Date: 28/08/2018
Location:
Newton St Loe - Slimbridge & Chipping Sodbury
Newton St Loe - Slimbridge & Chipping Sodbury
Weather: Very Grey, no wind
Species Highlights:
Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, House Martin , Barn Swallow, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Spotted Redshank.
Observation:
First off Patch walk today with Tony Cook, local patch birder, I walked up from home through Bath Mill adding Bullfinch plus all the regular species.
I had a group of 10 Barn Swallow following me up Lanes feeding.
Met Tony by Globe Lookout and first tick for us both was a group of around 10 Linnet feeding on Thistle. A single Blackcap buried itself in Yellowhammer bush but no Yellowhammers to be seen.
Out through village and all very quiet until churchyard where I spotted a group of 7 Mistle thrush who flew towards us and started to feed in Yew trees.
Send a Cow today was silent, Butterfly alley also empty, bottom lake apart from Jenny Mute and 11 Mallard also empty, don't worry it gets better.
Top Lake, the work on repair has finally begun!! So water levels should soon be back to normal.
This male Kingfisher flew across lake and perched briefly, adding to our list Goldcrest and another group of this time 20 Mistle thrush Flew to normal trees above pagoda.
A very large group of House Martins feeding over lake 50+ and nice to see as numbers seem this year to be very low.
Walked on to small ponds near sports fields and Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker heard and seen plus this single Brown Argus, butterflies dwindling now with only 1 Red Admiral 5/6 Small Whites, 8 Speckled Wood plus a single Common blue.
Next back towards College and a massive group of Mistle Thrush flew overhead Tony counted at least 25 but we doubled it to 50+ birds, Best count ever on patch!
Then while looking at the resident pale Buzzard on telegraph pole, I spotted a small bird , thinking hang on that's not right continued to watch area, it then flew and landed on post i took a couple of pictures, still not convinced with Id and not able to get any closer left it on post.
On editing pictures and getting second Id, convinced its a female Common Redstart.
Our 97th Species all time and 80th species this year!
Heavy crop, but bird had Orangish belly,greyish face, although picture doesn't help much.
Walked back along rear drive looking for a Yellow Wagtail amongst the cows but nothing, In village more House Martins and Barn Swallow feeding again a massive group 100+ but hard to count probably double that figure.
Shaking hands with Tony I departed with 38 species ticked and walked back along byway soon seeing Pheasant then this stunning Sparrowhawk.
He was looking over the Linnets that we saw earlier.
I watched him for a few minutes until he took flight after the Linnet.
Never seem to be able to get pictures of these stunners so a bit chuffed with these.
Just a great bird, I ended walk getting a Nuthatch so end total was 42 species.
On the morning before 27/08 went to Chipping Sodbury Common to see Whinchat and Redstart was not disappointed!
Saw 3 Whinchat 1 Common Redstart, plenty of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Kestrel, a good start to morning next Slimbridge for the Spotted Redshank.
The weather was very grey but eventually got a few shots of the great little wader.
This the only time in the whole day the blue sky showed for 10 seconds, then it was grey again!
A superb couple of days and some cracking birds seen.
Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, House Martin , Barn Swallow, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Spotted Redshank.
Observation:
First off Patch walk today with Tony Cook, local patch birder, I walked up from home through Bath Mill adding Bullfinch plus all the regular species.
I had a group of 10 Barn Swallow following me up Lanes feeding.
Met Tony by Globe Lookout and first tick for us both was a group of around 10 Linnet feeding on Thistle. A single Blackcap buried itself in Yellowhammer bush but no Yellowhammers to be seen.
Out through village and all very quiet until churchyard where I spotted a group of 7 Mistle thrush who flew towards us and started to feed in Yew trees.
Send a Cow today was silent, Butterfly alley also empty, bottom lake apart from Jenny Mute and 11 Mallard also empty, don't worry it gets better.
Top Lake, the work on repair has finally begun!! So water levels should soon be back to normal.
This male Kingfisher flew across lake and perched briefly, adding to our list Goldcrest and another group of this time 20 Mistle thrush Flew to normal trees above pagoda.
Walked on to small ponds near sports fields and Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker heard and seen plus this single Brown Argus, butterflies dwindling now with only 1 Red Admiral 5/6 Small Whites, 8 Speckled Wood plus a single Common blue.
Then while looking at the resident pale Buzzard on telegraph pole, I spotted a small bird , thinking hang on that's not right continued to watch area, it then flew and landed on post i took a couple of pictures, still not convinced with Id and not able to get any closer left it on post.
On editing pictures and getting second Id, convinced its a female Common Redstart.
Our 97th Species all time and 80th species this year!
Heavy crop, but bird had Orangish belly,greyish face, although picture doesn't help much.
Walked back along rear drive looking for a Yellow Wagtail amongst the cows but nothing, In village more House Martins and Barn Swallow feeding again a massive group 100+ but hard to count probably double that figure.
Shaking hands with Tony I departed with 38 species ticked and walked back along byway soon seeing Pheasant then this stunning Sparrowhawk.
He was looking over the Linnets that we saw earlier.
I watched him for a few minutes until he took flight after the Linnet.
Never seem to be able to get pictures of these stunners so a bit chuffed with these.
Just a great bird, I ended walk getting a Nuthatch so end total was 42 species.
On the morning before 27/08 went to Chipping Sodbury Common to see Whinchat and Redstart was not disappointed!
Saw 3 Whinchat 1 Common Redstart, plenty of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Kestrel, a good start to morning next Slimbridge for the Spotted Redshank.
The weather was very grey but eventually got a few shots of the great little wader.
This the only time in the whole day the blue sky showed for 10 seconds, then it was grey again!
A superb couple of days and some cracking birds seen.
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