Tuesday 17th March 2026 - Uphill/Chew Valley Lake.

 

Somewhere a little different was chosen for this week’s birding trip, Uphill as it’s been many years since our last visit. The 3 Amigos were back together for this visit, as we have to pass Chew Valley Lake it would be rude not to stop for a quick scan, but before that we did see a Red Kite on the way. At Chew we saw Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Shelduck, Black Headed Gull, Teal, Gadwall, Lesser Black Back Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe. As we continued we pass 2 small ponds and on one we saw a Moorhen, a few roofs and chimneys hosted Jackdaw and Woodpigeons were a regular sighting. A male Pheasant was spotted in a field as we passed. Parking at Uphill House Sparrows were chirping in the bushes, we walked along the sand to the Axe estuary where Bryan found a Little Egret that disappeared up a channel before we could see it but it did reappear shortly after, a Common Gull was resting on the beach and 2 Oystercatchers were seen on the mud. 

Oystercatcher (Bath Birdwatcher)
Library Photo

On reaching the edge of the Axe lots of Redshank were on the water’s edge 50+ would be an under estimation. A Pied Wagtail flew past. Nothing more was seen so we headed back to the car adding a Great Black Back Gull. As we approached the car Starlings were seen on the roofs and David spotted a Stock Dove flying over. We moved the car closer to the caravan park so we could follow the footpath towards the sewerage works and as it was such a lovely day but a chilly wind we carried our lunch hoping to find a sheltered area to eat. Our first birds here were a few Magpies and as we continued we could hear the distinctive call of Goldfinch which we did find after some searching, as we were looking a Peacock Butterfly drifted past followed shortly after by a beautiful male Brimstone looking stunning in the sunlight. A Greenfinch was our next new sighting again found by its call. A Chiffchaff was singing but hidden in the undergrowth but a bench allowed us to stop for lunch and while eating a Chiffchaff the same or another nicely flew to the top of a bush just to say “here I am have a good look” in this area we also found a Blackbird and Dunnock. After lunch we continued to a more open area where we heard a couple of Skylarks singing high in the sky and I managed to find one which is very lucky. The last new bird for the day before we headed back was a Linnet that sat nicely on the hedge top and on the way back our 1^st Kestrel was hovering over the hedgerow, Chaffinch, Robin and Wren were all added before we reached the car. On the journey home we stopped again at Chew this time Herons Green where we found many Cattle Egrets and on the pond a Little Grebe. Last Stop the Lodge as David wanted to buy his permit for the next year. while here we also saw Buzzard, Collared Dove and Blue Tit.