340 Woodpigeon to NE, and a Redpoll in a tree on Lagoon 2. A pair of Tufted Duck on the Tidal Res. at Shepperdine and 9 Dunlin flew upriver. Also 22 Common Gull and 15 Black-headed Gull upriver. The injured Barnacle Goose still at yacht club and Mute Swan on saltmarsh at Littleton. (64 species today.)

Nice comparison of Little Ringed Plover and Ringed Plover - video.

9/4/22 – A Willow Warbler singing at S end of Lagoon 2 and a pair of Peregrine on a kill on a sandbank. On the lake, there is a male Tufted Duck, 3 Coot, 1+ Little Grebe and the Canada Goose continues to sit on the nest (not visible).

7/4/22 – 4 Kittiwake (1w @9:25, 1w @10:15, 2ad @11:15) and a Swallow upriver between 8:30am and 11:40am in a strong Westerly wind. Also 13 Oystercatcher and 19 Teal on the shore at Shepperdine.

5/4/22 – The first Willow Warbler of the year singing in trees between road and lake. The Hawthorn is just starting to flower as the Blackthorn flowers start to fade. (Hawthorn comes into leaf before flowering, and the Blackthorn is just starting to leaf-up now.)
(There is a dead Fox at the edge of the reeds on Lagoon 2, which may have been poisoned as it has been wandering around Lagoon 1 in the daylight recently. Keeping dogs on leads would be good for the dogs and the wildlife.)

4/4/22 – Andy Middleton reported: 44(!) Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 28 Teal, the Barnacle Goose, 13 Blackbird, 11 Robin and 17 Wren.

3/4/22 – A redhead (i.e. fem/juv) Goosander flew low and fast upriver at 8am, quite close to near shore at Shepperdine. And 43 Redwing (5 in trees on Lagoon 2, 30 over to E & 8 over to NE).

2/4/22 – 2 Redwing at S end of Lagoon 3, 2 Rock Pipit (looks like they are going to nest again on the jetty), a Wheatear at Pillhead Gout and the first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year..

31/3/22 – Some movement to NE into the very cold wind this morning: A 3cy summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull (i.e. black head, small black tips to wings), 5 Swallow and 40 Meadow Pipit. Also, 180 Curlew in HT roost at yacht club. Andy Middleton reported: 2 Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) upriver, 2 Kingfisher on Oldbury Pill sluice (at 8am) and a male Wheatear at Pillhead Gout.

29/3/22 – John Barnett reported 6 Swallow this evening, by the lake.

27/3/22 – A pair of Raven are nesting on a pylon.

26/3/22 – Two Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) flew upriver at 7:25am. (Not had two here since Oct 2019.) Also 2 Mute Swan flew upriver, and a third (a juv.) was on the estuary off Littleton.

Primroses flowering near the yacht club.

25/3/22 – A Red Kite flew low around Littleton Warth at 11:15am, then went slowly SW. Also 7 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Peacock butterflies.

Lesser Celandine shining in the sun.

24/3/22 – Rather quiet this morning, in a cold (-1 degs overnight) breeze, but 3 Brambling calling as they went over to NE with 5 Chaffinch, and 80 Woodpigeon. A Dunlin caused some excitement on Lagoon 1. Photo of a Peacock from 2 days ago, by Tony Krajewski.

23/3/22 – T-shirt weather ! A Red Kite drifting to NE over towers is my 108th species at OPS in 2022 - my record by end-March. The Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) is still at Pillhead Gout. A Grey Seal floated downriver as the tide went out, snoozing with just its snout in the air ! Video. The male Stonechat was singing again, on Lagoon 3 - video. And a Water Rail flew across the lake to the island !

22/3/22 – Another lovely sunny day. The Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) was still at Pillhead Gout at HT (photo by Craig Lewis below), as was the Barnacle Goose (which appears to have a damaged right wing). A (nearly) summer plumaged Water Pipit was on the far side of the Pill from the yacht club from 11am to 2pm (amazingly, for this species) - video. Photographing it, I flushed a Little Stint from a marshy pool, and it alarm called, 'prrrt' as it flew. A female Marsh Harrier was quartering the fields to SW of Lagoon 3, then circled up VERY high and went across the estuary. 5 Pintail floated up on the tide, then flew upriver. A Redpoll eating nectar from Pussy Willow and a Brambling heard in Lagoon 2 trees. The juv. Mute Swan was still on the estuary. A big movement of 400+ Woodpigeon to NE this morning (250 in an hour at dawn), and 3 Siskin. Two pairs of Stonechat still.

21/3/22 – A 4-Goose morning: a Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) and a Greylag Goose at Pillhead Gout, Barnacle Goose and 10 Canada Goose (female on nest). 1 (probably 2) Water Pipit with c70 Meadow Pipit in the wet field just to SW of Lagoon 3. (Last one at OPS was in 2019.) 3 Black-tailed Godwit flew upriver. The first Mute Swan of the year; a juvenile on the shore. 200+ Woodpigeon (73 + 66 over to NE & 70 in field). The Stonechat pair on Lagoon 3 and 2 singing Blackcap. The white form of Sweet Violets are in flower near the orchard. AM's WeBS count: 36 Teal, 18 Mallard, 9 Snipe (flushed out of reeds by HT), 26 Redshank and 5 Dunlin.

20/3/22 – 100+ Woodpigeon over to NE from 2-3pm in flocks up to 50. The 3rd Coot is back on the lake, and as popular as ever with the resident pair ! HE reported a female Wheatear and the Barnacle Goose. CL counted 30 Chiffchaff.

19/3/22 – A Great White Egret flew low upriver at 8:20am (HT) - video. 2 female (so different to last week's) Wheatear at the yacht club. A Greylag Goose upriver with Canadas. And some vismig to NE into light, cool, wind: a Siskin, c30 Linnet, c40 Woodpigeon, 7 Pied Wagtail, 1 Chaffinch. HT at yacht club: 103 Curlew (plus c30 at Littleton and c80 on far side of est.), 42+ Turnstone, c35 Redshank, c30 Shelduck, 5 Oystercatcher and just 2 Dunlin.

GW Egret and moon at first light.

18/3/22 – The first singing Blackcap (on Lagoon 3), and butterflies: 15 Brimstone and 2 Tortoiseshell reported by Louise, and a Peacock.

17/3/22 – Some good birds in the sun, after a cold (-1 deg C) night, with full moon. The second Green Sandpiper of the year, by the yacht club (where the Barnacle Goose still). A Merlin was sat on the large log at Pillhead Gout. (Seems to be a juvenile male, with greyish back.) A Greylag Goose flew upriver, calling, a Siskin flew around calling, and the male Stonechat was singing to his partner by the jetty. HT at Pillhead Gout: 80+ Curlew (colour-ring 'RWY'), 14 Oystercatcher and c25 Dunlin. I think that the Canada Goose pair have a nest already, as the male is guarding the lake on his own most of the time.

15/3/22 – 63 bird species in the sun yesterday (best of the year). But the only unusal sighting was a pair of House Sparrow chirping away at Lagoon 1 outfall. Also, 20+ Chiffchaff, 2 Rock Pipit on jetty, a Greylag Goose flying around Oldbury Pill and 2 Siskin over.

A few Cowslips starting to flower and a photo of Toads by TK.

Photo by TK - a garden escape Hyacinth at Shepperdine point.

14/3/22 – AM reported a Wheatear still. 10+ Chiffchaff singing this morning, a juv. female Peregrine (so different to ones yesterday) on the shore, c110 Redwing and c10 Fieldfare, 2 pairs of Stonechat still (inc. a male singing by Lagoon 3 outfall !), and the pair of Yellowhammer again in the shore hedge of Lagoon 3. Some early migration: a male Bullfinch circled up from a hedge to gain height, then flew off high to WSW and a Collared Dove flew fast through to SW. DP reported the first Brimstone butterfly of the year.

13/3/22 – HE reported: 2 Wheatear still and 2 adult Peregrine. (Nice photos by HE below.) Plus the Barnacle Goose.

12/3/22 – The first 2 Wheatear of Spring were at the yacht club this fine sunny morning (both males). 3 days earlier than the last 10-year average. The Barnacle Goose still, and 2 Greylag Goose flew upriver. A male Yellowhammer again in the shore hedge of Lagoon 3 (LP reported 2), and the Kestrel pair were mating on the towers. The first Barn Owl of the year reported by very early morning dog walker - "regularly around the yacht club area this week".

11/3/22 – c120 Redwing mainly feeding in the rain by the small wood on way to yacht club, and the Barnacle Goose still.

10/3/22 – Mild S wind; 10+ Chiffchaff (6 singing), a male Blackcap seen and 2 Mistle Thrush singing.

9/3/22 – 6 Chiffchaff (4 singing) and a Muntjac deer.

8/3/22 – The female Black Redstart along the fence between Lagoon 2 and buildings. (And the male photographed on the jetty, Sunday.) The Barnacle Goose still. And 3+ Yellowhammer, inc. one singing, again in the shore hedge of Lagoon 3.

7/3/22 – AM reported: a female Marsh Harrier hunting on Lagoon 3 and then out over estuary, a Tawny Owl calling, 2 Little Grebe and 57 Teal. And the Canada Goose pair are back on the lake.

5/3/22 – All action on the lake early morning: 2 Little Grebe chasing and 'trilling', the Gadwall pair were keeping close together with the other male near by; but the main event was a fight to the death between 3 Coot ! A presumed 2nd male was being viciously attacked by the resident male, with the female giving a few pecks to help. The resident male was trying to drown the other by holding it underwater. Last I saw, it managed to get away, but was being doggedly pursued. (March 2019 was the previous time when there were more than 2 adult Coot.) The Barnacle Goose is still at the yacht club.

4/3/22 – The female Black Redstart briefly on a roof this afternoon. AM reported: 2 Knot, 138 Wigeon, 18 Oystercatcher, 1 Barnacle Goose, 1 Chiffchaff (singing) and 4 Stonechat. LP reported: 1 Snipe, 40 Black-headed Gull upriver, 1 Tawny Owl calling repeatedly, 2 Redwing and a possible Nuthatch heard on Lagoon 1/2.

3/3/22 – There was a good HT roost between yacht club and Pillhead Gout this morning: 1 Knot, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, c200 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover, 12 Oystercatcher, c50 Turnstone, only c10 Dunlin and c60 Redshank. Also, a juv. Peregrine sat on a log, a pair of Shoveler at Oldbury Pill sluice, the Barnacle Goose still, and my first Jack Snipe for 3 years. (It is remarkable that this is the first Black'wit of the year, as there are 800 upriver at Slimbridge and 400+ downriver at Pilning Wetlands !) 2 male Yellowhammer were in the hedge on Lagoon 3, with one singing ! Four new species for the year at OPS, brings my total to 101 and for all-comers it is 104.

28/2/22 – The first summer migrants have arrived - 3 Chiffchaff singing (and AM saw a 4th). Also, 4 Little Egret flew up Oldbury Pill early morning; a 'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit coming into breeding plumage on Shepperdine seawall; and the male Black Redstart was having a shower in the drizzle - video. AM also reported: the Peregrine pair on a pylon, 100 Woodpigeon and a Muntjac. (16 Wren reported in February in BOC Bird News.)

27/2/22 – 2 Siskin in a treetop on Lagoon 2, then flew high to NE, calling. That is the 100th species seen at OPS in 2022 by all-comers ! The earliest we have got to that. And 97 species for me, also a record by end of February.

26/2/22 – 4 Skylark - 3 over to NE and one singing to SW of Lagoon 3.

The Wych Elms are flowering by the pond next to Lagoon 2, at the end of the track from the car park.

25/2/22 – HE reported: 8 Yellowhammer, 8 Stonechat(3xlagoon 3 and 5 towards yacht club), 10 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Gadwall, 2 Coot and 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The Pussy Willow is flowering.

24/2/22 – The Barnacle Goose has returned to the yacht club, after a few days absence.

23/2/22 – The male and female Black Redstart still along security fences on NE side of power station.

22/2/22 – A juv. Glaucous Gull flew in from S to the seawall at Shepperdine and then drifted upriver on the wind. When taking some distant Video, it seemed to come down on the estuary, past the Windbound (about a mile away), so I ran all the way there and found some large gulls on the estuary, but it wasn't with them. So I kept going to Hill Pill and found more gulls, but not the one I wanted. (One also video'd here last January.) Also, 13 Yellowhammer; a new flock of 8 by the NHS bench at Shepperdine Point, and the 5 still by the 'squeaky gate'. Plus a Blackcap on mistletoe in the Anchor Inn car park and a Mistle Thrush.

21/2/22 – DOUBLE the number of Coot on the lake - now 2! Also 1 Little Grebe and 3 Gadwall (2m, 1f). No seabirds in 3 hours of high W winds to HT (and none yesterday in 3 hours). AM reported c100 Redwing and c40 Fieldfare on Lagoon 1, and 153 Wigeon (from a restricted WeBS count due to wind).

Photos by HE.

19/2/22 – The BIG news is that a Coot is back on the lake ! And 21 Oystercatcher at the yacht club on HT.
Coot is the 95th species for me at OPS in 2022 - the best year yet for the first two months. And the 98th species for all-comers, also a record.

18/2/22 – A 4 hour seawatch for storm Eunice brought 2 Fulmar upriver; one shearing in middle of estuary at 8:15am ahead of worst weather and one low over my head along the shore at 11:40am. And 5 Kittiwake; one sat on water upriver and one flying downriver early, 2 flying around with Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls and one sat/fluttering on water downriver later. (There have only been 6 previous Fulmar records at OPS, all singles. Last one was in 2019.)

The green 'Ledges' buoy was barely visible.

17/2/22 – No seabirds after a windy night, but a male Pintail at Shepperdine, then flew downriver. And TK saw 2 Peregrine over the orchard and then the towers (photo below by TK).RE also reported a Tawny Owl calling.

16/2/22 – 48 Golden Plover feeding on the mud of the Tidal Reservoir, by Lagoon 1, in high wind. Video.

14/2/22 – Damsons and Daffodils already flowering.

13/2/22 – 3 Avocet at Pillhead Gout over HT, 2 Little Grebe on the lake and the Barnacle Goose still by the yacht.

The Avocets rather distant from the yacht club at dusk.

12/2/22 – The adult male Black Redstart was in the waterworks, 5 Grey Wagtail coming out of roost at first light in the reeds of the pond by Lagoon 2, and a Little Grebe on the lake. The Barnacle Goose still by the yacht club and 5 Yellowhammer still.

Little Grebe and cracking photo of Yellowhammer by IA.

10/2/22 – A pair of Raven nest-prospecting the Peregrine nest platform, with one carrying a stick in its bill. (Not seen a Peregrine since 25th Jan..) A Yellowhammer at Lagoon 1 outflow, and the Barnacle Goose still by the yacht club.

8/2/22 – 5 Mistle Thrush this morning (3 x lake, 1 x Lagoon 1, 1 x Lagoon 2).

7/2/22 – A different Merlin, a male, flashed through the fields next to the main rhine. My first Chiffchaff of the year in the Lagoon 2 reedbed. The Barnacle Goose still by the yacht club and 7 Yellowhammer there still.

This farmyard-type Greylag Goose with the Canadas.

6/2/22 – No seabirds in a strong W wind, but a flock of c80 Golden Plover flying to NE inland early morning (probably going to Slimbridge having fed in fields overnight) and 70 Turnstone on the shore at Shepperdine.

5/2/22 – MP reported the female Marsh Harrier, by Oldbury Pill. 2 Little Grebe this morning (in Oldbury Pill by sluice and on the lake) and 2+ Skylark singing. The Barnacle Goose still and the Merlin was sat on the large log just downriver of Pillhead Gout and then chased a Dunlin flock all the way to the Power Station. And a male Yellowhammer still.

Redwing on the Severn Way.

4/2/22 – The female Marsh Harrier again - cruising low along the shore from Lagoon 1 to Lagoon 2, then lost behind hedge. 3 Stonechat (2 x jetty, 1 x waterworks) and a Coal Tit with a Long-tailed Tit flock. LP reported 3 Avocet flying downriver.

3/2/22 – The Barnacle Goose still by the yacht club. The 5 Ringed Plover still on the seawall at HT. AM reported: a Kingfisher at Oldbury Pill sluice, 320 Dunlin, 218 Curlew, 133 Wigeon and 36 Redshank.

The Snowdrops in full flower, to bring some February cheer !

2/2/22 – A juv/fem Merlin flew in and sat on the shore at Shepperdine.

1/2/22 – A female Marsh Harrier reported on Avonbirds

31/1/22 – A Goshawk circling above the fields and pylons (seen from Lagoon 3 over lake) at 9:45am. It put up ALL the birds nearby - Crows, Pigeons, Lapwings and Dunlin. A couple of Carrion Crow tried to mob it at one point. Seen for about 10 minutes, then it circled off to SW. (At dawn I disturbed what I thought was a Goshawk, from trees along the main rhine - it looked like it was carrying a dead corvid. But only seen briefly as it disappeared into trees, with just the sound of cawing Crows to show it was still about.) Fifth year in a row one has been seen here (although not all records accepted !). Earlier, a juv/fem Merlin flew from Lagoon 1 out over the estuary. And a Treecreeper again.

30/1/22 – JA reported a Grey Plover and the Barnacle Goose still by the yacht club. HE reported: 5 Stonechat and 20+ Skylark.

29/1/22 – RL reported 2 Tawny Owl hooting.

28/1/22 – The Barnacle Goose is still with 46 Canada Goose, on the saltmarsh near the yacht club. Still 9 Yellowhammer nearby, a female Black Redstart at the waterworks this afternoon, 17 Oystercatcher, and a single flock of c150 Redwing and c50 Fieldfare in hedges to SE of Lagoon 3. AM reported a Grey Plover (with a limp) and a Little Egret.

27/1/22 – The Barnacle Goose is still with 41 Canada Goose, on the saltmarsh near the yacht club this morning. And a female Gadwall has joined the 2 drakes on the lake. Apart from that, very quiet on the estuary.
The Starling murmuration on Lagoon 2 still had c3,000 birds last night, 4:30 to 5pm.

25/1/22 – A Coal Tit on the peanut feeder by the orchard is the 88th species for me at OPS this year - equal record start to year (with 2019). And for all-comers it is now 93 species at OPS this year, beating the old record start of 90 from 2016. "Thanks", to whoever is filling the feeder ! Also a Treecreeper by the car park. The male Peregrine attacked the Lapwing flock out over the estuary and singled one out. Peregrines are fast and manoeuvrable, but no chance with a Lapwing ! It could have been different if the female Peregrine had not arrived a bit late.
The male Black Redstart reported on Birdguides.

24/1/22 – The Barnacle Goose still feeding with 45 Canada Goose in field to SW of Lagoon 3. And, strangely, a juv/fem Merlin on the ground in the same field. May have been on a kill, but scared off by geese.

Curlew with coloured rings 'ROY' (Red on Left, Orange over Yellow on Right) at Littleton. (Photo by MP.)

23/1/22 – The Barnacle Goose was feeding with 45 Canada Goose in waterlogged field to SW of Lagoon 3.

22/1/22 – Frosty again. The yacht club saltmarsh had 25 Skylark, 11 Yellowhammer and 3 Rock Pipit (plus a probable Water Pipit seen very briefly).

Rock Pipit

21/1/22 – A frosty morning (-4 deg C) was good for raptors. A female Marsh Harrier quartering the shore as it slowly made its way downriver. Some video. And a Merlin chased an isolated Dunlin low over the estuary. The Barnacle Goose was still at Pillhead Gout, as was the Grey Plover (photo below). HE reported a fem-type Black Redstart and a Chiffchaff. MB reported a Grey Wagtail.
PK reported two Harbour Porpoise, just off Lydney Harbour outfall at 10.30am, 150m from shore, moving down stream with falling tide.

20/1/22 – A Barnacle Goose at Pillhead Gout over HT, and a Grey Plover there. The first Little Grebe of the year on a 95% frozen lake. 2 Black Redstart on roofs. A male Blackcap and a Mistle Thrush in the Anchor Inn car park.
AM's WeBS count: 42 Mallard, 197 Wigeon, 143 Teal, 225 Curlew, 766 Lapwing, 109 Dunlin, 110 Snipe (along shore), 23 Redshank, 85 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 7 Grey Heron, 2 Peregrine and 4 Stonechat. LP reported 7 Golden Plover (flying over with Lapwing) and a Chiffchaff. Golden Plover is the 90th species at the site this year (with my total at 85, and 61 species seen today is best this year).

18/1/22 – The adult male Black Redstart between waterworks and jetty. 2 Redpoll flew from Lagoon 2. The weedy field by the yacht club had: 18 Skylark, 6 Yellowhammer, c100 Redwing and 5 Pheasant. The Starling roost has switched from Lagoon 3 to Lagoon 2 reedbeds, as c4,000 over Lagoon 2 at dusk. And in the Tidal Res. roost, a Common Gull with unusually dark head, which is small with small bill. Could be an Eastern (or Western) subspecies.

17/1/22 – 3 Black Redstart reported (2f, m). AM/MP reported: 250 Redwing and 50 Meadow Pipit in the set-aside field by yacht club and a Blackcap by the lake. 2 Little Egret over and 11 Bullfinch, and I actually got a decent photo. And "thousands" of Starling reported leaving the reedbed roost on Lagoon 2 at dawn.

16/1/22 – The adult and 2 cub Otter reported this morning (photo by HE below - Wow !). And video by HE. Also 3 Black Redstart (m & 2f) and 16 Bullfinch reported. The first Snowdrops flowering (photo taken 1 day earlier than last year).

15/1/22 – A frosty morning (-2 degs C) and 2 Raven on a sheep carcass at the yacht club. Also a Mistle Thrush and 25 Fieldfare. Plus 11 Yellowhammer and a drake Pintail still. 8 Roe Deer is the highest count at OPS. 2 Black Redstart reported.

14/1/22 – An adult winter Mediterranean Gull in the evening roost on the Tidal Res., with c500 Common Gull and 500+ Black-headed Gull. 3 Pintail (2m, 1f) at Shepperdine, 2 Black Redstart (female by the waterworks and male reported by CS), and 10 Snipe on Lagoon 1. TK reported a Tawny Owl hooting by the entrance yesterday at 4:30pm. (Nice photo of Kestrel by TK below.)

13/1/22 – RE reported a Nuthatch with a tit flock at lunchtime. And Little Egret added to OPS year list - roosting in tree by lake in freezing fog. That is 85 species this year (82 for me). The best by end of January was 90 in 2016 (88 for me in 2019).

12/1/22 – 16 White-fronted Goose flew from inland at the yacht club, directly over my head, calling a sqeaky soft 'ky-ok', at 2:45pm. They then turned and flew SW along the shore. (Towards sun, and lost to view.) They seemed heavily barred below with orangish bills (initial thought was Greylags), so possibly 'Greenland' subspecies (although there has been no double-figure count in England in 2022, so seems unlikely!). Some video (one calls once right at start). Last at OPS in 2019, and before that in 2010. Were more numerous before 2000.
The male Black Redstart was on SW side of the jetty at 2:20pm - video. Also a drake Pintail, 7 Stonechat and 2 Skylark over to NE.

11/1/22 – AM reported: 2+ Otter at the back of the lake at 9am, the male Black Redstart between jetty and waterworks first thing this morning, and later with female by the jetty, 6+ Yellowhammer, 2 Kestrel, 47 Canada Goose, 236 Wigeon, 133 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 165 Dunlin, 261 Lapwing, 31 Redshank, 13 Oystercatcher, 65 Turnstone, 8 Ringed Plover and 8 Grey Heron.
2 Greylag Goose were roosting on the Tidal Res. in the fog (photo below); and Redpoll (over) and Jay added to this year's OPS list (81 species). A video of 4 Roe Deer, just 10 yards away and nice and calm.

10/1/22 – A Spoonbill was feeding on the near shore of the Tidal Res. at 11:05am, but then flew upriver after a couple of minutes. (I spotted it from half-mile away by Lagoon 3 and unfortunately my camera wouldn't focus in the misty drizzle.) The last one here was in 2018. January is the best month at OPS for Rare (16) and Very Rare (8) birds. Next best is April with 14 Rare and 6 Very Rare, then October with 12 Rare and 5 Very Rare.
A female-type Black Redstart on the fences and still 10 Yellowhammer by the yacht club. Also a Brambling seemed to fly from the Lagoon 3 hedge, but went to NE, calling. 8 Raven seen this morning; 4 high over to W, the usual pair calling from pylons and another pair by a sheep carcass in Oldbury Pill near the yacht club.

9/1/22 – 286 Lapwing and c100 Curlew in flooded field to SW of Lagoon 3. CL reported 6+ Yellowhammer at the yacht club this morning (photo by CL below) and a flyover Brambling calling. BD reported 3 Green Woodpecker and a pair of Stonechat.
And this beautiful Fox asleep just 10 yards from the path, completely oblivious to people walking past.

8/1/22 – TK reported 20+ Turnstone with Dunlin flock on seawall by Lagoon 1 at HT (photo by TK below). Also, 26 Stock Dove in a flock at Shepperdine and 3 Greenfinch on Lagoon 3.

7/1/22 – The male and female Black Redstart still, by the jetty this afternoon. And now 11 Yellowhammer by the yacht club.

6/1/22 – A very good morning's birding. -1 deg C at dawn, but calm. A 1st-winter Shag was close-in to shore at Shepperdine on the incoming tide at 8:45am. It swam along the shore for 5 minutes allowing me to get some video. Then it flew upriver. Only the 4th record at OPS. I had the first two records; storm-blown juvs. in Sept. of 2008 & 2011. The other record is of a flock of 22 that flew upriver in Aug 2016 (first seen at Severn Beach).
There was a flock of 8 Yellowhammer and 5 Reed Bunting on the saltmarsh at the yacht club. 5 Ringed Plover on seawall and a Grey Plover by yacht club. The flooded field between Lagoon 3 and yacht club held: 253 Lapwing, 15 Shelduck, 2 Greylag Goose, 53 Canada Goose and c100 Curlew. A Treecreeper was with a Long-tailed Tit flock in wood by lake.

5/1/22 – c4,000 Starling murmuration over Lagoon 3 between 4pm and 4:32pm, when they all dived into the reedbed together. Mesmerising. Also, 5 Snipe.

4/1/22 – A Grey Plover and 215 Curlew over HT at Pillhead Gout and c900 Black-headed Gull feeding in fields inland of here. A Blackcap and a Mistle Thrush in the Anchor pub car park. In the flooded field between Lagoon 3 and yacht club: 18 Shelduck, 56 Canada Goose and the Greylag Goose.

3/1/22 – 3 Black Redstart (m + 2f) on fence of Lagoon 2, and then in waterworks this morning - the adult male sang briefly ! A Kingfisher at Oldbury sluice (reported by PB), 3 Stonechat (pair at yacht club and male by waterworks) and c2,000 Starling flew E at dawn (coming out of roost, either Lagoon 3 or further downriver). MP reported a Chiffchaff by the entrance, 7 Grey Heron in field and 'headstart' Curlew '21' & '23' on Lagoon 1.

2/1/22 – At dawn, an adult Otter was with 2 cubs on the lake ! I watched them play for 5 minutes, then made a bit of a faff getting my camera out and they melted away. (Last seen in August.) A Green Sandpiper flushed from the muddy and wet field next to the chicken sheds at Jobsgreen Farm; the Greylag Goose is still with an increased flock of 45 Canada Goose; 242 Wigeon counted (145 x yacht club, 97 x Shepperdine) and c1,000 Black-headed Gull flushed to the estuary, from fields inland by Littleton.

1/1/22 – BD reported 3 Black Redstart - ad male near jetty (photo by @petercoslett below), and 2 fem-types.
Mild at dawn (10 deg C). A pair of Stonechat on jetty saltmarsh, a Greylag Goose with 35 Canada Goose in flooded field to SW of Lagoon 3, a Grey Wagtail (waterworks), and the following all singing: Song Thrush, 8 Robin, 1 Cetti's Warbler and a Collared Dove. On the lake were drakes of: Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall and a Teal. (A total of 56 species.)