2019

HIGHEST COUNT: Four in the Shire Valley, Marshfield on July 31st.

2018

A hundred and thirteen bird days were counted this year. The best months were in May (36) and June (25). Birds were seen in all months except December. EARLIEST: One seen over the ring road at the junction of the A4174/ A420 Kingswood late morning on January 5th. LATEST: One near Severn Beach early afternoon on October 27th. HIGHEST COUNT: Five drifted low north-east over Pilning Wetland Reserve on May 26th. Three in the Shire Valley, Marshfield on July 15th.

2017

Eighty-one bird days were logged this year with the best count in June (23). Birds were noted in all months except November and December. EARLIEST: One was seen flying over fields from Down Road, Marshfield on January 1st. LATEST: One was seen over Aust Warth on October 20th. HIGHEST COUNT: At least six birds over a cut field at Orange End, Inglestone Common at ST: 760 877 on June 26th.

2016

Seventy bird days were recorded this year with the best count in May (18). Birds were seen in all months except January. EARLIEST: One was seen near the M4 at Pucklechurch on February 2nd. LATEST: One was seen over Tortworth School, Tortworth around 12:45 on December 23rd. HIGHEST COUNT: Three were seen together over Chipping Sodbury Common at 12:30 on July 23rd.

2015

Eighty-one bird days were recorded this year with the best count (28) in June. EARLIEST: One was seen heading north over Old Sodbury on February 5th. LATEST: One was seen in flight over Downend Sport Centre, Downend at 10:00 on December 29th. HIGHEST COUNT: Four were seen in the Frome Valley area at Chipping Sodbury around 14:15 on July 1st.

2014

Forty-eight bird days were logged this year with the best count (15) in May. EARLIEST: One was present in the Shire Valley, Marshfield on February 16th. LATEST: One was watched in flight over Goldcrest Way, Severn Beach around 12:30 on December 12th. HIGHEST COUNT: Six/ seven over a field being harvested for silage at Lower Hamswell on May 21st.

2013

Fifty-nine bird days were noted this year with the best count (14) in May. EARLIEST: One was watched drifting slowly over Northwick Warth at 11:20 on February 9th. LATEST: One was seen in flight over Hallen at 14:25 and heading east on December 19th. HIGHEST COUNT: Four heading north over Frampton Cotterell at 14:00 on July 7th.

2012

Thirty-two bird days were counted this year with both March and May logging the most (12). EARLIEST: One was watched heading north from Down Road, Marshfield on March 14th. LATEST: One was seen drifting high to the south-west from New Passage at 13:00 on October 30th. HIGHEST COUNT: Two in both March and May.

2011

Sixteen bird days were logged this year with the best count (4) in April. EARLIEST: One was reported in the Shire Hill area at Marshfield sometime around the middle of February. LATEST: An adult was seen at New Passage on September 29th.

2010

Twenty-eight bird days were logged this year with the best counts in March (6), April (6) and May (6). EARLIEST: One was seen in the morning over Shepperdine on January 11th. LATEST: One was seen flying south over farmland just north of Thornbury Castle around 12:45 on December 25th. HIGHEST COUNT: Four circling high over Overscourt Plantation, Siston on April 10th.

2009

A Thirteen bird day year this year; May as the best month with five. EARLIEST: An adult was noted drifting north over Rushmead Farm, Marshfield and one was seen at Cadbury Heath on March 15th. LATEST: One was seen drifting north-west over Middledown Road, Marshfield on October 12th.

2008

Sixteen bird days recorded this year with a maximum of seven in June. EARLIEST: One was seen heading south around 12:45 just south of Severn Beach over the Terra Nitrogen Works on April 17th. LATEST: Two were watched early in the morning at Hawkesbury Upton on October 14th. HIGHEST COUNT: Two were watched early in the morning at Hawkesbury Upton on October 14th.

2007

Seventeen bird days this year with April as the best month with seven. EARLIEST: One was seen in flight just north of Thornbury around mid-day on January 1st. LATEST: One was watched heading east at Iron Acton on October 6th.

2006

Just six bird days this year with numbers peaking in June (3). EARLIEST: A juvenile/ immature was noted flying north over Frampton Cotterell in the afternoon on February 19th. LATEST: One drifted over the Boyd Valley, Wick on September 10th.

2005

Five bird days this year with May taking the lion's share with three. EARLIEST: A adult was seen flying east over Severn Beach on March 20th. LATEST: An adult was seen early morning over the junction of A46/ A420 at Cold Ashton on June 5th.

2004

A single bird was seen over the M4/ M5 junction at Almondsbury on April 29th.

2003

One was watched on May 10th at Hinton Hill near Dyrham Park. ST: 745 766.

2002

One was seen in flight heading east at Stoke Gifford on March 28th.

2001

An adult was seen on June 3rd near Shirehill Farm to the north-east of Marshfield and drifting south-west.

2000

One was seen on August 28th over Eastwood Park near Tortworth.

1999

One was seen in flight at Easter Compton heading north-east on July 30th.

1997

One was seen in flight high and heading south-east at Tortworth on February 2nd.

1996

One was noted on April 27th at Frampton Cotterell.

1994

One was seen on March 2nd at Filton and was watched in flight heading east over the airfield; One was seen on May 1st at Downend.

1988

A single bird was seen on March 26th at Hanham Mills.

1985

One was watched flying over Elberton Wood on April 20th and seen to disappear into the wood.

1957

On March 3rd one was seen near Tockington flying south-west at approximately 300 ft. Salient features noted were the large size, forked tail and wings longer and less rounded than in Buzzard with characteristic light patches on undersides. This is the first documented reference to this species in S. Gloucestershire.