A quick visit between the rain to Battery Point in Portishead this morning managed to see 5 Purple Sandpipers, 2 curlews, an Oyster Catcher and a Rock Pipit.

Chiffchaff still surviving in my Clevedon garden. Just can’t make it into a Siberian though! #avonbirds

My attempt on the Avon county year list record (208, set in 2006) began modestly with 123 species seen in January. But there was some quality in the form of Penduline Tit, RN Duck, LEO, Whooper, Bk Redstart, Gtr White-front, DB Brent, RB Merg, Firecrest, Scaup, Woodcock & Brambling #ukbirding

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 04:46 1.77m High 10:30 12.42m Low 16:59 2.07m High 22:45 11.89m

Give it 2 months and we’ll be praying for rain and south easterlies!

A quick stop off at Herons Green Bay before the school pick up saw all the usual suspects as well as the Ring-necked duck, Marsh Harrier and the Greylag Goose.

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 04:27 1.33m High 10:02 13.04m Low 16:43 1.65m High 22:20 12.50m

February 4th: A bright, blustery day on the lake today with this very accommodating drake Ring-necked Duck! What a treat. 😊 #UKbirding

Dunlin have only been present here on the Severnside patch in low numbers this winter. Some days I haven't seen any so it was a nice surprise to see thousands murmurating off Severn Beach/Chittening Warth on the Spring tide. The video shows part of the flock.

The Stonechat is often seen perched prominently, sometimes popping up from its perch to catch a passing insect. This female was photographed in the early morning sunlight at Lamplighters Marsh, Bristol, yesterday. (04.02.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 03:59 0.91m High 09:30 13.51m Low 16:21 1.15m High 21:51 13.03m

There were at least four purple sandpipers on the buoy but we didn’t see where the others went or where the turnstones flew off to either. Curlew, cormorants, swans and Canada geese flew by and there were lots of pipits about.

Battery Point is not easy to get to when you‘re disabled but I am glad I made the effort. We went to see purple sandpipers, which are usually on the rocks, but they were on the buoy far out to sea, with some turnstone. We waited an hour, just as we were leaving two flew in onto the rocks. #AvonBirds

Not best positioned at tree top level for good views (or photos for that matter!), but nonetheless nice to spot a Greenfinch at Lamplighters Marsh (Bristol) this morning. #avonbirds #ukwildlife

Kenny our local Kestrel, today. Letting me take pics for once. He’s got a crossbill beak deformity but he does just fine hunting the wetlands. Love seeing him. 💕👧🏻📷 @bristolbirding.bsky.social

this buff little guy is taking his job in security seriously.

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 03:22 0.74m High 08:53 13.73m Low 15:48 0.80m High 21:17 13.39m

Washing a few dishes.. watching out the kitchen window. The usual charm of Goldfinch about... a Robin perched in the fuchsia. Male Blackcap flits in then off next door. A Chiffchaff hops about plant to plant. A Wren disturbs the Robin, then a second Wren emerges - a pair, lovely! #bristolbirding

February 3rd: Our first Mediterranean Gull of the year, an adult on Severnside, takes the S. Glos year list 2026 to 128! #UKbirding #Southglosbirds

You can also report dead birds for possible testing for avian influenza: 📌In England, Wales & Scotland: gov.uk/guidance/rep... 📌In Northern Ireland: daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae... 📌In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report

Enjoyed watching a flock of around 20 Linnet flitting in search of seeds from trees and shrubs and down to ground level a few days ago. This small finch displays a lot of subtle colour variation, the male including more red during the breeding season. Lamplighters Marsh, Bristol. 30.01.26 #avonbirds

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 02:38 0.88m High 08:11 13.65m Low 15:07 0.76m High 20:38 13.48m

During a late afternoon/evening walk around Nailsea Moor, I found 2 Little Owls, 2 Kestrels, a Peregrine and a Chiffchaff. I also heard a few Teal calling in the dark. No sign of Barn Owls today though! #avonbirds

This Wigeon seen at New Passage on the Severn Estuary this morning fits nice with today's #BirdOfTheDay them of #openbeak (set by Alan). Sooo many of them - their 'chatting' lovely to listen to. Someone recorded over 550 there recently. 02.02.26 #avonbirds #ukwildlife #birds @alan678.bsky.social

Old Thames barges have been deliberately sunk in the Blackwater Estuary, to create a new island habitat for birds:

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 01:48 1.30m High 07:26 13.25m Low 14:19 1.05m High 19:54 13.27m

Oystercatcher on the River Avon, at Avonmouth, this morning. (01.02.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife #birds

Our article, a birder’s guide to HPAI, was published today in @britishbirds.bsky.social - it’s open access this month. We explain how bird-flu infected seabirds in 2021/22 and the importance of citizen science to montoring future outbreaks in the wild. 🪶🧪 britishbirds.co.uk/journal/arti...

A 'mega-roost' of Stock Doves has been recorded in western France – a figure that is believed to be a national record for an autumn or winter roost of this species:

Redwing, Jay, male and female great spotted woodpeckers, Redland Green Park, 1-2-2026. #avonbirds

We’ve had a male wintering in ours. It’s been feeding on the Rowan berries and using the bird bath. Heard my first singing male this morning at Arnos Vale Cemetery.

Blackcap in my Clevedon garden was a nice treat just now! #avonbirds

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times Low 00:53 1.95m High 06:36 12.54m Low 13:25 1.60m High 19:07 12.76m

My edited birding highlights of today. Nailsea Moor: 1 Great White Egret, c70 Linnet, 7 Reed Bunting. Goblin Combe: 12 Crossbill Wrington Warren: 8 Crossbill Clevedon Pill: 16 Goosander #avonbirds

Ring-necked Duck this morning at Herons Green, Chew Valley Lake

January 30th: I spent a few hours in Somerset today... particularly around CVLake... Stacks of Cattle Egret (42) supported by Little and Great White, three Marsh Harrier, several pairs of Goldeneye and Red Kite. The second photo shows my view of the drake Ring-necked Duck... 🤣😂🤣 #UKbirding

Redwing and starlings in Redland #avonbirds

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times High 05:40 11.59m Low 12:28 2.36m High 18:14 11.98m

That was a big yawn!! Great Black-backed Gull on the River Avon, Bristol, this morning. (30.01.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife #birds

We’re always looking to add competent birders to the Skopeo directory for ad-hoc, paid bird surveys in GB and Ireland, especially ahead of the busy breeding season — if you’re interested send us an email at [email protected]

3rd WinBS visits completed for my two squares. Highlights being singing Skylarks, 2 Kestrel and a Raven @btobirds.bsky.social @bristolbirding.bsky.social

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times High 04:33 10.62m Low 11:23 3.25m High 17:13 11.07m Low 23:53 2.79m

The Purple Sandpiper overwintering at Battery Point, Portishead, are interesting to watch browsing the rocky headland. They're also completely unperturbed by the breaking waves... eventually moving on a little as the rocks submerge under the rising tide. (27.01.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife #ukbirding

I went to Morrisons in Worle after work and found a huge flock of Goldfinches in trees in the corner of the car park, possibly gathering pre-roost. My estimate of 200 is likely to be on the conservative side. I don't remember ever having seen this many Goldfinches together before. #avonbirds

Spotted a little Chiffchaff busy amongst some Buddleia, next to the river Frome in St Judes today. #avonbirds

Relatively quiet on the Severnside patch today. A stunning male Brambling, a showy Water Pipit and a beautifully-marked Jack Snipe the only exceptions to that rule. Overall, January has been a good month, with 107 species recorded. My patch year list currently on 94 #ukbirding

Port of Bristol (Avonmouth) Tide Times High 03:03 10.08m Low 09:50 3.99m High 15:56 10.33m Low 22:39 3.62m

This Coal Tit catching a little of the morning sunshine in Eastwood, Portishead, was a delight. (27.01.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife

Some waders spied on the receding tide at Kilkenny Bay yesterday including: - Curlew & Shelduck; - Oystercatcher, Curlew & Redshank; - Shelduck & Oystercatcher; - Redshank and a cheeky Dunlin. #AvonBirds - Portishead, 27 January 2026.

Great Spotted Woodpecker in Eastwood, Portishead, playing hard-to-get and remaining high in the trees. Pictured from below really does show off the long sharp pointed bill. Second picture shows areas of bark broken from the trees, result of foraging for insects. (27.01.26) #avonbirds #ukwildlife