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Home How to Join Photo Gallery Bird News Club News Where to go Birding County List Rarity Decisions Talks Walks Links		SEVERNSIDE Click here to open up a map of the site. Note that you can move around the area by using the buttons around the map and enlarge or reduce the scale by using the buttons below the map. Click on your back button to return to this page. Click here to open Paul Bowerman's excellent website for up-to-date with Severnside News. MAP REFERENCES O.S. Landranger 172 Bristol & Bath O.S. Pathfinder ST48/58 Mid Severn Estuary INTRODUCTION Severnside is the coastal strip extending along the east shore of the River Severn from Chittening Warth to the old Severn Bridge at Aust Cliff (bordered by the A403 road). Although it is not the most scenic stretch of "coast", the area is very important for migrating and wintering birds. It is the premier site in the old County of Avon for observing storm-blown sea birds. The habitat consists of coastal scrub, salt marsh and mudflats in the south, surrounded by an industrial complex. The mid point is the village of Severn Beach and the Second Severn Crossing. To the north of Severn Beach the industrial land is replaced by grazing cattle and sheep in fields and a foreshore over the sea wall. The total number of species recorded on Severnside is 239 with up to 174 being seen in the most prolific year. Like any well watched the area anything can, and does, turn up. Visits at the right time of year can produce excellent birds. Access to tide tables (see Site Guide page for a downloadable program and use Avonmouth plus approx. 15 minutes) and a reliable weather forecast are essential. The problem is not even the locals know the right time to visit! ACCESS There is a public footpath (The Severn Way) that runs the the entire length of the patch as well as minor roads from the A403 into Severn Beach, New Passage and Aust Warth. A series of footpaths and bridleways criss-cross the area and adjacent farmland. The only stretch of the coast footpath with access restrictions is at New Passage when the MOD rifle range is in use. This only tends to be on some weekends. Shooting dates and times are published on the sentry box at New Passage. Shooting rarely starts before 9.00 am and since early visits to this part of the patch are best, you can visit the area and be away before the guns start. When the range is in use, a sign posted alternative route is available. This track crosses rough grazing land with hedges that can hold some good passerines. SPECIES TO BE SEEN & TIMING Waders High tide visits are essential for watching waders - an hour either side giving the closest views. The light conditions in the morning are better than the afternoon when everything can be silhouetted. The main wader roost during the spring and autumn is on the shingle and mudflats at Severn Beach. During the spring and autumn passage a reasonable variety of waders can be expected. The most abundant are dunlin and ringed plover with the chance of a few sanderling, curlew sandpiper and little stint. The rocky beach near the Second Severn Crossing is the best site in the county to find a flock of turnstone in all but the summer months. The once regular, but now occasional, purple sandpiper can be found with the turnstones. During April and May whimbrel, knot, bar-tailed godwits and grey plover pass through, sometimes in good numbers. The size of the winter flock of dunlin seems to have dropped in recent years, but during very cold spells an influx does occur and thousands can be seen swirling around from Severn Beach or Northwick Warth. Redshank and curlew flocks move between Chittening Warth and Northwick Warth depending on disturbance by fishermen. The small tidal creeks can hold small parties of common sandpipers on passage. In favourable years an area known, as "the flash" will remain wet following high autumn tides. This attracts species such as ruff, spotted redshank, greenshank and wood sandpiper. The flash is situated near the second sentry box on Northwick Warth. The rare and unusual have occurred on Severnside, including single records of broad-billed sandpiper, long-billed dowitcher, terek sandpiper, dotterel, stone curlew, pectoral sandpiper, two records of buff-breasted sandpiper and three of white-rumped sandpiper (with more records of this than wood sandpiper in recent years)! Grey phalaropes have occurred at least six times in the last twenty years during autumn and winter gales. Wildfowl Despite the proximity of Slimbridge, both white-fronted geese and Bewick's swan are scarce winter visitors, usually flyovers. Sometimes small numbers staying for a day or two on Northwick Warth. The most frequent visiting goose is the dark-bellied brent, often in small parties though one March record involved 46 birds. Other strays include occasional greylag and barnacle geese of dubious origin, surprisingly few Canada geese and only two pink-foot records. If you find the first bean goose let me know! Shelduck are present the entire length of the patch with good numbers of young present from early June. A flock of mallard always seems to linger off Chittening Warth throughout the year. Some cold winters produce high numbers of wigeon (7,000 in March 1985) and teal at Northwick / Aust Warth but usually only a few hundred of each. The freezing of reservoirs and lakes further afield causes a rapid increase in the number of species and birds on the river. All three species of sawbill have occurred but smew only twice, including five drakes. The most common sea duck species are eider and common scoter arriving as scarce migrants or storm driven birds, with several records of 40+ eider. Scaup, velvet scoter and long-tailed duck remain very rare. Garganey has occurred in a number of recent springs. The best place to find this gem of a duck is on the marshy pool next to the rifle range at New Passage, known as the "Grebe pond". Sea Birds As already stated, Severnside is the 'Premier Site' in Avon for obtaining close views of sea birds. An excellent paper by Brian Lancastle is due for publication in the 2000 Avon Bird Report (publication Oct 2001), describing conditions, species and records of all the sea birds recorded so far in great detail. The following is a brief guide. Needless to say, west or south west gales will produce "something" at any time of the year. The best locations are all south of the Second Crossing. There have been very few seabird records north of here since its construction. The birds are seen best between two hours before and one hour after high tide from Severn Beach. The birds usually fly close inshore, often only a few metres from the observer. The most frequent seabirds reported during strong winds are kittiwake and fulmar, which can be seen throughout the year. Sabine's gulls have been recorded in both autumn and, on three occasions, the spring. Leach's and storm petrels are almost annual and best seen in the autumn, but both have occurred in the winter and spring. Some year's flocks will occur. Most of these delightful birds are found by watching the north east corner in front of the Second Crossing. Birds accumulate here and are located as they try to depart slowly against the strong winds. This technique helps in locating auk species pushed into this bay. Guillemots are more frequent than razorbills and little auks more common than puffin or black guillemot! Both of the latter have been seen once in recent years. Skuas are regular in varying numbers, exceptional flocks of 100 plus arctic, 15 pomarine and 7 great skuas have occurred. All three species are recorded most years, long-tailed skuas have been seen a number of times, with one very tame adult on Severn Beach in November 1994 that I fed sprats! Manx shearwaters and gannets occur mainly in the summer months during strong winds. Other shearwaters include single records of Balearic, sooty and in November 2000, a welcome addition to the list, a fine Cory's. During the spring in weather associated with east or north winds, exceptional numbers of terns along with little gull and skuas can be watched flying upriver close inshore. 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 The best time to find passerines is during passage periods. Falls of migrants can occur and can produce good numbers of chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, sedge warbler and the occasional grasshopper warbler. Most years produce a few common redstarts and if you are lucky, pied flycatcher or wood warbler, rarer still a firecrest or nightingale. The list does include golden oriole, hoopoe (19th century!), Richard's pipit, alpine swift and several wrynecks. A great grey shrike visited briefly in two recent winters. The best places to look for these migrants are the scrub along the sides of the Chittening-Severn Beach railway line and the noticeable area of hawthorn scrub just south of Severn Beach. At New Passage some of the gardens are worth a look (do not enter), as are all of the hedgerows on Northwick Warth and gardens near Aust Cliff. These are best viewed on sunny days with an east wind as the migrants are sheltered here by the small hill. Late autumn or winter can produce the occasional snow bunting or black redstart and regular merlin and short-eared owl. OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST The occasional grey seal can be seen close inshore. Good numbers of butterflies can be seen including clouded yellow and painted lady in recent summers. The views at sunset are stunning in conjunction with a 14-metre high tide. Paul Bowerman
(c) Somerset Ornithological Society

SEVERNSIDE

Click here to open up a map of the site. Note that you can move around the area by using the buttons around the map and enlarge or reduce the scale by using the buttons below the map. Click on your back button to return to this page.

Click here to open Paul Bowerman's excellent website for up-to-date with Severnside News.

MAP REFERENCES

O.S. Landranger 172 Bristol & Bath

O.S. Pathfinder ST48/58 Mid Severn Estuary

INTRODUCTION

Severnside is the coastal strip extending along the east shore of the River Severn from Chittening Warth to the old Severn Bridge at Aust Cliff (bordered by the A403 road). Although it is not the most scenic stretch of "coast", the area is very important for migrating and wintering birds. It is the premier site in the old County of Avon for observing storm-blown sea birds. The habitat consists of coastal scrub, salt marsh and mudflats in the south, surrounded by an industrial complex. The mid point is the village of Severn Beach and the Second Severn Crossing. To the north of Severn Beach the industrial land is replaced by grazing cattle and sheep in fields and a foreshore over the sea wall. The total number of species recorded on Severnside is 239 with up to 174 being seen in the most prolific year. Like any well watched the area anything can, and does, turn up. Visits at the right time of year can produce excellent birds. Access to tide tables (see Site Guide page for a downloadable program and use Avonmouth plus approx. 15 minutes) and a reliable weather forecast are essential. The problem is not even the locals know the right time to visit!

ACCESS

There is a public footpath (The Severn Way) that runs the the entire length of the patch as well as minor roads from the A403 into Severn Beach, New Passage and Aust Warth. A series of footpaths and bridleways criss-cross the area and adjacent farmland. The only stretch of the coast footpath with access restrictions is at New Passage when the MOD rifle range is in use. This only tends to be on some weekends. Shooting dates and times are published on the sentry box at New Passage. Shooting rarely starts before 9.00 am and since early visits to this part of the patch are best, you can visit the area and be away before the guns start. When the range is in use, a sign posted alternative route is available. This track crosses rough grazing land with hedges that can hold some good passerines.

SPECIES TO BE SEEN & TIMING

Waders

High tide visits are essential for watching waders - an hour either side giving the closest views. The light conditions in the morning are better than the afternoon when everything can be silhouetted. The main wader roost during the spring and autumn is on the shingle and mudflats at Severn Beach. During the spring and autumn passage a reasonable variety of waders can be expected. The most abundant are dunlin and ringed plover with the chance of a few sanderling, curlew sandpiper and little stint. The rocky beach near the Second Severn Crossing is the best site in the county to find a flock of turnstone in all but the summer months. The once regular, but now occasional, purple sandpiper can be found with the turnstones. During April and May whimbrel, knot, bar-tailed godwits and grey plover pass through, sometimes in good numbers. The size of the winter flock of dunlin seems to have dropped in recent years, but during very cold spells an influx does occur and thousands can be seen swirling around from Severn Beach or Northwick Warth. Redshank and curlew flocks move between Chittening Warth and Northwick Warth depending on disturbance by fishermen. The small tidal creeks can hold small parties of common sandpipers on passage. In favourable years an area known, as "the flash" will remain wet following high autumn tides. This attracts species such as ruff, spotted redshank, greenshank and wood sandpiper. The flash is situated near the second sentry box on Northwick Warth. The rare and unusual have occurred on Severnside, including single records of broad-billed sandpiper, long-billed dowitcher, terek sandpiper, dotterel, stone curlew, pectoral sandpiper, two records of buff-breasted sandpiper and three of white-rumped sandpiper (with more records of this than wood sandpiper in recent years)! Grey phalaropes have occurred at least six times in the last twenty years during autumn and winter gales.

Wildfowl

Despite the proximity of Slimbridge, both white-fronted geese and Bewick's swan are scarce winter visitors, usually flyovers. Sometimes small numbers staying for a day or two on Northwick Warth. The most frequent visiting goose is the dark-bellied brent, often in small parties though one March record involved 46 birds. Other strays include occasional greylag and barnacle geese of dubious origin, surprisingly few Canada geese and only two pink-foot records. If you find the first bean goose let me know! Shelduck are present the entire length of the patch with good numbers of young present from early June. A flock of mallard always seems to linger off Chittening Warth throughout the year. Some cold winters produce high numbers of wigeon (7,000 in March 1985) and teal at Northwick / Aust Warth but usually only a few hundred of each. The freezing of reservoirs and lakes further afield causes a rapid increase in the number of species and birds on the river. All three species of sawbill have occurred but smew only twice, including five drakes. The most common sea duck species are eider and common scoter arriving as scarce migrants or storm driven birds, with several records of 40+ eider. Scaup, velvet scoter and long-tailed duck remain very rare. Garganey has occurred in a number of recent springs. The best place to find this gem of a duck is on the marshy pool next to the rifle range at New Passage, known as the "Grebe pond".

Sea Birds

As already stated, Severnside is the 'Premier Site' in Avon for obtaining close views of sea birds. An excellent paper by Brian Lancastle is due for publication in the 2000 Avon Bird Report (publication Oct 2001), describing conditions, species and records of all the sea birds recorded so far in great detail. The following is a brief guide. Needless to say, west or south west gales will produce "something" at any time of the year. The best locations are all south of the Second Crossing. There have been very few seabird records north of here since its construction. The birds are seen best between two hours before and one hour after high tide from Severn Beach. The birds usually fly close inshore, often only a few metres from the observer. The most frequent seabirds reported during strong winds are kittiwake and fulmar, which can be seen throughout the year. Sabine's gulls have been recorded in both autumn and, on three occasions, the spring. Leach's and storm petrels are almost annual and best seen in the autumn, but both have occurred in the winter and spring. Some year's flocks will occur. Most of these delightful birds are found by watching the north east corner in front of the Second Crossing. Birds accumulate here and are located as they try to depart slowly against the strong winds. This technique helps in locating auk species pushed into this bay. Guillemots are more frequent than razorbills and little auks more common than puffin or black guillemot! Both of the latter have been seen once in recent years. Skuas are regular in varying numbers, exceptional flocks of 100 plus arctic, 15 pomarine and 7 great skuas have occurred. All three species are recorded most years, long-tailed skuas have been seen a number of times, with one very tame adult on Severn Beach in November 1994 that I fed sprats! Manx shearwaters and gannets occur mainly in the summer months during strong winds. Other shearwaters include single records of Balearic, sooty and in November 2000, a welcome addition to the list, a fine Cory's. During the spring in weather associated with east or north winds, exceptional numbers of terns along with little gull and skuas can be watched flying upriver close inshore. 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

The best time to find passerines is during passage periods. Falls of migrants can occur and can produce good numbers of chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, sedge warbler and the occasional grasshopper warbler. Most years produce a few common redstarts and if you are lucky, pied flycatcher or wood warbler, rarer still a firecrest or nightingale. The list does include golden oriole, hoopoe (19th century!), Richard's pipit, alpine swift and several wrynecks. A great grey shrike visited briefly in two recent winters. The best places to look for these migrants are the scrub along the sides of the Chittening-Severn Beach railway line and the noticeable area of hawthorn scrub just south of Severn Beach. At New Passage some of the gardens are worth a look (do not enter), as are all of the hedgerows on Northwick Warth and gardens near Aust Cliff. These are best viewed on sunny days with an east wind as the migrants are sheltered here by the small hill. Late autumn or winter can produce the occasional snow bunting or black redstart and regular merlin and short-eared owl.

OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST

The occasional grey seal can be seen close inshore. Good numbers of butterflies can be seen including clouded yellow and painted lady in recent summers. The views at sunset are stunning in conjunction with a 14-metre high tide.

Paul Bowerman