Tuesday 6th May 2025 - Newton St Loe

 

Another week for me to go somewhere alone and again I chose Newton St Loe as I only had half a day and being so close you don’t waste bird spotting time driving. This week I parked by the farm shop spotting a Collared Dove as I parked and a Swallow on the wires as I got out of the car. I decided to do the lanes as I have not walked there for a long time, on the way saw Jackdaws and my 1st House Martins of the year. In the lanes 1 had only walked a few yards when I heard the distinctive call of a Whitethroat, but I wasn’t until I reached the viewing point that I found one singing in the top of a bush with at least one other singing somewhere behind me another year first. Plenty of singing Wrens but not showing and in the distance I heard a Skylark but again a no show so I walked back to the village and added 2 flyover Stock Doves and a Blue Tit. The village was very quiet bird wise but walking towards the church a Lesser Black Back Gull flew past heading towards the lakes. Walking through the field beyond the church a Blackbird flew by and in the field by Ripple Effect were 2 Rooks and several Woodpigeons. Walking down the footpath through the woods birds were singing everywhere but with the trees now full of leaf finding them was quite difficult but a Robin and a male Blackcap showed well but Chiffchaff and again Wrens stayed hidden. A Magpie flew over the car park as did a single Goldfinch. From butterfly alley a Carrion Crow was in the field to my left. 

Carrion Crow - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)
A Red Kite drifted northwards and the same or another flew over the top lake. On reaching the bottom lake I searched the bottom right corner for the Kingfisher I had seen the previous week, I was just about to give up when it flew from the left into a bush on the right. On the lake was just 4 male Mallards. On to the top lake, here the Mute Swan family were all together with last years youngster still in tow.

Mute Swan family - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Moorhens were quite numerous, and I counted 6 Coots and at least 4 Little Grebe. 

Coot - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)
There were 2 family groups of mallards one female with 10 ducklings the other with 9 but a Lesser Black Back Gull was eyeing the ducklings and on one occasion got a little close and mum chased it away.

Lesser Black Back Gull - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

 2 Grey Wagtails flew up the lake and a Grey Heron flew to the highest of the nests where through the branches and leaves you could make out another bird, but I didn’t see anything on the other 2 nests. A Goldcrest was in the yews at the bottom of the lake, and I walked to the top corner to look at the swan’s nest only to find a pair of mallards on the edge with 3 swan’s eggs in the nest, so why the swans are not incubating is puzzling.

Swans nest with 3 eggs and a pair of Mallard.
NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)
 Nothing more seen but still plenty of song. Walking back past the bottom lake I found another Mallard family with 9 ducklings.

Mrs Mallard with her ducklings - NSL
(Bath Birdwatcher)

 On reaching the  village a few House Sparrows that proved to be the last sighting of the morning.

 I tried so hard to photograph Little Grebe but they were feeding and don't stay on the surface long enough the get a picture, this is the best i could manage.

Diving Little Grebe - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)
Also this Grey Wagtail was in the overflow below the bottom lake but with all the leaves i was impossible to get a clear picture.

Grey Wagtail - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)


 

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