Pre Christmas Wander

Date: 22/12/2014

Location: Full Patch Walk 

Observation: Walked the full patch today. Lots of work going on at Newton Mill campsite, new chalets going up instead of tents and caravans. Diggers, workmen and not many birds about. Headed on up to dog walk where a large group of Long Tailed Tits where feeding and making a right racket a Wren stopped for a shot then it returned to quiet.

Sparse Pickings A Pigeon !!

Grey Wagtail,Chaffinch and Pied together Pre-Christmas drinks ?

Nothing until village but only then collared doves and goldfinch. Out to lakes, Little Owl was in a different hole and different tree, Teal from 14 down to 5. More Building works at Newton Park College so not much about did see Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail and Chaffinch all sat together ?!  On up to Home Farm and a small flock of Redwing with 1 Fieldfare buzzed overhead across fields to 12o'clock lane a Roe Deer Sat unaware of me. 

Manged to sneak up on this,  Model unkown on byway.

A fly past Buzzard and Sparrowhawk And Home was in Veiw.

12 O'clock Byway

Weather: Grey Skies,11c some wind.

Other Species: Blackbird, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Little Owl, Redwing, Fieldfare, Grey Heron, Teal.

27/11/204 - Patch Walk - Newton St Loe

Date: 27/11/2014
Location: Patch Walk 
Observation: Brook was running fast so no Kingfisher today but start of dog track Chiffchaff posed for a picture then he was off ! 

Squirrels around 4 in small wooded bit were busy collecting nuts, not much else up byway to cross roads where usual Buzzard was being mobbed my a single Magpie. On lower fields by Globe pub there was around 150 Black Headed Gulls. Into Village bare.Into Church yard Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest a group of around 20 birds feeding in trees.

Mistle Thrush

Redwing,Thats Why !

Out to Lakes Little Owl present more Goldcrest 3 Grey Herons, Kingfisher and the Teal are back 12 birds on Top Lake. Headed back through village saw some Meadow Pipits on the Swallow wire. Almost back and a little Goldcrest showed a few times bad light but nice to see bird in open ! and still !

Amazingly Yellow Feet !

Weather: 8c, Cloudy, No Wind

Other Species: Chiffchaff, Buzzard, Redwing, Coal Tit, Mistle Thrush, Kestrel, Jay, Goldcrest, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Teal.

Thanks For Looking !

Peregrine Falcon on Patch

Date: 6/10/2014

Location: Patch Walk 

Observation: Walked into Campsite within minutes spotted a Kingfisher on Newton Brook! He kept moving down brook but got a picture. 

2 Jays on walk up to dog track, and 2 dogs Springer! Saw some Crows in fields to left and something else, focused binoculars and a Peregrine Falcon came into view!! He was sat until Crows decided this was their field and chased him off. Nice, new patch tick !!

Bird had a light blue ring on left leg ,can't see number.

Very little until village where Pied Wagtails were fluttering everywhere at least 20+, not seen as many since farm shut, House Sparrows 50+ near Pigs. No Barn Swallow left. Only short walk today but worth it !

Weather: Had just rained but blue skies 

Other Species: Kingfisher, Jay, Coal Tit, Peregrine Falcon, Raven, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, Buzzard - of note .

Thanks for Looking !

6 mile Patch Walk

Date: 10/09/2014

Location: Newton St Loe,Zone 1+3+4+5 

Observation: Started usual patch walk at around 11am today seemed very quiet up through campsite and up to Seven Acre wood. Just before I crossed road at Pennyquick met Ali BOC member who said not much about either !

 I will make a map and walk page to make it easier for non locals to find everything although birds do move! I usually walk around 6 miles on Patch so our sightings are spread out a bit.

           

     New Link on Right  Patch Map 

Treecreeper (Workshop Convert woodland, newly cleared so good to see birds here)

Another From newly cleared woodland ,Nuthatch.

Natural England doing work to make Grounds like they were in the 1800's !

                                        

Any way headed on to Village where 1 Barn Swallow was thats it ! On entering workshop convert wood saw 2 Nuthatch and 2 Treecreepers. Crossed Newton Park Drive towards fishing lake nothing on lower lake next lake was slightly better with 2 Goldcrest in fir trees and a fly past Kingfisher .

Top Lake Grey Heron

Headed on through following permissive path through small woodland and on up to Park View Farm here 2 Kestrels on Poles and a flypast Sparrowhawk. 3 juv. Yellowhammer in hedge on Natural England path. Roe deer in field eating blackberries then 3 Ravens at end of byway with a Treecreeper in woods on righthand side. Buzzards were up soaring on thermals as temp was warming up and home .

Weather: Blue sky temperature rising into afternoon.

Other Species: 2Nuthatch, 3Treecreeper, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Raven, Grey Heron, 2 Goldcrest, Yellowhammer - Of note.

Yellowhammer Hiding But there !

 And a final Roe Deer 12o'clock Lane middle.

Thanks for Looking

Newton St. Loe in the rain

Date: 26/08/2014
Location: Zones 1+3+4+5
Observation: After a quick look at weather forecast thought i'd have a walk out the lanes. After walking for around 1 mile it rained didn't stop until Home Farm 3 more wet miles, but despite that seen Goldcrest at least 2 hopping around fir trees. Headed on up to 12 o'clock lane byway, shelter at last binoculars steaming up camera wet ! On up across fields towards Home Farm and saw a small flock of mainly Linnet then it stopped raining !! Got into top field overlooking Newton College saw another group of small birds maybe 20 or so in flock picking off wheat and seed from recently cut field, on closer inspection at least 5 or so were Wheatears ! A New Tick for patch ! Nice, watched for few minutes then headed on to lake where it rained some more. Little Owl only one. Grey Herons 3x flying around lake squawking like Pteranodon ! Last spot was a Hornet sheltering on a Blackthorn bush.
Weather: Raining,then showers & cloudy
Other Species: Little Owl,Dunnock, Goldcrest, 4+Buzzards, 6x Linnet, 5+Wheatear, Kestrel, Raven, 3x Grey Heron of note.

A Dry Goldcrest but wet me !

Group of soaky Linnets

New Patch tick 

 At least 5 Wheatears,Although there's only one here :)

 Hornet staying out the rain 

Thanks for looking !

Little Owl - Athene noctua

Confiding Speckled Wood

Little Mallards

The Little Owl Stare

Date: 18th August - 2PM

Location:  Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation:  Decided to go for a walk whilst we waited for that rain which was forecast (which never actually arrived!). Quite a few butterflies still about mostly Speckled Wood, Peacock and Small White but did see a Red Admiral also. A single Yellowhammer and a family of Long-Tailed Tits, started the walk at Seven Acre woods. Alot of Buzzards around the whole walk, mewing and hunting must have been a good 6 or 7 total. A few ducklings on the Lake still, with the Cygnets still hanging around with mum and dad. One Little Owl was present on a new perch, slightly closer to the footpath which was nice, no sign of other 3 whilst we were there. Nothing worth noting until back to the Dog Walk, were we seen a Sparrowhawk, land in brook, so we creeped up, but couldn't see it, we waited and sat behind bushes, were it got spooked by a big van passing it, and flew into trees opposite and couldn't see it after that, nice to see they are still about though! Started to rain 5 minutes from home, so good timing!

Weather:  Cloudy, Rain Showers, Sunny Intervals

Other Species: Buzzard, Goldfinch, Crow, Magpie, Little Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Mute Swan, Yellowhammer, Long-Tailed Tit, Coal Tit - of note!

Owl Hunting - Out The Lanes

Date: 17th August - 8PM

Location:  Newton St Loe - Zones 1,2,+5

Observation:  We popped out in the hunt of some Owls or night animals and to do some night shots overlooking Saltford. We seen a Buzzard hunting just before the Dog Walk, wouldn't imagine he would have caught much in the dark! Quite a few Blackbirds calling in the woods, and 2 Green Woodpecker, feeding on the bank. Another Buzzard sat in tree mewing, before flying along to next trees. We had a few close calls with Bats, who were flying down the path as we were walking up! We stopped in the lay-by to do some shots, with a Tawny Owl calling loudly opposite, in trees above road, but was too well hidden to see. Quite a few more bats in Newton St Loe village, far too fast to identify. A possible Barn Owl took off and flew over fields in village but was gone before we could shine torch on it.

A very nice walk, will try and do more night walks, shame we didn't see any Foxes or Badgers though!

Weather:  Clear Skies, Blue Hour, Cold Wind

Other Species: Tawny Owl, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Blackbird, Barn Owl, Bat sp.

Fox Out The Lanes!

Date: 14th August - 1PM

Location:  Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation:  Walked up to Seven Acre, in the heavy rain, seen 2 Yellowhammers calling on the byway. Got to Newton St Loe church, where 2 Kestrels (1 adult with juvenile), where both were perched on the gargoyle, being harassed by crows. Stopped raining when got to the Lake, got to the bottom lake, with 2 Little Owls sat on perches, on the crossover for the top lake, 1 Kingfisher sat 20 foot away with a MASSIVE fish, almost same size as him. On the top lake, another two fly-past Kingfisher, most we've ever seen in the area! 2 Grey Heron's with the usual stuff for the top lake. A nice, very close Roe Deer was feet away from me, could only manage 100mm otherwise to close, not often we can say that! Walked back along the Uni drive, decided to walk around on the field, about a field and half away was a young Fox yawning and stretching, first time we have ever seen a live Fox around our area and in full view midday was a bonus!

Weather:  Sunny, With Heavy Showers + Thunder

Other Species:  Coal Tit, 3 Kestrel, 3 Kingfisher, 2 Little Owl, 2 Buzzard, 2 Yellowhammer, Greenfinch, 2 Grey Heron - OF NOTE
Other Mammals: Fox, Roe Deer, 2 Field Mice

2 Little Owls - Pair

Kingfisher - Look of the size of that!

Fox (Rare for us!)

Roe Deer - Too Close!

Also, a belated sighting of a WHITE STORK! spotted at Baltonsborough in the fields, whilst a friend was grass cutting (I wasn’t there otherwise this would have been mentioned on the day!)

It was spotted between 12-1pm (lunchtime) on the 29th June, near Clapps Farm.

WHITE STORK

Taken from tractor window

Photo credit - Mark Horton

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 !!

Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis

Date: 11th July - 6PM

Location:  Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation:  We decided to go for a quick walk out the lanes after dinner, first we seen 1 Bat (not sure what type) hunting and catching flies, before flying off into the trees. Onto the dog walk in the campsite there were 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers and 1 female Blackcap, all of which we got fairly close to without disturbing them! At Seven Acre, there was a small group/family of Kestrels hunting together and diving down into the corn field, nothing was successful caught whilst we were there, before they all flew into the trees as a fly-over Sparrowhawk passed by with a catch (possibly Blue/Great Tit). In NSL Village there was a dead Sparrowhawk, with no obvious injury's, possibly hit and moved out of road by passer-by. Nothing more to note at lake apart from the 1 Little Owl hunting down opposite end to normal (due to loud sheep) and 2 VERY loud Grey Heron squawking away! On the return journey, was much of the same, with 4 Kestrels in the village sat high in trees possibly the same as earlier and just resting. A very nice walk with some nice pictures, so very successful! First time in a good while that not 1 Buzzard was heard or seen though!

Weather:  Some Cloud, Sunset, Warm

Other Species: 4 Kestrel, 4 Green Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk (one also unfortunately found dead), 50+ Swallow, 10+ House Martin, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Grey Heron, 5+ Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 1 Little Owl, 2 Jay, Wren, Dunnock, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Crow, Jackdaw

Macro Walk - Newton Park Lake

Date: 23rd June - All Day

Location:  Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation:  Decided to do a walk to the Lake, as no blog for 2 weeks, so apologies for this! We took our small lens for some macro, as too hot for birds, which defiantly proved correct, only seen around 20 species. Highlights included Grey Wagtail, Skylark, Buzzard, Yellowhammer. Lots of butterflies and bugs around today. Little Owl was calling from nest, not sure if chicks or adults. Marbled Whites are back again this year, slightly earlier than normal, first ones around NSL are normally beginning of July! Apart from that, not much else around.

Weather:  Sunny, 25 Degrees, Very Light Wind

Other Species: Buzzard, Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Little Owl (heard), Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Crow

Butterflies:  Marbled White, Peacock, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper

Some pictures form yesterday airshow at Weston-Super-Mare !