Tuesday 14th January 2025 - Chew Valley Lake/East Harptree Woods

 

Another Tuesday and this week for our day out we chose Chew Valley Lake and East Harptree Woods. Being early in the year it’s good to get your year list off to a good start and knowing that 3 of the slightly more difficult species to see had been seen there, it seemed silly not to try for them, there were also another 3 species at Chew that would be good to get early in the year. Our first stop was Herriotts at Chew Valley Lake as we had to pass this point on the way to East Harptree and here, on the pond were Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard and Coot. A Cormorant was stood by the outlet giving a good photo opportunity. 

Cormorant - Herriotts (Bath Birdwatcher)

A Tufted Duck was another species on the pond, we then heard a strange call coming from the reed bed on the main lake so we walked over to investigate but we never found the culprit but David spotted in the left hand corner between the wall and the reedbed a Great White and Little Egret, and as we were watching 10+ Snipe seemed to appear from under the hedgerow, never thought of looking here before but certainly will in future. A Pied Wagtail was on the path, but the main lake was almost devoid of any birds except for a few Great Crested Grebes. A Grey Heron and Marsh Harrier flew over the reedbed also a single Starling , but we did see more later. Back over the road a male Chaffinch was on the railings but rather camera shy as it flew away before I could take a picture. Moorhen and Shelduck were added to the days list along with 5 species of gull, Black Headed, Great Black Back, Lesser Black Back, Common and Herring. David then found 2 Lapwings stood in shallow water huddled together, Lots of Teal were around the right-hand edge of the pond and our last sighting before moving on was a fly over Woodpigeon.

Next stop East Harptree Woods, on the way was added Magpie, Jackdaw, Collared Dove and Blackbird. As we got out of the car a bird flew by but disappeared but a Coal Tit was seen we walked quite a long way before our next sighting and this was one of our target species, 3 Siskins in an Alder Tree, walking on things were still very quiet until we turned a corner and 2 birders attracted out attention and I recognised one as Dave Hughes, they had found Crossbills, our second target species, but they were quite a distance away from us, but we did notice them flying up from the ground to our right so we went to look and found puddles of water that they were obviously drinking from but these birds were so skittish they didn’t fly down while we were there but we did get closer views and also our 3rd target species this about half a dozen Redpoll feeding in an Alder. While watching and waiting we also added Great Tit, Goldcrest and Robin to the expending day list. Time to get back to the car and as we walked back we added Stock Dove and Redwing. Next Stop Stratford Hide, a Buzzard and Blue Tit seen on the way. Walking to the hide the feeders were alive with Blue and Great Tits it was when we were watching these that I heard the high-pitched call of a Treecreeper which was in a tree behind us, we later saw a second when walking from the Lodge to the dam.

Treecreeper - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

We also spotted Dunnock and Wren and from the hide just a few Goldeneye. 

Goldeneye (f) - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

As I said before the lake was almost empty no sigh of the rafts of Tufted Duck and Coot you would normally expect to see so we didn’t stop long here and moved on to Moreton but here it was as bad as before so yet again we didn’t stop long but did see a Jay as we drove out. Next stop Herons Green where we had lunch we did add Pochard, Cattle Egret and Little Grebe to our list plus 2 flyover Ravens. Last stop the Lodge where we walk to the Dam and back. Long Tailed Tit was our 1st new sighting of the day, then a strange bird hovering by the yacht masts, the glare of the water made it impossible to identify it at first, but we were successful when it dropped into a shrub revealing it true identify a Chiffchaff. Goldfinches were twittering in a tree above our heads and a Song Thrush flew across the path. A male Fox was seen on the footpath which runs off the footpath we were on. 

Fox - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

As we approached the dam a Kingfisher was found sitting in a tree, it then flew towards the overflow.

Kingfisher - Dam (Bath Birdwatcher)

2 Gadwall were near picnic area 1, the only ones we saw all day. We headed back to the Lodge and deciding we needed the facilities before heading home and here we were very lucky to find the male Red Breasted Merganser one of the target species we were hoping to see here but the other 2 both species of Grebe we failed to find. Driving back to Bath a flock of Lapwings were in the field by the Globe and on a rooftop the day ended with a flock of Feral Pigeons. A great birding day with 59 species seen giving me a year total of 69.

Goldeneye (m) - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)


 

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