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Severn Hams (2 March 2011, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

At Coombe Hill this morning, a very slight rise in water levels. Most of the wintering duck have gone, only about 100 Wigeon, 120 Teal, 1 Pintail, 10 Tufted left. About five pairs of Canada and one of Greylag Geese, looking ready to nest. A few waders round the scrapes, no doubt mainly migrants on their way north: 5 Curlew, 3 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 28 Lapwings. 1 hunting female Sparrowhawk. Otherwise very quiet. (MS/LB)

At Upper Dumball this evening, on the same rape field: the swans had clearly not left, presumably because of the north-easterly winds since Saturday: 4 Whoopers (three adults and a cygnet), still 40 Bewick’s (29 adults and 11 cygnets), 2 Mutes (one adult and one cygnet). The Whoopers took off and flew the 200 yards or so to the river at 5.50pm, landing on the water by the pub at Epney, and were then carried downstream; lost sight of tehm in the darkness, don’t know if they landed on a sandbank. The Bewick’s waited until 6.14pm, then flew off in the direction of Slimbridge. The Mutes took off at the same time as the Bewick’s, but also flew to the Severn, and were gradually carried downstream.

Upper Dumball (25 February 2011, contributed by Mike Smart)

Another look at the swan field at Upper Dumball this evening where the swans were still grazing in a field of oil seed rape; there were still 48 Bewick’s (37 adults, 11 cygnets, none of which could be specifically identified); 4 Whoopers (three adults, one cygnet), four Mutes (three adults, one cygnet). I stayed until it was nearly dark; at 5.53 pm the Bewick’s all flew off towards Slimbridge, flying south across the river towards Upper Framilode. The Whoopers and Mutes didn’t go with them. I think they went on to the sandbanks on the river, but couldn’t be absolutely certain. Also a Little Owl calling at dusk.

Witcombe Reservoir (24 February 2011, contributed by Gordon Avery)

Seen late this morning were: an adult summer plumage Mediterannean Gull with Black-headed Gulls and 20 Siskin feeding in alders.

Blaisdon and Aylburton Warth (20 February 2011, contributed by Andy Jayne)

Around Blaisdon this morning my sightings included five Mandarins, a Little Owl, two Ravens, 150 Siskins, six Lesser Redpolls, a Hawfinch and 15+ Yellowhammers.

In the Aylburton Warth area one, probably two, female Merlins late morning. Also 44 Shelducks, 28 Teal, a Sparrowhawk, a male Kestrel, two Oystercatchers, 34 Golden Plovers, c.400 Lapwings, 460 Dunlins, 330 Curlews, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 1000 Black-headed Gulls, 50+ Goldfinches, 50 Linnets and a Hawfinch.

Severn Hams (13 February 2011, contributed by David Anderson, Les Brown and Mike Smart)

The Severn is now dropping, but not quickly enough for water to flow out from the meadows, where water levels are therefore still rising gradually. There has been a decrease in Greylag and Canada Geese and duck numbers also much lower than on January flood.

Ashleworth on Saturday 12 February: 4 Greylags and 14 Canadas, only 75 Wigeon, 256 Teal, 31 Mallard, 15 Pintail, 18 Shoveler, 6 Tufted, 1 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, only 1 Snipe (remarkably few despite careful search), a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 2 Reed Buntings singing (first I’ve heard this year).

Leigh/ Cobney Meadows (moderate flooding): 22 Greylags, 3 Canada Geese, 147 Wigeon, 8 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 3 Pintail.

Coombe Hill (the boardwalk is ankle deep in water, but easily accessible with wellingtons; scrapes submerged under shallow flood water): 4 Mute Swans, 50 Canadas, 30 Greylags, the Greylag x Barnacle cross again, 8 Shelducks, 350 Wigeon, 150 teal, 20 Mallard, 10 Shoveler. 1 Buzzard, 10 Lapwings, 8 Curlews (apparently a territorial pair and a group of six passing migrants); and a Reed bunting singing.

Today at Upper Dumball at 0930: swans in the same field as Friday: 4 Whoopers (one cygnet), 47 Bewick’s (37 adults, 10 cygnets), 3 Mute Swans.

Rodley and Walmore (13 February 2011, contributed by Andy Jayne)

At Rodley there were 48 Bewick’s (11 cygnets) and four Mutes (one cygnet) as well as the Whoopers, while my complete WEBS figures for Walmore Common today were three Shelduck, 27 Teal, eight Mallard, three Grey Herons, five Lapwing, a Jack Snipe and seven Snipe.

Walmore and Rodley (11 February 2011, contributed by Mike Smart)

I was told about a flock of swans at Rodley today, so I went to have a look and there was a flock of 4 Whoopers (three adults and one cygnet), 48 Bewick’s (37 adults and 11 cygnets) and 3 Mutes (two adults and a cygnet) on a field of what appeared to be kale; this is not on Wilmer Common but close to the river at Upper Dumball. I didn’t have time to ask the farmer how long the swans have been there, but I guess that is where they have been going for some weeks now.

The four Whoopers represent the family of two adults and a cygnet, plus a single adult, all of which have been hanging about for some weeks, though as yet nobody (as far as I know) has seen them together. I’ll bet they are just flying over the seawall (about 500 yards) to roost on the river; there are broad safe sandbanks for them there). I couldn’t see any rings on the Bewick’s but I didn’t go very close so as not to disturb them; I expect they are returning to Slimbridge every evening. This would explain why numbers of Bewick’s have been so low at Walmore this year. There were none there today.

Also one Sparrowhawk, flying off carrying a squealing Blackbird, quite a large prey item.

Severn Hams (5 February 2011, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

Coombe Hill: 1 adult (or conceivably yearling) Whooper Swan (no doubt the one recorded roosting in the week at Ashleworth) had roosted and flew out at 08.10; no idea where it goes to graze. 1 Barnacle x Greylag cross. 590 Wigeon, 95 Teal 3 Pintail, 3 Shelducks, 50 Lapwings, flock of 15 Pied Wagtails, many of them males in fresh plumage feeding round the scrapes; migrants?

Wainlodes: 1 redhead Goosander on the Severn.

Ashleworth Ham; water levels continuing to drop. 2 Mute Swans, 450 Wigeon, 250 Teal, 32 Pintail, just 3 Shoveler, 13 Snipe.

Minsterworth and Walmore (2 February 2011, contributed by Mike Smart)

Minsterworth Ham: at 10.00 the Whoopers family (two adults and a cygnet) were back on the usual field below the A48 lay-by together with two Mutes, but they had all disappeared by 12.30.

Walmore Common; family of five Bewick’s (two adults and three cygnets) present at 10.15, on the freshly reseeded edge of the ditch on field C, but they rose and flew off towards Slimbridge at about 10.45. In addition maybe 100 Teal, 1 Snipe and 4 Ravens.

Coombe Hill and Ashleworth (29 January 2011, contributed by Les Brown, Tim Cash, John Wiltshire and Mike Smart)

Water levels continue to drop gradually, but Coombe Hill was largely iced over following the sharp frost, Ashleworth had more open water, so some redistribution of birds between the two sites.

At Coombe Hill 119 Greylag Geese, two with darvic rings, 57 Canadas; three Bewick’s Swans, probably the same family roosting (two adults and a cygnet), flew off to northeast early on (going to feed somewhere north of Haw Bridge??); 1200 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 7 Gadwall, 30 Pintail, 14 Mute Swans, 3 Grey Herons, 60 Lapwings, two Curlews apparently territorial, very few passerines.

Leigh Meadows: no sign of any swans.

At Ashleworth: 450 Wigeon, 650 Teal, 17 Gadwall, 68 Pintail, 11 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Ducks.