Bath Birdwatcher

  Another visit to Newton St Loe again hoping for Spotted Flycatcher but again with no luck, I would have expected to have seen them by now so hoping they are late arriving. Visited today with my wife and parked by the church and started off through the churchyard and into the field beyond here a Lesser Black Gull, Jackdaw, Rook and Woodpigeon all flew over. Goldfinch were on the wires by the cottages opposite Send a Cow and Great and   Blue Tits were in the trees by Send a Cow. Very quiet through the woods with Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing but from cover and we were unable to find either. On to Butterfly Alley where a Stock Dove flew into the trees above the stream and a Chiffchaff was in the hedge catching insects. A Buzzard was soaring far in the distance. Up to the bottom lake where a party of Long Tailed Tits were working there way through the trees by the lake. On the lake and annoying a fisherman were 15 Mallard one female had 5 well grown ducklings with another sm...

  For the second week in a row the 3 Amigos were down to 2 David being away but we were joined by Kirsty a new member of the Bath branch of the RSPB and a very keen young birder. She joined us today as we were visiting Newton St Loe somewhere she had never been. I picked her up just before 9am then Bryan before we set off for NSL. We parked in the usual place outside the farm shop but today we decided to try and find Spotted Flycatchers which for the past 2 years had been in a place that we don’t usually visit on our normal walk. We were unsuccessful in finding Spot fly but as we walked to the spot where we had seen them before found Rook, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Swallow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, and Blackbird. In the wooded area where the Spot Fly had been Bryan noticed a bird fly onto a mature tree and start running up it, a Nuthatch soon followed by Great and Blue Tit. Walking back towards the farm shop Magpie and Mistle ...

  This week’s birding trip was only a half day and with just Bryan and myself, David is away for a few days. As time was against us we decided the only option was Newton St Loe so I picked up Bryan and off we went parking outside the farm shop. There seemed to be lots of birds flying about and the 1 st we spotted was a Blue Tit. House Martins and Swallows were abundant, as were a flock of about 8 Lesser Black Back Gulls circling over the village, Jackdaws were constantly flying over along with the odd Woodpigeon. House Sparrows were in the Holly outside the church hall and 3 Starlings were on a roof. Heading out of the village to the lanes Rooks were seen flying towards the fields. Walking up the lanes a Twin Spot Carpet Moth was seen on a leaf and a Whitethroat was heard but it wasn’t until we reached the lookout and one parachuted that we saw one, we did hear at least 3 more. Walking towards 7 Acre Wood a Jay was seen, and a female Yellowhammer was spotted with a beak full of in...

  Today was the local RSPB’s field trip to the Quantocks following the recee the 3 Amigos plus one did last Monday. Bryan was not able to come but Kirsty a fairly new and young member came with us. Its so good to find someone of her age so   enthusiastic about birds and was a pleasure to help with identification. We set off at 7.55 and even before we met Kirsty a Jay was spotted and as we had to pass Chew Valley Lake we intended to stop at Herriotts for a quick look, whilst in transit we added Buzzard, Starling, House Martin, Goldfinch and Collared Dove . At Chew we ticked  Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Shelduck, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Herring Gull, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black Back Gull, and Swifts, All to soon we had to move on adding Moorhen, Swallow and Pied Wagtail to the days list before we arrived at Bowling Green car park in Holford where we met up with 5 other members, not a big turnout but with a small group most would be able to see any sigh...

  This week the 3 Amigos plus 1 went on a recce to the Quantocks, before the Bath branch of the RSPB,s monthly field trip there next Saturday. The plus 1 was Tom who will be leading the trip on Saturday. We were to meet a local birder was going to show us some places where target birds could be seen. Leaving Bath a 08.00 we picked   up Bryan and while driving there we spotted our 1 st Swifts of the year flying over the Oval. After picking up Bryan we headed out to Radstock to pick up Tom and set off for Bowling Green Car Park in Holford going via Wells, Street and Bridgewater, on the way logging Buzzard, Collared Dove, Rook, Lesser Black Back Gull, Swallow and Starling. Unfortunately due to the traffic and road works we arrived at 10.15, 15 minutes after the arranged meeting time but luckily our guide was still there waiting for us. Robin, Blackbird and Goldcrest were soon seen and as we walked along the track through the trees a Song Thrush was seen on a grass bank. As we he...

  Two short visits to NSL the first on the 30 th April when 24 species were seen which included 4 Coot on the top lake and 3 Grey Herons nests in the tall trees on the left of the lake with only 2 nests seemingly occupied with 2 birds at each plus a single Heron at the top end of the lake. Mallards were in short supply with just 8 seen in total on the top and bottom lake although one of the female ducks on the bottom lake had 4 ducklings.  Female Mallard with 4 ducklings-NSL(Bath Birdwatcher) Just 3 Moorhens were seen with many I guess concealed in the reeds, the 2 Mute Swans were also present but with no signs of them nesting. 2 Buzzards flew fairly low over the lake heading towards the bottom lake and a single Cormorant was sat in its usual tree. A single Blackcap was seen in Send a Cow woodland with many more heard during the walk but very few Chiffchaff heard but none seen. Back in the village 3 Swallows were on the wires by the Farm Shop but nothing else of any significa...