Bath Birdwatcher

  M4 Severn Bridge viewed from Severn Beach (Bath Birdwatcher) Today was the Bath RSPB,s monthly field trip, David was our leader on a visit to Severn Beach and Pilning Wetlands. 19 members met at Severn Beach where Starling, Jay, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon were seen before we strolled to look over the Severn Estuary where the tide was low but coming in. Here we added Mallard, Wigeon, Black Headed Gull, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Great Black Back Gull, Little Egret, Curlew and Redshank. On our way to the venue David was driving and we went via Pilning to checkout parking, and we decided that 5 cars could easily park. Back at Severn Beach it was time to move on and next stop was Pilning, so we all piled into 5 cars and made our way to Pilning. At the entrance to the wetlands a stream which takes the overflow from the wetlands into the sea was a good spot to observe all the birds on the riverbank with the tide still rising but lots of mud still exposed and here amongst the many Wig...

  The 3 Amigos this week were doing a recce as later this month David is leading an RSPB field trip to the Severn Estuary around Pilning Wetlands. As we set off it was raining although the forecast had promised a mainly dry day, but as we headed along the M4 we ran out of the rain and apart from a little drizzle it remained dry all day. When we arrived, we drove along Passage Road and noticed that it was high tide so decided to start the day at Pilning. Parking at the end of New Passage Road we walked to where the Chestile Pill runs into the Severn and here the tide was dropping leaving a muddy shoreline where many waders were feeding including Redshank, Dunlin. Black Tailed Godwit and Knot, also seen were Teal, Wigeon, Mute Swan and Black Headed Gull.   A Starling was on a TV ariel and on the land were Greylag and Canada Geese. Scoping upriver we spotted Curlew, Oystercatcher and Shelduck. Walking to the wetlands we added Jackdaw and Rook and in the Pill was a Little Egret, W...

  This week’s trip for the 3 Amigos took us to Oldbury Power Station, an ex-nuclear power station which is currently being decommissioned. This is a first for me as I have never been here before. On the way a Buzzard was spotted sat in a field and a Pheasant was seen later again in a field and as we approached Oldbury another ran across the road in front of us, so you can see why so many get run over every year. Parking in the visitor’s car park, we had no idea what was the best way to go but in the far right hand corner of the car park was a footpath that we decided to follow. Magpie and Carrion Crow were soon noted, and a few Goldfinch flew into the top of a tree with a Chaffinch in another. All went quiet until we reached a scrubby area where David heard and found a Bullfinch but when looking we noted 9 were present, a great find and one of the largest flocks I have ever seen. Bullfinch-Oldbury(bath Birdwatcher) A Sparrowhawk drifted over, and the 1 st of many Blackbirds flew o...