Raining - Feeder Watch & Small Patch Walk

Date: 25/08/2015
Location: Home then small patch walk to Newton St Loe

 Weather: Raining most of day but brightened up evening
Other Species:

Feeders: Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon + Lesser Black Backed Gull, Buzzard, 2 Swift, Barn Swallow, House Martin - Over Head

NSL: Long  Tailed Tits, Kingfisher, Buzzard, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, House Sparrow, Crow, Goldfinch, Collared Dove + 1 Roe Deer

Observation: Wanted to walk but raining all day so stayed at window watching feeders, plenty of birds visiting Greenfinch and Bullfinch families a highlight! 4 Greenfinch 3 Bullfinch.

 This one Juvenile

 Think this one must be Dad, old and haggered !

 

10/20 Goldfinch seem to be around most of day.

 OOO  OOO Collared Dove on black !

Not so common Blue Tits don't seem to get as many as last year :(

Noticed this Female Chaffinch poor thing, 

First spotted her August 2nd .

Last year had a couple of other chaffinch's with foot rot.

 Female and Male just Bullfinches very jumpy !

As usual Goldfinches Squabling !

Then the sun came out so after tea headed out through campsite, I mean Bath Mill all finished now and looks good.

On Brook the Kingfisher darted past me and disappeared. While watching a Mistle Thrush was collecting worms almost at my feet I lifted the camera up and gone !!

Walking up byway saw this Roe Deer .

At Village around 50 Barn Swallows a few House Martin and ! 5 House Sparrows a short but  pleasant walk on leaving Bath Mill the bank at its exit in full bloom all planted by Bath Mill.

 Good Job !

If you see this, Thanks For Visiting !

Newton St Loe Patch Walk

Date: 29/06/2015

Location: Newton St Loe - Patch Walk

Observation: A beautiful day and on leaving the front door the male Bullfinch was on our tree, over the last week we've seen 2m 1f and and Juvenile.

Also late news Saturday night around 2am while wasting hours on the computer heard a Tawny Owl very close, on looking out window, right next to me it called again it was perched on top the feeder tree! Magpies were calling and squawking, after the female Tawny Owl yelped a few more time it flew of. That takes our feeder tree count to 34 not bad for a urban car park ! 

 Weather: Hot Temp 23c, Blue Skies + Bright Sunshine!

Other Species: Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Little Owl, Buzzard, Blackcap, Treecreaper, Whitethroat, Swifts, Barn Swallow, House Martins.

Butterflies: Red Admiral, Comma, Ringlet, Small Tortoise, Marbled Whites, Large Skipper, Small White.

 Comma Butterfly this must be second brood as not seen on patch since 6th April 2015.

Always a great looking butterfly the Small Tortoiseshell.

And the Ringlet never quite keeping still today.

After walking through Village saw a Buzzard looking and hoping no doubt that he could catch one of the many hundrines soaring over farm shop, out through church and to lakes few fisherman on Lake and the we heard the screech of a Little Owl couldn't locate but 100% first time heard or seen since April 16th. Fingers crossed they've had a good breeding year as last year saw 5! Also at Lake Mute Swan still with 4 youngsters few Dragonflies not stopping though.

Then the star a Male Kingfisher dived into lake giving me chance to get a bit closer I took the opportunity and stealthy waded through the grass.

Giving his sultry over the shoulder look !

On walking back saw his mate on lower lake, then at Fisherman's car park a Mrs Blackcap just popped up not 5m in front of me !! So intent on filling her beak up don't think she noticed us.

Lacewings and caterpillars cour de bleu  for birds ! :)

 Check Back Soon !

Little Terns @ Ferrybridge!

Date: 9th June - All Day

Location:  Portland Bill - Ferrybridge

Observation:  We parked at Reforne and started walking part of the South West coastal Path at 9am. It started off with a bit of rain and alot of white cloud, a singing Whitethroat started our walk and a few fly-past aswell as some nesting Fulmars passing the cliffs. Just before Blacknor Bridge (which is closed due to a landslip) we seen a Fox down near the bottom of the cliff, with Jackdaws swooping at it, trying to defend there nests. Moving on, we seen a Kestrel hovering over the path, which kept moving down when we got closer. On the whole of the walk there were Skylarks singing and Pipit sp. everywhere! Mostly Meadow Pipit's and a few Rock Pipits (close to the lighthouse). Apart from plenty of gulls we didn't really see much else, down by the M.O.D there were alot of Gulliemot's and Kittiwake's on the cliffs nesting, with alot of the Guillemots and some Razorbills (possibly juvenile) taking off flying around in a circle and landing on the cliffs again, maybe practicing to fly? Now down to Pulpit Rock, there was a fledgling Rock Pipit calling but was staying away from trouble high on a rock. We had some lunch and had a look out to sea, nothing really flew past apart from a few Shag's. The weather from now onwards got very warm and sunny! A few calling Raven's a one very photogenic Raven was the first for the way back, and apart from plenty of Pipit's and gulls nothing really added to the species list for the walk. Almost back to the van and a Kestrel came and hovered above us, no higher than 5 feet above us, but now of course too close for pictures! (Always the way!) Before we packed up and drove home we stopped at Ferrybridge and walked along Chesil Beach to see the Little Tern nesting.  We weren't disappointed, plenty of them fishing close to the shore and flying over with fish , also very protective and fending off ALL gulls that pass anywhere near them or their nest!  Driving home just past Yeovil there was a Red Kite searching the fields, which was a nice surprise! Although no rare birds (apart from the Little Tern's of course!) it was a lovely few days in the sun!

Weather:  Sunny, Warm, Blue Sky, Broken Cloud

Other Species: Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Raven, Buzzard, Kestrel, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Guillemot, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Shag, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Linnet, Stonechat, House Sparrow, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Red Kite

Butterflies:   Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Large Skipper, Common Blue, Six-Spot Burnet