Ben Locke

A small group of about eight GNS members gathered for the first field meeting of the new year at Ashleworth Ham on Sunday 9 January 2022, in bright fine conditions, after a light early frost. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust reserve of Ashleworth Ham comprises the lowest area of flood meadows on the west bank of the Severn and surrounding fields and hedges, and has always flooded when the Severn is high, attracting good numbers of wintering waterbirds. for which Ashleworth and Hasfield Hams are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. (Its old name “The Duckeries” reflects its former status as the hunting ground of the Hasfield Estate). The Severn at Haw Bridge reached a peak of over 10 metres on 27 December, not high enough for the river to overtop its flood-bank, but high enough to prevent local tributaries from discharging into the Severn, so that they back up and flood Ashleworth Ham. (‘Ham’ is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning a riverside hay meadow that may flood in winter). On the day of the GNS field meeting, water levels on the reserve were fairly high, perhaps a little too high for surface-feeding ducks to feed comfortably, but not enough to spill over onto the road, which happens when the Severn breaks its banks.

The main aim of the meeting was to look for waterbirds, but these were eclipsed, right at the beginning of the session, by the sight of three otters in the floodwater. Otter spraints and footprints are often found in the Severn Vale nowadays, but it is rare to have such good views of these extremely sleek and elegant creatures; they swam and played for several minutes in full view, so that their graceful shape, almost recalling a porpoise could be well seen. These were probably the same three individuals seen and photographed here in December by John Fletcher.

The usual ducks were present, but numbers were difficult to gauge, as many were hidden in the thicker vegetation under the ancient willows: roughly 200 Wigeon, 300 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 100 Mallard, at least 5 Pintail, 10 Shoveler; the Teal and Wigeon calling loudly. In the old days Bewick’s Swans and White-fronted Geese regularly came up from Slimbridge to Ashleworth and other flood meadows (the “Severn Hams”) at time of flood, but with the decrease of both species on the estuary, sightings have been rare in the Hams in recent years. Instead, the wintering goose population is now made up mainly of feral Greylag and Canada Geese, occurring in some numbers (at times over a thousand) and making an impressive spectacle with the sound of their calls and wingbeats, as they move between the water and grazing areas. At Ashleworth the greatest numbers of geese are found at dawn and dusk when they come in to roost, but one sizeable group of just over 100 Greylags was grazing on a grass ley (not very popular with the farmer!). Closer examination showed that one Greylag had a fair extent of white feathering on its crown and forehead, which might have made a casual observer mistake it for a Whitefront, but it wasn’t, just a Greylag a heavy orange bill and white on the head. However there was also a genuine Whitefront in the flock, much smaller than the Greylags and with a clearly demarcated white patch on its forehead, rather than a white smear all over the front of the crown; it had little or no barring on the breast and may have been the one that has been seen of late at the GWT reserve at Coombe Hill, only a few miles away as the goose flies. The Greylag flock also held an unusual hybrid, a cross between a Grey and a Swan Goose, a huge beast with a massive bill and a dark streak along its crown and nape betraying its Swan Goose ancestry. These hybrids stand out and are useful markers, making it possible to follow the movements of goose flocks: this one had been seen in previous winters, and was noted at Ripple Lake, just up the Severn between Tewkesbury and Upton, in October last; at that time there was little or no floodwater, so the birds stayed mainly at Ripple; now, with more water at Ashleworth, they have moved downstream.

Other waterbirds present included a small flock of perhaps 50 Lapwings (at the height of the flood in late December there had been 1,500 at nearby Longdon Marsh), and about 15 Snipe, most of them resting by day in the long damp vegetation, and waiting for dark when they fly out from their daytime roosts to feed with their extremely long bills in soft ground around the reserve. Some passerines also appeared in the hedges and willow pollards: Robins and Dunnocks, singing and defending territories already; a male Stonechat in the long dead Reed Canary Grass (probably with his mate nearby, since they remain in pairs in winter, though we could not find her), and a flock of a hundred wintering Redwings and Fieldfares, looking for invertebrates in the long grass, then flying up into the hedges as we approached. And surveying all from a discreet distance were two raptors, a Peregrine on the electric pylon and a Buzzard on a fence post.

The final observation was of two hares, now happily a relatively frequent sighting in this characteristic Gloucestershire Severn landscape of flooded hay meadows bordered by hedges of hawthorn with the occasional oak and many ancient, twisted crack willows (the Latin name is curiously Salix fragilis – they look anything but fragile with their boles appearing for all the world like Mediterranean olive trees).

Mike Smart

A report from Mike Smart:

04/11/21

Although the Severn level at Haw Bridge has peaked, the level has not dropped enough for water to flow out from riverside meadows. So the levels on the meadows, and especially Coombe Hill, continue to rise; this morning the southern meadows were still quite deeply flooded and the north scrape was on about 1.05 (up at least 10cms since Monday), and there is now a lake in front of the Grundon Hide, and the circular walk is not passable. Continuing rise in duck numbers.

At least 3 Mute Swans, 160+ Greylag Geese (probably others grazing nearby), 5 Canada Geese, 445 Wigeon (considerable increase), only about 10 Teal (maybe more on the Long Pool or they may have moved out to shallower sites nearby), 4 Gadwall, 15 Mallard, 3 Pintail (first of the winter for me, though five were seen on Tuesday), 52 Shoveler (good number for this early in the season), 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Lapwings, 2 Dunlin, 1 or 2 Skylarks going over, flock of 20 Pied Wagtails (feeding round edge of floodwater), 1 Stonechat, about 80 Redwings in the hedges, 1 Cetti’s Warbler (song), 1 Blackcap (subsong), 1 Chiffchaff (calling), at least 1 Reed Bunting.

11/11/21

Now that the Severn level is dropping. I thought I ought to have another look for the missing Teal.

At Coombe Hill, water levels have dropped quite a bit: there is still extensive water in front of the Grundon Hide (level 0.95) but the circular walk round the back of the Long and Short Pools is now just about passable, with wellingtons. Water levels are high on the Long Pool and Short Pool – Long Pool didn’t seem to have any Teal on it, some hiding in the willows on the Short Pool.

5 Mute Swans (one very aggressive resident pair), 31+ Greylags, 20 Canadas (geese very mobile, flying in and out), NIL Shelducks, 392 Wigeon, 140 Teal, 20 Mallard, only 23 Shoveler, NIL Pintail, 1 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, big numbers of Redwings (150+), smaller numbers of Fieldfares (40+) along the canal bank, 1 Cetti’s Warbler singing well.

The Teal numbers were a bit higher than on Saturday when the circular walk was not accessible, but not very high, so I had a quick look at Hill Court in Worcs (from the northern Hill Court Farm end) thinking that the Teal might have taken refuge there. But water levels were not very high (only the scrape proper held water), and there were no very large numbers of Teal: 55 Teal, 1 Mallard, 20 Greylags, 45 Canadas.

So it looks as though there hasn’t yet been a very large influx of Teal.

13/11/21

Coombe Hill: Water levels continuing to drop on reserve, though area of floodwater in front of Grundon Hide still quite extensive: north scrape on 0.89. Water levels on Long and Short Pools still high.

5 Mute Swans, one male as usual very aggressive.  Most geese had probably already left: only 40 Greylags, 20 Canadas left. Duck numbers a bit lower than in recent visits: only 133 Wigeon, not more than 15 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, but nice group of 11 Pintail, in fresh plumage (7 males, 4 females). Two Grey Herons, 2 Cormorants drying their wings on the island, 1 Buzzard and a lone Lapwing, 1 Snipe. At least two Water Rails squealing. Two or three Skylarks going over (no song) one or two Meadow Pipits. Good numbers of winter thrushes in the hedges along the canal bank – at least 50 Fieldfares and probably 150 Redwings. One Cetti’s Warbler singing.

Went on to Mitton, along the Avon just north of Tewkesbury (still just in Glos), to see if there were any ducks there: on the field with open water by the sailing club, a nice gathering of 125 Wigeon, 40 Mallard, 5 Shoveler and 10 Teal, with 125 Greylags. Also large numbers of Fieldfares (50) and Redwings (100).

On Bredon’s Hardwick Pits and Meadows (adjacent to Mitton, just in Worcestershire); on the pits 35 Tufted Ducks, 1 Little Grebe; on the meadows: 5 unringed Mute Swans, 220 Canada Geese, 60 Greylags.

16/11/21

Coombe Hill: I went at first light yesterday, in an attempt to see the ducks and geese before they dispersed, and to get a better count. Of course it was foggy, so I could hear the geese leaving, but couldn’t see or count them.

Water levels continuing to drop: north scrape on 0.84, but water still extensive in front of Grundon Hide. 13 Mute Swans roosting, most flew out early on, leaving the aggressive resident pair. Many hundreds of Greylags flew out to the northeast while it was still foggy. 35+ Canada Geese. Counts of ducks: 111 Wigeon, 76 Teal (don’t think there are many on the Short Pool); 200 Mallard (surprisingly large number); only 8 Shoveler and two Pintail; 1 Sparrowhawk; at least one Water Rail squealing from Broadmere; 4 Lapwings; 3 Snipe asleep, huddled together on the island; no Redwings in the hedges at first light, about 20 later; 1 female Stonechat; 1 Cetti’s Warbler singing.

Notes from the field meeting that took place on 21st September. Keep an eye on forthcoming events on the events page.

The walk on Nottingham Hill took place during a period of late summer sunshine and warmth, though the wildlife was in autumnal mode, with few plants flowering and few birds in evidence. There was therefore the opportunity to look in a little more detail at some confusing species of plants and practise identification using fruits, seeds and vegetative characters.

Using the shape of partially withered seed heads, we looked at several common grasses to try to establish their unique character. We also identified some yellow Asteracaea, bindweeds and thistles to genus level. At an old wall covered with bryophytes, we looked at the remarkable rehydration abilities of Rambling Tail Moss, Anomodon viticulosus, and in Gotherington Wood at some epiphytic mosses and liverworts.

The walk ended at the permanent short grassland of the old quarries on Longwood Common, where we found the remains of the summer flowers of thiss limestone community.

The Nottingham Hill circuit, with its extensive views across the Severn Vale, makes a varied walk. There are stretches of ‘high Cotswold’ arable fields, two former coppice woods and some short permanent grassland overlying old quarry works.

It is hoped to use the site for a dawn chorus meeting next year.

Click here for a list of selective species in the order encountered.