Bath Birdwatcher

  Canada Geese - Herons Green (Bath Birdwatcher) This week it was a half day at Chew Valley Lake the first time we have visited since the 23 rd of April. I decided not to start listing until we reached Chew but a Collared Dove at Bishop Sutton was worth recording. At Herriotts the list really began to grow with Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot and Gadwall all seen as we found a parking space. Once out of the car and telescope set up we found 8 Green Sandpipers and a Lapwing in the shallow water and in the deeper water Tufted Ducks and on the overflow at least 2 Egyptian Geese with the Canada Geese. House Martins swooped down over the pond drinking and a Pied Wagtail walking along the wall. On the main lake was a Great White Egret, Shelduck and Grey Heron with Woodpigeon Jackdaw and Black Headed Gulls flying over. Back on the pond were a pair of Teal. Moving on Stratford was the next stop with House Sparrows seen as we drove down the lane and from the car park a Cattle Egret flew over. Onc...

  Not been able to do a blog for a while as I had a problem with my laptop so had to get it sorted which took over a week, It had to be completely wiped, luckily I do back it up which they were able to use to restore all my data. Also, we had a few days in Liverpool followed by a few days later a week in North Yorkshire. I did do some birding in Yorkshire but nothing worth recording except Red Kites that we saw multiple times every day. This blog covers the 30 th of July when David and Tony spent a morning at Newton St Loe the main aim was to visit 7 Acre for butterflies. We parked at the farm shop where House Martins and Swallows were flying over and as we walked towards the lanes a Blackbird flew off in front of us. As we reached the lanes a Robin was on the hedge and David spotted a Muntjac Deer standing in the lane and when it spotted us it wandered into the hedgerow never to be seen again. A Lesser Black Back Gull flew over and we saw our 1 st butterfly of the day a Gateke...

  Primroses at Blagdon - (Bath Birdwatcher) For our Tuesday birding trip out this week, we decided that a visit to Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon would be the best bet as many summer visitors are on the move and with luck we could possibly find a few year ticks. This visit we thought as it was school holidays we would start at the picnic area 2 and walk the Bittern Trail before any people arrived. On the way we spotted Magpie, Rook, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Buzzard and House Sparrow. Once at the picnic area we started our walk a Blackbird being our 1 st sighting also 2 Dunnocks playing chase, we also could hear the call of Reed Warblers, but we failed to see one, and because we only count birds we see, we dipped on them. A Long-Tailed Tit and a flyby Grey Heron were our next new sightings for the day. Blackcaps were calling everywhere and for a change they seemed easy to find as was a calling Treecreeper. As we continued I could hear a Goldcrest that David found in the top of a fir tree...

  Portland Obs & Lighthouse (Bath Birdwatcher) At this point last year my total was 136 sightings against 140 this year and was hoping this quarter would bring many more year ticks and with a bit of luck some lifetime ticks or as we call them lifers. July Our 1 st trip of the month was a visit to Chew Valley lake where 49 bird 8 butterfly and 3 moth species were seen the highlights were 2 ticks Spotted Redshank and Kingfisher. Also of note was an Essex Skipper butterfly and a Shaded Broad Bar moth. Next trip was a half day on the 13 th to Newton St Loe taking in the lanes as well as the lakes nothing new was seen but Yellowhammers in the lanes and Little Grebe with chicks was great to see. The highlights of the day was 9 species of butterfly with White Letter Hairstreak a standout and a Scorched Carpet moth a close 2 nd .  Scorched Carpet moth (Bath Birdwatcher) On the 25 th we joined a Bath Nats walk on Lansdown mainly searching for butterflies and 15 species wer...

  Coleton Fishacre - Bath Birdwatcher Mary and Tony spent a week with her sister and brother-in-law at their lodge at Waterside Holiday Park which is between Brixham and Paignton. The site is next to the South Devon Railway and overlooks Torbay with Torquay to the left and Brixham Harbour and Berry Head to the right. We arrived late afternoon and after having something to eat I walked to the clifftop which has a flight of steps giving access to the rocks and small beach which is available only at low tide. Halfway down the steps is a good vantage point to view the surrounding rocks and another beach which has access at the other end of the small bay. Bird life was not abundant, but I did manage to see a year tick in the form of a Kittiwake also seen were Gannet, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Black Headed Gulls and a single Mediterranean Gull. Fishing in the bay to my left was a Little Egret with 2 Magpie’s close by. On Monday we both walked to the local Post Office and as we walked ...

  Gatekeeper - Bath Birdwatcher David is back from France but Bryan is on holiday, so David suggested we joined the Bath Nat’s field trip to Lansdown. We all met at the Park & Ride car park and when we had all assembled we set off towards the racecourse. This walk was not solely about birds but our first 2 sightings Swallow and Magpie were both birds soon followed by Linnet, Greenfinch and Buzzard to the day’s list, we then found our first butterflies of the day Large White, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral and Comma next our 1 st moth of the day a Nettle Tap.  Nettle Tap - Bath Birdwatcher On the main road by the cottages were many House Martins which had or still are nesting a Pied Wagtail was on the ground by the road. As we continued a flock of 100+ Starlings flew overhead, we then spotted a Silver Y moth, we found several during the walk Common Grass Veneers was another moth we saw in large numbers. A Great Tit was flitting through the trees on the golf course. Next another m...

  Our 1 st trip in July was a walk along the river Avon from Newbridge towards Saltford most of the birds seen were expected although a singing Reed Warbler was I nice find as was a Kingfisher, An Essex Skipper butterfly was unexpected as was a Scarce Chaser Dragonfly. On the 9 th of July was the Bath RSPB monthly field trip to Wentwood/Newport Wetlands, a Spotted Flycatcher at Wentwood was our only year tick at Wentwood and nothing new seen at Newport Wetlands but when we moved to Goldcliffe Green Sandpiper, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were all new year sightings. At Newport Wetlands we were entertained by a Bittern which flew from one reedbed over open water to disappear in another. On Monday 11 th July Mary and I joined David and his wife Hazel for a few days in their caravan at Weymouth we had a fabulous few days , with brilliant weather and 4-year ticks, Common and Little Tern at Ferrybridge plus Guillemot and Kittiwake at Portland. In the Portland quarries we found 9 ...

  For this week’s birding trip the 3 Amigos were asked to lead a Bath Nats field trip to the Somerset Levels. I was slightly apprehensive as the Nath are interested in more than birds and butterflies, subjects like insects especially dragonflies something we have always looked at but as for the names well that eludes all 3 of us. However all was well and the day went very well and we as leaders learned a lot. We all met at Westhay where we were to spend a couple of hours, on arrival it was rather overcast and thought that insects would be hard to find and so it proved for the first hour but birds kept us going with House Sparrow, Blackbird and Magpie seen before we arrived and Swallow, Black Headed Gull, Moorhen, Mallard Mute Swan, Coot, Blue Tit, Great Crested Grebe and Lesser Black Back Gull all noted. young Great Crested Grebe(Bath Birdwatcher)  It was now starting to brighten up and our first 2 butterflies of the day were seen, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral. David ...

  This week’s bird spotting day out took us to the Somerset Levels but only 2 of the 3 Amigos were able to go. Bryan was unable to come so David and myself set off just before 9am and the bird sightings started almost immediately with Magpie, Woodpigeon, Starling and Lesser Black Back Gull all seen before we reached Radstock. Here we would normally turn right and head for Midsomer Norton but the road was closed so we had to go via the White Post pub and take the Wells road, we continued adding to the days list with Collared Dove, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Buzzard all ticked before we turned off the B3139 onto Leaze Drove   and followed the lanes all the way to Westhay. Again as we drove across the moors we added Carrion Crow, My 1 st 2 Swallows of the year sat on wires, Little Egret, Kestrel, Stock Dove, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Mallard and Mute Swan. After parking in the carpark I spotted 2 Jays flying over, we started the walk along Dagg’s La...