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Severn Hams (15 January 2011, contributed by Mike Smart et al)

The Severn continues to rise and was at 10.10m at Haw Bridge today (it breaks its banks at about 10.75). As a result, the smaller streams could not discharge into the Severn and are back-flooding the meadows. The River Chelt is very high at Wainlodes and already breaking its banks, flooding the Leigh Meadows. The Deerhurst Parish Drain is also high and back-flooding Coombe Hill and Cobney Meadows, while the main drain running through Ashleworth is also very high. This is the first time there has been any water on the meadows this winter, an unusually late date for a first winter flood, but the conditions have clearly attracted good numbers of ducks, notably Wigeon and the first decent showing of Pintail. There is a striking absence of Snipe, which must have moved out during the cold weather in December. The extension to the boardwalk at Coombe Hill will be coming in to its own soon.

WeBS count figures:

Coombe Hill (David Anderson/ Les Brown) : 180 Greylags, 1 Pinkfoot, 1 Barhead, 390 Canadas, 2 Shelduck, 1226 Wigeon, 4 Gadwall, 139 Teal, 123 Mallard, 88 Pintail, 18 Shoveler, 4 Tufted, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Peregrine, 287 Lapwings, 7 Dunlin, 1 Curlew.

Ashleworth Ham (Mike Smart): 5 Mute Swans, 5 Canada Geese, 690 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 300 Teal, 110 Mallard, 80 Pintail, 7 Shoveler, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Little grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Lapwings, 2 Ravens.

Leigh/Cobney Meadows (Mike Smart): 5 Mute Swans, 17 Mallard, 32 Lapwings, 200 Black-headed Gulls feeding round edge of rising flood.

Minsterworth Ham: no sign of the three Whoopers on the bright green field, either yesterday or today.

CWP(W) (11 January 2011, contributed by Andy Jayne)

Two Smew (one adult male), 43 Shoveler and a Weasel at pit 17, three Red-crested Pochard at pit 44, a male Mandarin at pit 16, a Little Egret and Barn Owl in the Shorncote area and totals of 41 Goldeneye and 15 Goosanders at various pits.

Severn Hams (8 January 2011, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

Coombe Hill is now back to top form today, a real wildlife spectacle: water is rising in the Long Pool as the Parish Drain back-floods and the scrapes are now full. Excellent views from Grundon Hide. An unusual situation this winter, as by now there would normally have been a flood and the grass would have been sodden and unpalatable; but his autumn has been very dry with no flooding and there is plenty of short fresh unflooded grass, so the Wigeon are having a field day, the more so as they must be pretty hungry after the freeze-up in November/December. About 1300 Wigeon moving off the scrapes to graze on nearby grassland, with just over 300 Teal keeping them company, plus five Pintail and a couple of male Shelducks, not to mention about 190 Lapwings. Good numbers of geese – about 240 Canada Geese and 130 Greylags (at least eight with metal rings and one with a darvic ring already read earlier this winter. A single immature Whitefront with the Greylags, clearly ill at ease and being chased off by the Greylags, so probably a wild bird. About 7 Gadwall and 5 Shoveler on the Long Pool. Two Roe Deer on the meadows, taking refuge in the withy bed.

At Ashleworth too, the water is still rising: about 88 Teal, 17 Gadwall, six Pintail, 80 Wigeon.

At Minsterworth, the three Whoopers were still feeding in the very green field by the A48 with three Mutes.

Severn Hams (7 January 2011, contributed by Mike Smart)

The River Severn rising gently, so local streams are beginning to back flood. At Minsterworth (Upper Moorcroft Farm) there were three Whoopers (two adults and a cygnet) on the same very green field, today joined by nine Mute Swans (five adults, four cygnets), all grazing. Walmore Common was largely dry: no Bewick’s, one Mute Swan. Ashleworth Ham: water is flowing on to the reserve at last after a very dry autumn: 40 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall at least 40 Teal. At Leigh Meadows there was no flooding and no swans.

Gloucester (4 January 2011, contributed by Gordon Avery)

5 Golden Plover flew west over Llantony Wier at 12.18pm today.

Gloucester (2 January 2011, contributed by Andy Jayne)

I flushed a Bittern at Port Ham, Gloucester today at 10.15am. Also two Shoveler there.

Minsterworth (1 January 2011, contributed by Andy Jayne)

At Minsterworth today near Upper Moorcroft Farm (SO7918) there were 3 (two adult and one juvenile) Whooper Swans and 6 (two adult and four juvenile) Bewick’s Swans in a field with two adult Mute Swans. The Whooper Swans were still present at dusk.

Stratton (1 January 2011, contributed by Ken Cservenka)

In my garden at Stratton today were 1 male and 3 female Bramblings; 1 female Blackcap and 8 Yellowhammers among more usual garden birds. In the tall trees at the Stratton House Hotel there were 8 Siskins.

Coombe Hill (1 January 2011, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

The Severn level at Haw Bridge is a bit higher today (8.23 m, after months round the seven metre mark) so the Chelt and other small tributaries are higher too and there will no doubt be a little more surface water at Coombe Hill and Ashleworth after an unusually dry autumn The birds have already found the water: this morning, Les Brown recorded 420 Wigeon and 200 Teal at Coombe Hill, with 175 Canada Geese and 35 Greylags.

Hempsted (31 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

A male Little Owl was calling from the Priory, Hempsted at 00.50 this morning. The first record for this species in the area since 2007.

River Severn (28 December 2010, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)

Still ice floes floating on the Severn between Lower Lode and Wainlodes, though most of the snow hAS melted on the fields. River and ditch levels are still very low everywhere.

Most of the ducks in the area were on the river: on the Mill Avon at Tewkesbury: 11 Tufted, 3 Wigeon, 50 Mallard and 5 Coot, also the male Mute Swan (3AY) that nests by the wharf at Coombe Hill. Downstream from Lower Lode: 3 Cormorants, 200 Mallard, 8 Teal, 120 Wigeon, 13 Tufted Ducks, 2 Pochard, 5 immature or female Goldeneye.

Standish (26 December 2010, contributed by Juliet Bailey)

I had to disturb a roost of ladybirds a couple of weeks ago as a window frame in which they were overwintering needed repainting. I have just got around to looking at them today, and there are about 70 Harlequins together with four Two-spots. There are other roosts evident round the house, but I haven’t looked at these in detail. However, they appear also to be largely Harlequins.

Longlevens, Gloucester (23 December 2010, contributed by Andy Jayne)

There were 27 Waxwings briefly by the church at about 8.30am before flying off south.

Cheltenham (21/22 December 2010, contributed by Robert Homan)

In a Swindon Lane orchard, for the 2nd day, a flock of 150 Fieldfares eating and squabbling over the few remaining fallen apples. In the same area and in Prestbury, each garden Pyracantha had its own small flock of Redwings on 21st.

Tewkesbury (22 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

A single female Goosander was on the R. Severn by the Mythe Bridge, Tewkesbury at approximately 12.40pm.

Stratton (21 December 2010, contributed by Ken Cservenka)

8 Yellowhammers under the garden feeders today at Stratton.

Woodmancote, nr. Bishop’s Cleeve (20 December 2010, contributed by Peter Fitchett)

Over 30 Blackbirds in local gardens this morning along with about 20 Redwings feeding on Pyracantha berries (See Peter’s picture below). Also two male Blackcaps, a Pied Wagtail and Great Tit.

Walmore and Aylburton (17 December 2010, contributed by Andy Jayne)

At Walmore Common there was a family of six Bewick’s Swans this morning.

At Aylburton Warth, an adult Mediterranean Gull on fields with Black-headed and Common Gulls. Also two Wigeon, 20 Teal, two Sparrowhawks, 13 Golden Plovers, 123 Lapwing, seven Ruff, a Snipe, 17 Curlews and 80 Redwings.

At Littledean just 12 Waxwings still present at 3.20pm.

Cheltenham (17 December 2010, contributed by Robert Homan)

17 waxwings feeding in a pink/white berried Rowan at 10.30am in Albemarle Gate, near Pittville Park. At 2.30pm both the berries and the birds had gone, leaving some red berried Rowans to a handful of Redwing.

North Cerney (15 December 2010, contributed by Robert Homan)

The “usual” Little Egret by the River Churn, mid-morning.

Cheltenham (15 December 2010, contributed by Robert Homan)

21 Waxwings in trees at the junction of Swindon Lane and Windyridge Road this afternoon.

Sudmeadow (12 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

60 Goldfinches this morning feeding mostly on Teasels at the back of Phelps yard, Sudmeadow Road. Along the river below Llantony Weir, a Tawny Owl was trying to be invisible in the middle of a Willow tree, being mobbed by all and sundry. This is a species seen less than annually in the Sudmeadow area.

Ashleworth (11 December 2010, contributed by Mike Smart)

Ashleworth is still extremely dry with very little water in the ditches and little or no surface water on the reserve despite the thaw. During an RSPB Members Group field trip, about 12 Goosanders flew over to the north, 6 Wigeon flew upriver, 2 Peregrines on the pylons, a Stock Dove singing already, but not much else.

Leigh Meadows are equally dry with two Snipe, 4 Mute but no other swans. There were 2 Cormorants perched on trees by the River Chelt.

Coombe Hill and Ashleworth (9 December 2010, contributed by Mike Smart)

At both Coombe Hill and Ashleworth, the water levels remain low and what little water there is, is frozen over. So not much about. At Coombe Hill, the only ducks were 13 Mallard on a hole in the ice in the canal; 1 Grey Heron, 200+ fieldfares, 30 Redwings. About the same at Ashleworth with 100+ Fieldfares, no ducks. No sign of Whooper Swans at either site or on Leigh Meadows.

Tewkesbury (9 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

A Curlew flew low over the A38 just outside Tewkesbury flying towards Southwick Farm at 1.35pm. This unseasonal record was almost certainly a result of the cold weather.

Hempsted, Gloucester (7 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

3 Waxwings feeding in a ornamental berry tree outside Hempsted Motors, Hempsted Lane at 3.15pm at approximately SO 822179.

Cheltenham (6 December 2010, contributed by Robert Homan)

3 Blackcaps on bird feeders (2f and 1m) in Swindon Lane this afternoon. Earlier a presumed pair of Sparrowhawks in nearby Pittville Park with the smaller of the 2 birds carrying a prey item and being pursued by the larger bird.

Staverton (5 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

2 Waxwings in Down Hatherley Lane in the vicinity of the electricity substation opposite the side entrance to the former Dowty factory. There until early afternoon.

Sudmeadow (2 December 2010, contributed by Gordon Avery)

A Woodcock this morning in the osier at Sudmeadow.