Tuesday 8th July 2025 - Newton St Loe

 

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 House 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 1st 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 I scanned the far bank for a Kingfisher one flew down the lake calling as it passed. A Carrion Crow was calling in one of the dead trees and a Lesser Black Back Gull flew in the direction of the top lake. A Green Veined White butterfly was in the small wood between the lakes. As I reached the top lake I noticed 2 Stock Doves in the large tree with dead branches, on the lake were at least 3 Coot another 47 Mallard and 4 Little Grebe one has 3 tiny chicks. 


Little Grebe - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher)

At one point a Lesser Black Back Gull flew down and tried to grab one of the chicks but I don’t think it was successful as when it flew away it had nothing in its beak. 2 Swallows swooped down over the lake to take a drink before flying off and the 3 Mute Swans are all together with the male Tufted Duck still showing. As I walked towards the temple a Painted Lady butterfly was sunning on a leaf. I stopped at the temple for a coffee and a chocolate bar, here I spotted a Grey Wagtail under the trees on the far bank. As I walked to the top end of the lake I added 2 more butterflies Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. At the top end where the stream enters the lake several bird species were drinking including Robin, Coal Tit and Blue Tit.   Here I  could also hear other birds calling and I  found Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Blackcap. As I  walked back the way I came I added another butterfly a Peacock and when I reached the dam 3 ladies walking in the opposite direction were keen to know if I had seen anything, well not knowing what would be special to them I mentioned the Nuthatch and one seemed to know they move up and down trees so I mentioned Little Grebes but they didn’t know what they were so was able to show them one. As I moved on Wayne caught me up, so we walked together and passing the bottom lake he pointed out 2 Green Woodpeckers flying over the trees towards the top lake. Wayne is very good identifying butterflies and while walking up Butterfly Alley he pointed out Marbled White and a Small Skipper nothing else new was found until we walked back up the field to the church where I found a Meadow Brown. It was nice to meet up with Wayne and catch up on a few things.

Little Grebe chicks - NSL
(Bath Birdwatcher)


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