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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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Tuesday 19th May 2026 - Monkton Combe to Tucking Mill.

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  Midford Castle - (Bath Birdwatcher) Bird spotting is a strange pastime not strange peculiar, but strange in a way that some days you hear and see all the species that call or sing but not today. It was just Bryan and Tony and we went to Monkton Combe to walk to Tucking Mill and back. We parked at the bottom of Combe Hay Lane and here the day started with Magpies in the fields and Jackdaws flying around, as we started the walk a Lesser Black Back Gull flew high over and a Green Woodpecker called in the distance with another calling later in the walk but neither showed. Plenty of Pheasants were in the fields with some only showing their heads in the long grass, As we walked along the lane towards Tucking Mill Woodpigeons flew out from the hedgerow in front of us, a singing Robin was our next find and Carrion Crows in a field of cows soon followed. At Tucking Mill a Nuthatch visited the feeders and walking up to the Pond an Orange Tip butterfly flew past. Nothing was found on the po...
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Wednesday 13th May 2026 - Martin Down National Nature Reserve.

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  Bath RSPB,s monthly field trip was a visit to Martin Down National Nature Reserve 13 members arrived and we were led by Glen who knows the area well. While waiting in the car park for everyone to arrive Whitethroats and Skylarks were calling and in the end we all managed good sightings of both, We also heard the never to be forgotten call of the Cuckoo calling from a wooded area next to the car park but not showing, as we were there we set off in the hope of finding the Cuckoo, walking down a footpath to the open area of the reserve several members managed a glimpse of the bird but the majority missed it so we set off hoping to find it later. We soon added Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon then as luck would have it the Cuckoo flew past us heading in the direction we were going. Next our 1 st butterfly of the day was seen a Small Copper. As we continued a Red Kite was spotted in the distance, we later saw 2 more but this time much closer. Our 2 nd butterfly soon followed a Grizzled S...
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Thursday 23rd April 2026 - Chew Valley Lake.

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  Sister-in-law (Yvonne) suggested that 4 of us could have a day out together (that’s Bryan, Mary and Tony plus Yvonne) she suggested Chew Valley Lake where we could have fish and chips for lunch and afternoon tea at Woodford Lodge, and Thursday turned out to be the best day as it suited everyone. We took coffee with us to have during the morning. We decided to start the day at Herons Green as its very picturesque and a good place for coffee and a biscuit. Obviously Bryan and I took our binoculars to do a bit of bird spotting and from the car we spotted Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot and Canada Goose. Coffee drunk we crossed the road to look over the pond where another birder was stood at the right beyond the pond so we wandered up and had a chat and he had found a Sedge Warbler that was sat on a patch of brambles and he let us view it through his telescope (a year tick for us both). While standing their Reed Warblers were singing some flying from cover to another spot. Several Sand M...
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