Monday 29th May 2023 - NSL & Kelston View

 

Today my wife and myself were invited to my sone for a lunch time barbeque so we decided to start the day with a walk at Newton St Loe as its been a while since the two of us had visited together. We needed to visit the garden center plus go to my parents grave and check the flowers. This meant that our visit was a flying one so a few birds I recognised by their call were missed, Wren, Robin, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Goldcrest being just 5. In the field beyond the church was a Lesser Black Back Gull and on the road to Ripple Effect a Rook flew over and House Sparrows were in the hedges and Goldfinches were on the feeders. Nothing more was seen although in the woodlands Wren, Blackcap and Chiffchaff could be heard. Butterfly alley was devoid of butterflies but a Blackbird was on the footpath and Woodpigeons were in the trees above the stream. The fishing lake was closed as the fish are spawning so the 9 Mallard and a single Moorhen had the lake to themselves, a Grey Heron was on the far bank and Jackdaws were in the large dead tree. We stopped on the seat at the top of the slope by the top lake and here we watched 2 Coots with 3 young and a pair of Moorhen with a large chick and at least 2 small chicks which I think must be from a second brood. As we sat drinking coffee one of the Coots swam under the tree to our left and started fighting with the 2 adult Moorhens, the Moorhens giving as much as they got and eventually drove off the Coot. A Grey Wagtail flew past towards the bottom lake and a single Little Grebe came into view. Carrion Crows drifted over and a Raven flew into a fir tree where is sat out of sight continuously calling for a good 10 minutes before flying off. As I watch it disappear behind the trees a Red Kite was flying in the opposite direction over the trees in front of us flying in the Twerton direction. A single Mute Swan which looks like a male swan down the lake and started chasing a female Mallard and her 4 ducklings. I could see one of the Grey Herons nest with one bird sitting. Walking back to the car I spotted 2 Long Tailed Tits in the trees above the bottom lake.  Nothing more until we were sitting in  my son James garden having a barbecue here Starlings and a Blue Tit visited their feeders a Buzzard, Swift and Herring Gulls flew over.

Butterfly numbers were very bad with just 2 Speckled Wood seen as we sat by the top lake and an unidentified Blue butterfly flew over my sons garden.

Coot Chicks - Bath Birdwatcher