Introduction
[Information below is used with the kind permission of Paul Bowerman from the " Severnside Birds" Website]
This is a list of birds that have and can be seen in and around the Severnside area many of which are commonly seen at Severn Beach. Some of the birds listed below are frequent visitors to our shores and some are very rare.
The area covered is a 10 kilometre coastal strip from the “old” Severn Bridge, south to the southern end of Chittening Warth. The eastern boundary is formed mainly by the A403, Aust to Avonmouth coast road. The “patch” is centred on the village of Severn Beach and dominated by the structure of the Second Severn Crossing.
The total number of species seen on Severnside is 253 with 180 recorded in the most prolific year. Like any well watched site, anything can and does turn up. Visits at the right time of year with favourable weather conditions can produce some excellent birds.
Although this is not the most scenic stretch of coast, the area is of great importance to migrant and wintering birds.
The southern end is Chittening Warth, an area of mud flats, salt marsh, unused grazing area that is now overgrown and the best location for winter Short-eared owls. Just across the coast road is the Sea bank gas power station. A new section of the national cycle way runs past the entrance. Here there are three very small pools. These are new but have attracted a few migrant ducks and Little Egret.
The mid point of the patch is the village of Severn Beach and the Second Severn Crossing. The habitat at Severn Beach consists of coastal scrub opposite the Astra Zeneca factory, joining a small area of salt marsh. North of here is the shingle “beach”, the usual location for the high tide wader roost. The tall concrete sea defences then extend north to the Second Severn Crossing.
There are some recently created small pools, the “Orchard pools”, inland from the village, just to the east of the A403 (grid reference ST 543838). One of these pools is easily viewed from the lane here.
The northern section runs from the Second Crossing to New Passage, Northwick Warth then Aust Cliff. The habitat here consists of mud flats and rocky pools at low tide.
New Passage bulges into the estuary. The tidal creek here is attractive to gulls and duck. Here the large over grown garden of “the Glen”, with its pine trees, can be attractive to migrants and is easily viewed from the public footpath.
The salt marsh and rough grazing of Northwick Warth extend all the way north to Aust. Brackish pools and “The Flash” may be present depending on the height of recent tides. These can hold some good waders.
There is a small inland pond, “the grebe pond”, halfway along Northwick Warth. This and the hedgerows can be seen well from the Severn Way or the small number of footpaths that head inland.
Access
There is a public footpath (The Severn Way) that runs the entire length of the site as well as minor roads from the A403 into Severn Beach, New Passage and Aust. Other footpaths and bridle ways criss-cross the area and adjacent farmland.
Severn Beach has two shops, a bakery and cafe. Public toilets are also found here near the shops.
Parking is free on public roads, but please park sensibly. Someone once said to me; “the only way to prevent car theft or crime is to leave your wife and/or large dog in the car!”
Be aware and don't leave tempting valuables on view.
Visit the links page for local tide times (Avonmouth plus approx. 10 mins.), weather and wind predictions.
Bird Species
Waders
High tide visits are essential for close views of waders - an hour either side will give the closest views. The light conditions are better in the morning than the afternoon when everything can be silhouetted. The main wader roost, depending on disturbance, during the spring and autumn is at Severn Beach. Careful scrutiny of the roost can locate small numbers of Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Sanderling. The tidal creeks and wet areas of Northwick Warth can hold some decent waders in the autumn such as Ruff, Greenshank and occasional Wood Sandpiper. Cold winters can produce thousands of Dunlin, several hundred Turnstone with the now occasional Purple Sandpiper.
Rarities have included; Long-billed Dowitcher, Dotterel, Stone Curlew, Pectoral, White-rumped, Buff-breasted, Broad-billed and Terek Sandpipers, Kentish Plover, Temminck's Stint, Grey and Red-necked Phalaropes.
Wildfowl
Despite the proximity of Slimbridge WWT, both White-fronted Geese and Bewick's Swan are scarce winter visitors. The most frequent visiting goose is Dark-bellied Brent but still in small numbers. Shelduck are present throughout the year with small parties of young present from early June. The most obvious winter species are Mallard, Wigeon and Teal. The freezing of inland waters usually produces a rapid increase in the number of species. Sea ducks remain scarce but Eider and Common Scoter are seen in varying numbers each year. Garganey have be seen in a number of recent springs, most often on the "Grebe Pond", a marshy pool near the New Passage rifle range.
Sea Birds
Severnside is the premiere site in Avon for obtaining close views of sea birds. A detailed paper has been published in 2000 Avon Bird Report (by Brian Lancastle), describing the occurrence of all the species. The following is a brief guide. West or South west gales will produce "something" at any time of the year. The best locations are all south of the Second Crossing. The birds are best seen two hours before and one hour after high tide. The birds are usually seen close to shore. The most frequent seabirds are Kittiwake and Fulmar which can be seen in strong wind throughout the year. Leach's and Storm Petrels are almost annual in varying numbers. The best place to observe these masters of the waves is in "burger bar bay", the stretch of water immediately south of the Second Severn Crossing.
Manx Shearwaters and Gannets are most likely to be seen in gales during the summer months. Guillemots are more frequent than Razorbills, Little Auks more so than Puffin but there are three recent sightings of the latter. Arctic and Great Skuas are annual, Pomarine Skua is seen more often than Long-tailed Skua. Other scarce storm driven species include Divers and Sabine's Gull. There have been two records of Cory's Shearwater and one record each of Sooty, Balearic Shearwater.
Spring Tern Migration
During the spring in weather associated with east or north east winds, exceptional numbers of Terns along with Little Gull, Skuas, Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel can be watched migrating upriver into the head wind. This phenomenon can vary from year to year even with similar weather patterns. Hundreds of Common and Arctic Terns, dozens of Black Terns and a smaller number of Sandwich and Little Terns can be seen over two or three days as migration peaks (usually the first few days of May).
Other Bird Species
General
The best time to find passerines is during passage periods (April-May, mid August-mid October). Falls of migrant warblers, Whinchat, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear and wagtails can occur during both spring and autumn. Most years produce Common Redstarts, if you are lucky Pied Flycatcher or Wood Warbler, rarer still a Firecrest, Ring Ouzel or Nightingale.
The rarest sightings include Subalpine Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, Richard's Pipit, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck. A Great Grey Shrike visited Chittening Warth briefly in three recent winters.
Best Spots
The best place find these migrants (walking from north to south) are gardens around the base of Aust Cliff (Old Passage). A fine Yellow-browed warbler appeared here in October 2001, and almost as rare locally, a superb Nightingale hopping around on lawns in April 2002. It goes without saying that you should not enter the gardens and respect the privacy of the home owners.
The hedges along Northwick Warth can be productive, (“sylvia” Warblers, Common Redstart and Whinchat) but the next best spot is the overgrown garden of "the Glen" at New Passage that can only be watched from outside. The best birds seen have included; Rose-coloured Starling, Golden Oriole, Ring Ouzel, Nightingale, Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest, Crossbill and the locally rare Nuthatch, Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Turtle Dove with regular “falls” of migrant Warblers. The fields between New Passage and the Second Severn Crossing, are notable in the spring for Wheatear, Whinchat and Common Redstart and in the winter for Stonechat.
Continuing south from Severn Beach towards Chittening Warth look in the hedgerows and coastal scrub. Migrants can be seen almost anywhere, the favoured locations are the scrub next to the railway, good for warblers, Redstart and Whinchat. A fine Red-backed Shrike was seen here in August 2003. The rough ground and Hawthorn scrub where the concrete footpath ends has produced additional goodies such as the “County first” Subalpine Warbler in May 2004, Honey Buzzard, Nightingale, Wryneck, Woodlark, Firecrest, Long Eared Owl and Common (Mealy) Redpoll. The Severn Beach salt marsh is popular with wintering Rock Pipits, Stonechats, the occasional Water Pipit and in 2004, a fine Shorelark.
A slight detour to the Orchard Pools can produce scarce Severnside ducks (Tufted, Pochard, Gadwall , etc.) also migrant Common Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Warblers and resident Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. This is also the most regular location for both Little Egret and Green Sandpiper.
Late autumn and winter can produce the occasional Snow Bunting or Black Redstart and regular Merlin and Short-eared Owl. Please remember not to trespass on the railway and only cross with caution at the authorised point south of Severn Beach along the Severn Way Footpath.
Paul Bowerman, September 2004
Website - Severnside Birds
Maps
O.S Landranger 172 Bristol and Bath
O.S Pathfinder ST48/58 Mid Severn Estuary
Click here for link to www.multimap.com
Links
Severside Birds by Paul Bowerman (A superb site cataloging Severnside Birds all the way back to 2002)
RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Wikipeadia |
