30th August 2022 - Chew Valley Lake.

 

For today’s birding trip the 3 Amigos were joined by Kirsty but where to go it was a decision between Chew where a rare Phalarope had been seen or Chipping Sodbury Common for a Shrike. In the end Chew was chosen as the Phalarope would be a life tick but the Shrike a Steppe Grey Shrike was a sub species of Great Grey Shrike and wouldn’t be counted as a new bird.

On arriving at Chew there were already a lot of birders so hopes were high for the Phalarope, the day started with Mallard, Moorhen and Gadwall but as soon as the telescopes were set up we were soon into many waders with 6+ Lapwing, 15+ Green Sandpipers, 20+ Snipe 1 juvenile Ruff, 2 Knot and 10+ Common Sandpipers. A Grey Wagtail flew in front of us and a few Shoveler and Teal were seen. David spotted 3 Pintail in eclipse plumage feeding by one of the islands and House and Sand Martins were overhead. In amongst all the Black Headed Gulls was a Moorhen and a Pied Wagtail was on the now dry mud. On the main lake were 6 Great White Egrets 3 Grey Herons with a flock of Black Tailed Godwits. At the bottom of the outlet channel were 2 Little Egrets and on the far bank Magpie and Carrion Crow could be seen, a Woodpigeon flew over the reeds as did a Blue Tit and at the base of the reeds was a Robin. David spotted a Cattle Egret flying towards us and it landed on a post in the pool and David really had his spotting eyes on when he spotted a Kingfisher flying up the channel and disappeared into a tree. Moving back to our right I found a wader which proved to be a Greenshank but Bryan had found another wader which was a Spotted Redshank but before I could find it in the scope a Peregrine flew over scaring it off. Out to our right I found a large flock of Coot with a few Mute Swans in amongst them. While I was scanning for the spot red I found an Oystercatcher another scarce bird for Chew and then into my scope view wandered the Spotted Redshank. A Lesser Black Back Gull was on the shoreline while a Cormorant flew high overhead and a Great Black Back Gull flew down the lake. Next stop Herons Green where the 1st new bird here was an adult Yellow Legged Gull.

Yellow Legged Gull-Chew(Bath Birdwatcher)

On the small pond was a Little Grebe. Back on the main lake while scouring the mud I found a Wood Sandpiper and shortly after a small flock of waders which contained 1 Dunlin and 7 Ringed Plover. A flock of Swallows flew over seemingly on migration as they did not stop. Another David spot was 2 Stock Doves, While back on the main lake 2 Canada Geese and a Herring Gull were on the now exposed old road flooded when the lake was formed. On to our last stop at the picnic area seeing Jackdaw on the way. As we parked the car we could hear and see a flock of small birds in the trees behind the chip shop but moved to fast to identify but closer to the lake in smaller bushes Long Tailed Tits were found and on the lake a few Tufted Ducks were picked out. Back to the bushes where both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were both spotted while 2 Egyptian Geese were asleep on the bank. Bryan found a White Wagtail again on the bank, while eagle eyed David found a Treecreeper. We could hear the contact call of small birds and could see movement in a tree and eventually we found the culprits a family of Goldcrests. While looking a Rook flew by. Time to head for home and on the way added Starling, Buzzard and a Red Kite to our morning list. 59 species seen including 13 species of wader which must be the most we have ever seen in a single visit.

You will gather that we did not find the Red Necked Phalarope but still had a great morning.