Bath Birdwatcher

  The time passes so quickly these days and seems unbelievable that a week has passed since my last birding outing. This week the choice was Chew or Slimbridge as the weather didn’t look that good, in the end David and Tony chose Slimbridge as the Bluethroat has still been seen there and on my 2 previous visits it has failed to show so 3 rd time lucky !! I decided not to start my day list until we arrived at Slimbridge, so my 1 st sighting was a Red Kite that flew across the approach road just after the bridge. On arrival the rain had started so waterproofs were the order of the day and while putting them on 2 Collared Doves flew past and a Woodpigeon was sat in a tree close to the reception. Once in the   reception we were forced to shelter as it was raining hard, but it soon passed, making our way to the Decoy Hide we added Greylag Geese and Moorhen, from the hide we saw Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard and Cormorant, we had hoped for Kingfisher as they had been seen there regula...

  This week it was just me, as Bryan couldn’t make it and David was away, so I took myself off to Newton St Loe. I parked by the church and made my way through the church yard and into the field beyond it was there I could hear the call of H ouse Martins with several flying overhead Woodpigeons and Jackdaws were in the field. Down to the road and here a Goldfinch was on the wires and as I approached the cottages a Blackbird flew away, and a Wren was on a garden wall. A Great Tit was on the feeder and House Sparrows were in the hedgerow and the 1 st butterfly of the day a Large White was visiting flowers. Waking the footpath a Dunnock scuttled off in front of me, on to Butterfly alley here I found a Comma and Gatekeeper with a Grey Heron in a tree by the stream.  Grey Heron - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher) The overflow from the bottom lake is dry but a Song Thrush walked over what is usually water. On the bottom lake was 12 Mallard most in eclipse plumage and a Buzzard flew high over...

As it’s been so hot recently this Tuesday we decided to stay local and do just a half day. Only two thirds of the 3 Amigos (David and Tony)   were able to visit as Bryan is currently on holiday in West Wales. Newton St Loe was chosen mainly as its local but also a fellow birder Wayne had heard Spotted Flycatcher but had been unable to find any and we both wanted them for a year tick. We parked in the village by the farm shop and headed for the area where the flycatcher had been heard on the way starting our list with House Martin, Swallow, Jackdaw and House Sparrow. Lesser Black Back Gulls flew overhead, and a Carrion Crow was feeding in a field. Nearing the point where the flycatcher had been heard a Blackbird was in the road and a male Blackcap flew across the road. Goldfinch and Greenfinch were calling from the top of the trees, and it was then that we heard the call of a Spotted Flycatcher, but it took several minutes before I found one behind us on a dead branch.  Spotted...

  For this week’s birding trip, it was just David and Tony, and we could only make it a half day, so it was again Chew Valley Lake. Driving there we spotted Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie and House Martin. At Herriotts we started by scanning the pool and here was Grey Heron and Mute Swan. Mute Swan - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) Also on the pool were Mallard, Coot, Canada Geese and Tufted Duck. On the far side beyond the area of mud was a Great White and Little Egret along with Teal and Mallards. 4 species of Gull were on the mud, Black Headed, Great Black Back, Lesser Black Back and a single immature Common. 2 birding palls were over the road looking out over the main lake, so we joined them finding Great Crested Grebe and Reed Bunting. Nothing more so we all walked back to the pool where I spotted 2 Little Ringed Plovers and Ian pointed out a male Garganey.  Garganey - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) As we chatted a Swallow flew over and 2 Pied Wagtails were on the lake...

  Golden Valley - Wick (Bath Birdwatcher) On Friday Yvonne and Bryan, Mary and Tony decided to go for a walk at Golden Valley, Wick we started at the pub where we all had a coffee and while we sat and chatted a Greenfinch was calling from the top of a fir tree, a Goldfinch flew over calling and a Buzzard circled high above. Setting off towards Golden Valley Jackdaws were on some chimneys and a Blackbird flew past. Lots of bird song as we walked up the valley but hard to find with all the leaves on the trees, but we did find a flock of Long Tailed Tits containing both adults and young also a Blue Tit with them. We walked as far as the waterfall where we sat taking in all the sounds including that from the quarry. Time to make our way back the return trip proving better with a flyover Magpie a female Mallard in the stream and a Treecreeper climbing a tree trunk. A Lesser Black Back Gull flew over and a Mistle Thrush flew into a tree as did one of many Woodpigeons. Walking back up t...

  This months Bath RSPB field trip was a visit to Pewsey Down looking mainly for farmland birds, butterflies and moths plus anything else of interest. 14 members arrived for a 10am start and while waiting we spotted a Red Kite circling and 2 Starlings that flew past. Skylarks were singing high above but took some finding. A Kestrel was hovering over the fields, we saw it or another many times during the morning. As we set off several Woodpigeons flew over as did a small flock of gulls containing both Herring and Lesser Black Backs. A House Sparrow was perched in the weeds besides the footpath and 2 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies were on the nettles. A Blue Tit was our next sighting then Anne spotted a small moth in the vegetation which was a Yellow Shell Yellow Shell (Bath Birdwatcher) F ollowed quickly by another moth this time a Common Carpet. Common Carpet Moth (Bath Birdwatcher) We then heard the call of one of our target species a Yellowhammer which showed very well in the to...

  Yesterday the 3 Amigos paid another visit to Chew as the weather was not good (raining when we set off). We had intended to go to Pilning Wetlands but as there in no shelter that idea was shelved and Chew was chosen. Driving to Chew a Red Kite was our 1 st sighting of the day followed by House Martin, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw all before we arrived at Herriotts. On arrival 2 Egyptian Geese with 3 goslings were in the outflow with some Canada Geese close by. Lots of Mute Swans were on the far side of the pond and Gadwall were spread all over the pond.  Gadwall - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) A male Garganey was wading through the mud and a pair of Mallard were upending. Swifts and House Martins were circling overhead, Moorhen, Coot and Tufted Duck were also seen. Black Headed, Lesser Black Back and Herring were the only species of gull seen.  Lesser Black Back Gull - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) A Marsh Harrier was over the main lake and Cormorants were flying about. Back on the pond B...

  The 3 Amigos were back together and a visit to Chew Valley Lake was decided upon, and we took lunch so we could take our time getting around all the places we like to visit. I decided to wait until we arrived at Chew to start my days list but a Red Kite on the way had to be included. First stop Herriotts where a pair of Egyptian Geese with 3 goslings were seen.  Egyptian Goose c/w goslings - Herriotts (Bath Birdwatcher) Mallard, Canada Goose and lots of Gadwall were also spotted. With all the dry weather the water level in the pool was low enough for lots of mud to be exposed and on the mud was a Ringed Plover (a year tick for me) and at least 3 Little Ringed Plovers along with several Pied Wagtails. In with the Gadwall, I found the male Garganey that has been here for several weeks. At the back of the pond was a few Mute Swans and a Grey Heron flew over from the main lake. A flock of gulls were on the exposed mud including Black Headed, Lesser Black Back, Herring and Grea...

  Water Lillie's - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher) On Friday my wife and I decided to go for a walk at Newton St Loe, so coffee and a bun prepared we set off and as we entered the village a Blackbird flew across the road. We parked by the church and walked through a quiet churchyard to the field beyond where Carrion Crows and Woodpigeons were on the ground and a Magpie flew over, walking to the road a Robin was on   the ground and on the wires by the cottages were Goldfinches. A House Sparrow was in the hedgerow and as we walked past Ripple Effect Jackdaws and Rooks flew by. The footpath through the trees was full of birdsong but with the trees now in full leaf birds were very hard to spot, we did find a Blue Tit and a Blackcap. As we approached the fisherman’s car park a bird moved in the bush in front of us and I could make out a small warbler that constantly dipped its tail a Chiffchaff , I was also aware of movement to my left where a Treecreeper was climbing a small tree just a fe...

  Great Crested Grebe - Moreton (Bath Birdwatcher) Bryan had a spare few hours on Saturday afternoon so he asked me if I would like to go to Chew Valley Lake with him well I jumped at the opportunity. On the way we started our day list with House Martin, Collared Dove, Blackbird and Woodpigeon. Coot, and Mallard were soon spotted along with several gull species including Lesser Black Back, Black Headed, Herring and a single Common. Many Swifts were flying overhead, and an Egyptian Goose was also seen, and a small party of Canada Geese flew in. A Grey Heron was in the far corner and a Great White Egret was wading in the shallow water. On the main lake we spotted Great Crested Grebe and Cormorant. Back on the pool I was scanning with the telescope and found a pair of Garganey, and a Carrion Crow was on the exposed mud. We were about to move on when another birder arrived, and we pointed out the Garganey and mentioned that Little Ringed Plover had been seen but we had failed to spot o...

  For the first time in over 6 months the 3 Amigos were back together starting with a trip to the Somerset Levels. This was chosen as Bryan is still regaining his strength and unable to do lots of walking especially if hills are included, but the levels are what it says on the packet, LEVEL. Our starting point was going to be Westhay and making our way in that direction we saw Red Kite and Pheasant that we felt we might not see later in the day. At Fenny Castle we use the droves to cross the levels and here birding starts in earnest with Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon soon spotted, as we drove on a Swallow flew by, and 2 Cattle Egrets were at the edge of a field. Further along the road 2 Collared Doves and a Chaffinch were logged, and a Buzzard flew low across a field. As we approached Westhay we came across a big flock of Greylag Geese far too many to count but must have been 100+ we saw more of these than Canada Geese. Mute Swan and Great White Egret were also seen as...

  Poole from RSPB Arne (Bath Birdwatcher) 35 Bath RSPB members gathered for this month’s coach trip to Arne RSPB. Unfortunately, a 34-seater was sent so David the leader had to sit in the small seat by the driver. I sat in the back with Tom Rogers, and we spotted 4 Red Kites on the journey unseen by the rest of the party. At Arne we were welcomed by a member of staff, and we all went to the welcome area to show our passes or pay the entry fee. As we gathered together a Chiffchaff was singing above our heads and Swallows were overhead hawking insects. We started the walk heading for Combe Heath and we soon found a singing Robin, 2 Stock Doves flew past, and a Chaffinch sang and flew from one tree to another. Carrion Crows flew by on a regular basis. As we continued we added Blue, Long Tailed and Coal Tits. On reaching the hide at Middlebere Lookout a Whitethroat was singing from the top of a tree .   From the hide we watched Shelduck and Oystercatcher plus a group of Spoonbill...