Tuesday 7th October 2025- Chew Valley Lake.

 

Great White Egret - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Again, this week it was just Bryan and Tony, David is away and as we did last week we decided that another visit to Chew Valley Lake was the order of the day as again a couple of new wader species had been reported. On the way we reached the Globe where there was a notice that the road at Marksbury was closed so we had to make a detour to get around the closure. Collared Dove and Jackdaw were seen on the way. At Herriotts our first sightings were Mute Swan, Lapwing, Carrion Crow and Mallard seen as we climbed out of the car. Pied Wagtails were calling and 2 landed on the wall in front of us and a Shoveler was feeding on the pond. 

Shoveler - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Telescopes set up we scanned the pond finding 3 species of gull Black Headed, Herring and Lesser Black Back. A single Greenshank was asleep and a Snipe and Moorhen were also found. Lots of Teal were all over the right end of the pond with a Green Sandpiper amongst them. A small flock of Black Tailed Godwits were asleep close to a Cormorant. A few Canada Geese flew in landing in the middle of the pond. Bryan then pointed out a Gadwall, Coot and Tufted Duck. Over the road looking down the channel were about 5 Great White Egrets and a Grey Heron. 

Great White Egret / Grey Heron - CVL
(Bath Birdwatcher)

A Kingfisher flying up and down the channel at times landing on reed stems before flying off. 4 Shelduck were feeding on the mud. Time to move on to Stratford and on the way 2 Rooks were on the wires. Walking from the carpark to the hide we found a large flock of mixed birds mainly Long Tailed Tits but also containing a Robin a Blue Tit and at least 2 Chiffchaffs, also seen by Bryan but missed  by me was a Chaffinch. The first birds we saw from the hide were 4 Avocets quite a rare bird for Chew and a bird I don’t remember seeing here before. Also easily seen were Pintail, Little Egret, Wigeon. Pochard, Great Crested Grebe and Great Black Back Gull. Nothing more so we moved on to Moreton adding Magpie, Jay and Buzzard on the way. Once in the hide it was pointed out by fellow birders that due to the low water levels some islands were on show in the middle of the lake and on one of these were several waders the larger ones being Ruff and a group of smaller Ringed Plover but it took a while and help from other birders to work out that one of the waders was a Curlew Sandpiper. A Marsh Harrier was on a kill which looked like a gull. Next stop Herons Green for lunch and hoping to see a Whooper Swan that had earlier been seen at Stratford but had disappeared before we arrived, and yes Bryan found it feeding in the bay. While we ate our lunch we also found Little Grebe, House Sparrow and Meadow Pipit. We then drove back to Stratford as we were told that some birds we were hoping to see were there. Driving down the lane we saw a flock of Goldfinch and a female Pheasant that ran down the lane in front of the car before running into the hedgerow. A Goldcrest was found singing in a hedge on the way to the hide but the birds we hoped to find were not there but we did add a Common Gull to the days total. Last stop this week was Nunnery as one of the birds we hoped to see had been there the previous day but was not there earlier in the day, walking to the viewing point Woodpigeon and Wren were spotted but the point was completely devoid of any waders. We were on the point of leaving when I scoped one of the small islands and I spotted lots of small waders running around mostly Ringed Plover also 2 Dunlin and a much smaller bird, one we had been searching for all day Little Stint a great bird but not a year tick for me as I had seen one at Ferrybridge a few weeks ago. But we did find a wader that was a year tick Turnstone.

Another good day at Chew with plenty of birds seen Bryan had 3-year ticks so it was good for both of us.

Shoveler feeding - CVL Bath Birdwatcher)