Bath Birdwatcher

  The first 3 months of the year proved to be very similar to 2022 with 105 species seen against 104 in 2022, so the hope was that the following 3 months would continue in the same vein. April. This month started with a visit to Newton St Loe but nothing new for the year was found but a Kingfisher is always a bird that is good to see. Our next birding trip was the monthly RSPB field trip on the 16 th , this month was a visit to Blakehill Farm and Cotswold Water Park. Blakehill is a reserve aimed at farmland birds but on the day (maybe it was a little early in the year) proved to be somewhat underwhelming we did manage Skylark and Meadow Pipit and probably the best sightings were Curlew, and here they are hoping the birds will stay and breed. We also found a singing Willow Warbler, a year tick plus Red Kites. On to the water park where Red Crested Pochard, Reed Bunting and Oystercatcher were all year ticks. The 18 th was the Amigos next trip this time to Chew and Blagdon Lakes ...

  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...