Friday 5th August 2022 - Newton St Loe

 

A very short visit to NSL today proved to give the very worst of bird spotting with very few species seen and the very best that I will get on to later.

Mary my wife and myself Tony arrived at 10am for just a couple of hours and set off from the church. In the field beyond the church a small flock of Carrion Crows were on the ground with a couple of Woodpigeons flying over, in the hedgerow by Send a Cow were several House Sparrow and on the cottage wall a juvenile Robin was stood. Send a cow woodland was very quite  with just a Nuthatch seen but 3 butterflies Meadow Brown, Small White and Speckled Wood were seen. Butterfly Alley didn’t live up to its name with just a Gatekeeper seen although a Buzzard was calling over the trees and eventually drifted into view. Walking on towards the bottom lake 10 Jackdaw flew over calling. On the bottom lake a Grey Heron was stood at the bottom end and on the lake.

Grey Heron (Bath Birdwatcher)

On the lake were 3 groups of Mallard adding up to a total of 12 birds. A House Martin called above where several flew over which led me to find 4 Buzzards circling high in the sky. A family of Long Tailed Tits were working their way through the lakeside trees. As usual the top lake which is more wildlife friendly was busier with at least 8 adult Coot with at least 2 young and large numbers of Moorhen probably 12+ including a few well grown young plus a least 1 small chick. A Black Headed Gull was sat in the usual tree and a pair of Mute Swans were feeding in the middle of the lake with another 11 Mallard spread all over the surface with the single female Tufted Duck. A Kingfisher darted from the top lake towards the bottom lake but not seen again and 3 Stock Doves were flying backwards and forwards over the water, and a Swallow flew low over the lake taking a drink. Now on to the very best of birding, if you have read my last blog from NSL you would have noted that last week I found 2 Little Grebe chocks with their 2 parents well today there was 5 yes 5 chicks which I was very excited to find, they were on the far side of the lake so this is only a record shot of the chicks.

Record shot of Little Grebe Chicks (Bath Birdwatcher)

So all in all not a good day bird wise or butterfly but fantastic to find the Little Grebes have 5 chicks.

Top Lake NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)




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