Bath Birdwatcher

  This week’s birding trip was a half day visit to Newton St Loe, only our second visit of the year. Today it was just Bryan and Tony as David was away. On the short journey there we spotted Buzzard, Red Kite and Magpie. We parked by the farm shop where a Carrion Crow was calling and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over, walking towards the church we added Jackdaw and Woodpigeon and making a slight detour to look over the Globe we saw Goldfinch, Robin and both Great and Blue Tit. As   we continued, in the tall trees with the mistletoe was a Mistle Thrush. Mistle Thrush - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)  Nothing more was seen even after checking the Yew trees in the churchyard   until the field beyond where 2 Jays flew past, these turned out to be year ticks. At the bottom of the field a Blackbird flew off and a Lesser Black Back Gull circled overhead. In the field by what was Send a Cow were Rooks and a Green Woodpecker flew towards the village landing in the top of a tall t...

  Acres Down was the destination for this months Bath RSPB field trip but as we were hoping to find Lesser Spotted Woodpecker we had been advised to get there as early as possible so 8.45 was when we were to meet which meant a 6.35 start, a long time since I have been awake and out this early. On the journey to our meeting point we noted 3 birds we thought were unlikely to see there,  Red Kite, Pheasant and Mute Swan. When we arrived, Tom was already there so while waiting for the whole group to arrive we spotted Blackbird, Chaffinch, Robin, Raven and Blue Tit. We all set off and the first birds we found were 3 Redpolls feeding in a tree with a couple of Blue Tits. As we continued movement was seen up in a tree which turned out to be a Marsh Tit, 2 good birds to start the day. We arrived at a point where the woodpecker had been seen in previous years but nothing was seen so we waited adding Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Stock Dove and Long Tailed Tit. Other birders were all searchin...

  Bryan and Tony were just 2 of the 3 Amigos as David was away opening up his caravan. As its now March we needed to buy our new Birding Permit for Chew Valley Lake so that was todays destination. We headed straight for the lodge and 1 st thing was go and pay for the new permit as we intended visiting the hides during the morning. Permits purchased we did a short walk towards the dam where a Collared Dove was cooing from the top of a tree. Collared Dove - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow flew over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in a tree which we did find, Jackdaw, Blue Tit and Blackbird were soon spotted. Canada Geese we spotted as we looked out over the lake and a Great Tit flew into a bush and 2 Magpies were in a field. Robins were in full song and a Redwing flew out of an ivy-covered tree. Several Chiffchaffs were found some in song as was a Wren booming out its song. Again, looking over the lake lots of Black Headed Gulls maybe in there 100’s we...

Grey Wagtail - Canop Pond (Bath Birdwatcher) Do we go to Pilning Wetlands for the Hooded Merganser or The Forest of Dean. The Merganser would not be a lifer as we saw the one at Radipole Lake in Weymouth some years ago so it was the forest. Driving up to the motorway a Red Kite was eyeing some roadkill and a Buzzard was seen from the motorway. The road from Lydney to Parkend was closed so we had to take a detour via Bream where we added Jackdaw. 1 st stop was Parkend where we were hoping for Hawfinch and talking to a fellow birder he had seen one high in a Beech Tree. We failed to find any during the time we were there but we did see Herring Gull, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Pied Wagtail, Great Tit, and Coal Tit. Time to move on to New Fancy viewpoint, as we got out of the car 2 Carrion Crows flew over and Blue Tits were in the trees, walking up to the viewpoint a Robin was singing. From the viewpoint Ravens flew over calling and a Blackbird flew by but the bird we were hoping to ...

  Saltford Weir - (Bath Birdwatcher) Saltford was chosen for this Tuesdays 3 Amigos birding trip as we only had a half day to spare. Another reason for choosing Saltford was 3 species had been reported that would be year ticks for Bryan and 2 for David and Tony. We parked in the car park by the river Avon and started walking towards the Jolly Sailor with Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Mistle Thrush, Robin and Jackdaw soon found, we arrived at a spot where the 1 st species   we hoped to find a Little Owl is regularly seen but even after a wait it was not showing but we did see House Sparrow and Goldfinch. We moved on   and a Blackbird, Magpie and a singing Song Thrush were seen. Across the river Carrion Crows were in the fields along with a single Black Headed Gull, a Cormorant and a Grey Heron flew upriver the heron landing on the opposite bank, and as we looked at it 2 Moorhens swam across the river. As we continued a Dunnock was spotted and Herring Gull and Collared Dove flew o...

  Robin - Ham Wall (Bath Birdwatcher) Not only was last Saturday Valentine’s day but also Bath RSPB’s monthly field trip, this month to The Somerset Levels and just for a change a dry and sunny day was promised. 25 members made it to the meeting place at “Ham Wall” for a 10am start. A few of the group went to Avalon Marshes hoping to locate American Wigeon and Green Winged Teal that had been reported in the area but as it turned out they failed to find either. While waiting for the rest of the group we spotted Blackbird and Redwing in an ivy-covered tree. Magpie, Cormorant and Carrion Crow all flew over. We all set off heading for Viewing point 1 (VP1) and soon spotted a male Chaffinch, Great and Long Tailed Tit. As crossed over the bridge down to our right a male Pheasant was in a field and the first of many Robins was singing in a bush,  Robin - Ham Wall (Bath Birdwatcher) Coots were seen in the distance as was the 1 st Marsh Harrier of the day and a Great Crested Grebe was...