Wednesday 3rd April 2024 - Barrow Tanks/Chew Valley Lake.

 

         This week’s walk was on Wednesday as it was the only day that all 3 of the Amigos could make it together and we started the day at Barrow Tanks as we hoped to find the Long Tailed Duck that had spent the winter here, it had been seen on Tuesday on tank 3 so this is where we started. The day was dull overcast and drizzly and extremely windy which was very noticeable as we climbed the steps to view the tank. 1st sighting were several Herring Gulls with a few Great Crested Grebe also found along with 2 Mute Swans and 4 Tufted Ducks. As we scanned the pond no sign of the Long Tailed Duck but we did find Sand Martins and while looking at these a Swallow (our 1st of the year) flew through my binocular vision and I was able to get Bryan and David on it. Mallard, Cormorant and Lesser Black Back Gull were also seen. We then decided to try the other 2 tanks to see if the LTD had moved to one of those and as we walked to them we spotted Blackbird a singing Chiffchaff, Wren, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Grey Heron. We crossed the road to climb up the steps too tank 2 but noticed on the gate a notice saying no entrance due to low water levels so we returned to the car and drove to the car park overlooking tank 1 hoping the LTD might be there. No sign of the duck but a Coot and Little Egret were seen. But no LTD. I might also add that a person plainly disregarded the no entrance notice and was fly fishing, some people are sign blind or more likely completely disregard signs. Enough of my little rant, we set off for Chew Valley Lake and spotted Magpie’s on the way, stopping at Herons Green where it was raining AGAIN so spotted from the car. At least 6 Cattle Egrets were in the fields and we also saw Canada Geese, Great White Egret and Chaffinch before we moved on the Stratford Hide. Walking from the car park to the hide we ticked Robin, Marsh Harrier, Blue and Great Tit. From the hide things we not that fruitful but 3 pairs of Goldeneye was nice but apart from a Buzzard over the lake and a few Great Black Back Gulls mid lake nothing new was seen. 

Goldeneye - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)

         We then decided to drive round to Herriotts and the 1st thing we noticed was the amount of water pouring from the pool into the lake and the height of the lake with only a small difference in both levels whereas the lake is generally several feet lower than the pond. We did find Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail and Teal with little else other than what we had seen before. Next stop Moreton and here we were going to have lunch, but we noted 2 Shelduck in the field behind the hide. Our only other sightings here were a pair of Gadwall and David found a male Reed Bunting. After lunch we drove to the Lodge to walk the path to the dam and here the place was alive with bird song mainly Chiffchaff’s 12 or more at a guess but we also found singing Blackcap’s with at one point a pair together. Long Tailed Tit was also seen with plenty of other bird song heard. Not on a bird theme but we did see several rabbits and these 2 were way bigger that the others. 

Rabbits - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)

         On the way back to Bath we added Collared Dove and Starling. We did a detour stopping at Stanton Prior for a circular walk around the village and added Rook, Raven, Red Kite, Stock Dove and a lovely male Yellowhammer to end the day.

Displaying Great Crested Grebe - Chew (Bath Birdwatcher)


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