Glorious Mud!

Date: 12/10/2016

Location: Bristol Channel

Weather: Cold Wind with Cloud.

Other Species: Stonechat, Linnet, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Dartford Warbler, Dunnock, Redshank, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Shelduck 
Plus a few others.

Observation: 
Following on my coastal theme this week Sand Bay and Uphill, Sand Bay first with plenty of Stonechat's about, plus few Linnet and Goldfinches in numbers of 5-10 tinkling overhead.

Plus a single Reed Bunting.

Also up by trig point 2 Chiffchaff popping about in Hawthorn.

Tide was out so walked along coast and saw this? 
Tree Sparrow or House Sparrow? Comments welcome...
Only managed 1 picture and it darted off with House Sparrows.

Again Stonechat's standing high on bushes catching flies and alike.

 Plus the stunning Dartford Warbler made a brief appearance.

Normally deep in the bushes stayed and watched for 30 mins.

Left and headed to Uphill, walked the estuary path around the golf course Redshank mostly, I could walk past them but as soon as I stopped and pointed camera the distinctive call and they flew!! 

But further along, came, across these Dunlin.

Managed to get very muddy including my binoculars! but did get a few shots. 

I think Male and Female?

Male Dunlin up to his ankles in the Mud.

This the sort of distance with Redshank they flew soon after I took this, 

around 150 ft away as well!

A super day was had, if a little muddy!

 Thanks For Looking !

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Severn Beach & Newton St Loe

Date: 10/10/2016 + 11/10/2016

Location: Severn Beach & NSL

Weather: Both Days - Blue(ish) Skies but getting Colder

Highlight Species: 
Severn Beach - Curlew, Turnstone, Wigeon,Teal, Kingfisher, Dunlin, Kestrel, Coot!
Patch - Grey Wagtail, Redwing, Kingfisher, Stonechat, Raven, Buzzard.

Our new Spreadsheet Sightings Press to reveal full list.

Observation: 
Monday morning and Lauren off work so headed down to Severn Beach first spots were the Wigeon, nice to see more than 1 which by the way has left patch now hopefully joined up with this lot! Along with Redshank, Curlew, Shoveler present, on incoming tide.

Walked along toward sentry boxes and Pilling had Little Grebes, Canada Geese, Teal and these two Grey Herons plus Snipe taking flight!

The Herons were having a right tussle!

Heron stand off but there can only be one!

And after much hoping squawking and beak grabbing....

The loser departed!

After that a Kestrel flew past, and in hot pursuit, 2 Jackdaws
(Not sure is this Kenny the Kestrel?)

Plenty of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails feeding on Grassland plus a large group of Linnet.

Feeding under Severn Bridge were Ringed Plover, 15 plus, and few Dunlin but soon after we saw them a fisherman scared them off and they were gone!

Walking back a Wheatear played leapfrog with us always staying about 30ft from us!

Couple of Mallard from Chew Valley Lake on way home.

Tuesday and Patch walk.

Normal Grey Wagtails on Brook, total count was 5 including Lakes

Also 2 Redwing on brook! Nice, wouldn't let me get that close but plenty of time looking at records, 12 November earliest sighting on patch but maybe not spotted, getting better at this spotting lark ever year!

Up through Dog Walk and farmers in field planting or were, broken down tractor but while looking a Stonechat! Much closer to Bath Mill than usual and not seen Stonechat here for a few weeks.

At Village normal stuff but 8 Pied Wagtail buzzing from rooftop to rooftop.

Lakes normal Mallards and a streaking Kingfisher, not naked I just mean it flew past !

Bath Spa very busy now but Raven overheard and Nuthatches on site 

plus on back drive 5 Mistle Thrush to end.

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Redwings + Thrushes...

Date: 9th October 2016

Location: Newton Park Lake - Circular

Weather: Blue Sky, Some Cloud, Cold Wind

Other Species: 5+ Goldfinch, 1 Coal Tit, 10+ Goldcrest, 3 Grey Wagtail, 8 Buzzard (Seen Together), 2 Kestrel, 8 Pied Wagtail, 20+ Long-Tailed Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Raven, 5+ Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 25+ Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Marsh Tit, 6 Yellowhammer, 9 Collared Dove, 3 Linnet, 1 Jay + 2 Stock Dove - 46 Species
(Click Here For Full List)

Observation: We started out through Bath Mill as normal, 1 single Grey Wagtail and a small number of calling Goldcrest up through into Dog Walk. At Seven Acre, we were only on a count of 10 species, pretty low considering we are normally on 22 at this point! Just before the crossroads a large group of 6 Buzzards were circling high on the thermals, we did count a further 4 but couldn't find the initial group. A fly-past Kestrel joined a further Kestrel which was high up with the Buzzard group.

Into the Village and the Pied Wagtails seem to have done well this year as we counted a total of 8 Pied Wagtail together, normally we have 3-4. A constant call of Long-Tailed Tit's through the Village and also 2 Nuthatch in the churchyard, which flew off together into the Yew tree nearby. As we walked out towards the Workshop Covert a calling Raven flew alongside us for a few seconds before going into the trees.

Earlier sightings from patch birder Robert Hargreaves, we had a good scan in the Send-A-Cow fields for the Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Redwing, as we had earlier seen them flying in this direction, but nothing once we got there.

At the Lakes, the Fisherman's Car Park was full (must have been a match) so wasn't expecting much on Bottom Lake. A fly-over Grey Heron, 4 Mallard and a single Moorhen were the only sightings. Top Lake helped boost our sightings count! 28 further Mallards seen along with the 2 Mute Swan, 2 Grey Heron, 10 Teal but no Wigeon, hopefully she has moved on and found a mate, as she looked sad the last few visits! The earlier Redwing and Mistle Thrush seemed to have stopped off here feeding on the Yew trees, 5+ Mistle Thrush and 25+ Redwing counted but no pictures!

Whilst walking around the Kingfisher landed on his normal perch, but flew off so this was the only picture we got of him!

We sat for 10 minutes as we normally do, a stunning Male Sparrowhawk was flying above us, tormenting the Jackdaws, we lost sight of him after a few minutes.
Onto Top End, a single Song Thrush, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper were spotted. Then.... A single Marsh Tit, which was nice!

We went back via Park Farm, 6 Yellowhammer still present in the far hedges along with 10+ Feral Pigeon's in the ploughed field. A total count of 9 Collared Dove at Park Farm (a good count for the patch).

2 Linnet with a small group of Goldfinch feeding on the seeds from the fields.

The final birds today were a single Jay (heard) and 2 Stock Dove distantly down by College Drive.

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A Flocking Good Walk !

Date: 4th - 6th October

Location: Patch - Newton St Loe

Weather: Dry, Grey (with a tiny bit of blue).

Other Species: Opens Google Doc
Observation: 
 Trying out Google Doc above with our sightings, we fill in as we wander round and its searchable, will start fresh monthly and keep yearly. My little book fills up fast.
So first off Tuesday and 6 Stock Dove on first fields seeing more of these about recently. 
Poor picture. I know, only 3 in pic.

Also a single Wheatear male on far hedgeline. With 7 Linnet overhead noticed a group of raptors over 12 O'Clock Lane 100% 3 Buzzards but other looked like Red Kite!! Avon Birds reported a Red Kite but not sure what time, so Red Kite still remains off NSL list :( 
Too distant for picture. Had a count of 23 at Pennyquick Crossroads a record with Raven, Kestrel and Skylarks joining the list. On to Village no Barn Swallows or House Martins that's it I think, till next year. On Lower Lake very little, Top Lake 12 Teal but couldn't see Wigeon, did see Kingfisher whizz past. Large group of Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush in Yew trees top end.

After Bath Spa Uni on to back drive and a single Meadow Pipit in Cow Field.

Into lanes just before end and this made me stop suddenly a Jay not 10ft from me! 

He could hear shutter but couldn't see me!

Watched him regurgitate Oak Nut and ....

Then munched away on it! I

 left him in peace. Species count ended on 40.

Another day Thursday. Very similar but fewer birds I thought, until top fields where a large group of I think Linnet feeding on fields r/hand side of Seven Acre distant and very mobile.

Into Village and a single Chiffchaff by church.

Seemed to be fewer Mallard today, although could have been hiding under trees I guess, where the Wigeon must have been hiding on Tuesday, because today she was there again, looks so sad! Also Kingfisher on far side. Still no Coots and Grey Heron missing today.

While trying to count Ducks found a Hornets nest a steady flow of Hornets in and out .

Almost done, into Lanes and a large group of Meadow Pipits at least 30, these stopped a while but soon disappeared to carry on feeding. Today count only 35.

Thanks For Looking !

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