17 February 2015

Westhay, Greylake + Ham Wall - Somerset Levels


Date: 17/02/2015

Location: Westhay, Greylake + Ham Wall - Somerset Levels 
Observation: Blue skies and new camera settings so headed for the Levels first off Westhay, car park almost full, half term I suppose. But as usual didn't see many people on reserve was hoping for a Firecrest but after walking London Drove a few times no sign, did see 3 Buzzard, Great White Egret, Goosander and a very obliging Chiffchaff and Long Tailed Tit though.



settings working well !


Next Greylake, again very busy with best spots for car park feeders taken :( . 
even the Reed Bunting was wondering who left the gate open !


So headed round to hides after squeezing into a space 
SNIPE 20 ft in front hide in beautiful light ! Nice .


Shoveller, Gadwall, Wigeon in numbers everywhere also Curlew and Lapwing.


Even two sticks is enough camouflage for this beautiful bird !


Kestrel hunting on way back to car park, on arriving back at van a space appeared by feeders so a quick bit of maneuvering kettle on and started to watch as Reed Bunting, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tits, Dunnocks, Chaffinch and the stars the Starlings. 
Having a right scrap over seed.

Dunnock death stare !


Waiting his turn


 Queue jumping not accepted !!


Come and have go ...!


After an hour or so headed round to Ham Wall on way home, parked in new car park, better than scrapping roof on old car park barrier ! Heard Cetti's Warbler, Just missed Bittern and Marsh Harrier not 5 mins ago. 


Always the way but a good day was had and happier with 7d mkii setting now i think .


Weather: Blue Skies temp around 5c 

Other Species: Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Curlew, Buzzard, Kestrel, Snipe, Shoveller, Wigeon, Starlings, Gadwall, Great White Egret, Goosander, Lapwing, Cetti's Warbler, Long Tailed Tit.

Thanks for Reading and looking! 













15 February 2015

Jay - Garrulus glandarius



Date: 15th Feb - 3PM
Location:  Bath Botanical Gardens



Observation:  A rather dull and overcast, but decided to pop up to the Botanical Gardens, in Bath. Alot of dog walkers and people about, so Squirrels, Jay's and other birds were quite jumpy, we did manage to attract in some Pigeons, Great Tits, Squirrels + Jay's with some Monkey Nuts and Peanuts, where they all seemed very hungry! After photographing them for about 10-15 minutes and get muddy from lying down, we walked around a few times to try and find the Brambling spotted yesterday, no luck with that, but alot of Chaffinches. No Kingfisher either on the bottom lake, but there were alot of Gull's which all flew off together so a possible Peregrine fly-over also. Got some nice pictures of the Jay which we don't really see by us, so almost a nice bird to spot!





Weather:  Cloudy and Overcast - Warm

Other Species: Blackbird, Magpie, Crow, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Jay, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch - Of Note

Thanks For Reading!

8 February 2015

Our Resident Kingfisher



Date: 8th Feb - 2PM
Location:  Newton Park Lake - Patch Walk



Observation:  Within minutes of starting the walk, the resident Kingfisher was sat on the bridge, a few dog walkers flushed it but the flew the way we were walking so we got a few shots as it flew downstream, it let us get about 10 feet from it, sat in the sunlight in full view for most shots, which makes a change! Moving on, the builders still making a racket on the refurb so not much about walking through the campsite, 2 Roe Deer in the cluster of trees, and a fly-through Buzzard. From then on it was pretty sparce. The normal suspects of Crows, Rooks, Song Thrushes and Blackbird, showed. No Little Owls at the Lake, although there were ALOT of people there today. At Home Farm there were large groups of Chaffinches in nearby trees flying around the farm. A few Wagtails also.


Weather:  Blue Sky, Sunny, Cold
Other Species: Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Buzzard, Kingfisher, Crow, Rook, Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail


Thanks For Reading!

3 February 2015

3 Little Owls !


Date: 03/02/2015

Location: Patch - Newton St Loe
Observation: A cold walk up through Campsite, with major building works going on and lots of disturbance :( on dog track Bullfinch just Females seen.



Headed up towards village not 100% but thought I saw Woodcock, would be a first but failed to ID !
Kestrel & Buzzard hunting over Seven Acre Wood.
Village quiet, Redwing over church only 10 or so, Song Thrush on track to college also 3 Bullfinch 2F 1M.


Sparrowhawk over Lake and not 1 not 2 but 3 Little Owls !! not seen them since 28th December 2014 ! I know only 2 here but honest 3 !


Top Lake Frozen 


There were 33 Teal  and 2 Grey Heron staring at water. With the gulls strutting on the ice !


At 'Top End' of lake saw Marsh Tit, 3 Nuthatch.
way home Buzzards, Kestrel.

Weather: Cold wind but some sunny skies
Other Species: Little Owl, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 33 Teal, 10 Redwing, Bullfinch, Marsh Tit - Of Note.

Thanks For Looking !

2 February 2015

Window Watch
































Date: 2nd February 2015 - 2PM-2.30PM
Location:  Window Bird Count




Observation:  Decided to stay in the warm today and do a garden count. I waited for the people around our garden to move away and started the half hour count. Within seconds the tree was re-swamped with birds back on their feeders. The Finches on the Sunflower Hearts, whilst the Tits were on the mixed feeders and the Fatballs. It was hard to keep up with counting what was on our tree with constant movement, but I tried my best! We had a shortage of Chaffinches, but more and more return every day and clear up the dropped seed with help from the Collared's and Pigeons. The new Song Thrush and Blackbird pair feed on the worms under our tree and move onto the seed afterwards. We used to have to sweep our path as it was covered in dropped seed daily, but since buying the Kennedy Bird seed, there seems to be alot less dropped and that dropped seed is eaten by the ground birds! So a quick thank-you to Kennedy Bird Foods for the no-mess seed it really does what it says on the tin!



Weather:  Cloudy, Cold +Light Wind
Other Species: 3 Feral Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Wood Pigeon, 5 Long-Tailed Tit, 7 Chaffinch, 8 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackbird, 25+ Redwing, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Robin



Thanks For Reading!