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Tuesday 24th February 2026 - Forest of Dean

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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 ...
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Tuesday 17th February 2026 - Saltford

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  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...
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Saturday 14th February 2026 - Somerset Levels

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  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...
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Tuesday 10th February 2026 Chew Valley Lake / Blagdon

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  This week the 3 Amigos had planned to spend a day at Chew and Blagdon but in the end Bryan was unable to come with us as his wife was feeling unwell so it was Just David and Tony. As it has been over the whole country the weather has been diabolical, day after day of rain and today was no different with light rain falling as we left. Driving to Chew the day started with a field full of gulls but it was so gloomy we could only identify a Herring   Gull and as we continued a Skylark flew across the road in front of us. Carrion Crow and Jackdaw also flew over and a Starling was seen on a telegraph pole. Approaching Chew a Blackbird flew by. At Herriotts on the pond were Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard and Coot. A Pied Wagtail was walking along the waters edge   and out on the pond were Shelduck, Teal, Moorhen and Tufted Duck. David spotted a Marsh Harrier flying across the main lake. Back on the pond a Grey Heron was on the far side of the lake with a Cormorant drying it...
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2025 Birding Year Highlights

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             My 2025 Birding Year Highlights.   January. The year started for me on the 2 nd with a half day at Newton St Loe and amongst the usual sightings the highlight was 5 + Hawfinch a great start to the year, also Greenfinch, Nuthatch and a single Wigeon the first I have seen here. On the 7 th at the same venue a Little Egret was unusual. The 14 th took us to East Harptree woods and Chew Valley lake, at the woods were Siskin, Crossbill and Lesser Redpoll and at Chew a Red Breasted Merganser was a bird rare. On the 19th was the years 1 st Bath RSPB field trip, this one being to Blagdon and here a Ringed Neck Duck and female Scaup being the pick of the day’s sightings. The 21 st took us to Slimbridge lots of year ticks but the standout sightings were Whooper Swan and Water Rail. The last outing of the month was a return to Chew where Glossy Ibis and Goosander were year ticks Ring Necked Duck - Blagdon Whooper Swan...
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Tuesday 20th February 2026 - WWT Slimbridge

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  Snowdrops - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) A change of venue this week, WWT Slimbridge as it’s a good place to see lots of wildfowl   with numbers of geese that we would be hard pushed to find locally. Bryan was unable to join us, so it was just David and myself, Tony. On the way driving over Lansdown we spotted a field full of gulls some flying, these were easily identifiable as Common Gulls we also spotted 2 Red Kites as we were about to join the A46 plus another in the Kingscote area. 2 Ravens flew over the A46 in front of us. Driving up the approach road to Slimbridge Collared Doves were seen and in a field by the sharp S bend was a Little Egret. Nothing new until we were in the grounds where Coot and Moorhen were everywhere, making our way to the Decoy Hide Mallards were in the water and Goldfinch called from the trees above our heads and our first of many Cormorants flew over. From the hide we watched Tufted Duck, Gadwall while David pointed out a huge flock of Lapwing ...
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Tuesday 13th January 2026 - Chew Valley Lake

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  Another wet day with little promise that conditions would improve so another trip to Chew Valley Lake was on the cards. Our local WhatsApp group has been reporting several good bird species at Lordswood,   Crossbill and Redpoll being just 2 and with it sort of being on the way to Chew we decided to take a look checking out mainly parking. On arrival at the main gate entrance there was just 2 spaces with a large puddle in the middle, we did tuck the car off the road but not in the puddle to have a look but this is a working wood and the track was all cut up and very muddy so we moved up the lane 100yards or so to a footpath entrance but again it was very muddy but we did venture out of the car for a look here we saw Dunnock, Pheasant, Magpie and Carrion Crow. Realising Wellington Boots were needed we headed for Chew. First stop Herriotts Bridge but it was very unpleasant with rain falling heavily so birding from the car was the order of the day but with the rain   blowin...
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