AVON BIRD REPORT 2008 AVON ORNITHOLOGICAL GROUP Front cover: Great Crested Grebe. Photograph by Richard Andrews. Rear cover: Map of the Avon area computer generated by S. Godden, Dept. of Geography, University of Bristol. Text drawings by R.M. Andrews, J.P. Martin, R.J. Prytherch, B.E. Slade, the late L.A. Tucker and Anon. Typeset in WORD 2007 and printed by Healeys, Ipswich ISSN Number – 0956-5744 2 Avon Bird Report 2008 CONTENTS BTO advert Front cover Avon Ornithological Group (AOG) Front cover Editorial H.E. Rose 3 A guide to the records required by the Avon Bird Report 4 Species and subspecies for which descriptions are required 5 A review of 2008 R.J. Higgins 7 Weather in 2008 R.L. Bland 11 Migrant date summary 14 Introduction to systematic list 15 Contributors of records 18 Systematic list Swans and geese R. Mielcarek 19 Ducks M.S. Ponsford 23 Game birds R. Mielcarek 36 Divers to Spoonbill R.J. Higgins 38 Raptors B. Lancastle 45 Water Rail to Crane R. Mielcarek 53 Waders H.E. Rose 56 Skuas to Auks R.M. Andrews 71 Doves to Woodpeckers R. Mielcarek 83 Passerines, Larks to Dipper J. P. Martin 91 Passerines, Wren to Buntings R.L. Bland 97 Escaped, released and hybrid birds R Mielcarek 126 Birds of the Downs, 1994 - 2008 R.L. Bland 127 Metal pollution in Bristol: An assessment using bird of prey S. M. Murgatroyd 137 feathers Bitterns breeding at Chew Valley Lake 1997 - 2001 K. E. Vinicombe 143 Black-necked Grebes breeding at Chew Valley Lake in 1998 K. E. Vinicombe 147 Black Redstarts breeding at Royal Portbury Dock L. F. Roberts 151 Eastern sub-species of Jackdaw in the Avon area A. H. Davis 155 2007 Nesting survey of ST5877 (Southmead/Henleaze) R.L. Bland & J. Tully 157 Eagle Owl in Clifton E. Drewitt 162 Breeding Birds Survey for 2008 R.L. Bland & J. Tully 163 BTO Atlas report R.L. Bland 168 Avon Ringing Report E. Drewitt 169 Gazetteer R. L. Bland 175 Advertisement Back cover Map of the Avon area Cover 3 EDITORIAL The theft of eggs from the nests of our breeding birds, especially the rarer species, is still a problem that concerns us greatly; there was a report on the radio only today. It is less widespread than in former times but it has not gone away. With this threat in mind a number of past breeding records have not been published in this Report so far. In most cases these events occurred some time ago and appear to have been isolated over a period of a year or so, and they are mostly not continuing today. Therefore we feel that it is ‘safe’ to publish these records now. Four species were involved. The first three were Bittern, Black-necked Grebe and Ferruginous Duck, and the events took place some time ago at our main birding site Chew Valley Lake (CVL). The fourth involved Black Redstart, and took place in 2007 and 2008 at Royal Portbury Dock (RPD). Keith Vinicombe has provided vivid and very readable accounts of the occurrences of the first two of these species over several years at CVL, and detailed records for the third occurrence are given in the systematic list. Nationally these last records are probably the most important. Lyndon Roberts have written an account of the recent breeding at RPD. Black Redstarts do breed in the most unlikely places, some of the earlier UK records were from derelict bomb sites in London during and after the Second World War! Let us hope that more species will choose to breed in the Avon area in the future; for example, how long will it be before Little Egrets breed here? Last year we republished a 1931 paper giving an account of the birds of Clifton Down at that time. For this year’s Report, Richard Bland has written a follow-up concentrating on his BBS study in Clifton thus providing some interesting comparisons. One point struck me while reading this paper – when out birding, although we do not realise it, we miss a surprisingly high percentage of the birds present. Richard has revisited his site many times and so has been able to quantify clearly the percentages of the birds missed. The remaining papers this year include (a) a study by Megan Murgatroyd of the extent of heavy metal pollution in our region obtained by analysing bird of prey feathers, (b) an account by Andy Davis of the first records of ‘Nordic’ Jackdaws in the Avon area, and (c) a paper by Richard Bland and John Tully of the common breeding birds in the Southmead/Henleaze area of Bristol. As usual we have a BBS Report and a Ringing Report written this year by Ed Drewitt. In last year’s editorial we documented the recent name and taxonomic changed to the British List made by the BOU. This process, based on the most recent scientific research, continues, and so in this Report the order in which some species appear in the systematic list has changed; for example with the tringa waders. No new species was added to the Avon list in 2008. As noted above one subspecies – Nordic Jackdaw – was recorded for the first time. Other unusual sightings included Lesser Scaup (fifth record), Crane (fourth record), Franklin’s Gull (fourth record), Bee-eater (seventh record) and Great Reed Warbler (second record). Also the first breeding (in England) by Goldeneye occurred at CVL. The record of Ehrenberg’s Redstart (P. p. samamisicus) given in the 1989 Report is now considered unsafe, and so this subspecies has been removed from the Avon list. As usual it is my great pleasure to acknowledge all the hard work and dedication that has gone into this Report. First and foremost my thanks go to all those observers who sent in records, both electronic and paper – please do keep them coming. Secondly, to all editors, proof readers and photographers who have helped to improve the standard of the Report. Rich Andrews did most of the preparation for the colour photographs, and we thank him for this. Lastly I would like to mention our two technical editors. Jason Williams did this job for five years and improved the quality and ‘look’ of the Report markedly, but due to pressure of work he now feels unable to find enough time to do it properly. Luckily Richard Mielcarek felt able to take on this job and carry on the work started by Jason. We are most grateful to both Jason and Richard for their dedication to the Report. Harvey Rose (Editor) 4 Avon Bird Report 2008 A GUIDE to the RECORDS REQUIRED by the Avon Bird Report Apart from the rarities, for which we require a description, we welcome records of every observation of the following groups, species and sub-species:- Bewick’s Swan, all geese and ducks, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Bittern, Little Egret, all raptors, Red-legged and Grey Partridge, Quail, Water Rail, all waders, Kittiwake, Little, Mediterranean, Yellow-legged, and Great Black-backed Gulls, all terns, Ring-necked Parakeet, Cuckoo, all owls, Nightjar, Kingfisher, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Tree, Water and Rock Pipit, Yellow and Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Nightingale, Black Redstart, Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Cetti’s, Grasshopper, Dartford and Wood Warblers, Firecrest, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Marsh Tit, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Crossbill, and Snow, Reed, and Corn Buntings. For the common birds we would also like the following records, which will be especially helpful during the four years of the BTO National Atlas, 2007-2011. a) Breeding season site records, and evidence of breeding, for all species with the code B in the list below. b) All first and last sightings of summer and winter visitors, indicated by D in the list below. c) All records of passage or cold-weather movements, including rates per hour, for any species. d) Size and site of all roosts at any time of year. e) Feeding flocks at any time of year that exceed the value F in the list below. f) All records of winter visitors present in summer, or summer visitors in winter, particularly Blackcaps and Chiffchaff in winter, Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls in summer (indicated by S or W in column B). g) All records of any unusual activity, including early or late song, display, aggression, and plumage, or birds at unusual sites, or unusually early or late breeding. h) All regular counts, such as monthly maxima or bird-days, from well-watched sites including gardens. i) All records of birds that have obviously or probably escaped from captivity. j) All records of birds considered to be hybrids. B D F B D F Mute Swan B 10 Mistle Thrush B 10 Pheasant 10 Sedge Warbler B D Little Grebe B 5 Reed Warbler B D Great Crested Grebe B 5 Blackcap W D Cormorant B 5 Garden Warbler B D Grey Heron B 5 Lesser Whitethroat B D Moorhen B 10 Common Whitethroat B D Coot B 10 Chiffchaff W D Black-headed Gull S 50 Willow Warbler B D Common Gull S 20 Goldcrest B Lesser Black-backed Gull B 30 Long-tailed Tit 15 Herring Gull B 30 Nuthatch B Feral Pigeon 50 Treecreeper B Stock Dove B 10 Jay B 10 Woodpigeon 50 Magpie 10 Collared Dove 20 Jackdaw 50 Swift B D 10 Rook 50 Green Woodpecker B Carrion Crow 50 Great Spotted Woodpecker B Starling 100 Skylark 20 House Sparrow 20 Swallow D 20 Chaffinch 20 House Martin B D 20 Greenfinch 20 Meadow Pipit B 10 Goldfinch B 20 Pied Wagtail B 10 Linnet B 20 Fieldfare D 20 Bullfinch B Redwing D 20 Yellowhammer B 10 5 Species and subspecies for which DESCRIPTIONS are required Whooper Swan Goshawk Red-rumped Swallow Bean Goose Rough-legged Buzzard Richard's Pipit Pink-footed Goose Red-footed Falcon Tawny Pipit American Wigeon Spotted Crake Red-throated Pipit Green-winged Teal Corn Crake Waxwing Red-crested Pochard+ Crane Bluethroat Ring-necked Duck Stone Curlew Cetti's Warbler** Ferruginous Duck Kentish