Pied-Billed And Alot More!

Date spotted: 18th March - All Day

Location: Greylake - Shapwick Heath - Ham Wall

Observation: Lots of Reed Bunting at Greylake feeding on seed which had been placed on tables and trees. Let you get very close. Also in Car park was Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit. Just before the hide, on the boardwalk were a group of 21 (we counted) which were also feet away. Not much to see from the hide, so best staying in the car park! We then visited Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall. Shapwick was pretty deserted at hides but the second pool on the right hand side walking up the path were a small group of Black-Tailed Godwit both male and female, some displaying. Also 2 Little Egrets and 3 Great White Egrets. At Ham Wall, again mostly deserted, Pied-Billed Grebe showing very well from 2nd viewing platform at 3pm, it caught and swallowed (struggled) a huge Roach, it then displayed/called for a minute or so, before disappearing into the reeds to the right to not reappear. Very nice to see the Pied Billed Grebe, as visited first time to find he was right out in the far reeds. Beautiful bird!
Very nice day with some amazing birding!

Weather: Blue Sky and Sunny. Warm with no wind.

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Pied-Billed Grebe, Coot, Buzzard, Cormorant, Black-Tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Reed Bunting, Mallard, Teal, Shoveller, Great White Egret, Song Thrush, Robin

Andy Rollett - Newton Park Lake

Hi there,

Went for a bit of a wander yesterday and behold.... little Owls! Thanks for the info and find attached a pic. Good views of any number of tits, green woodpecker, a field of fieldfares, a bush of goldfinch, greenfinches. And one very annoyed swan terrorising the mallards!

ps Sand Martin!!! Must be the scouting party!

Thanks to Andy Rollett for this information and for his pictures, if anyone else has any sightings around this area please send them in!

Sand Martin + More !

Date spotted: 11th March - 2PM

Location: Chew Valley Lake

Observation: A very windy day didn't affect the birds spotted! Watched 3 Sand Martins flying back and forth over the Lake at Herriotts Bridge and disappeared for a few minutes before reappearing, flying over very close to reeds. Also at Herriotts was a pair of Shovellers and Shelduck feeding. A Pied Wagtail was feeding on dropped seed within 2 foot of me, struggling to fly and stay on the ground with the wind. Just before we left a Kestrel flew from right to left scaring most birds off the lake, but flew straight past into far fields. A pair of Goldeneyes diving and feeding on lake at Herons Green Bay, within five foot of road aswell.

Weather: Very Windy, Light Snow + Cold!

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Mute Swan, Sand Martin, Coot, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Little Egret, Cormorant, Goldeneye, Shelduck, Shoveller, Kestrel

 

Unknown Bird Spotted

Date spotted: 6th March - 2013

Location: Zone 5 - Front Garden

Observation: It was the just bigger than a Blue Tit, so around a Sparrow size but slightly bigger. It let me get sort of get 20 feet from it as it was sat in the tree around 2 metres off the ground. I went in to get binoculars but it had flown off. It was a very light colour so a white from its front and a light grey/brown on its wing. I would have said Blackcap but it didn't have a brown or black head.
I also thought Whitethroat but again it didn't match up to its darker wings or white throat.

Also seen on Local park lawn feeding was a small group of Fieldfare and Redwing with one single Mistle Thrush, feeding very close to road.

Weather: Cloudy and Overcast.

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare,