Garganey

A scarce passage migrant and summer visitor mainly seen at CVL and BL. 

The largest count is of 34 at CVL on 2nd September, 1978. It has bred locally but not recently. 

Breeding was reported from BL in 1910 [British Birds, vol. 4, number 12, page 367] without any definitive evidence, a pair probably bred there in 1947, and in 1949 two nests with eggs were found there in May and four young were seen in June and July. At CVL pairs bred in 13 years between 1955 and 1992, see Vinicombe (2020) while Bland and Dadds (2012) mention a recent proven breeding at an undisclosed site. 

The average arrival date is currently April 5th and that average has hardly changed in the past 50 years, although Bland (1992) says arrival was earlier when the species regularly bred locally. The earliest published arrival is 8th March, 1961, a pair at CVL, although Bland (1992) mentions March 4th, 1969 and March 5th, 1970 without a source or location. 

The average departure date is currently October 15th which is more than two weeks later than mentioned in Bland (1992) while the latest departure was on 13th December, 1992, a first-winter male at CVL. A female wintered at CVL and BL in 2011/12 and a first-winter male was at PWD from 24th December 2019 until 2nd January 2020. 

It was less common in the past, Davis (1947) describes it as a ‘passage migrant in small numbers, occurring chiefly in spring, sometimes remains in summer. In the last decade has been reported from Kenn Moor (twice) and BL on various occasions. Only two or three autumn records’. Neither Wheeler (1874) nor Charbonnier (1899) include the species. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Breeds in some years. WeBS: English coast of the Severn Estuary was ranked fourth and CVL eighth in 2016/17. English 10-year trend: -28%. 

Spring passage was very poor, and there was no evidence of any breeding success at any site in the Avon area this year. It was little surprise, therefore, that autumn passage was also rather thin, with just a handful of records from the Estuary, and only one at BL, to supplement those at CVL. 

Spring 

Cl-Y – one on April 10th at Dowlais Farm; 

CVL – two on April 8th, with a pair noted on May 9th and 12th and a single bird noted on10th.

Summer and autumn 

OPS – a juvenile/female noted on Sept. 21st; Severnside – two juveniles from Aug.11th to 31st; Cl-Y – four on Aug. 8th, and a pair on Sept. 5th at Blake’s Pool; 

CVL – a juvenile female was present from July 13th until Sept. 1st, and was joined by a second individual on Aug. 31st, with two noted again on Sept. 6th, all at Herriott’s Pool. Three were recorded during the WeBS count on Aug. 13th. A drake was at Stratford on Sept.15th, and another unsexed bird was recorded on the 4th, 6th, 17th and 20th. A juvenile female was at Heron’s Green from Oct.14th to 18th and a juvenile was in the same place from 29th to Nov.1st; 

BL – just one sighting of a distant juvenile/female on Aug 24th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. WeBS: CVL was ranked the third, and the English coast of the Severn Estuary 12th, in importance in 2015/6. English ten-year trend -57%.

The developing wetlands along the coastal strip proved attractive during both passage periods, but the majority of records came from the two main reservoirs that provided ideal feeding conditions for dabbling ducks throughout the autumn. There was one winter record, wintering last occurred in 2012 when a female was seen at both CVL and BL from mid January onwards. 

Winter 

Weston STW – a female on Jan. 10th, the first winter record for the site; 

Spring and summer 

Severnside - a good series of records of single drakes with the first on April 22nd, then on May 12th, 16th to 21st, and 28th to 30th; 

CVL – a female on April 4th, a drake on May 12th, and one (sex not recorded) on 26th; 

Autumn 

Severnside – a juvenile from Aug. 25th to Sept. 11th; 

Axe Est. – three in eclipse plumage on Oct. 5th; 

Weston STW – a female from Oct. 31st to Nov. 4th; 

CVL – an adult female on July 16th, juvenile male and female reported on Aug. 18th, with three juveniles from 19th to Sept. 1st, four on 7th, a juvenile on 8th, a drake on 12th, and a juvenile drake on Nov. 2nd; 

BL – a juvenile drake from Aug. 11th, joined by a second from 28th to Sept. 14th when three were present, with four on 15th and one on 17th. One from Oct. 5th to 9th and another on Nov. 11th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. WeBS: CVL was ranked third and the Severn Estuary (English counties) eleventh English sites based on numbers and trends. Nat. 10-yr trend: -24%. 

The national trend is downward at present, but does show wide fluctuations over a longer period. It appears that the Somerset Levels is a more favoured site than those in this area in recent years. 

Unusually, there was a spring record of a female on the River Avon at Saltford. Most records received were from CVL, although no breeding evidence was received, with a handful each from BL and Weston STW in the autumn. All records are listed below: 

Spring and summer 

R. Avon (Saltford) – a female from April 8th to 12th; 

CVL – the first record of the year was a pair noted from April 3rd to 11th with the drake last seen on 15th, then a drake from May 15th to 28th with two on 15th and 16th; 

Autumn 

Weston STW – one Sept. 26th and 27th, with the latest ever site record on Nov. 7th; 

CVL – two appeared on Aug. 9th, rising to three on 16th, and seven on 30th. Up to four were noted in September, on the 1st and 14th with just a single bird by the end of the month, followed by a last record of two on Oct. 19th;

BL – a drake on Sept.17th probably until the end of October, and joined by a second bird (sex not recorded) on Oct. 6th, 12th and 13th 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

CVL apart, there was a poor showing compared with 2013. All records are listed below: 

Spring and summer 

Severnside – a drake on April 23rd was joined by a second from 24th to 26th at Pilning Wetlands, and one on 30th; 

Cl-Y – a drake on Dowlais Farm Pool on May 5th and a duck on Blake’s Pool on July 31st; 

CVL – a long series of records from May 13th with a pair noted intermittently until June 13th, and a drake last seen on 14th; 

BL – a pair from April 6th to13th. 

Autumn 

CVL – a female from July 11th to 22nd, a juvenile male noted from 23rd, three on 29th, then five adults from Aug. 4th, a peak of six during the third week of the month, four in the first week of September falling away to a single female seen until the late date of Nov. 5th; 

BL – a female from July 21st to 27th. 

Breeding 

A pair was present at CVL during the breeding season, but there was no evidence of success. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. WeBS status: CVL was ranked fourth, and the English coast of the Severn Estuary ninth, in importance in 2012/13. 

There was a handful of spring records, with more from late July to mid-October, especially from Weston STW and CVL. All records are listed below. 

Spring and summer 

OPS – a drake on April 3rd and 4th, and again from 6th to 20th, was the first of the year; 

Severn Beach, Western Distribution Park – a drake on May 30th and 31st; Cl-Y – reported on April 8th; 

CVL – a drake on April 8th and one on May 13th. 

Autumn 

OPS – an eclipse drake on July 23rd; 

Severnside – a juvenile from Sept. 24th to Oct. 17th; 

PWD – a juvenile Sept. 28th to Oct. 17th; 

Weston STW – an impressive series of records, including the first multiple occurrence, with one from Aug. 19th to 31st, two on Sept 1st, rising to three on the 4th, four from 5th to 7th, three from 9th to15th, two on the 18th and 19th, and what was probably a new individual on Oct. 6th, the latest date for the site; 

CVL – the first returning bird was an adult female from July 18th to 24th, an eclipse drake from Aug. 6th, with three from 12th to 14th, two from 16th to 19th, and one from Aug. 21st to Sept 7th, two juveniles on Sept. 11th, one on the 14th, three juveniles on the 16th, two juveniles from 18th to 20th and a juvenile female from Sept. 23rd to Oct. 9th. 

BL – one on Aug. 9th, two juveniles on the 10th, a single juvenile from 12th to 22nd, and one from Sept. 22nd to Oct. 4th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. Graded nationally as of Amber Conservation Status because of its European Conservation Status. 

Unusually, a female wintered at CVL and BL, it was captured and ringed by CVRS on Feb. 14th (see photograph opposite page 32). The first spring record was of a drake at CVL on March 23rd, and the last record of the year was of another on Sept. 6th at Batheaston NR. All records are listed below. 

Spring and summer 

Severn Beach – a drake on May 8th; 

CVL – a wintering female from Feb. 6th to April 5th when it was paired with a migrant male, a drake from March 23rd with three, two drakes and a female from April1st to 17th, a pair from 18th to 20th, then a drake until May 12th, with a pair noted again on May 30th and a male on June 6th; 

BL – the wintering female from CVL on Jan. 15th and 28th, and single drakes on April 2nd, 29th and May 21st. 

Autumn 

OPS – a female on Aug. 13th; 

Northwick Warth / New Passage – four on Aug. 14th, with two from 15th to 21st, an adult drake on 28th and two on 30th, then a female from Sept. 1st to 3rd; 

Batheaston NR – one on Sept. 6th; 

CVL – single birds from July 26th to 28th and Aug. 14th to 18th, and finally two on 21st on Heron’s Green Pool. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Migration dates: Forty year average first date April 9th. Forty year average last date Oct. 3rd.

The first in spring was a pair at CVL on the early date on March 25th and birds were seen here in every subsequent month, with a distinctively coloured female remaining from Oct. 10th into 2012 being the first local record of overwintering. Away from CVL there were reports from three other sites. 

Spring and summer 

Weston STW – a male on May 8th; 

CVL – a pair was seen on March 25th, and a male from April 8th to 17th, two on 18th, and a pair from May 16th to 18th. A pair on June 5th and 7th with a male on 9th and 10th and three males from 11th until 22nd were joined by a female on 13th with an eclipse male still present on 29th. 

Autumn 

OPS – a pair on Oct. 26th; 

CVL – an eclipse male was present in July from 22nd and up to three eclipse males were present throughout August with two still on Sept. 3rd and a juvenile male on 13th. An orangey coloured juvenile female, present from Oct. 10th, was seen intermittently until Dec. 20th before moving to BL in January 2012. On 14th February it was trapped and ringed at CVL and was last seen there on 20th April, having paired with a migrant male. This is the first wintering record for the area; 

BL – three on Aug. 16th, one from Oct. 16th to 26th with two on 28th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Migration dates: Forty year average first date April 9th. Forty year average last date Oct. 3rd. 

The first in the spring were two at CVL on April 10th, very close to the forty year average first date of April 9th, however this was a poor spring for this species. Return passage started at CVL in July with a juvenile on the 13th but tailed off during August (traditionally this is the peak month at CVL) before picking up again in September, apart from CVL it was recorded at four other sites. The last of the year was a very late male noted on two dates at CVL in November.

Spring and summer 

PW – male on May 4th and 7th; 

CVL – two on April 10th, and a male on 24th. 

Autumn 

OPS – juvenile on Sept. 18th and 20th; 

BG – female from Sept. 4th to 8th; 

BL – one on Sept. 6th; 

CVL – juvenile on July 13th, a female on 16th and 17th, a juvenile on 18th and 19th, two on 21st, one on 25th and two on 28th. Two on Aug. 2nd, and three on 22nd. Five on Sept.1st, two on 3rd, three on 14th, four on 16th, three on 17th, two on 18th, one on 19th, 21st and 22nd, and three on 23rd. One juvenile remained from September until Oct. 2nd, and finally there was a late male on Nov. 9th and 12th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Migration dates: Forty year average first date April 9th. Forty year average last date Oct. 3rd. 

A good scattering of records at both inland and coastal sites during the spring, the first of the year were at PW and CVL on March 17th, the last of the year were two at CVL on Oct. 8th.

Spring and summer 

ASW – male from March 23rd until 31st; 

PW – four from March 17th until 31st, three still present April 7th; 

Weston STW – male on April 26th; 

CVL – male from March 17th until 23rd, females on 22nd and April 2nd. Male on 12th and a female on May 14th. 

Autumn 

BL – eclipse male July 16th to 30th, male on Aug. 8th to 11th, joined by a female on 11th and two on 22nd. 

CVL – one on Aug. 7th, 9th, 16th and 18th, three on 19th, one on 21st and 29th. Four on Sept. 1st, one on 2nd, two on 3rd and 5th, three on 7th, four on 8th. One from Sept. 17th to 19th, two on 20th, one on 21st, 23rd and 24th, two on 26th and one on 27th. Finally one on Oct. 3rd and two on 8th. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Average first date April 15th, last date Oct. 6th. 

A good scattering of records at both inland and coastal sites, the first of the year involved birds at OPS and CVL on March 24th, the last of the year was at CVL on Oct. 14th.

Spring and summer 

OPS – one on March 24th and one on April 28th; 

CVL – males on March 24th and 31st, April 22nd and 28th, two males on May 6th, 10th and 12th; male on May 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th to 16th, 22nd and 23rd, one on June 16th;

BL – one on April 1st. 

Autumn 

OPS – two on Aug. 19th; 

Weston STW – one on July 8th and one on Aug. 31st; 

BG – one on Sept. 22nd; 

CVL – one on July 25th, 27th and 30th, two from Aug. 5th to 10th, one on 17th and female on 25th, one on Sept. 3rd and 17th, and Oct. 5th and 14th; BL – two on Aug. 21st, one on 5th, one from 8th to 11th, and one on Sept.13th. 

2004 A late record (in all senses of the word) involves a bird at BG on Nov. 13th, 2004 (CJS). 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Average first date April 15th, last date Oct. 6th. 

Spring records only came from inland sites and as usual CVL provided the majority of records, a male at this site on March 26th was the first of the spring. Autumn another poor year where nearly all the records came from CVL, the last of the year was noted here on Aug. 29th. 

Spring and summer 

Backwell Lake - a male on May 1st which was very unusual for this site; 

CVL - single males were noted on March 26th and 27th, April 3rd, 5th, 16th, May 3rd to 11th, 20th and 22nd. Two males were present on April 8th and May 7th; 

BL - one on April 4th and a male on May 5th. 

Autumn 

CVL - two on Aug. 14th, one on 22nd, 26th and 29th; 

BL - one on Aug. 1st. 

Scarce spring passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon autumn passage migrant at CVL and BL, scarce elsewhere. Has bred. 

Average first date April 15th, last date Oct. 6th. 

Spring records came from both coastal and inland sites although CVL dominated inland with the best series of records for many years. A male at OPS on April 23rd was the first of the spring. Autumn most records came from CVL where counts were again on the low side; the last of the year, a female, was noted here on Sept. 14th.

Spring and summer 

OPS - one on April 23rd and on May 14th; 

Severnside - one on May 8th; 

Weston STW - one on June 16th; 

CVL - a male on May 10th and 11th, three on 12th, two on 13th, five males and a female on 15th, four males on 16th, with five on 17th, three on June 10th and 11th, one on 14th and two on 29th; 

BL - one on June 17th.

Autumn 

OPS - one on Aug. 10th; 

BG - one on Aug. 3rd; 

CVL - one on July 9th, then single juveniles noted from July 20th to Sept. 14th (a female) with five on Aug. 26th; 

BL - one on Sept. 4th.