Tuesday 11th November 2025 - Chew Valley Lake.

 

Black Headed Gull - Picnic Area CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Just 2 of the 3 Amigos this week as David is away and after a short discussion Chew Valley Lake was going to be the venue as over the last few months the birding has been so good, why go somewhere else. We set off heading for Herriotts spotting a Red Kite and a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the way plus a large flock of Woodpigeons we estimated to be c100 all heading south so probably migrating. At Herriotts it was raining not hard but that awful drizzle, we did stay long enough to search the pond where we found Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler and Pintail. 

Male Mallard - picnic area (Bath Birdwatcher)

We also counted 4 different species of Gull, Black Headed, Herring, Common and Lesser Black Backed. 

Black Headed Gull - Picnic Area (Bath Birdwatcher)

A quick look over the main lake added Great White Egret in the channel, and Little Egret and Grey Heron further out. As we were about to leave several Canada Geese landed on the pond, 2 Carrion Crows flew past and a Jackdaw was on the footpath. On to Stratford to spot in the dry from the hide and walking from the car park we added Blue and Long Tailed Tits and Goldcrest to the days total. Fellow birder Andy was already in the hide so after passing a few pleasantries we set up the telescopes and started searching to see what was about and soon noticed a large flock of Starlings working through the weeds that at one time was the lakebed also feeding with them were Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails. Andy then pointed out a Marsh Harrier flying over the reeds on the far side of the lake, we spotted 3 different birds while we were in the hide. 4 small waders flew in and through the telescope we saw they were Dunlin, while out in the lake in amongst the Coot flock were many Tufted Ducks and fewer Pochard. A Pheasant appeared from the reeds on our right and in front of the hide and slightly to the left were 6 Whooper Swans, we didn’t notice them originally as they were feeding with their heads under the water looking like Mute Swans. Scoping the lake, we found Great Crested Grebe and Great Black Backed Gull. Andy then pointed out Cattle Egrets flying to a farm on the hillside above the lake and we counted about 17 but later in the day as we drove to the picnic area we found 41 in a field full of cows in Walley Court Road. Another birder Rich had joined us and he found a female Scaup and managed to direct us all on to it. Bryan then found 3 Lapwing at the top end. 

Lapwing - CVL (Bath Birdwatcher)

Andy spotted a large female Peregrine as it sped past to our right putting up a flock of Teal. Back to scoping the lake I found a pair of Goldeneye and some Little Grebe. We didn’t  realise how long we had been in the hide with lunch fast approaching we headed for the picnic area finding a field of Rooks on the way. Bryan wanted F&Cs for lunch so we sat in the car eating our lunch, the only new bird for the day was a female Chaffinch. Next stop was the lodge here we did a short walk towards the dam but we only found Robin, Magpie and Blackbird before we turned back as the sky was looking threatening. We drove home via High Littleton as Bryan needed to visit his daughter adding 3 more birds to the days list, Buzzard, Raven and Collared Dove. At the 2 Headed Man we saw 3 Red Kites all flying together quite a sight for this part of England.