My Birding Year 2023 Part 3 July to September.

 

Portland Obs & Lighthouse (Bath Birdwatcher)

At this point last year my total was 136 sightings against 140 this year and was hoping this quarter would bring many more year ticks and with a bit of luck some lifetime ticks or as we call them lifers.

July

Our 1st trip of the month was a visit to Chew Valley lake where 49 bird 8 butterfly and 3 moth species were seen the highlights were 2 ticks Spotted Redshank and Kingfisher. Also of note was an Essex Skipper butterfly and a Shaded Broad Bar moth. Next trip was a half day on the 13th to Newton St Loe taking in the lanes as well as the lakes nothing new was seen but Yellowhammers in the lanes and Little Grebe with chicks was great to see. The highlights of the day was 9 species of butterfly with White Letter Hairstreak a standout and a Scorched Carpet moth a close 2nd. 

Scorched Carpet moth (Bath Birdwatcher)

On the 25th we joined a Bath Nats walk on Lansdown mainly searching for butterflies and 15 species were found, probably the most I have seen in one day nothing rare Marbled White and Holly Blue were nice finds, we also found 6 moth species with Yarrow Plume a lifer for me. On Monday 31st Mary and Tony joined David and Hazel for a few days stay in their caravan at Ferrybridge, and on the 1st day doing a short walk to Ferrybridge Little Tern, Ringed Plover and Turnstone were year ticks.

White (Polish) Cygnet - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)

August

Day 2 of the short holiday we visited Portland where a Wheatear at the bill was a year tick as was a Wall butterfly, and at King-Barrow Quarry we found lots of Butterflies the best being Chalkhill Blues. 

Chalkhill Blue - Portland (Bath Birdwatcher)

Wednesday 2nd it was Lodmoor where Greenshank, Mediterranean Gull and Sandwich Tern were all year ticks. In the evening we walked to Ferrybridge where amongst the waders on show were a few Sanderling another year tick. The next day the 3rd was another lovely day and decided that Portland Bill would be a good starling point for the day and was a good choice as we added 2 more year ticks, Little Owl and the local Fulmars showing. 

Little Owl - Portland (Bath Birdwatcher)

We returned to base camp for lunch and after made a return trip to King Barrow Quarry where a Lesser Whitethroat was the highlight of the day 9 species of moth was also good to see with more Chalkhill Blues and a Small Copper were of note. We also had a first for the year Moth, a Hummingbird Hawk-Moth always a great find. The next trip was going to be a trip to Chipping Sodbury Common but cows and bad weather halted that so we moved to Kingsgate Park in Bristol but nothing new for the year but a fall of Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were outstanding. Sunday 18th to Friday 18th Mary and Tony spent a few days with Mary’s sister in her Chalet nr Brixham. During the week I was able to add 3 more birds to my year list, Kittiwake, Cirl Bunting and Pied Flycatcher. The Cirl Buntings are particularly good finds as its only South Devon where you find these birds. You can go months or at times years between Hummingbird Hawk-Moths sightings so 2 together was fantastic with a single on another day. On the 29th the David and Tony visited Aust Wharf and New Passage with Green Woodpecker and Wheatear nice to see but nothing new for the year was found.

September

On the 9th we visited Newton St Loe for the morning , nothing new was found but a pair of Tufted Ducks was unusual, a female had been present for most of the year. The following week it was Chew Valley Lake again, although we found 52 species none were year ticks Green and Common Sandpipers plus Yellow Legged Gull were nice finds but the outstanding bird was an Osprey. 

Osprey - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)

The 19th was a return visit to Chew Valley Lake but again no year ticks another Osprey a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier were good birds of prey. Friday 22nd to Friday 29th Mary and myself had a week’s holiday with my Brother Bryan and his wife Yvonne based in Looe Cornwall. The only year tick of the week was a male Eider other than that the weeks highlight was a Dipper at Lostwithiel. The month ended with another visit to Chew Valley lake where a Common Tern was a year tick and Egyptian Goose was unusual. The third quarter ended with 158 year ticks 3 less that the same point in 2022 so some catching up to do.


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