30 January 2014

50+ Chaffinch Flock!




Date spotted: 30th Jan - 1PM
Location: Newton St Loe Circular - Zones 1,2,4+5
Observation: Just the usual suspects around today, but lots of them. Highlight was flock of 50+ Chaffinch feeding on manure pile and a total of 4 Buzzards flying around with a small flock of gulls circling.
Weather: Cloudy, Cold, Some Mist
Other Species: 50+ Chaffinch, 28 Teal, 3 Mute Swan, 2 Coal tit , 1 Grey Heron, 10 Red-Legged Partridge, 4 Buzzard
 

29 January 2014

Goldeneye + Greater Black-Backed Gull








Date spotted: 29th Jan - 2PM
Location: Chew Valley Lake - Herriotts Pool - Heron's Bay
Observation: Not much to report today, spent a few hours at Chew Valley Lake, highlight was probably a 1st winter Greater Black Backed Gull around at Heron's Bay with 2 Male Goldeneye otherwise just the normal suspects!
Weather: Cloudy, Some Wind, Cold
Other Species: 
Herriotts Pool - 34 Mute Swan, 4 Domestic Duck, 51 Coot, 3 Moorhen, 8 Jackdaw, 2 Canada Goose, 158 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 62 Black-Headed Gull, 8 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 4 Common Gull

Heron's Green Bay - 2 Mute Swan, 34 Coot, 39 Mallard, 2 Canada Goose, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Common Gull, 3 Tufted Duck, 38 Black-Headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 Greater Black-Backed Gull

 

21 January 2014

Nuthatch + Goldcrest !





Date spotted: 21st January - 1PM
Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2,4+5
Observation: Not alot about of anything today, highlights were 50 Teal on the Top Lake, and a single Goldcrest + Nuthatch in the village of note. Otherwise not even alot of the usual suspects. No sign of the Little Owl either. Robin picture is the perches we have set up around the zones, within minutes of refilling with seed, had 2 Robins and 1 Great Tit on them! Not bad considering only been up less than a week!
Weather: Cloudy, Warm, Some Sunny Patches
Other Species: 50 Teal, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Mute Swan, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Dunnock, 5+ Robin, 3 Buzzard, 20+ Jackdaw

 

20 January 2014

Common Gull - Newton St Loe Village





Date spotted: 20th Jan - 3PM
Location: Newton St Loe Village Circular - Zones 1+5
Observation: A quick walk through Seven Acre and through the village to re-fill perches (which were all completely empty, so going well!). Small flock of Black-Headed Gull's with 5 Common Gulls in with them, feeding in the field. First on record for Common Gull's here so a nice little highlight. Nothing else to report apart from the usual suspects!
Weather: Cloudy, Cold, No Wind
Other Species: 8 Black-Headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 3 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 5 House Sparrow, 4 Robin, Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Redwing, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Wren, Buzzard, Collared Dove
 

19 January 2014

Mediterranean Gull - Larus Melanocephalus





Date spotted: 19th Jan - All Day
Location: Chew Valley Lake
Observation: Had a afternoon at Chew Valley Lake, very busy at both Herriotts and Heron's Green today. Lots of Common Gull flying around with the other gulls but mostly just the normal suspects on the lake.  Quite a few Pochard's on the overflow feeding. Around the Heron's Green, the 2 Pink-Footed Geese still present in field behind the Pool. A few more Common Gulls around this side with the red-head Smew present and a few Goosanders on the far bay bank. Also, 1 Mediterranean Gull flying in when food is chucked onto the lake, giving very close views at times.
Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny, Cold
Other Species: 5+ Common Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Smew, 20+ Pochard, 2 Pink-Footed Geese, 50+ Lapwing, 5+ Goosander, 1 Little Egret



 

15 January 2014

Female Wigeon - Anas Penelope



Date spotted: 15th January 2014 - 2PM
Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5
Observation: Mostly just the usual suspects including the Little Owl in his normal tree. Record number of Teal on the Top Lake, counted 38 but quite easily could have been more. A single Female Wigeon was the highlight, no records of a Wigeon before on the Lake so could be a first! First time been for this walk and not seen any Bird of Prey which was weird! 3 Greater-Spotted Woodpeckers all in one tree and flew off together also of note.
Weather: Cloudy, Some Wind, Sunny Patches
Other Species: Teal, Little Owl, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Redwing, Collared Dove, Grey Wagtail, Long-Tailed Tit, Wren, Wigeon
 

14 January 2014

Black Swan + Red-Head Smew



Date spotted: 14th Jan - 2PM
Location: Chew Valley Lake
Observation: Had a quick visit down to CVL, mostly just the usual suspects around, with a Black Swan, feeding on grain on the bank. 3 Cormorants fishing and caught a MASSIVE Trout (around 8 lbs!) but got away. Round Heron's Green Bay was a red-head smew pointed out by another birder, new bird for us but only a record shot as out of range :(
Weather: Blue Sky, Some Cloud, but Warm
Other Species: Mute Swan, Black Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Long-Tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, 



 

9 January 2014

Guillemot + Purple Sandpipers !



Date spotted: 9th Jan - High Tide - 1PM-3PM
Location: Portishead - Battery Point
Observation: We headed to Battery Point (Portishead) in hope to find the Purple Sandpipers after a few unsuccessful attempts. We arrived at midday and waited for high tide at 1:06pm. Around 12.45pm 5 Purple Sandpipers arrived to feed on the seaweed. A few minutes later 4 Turnstones arrived. Both the Turnstone and Purple Sandpipers weren't very active and seemed to just shelter from the wind and rest rather than feed. We left at around 1.30pm as not much was happening, as we left we noticed some birders to the left of us, they called us over for help on ID'ing the bird. At first we thought it was the Brunnich's Guillemot which had been at Portland previous (always thinking of the rarest bird first!). After confirmation from from Rare Bird Alert, it turnt out to be a Common Guillemot, but a first for us and the other birders there so a nice little bonus. The Guillemot was sheltering from the wind, on the bottom of the cliff, and was feet from us (so we though injured but had a text to say was later swimming back in the sea so was just an exhausted bird). Very successful day even if it wasn't a rarer bird!

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny but very cold with wind!
Other Species: 70+ Black-Headed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 15 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Curlew, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Common Guillemot, Pied Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit


 

10 Red Kites @ Winterbourn Basset 21miles from NSL








Date spotted:08/01/2014
Location: Winterbourn Basset
Observation: 10 Red kites 6 just sitting together on tree with Rooks and a Raven , 4 more kites on walk seemed to be hunting and just kiteing around at around 21 miles from Newton st loe they're getting closer !!  :) Here's my walking website with Map look for Temple Bottom,
Weather: Blue at start then rain
Other Species: Red Kite,Buzzard,Raven,Rook,Crow,50+ Chaffinch no binoc but lots of 30+ groups of birds in fields :{ also only 55mm lens 

 

7 January 2014

Blue Skies Finally!

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Date spotted: 7th Jan - 2PM 
Location: Zones 1,2+5 - Newton Park Lake
Observation: Same birds as yesterday really, give or a take a few, a highlight was 12 Barnacle Geese flew through's. No sign of the Little Owl, hopefully just hidden away and not disappeared again! One juvenile Mute Swan has retuned so only the two young ones missing now. Only 3 Teal on the lake, more yesterday!
Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny, Warm
Other Species: 1 Blackbird, 7 Black-Headed Gull, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Buzzard, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Collared Dove, 4 Coot, 9 Crow, 1 Dunnock, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 House Sparrow, 12 Jackdaw, 1 Kestrel, 3 Long-Tailed Tit, 3 Magpie, 19 Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 5 Mute Swan, 1 Pheasant, 2 Raven, 10+ Redwing, 2 Robin, 3 Teal, 3 Wood Pigeon, 1 Wren, 20+ Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 12 Barnacle Geese, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush
2 Roe Deer
 

6 January 2014

37 Species - New Record!

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Date spotted: 6th Jan 2013 - 1PM-4PM
Location: Zones 1,2+5
Observation: Lots about today, considering very windy and wet. Now on 37 species a new record for the 3 mile walk. One Little Owl was in its normal place. A small flock of 20+ Lapwing on the flooded field from River Avon bursting its bank, also in same field over 100 different gulls mostly LBBG and BHG and a Grey Heron! 2 Song Thrush and 1 Mistle Thrush also seen not very common around here so was nice to see! 
Weather: Cloudy, Light Rain, Windy, Cold
Other Species: 7 Long-Tailed Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 6 Wood Pigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Magpie, 30+ Crow, 4 Jackdaw, 60+ Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 50+ Black-Headed Gull, 3 Blackbird, 10+ Redwing, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Owl, 1 Pheasant, 2 Grey Heron, 20+ Mallard, 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 4 Mute Swan (2 Juveniles missing), 5 Teal, 15+ Rook, 2 Robin, 1 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 1 Blackcap, 20+ Lapwing, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush.
2 Roe Deer, 4 Squirrel
 

5 January 2014

Redwing - Turdus Iliacus




Date spotted: 5th Jan 2014 - 3PM
Location: Birding From The Window
Observation: A small group of 4 Redwing collecting the last of the berries from our tree before the predicted storm!
Weather: Cloudy, Light Rain, Some Wind, Cold
Other Species: Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Redwing, Magpie, Crow, Wood Pigeon, Robin
 

2 January 2014

First Birding Trip of 2014!


 Date spotted: 2nd Jan 2014
Location: Weymouth - Portland Bill
Observation: A very successful first trip of the year down to Weymouth. First we visited Radipole to find the Glossy Ibis, driving along the road we spotted it so jumped out van, and took some shots, lets you get within 30 foot before flying a little further away. The Glossy was in the park to start with but kids in the park scared it so landed by goal posts. Word of warning very wet so wear wellys! We moved onto the harbour, lots of birders but distant birds so moved on quickly to Portland Bill and had a walk from Southwell to the lighthouse and back. Very windy so not alot of birds along the west side of the island. A few birds down at the lighthouse including a Raven and Pied Wagtail. Along by the huts we found a female Black Redstart sheltering from the wind so got some nice shots of her. As we walked back onto the footpath we seen a Kestrel flying towards us (weird) it started hovering right in front of us. We watched it for a little, it then went down towards the Redstart! We walked slowly round to see it, it was sat on the edge of the cliff about 5 foot from us!! We moved around a bit more, he didn't even move, think he may have seen the Redstart, but flew off unsuccessful! So a very successful day for us !
Weather: Blue Sky, Sleet, Warm
Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Raven, Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Kestrel, Buzzard, Glossy Ibis, Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Starling, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Purple Sandpiper, Goosander, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Common Gull, Shag, Cormorant, Linnet, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Rock Pipit