Winter Thrushes + Barn Owl

Date: 29/10/2017

Location: Newton St Loe

Weather: Cloudy some sun, turning colder

Species Highlights: 
Barn Owl, Kestrel, Redwing, Greenfinch, Mistle Thrush.
Observation: 
Our feeders are full of Goldfinch this morning Lauren counted 38 a new record plus a female Bullfinch along with normal Blue & Great Tits.

Normal patch walk today, Nothing going on through campsite, been very quiet along brook recently. Up onto fields and Skylark numbers still around 10+ with a flock of Meadow Pipits buzzing across fields, so hard to id as to the light and speed they were flashing in front of me, i stand corrected if anyone says id different ?

Difficult from pictures i know !

Male Kestrel hunting on lower fields with Lesser Black Backed Gulls swarming over bypass fields, farming ploughing.
Mistle Thrush numbers climbing saw at least 7 in Church trees plus a few Redwing in Village.

Bottom lake Black Headed Gulls and Billy still. Top Lake Also quiet 2 Mute plus cygnet still was the best of it, Black Headed Gulls into the 30's.

Walked on up into College by Yew trees Song Thrush and Redwing still feeding although getting a shot a different matter! 

Under Yews thought i saw a Hawfinch!! It was dark and i was hoping, it was a Greenfinch 4 in total, shame seems to be so many coming through at moment, Coal Tits, Goldcrest also feeding under.

 Back along College drive and Crows. Rook and Jackdaw feeding.

Still a few Red Admiral about, keeping a record just to see.

More Redwing's on my return route with more Mistle Thrush too.
Female Kestrel in normal spot on the hunt.

She so jumpy doesn't let me get very close, used the cover of hedge row to get within camera distance.

And that was it a total count of 41 species, decided to check on owls as clocks went back today and Friday night i saw Barn Owl fly in front of me on my way to work. 

Walked out to village nothing, on return we heard a Call and Barn Owl flew high over our heads, very happy to see, not so happy with my picture but hey, a Barn Owl 
( that's what you call a RECORD shot!!) also heard Tawny call a few times, a Male.

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Easter Sunday Patch

Date: 16th April 2017

Location: Newton Park Lake

Weather: Cloudy, Sunny Intervals and Warm

Other Species: 4 Bullfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Blackcap, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Raven, 2 Buzzard, 4 Skylark, 4 Linnet, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Mistle Thrush, 20+ Barn Swallow, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Tawny Owl, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler - Of Note
Full Species List Here: Click Here

Observation: Few people about through Bath Mill, so pretty quiet, a single Holly Blue butterfly and the normal suspects Blackbird, Robin, Crows and Wood Pigeons.
Onto the Dog Walk, a Roe Deer (Stag) playing hide and seek!

A single Buzzard and a distant fly-past Barn Swallow were the best so far.

Just past the Crossroads, a few more butterflies landing as the sun come out.

Speckled Wood

Orange-Tip (Male)

As we approached Pennyquick, two Yellowhammer flew over. As we crossed the road we spotted the Male feeding on the floor, where we finally got some nice shots from the wall!

As a car passed, he then flew up and landed in the Blossom tree.

Through the Village, there were 3 Barn Swallows feeding in the nearby fields.

Just before the Workshop Covert the other side of Newton Church were 2 Greenfinch calling away along with singing Blackcap, a single Long-Tailed Tit.

Before a visit to the Lakes, we checked the Heronry and lots more birds a total on 6 adult birds (5 on next) and 2 chicks also present. A Single Cormorant also with the Grey Heron's today.

On Corston Brook a single Moorhen and Mallard feeding along with a Grey Wagtail (Male) having a quick clean. Bottom Lake there were 4 Mallard and 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls.

On the approach to Top Lake, this Green Woodpecker was sat watching us!

Top Lake had the usual suspects, 11 Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 4 Coot, 5 Teal (Only 1 Male), and plenty of idiot Dog Walkers ignoring signs!

The Mute Swan pair are still doing well, Female sat on nest (still unsure on egg numbers) whilst Male chases off anything that moves!

All of a sudden a small group of 3 Barn Swallow arrived, shortly followed by another 4.
Great to see they are arriving back and missed the chirpy calls!

An additional 2 Grey Heron on Top Lake also.

No sign of any Little Grebe or Tufted Duck so numbers of Waterfowl currently down.

A distant Tawny Owl was heard walking back along Top Lake.

On our return route a very brave Chiffchaff came and landed next to us and started singing loudly!

Not alot of note back through, the Village produced 4 Linnet and a few more Barn Swallows through the fields. Also a single Mistle Thrush feeding with some Blackbirds.

A good walk ended on 46 Species of Birds, 4 Species of Butterfly,
1 Roe Deer and 6 Rabbits!

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The predator

Date: 13/04/2017

Location: Newton St Loe

Weather: Grey and cold

Other Species: 
Buzzard, Kestrel, Skylark, Kingfisher, Barn Owl, Grey Wagtail.
All species

Observation: 
No Butterflies today as Grey skies and quiet nippy out so decided on a patch walk, Through Bath Mill not a lot apart from Wren, Blackbirds and Robins so on up to Fields and this very Pale Buzzard circling with another, not the normal buzzard but have seen this one far end of Bath Spa before.

Down on through village and church with a few more Chiffchaffs, a couple of Willow Warblers and also Blackcap in Send a Cow Woodland. 
A walk along to Herony and a distant Kingfisher which i've not seen for a month! Not a bad shot as i was so far away ! The Herons doing ok 5 on nest but no little pterodactyl yet !

Saw 4 Grey Wagtail today, 2 Waterfall and 2 far end of lake 2, love the male, great little birds.

At lake had to speak nicely to a Dog walker, telling him about the Swan attack and put your fricking dog on a lead ! It seems they just can't read, well 80% anyway, he did, then said i know you you're on tele aren't you ? I answered yes i'm Simon King and he wandered off, smiling !
But while munching my apple 2 Lesser Black backed were on patrol and heard a commotion a managed to pick up camera then watched the gulls pick off one by one the Ducklings.

 The Mallards of which there were 2 broods and 12 Ducklings in total, were soon whittled down to 7 ducklings :( sad, but you can't blame the gulls.
We've all gotta eat !

I once watched a herring gull hoover up 5 Moorhen Chicks right in front of me while i floated up the River in my canoe, the moorhen came right along side me for protection but this didn't stop the gull! 5 all alive !

After lunch....More Blackcaps and Nuthatch calling all around lakes and this great little Goldcrest of which there were at least 5 in one tree.

Mute Swan still on nest, covering the eggs so still not sure how many eggs.

While feeding the Male Swan Mrs Mallard and the lone survivor came down my end of lake, hope he makes it !

Blackcap singing loudly but a bit shy, not really showing well.
Counted 4 in Send a cow Woodland on way back.

Nothing much in Village on way back through, apart from our resident Barn Owl, still not seen hunt this year. This taken from 2 fields away as not to disturb him.
Ended walk on 45 species. 
No Swallows or Martins and no Bullfinch today on walk and on Feeders ?

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Slimbridge Ending With Sunset

Date: 23/03/2017

Location: Slimbridge + Newton St Loe Patch

Weather: Starting Cloudy then Sunshine

Other Species: 
White Fronted Goose, Brent Goose, Garganey, Golden Plover, Oystercatcher.
Patch: 
Barn Owl, House Sparrow (Pair)

Observation: 
Went to Slimbridge with Robert today, mainly to go for the Garganey but always good at Slimbridge and my 54th visit! 
Straight into the South Hide to see if we could see Garganey but nothing spotted, so the Black-Tailed Godwit's kept us entertained with Avocet and Black-Headed Gulls screaming around the Lake.

Pochard's also looking stunning in the now bright spells.

With no sign of a threat from above, everything on Lake went skyward, great to see.

Wandered over to Holden Walkway dropping into the hides along the way. Wigeon in flight little else from first hide.

Lots a tree cutting going on but spotted 2 White Fronted Geese, hanging on I would think soon to depart.

From the Holden with the 120+ Barnacle Geese a Brent Goose, at least 1 new bird for my year list.

 After wandering around reserve checking out the captives we went to Zeiss Hide where a Spotted Redshank was spotted, bit far for me to even see so not countable but a Lecustic Greylag flew by. We left a headed to South Hide to check on Garganey.

The Garganey turnned up!! Mmmm.... well the captive one anyway.
Still a great looking duck.

From the South Hide as we approached it, lots of scopes coming out all saying the Garganey has just flown off! Typical but the Little Grebe was right in front Hide, nice!

Just about ready to leave and it did show distant but a Garganey! 
Job done, mission accomplished.

A very nice day was had, and 2 new year ticks. On getting home had a new visitor on my feeders a second House Sparrow a Pair!

On the piece of astro turf which is about a meter long which I've mount in tree had 
2 House Sparrow
2 Bullfinch 
2 Goldfinch
1 Blue Tit
1 Great Tit 
Not bad at all for a meter square.

Had a spare half hour after tea so went looking for our Barn Owl, saw it but not hunting like last year. I'll keep trying. Did see this Buzzard, in fact when it got dark he was still circling over Village.

Great watching the sun descend while watching for the Owl, Sun seemed huge.

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