Birds and Moths

 of Burnham-on-Sea

Birds seen within the recording area

Over the following weeks/Months we will be trying to put together a comprehensive list of birds recorded within the area, together with dates for those species with 5 or less records. Bear with us!!

The majority of records relate to the last 50 years, although for completeness, some interesting historical records are added after the main list.

Mute Swan:  Common resident on Apex lakes, and in fields bordering the Axe estuary in winter.

Bewicks Swan: Very uncommon winter visitor. Less than 10 records.

Whooper Swan: Four records. 3 Brean Down, 19th October 1999.  Immature Brean /Axe estuary 15th May 2004.  2 Burnham 10th December 2006.  3 Immatures Berrow area November 2008.

Bean Goose: Two records. 2 Berrow, 27th December 1985.  8 Parrett estuary, December 1993.

Pink-footed Goose: One record. 11 Parrett estuary 12th January - 16th March 1969.

White-fronted Goose: Once regular winter visitor. Now rare.

Greylag Goose: Records heavily marred by feral birds. Some mid winter records probably genuine.

Canada Goose: Common resident on Apex lakes and regularly commutes to Brean Golf course.

Barnacle Goose: Most records probably refer to escapes, however, 78 on 17th March 1984 at the Brue estuary (which had reduced to 20 by 25th March) were definitely wild as some carried Russian rings.

Brent Goose: Regular but sparodic winter visitor in small numbers

Ruddy Shelduck: Less than 10 records, but again some probably escapes

Shelduck: Common resident throughout with larger numbers in early autumn using the coast to moult.

Wigeon: Common winter visitor to the Brue and Axe estuaries in particular

Gadwall: Uncommon mainly winter visitor in very small numbers.

Teal: Common winter visitor to the Brue and Axe estuaries in particular.

Green-winged Teal:

Mallard: Common resident throughout.

Pintail: Regular winter visitor in decreasing numbers.

Garganey:

Shoveler: Uncommon. Seen only in very small numbers.

Pochard: Annual winter visitor to Apex lakes in very small numbers. Usually 4 or less.

Tufted Duck: Uncommon. Barely annual.

Scaup: Very uncommon winter visitor.

Eider: Very uncommon. Two records in last 5 years

Long-tailed Duck: Rare winter visitor. More than 5 records but none in the last 10 years.

Common Scoter: Regular annual visitor in very small numbers

Velvet Scoter: Rare winter visitor. Less than ten records. None in the last ten years.

Goldeneye: Very uncommon winter visitor. Certainly not annual.

Smew: One record. 1 Parrett estuary 7th January 1996.

Red-breasted Merganser: Very uncommon winter visitor. More than 10 records

Goosander:

Ruddy Duck:

Red-legged Partridge:

Grey Partridge:

Pheasant: Common resident breeder. Plentiful on Berrow Golf course.

Red-throated Diver:

Black-throated Diver:

Great Northern Diver:

Little Grebe: Winters in small numbers particularly on Brue pools. Bred Berrow 2009.

Great Crested Grebe: Resident breeder on Apex lakes. Numbers increase in winter but rarely double figures. Occasionally encountered on the sea.

Red-necked Grebe: Three records. 1 Berrow 8th October 1970. 1 Parrett estuary 13th February 1986. 2 Parrett estuary December 1993.

Slavonian Grebe: Four records. 1 off Brean Down 29th April 1981.  1 in the Parrett estuary 17th December 1981. 1 on the Brue estuary 26th - 28th November 1990.  1 Parrett estuary 30th January 1991.

Yellow-nosed Albatross: One record. An immature  bird picked up exhausted in a Brean garden on 29th June 2007 was taken to a local rescue centre and released off Brean Down the following day.

Fulmar: Regular during strong onshore winds, but rarely in large numbers.

Cory's Shearwater:

Great Shearwater:

Sooty Shearwater:

Manx Shearwater: Regular during onshore winds and often in large numbers.

Balearic Shearwater: One record. 1 Burnham 13th March 1994.

Wilson's Petrel: One record. 1 flew close inshore off Burnham seafront on 2nd October 1999. Accepted by BBRC.

Storm Petrel:

Leach's Petrel: Can be encountered in good numbers following favourable winds in autumn and winter. Wrecks occured in

Gannet: Regularly seen after on shore winds but never in large numbers.

Cormorant: Common resident.

Shag:

Bittern:

Little Bittern: One record. 1 on Apex lakes before moving to the Brue estuary.  6th - 10th April 1997.

Cattle Egret:

Little Egret: Formerly rare. Now common.

Grey Heron: Common resident.

White Stork:

Spoonbill:

Honey Buzzard:

Black Kite: One record: 1 flew north at Berrow 14th May 2009.

Red Kite:

Marsh Harrier:

Hen Harrier:

Montagu's Harrier: Three records:  Ringtail flew north east over Brue estuary 16th April 1988.  Ringtail Brean Down 27th April 1993. A ringtail flew in off the sea at Berrow 14th May 2005.

Sparrowhawk: Common resident breeder.

Buzzard: Common. Breeds just outside the area and often wanders in. Presumed migrants also noted on passage.

Osprey:

Kestrel: Common in small numbers. Probably breeds.

Merlin: Regular annual winter visitor in small numbers.

Hobby: Seen most years in very small numbers on passage.

Peregrine: Resident breeder. Numbers increase in the winter.

Water Rail: Resident breeder. Numbers increase in the winter.

Spotted Crake:

Corncrake:

Moorhen: Common resident breeder

Coot: Resident breeder at Apex lakes. Scarce elsewhere.

Common Crane: One record. 2 on Berrow beach on 5th May 2002.

Oystercatcher: Common in large numbers. Seen in all months with autumn peaks.

Avocet: Formerly rare, but now a regular winter visitor to the Parrett estuary.

Little Ringed Plover: Occasional (not annual) on passage.

Ringed Plover: Common. Seen in all months, sometimes in good numbers.

Kentish Plover:

Dotterel:

Golden Plover: Common in winter.

Grey Plover: Common, particularly on the Steart side of Parrett estuary

Lapwing: Common winter visitor and suspected breeder.

Knot: Common on passage, sometimes in large numbers.

Sanderling: Common at Berrow where seen in all months and in increasing numbers.

Semipalmated Sandpiper: One record. 1 off Burnham on 16th - 18th September 2000.

Little Stint: Regular on passage particularly in autumn. A few winter records.

White-rumped Sandpiper: One record. 1 on the Brue estuary on 17th August 2004.

Pectoral Sandpiper:

Curlew Sandpiper: Annual visitor, particularly in autumn. Double figure counts sometimes recorded.

Purple Sandpiper:

Dunlin: Common and seen in all months. Very large numbers winter.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper:

Ruff: Regular in very small numbers, particularly on autumn passage.

Jack Snipe: Regular winter visitor to Brue and Axe estuaries in small numbers. Former stronghold at Berrow now fails to produce any records.

Snipe: Common autumn and winter visitor.

Woodcock:

Black-tailed Godwit: Regular on both estuaries, particularly on autumn passage.

Bar-tailed Godwit: Large numbers sometimes on spring passage. Regular in small numbers at other times of the year.

Whimbrel: Large (diminishing) numbers on spring passage with fewer on autumn passage.

Curlew: Common. Seen in all months, sometimes in large numbers.

Common Sandpiper: Common on both estauries on passage. Regular winterer.

Spotted Sandpiper:

Green Sandpiper:

Spotted Redshank:

Greenshank:

Lesser Yellowlegs:

Wood Sandpiper:

Redshank: Large numbers winter on both the Brue and Axe estuaries.

Turnstone: Large numbers winter on the Brue estuary.

Grey Phalarope:

Pomarine Skua: Occasional after onshore winds.

Arctic Skua: Regular on spring passage and at other times following onshore winds.

Long-tailed Skua:

Great Skua: Encountered regularly after onshore winds.

Sabine's Gull:

Kittiwake: Regular after onshore winds, sometimes many hundreds.

Black-headed Gull: Common resident. Large numbers build up from mid summer.

Little Gull: Regular in small numbers on passage.

Laughing Gull:

Mediterranean Gull: Formerly rare, now seen annually in small numbers particularly in autumn.

Common Gull: Common in autumn and winter in particular.

Ring-billed Gull:

Lesser Black-backed Gull:

Herring Gull: Common resident breeder.

Yellow-legged Gull:

Iceland Gull:

Glaucous Gull:

Great Black-backed Gull: Common resident in small numbers.

Little Tern: Regularly seen in very small numbers on passage particularly in spring.

Whiskered Tern: One record: An adult at Berrow on 5th May 2008.

Black Tern:

White-winged Black Tern:

Sandwich Tern: Regular in small numbers on spring and autumn passage.

Common Tern: Seen annually on passage, sometimes in good numbers

Roseate Tern: One record.  One over Berrow golf course pond 10th -11th June 1979.

Arctic Tern: Seen annually on passage, sometimes in good numbers

Guillemot: Occasional storm driven visitor at anytime of the year. Not annual.

Razorbill: Occasional storm driven visitor at anytime of the year. Not annual,

Little Auk:

Stock Dove: Occasionally winters in small numbers. Regular overhead on autumn passage.

Woodpigeon: Common resident breeder. Large numbers can move south in autumn.

Collared Dove: Common resident breeder.

Turtle Dove:

Ring-necked Parakeet:

Cuckoo: Seen annually, particularly in spring but records are definitely decreasing

Barn Owl:

Little Owl: Resident breeder in very small numbers.

Tawny Owl:

Long-eared Owl:

Short-eared Owl: Regular in very small numbers particularly on late autumn passage and in winter.

Swift: Common summer breeder

Alpine Swift:

Kingfisher: Resident. Breeds in small numbers

Hoopoe:

Wryneck:

Green Woodpecker: Resident breeder in very small numbers

Great Spotted Woodpecker: Resident breeder in very small numbers.

Short-toed Lark:

Woodlark:

Skylark: Common particularly in winter with good numbers at both estuaries. Breeds in small numbers.

Shore Lark:

Sand Martin: Common passage migrant in spring and autumn.

Swallow: Common summer breeder and high numbers seen on passage.

House Martin: Common summer breeder and passage migrant.

Richard's Pipit:

Tawny Pipit:

Tree Pipit:

Meadow Pipit:

Rock Pipit: Resident. Breeds on Brean Down. Winters in good numbers on the Brue and Axe estuaries.

Water Pipit: Occasionally winters in very small numbers particularly on Brue and Axe estuaries.

Yellow Wagtail:

Grey Wagtail: Resident in very small numbers. Regular overhead migrant on autumn passage.

Pied Wagtail: Common resident. Larger numbers seen on autumn passage

Waxwing:

Wren: Common resident breeder.

Dunnock: Common resident breeder.

Robin: Common resident breeder. Small autumn falls occur.

Nightingale:

Black Redstart: Regular late autumn passage migrant. Often overwinters in small numbers.

Redstart: Common passage migrant particularly on Brean Down. More numerous in spring.

Whinchat: Regular on passage in very small numbers.

Stonechat: Resident. Breeds on Brean Down and Berrow.

Wheatear: Common passage migrant in spring and autumn.

Pied Wheatear:

Ring Ouzel: Recorded annually on passage particularly from Brean Down

Blackbird: Common resident breeder and autumn migrant.

Fieldfare: Common winter visitor. Sometimes seen in large numbers on autumn passage.

Song Thrush: Common resident breeder in small numbers. Larger numbers on autumn passage.

Redwing: Common winter visitor. Occasional large numbers on autumn passage

Mistle Thrush: Uncommon, but regularly recorded on autumn passage.

Cetti's Warbler: Resident common breeder.

Grasshopper Warbler: Regular passage migrant particularly in spring.

Aquatic Warbler:

Sedge Warbler: Breeds in small numbers

Marsh Warbler:

Reed Warbler: Common summer breeder.

Melodious Warbler:

Blackcap: Common passage migrant. Nationally important numbers overwinter.

Garden Warbler: Regular in very small numbers on passage.

Barred Warbler:

Lesser Whitethroat: Breeds in small numbers at Berrow. Also regular on passage.

Whitethroat: Common breeder particularly at Berrow.

Dartford Warbler: Becoming much more common. Regular records.

Sardinian Warbler: One record. A male on Brean Down from 14th - 21st October 2001.

Pallas's Warbler: One record. 1 at Brean Down 13th November 2000.

Yellow-browed Warbler: First recorded in 2002, but at least 5 records since then.

Wood Warbler: Occasional passage migrant, particularly in spring. Not annual.

Chiffchaff: Common passage migrant. Breeding suspected. Overwinters in small numbers

Willow Warbler: Good numbers seen on passage.

Goldcrest: Resident. Breeds in very small numbers. Common late autumn migrant.

Firecrest: Occasional autumn / winter visitor

Spotted Flycatcher: Regular passage migrant in small numbers.

Pied Flycatcher: Regular passage migrant in very small numbers, particularly in spring

Bearded Tit: Breeds in decreasing numbers at Berrow. Numbers sometimes swollen by autumn migrants.

Long-tailed Tit: Common resident breeder.

Blue Tit: Common resident breeder

Great Tit: Common resident breeder

Coal Tit: Regular in very small numbers. Possible breeder.

Treecreeper:

Penduline Tit:

Golden Oriole:

Great Grey Shrike:

Jay: Suspected breeder in extremely small numbers. Often seen on autumn passage

Magpie: Common resident breeder throughout.

Chough:

Jackdaw: Common resident breeder. Good numbers seen on autumn passage.

Rook: Common resident breeder.

Carrion Crow: Common resident breeder.

Raven: Breeds in very small numbers.

Starling: Common resident breeder. Large numbers often seen on autumn passage.

Rose-coloured Starling:

House Sparrow: Common resident breeder throughout.

Tree Sparrow: Occasional passage migrant, particularly in autumn.

Chaffinch: Common. Breeds in small numbers. Large numbers often seen on autumn passage.

Serin:

Greenfinch: Common resident breeder

Goldfinch: Common resident breeder.

Siskin: Common, particularly on autumn migration.

Linnet: Common. Breeds in very small numbers. Winter flocks and good autumn movements.

Twite:

Lesser Redpoll: Common on migration, particularly in autumn

Mealy Redpoll:

Crossbill:

Common Rosefinch:

Bullfinch: Common. Breeds in very small numbers

Hawfinch:

Lapland Bunting:

Snow Bunting:

Yellowhammer:

Cirl Bunting:

Ortolan Bunting:

Yellow-breasted Bunting:

Reed Bunting: Common resident breeder.

Corn Bunting: