2023 Summary
The Ring-necked Duck stayed on into the New Year, a welcome early tick for the year-listers, and, later in January we finally nailed Siberian Chiffchaff, possibly two individuals, which gave great views at times, having settled in the copse by Bell’s Bush barrier. They did wander a bit , as far as Ubley STW and Top End where I spotted the first one. The stream entering the lake from the sewage treatment works goes under the south side road at Bell’s Bush barrier and is usually a good place to look for wintering Chiffchaffs. How long this will be the case I’m not sure, because there are plans afoot to divert the Ubley STW discharge to Blagdon STW, which discharges downsteam of the dam. This will be an undoubted boost to water quality in the reservoir.
Bird List
Site year list (records by bird wardens Nigel Milbourne & Mark Hynam, plus those reported to us).
Please note: National Rarities (British Birds Rarities Committee submissions) will be highlighted in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS, while Local Rarities (Avon Ornithological Group Rarities Committee submissions) will be highlighted in CAPITAL LETTERS only.
- Canada Goose (1st January)
- Greylag Goose (21st January)
- Mute Swan (1st January)
- Egyptian Goose (13th July)
- Common Shelduck (3rd February)
- Garganey (4th April)
- Shoveler (1st January)
- Gadwall (1st January)
- Wigeon (1st January)
- Mallard (1st January)
- Pintail (1st January)
- Teal (1st January)
- Pochard (1st January)
- RING-NECKED DUCK (1st January)
- Tufted Duck (1st January)
- Scaup (2nd January)
- Common Scoter (16th December)
- Goldeneye (1st January)
- SMEW (18th January)
- Goosander (1st January)
- Pheasant (1st January)
- Red-legged Partridge (17th March)
- Swift (27th April)
- Cuckoo (29th April)
- Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon (1st January)
- Stock Dove (17th January)
- Woodpigeon (1st January)
- Collared Dove (31st January)
- Water Rail (20th January)
- Moorhen (1st January)
- Coot (1st January)
- Little Grebe (1st January)
- Great Crested Grebe (1st January)
- Oystercatcher (12th July)
- Lapwing (1st January)
- Little Ringed Plover (29th June)
- Whimbrel (20th April)
- Curlew (9th April)
- Black-tailed Godwit (19th April)
- Red Knot (22nd October)
- Snipe (1st January)
- Common Sandpiper (1st January)
- Green Sandpiper (2nd January per Ian Dickie)
- Redshank (12th March)
- Greenshank (9th July)
- Kittiwake (24th March)
- Black-headed Gull (1st January)
- Little Gull (9th April)
- Mediterranean Gull (27th January)
- Common Gull (1st January)
- Great Black-backed Gull (14th January)
- Herring Gull (1st January)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st January)
- Common Tern (24th April)
- Arctic Tern (16th October)
- Cormorant (1st January)
- Eurasian Bittern (25th July)
- Cattle Egret (1st April) per A. Mears
- Grey Heron (1st January)
- Great White Egret (1st January)
- Little Egret (24th January)
- Osprey (9th April) video per E. Weaver
- Sparrowhawk (9th January)
- Marsh Harrier (13th January) per S.E. Caola & A. Everett
- Red Kite (16th February) per Ken Hall
- Buzzard (1st January)
- Barn Owl (12th January)
- Tawny Owl (7th January)
- Kingfisher (9th April)
- Great Spotted Woodpecker (1st January)
- Green Woodpecker (14th January)
- Kestrel (16th January) pers. comm.
- Hobby (23rd April)
- Peregrine (30th January)
- Jay (1st January)
- Magpie (1st January)
- Jackdaw (1st January)
- Rook (1st January)
- Carrion Crow (1st January)
- Raven (1st January)
- Coal Tit (1st January)
- Blue Tit (1st January)
- Great Tit (1st January)
- Skylark (15th February)
- Sand Martin (13th March)
- Barn Swallow (16th March)
- House Martin (9th March)
- Cetti’s Warbler (1st January)
- Long-tailed Tit (1st January)
- Willow Warbler (21st March)
- Chiffchaff (2nd January), plus SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF (20th January)
- Sedge Warbler (28th April)
- Reed Warbler (9th April)
- Blackcap (10th February)
- Garden Warbler (30th April)
- Whitethroat (26th April)
- Goldcrest (1st January)
- Wren (1st January)
- Nuthatch (18th January)
- Treecreeper (1st January)
- Starling (1st January)
- Song Thrush (10th January)
- Mistle Thrush (8th January)
- Redwing (1st January)
- Blackbird (1st January)
- Fieldfare (1st January)
- Spotted Flycatcher (5th June)
- Robin (1st January)
- Stonechat (1st January)
- House Sparrow (1st January)
- Dunnock (1st January)
- Yellow Wagtail (25th April)
- Grey Wagtail (1st January)
- Pied Wagtail (1st January)
- Meadow Pipit (1st January)
- Chaffinch (1st January)
- Bullfinch (16th January)
- Greenfinch (30th January)
- Linnet (14th April)
- Lesser Redpoll (12th January) per N. Sluman
- Goldfinch (1st January)
- Siskin (1st February)
- Reed Bunting (22nd January)