Newton-St-Loe Birding: A Little Otter.... No!

30 June 2017

A Little Otter.... No!

Date: 29/06/2017

Location: Newton St Loe

Weather: Grey & Cloudy

Other Species:
Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff.
Spreadsheet

Observation:
It's been a while but Butterflies have taken over. Been to Scotland, Lake District, Norfolk, Kettering, Peterborough, Lulworth Cove & Wales since last blog and i'm loving it!

My current tally of Butterflies is 50 not 51 as I've posted on Twitter, a mistake on a simple ID for Meadow Brown thinking it was a Gatekeeper! DUH!
But no worries I'll get them, leaving me now on 9 species left and another trip to Dorset & Lake District planned soon.

But onwards to the Patch for now. Recently it's all action on the Feeder trees outside home with a family of Bullfinches visiting every day.

Plus the 2 Juvenile Jays every hour coming onto feeders taking 3 peanuts eating them and then taking 3 more until disturbed, it's been great watching them grow.

Lauren got some great shots of them.

Plus plenty of Blue & Great Tits.

Out through Bath Mill as the normal on this very grey day seeing lots of juvenile Robin, Blackbirds and Wren along brook and up on to dog track which is now overgrown.

Skylarks in fields and Buzzard overhead. a few pairs of Whitethroat plus 3 Yellowhammer along byway.

A group of 10 Swift were screaming overhead too. (My awful picture)

Village seems a bit quiet with birds, Barn Swallow, House Martin number seem lower than previous year but are spreadsheet we didn't start counting until August so will judge numbers again.

Goldcrest do seem to be having a good year with numbers high Church Yard and Send a cow Woodland alive with their song.Also Blackcap singing in Send a Cow.

On to Lakes and Lower Lake still the single Mute Swan but only 4 Mallard.

Top Lake a bit busier with 2 Mute and 6 Cygnets all doing well. Normal numbers of Coot and Moorhen.

Mallard numbers into the 30's.

I carried on round and Grey Heron's which have now dispersed from Heronry and seem to be scattered down on river and here on top lake, learning how to fish with Mum or Dad watching on.

Normally the Heron fly off when anyone is near but this learning lark they don't seem bothered.

Didn't see them catch nothing but practice makes perfect.

When I walked back down the Mute Swan and Cygnets were trying to all get back on the nest, strangely?

They did manage it, but a bit of a squeeze!

Dad was other side of the lake having a clean and chasing off those pesky Mallards.

Walked down towards Corston and through Manor Farm which seem to have a much healthier population of Barn Swallow and House Martins with House Sparrow, Crows and Jackdaw in very good numbers here.

Think the Farm Shop in Newton St Loe only attracts Cars!

Out through Corston and onto River Avon where Blackcap and my first Dunnock of the day showed up.

It was that time of year to check on Reed & Sedge Warblers and I wasn't disappointed with at least 5 Sedge Warblers and 2 Reed Warblers.

Standing still for some time the sedge finally came into view.

The next set of Reeds seemed to be a creche for Whitethroats of which 3 Juveniles and a single Sedge Warbler.

While watch this Banded Demoiselle.

I saw what I thought was Otter!

3 running along opposite bank and in to cover but now after the excitement and looking at very bad images I think they are Mink, I've still not seen a wild Otter!