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Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) were ringing birds in the sanctuary when they found an immature sparrow hawk in their nets! I am hoping they will be posting a couple of the pictures they took on here when they get home! You can find out more about these high performing raptors at the BTO's species page ![]()
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BTW, it was their car, with permission, by the Tower Hide this morning (Sunday)![]()
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www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/sparrowhawk
Its very grey out there but we still had lovely walk across the reserve this morning. We focussed on the new information panels that are part of the Wetlands Trail that has recently been put together. You can find a guide to the Wetlands Trail here www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk/trail_downloads/winter_wetlands_mobile_2.pdf
What a transformation from a misty morning to sunny afternoon reflections in the Ecology Park!
Dawn was delayed this morning, it really wasn’t very keen; first all it had to struggle past miles of queuing traffic on the M5, pausing briefly to wish all involved in the crash a speedy resolution and safe home. Then the salt marsh had hidden itself away beneath a comforting blanket of cloud rendered flightless and land-bound by a fit of the doldrums. The wildlife across the reserve and the adjacent marsh had hunkered down and, like the dawn, were in no particular hurry to crack on with the day. ![]()
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Eventually the Light at Battery Point decided enough was enough and started bleating its horn forlornly into the pre dawn gloom, demanding that the dawn got back to business and made more progress in its relentless, if somewhat tardy, march westwards. Ships out in the King Road added their voices, clearly impatient to not miss the morning unloading. ![]()
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Eventually dawn girded its loins and headed off into Wales, hardly aware of the sea slipping in and out between the treasured salt marshes here and along the Welsh coast. People roused, got on with their day - greetings were exchanged, enquiries of health and happiness made and all was well with the world in this little corner of England between the tranquil levels and the dulled sea of beaten pewter.![]()
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Maybe tomorrow dawn will arrive promptly in a rush of colour and sunshine…
*** A special World Wetlands Day trail is coming to Portbury Wharf from next Sunday 19th January until 19th February.***![]()
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Unlike forests, wetlands are rarely talked about and often overlooked. Yet, they are one of the most vital ecosystems on the planet. ![]()
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You will be amazed at what wetlands do for us . . . come and find out!![]()
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PS. The current "What am I?" Christmas trail will run until Friday. So there is still time to test your skills and identify some of our winter wetland wildlife.
A spring sea watch survey is taking place between Porlock and Portishead on March 21 and 23rd. Click on this link to get involved.
Spring Synchronised Sea Watch Survey (1) - Somerset Coast | Somerset Wildlife Trust
www.somersetwildlife.org
Take part in our 2025 Spring synchronised Sea Watch survey, looking out for porpoises, dolphins and other marine megafauna at a Somerset coastal location near you. We aim to have people surveying at e...
The Redwing....![]()
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The Redwing is usually a winter visitor, arriving from Scandinavia in late autumn, often travelling as mixed flocks with the larger, but less numerous fieldfare, and is the UK's smallest true thrush. Look for the creamy stripe above its eye and the orange-red flank patches. They roam across the UK's countryside, feeding in fields and hedgerows, rarely visiting gardens, except in the coldest weather when snow covers the fields. Only a few pairs nest in the UK, up in the highlands of Scotland, round here these birds are highly nomadic and will move around the countryside in search of fruit-laden trees, bushes and shrubs. They are quite skittish and will often take cover if disturbed, but when settled are a joy to watch as they gobble down berries.![]()
Key features to look out for![]()
Redwings are slightly smaller than the Song Thrush ![]()
Dark brown above, with red flanks and underwings ![]()
Bright stripe above the eye ![]()
We usually have good numbers of redwings around the area, and they are really keen on hawthorn berries, so they are often seen on our drifts of hawthorn trees, but, as I mentioned above they are skittish, so you need to travel quietly! Yet again I have drawn extensively from the excellent RSBP Bird Pages, you can find out more about Redwings by following this link. Please let us know if you see any out on your walks by adding a comment to this post![]()
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Redwing Bird Facts | Turdus Iliacus
www.rspb.org.uk
This winter visitor is the UK's smallest thrush, but still manages to reach our shores all the way from Scandinavia. Find out more about these birds.
Happy New Year!![]()
We have really loved walking the reserve this Christmas and introducing our family and friends to the new Nature Trail. Every single one of them has been so impressed and delighted with the new signage. Now they want to come back as the seasons, and the signs, change! And that surely is the greatest thing about a nature reserve, it never stays the same! No matter how many times you walk it, there will always be something new to see, but you do have to be out there to see it…..
Our salt marsh is very sheltered from our prevailing south westerly winds, but as Darragh went northwards the winds turned to the north on Sunday morning and the waves built up .... fortunately after the high tide had passed and the late afternoon was glorious
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Last Updated: February 1, 2024 by fpwnr
February – What to look out for
Look out for FROGS and TOADS!
This is their mating time and they are on the move. February and March is the time when we are most likely to see them as large numbers converge on their breeding ponds. As Portbury Wharf is a wetland area with plenty of lovely watery places many frogs, toads and newts will be heading our way.
They have spent the winter in hedges, muddy ditches, under stones, plant pots or hunkered down under compost heaps. The rising temperature triggers the breeding season.
Frogs become increasingly active in garden ponds just before the migration begins, a sure sign that movement is imminent. I can hear frogs croaking and frolicking in my pond as I type this! If weather conditions are favourable (mild, damp evenings) the onset of migration is sudden. They will begin, en masse, to head to their breeding ponds.
They take the quickest route along ancestral pathways to the pond were they spawned. This often brings them into conflict with cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Usually you can join Portishead Toad Patrol to help them cross the Village Quarter and The Vale safely. However this year, unfortunately COVID-19 has put paid to that but hopefully with less traffic during the lockdown they will be okay.
Winter birds are still here
The winter birds are still around so take a look at what you might expect to see on our Winter Birds page. They will be going back north to nest soon so see them while you still can!
See if you can spot Dunlin and Wigeon on the North Pool or out on the estuary . . .
. . . or maybe you will hear the beautiful warbling call of a curlew or two.
A world in our Willow Trees
Look out for one of the most important wildlife trees on the reserve. The willow is a super ecosystem . . . read all about it here:
Category: what to look for
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Be safe, keep our wildlife safe and follow the Countryside Code