Bath Birdwatcher

  Again this week the 3 Amigos were down to two as Bryan is on holiday in Devon. Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon was the choice of venue. We decided to start the day at picnic area no2 as it would be quieter therefore we hoped more birds would be seen. Setting off via The Globe Rooks were in the rookery then as we drove through Corston we spotted 3 Skylarks. Our next sightings were Collared Dove and Woodpigeon, A Buzzard drifted across the road and a single Swallow was sat on the wires we spotted 2 more during the day both sat on wires. A Great Tit was the last bird we saw on the journey. Parking in the picnic area a Dunnock was in the reeds in front of us and a Great Black Back Gull flew over. As I have mentioned before Cetti’s Warbler seen to fly after they sing and this again proved true as we could hear one singing and while looking in the direction of the song it broke from cover and flew away to our right,   but a few paces further on another was seen singing from an expose...

  This week’s bird spotting day out took us to the Somerset Levels but only 2 of the 3 Amigos were able to go. Bryan was unable to come so David and myself set off just before 9am and the bird sightings started almost immediately with Magpie, Woodpigeon, Starling and Lesser Black Back Gull all seen before we reached Radstock. Here we would normally turn right and head for Midsomer Norton but the road was closed so we had to go via the White Post pub and take the Wells road, we continued adding to the days list with Collared Dove, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Buzzard all ticked before we turned off the B3139 onto Leaze Drove   and followed the lanes all the way to Westhay. Again as we drove across the moors we added Carrion Crow, My 1 st 2 Swallows of the year sat on wires, Little Egret, Kestrel, Stock Dove, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Mallard and Mute Swan. After parking in the carpark I spotted 2 Jays flying over, we started the walk along Dagg’s La...

  This week’s walk was a day later than usual due to the weather, we were planning a trip to Lansdown to look for Wheatear but as it was so wet and Wednesday gave us another chance to get out we decided to visit Chew Valley Lake we thought it would still be to wet underfoot to go to Lansdown . On the drive to Chew we noted Rooks in the rookery at The Globe and Carrion Crow , Woodpigeon and Jackdaw as we went along. At Bishops Sutton our first House Martins of the year were circling the pub and a Magpie was also seen. At Herriotts on the pond were, Mute Swan , Mallard Coot, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck, Canada Goose, Black Headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Lesser Black Back Gull , Herring Gull, and Pintail . We chatted to Chris Craig who was checking out the gull flock and found 2 birds with the characteristics of Baltic Gull , these being slightly smaller and having a darker back than LBB Gull and to me it appeared the bill was much cleaner and colorful . On ...

  Today Bryan and I visited NSL where we met Roger and his son in law Richard, who was visiting from Singapore, David was away so it was the 4 of us. We met in the usual place by NSL farm shop and headed out of the village to the lanes, on the way seeing Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, and Woodpigeon. Once in the lanes our first sighting was a Buzzard flying low over the treetops, also noted were several Lesser Black Back Gulls circling high in the sky. Skylarks could be heard singing but took a while before we managed to spot one. Walking down to Seven Acre Wood a Dunnock was sat on the hedge and a Blackbird flew across the path a male Pheasant was at the bottom of the field and was joined by a female. As we walked around the outside of the wood a Chiffchaff was spotted in one of the trees and while looking at it Long Tailed and Blue Tits passed by. As we continued back through the village Goldfinch, Great Tit and Rook were logged. Through the churchyard and through the field towa...