Bath Birdwatcher

  This year like most others has had its ups and downs but overall it has been an enjoyable year even though my year total was 2 less than last year 163 to 165. If you have followed my blogs you will have read that the 3 Amigos are bird spotters and not twitchers. (twitchers chase rare birds all over the country) if anything rarer turns up in this area and its on a day when we go spotting, then we might try to see it but only if its in an area where we can spot other birds along with the bird we have traveled to see. January. The year started well with a pair of Blackcaps in the garden and the following day the 2 nd Mary and I managed a short trip to Newton St Loe here the less common included  Teal, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck (f)  and Treecreeper always a nice bird to get early in the year before the leaves appear on the trees. The first trip the 3 Amigos made was to Chew Valley Lake nothing terribly exciting but Goosander are always a nice find. A week later on t...

  Bewick's Swan Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) The weather again dictated bird spotting this week, Tuesday being a wet day we moved our day out to Wednesday and as this would probably be the last time this year the 3 Amigos will be out and about Slimbridge was chosen for our last hoorah. On the journey to Slimbridge we spotted 2 Red Kites many Pheasants a flock of Fieldfares and 2 Buzzards sat in the same field. In the car park at Slimbridge we were welcomed with a huge flock of waders that had probably been put up by a bird of prey the flock consisted of many hundreds of Golden Plover and Lapwings along with a few Curlews and a small flock of Starlings. On the way into the center a Collared Dove was in a tree. Inside in the grounds we made for South Hide as high tide was just after lunch so we though that Tower Hide would be better then. On the way to the hide we ticked Rook, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Coot, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Geese, Mallard and Jackdaw.  Greylag Goose Sl...

  Great Crested Grebe in front of Stratford Hide - (Bath Birdwatcher) After yet another wet weekend and a very wet Monday it was again, where can we go, with fields and muddy footpaths out of the question, it needs to be made up footpaths so yet again good old Chew Valley Lake came to the rescue for the 3 Amigos. Starting at Herriotts we had already logged Jackdaw and Pheasant on the way. On the pond were Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Teal and Cormorant, plus Pied Wagtail and 4 species of gull, Great and Lesser Black Back, Black Headed and Common. Jay, Little Egret and a small flock of Starlings all flew over. On the main lake we added Great Crested Grebe and Pochard with fly over Blue Tit, Carrion Crow and Great White Egret. We walked to the left hand end of the pond and here we were treated to a lovely view of a bird you hear more often than see a Cetti’s Warbler which was on the edge of the reedbed we also added Moorhen, Canada Goose and Grey Wagtail. Back o...

  Another dilemma for the 3 Amigos due to the constant rain we seen to get most weeks, we had about 67mm of rain on Monday, we were unsure of where to go one thought had been Oldbury Power Station but there, is a lot of walking on grass so possibly very muddy and Portbury Wharf but the same would apply there so it had to be the old favorite Chew Valley Lake at least here most walking is on made up footpaths. While driving to Chew I happened to mention that a Great Northern Diver was at Barrow Tanks the previous day, and those of you who follow these blogs will have read that we visited the tanks a few weeks ago for the diver that was there then, and a Long Tailed Duck but the duck was seen well but not the diver. So at that moment Bryan who was driving suggested we should try again for the diver as it would be a year tick for him and me, David had seen one at Ferrybridge. We arrived at the car park by Tank 3 and as we drove in a Magpie was seen. Walking towards the tank David spott...

  Today Bryan was decorating and David was feeling under the weather so it was just me, and another chance for a patch walk at Newton St Loe. Driving into the village a Magpie flew in front of the car and a Jackdaw was sat on a telegraph pole. Parking by the church, a Blue and Great Tit were in the Yews in the church yard. In the field beyond were 2 Song Thrushes and 17 Redwings,  the usual Lesser Black Back Gull was on the cottage chimney at the bottom of the field, Rooks were flying over towards the university and back again along with a few Wood Pigeons. At Ripple Effect a Blackbird was in the trees with more Blue and Great Tits, and House Sparrows were chirping in the hedgerow with  Goldfinches  in the treetops. Down the footpath a Wren showed for a few seconds and a Robin was in a bush. Looking along the stream from the top of Butterfly Alley 3 Grey Heron were in the trees above the stream. On the bottom lake was 2 Black Headed Gulls and 2 Kingfishers one flying...

  Today Bryan and Tony were joined by our wives for a coffee and a walk at Newton St Loe. After coffee in the farm shop we walked via the drive towards the university and immediately noted 3 covid species Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Rook the last outnumbering the other 2 by at least 20 to 1.  Rook - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher) We then noticed a few gulls circling above and we were able to identify Common and Black Headed, It was a bit chilly and breezy so for that reason not many small birds were seen. At the top lake 39 Mallards were counted plus 6 Moorhens and 6 Coots. 2 Cormorants were sat in their usual tree along with a single Wood Pigeon. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into a tree by the Temple and a Raven flew from a tree in the same place and while watching the woodpecker we noticed several Coal Tits working their way through the trees. On the lake the single Mute Swan was under the trees on the far bank along with 4 Teal. Next were Blue and Long Tailed Tits in the trees abo...

  This week the 3 Amigos had decided to go to Barrow Tanks as 2 species that would be new for the year had been recorded there. On arriving at the tanks we parked by tank 3 which is wooded with a lot of bushes and shrubs hence plenty of small birds including Great, Blue, Coal and Long Tailed Tits as well as Goldcrest and Wren. Blackbirds and a Song Thrush were eating berries. As we reached Tank 3 Great Crested Grebe and Mute Swan were the 1 st 2 species of water bird seen we soon added Mallard and Coot and at the northern end of the tank lots of Cormorant, I didn’t count them but there must have been 50+. A Pied Wagtail flew over and at the top of the lake Bryan spotted a Little Grebe also seen were a few Tufted Ducks and Coots. Looking to the east over the A38 into the fields beyond was a large flock of gulls containing Black Headed, Common and Lesser Black Back. Nothing more was seen and as we walked towards Tank 2 Carrion Crow and Magpie were seen. Tank 2 was very quiet with ju...

  Today the 3 Amigos were doing a recce for the Bath RSPB’s fieldtrip on this coming Saturday to Severn Beach and Pilning Wetlands. Setting off from Bath in the rain we hoped by the time we reached the Severn Estuary it would have passed, as that is the way it looked on the forecast. Traveling along the M4/M48 to the Avonmouth junction it was very wet with lots of spray but as we got to the M48 the weather brightened up and as we were passing Aust we decided to start the day here. Collared Doves were the first birds of the day soon followed by a male Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Magpie. After safely parking we followed a footpath towards the 1 st Severn crossing at first things appeared very quiet but we soon ran into a tit flock containing Great, Blue and Long Tailed plus one of many Robins. Next we could hear the call of Stonechat’s   which sounds like 2 pebbles being hit together and found a male and female and maybe another pair but they were so active it was hard to keep ...

  Bird spotters all have bogey birds that they have been trying to find for years, we call them BLOCKERS,   amongst many for me is Short Eared Owl so it was great to hear that one had been seen from a train at Batheaston on Friday but too late in the day to see it then also Saturday was out as I promised Mary we would do a walk at Newton St Loe (see previous blog) so Saturday was out. Well we decided Sunday morning we would try for it but when we got up it was awful weather which no self-respecting owl would choose to go out in so instead had an early lunch. The weather was looking just slightly better so decided to go for it. It was still dull and overcast but not raining so was hoping for the best. When we arrived at the place it had been seen, 2 other guys were there looking for it but it had been a no show   but we hung around waiting watching a Kestrel out hunting and in the distance a Red Kite being mobbed by a Herring Gull. I watched the Kite as it flew closer but...

  NSL Boathouse with the lonely Mute Swan - Bath Birdwatcher When we woke up on Saturday it was such a beautiful day we decided to go for a walk at Newton St Loe as we have not visited since the 26 th of October and we were interested not only in the bird life but the autumn colour’s of the trees. We arrived parking as usual by the church where in the field beyond the church we found our first sightings Magpie, Jackdaw and Rooks all flyover. In the hedgerow opposite the cottages were Blue Tits and Woodpigeons and Long Tailed Tits were in the trees by Ripple Effect. On the footpath were Blackbird and Robin and on reaching Butterfly Alley a Grey Heron was in the trees above the stream, and a Wren flew into the hedge to our right. The lake outlet was a real torrent over the waterfall which was expected due to the amount of rain we have had recently. Waterfall NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)  Up to the bottom lake where 2 Kingfishers were playing chase and I thought I heard a possible 3...

  Greylag Geese - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) We discussed this weekend where to go on Tuesday and decided somewhere along the Severn Estuary would be the best bet and after looking at Monday’s sightings Slimbridge was decided upon as a White Rumped Sandpiper had been seen which would be a lifer for all three of us and also Little Stints and a Garganey were also present, WELL after looking for about 5 hours and asking many people none of the birds could be found but that didn’t stop us having a good day and were rewarded with 54 species. We didn’t start counting sightings until we reached Slimbridge and while standing in the car park a huge flock of waders flew over, many 100’s of Golden Plover probably close to 1000 also flying were 100+ Lapwing and about a dozen Black Tailed Godwits. As we readied ourselves Jackdaw and Rook were also seen. Walked to the entrance Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Moorhen and Mute Swan were all seen. Once in the grounds we headed for the Pen...