Bath Birdwatcher

  Chisel Beach from Portland  (Bath Birdwatcher) Mary and Tony were kindly invited by Hazel and David to join them in their caravan at Wyke Regis from Wednesday 23 rd July until Monday 28 th July. On the First day a steam special was due to visit Weymouth and as we are both lovers of steam engines we decided after lunch to go and see it but before that we had seen a Greenfinch that sits and sings on a nearby arial, Herring Gull, Swift and Woodpigeon. We went to a bridge just north of Weymouth station to watch the train but as with all these specials it was running about 30 minutes late, we were watching close to Radipole Lake and had a view through the trees to a part of the reserve where a Marsh Harrier was quartering and a Moorhen was by the reed bed. The special train arrived being pulled by a class 47 diesel with a Black 5 at the rear 45212, it had turned earlier so the steam engine was on the front for the return trip.   Black 5 No 45212 - Weymouth (Bath Birdwatche...

  This months Bath RSPB field trip and the last of this season was a trip to Newport Wetlands and Goldcliff. We all met at the wetland which is an RSPB reserve and while waiting in the car park for everyone to arrive Swallows and House Martins were flying around and Lesser Black Back and Black Headed Gulls were flying to and from the sea. Once inside the reserve a volunteer was starting to check a moth trap that had been left out overnight and onlookers were amazed how many moths had been caught. Birds visiting the feeders included Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Great Tit. Walking through the reserve a Blackbird was our 1 st sighting and Tom scoped a Cormorant on a pylon. A family of Stonechats were on the footpath and 3 Curlews circled overhead, a Dunnock was spotted in a bush. An Oystercatcher flew over calling and in one of the channels were Mallard, Little Grebe and Moorhen. A Blue tit flew into a bush.   On reaching the estuary the tide was well out but coming ...

  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...