Window Bird Count!

Date: 26th March - 1PM

Location:  From The Window - Quick Count

Observation:  Decided to do a quick count from the window whilst the sun was out! Highlights were Goldfinch, Greenfinch, a high-level Buzzard and nice to see the Chaffinch's back!

Weather:  Overcast With Some Sun

Other Species: 2 Coal Tit, 6 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Buzzard, 2 Collared Dove (pair)

Grey Wagtail, Kestrel + Heron's

Date: 25th March - Afternoon

Location:  Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2,4+5

Observation:  Went for a quick walk before the rain set in, very deserted walk with only the usual suspects around. Highlights were Grey Heron who was nest building, a nesting pair of Grey Wagtail, a total of 3 Kestrels, and a cute little Pheasant who thought we couldn't see him!

 Weather:  Overcast + Cold Wind

Other Species: Goldfinch, Wren, Buzzard, Kestrel, Pheasant, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail

No Sign Of Yellow-Browed Warbler

Date: 24th March - 2.30PM

Location: Alexandra Park - Beechen Cliff- Bath

Observation: A earlier sighting of a Yellow-Browed Warbler, at Alexandra Park was recorded on Saturday morning and photographed, so thought we would pop up for a quick look for it. We walked around the whole park and met another birder who was also looking for it, but there was no sighting of it again.

Weather: Cloudy with Cold wind

Other Species: Crow, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Blackcap, Great Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Robin

Pairing Up !

Date: 16th March - All Day

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

Observation:  No sign of the Water Rail on top or bottom lake, or the Little Owl pair on bottom lake, but the new Little Owl (we think last years chick, as is very small) was present further up in the woods, a small group of Buzzards flying on thermals  together. Not many birds around apart from that and the usual suspects, the first butterflies of this year included a Brimstone, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. Also, a Common Toad sunning him-self on the footpath! All birds we seen were pairing up so hopefully be a successful breeding season!

Weather:  Blue Sky, Some Wind, Warm

Other Species: Buzzard, Goldfinch, Skylark, Little Owl, Green Woodpecker, Long-Tailed Tit, Jackdaw.

Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus

Date: 15th March  - 2PM

Location:  Newton Mill Campsite - Zones 5

Observation:  Went for a quick walk to re-fill seed perches, and do a quick count. There was quick alot heard, and all perches were completely empty. Within minutes of starting the walk I seen a Sparrowhawk, flying over the road and then moved higher and off into the woods, then spotted a Kestrel sat in the trees on the top field. Not much more seen after that apart from the odd Robin, Skylark and Long-Tailed Tits.

Weather:  Blue Sky, Warm, Sunny

Other Species: Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Skylark, Crow, Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Greenfinch.

Water Rail & Little Owls

Date spotted: 13/03/2014 4 hours

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

Observation: Went for same walk as yesterday, all present and Water Rail showing well! Found two more Little Owls think that's potentially 3 pairs now! Also a Yellowhammer at home farm and about 5 Meadow Pipits.And  also first Tortoiseshell butterfly.(15/04/2013 last year)

Weather: Very misty, Foggy, Temperature 10c and felt cold. Mist started to go around 4pm !

Other Species: Mistle Thrush, Water Rail, Meadow Pipit, Buzzard, Yellowhammer, Redwing, Song Thrush,Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

Grey Heron Catching A Newt!

A quick video I captured wilhst watching a Grey Heron at WWT Slimbridge, it took him a few attempts but got there in the end and successful caught and ate a Newt!

Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus

Date spotted: 12th March - All Day

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

Observation: Went for a long walk around Newton St Loe, started off well, seen 8 Roe Deer running across the fields before disappearing in the wooded area, all seemed to be in Spring mould then it was the usual suspects until we got to the Top Lake where we seen a Water Rail, which a first for the us, never seen one int he 3 years we've been walking out there, so a nice surprise! The Little Owl was about on his normal tree but no sign of the female, and haven't seen the pair for ages now but hopefully just hiding every time we look for her! A new sighting of Meadow Pipit at Home Farm, and a total of 5 feeding on the grass before flying off.

Weather: Blue Sky, Some Broken Cloud, Quite Cold

Other Species: Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Buzzard, Little Owl, Water Rail, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Teal, Wren.

 

First Trip to Slimbridge of 2014!

 Date spotted: 10th March - All Day

Location: Marshfield (Shire Valley) + Slimbridge (Gloucester)

Observation: We planned a day at Slimbridge today, but decided to stop in and get some better picture and another view of the Red-Flanked Bluetail at Shire Valley, we were there from 11-11.50am, and it wasn't seen, upon talking to other birders who had been there all morning, they had all been and seen it before but it hadn't been seen at all today, so hopefully its finding its way home! Sow e moved onto Slimbridge, this must be the emptiest we've seen it of birds, in-between seasons I suppose, highlight today was the Kingfisher, but typical was hiding right behind a bramble, so no decent pictures! Quite a few more birds on the feeders around the reserve which is a bonus! Only a small amount of Bewick Swan's left on the reserve!

Weather: Broken Cloud, Sunny + Warm

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Goldfinch, Kingfisher, Moorhen, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Gadwall, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Kestrel, Long-Tailed Tit, Mute Swan, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Bewick Swan, Teal, Shelduck, Shoveler, Black-Tailed Godwit

 

Starling - Sturnus Vulgaris

Date spotted: 9th March - All Day

Location: Somerset Levels - Shapwick Heath + Ham Wall

Observation: Not alot of pictures taken today, lots of little birds, but too fast and gone before the camera focuses! Heard quite a few Bitterns booming and lots of bird songs today, starting to feel like Summer with this amazing weather! Ham Wall almost empty with wildlife, Shapwick not alot more, but the highlights were the Bittern's booming, a very distant Marsh Harrier, a stunning Starling, and a (possible) Siberian Chiffchaff! Also quite a few Butterflies and Bumblebee's around and even a frog!

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny + Warm (FINALLY!)

Other Species: Starling, Canada Goose, Robin, Blackbird, Bittern, Long-Tailed Tit, Teal, Wigeon, Marsh Harrier, Shoveller, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Siberian Chiffchaff, Wren, Treecreeper

 

Usual Suspects!

Date spotted: 7th March - 1PM

Location: A quick bird count from the window.

Observation: A quick bird count from the window, just the normal suspects really, but nice to see the Chaffinch's back! Also 3 Buzzards flying on the thermals.

Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny, Warm

Other Species: 4 Wood Pigeon, 4 Great Tit, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 3 Crow, 4 Magpie, 4 Blue Tit, 1 Long-Tailed Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Buzzard (one low flying), 2 Goldfinch + 3 Coal Tit

 

Siberian Chiffchaff + Tawny Owl!

Date spotted: 4th March - 2PM

Location: Bernard King Hide - Chew Valley Lake

Observation: Decided to stop off at Bernard King hide to try and photograph the Siberian Chiffchaffs, after a quick wade through ankle deep water we seen both of them straight away, they disappear for a few minutes before returning and seem to favorite the brambles, typical where they stay still the longest with too much coverage for pictures! Very active little birds so be ready with cameras if you want pictures! We heard a Tawny Owl whilst watching the ChiffChaff's and we found it shortly after the in forest opposite sat high up in the tree, we don't very often see them in the open so was very nice! 

Weather: Cloudy with some sun, Warm, No Wind

Other Species: Common Gull, Cormorant, Pochard, 1 Tawny Owl, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Rook, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff