My Birding Year 2023 Part 2. April to June

 

The first 3 months of the year proved to be very similar to 2022 with 105 species seen against 104 in 2022, so the hope was that the following 3 months would continue in the same vein.

April.

This month started with a visit to Newton St Loe but nothing new for the year was found but a Kingfisher is always a bird that is good to see. Our next birding trip was the monthly RSPB field trip on the 16^th, this month was a visit to Blakehill Farm and Cotswold Water Park. Blakehill is a reserve aimed at farmland birds but on the day (maybe it was a little early in the year) proved to be somewhat underwhelming we did manage Skylark and Meadow Pipit and probably the best sightings were Curlew, and here they are hoping the birds will stay and breed. We also found a singing Willow Warbler, a year tick plus Red Kites. On to the water park where Red Crested Pochard, Reed Bunting and Oystercatcher were all year ticks. The 18^th was the Amigos next trip this time to Chew and Blagdon Lakes starting at Chew House Martins were a year tick. Next stop Blagdon where a Ring Necked Duck had been around for a while but we had not had the opportunity to visit until now at first it didn’t look promising looking for a single duck in such a vast lake, walking around the lakeside road we stumbled upon a flock of Tufted Ducks with the Ring Necked Duck amongst them, and luckily close to the near bank so a photo could be taken.

Ring Necked Duck - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)

Back to Chew to finish the day but no more year ticks. Tuesday 25^th we spent the day on the Somerset Levels starting at Westhay and here the day started well with 5 year ticks, Cattle Egret, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Swift. Cetti’s Warbler and Marsh Harrier were also good to see. After lunch at Ham Wall we walked along the old railway  and had another 6 year ticks Whimbrel, Ruff, 4 Glossy Ibis, Spotted Redshank, Garganey and Garden Warbler, bringing my year total to 123.

Glossy Ibis - Ham Wall (Bath Birdwatcher)

May

On the 3^rd we made a trip to Newton St Loe, no year ticks were found but Whitethroat, Treecreeper and Nuthatch are worth a mention as is Moorhen and Coots with chicks, a return on the 9^th was a similar day with 5 Grey Heron notable as are 2 Ravens. On the 14^th a Peregrine flew over the garden (a year Tick). Tuesday the 16^th we returned to the Somerset Levels and as before we started at Westhay where a Cuckoo was our only year tick but Cattle Egrets were also good to find. At Ham Wall we knew a life tick for me had been seen just beyond the 1^st viewing platform and when we arrived several people were looking but it had not been seen but it had been heard singing in the reeds so we waited and eventually it showed low in the reedbed a Great Reed Warbler Bryan and David had seen them before abroad so were only UK ticks for them. 

Great Reed Warbler - Ham Wall (Bath Birdwatcher)

Another great find on the day was a Black Tern and a Hobby. Next was a trip on the 23^rd to Seaton and Beer with Mary and Yvonne. Seaton wetlands was our 1^st stop but here we saw nothing new for the year a Green Woodpecker on a fencepost being a highlight but at Beer we sat on the beach having tea watching a Fulmar and out to sea passing Gannets. A diving Shag was also seen adding 3 more year ticks. Our last field trip of the month was a recce for the following Saturdays monthly RSPB trip to Stockhill where Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher were new for the year and also worth mentioning was Green Hairstreak butterfly and Spruce Carpet and Clouded Border moth. We returned home via Chew where a Common Sandpiper at Herons Green was also a year tick.

June

Saturday the 3^rd was the RSPB field trip to Stockhill and following our visit earlier in the week we headed to where the Tree Pipit was seen and yes it was still present Tom had his telescope allowing many a close view. Singing Reed Bunting and Willow Warbler were nice to hear and see as was a few Siskins seen later in the day in the woodland. Green Hairstreak butterfly, Forester and Brimstone moth were also pointed out. On Monday the 5^th the 3 Amigos were invited to visit an RSPB site called New Franchises, a place not open to the general public, for a guided walk. The place was full of ticks so we had to be very careful not to get them on our skin although we did find a few on our clothing. Nothing new was found bird wise, but we did see a lot of Spotted Flycatchers and a single Firecrest which on its own would have made the day. From Friday 9^th until the 16^th Mary and I spent a week in South Devon with Mary’s cousin and her husband and although we had a good week with some birding the only bird of note was another Firecrest at Overbeck gardens and Greenfinches that regularly sat in a tree close to our accommodation. Our final trip of the month was to Slimbridge where Bryan and myself plus our wives visited. The reason for the visit was because 2 birds had been seen and both would be UK ticks for us the 1^st a Black Winged Stilt was part of an influx of these wading birds over the country and is a species I have seen in France but never here so it was great to see this individual.

Black Winged Stilt - Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher)

The second was a Bluethroat seen from the summer walkway a lovely bird which a kind birder allowed us to view it through his telescope. Barnacle Goose and Little Ringed Plover were also year ticks bringing my year total to 139, 3 more than in the same period last year.