A rare and spectacular migration occurs

 Once every 10 or so years the weather is just right for a rare event to occur along the Severn estuary including Clevedon. This is one of those times.

The event is the migration of spectacular arctic waders in their breeding plumage, with a stop off at the Dowlais shoreline

In the past week up to 200 Bar-tailed Godwits have put down to feed on our rich mud and are now being pushed close enough inshore to be seen from the seawall path between Clevedon and the Kenn Estuary.

In winter these birds are grey and white but in spring they begin to turn to a wonderful brick red and some of our visitors have begun this change.

Mixed in with the Godwits are a few Grey Plovers which are also moulting to have a dramatic black front. Two can be seen in this picture; taken this morning

The flocks form swirling patterns as they move along the shore with individual birds much bigger than the Dunlin we see here all winter.

More regular, at this time of year, are the flocks of Whimbrel, a small species of Curlew with a lovely bubbling cry.

These can be told by their dramatically curved bills, even in silhouette

Flocks of up to 100 can be seen in the fields and flying along the shore at the moment

If the weather remains suitable this phenomenon should carry on for several more days at least and soon another species, Knot, will join in. Again we are used to its rather drab winter greys but in the USA it is called the Red Knot as again it has a brick red summer finery.

Other waders are starting to move North too including Common Sandpipers with their piercing calls and stiff wingbeats and these can be very obliging with these two sitting by the Strode Road bridge for a short while one morning.

In fact these were very accommodating, even allowing a short video until the first dog of the day jumped into the river and scared them away

Over the next few weeks I am hoping for more of this passage along with successfully breeding Lapwings, Redshank and Snipe at Dowlais, so I will try and keep this blog updated weekly.

Regards  Howard