Bath Birdwatcher

  This year like most others has had its ups and downs but overall it has been an enjoyable year even though my year total was 2 less than last year 163 to 165. If you have followed my blogs you will have read that the 3 Amigos are bird spotters and not twitchers. (twitchers chase rare birds all over the country) if anything rarer turns up in this area and its on a day when we go spotting, then we might try to see it but only if its in an area where we can spot other birds along with the bird we have traveled to see. January. The year started well with a pair of Blackcaps in the garden and the following day the 2 nd Mary and I managed a short trip to Newton St Loe here the less common included  Teal, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck (f)  and Treecreeper always a nice bird to get early in the year before the leaves appear on the trees. The first trip the 3 Amigos made was to Chew Valley Lake nothing terribly exciting but Goosander are always a nice find. A week later on t...

  Bewick's Swan Slimbridge (Bath Birdwatcher) The weather again dictated bird spotting this week, Tuesday being a wet day we moved our day out to Wednesday and as this would probably be the last time this year the 3 Amigos will be out and about Slimbridge was chosen for our last hoorah. On the journey to Slimbridge we spotted 2 Red Kites many Pheasants a flock of Fieldfares and 2 Buzzards sat in the same field. In the car park at Slimbridge we were welcomed with a huge flock of waders that had probably been put up by a bird of prey the flock consisted of many hundreds of Golden Plover and Lapwings along with a few Curlews and a small flock of Starlings. On the way into the center a Collared Dove was in a tree. Inside in the grounds we made for South Hide as high tide was just after lunch so we though that Tower Hide would be better then. On the way to the hide we ticked Rook, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Coot, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Geese, Mallard and Jackdaw.  Greylag Goose Sl...

  Great Crested Grebe in front of Stratford Hide - (Bath Birdwatcher) After yet another wet weekend and a very wet Monday it was again, where can we go, with fields and muddy footpaths out of the question, it needs to be made up footpaths so yet again good old Chew Valley Lake came to the rescue for the 3 Amigos. Starting at Herriotts we had already logged Jackdaw and Pheasant on the way. On the pond were Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Teal and Cormorant, plus Pied Wagtail and 4 species of gull, Great and Lesser Black Back, Black Headed and Common. Jay, Little Egret and a small flock of Starlings all flew over. On the main lake we added Great Crested Grebe and Pochard with fly over Blue Tit, Carrion Crow and Great White Egret. We walked to the left hand end of the pond and here we were treated to a lovely view of a bird you hear more often than see a Cetti’s Warbler which was on the edge of the reedbed we also added Moorhen, Canada Goose and Grey Wagtail. Back o...

  Another dilemma for the 3 Amigos due to the constant rain we seen to get most weeks, we had about 67mm of rain on Monday, we were unsure of where to go one thought had been Oldbury Power Station but there, is a lot of walking on grass so possibly very muddy and Portbury Wharf but the same would apply there so it had to be the old favorite Chew Valley Lake at least here most walking is on made up footpaths. While driving to Chew I happened to mention that a Great Northern Diver was at Barrow Tanks the previous day, and those of you who follow these blogs will have read that we visited the tanks a few weeks ago for the diver that was there then, and a Long Tailed Duck but the duck was seen well but not the diver. So at that moment Bryan who was driving suggested we should try again for the diver as it would be a year tick for him and me, David had seen one at Ferrybridge. We arrived at the car park by Tank 3 and as we drove in a Magpie was seen. Walking towards the tank David spott...

  Today Bryan was decorating and David was feeling under the weather so it was just me, and another chance for a patch walk at Newton St Loe. Driving into the village a Magpie flew in front of the car and a Jackdaw was sat on a telegraph pole. Parking by the church, a Blue and Great Tit were in the Yews in the church yard. In the field beyond were 2 Song Thrushes and 17 Redwings,  the usual Lesser Black Back Gull was on the cottage chimney at the bottom of the field, Rooks were flying over towards the university and back again along with a few Wood Pigeons. At Ripple Effect a Blackbird was in the trees with more Blue and Great Tits, and House Sparrows were chirping in the hedgerow with  Goldfinches  in the treetops. Down the footpath a Wren showed for a few seconds and a Robin was in a bush. Looking along the stream from the top of Butterfly Alley 3 Grey Heron were in the trees above the stream. On the bottom lake was 2 Black Headed Gulls and 2 Kingfishers one flying...

  Today Bryan and Tony were joined by our wives for a coffee and a walk at Newton St Loe. After coffee in the farm shop we walked via the drive towards the university and immediately noted 3 covid species Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Rook the last outnumbering the other 2 by at least 20 to 1.  Rook - NSL (Bath Birdwatcher) We then noticed a few gulls circling above and we were able to identify Common and Black Headed, It was a bit chilly and breezy so for that reason not many small birds were seen. At the top lake 39 Mallards were counted plus 6 Moorhens and 6 Coots. 2 Cormorants were sat in their usual tree along with a single Wood Pigeon. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into a tree by the Temple and a Raven flew from a tree in the same place and while watching the woodpecker we noticed several Coal Tits working their way through the trees. On the lake the single Mute Swan was under the trees on the far bank along with 4 Teal. Next were Blue and Long Tailed Tits in the trees abo...

  This week the 3 Amigos had decided to go to Barrow Tanks as 2 species that would be new for the year had been recorded there. On arriving at the tanks we parked by tank 3 which is wooded with a lot of bushes and shrubs hence plenty of small birds including Great, Blue, Coal and Long Tailed Tits as well as Goldcrest and Wren. Blackbirds and a Song Thrush were eating berries. As we reached Tank 3 Great Crested Grebe and Mute Swan were the 1 st 2 species of water bird seen we soon added Mallard and Coot and at the northern end of the tank lots of Cormorant, I didn’t count them but there must have been 50+. A Pied Wagtail flew over and at the top of the lake Bryan spotted a Little Grebe also seen were a few Tufted Ducks and Coots. Looking to the east over the A38 into the fields beyond was a large flock of gulls containing Black Headed, Common and Lesser Black Back. Nothing more was seen and as we walked towards Tank 2 Carrion Crow and Magpie were seen. Tank 2 was very quiet with ju...