Misty Patch Walk

Date: 18/10/2017

Location: 
Newton St Loe

Weather: 
Very very grey and drizzle all day!

Species Highlights: 
Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat.
Observation: 
Normal walk today except it was raining or drizzling for the entire walk plus the visibility was awful, hence the poor photos today. Bath Mill seemed to full of Robins all singing along through brook. On up to fields and a small flock of Meadow pipits calling overhead in mist with Skylarks and 2 Linnet also. Just past Seven Acre saw a Stonechat, male and 3 Dunnock staring at me from hedgerow. A Male Kestrel being mobbed by 2 Crows, as i came to viewpoint towards the Globe spotted this Buck Roe Deer, just. While watching 3 Jay took to the air.

Watching the Jay feeding distantly i was really pleased to get views of this Sparrowhawk.

He was some distant away but considering the conditions not too bad a shot. Normally see them flashing past , the last couple of walks i've noticed this male usually high over Seven Acre. He seemed to be feeding or after whatever the Jay were having for lunch.

Other group of Meadow Pipit coming from the Globe fields.

Into village Collared Dove and it seemed more House Sparrow, i estimate at 45+ in Newton Farm Shop and surrounding hedgerows. The first Herring gulls on patch since May! Plus a large group of Black Headed gulls with Crow, Jackdaw and Rook all feeding in the very dam fields. 3 more Jay just past church. 

No change on lakes Cygnets still with mum and dad, i think any day now they'll be chased off by the adults, the previous years, 4 months and they're off.

Mistle Thrush calling saw around 8 birds but no Song Thrush today.

Still raining and still very misty with a low fog rolling in now!

So i was pleased to get to 41 species. The female Kestrel was the last bird, feeding on her normal fence line.

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It's been a While, but back on Patch

Date: 07/06/2017

Location: Newton St Loe

Weather: Windy to start warm

Other Species: 
Bullfinch,Buzzard, Grey Heron, Cygnets, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, Jay, Swift, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Whitethroat.

Observation: 
Such a long time but been so busy with this Butterfly obsession !
Which is going well with 32 of the 59 species ticked.
But on to patch today and as normal out through Bath Mill and along brook with all the regulars about  but seemed a bit quiet. Up on to dog walk and 2 Meadow Browns took flight from the very long grass,that was my 32nd tick! Not expected was trying to concentrate on birding today but a tick  is a tick. 

Buzzard and Skylark heard on fields with so much foliage on the trees made it difficult to see anything, even fields had wast high crops of wheat but carried on up towards seven Acre where all was very quiet , though wind was blowing a hooly !
Whitethroat could be heard and managed a distant picture.

While watching 3 screaming Swifts came over the hedgerows and my lighting reflexing manage to get a couple of flight shots.

Into village a it seemed no Barn Swallows or House Martins but soon the sky started to fill with them, although numbers do seem lower than previous years with 20 Barn Swallow and only 15 House Martins. 

The House Martins were still building nest ! when i went away on 14/05/2017 they were building then with not much progress ?

Grey Heron Next with the Herony disappeared into the foliage could just see 3 and one on brook and a further 3 on upper lake , so i guess a successful year with at least 6 juveniles seen, with more obviously gone or fledged .

More newcomers on the top lake with the resident pair of Mute Swans & 6 Cygnets with unfortunately one unhatched egg, but all looking good .

 Also Coot in larger numbers with at least 7  birds seen plus nests.

Thought i saw a dragonfly buzzed past me but this excellent Hornet posed. 

Looking scary !

I walked on up to small ponds to see if any Dragons were about and sure enough Broad bodied & lots of Damselflies plus a couple of Emperor were on ponds.

Alway amazes me , look at that !

Walked back return route with not much more to add to list finished with a few more butterflies, first Large Skippers of the year on patch plus Common blues and more Meadow Browns on Sunnybank.

Next targets Large Blue then Lake District Pictures to follow, fingers crossed!

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After The Rain - Patch Walk

Date: 20th June 2016

Location: Newton Park Lake - Circular

Weather: Cloudy > Sunny Intervals > Warm

Other Species: 4 Bullfinch, 3 Collared Dove, 11+ Swift, Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Song Thrush, Kestrel, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Buzzard, Pied Wagtail, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Mute Swan (7 Cygnets), Green Woodpecker, Greater-Spotted Woodpecker
Butterflies: 4 Large Skipper, 4 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small White
Other: 1 Toad (Baby), 1 Rabbit

Observation: With the weather due to clear up, we headed out on the patch. Starting at Sunnybank, there were only 4 Large Skippers present, giving some good views at times.

Nice to see the Bumblebee's enjoying the brief sunshine.

The Grey Wagtail's were at the Brook in Bath Mill, but could only hear them today. Up to Dog Walk, a Male Bullfinch was present along with at least 11 Swift catching flies on the Top Fields. By Seven Acre the Yellowhammers and Whitethroats were calling from the hedges along the Lanes. The last field before Pennyquick, we spotted a hovering Kestrel and both the pairs of Whitethroat and Yellowhammer were shouting their warning calls.

In the Village by the Farm Shop, the Barn Swallow's and House Martin's were buzzing around in high numbers.

The Hoverflies were taking advantage of the sun by sunning themselves on the wall at the Workshop Covert, giving some cool pictures!

At the Lakes, no sign of the Little Owl today, hopefully keeping dry from the rain! But the Mute Swans are still doing well with 7 Cygnets who are now copying Mum by stretching their wings and cleaning! Very cute!

Also at Top Lake, one of the resident Grey Heron's high in the trees, gave us some good views before flying off to feed.

3, 2, 1.......

Take-Off !!

On the Path on Top Lake, the baby Toad's were still about, as small as a thumbnail, tiny little things!

Walking back along the College Drive, a single Rabbit hiding in the undergrowth was the best to finish our walk!


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Hirundines + Cygnets!

Date: 27th June 2015 - 1PM

Location:  Newton Park Lake Circular

 Observation:  Went for a quick wander out to the Lake this morning, didn't have binoculars or camera on me (all pictures were from Thursday evening walk). I went the Lake way rather then through the campsite, as they were busy on site again. A Buzzard was being mobbed by a Crow up the Lane, the Buzzard joined another one above the field which was being cut by the farmer.

I then moved on to the Village and the Hirundines were out in full force catching flies, landing on the surrounding wires and picking up grit off the road.

At the Lake, the was no sign of the Little Owl (hasn't been seen since 16th April), it doesn't normally disappear around April time and return June, with chicks (after fledging the nest), I did hear a sound of young birds whilst walking around the Lake, just looked at young Owl calls and is very similar so fingers crossed they have been successful this year!

The Mute Swan family were doing well, with still 4 cygnets remaining, and they look like there doing well with both parents staying close, and the young feeding.

Weather:  Blue Sky, Hot, Sunny

Other Species: Swift, Barn Swallow, House Martin, House Sparrow, Buzzard, Kestrel, Crow, Jackdaw, Robin, Mute Swan (+4 Cygnets) - Of Note

Butterflies +  Dragonflies: Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, European Peacock, Broad-Bodied Chaser - Of Note

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My Patch

Date: 04/08/2014
Location: Zone 1-4+5 Newton St Loe 
Observation: Not been on patch for a while, slightly distracted by Butterflies! So headed out through campsite, not much about until seven acre wood, a Buzzard mewing from tree took off in a circle around me and landed hidden in tree! Carried on to village a few Barn Swallow only around 15 though so carried onto lake a Goldcrest by weir and a few dragonflies about ,which were not stopping for a photoshoot ;(. Seen a Jackdaw thought it was dead but lead wings out in the sun ,think anting,it got up with a shake and flew off. Seen 2 Little Owls also female Kestrel on way back.
Weather: Warm, Cloudy, Rain Alarms but none
Other Species: 3 Buzzard (one Very pale phase), Kestrel, 2 Little Owl, Goldcrest, 3 Mute Swan + 3 Cygnets, Coal Tit, Cormorant, 2 Kingfisher flypasts, House Sparrow, 20 Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Robin, Blackbird, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull.

 Its a good job there aren't any more cows, don't think they'd fit in the shadow !!