Tuesday 1st July 2025 - Newton St Loe.

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 Flycatcher - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

During the time we were there we found 2 adult and 2 young while searching for the flycatchers we also found Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chiffchaff. Having had our fill of the spot fly we headed back to walk to the lakes and before reaching the car we added Stock Dove, Blue Tit, Robin, Buzzard, Kestrel plus our 1st 4 butterflies of the day, Meadow Brown, Green Veined White, Gatekeeper and Comma. Walking through the village to the church a Collared Dove, was seen and in the field beyond the church we saw a Woodpigeon and 2 Magpies. Nothing more until we reached the footpath past Ripple Effect and here a Holly Blue butterfly was on a damp area by the stream, Speckled Wood butterflies were our next sighting followed by a Wren that flew across in front of us. Butterfly alley lived up to its name with lots of butterflies seen but Large Skipper, Peacock and Marbled White were the only 3 that we had not previously seen. 

Large Skipper - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

A Rook flew past then David spotted a Red Kite drifting over the treetops and a Song Thrush flew back towards the village. Lots of Mallards on the bottom lake with the males going into eclipse. On the top lake a Coot with 3 chicks was sat on a nest. 

Coot with young - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

7 Little Grebe were spread over the lake and a male Tufted Duck was towards the top end, plenty of Moorhens were seen including many of this years young and the 3 Mute Swans were also seen. It was now getting a bit warm, so we headed back to the cars but not before finding a Small White butterfly and a Grey Wagtail. Earlier David had seen a Kingfisher which I missed, and we were unable to find it on the return walk.

Green Veined White Butterflies - NSL
(Bath Birdwatcher)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saturday 11th November 2023 - Newton St Loe.

Image
  NSL Boathouse with the lonely Mute Swan - Bath Birdwatcher When we woke up on Saturday it was such a beautiful day we decided to go for a walk at Newton St Loe as we have not visited since the 26 th of October and we were interested not only in the bird life but the autumn colour’s of the trees. We arrived parking as usual by the church where in the field beyond the church we found our first sightings Magpie, Jackdaw and Rooks all flyover. In the hedgerow opposite the cottages were Blue Tits and Woodpigeons and Long Tailed Tits were in the trees by Ripple Effect. On the footpath were Blackbird and Robin and on reaching Butterfly Alley a Grey Heron was in the trees above the stream, and a Wren flew into the hedge to our right. The lake outlet was a real torrent over the waterfall which was expected due to the amount of rain we have had recently. Waterfall NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)  Up to the bottom lake where 2 Kingfishers were playing chase and I thought I heard a possible 3...
Read more

Tuesday 4th March 2025 - Marshfield

Image
  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...
Read more

Sunday 19th January 2025 - Blagdon Lake

Image
  The first, Bath RSPB’s field trip of the year was a visit to Blagdon lake where Nigel Milbourne the site warden led our group of 14 members. When we arrived having seen a Red Kite on the way we were waiting for others to arrive, so I scanned the lake and found Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Black Headed Gull. As others arrived we all got together, and David introduced us all to Nigel and we set off to walk the length of the dam looking for an overwintering Common Sandpiper but unfortunately it didn’t show but we did find Mute Swan, Cormorant, Common Gull, Great Black Back Gull, Pied Wagtail and Herring Gull. Walking back to the cars we added flyover Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Starling plus our 1 st Great Crested Grebe of the day. We then drove inside the confines of the lake where we parked and from here our 1 st new bird of the day was a calling Chaffinch and on the lake in front of us were Teal, Pochard and Gadwall. We also looked at a strange duck which had caused...
Read more