Friday 27th January 2024 - Newton St Loe

 

Mute Swan - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)
I like the reflection on this picture.

Today my wife and I paid our 1st visit of the year to Newton St Loe for a short walk from the church to the top lake and back, the weather conditions for the end of January were very nice with a breeze and lots of winter sunshine. From the field beyond the church our first sighting was a flyover Carrion Crow and in the lane Robin and Blue Tit were in the bushes and a Magpie was on the grass to our right. On the road to Ripple Effect Jackdaw, Redwing and Woodpigeon all flew by and a few House Sparrows were chirping in the hedgerow. A Great Tit was at Ripple Effect and a Grey Wagtail  flew from the stream by the side of the footpath, I don’t remember seeing one here before. At the bottom of the footpath a flock of Long Tailed Tits was in the trees and from Butterfly Alley I could see a Grey Heron in the field. A Wren called from the hedgerow and as I looked it flew further up the hedge. As we walked up to the bottom lake a Kingfisher called and I spotted a blue flash as it flew past and landed by the side of the lake in a bush. On the lake I counted 11 Mallard with 39 more on the top lake also a single Black Headed Gull and 1 Moorhen, And a Cormorant was sat in the top of a tree. Walking up to the top lake a Blackbird flew past and 5 more Moorhens were on the grass at the bottom of the lake. I counted at least 5 Coot 9 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swans 10 Teal and the female Tufted Duck on the lake but no sign of the Greylag Goose that had been seen earlier in the week. Walking back to the car a Raven flew towards the village as we walked past the bottom lake and by Ripple Effect a Chaffinch and a few Goldfinch flew off. A lovely walk but no year ticks which would have been a bonus.

Coot - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)


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