Bath Birdwatcher

  (Bath Birdwatcher) It’s the time of the year when we need to purchase new bird watching permits for Chew Valley Lake these allow us to visit the bird hides and also free parking in all the Bristol Water car parks at Chew, Blagdon and Barrow Tanks so today its where we went. On the way we spotted Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon, at Chew we started the day at Herriotts and here on the pool were Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Cormorant and Tufted Duck. A Pied Wagtail flew onto the wall and several Common Gulls were in amongst the Black Headed Gull flock. On the main lake we found Great Crested Grebe and Pochard with a flypast Great White Egret and out over the reeds a Marsh Harrier drifted past. As we continued looking we added Coot, Moorhen and a Grey Heron flew over. In a small tree were 3 Great White Egrets and as we were watching them several more flew past and landed in the reeds where we counted about 10 altogether. Great White Egret - Herri...

  Having not been out for two weeks due to illness it was decided not to go far from Bath so we drove over to Radstock as Dippers are a bird that is seen there and if we could find them would be a year tick. Driving to Radstock we sighted Rook and Jackdaw, we parked in the car park by the children’s play area and walked back to the centre of Radstock adding Robin and Nuthatch also a   Woodpigeon to the days list. We stopped by the Miners Wheel and looked over Wellow Brook and immediately David spotted 2 Dippers feeding in the brook, so withing the 1 st quarter of an hour we found our target species.  Dipper - Radstock (Bath Birdwatcher) We then walked to the disused railway that goes in the Frome direction,   which is now a cycle track, on the way adding a Grey Wagtail that was besides another part of Wellow Brook and a fly past Blackbird. Walking along the cycle track we soon added Great Tit a flyover Lesser Black Back Gull, Carrion Crow and Magpie. Walking on the ...