Bath Birdwatcher

After getting over my illness it was back too Tuesday birding and this week it was a morning at NSL. After picking up Bryan and David  the 3 Amigos drove to the village finding a soaring Buzzard as we drove in. Parking by the farm shop Swallows were on the wires with young being fed by their parents and lots of Jackdaws around. Greenfinch could be heard calling, and 2 flew over along with House Martins. We started our walk in the lanes where a Lesser Black Back Gull was flying in the distance and several Woodpigeons were flying around and we must have disturbed a Green Woodpecker as it flew away low over the fields, also as we walked up the lane a small bird flew away in front of us and landed a few yards away where we were able to get a good view of it, a Whitethroat. Our first butterfly of the day a Gatekeeper was on a leaf with it's wings fully open. Bryan then spotted a distant Herring Gull followed by our 1st Large White butterfly. At 7 Acre Wood we were hoping for more butter...

Portland Harbour (Bath Birdwatcher) Mary and Tony have recently returned from a few days in Weymouth staying with our best friends David and Hazel, in their caravan close to Ferrybridge. Although they have a sea view of sorts you need to walk 50yards up the site for views over the fleet and from here you can see the Little Tern colony, gulls and larger waders but its such a short walk to a point where you get perfect views of the Fleet and also Portland Harbour that it's not worth spotting from this point. After arriving and unloading the car we had lunch and after we did some spotting from the caravan and Little Terns were flying noisily around along with 2 Ravens and lots of passing Herring Gulls and Starlings. We then drove to Portland for a walk around the harbour spotting  Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge. Walking around the harbour we added Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, and Little Egret to the weeks list. It was very chilly and silly me didn't take warm enough clothing ...

  Looking East from Lansdown - (Bath Birdwatcher) Bath RSPB's final field trip of the season was a local walk on Lansdown. Nine members arrived at Lansdown Park and Ride to be greeted by light rain so we sheltered under the eves of the toilet block and it was here we sighted Carrion Crow and Robin. The rain wasn't heavy but enough to get you wet. As it looked as if it was going to dry up we set off but one member decided not to come in the end so we were down to just 8. As we walked through the playing field our 1st sighting of the day was a Muslin Footman moth, a new species for me and we found 2 more during the walk. At the racecourse Swallows and House Martins were searching for insects and a small flock of Goldfinch were in the gardens opposite the pub and a Collared Dove and  Blackbird were also seen. Heading towards the entrance to the Golf Course a flock of Rooks flew over and a Greenfinch sang from the top of a tree. From here we headed across fields where lots of Skyl...

Today Bryan and Tony visited Caen Hill locks nr Devizes as we were told last Saturday that Sedge Warblers had been seen there and it would be a year tick for both of us if we could find them. On arrival in the car park we immediately spotted four or five Black Headed Gulls sat by the water with others flying around and also several Mallards now in eclipse plumage on one of the many ponds, we found 50+ during our visit. As we drank our coffee Woodpigeon, Lesser Black Back Gull and  Goldfinch   flew past with the LBBG harrying a Red Kite. As we walked towards the 1st pond a Wren flew along the bankside and a Magpie was on the grass in the distance. I then heard a part call that I knew was Sedge Warbler and when we got to a good vantage point we found three of four birds at least one was a juvenile as it was being fed, our hoped for species seen within 30 minutes of arriving. To early to leave so we walked on where a flyover Buzzard led us on to a few Swifts flying close by. A Gr...

  This month's Bath RSPB field trip was to Avebury. We parked in the National Trust car park and while waiting for everyone to arrive we spotted Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Swift, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Lesser Black Back Gull, Blackbird and Red Kite. Eighteen members arrived all on time so we set off past the cricked pitch towards the village. On the way we added Jackdaw, Collared Dove and Chiffchaff to our day's total. Once in the village after a comfort break we set off down a lane sightings on the way included House Martin, Goldfinch and Sparrowhawk, We stopped at a farm where lots of House Sparrows were flying around chirping, here we also saw Starling, Pied Wagtail and a flyover Raven. Just past the farm is a lane on the right and here we found a Whitethroat which advertised its presence by its call. Also here was a male Chaffinch, Blue Tit and in the fields beyond a few Rooks and our 1st  Swallow of the day, also here was our 1st two butterflies  Meadow Brown and a female B...

The 3 Amigos were back together for todays walk from Monkton Combe to Midford following Midford Brook. We parked at the bottom of Summer Lane and while changing footwear found our first sightings of the day, Buzzard, Swallow and Goldfinch. A house on the edge of the village has bird feeders and here we added Woodpigeon, Blue Great and Coal Tits. Walking through the village Swift and House Martin were flying over the rooftops . Walking towards the brook House Sparrow and Blackbird were found along with several Rabbit's Walking through the fields Carrion Crows were in with the cows and 2 Jay's flew away as we were walking flying into a tree that already contained several Magpie's. A Lesser Black Back Gull flew over and a Tiger Moth that I think was a Garden Tiger flew quickly past. A Kingfisher that zipped past down the stream was our next sighting followed by calling Nuthatches that we think was a family party. Meadow Brown Butterflies were everywhere far to many to count b...

  Bryan, Yvonne, Mary and Tony had a weeks holiday in North Devon staying in a house in Morthoe, and what a great property it was, set about a mile from the coast on a hill giving great views over the Bristol Channel to the south coast of Wales. Our sightings started as soon as we left Bath and including a lunch stop near Barnstaple we logged all the following Buzzard, Jay, Rook, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Kestrel, Swallow, House Martin, Magpie, Herring Gull, Pied Wagtail, Wood Pigeon and Dunnock these sightings also include anything flying around our accommodation during the first day. Day 2  from the house we were able to see Gannets  and as we walked into Morthoe Greenfinch were singing from the top of a tree next to our house. In Morthoe we walked around to see what was available pubs shops etc. We did a short stroll finding Stonechat and flyover Ravens. Stonechat - Bath Birdwatcher Then to the local carav...