Forest of Dean    This morning a LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER from the Short Trail at Nagshead, c20 Crossbills at New Fancy View and 12+ Hawfinches at Parkend. (Ian Hayes).

Cotswold Water Park West     At Pits 65/43 two male SCAUPS with the Tufted Ducks, four Pochards, six Gadwalls, two Goldeneyes and two Shoveler. In a tree next to the Thames path c50 Siskins. (Dave Gilbert & Wilf Lewis).

Scaup by Wilf Lewis

Fairford     At least four Grey Partridges still at Farhill Farm in the stubble field at SP16651 02363 this afternoon. (MK).

Grey Partridge by Mike King

Frampton     The regular roosting Tawny Owl at Court field today. (Tanya Allen/Roger Treeby).

Chavenage Lane     650+ Fieldfares, 300+ Redwings, 300+ Chaffinches and an undetermined number of Bramblings in with them all feeding in stubble and Linseed fields, also a Red Kite. (Terry Grant).

Purton     Two OTTERS swimming N along the canal 100 yards S of the Timber ponds at 10am this morning, flushed five Little Grebes. (Brian Kings).

Aylburton Common     Five Lesser Redpolls, first of the winter, on a Niger feeder in the garden today. (Martin Vaisey).

Ashleworth Ham     This afternoon birds included a Little Grebe, 41 Snipe, 450 Lapwings, 23 Shovelers, 33 Pintails, 94 Mallards, 600+ Wigeon, 750+ Teal, 26 Canada Geese, 116 Greylags, two Grey Herons, four Chaffinches, two Treecreepers, a Goldcrest, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, three Long-tailed Tits, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and a Buzzard. (John Fletcher).

Snipe by John Fletcher

Wotton-Under-Edge area     At Holywell a Green Woodpecker, a male Bullfinch and a female Kestrel. At Tyley Bottom  five Ravens and three Buzzards. At Goose Green c30 Fieldfares and at Blackquarries Hill c50 Redwings. (Mike Fisher).

Cheltenham     At Naunton Park, in the garden a male Siskin, male and female Blackcaps and a regular Jay. At the playing field three Common Gulls. In Charlton Park, c20 Siskins in a conifer. (Steve Brown).

Fairford    Six Grey Partridges still at Farhill Farm in the stubble field at SP16651 02363 this morning. (Jon Mercer).

Grey Partridges by Jon Mercer

Cotswold Water Park East     Three Goosanders (1m, 2f) at Whelford Pools. 10+ Chiffchaffs including a Siberian-type bird at Kempsford Sewage Farm, also a Grey Wagtail. (Jon Mercer).

Cotswold Water Park West     At Shorncote Reedbeds four Water Rails, two Grey Wagtails, a male Stonechat and four Cetti’s Warbler. (Jon Mercer).

Frampton     From Splatt Bridge this evening a Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel and a Buzzard. (Paul Sutton).

WWT Slimbridge     On the Top New Piece, the Todd’s Canada Goose and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose, three Snow Geese on the Tack Piece. (Slimbridge Sightings). A female Merlin from the Kingfisher hide early afternoon. (Ken Heron).

Ashleworth Ham     42 Snipe today. (Les Ditchburn).

Coombe Hill Meadows     A Water Rail from the hide and a Cetti’s Warbler on the canal. (Les Ditchburn).

Tewkesbury     A Green Sandpiper and a Wigeon at the Nature Reserve today. (Pete Long).

Witcombe Reservoirs     WeBS count this morning birds included 44 Greylags, two Mute Swans, 34 Mallards, five Teal, 15 Tufted Ducks, three Little Grebes, three Great Crested Grebes, a Grey Heron, seven Cormorants, seven Moorhens, 12 Coots, 22 Black-headed Gulls, two Herring Gulls and four Siskins feeding in Alders. (Gordon Avery).

May Hill     Three Stock Doves in the garden today. (Rob & Gillian Guest).

Fairford    At least two Grey Partridges still at Farhill Farm in the stubble field at SP16651 02363. Also several Yellowhammers, Red-legged Partridges and a Red Kite. (Karle Burford/David Creber/Steve Brown).

Eastleach Turville     A male Reeves’s Pheasant today at Sheep Bridge at SP19180692. (Martine & Pete Fenn).

Reeves’s Pheasant by Pete Fenn

Cotswold Water Park East    The GREAT NORTHERN DIVER still present at Horseshoe Lake, Lechlade early afternoon today. Viewable opposite lay-by on A361. (David Creber).

Cotswold Water Park West     At Pits 65/43 the adult male GREATER SCAUP, two redhead Goosanders, c6 Goldeneyes, two male Pintails and Pochards and Gadwalls. Around the Thames three Chiffchaffs, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few Bullfinches. At Driffield crossroads a Stoat ran into the road. (Steve Brown).

Frampton     A female Merlin N of Splatt flashes this morning, also a Kingfisher, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Little Egret, a Kestrel and two Buzzards. (Paul Masters/Mark Hobson/Andy Chapman). At the pools a pair of Goldeneyes, 193 Shovelers, 58 Wigeon, 110 Tufted Ducks, 48 Gadwalls, two Pochards, 253 Coots, 13 Great Crested Grebes, two Little Grebes, 12 Teal, a Water Rail, 17 Cormorants, three Cetti’s warblers, a Grey Wagtail, 66 Redwings, two Fieldfares and a Tawny Owl. (Nick Goatman).

Sharpness     A female/immature BLACK REDSTART by gate 1, Navigation House this morning. (Andy Jordan).

WWT Slimbridge     The GLOSSY IBIS flew in to roost on South Lake with a Cattle Egret at dusk. (Slimbridge Sightings). Other highlights today included a Little Stint, an unringed Common Crane, a Mandarin, a Great White Egret, an Oystercatcher, a Marsh Harrier, two Peregrines, an Avocet, two Goldeneyes and three Snow Geese. (Ed Betteridge). The Dark-bellied Brent Goose still today. (Ian Ralphs).

Cassey Compton area     A Tawny Owl hooting at 7:30am next to the old Northleach-Cheltenham road near the A40 junction. (Steve Brown).

Gloucester     Along Bittern Avenue, Abbeydale between 11:30am-12:15pm a Little Egret standing on the grass, flew off towards Fieldfare, seen often this week, two Redwings, 20+ Goldfinches in the trees along the side of the Twyver and five male Blackbirds together. (Lorraine Besent).

Chavenage Lane     450+ Fieldfares, a Red Kite and a flock of 1400+ corvids, most of them Jackdaws. (Terry Grant).

Duntisbourne Leer    A large flock of 200+ finches mainly Bramblings in a tree over the wild seed field along Crabtree Lane, also 100+ Golden Plovers along Jackbarrow Lane. (Dave Soons).

Tewkesbury     On the River Avon, behind Healings Mill/Avon lock, an OTTER showing well down to 10 metres away, fishing. Also a Kingfisher. At Cowfield Farm a Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker, 2+ Water Rails, several Snipe and two Roe Deer. (Les Ditchburn).

Aylburton Warth/Guscar Rocks     WeBS count today birds included two Canada Geese, eight Shelducks, 177 Wigeon, 160 Teal, nine Grey Herons, 80 Golden Plovers, 80 Dunlins, a Turnstone, 36 Redshanks, a Snipe, 540 Curlews and five Black-headed Gulls. (Mike Smart/Barrie Mills).

Woolaston     17 Curlews near the Station this morning. (Gill Claydon).

Forest of Dean    Three Hawfinches at the cricket pitch and one at Parkend church, 8+ Crossbills flying around Crabtree Hill and a Marsh Tit at the Stoneworks. (Dot Jones). Also a pair of Bramblings at the rear of Parkend school. (Thomas Winstone).

A REQUEST: From Jerry Lewis “With the regular sightings of Hawfinches at Parkend, I would be so grateful if birders could look out for colour rings, and post their sightings/photos”. (Or anywhere else in Glos).

Hawfinch by Thomas Winstone

Forest of Dean     In Russell’s Enclosure this afternoon 50 + Bramblings and a Lesser Redpoll. (Geoff Fawcett).

Brambling by Martin Vaisey

Aylburton Common     Hundreds of Bramblings outnumbering Chaffinches this afternoon. (Martin Vaisey).

WWT Slimbridge     The BITTERN from the Van de Bovenkamp hide today again. (Greg & Tom Mabbett/Paul Masters/Dot Jones). On the Tack Piece a Little Stint, 172 White-fronted Geese including three Greenland White-fronted Geese. On the Dumbles three Snow and the Ross’s Goose, all of unknown origin. Just outside Slimbridge village seven  Cattle Egrets in a field with gulls by the sharp bend in the road. (Roo Perkins).

Stonehouse    The regular Kingfisher at the Ocean again at 8:30am at SO 79791 05049. Park beside St Cyr’s church in Church Lane and walk W through the church grounds a couple of 100 yards to the bridge. (Roo Perkins).

Cotswold Water Park West    Two GREATER SCAUP and a Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser hybrid still on Pits 43/65 and a few Goosanders. (Mark Gurney).

Calmsden     At least five Grey Partridges this morning. (Paul Rich).

Frampton     A Merlin harassing the Meadow Pipits at Splatt Bridge early morning today, 20 Curlews and a Redshank on the flash, 83 Golden Plovers through, four Bramblings over NW and two Stonechats. (Gordon Hodgson). This afternoon two Marsh Harriers from
Splatt Bridge and a Little Owl at the church. (Paul Sutton/Mark Hobson).

Ashleworth Ham    WeBS count today birds included 150 Greylags, 150 Canada Geese, 605 Wigeon, a Gadwall, 1220 Teal, 50 Mallards, 55 Pintails, 105 Shovelers, two Grey Herons, 130 Lapwings, 40 Snipe, a Stonechat and a Chiffchaff. (Mike Smart).

Cobney Meadows    WeBS count today birds included four Teal, three Mallards and a Grey Heron. (Mike Smart).

Leigh Meadows    WeBS count today birds included 12 Mute Swans, three Teal, a Buzzard, a Grey Wagtail and five Fieldfares. (Mike Smart).

Coombe Hill Meadows    WeBS count today birds included 32 Mute Swans, 87 Canada Geese, a Greylag, 61 Mallards, 46 Pintails, 56 Shovelers, 2400 Wigeon, ten Gadwalls, 2100 Teal, four Shelducks, 230 Lapwings, a Snipe, 49 Coots, 56 Black-headed Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 290 Herring Gulls. Also two Water Rails, three Cetti’s Warblers, a Chiffchaff, three Blackcaps and a Barn Owl flew across the reserve at 12:05pm flushed from the spinney at the back by the hunt. (Ian Ralphs/David Anderson).

Forest of Dean     At least 19 Hawfinches at Parkend today. (Ewan Urquhart).

Hawfinch by Ewan Urquhart

WWT Slimbridge    From the Estuary Tower three Snow Geese, the Ross’s Goose and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose and the Todd’s Canada Goose. A Little Stint on the Tack Piece. 50 White-fronted Goose and three Greenland White-fronted Geese, a female Marsh Harrier from the Van de Bovenkamp and the BITTERN reported. Five Snipe from Martin Smith hide. (Tim Jukes/Dot Jones/Alan McIlquham). Three wild Goldeneyes (2m, 1f) on the Eider Pen. (Jonathan Bull).

Snipe by Alan McIlquham

Frampton-Slimbridge    From Splatt Bridge to Slimbridge along the canal a Buzzard, two Great White Egrets, three Grey Herons, two Little Egrets, two Common Cranes, a Snipe, two drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Kingfisher, a Marsh Harrier and numerous Fieldfares and Redwings. (Martin Price).

Coombe Hill Meadows    26 Mute Swans, c20 Canada Geese, c2000 Wigeon, 2400 Teal, five Gadwalls, 180 Mallards, 30 Pintails, 70 Shovelers, a Grey Heron, a Water Rail, 49 Coots, 435 Lapwings, a Snipe, 30 Pied Wagtails and a Blackcap feeding on mistletoe. (Mike Smart).

Cheltenham     At Park Campus the Mandarin, a Jay, a Green Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and a small number of Long-tailed Tits. At Naunton Park, male and female Blackcap and three Redwings. (Steve Brown).

Gloucester     In the landfill site area today three Mute Swans, a female and two yearlings on the river, 25 Mallards, three Cormorants, a Grey Heron, two Buzzards, a Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel, 150 Starlings, 60 Fieldfares, a pair of Stonechats and a female Reed Bunting. (Gordon Avery).

Claypits     At least 60 Lapwings in a field at SO 76077 05369 between Hilltop Garage and New House Farm (left hand side of A38 southbound) today. (Jamie Warren/Donna Cook).

Dursley     A Little Egret flew up the River Cam towards Littlecombe this morning, a daily occurrence. (Magnus Carter).

Slimbridge     At Shepherds Patch the GLOSSY IBIS again by the Dutch barn next to the canal at SO 72740 04303. Please park sensibly roadside or in the free car park before the bridge SO 72895 04128. (Sam Walker/Terry Richer/MK).

Glossy Ibis by Terry Richer

Gloucester     A Kingfisher at Barnwood Arboretum today. (Megan Barnett).

Kingfisher by Megan Barnett

Cheltenham     A male Kingfisher by the Boat House in Pittville Park this afternoon. (Duncan Dine).

Kingfisher by Duncan Dine

Fairford    Grey Partridges still at Farhill Farm in the stubble field at SP16651 02363. 50-70 Yellowhammers in the hedgerow. (Chris Snook).

Grey Partridge by Chris Snook

Frampton     A Merlin perched up at the N end of Splatt flashes at 8:30am. Also a Marsh Harrier, 25 Lapwings S, a Stonechat, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 20 Goldfinches and six Meadow Pipits. (MK).

Merlin by Mike King

WWT Slimbridge     A Merlin from Van de Bovenkamp hide at 12:15pm. A BITTERN in front of the reedy island N of the hide at 12:45pm. Also a Great White Egret, a Snipe, three Snow Geese, a Kingfisher, a Raven and a Water Rail. (MK).

Bittern by Mike King

Merlin by Mike King

Snow Geese by Mike King

Forest of Dean     At Parkend Church a female Hawfinch, a female Crossbill and a female Brambling. (Paul Woolams).

Hawfinch by Paul Woolams

Crossbill by Paul Woolams

Brambling by Paul Woolams

Cirencester     This morning a Peregrine flying away from the tower of St Johns Church. Later a Buzzard on the top of the tower. (David Norman).

Twyning     At Upham Meadow ten Greylags, a Grey Heron, 50 Woodpigeons and seven Carrion Crows. (Mike Smart).

Brockeridge Common     A Woodcock, two Snipe, 1 or 2 Meadow Pipits, a Blackcap in the mistletoe and 2 or 3 Yellowhammers. (Mike Smart).

Tewkesbury     20 Ravens over Woolstone Hill this morning. (Steve Tilley). At Mitton, along the Avon N of Tewkesbury eight Wigeon, three Shovelers, 310 Teal, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 15 Black-headed Gulls and 75 Redwings. (Mike Smart).

Cotswold Water Park East    The GREAT NORTHERN DIVER still present at Horseshoe Lake, Lechlade at 2:30pm today. Viewable opposite lay-by on A361. (Roberta Goodall).

Woodchester    Up to 50 Siskins in Woodchester Park by the first lake below the mansion today. Also 70+ Redwings at the Nympsfield entrance to the park. (Paul Skirrow).

Sharpness     A male and a female BLACK REDSTART at the end of Dock Road. 21 Cormorants on the pier. (Geoff Moyser).

Berkeley shore     North of the power station a male and a female Stonechat, six Reed Buntings, a Rock Pipit and a Greenfinch. (Geoff Moyser).

WWT Slimbridge     Early morning from the Estuary Tower three Snow Geese, the Ross’s Goose, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine. (Steve Brown). A Merlin from Van de Bovenkamp hide and a BITTERN from Zeiss hide. (Martin McGill).

Slimbridge     At Shepherds Patch the GLOSSY IBIS again by the Dutch barn next to the canal at SO 72740 04303. Please park sensibly roadside or in the free car park before the bridge SO 72895 04128. (Neil Smart).

Longney     A Tawny Owl flew across the road and landed in tree at Yew Tree Farm this evening. (Mark Hobson).

Fairford    Grey Partridges still at Farhill Farm in the stubble field at SP16651 02363, hard to count hunkered down in the stubble. (Paul Masters).

Calmsden    1000 Lapwings and 250 Golden Plovers at the Piggery. (Duncan Dine). c300 Golden Plovers circling between Fosse Cross and Coln Rogers early afternoon. (Jon Mercer).

Cheltenham     At Naunton Park a garden Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Peregrine on the west elevation of Christchurch. (Steve Brown).

Brockeridge Common     A Red Kite, a Jay, four Stonechats and three Mistle Thrushes today. (Les Ditchburn).

Tewkesbury     At Cowfield Farm at 4:30pm a Water Rail and a pre-roost flock of 50+ Greenfinches panicked by a very vocal Kestrel. A Little Egret flew over flood alleviation area adjacent to Morrison’s early afternoon. (Les Ditchburn).

Ashleworth Ham     This afternoon birds included 23 Snipe, 735 Lapwings, 55 Pintails, 27 Shovelers, 200+ Wigeon, 240+ Teal, two Gadwalls, a Shelduck, 57 Canada Geese, 107 Greylags, three Grey Herons, three Moorhens, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards, a Raven, a Song Thrush and four Chaffinches. (John Fletcher).

Slimbridge     At Shepherds Patch the GLOSSY IBIS showed very well by the Dutch barn next to the canal at SO 72740 04303. Please park sensibly roadside or in the free car park before the bridge SO 72895 04128. (Paul Masters/Nigel Sluman).

Fairford    18 Grey Partridges in field near Farhill Farm at SP16490 02499. (Nigel Sluman).

Chavenage Lane area     450+ Fieldfares, 70+ Redwings and four Stonechats and nearby at Barton End lay-by a female Merlin was perched on a wall. (Terry Grant).

Merlin by Terry Grant

Forest of Dean    In the Blaize Bailey-Soudley area 37+ Mandarins, three Little Grebes, a Sparrowhawk, two Ravens, a Kingfisher, two Dippers, two Grey Wagtails, three Bramblings, 65 (40+25) Siskins and ten Crossbills. At Staple Edge Wood two Ravens, 80 Siskins and 21 Crossbills. At Flaxley Pool 26 Little Grebes. (Andy Jayne).

WWT Slimbridge    Three white phase Snow Geese of unknown origin on the Dumbles saltmarsh and the Ross’s Goose still. 2+ Little Stints on the Tack Piece. A pair of Goldeneyes in the Eider pen, an Avocet on the Rushy and two Marsh Harriers from Zeiss hide. (Jonathan Bull/Paul Masters).

Coombe Hill Meadows   Seven Mute Swans, four Canada Geese, c2500 Wigeon, c2000 Teal, 30 Gadwalls, 140 Mallards, 80 Pintails, 80 Shovelers, a Water Rail squealing, 120 Lapwings, 15 Black-headed Gulls, ten Herring Gulls and five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a few Fieldfares and Redwings, a Song Thrush singing, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Chiffchaff, at least six Bullfinches. (Mike Smart).

Ashleworth Ham     c200 Wigeon, c700 Teal, 20 Gadwall, 80 Mallards, 70 Pintails, 40 Shovelers, 21 Canada Geese, 45 Greylags, five Snipe and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. 28 Mute Swans at Wainlodes. (Mike Smart).

Tuffley     Garden birds included a female Blackcap, two Grey Wagtails, two Pied Wagtails and a Chiffchaff. (John Fletcher).

Epney     Three Brent Geese on the foreshore towards Longney. Also a Kingfisher at low tide beneath The Anchor pub this afternoon. (Steve Hurrell).

Kingfisher by Steve Hurrell

Cotswold Water Park East     A GREAT NORTHERN DIVER still present at Horseshoe Lake, Lechlade at 2:30pm today. Viewable opposite lay-by on A361. Also pair of Red Crested Pochards. (Alan Williams).

Slimbridge    At Shepherds Patch the GLOSSY IBIS returned today showing very well by the Dutch barn next to the canal at SO 72740 04303. Please park sensibly roadside or in the free car park before the bridge SO 72895 04128. (Trevor & Sue Clayson).

Glossy Ibis by Sue Clayson

Frampton    At Court Lake three Goldeneyes (2m, 1f), 100+Shovelers, 16 Greylags, three Canada Geese today. (Nick Goatman).

WWT Slimbridge     A BITTERN from Zeiss hide this morning. (Alan Bryant). Also the first returning Oystercatcher in Big Pen and a Little Stint on the Tack Piece. (Martin McGill). A Treecreeper just outside of Zeiss hide today. (Nigel Young).

Treecreeper by Nigel Young

Hazleton     Late afternoon a mixed flock of 100+ Goldfinches, Bramblings, Linnets and Chaffinches feeding in tree just before the right hand bend to the village. (John Casswell/Jane Bailey).

Elmore     From Weir Green and along the Severn Way to just beyond the Groundless Pool this afternoon birds included eight Grey Herons, six Cormorants, 23 Mallards, a Canada Goose, 50+ Lapwings, 25 Redwings, 40 Starlings, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel and two Buzzards. (John Fletcher).

Stanley Downton     A juvenile Peregrine, a female Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Redwing,
three drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers and two singing Chiffchaffs today. (Paul Sutton).

Peregrine by Paul Sutton

Peregrine by Paul Sutton

Forest of Dean     Around Woorgreens 8+ Crossbills, 15+ Siskins, two Stonechats, a Jay, a  Mistle Thrush, two Goldcrests, a Green Woodpecker heard and a Raven. At Cannop Ponds four Goosanders, a Marsh Tit, Coal Tits, a Nuthatch, a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher, two Greylags, Chaffinches and Mandarins. A Peregrine over Parkend Church. (Sara Baldwin). A Crossbill at Edge Hills today. (Owen Follis).

Crossbills by Sara Baldwin

Marsh Tit by Sara Baldwin

Cotswold Water Park East     At Pit 131 a female Marsh Harrier and c500 Teal. At Kempsford sewage works 15+ Chiffchaffs including a cold grey bird showing all the characteristics of Siberian Chiffchaff. (Duncan Dine).

Sharpness     The male BLACK REDSTART still at the end of Dock Road today. Also a female/immature BLACK REDSTART this morning. (Andy Jordan).

Gloucester     The male BLACK REDSTART still showing well on the Cathedral early afternoon. (Mark Hobson).

WWT Slimbridge    A Merlin in the dead trees along the waterway from the Kingfisher hide early afternoon. (Howard Smith). Also today an adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose on the edge of the saltmarsh from Estuary Tower, 172 Russian White-fronted Geese and three Greenland White-fronted Geese from Van de Bovenkamp hide, a pair of Goldeneyes on Big Pen and a Great White Egret around the grounds today. (Mike Davis).

Cirencester     A Woodcock flushed from a bracken and bramble area in Oakley Wood, Cirencester Park today.  Also Bramblings and Siskins in the area. (Martin Wright).

Whittington     A male Merlin on the hill above Whittington in the small quarry at 2:30pm. (Jeremy Squire).

Boddington     A Merlin over this morning. (Jeremy Squire).

Moreton Valence     A Barn Owl at 5:30pm halfway down Castle Lane. (Jeremy Squire).

Frampton    Two Bramblings with 10+Siskins in the Gravel Wash today. (Nick Goatman).

Gloucester     A pair of Blackcaps feeding in the garden today and a first-winter male Sparrowhawk. (Gordon Avery).

Cheltenham    Two Lesser Redpolls on the sunflower seed feeder in the garden this morning. (Rose Lennard). A Kingfisher this morning at Pittville Park. (Phil Cull).

Bisley     Late afternoon 150+ Redwings feeding on the fields and congregating in the treetops. (John Fletcher).