Tuesday 28th November 2023 - Newton St Loe.

 

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 down the lake clutching a small fish in its bill. A Cormorant flew down the lake heading down the stream and a single Moorhen and a pair of Mallards were at the top end. 

Mallard pr NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

On the top lake were another 20 Mallards, 7 Coots and a fantastic total of 8 Little Grebe. Also seen was the female Tufted Duck, the resident Mute Swan and another 18 Black Headed Gulls plus 1 Common Gull.

Female Tufted Duck NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Little Grebe NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

 I sat in the Temple to drink my coffee and with that 3 Lesser Black Back Gulls flew in 1 adult and 2 juveniles. A Grey Wagtail flew up the lake and I found it later where the stream joins the lake. 2 Goldcrests were in one of the fir trees and on the far bank under the trees asleep were 4 Teal. I then walked to the bridge over the stream but nothing new was found but another 2 or the same 2 Kingfishers as seen  before, were seen. At this point I decided to retrace my steps back to the car, I hadn’t mover more than a couple of steps when a bird flew onto the trunk of a tree to my left a Nuthatch, I heard a couple earlier in the walk but failed to see them. In the trees to the right of the bottom lake 2 Cormorants were sat on a branch. Back at Butterfly Alley 2 Carrion Crows were in the field and when I got to Ripple Effect a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over, another bird I had heard earlier but failed to find. Walking up the field towards the church 2 Mistle Thrushes were in one of the trees and in the church yard a Long Tailed Tit was seen. Back at the car a Pied Wagtail was the last sighting of the walk. Back at home my feeder needed filling which attracted lots of House Sparrows, a male Blackcap, 1 Dunnock and 2 Collared Doves.

Kingfisher female NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

This dead pike was on the outward stream probably killed by an Otter.

Dead Pike (Bath Birdwatcher)