some of the Bar-tailed Godwit flock heading high inland over the sea wall at Severn Beach

some Bar-tailed Godwits at dusk from Severn Beach.

Following on from this morning's migrant flock of Bar-tailed Godwits at Severn Beach, I hoped for some more on the evening high tide. Within 5 minutes of stepping onto the sea wall at least 100 flew over and headed inland and North East. At dusk another group of 18 were seen on the shoreline.

three tiny black fluffy Moorhen chicks with red-yellow beaks and a little beady eye sit on a muddy river bank behind some twigs

spied these three tiny little Moorhen chicks this afternoon in a ditch around an industrial estate.
#AvonBirds - near Portishead, 19 April 2026.

Well the wind eased a little, the rain stopped, the sun came out… and soon after a lovely Holly Blue butterfly appeared in the garden. She was good enough to sit still for a short while and let me take photos. (Bristol, 15.04.26) #ukbutterlies #ukwildlife

Out on a woodland walk through Bleadon Woods this morning looking for Orchids, couldn’t believe our luck when we heard and saw 2 Grasshopper Warblers along the way. Love to hear that ‘reeling’ and another reminder to always expect the unexpected! #bristolbirding #ukbirding

A Blue Tit on a branch in January 2025

A young Blue Tit on a branch in June 2025

A tired looking Blue Tit on a branch in July 2025

A tired looking Blue Tit on a branch in August 2025 (and it's raining)

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #FeederFriends, birds you might see at your feeder. Blue Tits are common garden visitors, looking pristine early in the year. The young are a delight, but tending them can leave the adults looking worse for wear as the year progresses! #ukwildlife #birds @alan678.bsky.social

Lovely wander around Aust Cliffs and STW this morning. Quite a few migrants around - Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, 9 Wheatear*, 7 Whimbrel, Siskin, 3 Dunlin, 10 Swallow plus usual Blackcaps*, Chiffchaffs* @bristolbirding.bsky.social @severnsidebirds.bsky.social

Mange to capture a glimpse of a Lesser Whitethroat while walking the dogs in the fields in Whitchurch. Shame I only had my phone to hand. #avonbirds

Black Redstart in a tree

Common Redstart on a wall

Most of the time I see nothing at the Tate, but occasionally we get a good day, and today was one. The lunchtime showers knocked down a few migrants. I initially thought I had a pr of Black Redstart but then realised the female wasn’t a Black…#londonbirds

Ring-necked Duck still at Blagdon Lake @birdguides.bsky.social

The Sand Point Red-rumped Swallow was only the 7th seen in the Avon recording area since the first in 1970. All have been brief affairs. This bird stayed for 1 hour and 40 minutes and was seen by just 7 birders. The species remains a blocker in our county. Pic: Mark Savage #avonbirding #ukbirding

The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #LeafandLight any bird captured in sunlight with leaves in frame - set by Alan.

This adult Starling and a young one were photographed in my Bristol (UK) back garden in May 2025. #avonbirds #ukwildlife #birds @alan678.bsky.social

After plodding around the patch early morning and eventually connecting with Grasshopper Warbler on a 2nd visit, news broke of Red-rumped Swallow at Sand Point. A foray off patch ensued and in less than hour I was fortunate to see it feeding. Many thanks @andy-1963.bsky.social for the great find.

Switched from Severnside to Sand Point this morning and found a Red-rumped Swallow. Fortunately. It lingered long enough for 5 other birders to connect. A full fat Avon county tick! Boc shots by Paul Bowerman #avonbirding #ukbirding

11 mile #Patchbirding dawn walk around the full circuit today. And it was a great way to start with a singing Nightingale along the River Stour by Singleton Lake. 10 Swallows and 5 singing Whitethroats across the patch too.

Panzer's Nomad Bee (f) Nomada panzeri seen entering the nest burrow of a Tawny Mining Bee (f) Andrena fulva at Berry Head. Panzer's Nomad are cleptoparasites of Tawny Mining Bees (pic 4). Their grub will feed on the egg/grub and food store of the Tawny host.
Thanks John Walters for the ID.

Excellent image 👍

Green Tiger Beetle, today on the Mendip Hills

A beautiful sunny morning walking from Woodspring Priory to Sand Point accompanied by lovely scenery’s & a concert of bird song 🎶 🎵. 33 species seen, highlights Whimbrel, Wheatear, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroat and a Ring Ouzel. #bristolbirding #ukbirding

The Greenshank was still showing well this morning close to the public footpath at Pilning Wetland. Other birds of note today included the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year at the Wetland & the first Common Tern of the year off windy Severn Beach where 16 Kittiwakes lingered over the high tide.

Sand Point/Middle Hope w/ BOC & @reuben-veal.bsky.social: 8 Sandwich Tern, 2 GBB Gull, 1 skua sp., 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Shag, 1 Merlin, 156 Swallow, 24 House Martin, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 2+ Ring Ouzel, 1 Redstart, 1 Wheatear & 60 Goldfinch. @bristolbirding.bsky.social

Male blackbird & ring ouzel (momentarily not fighting) at Middle Hope earlier this morning @bristolbirding.bsky.social

Sand Point / St Thomas’s Head combined totals with @hull24matt.bsky.social. 2 Ring Ouzel, Redstart, 2 Gropper, 4 Willow, 15 Whitethroat, 2 Arctic Skua, 7 Sandwich Tern, Merlin, many Chiff/Blackcap; 20 House Martin, 60 Swallow, 60 Goldfinch West #ukbirding

A Banksy piece on a wall. Inspired by the girl with the pearl earring

A row of coloured house above the water

More coloured houses and 3 ducks on the water, alongside a barge

A domesticated mallard, a metallic green colour on the water with bits of blossom around it

Bristol in the sun, before hailstones came down

View from the bird hide of a pool with lots of reeds, grass beyond it and in the distance houses.

A very well disguised snipe in the reeds at the edge of a pool. It’s brown with dark and lighter stripes

An oystercatcher (large wading bird, black and white with orange beak and legs and a red eye) and a little grebe - tiny little water bird with fluffy butt

A lap wing on a scrubby island. Their feathers are almost metallic green

A lovely morning at Portbury Wharf but bitterly cold wind. Snipe still at South Pools, along with lapwing and oystercatcher. Caught a glimpse of my first whitethroat of the year and we could hear a reed bunting but couldn’t find it. #AvonBirds #PWNR

Seeing dog poo bags in bushes and hedges drives me round the bend. I can only assume those responsible are afflicted by a serious mental illness. Why go to the trouble of bagging up dog poo if you fully intend to later lob it into vegetation when nobody's looking?

Wren are so loud! This one was singing away yesterday at Gwent Wildlife Trust Magor Marsh (07.04.26). #birdingwales #ukwildlife #birds

A Male Redstart at Blackmoor Nature Reserve on the Mendip Hills this afternoon 😍

Nice to see all three black-and-white flycatcher species during the week w/ Semi-collared, Collared and Pied Flycatchers all seen (the latter being surprisingly the least common out of the three!)
#WildTravelling #Cyprus #CyprusBirds

#southglosbirds nice to see you this morning and here’s my photo of a Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover - spot the difference!

a brown grey & white bird (called a Whitethroat because its throat is white) sits on some leafy blossomy twigs

a brown grey & white bird (called a Whitethroat because its throat is white, it also has a grey head) sits on some leafy blossomy twigs

a brown grey & white bird flies away from leafy blossomy twigs. You can see its wings, white belly and spreads out tail feathers

This afternoon I heard and saw my first scratchy little Whitethroats of the year at Portbury Wharf.
#AvonBirds - Portishead, 8 April 2026.