Bath Birdwatcher

  Mute Swan - Ham Wall (Bath Birdwatcher) This week David and Tony visited The Somerset Levels where we were to start at Westhay. On the way we started with several Pheasants in the fields approaching Wells, nothing more until we drove along the road from Fenny Castle to Westhay where we spotted Goldfinch, Rook and Little Egret, we also passed 2 fields that were full of Cattle Egrets which must have numbered in excess of 100 birds, I have never seen so many of these birds together. Approaching Westhay we added Mute Swan and Cattle Egret. From the car park we followed the Drove which runs through the middle of the reserve and here our 1 st sightings were a pair of Gadwall and a Coot as we walked on a singing Blue Tit and a Raven calling and doing aerobatics were soon logged along with a Robin and a Cormorant.  Coot - Somerset Levels (Bath Birdwatcher) From the beginning of the walk, we could hear calling Canada Geese but not seen until a few flew over along with a Woodpigeon. ...

  This month’s Bath RSPB’s field trip was a visit to Snuff Mill and Eastville Park 13 members were in attendance meeting at Snuff Mill and from here we did a short walk up the river Frome spotting Blackbird, Blue Tit, Magpie and Herring Gull. A few pairs of Mallard were on the river with the odd Moorhen. David our leader spotted a Jay but it flew over and was missed by some, but a singing Great Tit was easy to see as were 2 Stock Doves in a tree with a Wood Pigeon, so we were able to point out the main differences between the 2 species. We set off to walk to Eastville Park and at the bridge where the river goes under the main road a Grey Wagtail flew over, as we continued I heard the call of a Kingfisher, so we walked back to the bridge where I found it sat on a branch growing out from a brick wall.  Kingfisher - Eastville Park (Bath Birdwatcher) As we walked into Eastville Park a Carrion Crow called from a tree, but I was very quiet until we came across 2 Long Tailed Tits and...

    Today we decided to visit the Forest of Dean as David had missed the Hawfinches at Newton St Loe earlier in the year, and the forest is probably the nearest we get them normally. We set off heading for Parkend on the way starting our day list with Rook and Collared Dove. On arriving at Lydney the road to Parkend was closed so we had to turn around and follow a diversion which took us all around the houses until we eventually reached Parkend. Parking by the cricket field we noticed birds under the Yew trees but in the shade, I did think they looked very chunky but as the binoculars were in the boot were unsure if they were Hawfinch, then 4 people moved in the our left and the birds flew into the trees so we got out and got all out kit together and walked under the trees only to discover that one of the other people was a birding friend Glen. After a short while 2 of the birds flew down on the ground and I was able to confirm that one was a Hawfinch with the other a male Cha...

  Tufted Duck - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher) Friday was a beautiful and sunny day, so Mary and I decided to go for a walk at Newton St Loe. On arrival we parked by the church and walked through the churchyard which was very quiet but once we reached the field beyond then the bird spotting began with a Carrion Crow in the field followed by flyover Woodpigeon, Magpie and Jackdaw. A Dunnock was singing as we walked to the bottom road where Blue Tits were visiting the feeders and a Robin was sat in a bush, nothing in the woodland but walking through Butterfly Alley a calling Raven flew over, the 1 st of several we saw and all very vocal. 5 Mallards and a Moorhen were on the bottom lake with a small flock of Goldfinch in the Alders. The top lake was not as busy as usual, but we did add Coot, Little Grebe and a pair of Tufted Ducks plus a single Black Headed Gull and 2 Common Gulls. An old mate then came by Wayne and as we chatted we located a Goldcrest, and a Cormorant flew into their usual ...

  A bit f a last-minute decision was to go to Marshfield for this week’s birding trip mainly as we could only spare a half day. Parking at the Bath end of Marshfield we set off towards Bond’s Lane spotting Robin, House Sparrow and Goldfinch. Crossing the A420 we set off down the lane where Jackdaw and Woodpigeon flew past and in a field to our left were 2 Ravens feeding on something unknown in the grass, they flew away and a Carrion Crow flew in taking their place. As we continued David spotted movement in a hedge to our right but looking into the sun made it difficult to identify the birds but one flew up into a bush to our right enabling up to identify it as a lovely male Yellowhammer, a year tick.  Yellowhammer - Marshfield (Bath Birdwatcher) A Dunnock flew down onto the side of the road and a flock of Rooks flew past. A Skylark was singing in the sky above us but hard to find against the blue sky but with binoculars I did find it year tick no2. A Blue Tit and a few Linnets...

  My 2024 birding year continues in April and on the 3 rd we visited Barrow Tanks in the hope that the Long-Tailed Duck would still be present, but it must have moved on as it was not there, but we did see our 1 st Swallow of the year. We then moved on to Chew Valley Lake where another 1 st for the year was seen Cattle Egret, we also spotted Great White Egret and we had already seen a Little Egret at Barrow Tanks, so all 3 Egrets in a morning. Sunday the 6 th was our local RSPB Branch field trip to Salisbury plain and Langford Lakes. Our meeting point was in the village of Enford where Land Rovers had been arranged for the drive to see Great Bustards lots were seen but at such a distance a photo was impossible, these birds were expected but a female Hen Harrier was not and was the day’s highlight, nothing special was seen at Langford. The 11 th was our next trip this time to Westhay and Ham Wall driving to Westhay car park we spotted 11 Cattle Egrets in a field. The best bird ...

  Black Headed Gull - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher) Yesterday Bryan, Yvonne, Mary and  Tony drove to Chew, it was Bryan’s 1 st trip out since last October, as all you who follow this blog will know he has been very poorly being in and out of hospital on several occasions but hopefully its now all behind him and in time he should be back to his old self. The idea was to visit a couple of places to do some birding, have fish and chips in the picnic area followed by a cup of tea. Driving to Chew our only sighting was a Buzzard in the top of a tree and on reaching Herriotts there were lots of birds on the pond including Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Black Headed Gull, Coot, Mallard, Pintail and Teal. A Pied Wagtail flew over as we searched the pond. On the pond were lots of gulls mostly Black Headed but also including Common and Great Black Back, also on the pond were Tufted Duck, Shelduck and Cormorant. We crossed the road to view the main lake where a few Carrion Crows were sat in a tree a...