Cheltenham & Slimbridge

Date: 22/01/2015

Location: Cheltenham, Pittville Park & Slimbridge

Observation: As Lauren the other half of NSL-BIRDING and daughter is in New York getting new ticks on her list thought I'd better try to do the same, so headed to Cheltenham to see the long staying Dartford Warbler within minutes of getting there spotted bird being followed by two other birders from the Peak District ! 135 miles away !

               After seeing bird, hide, pop up, fly off, return, it landed for a few shots.

The Stonechats were always there marking him.

and a flight shot !

Watched him devourer a caterpillar ! 

After about an hour headed down to Slimbridge, it would be rude to pass it by!

With hope of the Water Pipit headed straight round to Kingfisher hide :( no Pipit. So went around reserve towards my favorite hide Willow.

The resident Water Rail didn't disappoint making a visit into the open every 10 mins or so

 Other birds here Reed Bunting, House Sparrow, Greenfinch and Tits.

On the tack piece it was FULL of birds Wigeon, Plover, Lapwing and Godwits making up most of the numbers.

Jam Packed

With Curlew 10+ at the Holden Tower 

 Last hide of the day was Rushy, a few Bewick's washing and chilling in the sun. 

A great day And 1 tick !

Weather: Hazy sunshine + mostly cloudy

Other Species: 

Cheltenham- Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Dartford Warbler

Slimbridge- Oystercatcher, Barnacle Goose, Lapwing, Curlew, Buzzard, Common Crane, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Bewick’s Swan, Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail, Water Rail, Reed Bunting + more

Thanks for looking now say hello !

A Good Day to Soar !

Date: 19/01/2015

Location: Newton St Loe - Patch 

Observation: Monday morning and blue skies 'WooHoo' decided to go for the full patch walk, crossed the road and sat in the sun on campsite hill was the Fox again. A good start, with lots of building work going on at campsite the brook was a little quiet.

But on dog track there was a Bullfinch just a female 20+ Redwings and several Goldcrests were buzzing through the trees.

Redwing on blue

After walking along lane towards village 4 Buzzards where mewing high over Seven Acre Wood. 

At village one Blackcap male in trees with 4 Dunnock + 2 Goldcrest

  

At village square noted this Grey Wagtail hunting for food in the thatch roof. Also 2 Nuthatch and a Marsh Tit, was too slow get shot !

At lakes Little Owl not seen but 7 Mute Swans and 1 Grey Heron on Bank, 20 Teal on upper lake. Two more Buzzards at far end of Newton Park College Grey + Pied Wagtails at Home Farm and a single Meadow Pipit 3 More Buzzards a good day for a soar ! 

Great, Blue Tits, Blackbirds, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon abundant today.

Also a Chinnock chugged over Patch 

Weather: Blue skies, sunshine - 5c -11am - 3.30pm

Other Species: 2 (Male) Blackcap, Nuthatch, 7 Buzzards, Kestrel, Marsh Tit, Redwing, Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Meadow Pipit - Of Note.

 Thanks for Looking !

Rainbow over Patch

Date: 15/01/2015

Location: Patch Walk - Newton St Loe 

Observation: Started walk to campsite with blue skies thinking dumb weather forecast! Got on to dog track and it poured down thinking O great ! Then the sleet started :(
After 5 mins blue skies again so headed on up lane, nothing much a single Redwing overhead. At village few more House Sparrows about and 2 Pied Wagtails. No Little Owls today sleeping in hole no doubt! A group of about 10 Chaffinch fielding lake side. A Treecreeper was down by the raging waterfall. On return route at village 20+ Redwing, 5 Common Gulls feeding in field then to end walk this beautiful rainbow right over patch !

Weather: Blue skies, Rain, Sleet - then more blue, clouding over to end

Other Species: Treecreeper, Common Gull, Crow, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Redwing, Raven

Well It Was Forecast !

 Not Looking Good !

 Nuts Everywhere

One Of The Feeding Lakeside Chaffinches

Treecreeper In Camo Mode

Some Of The 20+ Group Of Redwing 

 Rainbow Over NSLBIRDING's Patch ...Feeling Lucky :)

Thanks For Looking !

Update For 2015 !

Kennedy Wild Bird Foods

We are please to announce as of 2015 we have teamed up with 

Kennedy Wild Bird Food LTD.

We have been asked by a few people where we get our seed from and this is defiantly the place! They offer very reasonable prices on all seed including large bulk buy of seed. 

We often have to fill our feeders daily as the birds enjoy this seed so much and have had over 50 birds on our two trees at one point.

We started putting feeders back in 2007 and haven't stopped since, but due to the high volume of birds and wildlife we get around our trees and on the feeders means we have currently 5 feeders and a tray feeder up with a range of different seed in, to suit all the birds we get, so buying 25kg bags of seed and grain from Kennedy Wild Bird Food really saves us money and lasts for a few months!

The customer service and speed of delivery we receive from them each time is next to none and all items arrive next working day which is free.

The thing that drew us to this company was they offer a loyalty scheme every-time you order with them, you earn points which add up to money off a future purchase.

They are constantly offering special offers and discounts so why not have a look and order from them today! 

Use our discount code for 10% off your first order: 'NEW10'

Wild Bird Foods Product Range - Download PDF

Website: http://www.wildbirdfood.uk.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildBirdFoods

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildbirdfoods

Blog: http://www.wildbirdfood.uk.com/Blog.asp?PBMInit=1

Thanks once again for all the continued support, views, comments and frequent reads, it is greatly appreciated. 

Happy Birding For 2015 !