Bath Birdwatcher

  Baby Hare (Leveret) Bath Birdwatcher Our birding trip this week took Bryan and Tony plus Yvonne and Mary to Slimbridge, David was otherwise engaged. Two very special birds had been at Slimbridge for a few weeks but we had not had the opportunity to visit until now, more on these species later. Our trip to Slimbridge was very fraught when at the Cross Hands junction on the A46 was a road closed sign on the road ahead forcing us to follow the diversion signs to Yate but somehow we must have missed a diversion sign and found ourselves in Bristol so it was then M32/M4 on to M5 to Slimbridge . On arrival 1 st stop was the restaurant for a coffee and carrot cake and from the window we noted Mute Swan, Swallow, House Martin and Collared Dove. After coffee we started at the Peng Observatory where we saw Coot, Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rook, Tufted Duck, and Oystercatcher. Then it was our 1 st special bird that we were hoping to see a Black Winged Stilt, the 1st time I h...

  Salcombe - Bath Birdwatcher W e have recently returned from a week in South Devon with Mary’s cousin Hazel and her husband Terry, we stayed at a small village called Marlborough just outside Salcombe. And what a week, great weather, smashing company and very relaxing.   We spent the 1 st couple of days shopping or relaxing on the patio where we had a panoramic view right to the distant Dartmoor. Birds seen from the patio on day one included Rook, Jackdaw, Swift, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Swallow and Lesser Black Back Gull. Day 2 we added Dunnock, Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Starling, Linnet, Great Tit, Pheasant and Wren. Chaffinch - Bath Birdwatcher Greenfinch - Bath Birdwatcher Day 3 we visited Overbeck a National Trust Property and here as we sat having Coffee House Martins were flying around. Walking around the garden which contained a lot of mature trees I heard the call of a Firecrest which I found high in a tree. Later in the mo...

  New Franchises RSPB - Bath Birdwatcher Yesterday David and Tony were invited by Tom Rogers to join a U3A bird watching trip to New Franchises in the New Forest. The site is owned by the RSPB but is not open to the public but it is possible to arrange a visit with the RSPB. We had arranged for a guide to meet and show us around the site. Leaving Bath at 07.45 we soon started seeing birds and the 1 st of intertest was a Red Kite just outside of Bath. We also added on the trip Rook, Magpie, Jackdaw and Kestrel. We were the 1 st to arrive and while waiting for the others, we spotted Starling and a Buzzard. 10 of us arrived for the walk but birds were few and far between with a Song Thrush being our 1 st sighting in the forest. On reaching a more open glade when a large tree had fallen we found a Spotted Flycatcher soon followed by a second and while we were watching they copulated. Firecrest is a very common bird in the woods but so very easy to hear but almost impossible to see ...

  Today was this months Bath RSPB field trip to Stockhill in the Mendips, and those of you who follow my blogs will have read that the 3Amigos did a recce on Tuesday and with the knowledge we gained we used this to show people some of the birds butterflies and dragonfly’s we encountered. Just 3 bird species were seen on the way being Swift, Collared Dove and House Sparrow. 19 members arrived by 10am and as on Tuesday we crossed the road to explore the open area at Stockhill, and as we were hoping out 1 st sighting of the walk was a Tree Pipit in exactly the same area as before. As we all took turns to view the bird through Tom’s telescope a Buzzard was in the distance and Skylarks were singing, Carrion Crow was our next sighting then our 1 st and 2 nd Butterflies of the day Small Heath and 2 Green Hairstreaks. A Whitethroat sang from the top of a bush joined by a single Linnet. As we reached the pond a Woodpigeon flew past and House Martins swooped down to drink. A Stonechat fl...

  This coming Saturday Bath branch of the RSPB are running a field trip to Stockhill on the Mendips and David is leading the visit, so today the 3 Amigos plus Tom did a recce to assess the best places to go to look for different species that will be of interest to all. The 3 Amigos set off at 9am to meet Tom at 10am, on the way we noted Buzzard, Magpie, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, House Sparrow and Rook. Tom was waiting as we arrived so after a quick chat we decided that the open grassland area with small trees, shrubs and a pond was the best area to start and our first sighting here was 2 Mistle Thrushes that flew up from the ground as we passed. We were then aware of a bird singing from a nearby tree which we knew from the song was a Tree Pipit which Bryan found and Tom was able to get it in his telescope so we all had good views (a year tick for us all), while looking a Sparrowhawk flew over along with Carrion Crows and Lesser Black Back Gulls. As we continued a Hobby wa...

  Today my wife and myself were invited to my sone for a lunch time barbeque so we decided to start the day with a walk at Newton St Loe as its been a while since the two of us had visited together. We needed to visit the garden center plus go to my parents grave and check the flowers. This meant that our visit was a flying one so a few birds I recognised by their call were missed, Wren, Robin, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Goldcrest being just 5. In the field beyond the church was a Lesser Black Back Gull and on the road to Ripple Effect a Rook flew over and House Sparrows were in the hedges and Goldfinches were on the feeders. Nothing more was seen although in the woodlands Wren, Blackcap and Chiffchaff could be heard. Butterfly alley was devoid of butterflies but a Blackbird was on the footpath and Woodpigeons were in the trees above the stream. The fishing lake was closed as the fish are spawning so the 9 Mallard and a single Moorhen had the lake to themselves, a Grey Heron was on t...

  Another week and no 3 Amigos but this week Bryan and Tony plus our wives Yvonne and Mary had an awayday to Seaton and Beer. The day was a mixture of birding and a coastal visit. Setting off at 8.45 our first stop was Cartgate picnic area where we had a coffee break, and after it was off to Seaton while driving obviously we were spotting and the following were seen, Starling, Swift, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Great White Egret, (unusual to see this species from a moving car) Blackbird, Swallow, Buzzard, Rook, Kestrel and Goldfinch. Seaton Wetlands was our next stop and here we started the visit with Blackcap and Great Tit and also a lovely singing Whitethroat.   From the viewing platform which had a Robin on the ground, we overlooked an open body of water where we noted Shelduck, Great Black Back Gull, and Herring Gull. Walking towards the visitors center a Dunnock was on the footpath and a Moorhen was on another small pond. We then stopped for coffee and wer...