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Tuesday 21st July 2026 - Chew Valley Lake

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Gadwall - CVL (library Picture)  Another half day is all we could spare this week so Chew was chosen as the chance of seeing something different is greater here. Just two of us David and Tony. Setting off heading for our 1 st stop at Herriotts we spotted Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Jackdaw on the journey. At Herriotts Mute Swans stood out against the dark water, Lots of Black Headed Gulls were in the water by the island but checking through them no other species of gull was found. Coot, Gadwall and Teal were spotted and 11 Green Sandpipers were counted along with 3 Lapwings. Mallards in eclipse plumage plus a single Cattle Egret in full summer plumage were noted. Moorhen, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail and Dunnock soon followed. On the main lake a Great Black Back Gull flew away in the distance and a flock of House Martins circled high above us. On the side of the lake, we noted Great White Egret and Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe were the only other water birds we could...
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Monday 13th to Thursday 16th July - Weymouth & Portland.

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  Monday 13 th July The first of a few days at Ferrybridge with my wife Mary, David and Hazel in their caravan at Ferrybridge. When we arrived we were greeted by Cheryl, David and Hazel’s daughter who had been staying over the weekend and stayed to welcome us, a lovely thought and great to see her. Car unpacked and lunch eaten we took Cheryl to the station for her train home. The four of us then drove to Lodmoor for a walk and a spot of birding. We parked at the far side of the reserve and walked down the left-hand side Swallow being the first birds we saw lined up on overhead wires, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Black Headed Gull were all seen flying over the reserve. Reaching the bottom of the footpath at the open water a Moorhen was our 1 st sighting and a Blackbird flew past into cover, an Oystercatcher was standing on the bridge and a Little Egret was at the back of the pond and a Herring Gull was stood in the water and a flock of Starlings flew past. Mediterranean Gulls we...
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Saturday 11th July 2026 - Blashford Lake (Bath RSPB field trip)

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  RSPB Bath members For the final Bath RSPB field trip of the season, we visited Blashford Lakes Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing turn out with only 6 members attending. It turned out to be a near perfect day with bright sunshine but a cooling breeze blowing and with tree cover for the morning part of the visit giving plenty of shade. As we all assembled in the car park our 1 st bird of the day was a fly past Red Kite followed by 2 Stock Doves that flew into the trees and started calling which enabled us to point out the different call against Wood Pigeons. Walking towards the Woodland hide a Robin was on the footpath and a Grey Heron was on a fallen tree on the far side of the right-hand pond. Nothing from the hide so we made our way to the next hide adding Woodpigeon as we went. From the hide were many Common Terns with fewer Black Headed Gulls. Mallards were the only visible ducks, a Cormorant was fishing and I then spotted a Hobby away to ou...
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Tuesday 7th July 2026 - Chew Valley Lake

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  Canada Geese - Herons Green (Bath Birdwatcher) This week it was a half day at Chew Valley Lake the first time we have visited since the 23 rd of April. I decided not to start listing until we reached Chew but a Collared Dove at Bishop Sutton was worth recording. At Herriotts the list really began to grow with Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot and Gadwall all seen as we found a parking space. Once out of the car and telescope set up we found 8 Green Sandpipers and a Lapwing in the shallow water and in the deeper water Tufted Ducks and on the overflow at least 2 Egyptian Geese with the Canada Geese. House Martins swooped down over the pond drinking and a Pied Wagtail walking along the wall. On the main lake was a Great White Egret, Shelduck and Grey Heron with Woodpigeon Jackdaw and Black Headed Gulls flying over. Back on the pond were a pair of Teal. Moving on Stratford was the next stop with House Sparrows seen as we drove down the lane and from the car park a Cattle Egret flew over. Onc...
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Tuesday 30th June 2026 - Newton St Loe

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  Not been able to do a blog for a while as I had a problem with my laptop so had to get it sorted which took over a week, It had to be completely wiped, luckily I do back it up which they were able to use to restore all my data. Also, we had a few days in Liverpool followed by a few days later a week in North Yorkshire. I did do some birding in Yorkshire but nothing worth recording except Red Kites that we saw multiple times every day. This blog covers the 30 th of July when David and Tony spent a morning at Newton St Loe the main aim was to visit 7 Acre for butterflies. We parked at the farm shop where House Martins and Swallows were flying over and as we walked towards the lanes a Blackbird flew off in front of us. As we reached the lanes a Robin was on the hedge and David spotted a Muntjac Deer standing in the lane and when it spotted us it wandered into the hedgerow never to be seen again. A Lesser Black Back Gull flew over and we saw our 1 st butterfly of the day a Gateke...
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Tuesday 9th June 2026 - Somerset Levels.

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  Great Crested Grebe with young - Westhay (Bath Birdwatcher)   No Bryan this week so David and Tony took the opportunity to visit the Somerset Levels, our 1 st stop was going to be Westhay, on the way we spotted a Kestrel and a Red Kite, a good way to start the day. Driving across the levels the list really started to build with Blackbird, Goldfinch, Mute Swans, Canada and Greylag Geese and plenty of Swifts, in fact everywhere we walked or drove swifts were seen in quite large numbers, so if you have no swifts where you are they are on the levels. At Westhay our 1 st sighting was a Magpie and as we started the walk up the drove 2 Carrion Crows were on the path. Great Crested Grebe and Coot were found in the pools and we heard the call of a Cuckoo and as we scanned the line of trees that the call was coming from it burst from cover and flew of, we heard the call all morning and had 2 more sightings of it in flight. A pair of Mallard and a distant Marsh Harrier both seen from...
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Monday 25th May 2026 - Nagshead & Canop Pond

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  This week’s birding adventure took the 3 Amigos to Nagshead in the Forest of Dean in search of a bird that we are unlikely to see anywhere else that we bird spot. The forecast was for a very hot day so armed with plenty of drinks we set off, I waited until we arrived before I started my day list. On arrival we were greeted by several House Martins flying over and as we set off towards the lower hide a pair of Mallards were in the top pond. The water level was very low and we were told that it completely dried out last year. Continuing our walk we soon added Robin and Blackbird to our lists. David then spotted movement by a nest box and found a male Pied Flycatcher shortly after the female appeared and as we watch both visited the nest box, these birds were the reason we were   as they abandon the nesting area as soon as the chicks fledge and start the long trip back to Africa. After watching for a long time, we moved on towards the hide only to be stopped in our tracks by a ...
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