Day Trip To Slimbridge !

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Happy New Year!

Date spotted: 30th December - All Day

Location: WWT Slimbridge

Observation: The last outing of 2013, decided for a day at Slimbridge. Was a lovely day with the odd bit of sun coming out. Thousands of waders taking to the sun every few minutes and loads of ducks/birds also around the reserve. Very close Grey Heron, sat in front of South Lake hide. Definitely worth a visit around this time of year!

Weather: Cloudy, Broken Cloud, Sunny

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Kestrel, Pintail, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Teal, Wigeon, Golden Plover, Curlew, Pochard, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Comorant, Lapwing, Lesser Scaup, Tufted Duck, Shoveller, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon

 

New Species Count - 35 Birds

Date spotted: 29th Dec - 2PM

Location: Newton St Loe Circular - Zones 1,2,4+5

Observation: Decided to walk around Newton St Loe, and back past Newton Park Lake. Pretty deserted to start with but soon picked up and proved to be a record breaker walk with 35 species of birds!! The Little Owl is back but 3 cygnets seem to be missing from the lake, but luckily past the predation stage (hopefully). Found 3 Nuthatches in the local yew trees near Home Farm, not very common in this area so was nice to see! Very nice walk

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny, Cold

Other Species: 4 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 12 Wood Pigeon, 2 Buzzard, 7 Crow, 9 Magpie, 10 Jackdaw, 2 Rook, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Mute Swan (3 Cygnets missing), 25 Mallard, 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 1 Little Owl, 6 Teal, 4 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 22 Redwing, 6 House Sparrow, 1 Pheasant, 5 Dunnock, 1 Wren, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Coal Tit, 9 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 7 Black-Headed Gull, 4 Long-Tailed Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Feral Pigeon 

Also, heard a badger in bushes, but disappeared before getting a definite ID or picture.

 

Marsh Tit At Newton Park Lake

Date spotted: 28/12/2013

Location: Zone 1+2

Observation: Redwing everywhere on walk, with plenty of Buzzards as well little owl present, then Newton top lake Marsh Tit !! new bird for us here. Also seemed to be lots of squirrel around collecting food. Got back home to find even more Redwings on our Rowan Tree seems to be only tree with berries left !

Weather: 10c, Calm with some Broken Cloud

Other Species: Redwing, Blackbird, Dunnock, 5 Buzzard, Robin, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Marsh Tit, Little Owl, Rook, Crow, Raven, 4 Mute Swan, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Jay

 

14 Bird Species - 88 Birds

22/12/13 - 2PM

7 Blue Tit
7 Great Tit
9 Goldfinch
3 Greenfinch
4 Wood Pigeon
2 Buzzard
2 Crow
3 Magpie
2 Jackdaw
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Black-Headed Gull
2 Coal Tit
34 Lesser Black-Backed Gull (roosting)
10 Long-Tailed Tit

After The Storm Stroll!

Date spotted: 19th December 2013 - 1PM

Location: Newton St Loe - Zones 1+5

Observation: Lots of little birds around probably trying to get food after last nights storm and  stocking up before more wet weather tonight! 23 species of bird on a 2.5 circular walk so not bad!

Weather: Cloudy, Some Wind, Quite Cold

Other Species: 13 Pheasant, 6 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 5 Goldfinch, 90+ Crow, 3 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 8 Magpie, 1 Coal Tit, 6 Blackbird, 8 Redwing, 16 Wood Pigeon, 2 Robin, 1 Wren, 10 Red-Legged Partridge, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 House Sparrow, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 12 Black-Headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 Green Woodpecker

 

Severn Beach Count !

Date spotted: 17th December - 2PM

Location: Severn Beach - Aust

Observation: Went in the hope to find the Desert Wheatear (which we knew had gone!) but no sign of it or many other birds infact! Pretty deserted quite a few Redshank and Wigeon feeding on the mud.

Weather: Blue Sky, Cloudy, Warm

Other Species: Starling, Robin, Cormorant, Redshank, House Sparrow, Wigeon, Coot, Mallard, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Crow, Magpie, Kestrel

 

The Long-Tailed Tit's Are Back !!

Date spotted: 11th Dec - 1.30PM

Location: Birding From The Window

Observation: A quick scan on the feeders outside the window, produced a feeding frenzy! 

Weather: Cloudy, Cold, No Wind

Other Species: 4 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Coal Tit, 14 Long-Tailed Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Dunnock, 1 Wood Pigeon, 2 Magpie

No Purple Sandpipers !

Date spotted: 9th December - All Day

Location: Battery Point - Portishead

Observation: Got to Portishead for high tide in hope to see the Purple Sandpipers but no sign of them ! We had a look for them a few times but still no sign! On the Marine Lake, was the 2 Egyptian Geese and a few Black-Headed Gulls and Mallard but nothing else.There were quite a few Rock and Meadow Pipits around on the shore and grass around Battery Point that let you get quite close for pictures! Finally, a quick stop-off at CVL proved successful as we seen the Pink-Footed Geese! Slightly closer than normally, but still not close enough!!

Weather: Blue Sky, Some Wind, Warm

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Egyptian Goose, Pink-Footed Goose, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Mallard, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Turnstone, Black-Headed Gull, Dunlin, Canada Goose