On a warm, dry spring day, 32 of us met at the Chequers Inn, Hanham, for a new walk through deciduous woodland, along field edges and by the river Avon. Trees were almost in leaf, and we admired the billowing Blackthorn and Wild Cherry blossom and the profusion of spring flowers; carpets of Wood Anemones, Bluebells, Cowslips and Lady’s Smock.…
Author: BOC
Monday 03 April – Mid-week “Margaret walk” – Dorset
Eight members made the trip on a sunny spring day following a misty start. We visited three locations: Lytchett Fields, an RSPB managed wetland area on the edge of Lytchett Bay; Upton Park, an area of mixed woodland on the edge of Holes Bay; and Morden Bog, which is part of Wareham forest. Lytchett Fields attracts a range of wildfowl,…
Sunday 02 April – Sand Point
Sand Point can be a brilliant migration watchpoint on a good day but unfortunately this wasn’t one – cool, dry and overcast with a light wind but very little moving. Eight people joined Paul in the car park and climbed the steps up to the grassy summit serenaded by singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. We scanned the shore counting 20 plus…
Tuesday 28 March – Gordano Valley
Starting in fog and ending in rain, sunny during the walk – excellent. The crowd of 21 (welcome to new walker Simon) gathered at the trees in Moor Lane to listen to the song of a male Blackcap (totally hidden), the rapid ‘cherteach, cherteach’ of a Coal Tit and the call of a distant Willow Warbler. A perching Buzzard resolved…
Tuesday 21 March – Uphill
As we set off in the car it started to rain, turning to hail before it eased off. Quite a surprise, then, to find that 23 people had decided to defy the dire weather forecast and risk a soaking, but there they were, admiring a couple of newly-arrived Wheatears at the edge of the golf course. We moved round to…
Saturday 18 March – Newport Wetlands
The weatherman promised us clouds and gales, as seventeen birders went over to Wales. You could write a poem about it, but I’m not going to. It was an all-day trip; lagoons, reed beds and foreshore in the morning, lunch near the RSPB centre, then along to the ponds and hides at Goldcliff in the afternoon. A goodly total of…
Tuesday 14 March – Eastville Park
It’s quite unusual for the first bird spotted on a Tuesday walk to be a Peregrine – apart from, maybe, one that starts at the Peregrine viewing spot on the Downs! However, being on the leader’s patch has many advantages and so, while boots were still being donned and latecomers arriving, a Peregrine on Stapleton Church had many pairs of…
Saturday 11 March – Blashford Lakes
These lakes are a two hour drive from the Bristol area but the birding was, and usually is, well worth the journey. Ten participants began at the Tern Hide on Ibsley Water where we picked out Egyptian Goose, Scaup, Goldeneye and Goosander amongst the commoner freshwater ducks all of which were represented here. An Oystercatcher, a couple of Redshanks and…
Tuesday 07 March – Forest of Dean
reconnoitre had shown that the Hawfinch would be away from Parkend by 8:30. So, not wishing to waste time looking, or get everyone up at the crack of dawn, we met as usual at New Fancy View at 10:30. A fair crowd (31) managed to pack the viewing platform around some helpful other birders, and we waited and waited –…
Tuesday 28 Feb – Pensford
We welcomed four new walkers to the group, Di and Pete, Chris, and Vera, making our team up to 17. Today was a raw, windy but bright day, but, alas, in the last 30 minutes – heavy, soaking rain. The playing fields by the car park contained no less than five Mistle Thrushes and a couple of gulls. From there,…
Norfolk 24 to 27 February
The first club trip I went on was to Norfolk and it was one of the best weekends I ever spent. This one more than lived up to the previous high standard. The weather was kinder to us than the forecasts predicted. We got a bit wet on Saturday, Sunday was windy but sunny and Monday’s storm hit us on…
50th Anniversary Dinner held at Bristol Zoo, 23 February
A fine tribute to a wonderful club, I arrived early to help set up the table flowers with Phyl Dykes, a long standing member and one of the many unsung heroines of the BOC. The roosting calls of the adjacent Flamingos in the lagoon outside presented a perfect backdrop to the venue. A quick chat with Dr Mark Avery provided…
Tuesday 21 February – Between Chew and Blagdon Lakes
Weather-wise, a misty damp day but surprisingly the birding was quite good. There was Goosander and Goldeneye on Chew Valley Lake as well as Tufted Duck, Pochard and Mallard. Canada Goose and Cormorant were also close enough to see. As we walked up towards Breach Hill we saw flocks of Redwings, Fieldfares and Starlings with a Song Thrush singing as…
Saturday 18 February – Barrow Gurney Reservoirs
Six members joined Sean for a walk round the three reservoirs named imaginatively Tanks 1, 2 and 3. The weather was mild, overcast with mist in the hills, brightening later. The tanks attract fewer birds than past years possibly due to milder winters as there can be an influx if the weather turns cold. Ringed Plover have a bespoke nesting…
Special Members Evening on 16 February.
The evening was a wonderful collection of memories, personal reminiscences, and facts about the history of the club, with a delicious birthday cake for all. Robin Prytherch set the ball rolling by telling us about the Pied-billed Grebe, which initiated the whole project 50 years ago, and which to a young birder (yes, even Robin was one once!) was incredibly…
Tuesday 14 February –Greylake
Ten members met at Greylake on a damp/drizzly morning. In the car park we saw Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch. As we started along the reserve some Carrion Crows flew over and a flock of Lapwings were an impressive sight. Throughout the morning we saw about 400 Lapwing which is encouraging as habitat restoration appears to be…
Tuesday 07 February – Bristol harbour
On a lovely sunny morning about 25 members met in Millennium square for a walk around Bristol harbour. The birds proved to be strangely elusive possibly because there was so much disturbance on the walk with the works for the Metrobus route and building at the SS Great Britain and Prince Street Bridge. Cormorants were not on their usual perch…
Sunday 05 February – Exe Estuary
32 members of BOC and Bristol Naturalists set off by coach for the mouth of the Exe Estuary. During the week storm Doris had poured, so we were lucky to have fair weather. After Exeter excitement rose as we saw some beautiful Brent Geese. By 10.30 hours we had arrived at Dawlish Warren. “Take your lunch with you”, said Gordon…
Tuesday 31 January – Clevedon Pill
In view of the damp and unpromising weather, and thinking of dripping trees and slippery slopes, we agreed to move the start of the walk from Wain’s Hill to St Andrew’s Church, nearer to the pill, and concentrate on water birds. In the event, the weather improved considerably and 22 members had a lovely walk down the coast to the…
Saturday 28 January – Marshfield
On a rather cold and cloudy morning 18 members (including three new members) met for a walk around Marshfield. As soon as we had crossed the A420 we flushed a Stonechat (one of many Stonechat sightings through the morning) that obligingly perched on a fencepost. As we reached the fields we could both see and hear many Skylarks that were…
Tuesday 24 January – Backwell Lake
Thirty-nine members met at the Perrings on a frosty morning to walk round Backwell Lake and along the lanes to the west of Nailsea. Despite the strong sunshine the lake was half-frozen. Two Mute Swans displayed and a Grey Heron flew into the willow tree on the island. There were plenty of gulls, mostly Black-headed, with Common, Herring and Lesser…
Saturday 14 January – Greylake and Catcott Reserves
The car park at RSPB Greylake is a great place to start a day’s birding. Whilst waiting for the group to assemble we had seen 16 species even before we set off into the reserve. Apart from tits and Reed Buntings on the feeders, the adjacent fields contained good numbers of foraging Fieldfares and Redwings. Once in the main hide…
Tuesday 10 January – Coalpit Heath
The weather was not cold, just overcast, and miserable; this however did not deter 26 walkers from meeting at the Kendleshire Golf Club. Magpie were seen almost at once with Blue and Great Tit, but the first bit of magic was an overflight of a single female Peregrine. A few minutes later a Buzzard flapped from cover and circled over…
Sunday 08 January – Portland and Radipole
Weather: dull and damp all day in Bristol but a lovely mild and sunny day in Portland so you know where you should have been. The day’s birding started with a quick twitch in Dorchester for a Rose-coloured Starling. Then on to Ferrybridge to join the rest of the group. Eighteen members made the trip including two new members. The…
Tuesday 03 January – Shapwick Heath/Ham Wall
Twenty-five members gathered at the RSPB Ham Wall car park on a cold dry afternoon in the hope of a good showing of Starlings towards dusk. We headed along the track on the Shapwick/Meare Heath side first towards the Tower Hide as a Great White Egret flew past. From the hide a few saw a Water Rail and many heard…
Sunday 01 January 2017 – Slimbridge
What a miserable start to the year! The morning was chilly and wet, and I doubt I would have bothered to turn out if I hadn’t been asked to lead at the last minute. However, 18 hardy souls braved the weather to join me on a search for interesting birds from various reasonably dry and comfortable hides. I believe this…
Tuesday 27 December – Snuff Mills
26 members set out on a nice winter’s day. A few common birds including Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, and Robin were seen in the car park. A Song Thrush was heard singing at the start and was still singing when we returned at the end of the walk. As we walked through the woods we spotted Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Great…
Tuesday 20 December – Severn Beach
The weather was good, the tide was rising and we all (26) enjoyed the walk down river along the path at the front of Severn Beach. There were plenty of waders to look at, with enough telescopes to allow all who wanted to have good close views of Wigeon, Knot, Dunlin, and Redshank. We walked back towards the M4 Bridge…
Tuesday 13 December – Newton St Loe
On a fine dry day 31 of us set off on a pre-Christmas lunch walk around the grounds of Bath Spa University led by Peter Holbrook and Duncan and Pat Gill. As we walked through the village and down to the University we saw numerous Blue Tits, a Redwing, Song Thrush and Starling in the tree tops whilst a Raven…
Sunday 11 December – Blagdon Lake
Report next month
Sunday 11 December – Blagdon Lake
Nigel Milbourne and eight members of BOC met for a morning walk and had a good time, racking up 63 species in the four hours. They also saw a Peacock butterfly in the sunshine, presumably woken up by the warmth. Notable birds included seven plus Great White Egrets, ‘teens’ of Little Egrets, eight adult Bewick’s Swans, the Common Shelduck, several…
Tuesday 06 December – Slimbridge
The morning was grey and misty but noticeably milder than of late. Eighteen of us set off initially heading towards the Holden Tower. We stopped off at two hides overlooking the Tack Piece where we saw five Common Crane, a largish flock of Canada Geese and good numbers of Lapwings and Rooks. The ponds (which were predominantly free of ice)…
Sunday 04 December – Steart
Eight members met on a beautifully bright but cold and frosty day. We spent the morning at the WWT reserve. Although it was high tide the water had not come into the pools outside of the Mendip Hide so views of the birds were a little distant – Shelduck, Little Egret, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin. Bird feeders on the way gave…
Tuesday 29 November – Chew Valley Lake
A good turnout of 26 members set out from the main car park at Chew Valley on a beautiful day. At the dam wall it was slightly unfortunate that we were looking into the sun which prevented us from having a great view of the birds. However we did see Mallard, Pochard, Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Great Crested…
Saturday 26 November – Ham Wall and Meare Heath
Eleven members met on a bright crisp mid – morning at the RSPB car park at Ham Wall. We were informed by RSPB staff that the Starlings had roosted on Ham Wall the previous evening so we opted to spend the morning walking through the Natural England Meare Heath reserve. There were a few Redwings in the trees by the…
Tuesday 22 November – Wick/Golden Valley
A hardy group of eleven members gathered in Wick despite the wet conditions for an interesting walk around Golden Valley. Happily the rain held off until the last quarter of the walk and we saw 29 species. As we left the car park, Starling flew over, several Jackdaws were on roof tops and a couple of Magpies were seen. As…
Tuesday 15 November – Cheddar
In very misty weather eleven of us crested the reservoir bank and looked carefully for the opposite side which was faintly visible. Not deterred we set off towards the sailing clubhouse as Pied Wagtail danced along the embankment. The water was very low and a Great White Egret was on the ‘island’ about 50m away, along with Black-headed and Lesser…
Sunday 13 November – Cheddar Reservoir
The appointed leader, Kim Howard, found himself alone at the reservoir – maybe because of the Tuesday meeting scheduled two days later. Thanks Kim.
Sunday 13 November – Cheddar Reservoir
This autumn has seen water levels at Cheddar Reservoir fall to their lowest for a number of years and that has provided abundant habitat for many birds. Even though levels had already started to rise, this Sunday walk provided an opportunity to see many of the autumn’s visitors at relatively close quarters but, unfortunately, that opportunity was taken only by…
Tuesday 08 November – Clevedon
A dry day with a sharp wind greeted us as we gathered on the sea front at Clevedon for a walk along Poet’s Walk and the Blind Yeo. On our arrival at the sea wall Turnstone were on the beach along with a solitary Curlew and Oystercatchers. As we started through the woodland Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin and Blackbirds were…
Monday 07 to Friday 11 November – Dumfries
Dumfries: the destination. These are the voyages of the BOC Tardis. Its five-day mission: to explore strange new reserves, to seek out birds and new experiences. Ably piloted by Ken and Alistair the BOC team headed north to the WWT reserve at Martin Mere. Here the team got their first views of this winter’s wildfowl – Pink-footed Geese and Whooper…
Tuesday 01 November – Stoke Park
A misty morning greeted 24 members at Snuff Mills car park for a walk in Stoke Park and along the Frome. A Grey Heron was at the edge of Duchess Lake along with Moorhen, and a female Stonechat showed briefly. A lone Black-headed Gull sat on a fence post. Several Magpies and Jackdaws were around as well as a flock…
Tuesday 25 October – Barrow Gurney.
No food at the Inn – what a disappointment for the lunchers – the normally reliable Princes Motto was in the throes of changing landlords. However 11 set off for a misty perambulate around the lanes and fields of Barrow. Up the path and birds started falling to my pencil – Redwing, Blackbird, Collared Dove and Carrion Crow. After counting…
Tuesday 18 October – Saltford
On a sunny but cool morning 27 members met by the canal at Saltford. As we started, Common, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls were seen along with a Mistle Thrush and several noisy Robins. Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits flitted in the hedges and a Goldcrest was heard. Later in the walk half a dozen Long-tailed Tits were added to…
Sunday 16 October – Migration watch
Very poor weather conditions for the migration watch this year, resulting in few numbers being recorded. Almost 100% cloud cover with very heavy rain and strong SE or SW winds. Fewer species and even fewer birds recorded compared with previous years. Coastal Migration Watch 16th October 2016 New Passage Portishead Clevedon Sand Point Species Mute…
Tuesday 11 October -Badminton
Fog and traffic contributed to a rather late start for 21 walkers, but at least by then it was into bright sunshine and a light wind. The Jackdaws eponymous call was around us for most of the walk but along Roach’s Lane there was no sign of any winter thrushes. The calls of Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tit, and the flight call…
Tuesday 04 October – Upton Cheyney
Twenty seven people met at the Upton Inn on a mild but overcast morning. Four new members joined us for the walk across fields through Bitton along part of the cycle track, along the banks of the River Avon before going up the hill to the Upton Inn for lunch. Soon after setting off we all had good views of…
Sunday 02 October – Portland
WRYNECK! Sorry, had to get that out! It was an early and chilly start from Bristol producing beautiful misty vistas in the Gordano Valley and across the Somerset levels. The trip was a week earlier than originally intended so the tide was still up when the six of us met at Ferrybridge. We saw Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Pied Wagtail…
Tuesday 27 September – Frampton Cotterell
A cloudy but warm morning saw 14 members meet for a walk north of Frampton Cotterell. On our way to the River Frome Jackdaws and Carrion Crows were on the church tower and adjacent buildings and Wood Pigeons, Blue Tits and a few Goldfinch were in the hedgerows aloud with some Long-tailed Tits. A solitary Grey Wagtail flew along the…
Tuesday 20 September – Little Sodbury
How nice to start a walk with an old favourite – Raven, a pair cavorting in the wind over the church. Sad however to see a line full of House Martins, chitter chattering, shooting away, and then back, almost saying ‘are we going yet’? Eighteen walkers headed just a little east of north into the countryside. The lake we passed…
Sunday 18 September – New Passage
16 people gathered on a beautiful still morning for a walk along New Passage and the Pilning Wetlands. Many came early to catch the extra-high tide covering pill and salt marsh right up to the embankment. As the walk proper started the river had dropped to expose the edge of the marsh, now full of Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Pied…
Tuesday 13 September – Portbury Wharf
It was a very warm humid morning for the 24 of us, with a very distant rumble of thunder being heard as we left Portbury village for our walk around the Warth area. In the distance a Buzzard soared over the Gordano valley, with Chiffchaff and Greenfinch seen. A number of Mistle Thrush played high in the trees and close…
Sunday 11 September – Aylesbeare & Axe Estuary
Having met up at the car park at Aylesbeare we had a walk around this unique pebble bed heathland reserve managed by the RSPB for its special wildlife. We made our way around the various footpaths on the heath in search for Dartford Warbler, which had proved elusive for me throughout the summer, Stonechats could be seen on many parts…
Tuesday 06 September – Tickenham
20 people walked through Tickenham levels, along the Land Yeo and up woods and meadows on a warm humid day, where birds often seemed thin on the ground except for the ubiquitous Robins singing and ticking – but still we ended up with 33 species. In the woods one group of trees had Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits together,…
Saturday 03 September – Slimbridge
Five members attended this meeting on an initially dry and pleasant day, however heavy rain was forecast for later in the morning. In the car park we had flyovers of both Greylag and Canada Geese, many Swallows and a group of Sand Martins. We set off for the summer walkway but saw little other than a single Wheatear, a few…
Tuesday 30 August – Stanton Drew
A group of 19 set out from the Druids Arms on a beautiful summer’s morning. As we left the car park we started our list with Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Collared Dove. We also spotted groups of House Martins and Swallows. As expected for this time of the year the count for these two species was high…
Tuesday 23 August – Hawkesbury Upton
Hints of autumn may have been noticed during the last few days but the forecast for this walk was definitely a summer one and some of us were glad of the unexpected breeze as we set out with the promise of a flat walk with no stiles from our leader. Initially it did seem to be rush hour on a…
Friday 29 July – Acres Down, New Forest
With the weather maps showing bands of rain sweeping across the New Forest on Thursday, I postponed this “Margaret Walk” until the next day which, unfortunately, meant that only three people could attend. The open heath held families of Mistle Thrush and Stonechat as we walked out to the raptor watch-point, and Redstarts seemed to be popping up everywhere. The…
Tuesday 16 August – Hinton Blewett and Litton Reservoirs
On a warm sunny morning 16 walkers met in Hinton Blewett to walk along country lanes to the two reservoirs at Litton and back across the fields with cattle, harvested crops and pasture. We saw, or heard 40 species of birds, which included seven Common Buzzards, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron, eight Cormorants, Little Grebes and an adult Great…
Saturday 13th August – Chew Valley Lake
Five members met for this morning only walk around the various sites. At Herriotts Pool we observed two Yellow-legged Gulls along with two Black-tailed Godwits, numerous Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal and a single Little Egret. Sharp-eyed Rod located two Goldeneye which ended the time there. We moved to Stratford Hide and numerous Great Crested Grebe, a couple of Little Grebe…
Tuesday 09 August – Priddy
A group of 23 set out from the Queen Victoria on a very pleasant summer’s morning. There were a number of birds seen around the village including House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch. Approximately 50 Swallows were seen moving through and four active House Martins’ nests were noted. The walk along the old track involved carefully negotiating rather a lot…
Tuesday 02 August – Newton St Loe
Ten people gathered on a drizzly morning for a walk around the University’s grounds. Swallow were flying around and as we walked down the wooded path towards the University Robins, Wood Pigeons, various corvids and tits were seen and heard. Near the lower end of the lakes a Grey Wagtail ran across the path behind us and on the lower…
Tuesday 26 July – Steart
The weather was warm and cloudy as 24 members met at the WWT car park at Steart Marshes. From the car park we saw a female Marsh Harrier and had a fleeting glimpse of our first Little Egret of the day. On the way there and back we heard a Reed Warbler and saw Reed Buntings, a Yellow Wagtail flying…
Sunday 24 July – Newport Wetlands and Goldcliff
As the skies darkened on our arrival it began to rain but not incessantly so the birding wasn’t spoilt completely. No feed had been put out at the RSPB shop so few species seen there, although a nice Little Grebe bobbed up occasionally on the pond. Finches were on the refilled feeders by the play equipment, with ample evidence of…
Tuesday 19 July – Velvet Bottom
It was a fine hot day with a nice breeze and welcome shade. 19 birders had a lovely walk with plenty to see; fast-flying butterflies, large dragonflies and some brilliant birds. Although the first 20 minutes was nearly devoid of the latter – with a Raven, 50 Jackdaw (in one party) and a family of Bullfinches – Skippers, Ringlets, and…
Saturday 16 July – Forest of Dean
On a warm, calm summer evening 16 members and one German guest met at New Fancy view in the Forest of Dean. We climbed to the viewpoint where the view is beginning to disappear behind the rapidly growing surrounding trees. All was very quiet on the bird front. There were no raptors and only the occasional small bird flying past.…
Tuesday 12 July – Dolebury Warren
Sixteen members set off from the Crown Inn, Churchill on a warm, sunny day for a walk around the National Trust land at Dolebury Warren. As we left the car park Carrion Crows and Barn Swallows were overhead and as we descended though woodland to the A38 we heard Blue Tits and a Blackcap, as Dunnock and Robins flitted amongst…
Tuesday 05 July – Avon Gorge nature reserves and Peregrines
This was an unusual “walk”. 20 people met at Sea Walls on the Downs, instead of at the Peregrine Watch as a children’s event had been scheduled there at the same time. We shared cars and drove (!) to Bramble Lane, Stoke Bishop, in order to access the three Nature Reserves – Bishops Knoll (Woodland Trust), Bennett’s Patch (AWT) and…
Thursday 30 June – Wareham Forest
forecast was poor but we were very lucky as it stayed dry all day and we even saw some sunshine. We did three walks during the day – the first from Sherford Bridge gave us good views of Jays, Tree Pipits, Linnets, Dartford Warblers, including a youngster, several families of Stonechats and three Hobbies. We heard Green Woodpeckers, Siskins, Yellowhammers,…
Tuesday 28 June – Clevedon/Walton Common
16 of us met in Clevedon in warm sunshine, and walked up the track beside the golf course. A Wren was heard singing and two Coal Tits, a family of three Magpies, a male Bullfinch and a Squirrel were seen, with House Martins flying overhead. Also, a Silver-washed Fritillary butterfly, recently emerged, was found on the undergrowth. There was a…
Tuesday 21 June – Compton Dando
A group of 17 set off from The Compton Inn at Compton Dando on an overcast but pleasant summer’s morning. There were a good number of common birds around the village including House Sparrows, House Martins, Swallows, Greenfinch and Song Thrush. After a very short walk to the bridge over the River Chew we saw a Dipper, and although not…
Tuesday 14 June – Sand Point
Wind at force 4/5 from the West at the end of Sand Point; keep a sharp eye on the sea. What did we get? Nothing! Until, that was, we were hunting for the Stonechat that was scolding us. “Manx Shearwaters” was the cry and, lifting our bins barely an inch, there they were, the first of 80 or so we…
Tuesday, 07 June – Pill Longshore
Swifts were seen over the Memorial Club car park before 21 of us, set off to look at a house nearby where they nest every year. Nothing there at the moment, but we examined possible entrances to the eaves and marvelled at the number of House Sparrows that live in Pill. We then walked past the harbour and along the…
Sunday 05 June – Coach trip to Durlston and the Purbeck Hills, Dorset
44 members and guests set off just after 0800 hrs for Worth Matravers. At Yeovil, Alastair Fraser gave a humorous geological introduction to Purbeck, remembered from his school journals: Jurassic, Cretaceous, Ammonites. Arriving under a baking sky to meadows of Yellow Rattle, we headed for the Jurassic coast. By the time we reached Seacombe Bottom, we had heard or seen…
Tuesday 31 May – Winscombe
A breezy, sunny morning saw 13 of us head out across fields where Swallows swooped and Magpies upset the hedge occupants and a Song Thrush quickly hid from us. Along the lane a female Bullfinch dived into the hedge beside a field with neat green lines of maize appearing and numerous Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls brightly reflected the sun…
Tuesday 24 May –Newport Wetlands
A beautiful sunny day attracted 36 walkers and we hoped it would produce plenty of birds. From the car park, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were in full song. The pond had Little Grebe, Coot and Moorhen. As yet, no Sand Martins are making use of the artificial nest site. The walk across the reed beds gave us Reed Bunting. The…
Sunday 22 May – Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset Levels
15 members met at the new RSPB car park at Ham Wall on a rather changeable day, when it was difficult to judge what to wear. It was warm in the sun, but cool when the sun went behind the clouds. For those of you who did not attend – you missed a treat! Before we left the car park…
Tuesday 17 May – Stoke Park Estate
We set off from Snuff Mills Car Park under a broken sky which gradually became more cloudy as the morning progressed. Initially there was little to get excited about, Blackcap and Goldcrest could be heard, the River Frome hosted a solitary Heron and Mallard and a squirrel breakfasted on a bird table in an adjacent garden, oblivious to his audience.…
Sunday 15 May – Quantocks
The glorious sunny weather may have had something to do with the excellent turn-out of more than 20 members for this woodland and heathland walk. We set off through idyllic sunlit glades following a stream in Hodder’s Combe, picking out warbler song and watching Grey Wagtails on the water’s edge. Having separated Blackcap and Garden Warbler, we started hearing Wood…
Tuesday 10 May – Shapwick Heath/Ham Wall
Ten members gathered at the RSPB Ham Wall car park on an overcast morning that threatened rain. We ventured on to Shapwick first to see the new hide – an unusual design which gives good views over reed beds and lagoon. On the way along the old railway we saw and heard numerous birds in the trees and scrub including…
Sunday 08 May – Wick
Seven members met at the Village Hall on a sunny morning. We left the hall to walk along the back lanes of Wick and within minutes had Blackcap singing followed by Blue Tit and Great Tit. Further along, a Buzzard was sitting on a fence post looking for a meal. Moving on we could hear distant Song Thrush singing. Upon…
Wednesday 04 May – Portland Bill and Weymouth
Being in the right place at the right time is the essence of seeing rare birds, and it wasn’t enough to be somewhere in the locality when a Red-rumped Swallow flew over Portland or when Great and Pomarine Skuas put in brief appearances along Chesil Bank. The Portland sightings report looked great that day, but the nine of us who…
Tuesday 03 May – Woodchester Park
At last, a dry, sunny and warmer day than of late forecast for our picnic walk – and a correct one too. Eleven members gathered in the National Trust carpark among many cowslips and accompanied by singing Skylarks,Song Thrushes and Blackbirds with hang gliders soaring nearby over the Cotswold edge. Making our way down into the valley between vast banks…
Tuesday 26 April – Ashton Court
Cheered by the singing of Skylarks, we huddled together at the golf course café trying to keep out of the bitter wind while waiting for all 25 walkers to arrive. We then set off at a brisk pace for Leigh Woods and some shelter. Robin, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Blackbird and Blackcap sang as we walked among the Bluebells, and Jay, Great,…
21 – 28 April. The Isles of Scilly
After threats of unusually low tides and easterly gales, the majority of the group set sail very early in the morning on the notoriously unstable Scillonian. As it turned out, we were pleasantly surprised to experience the calmest of seas you could hope for! Others joined later having taking the shorter route of flying to the small airport on St…
Tuesday 19 April – Castle Combe
Nineteen of us set off on a bright yet mainly overcast morning, leaving the car park meeting point to the sound of both Blackbird and Song Thrush. The road down towards the village gave us good views of Long-tailed Tits, a male Blackcap and an obliging Nuthatch that was feeding along the top of a horizontal bough. A House Martin…
Tuesday 12 April – Eastville Park
In the car park a Goldfinch was “wall-creeping” under a window ledge, picking off the spider webs for nest making, with Greenfinch and Robin about. The walk started on the south side and wound round the park clockwise. We began by walking down to the junction of the motorway and river. In the playing fields 40-odd corvids rummaged with three…
Sunday 10 April – Cleeve Hill
Nine members met on a sunny but gusty morning for a walk around the high downland in a quest for Ring Ouzel. In the absence of a designated leader, Annie, the only person who had visited the area previously, led the walk. We were slow setting off from the car park with golfers teeing off over the car park entrance…
Tuesday 05 April –Elm Farm, Burnett
On a beautiful sunny, warm morning 26 members set off for a walk around Elm Farm where the land is managed under the Defra Environmental Stewardship Scheme. Recent changes to the scheme have seen the sowing of more wildflower meadows to enhance the insect populations for birds and also to provide seed later in the year. As we set off…
Saturday 02 April – Sand Point
Fourteen members met in the National Trust car park on a rather windy and cloudy start to the day. Early arrivals were rewarded with views of Raven, Kestrel, Swallows and the first of many sightings of Chiffchaff. Skylarks were singing in the adjacent fields. As we started our walk to Middle Hope we sighted a group of 14 Wheatears. On…
Tuesday 29 March – Uphill
Ten members gathered at the Uphill Boatyard, on what turned out to be a bright sunny morning – despite the earlier rain and the forecast of more wet. We set off along a new tarmac path towards and past the lake where we saw a couple of Mallard. Lesser Black-backed and Herring gulls were overhead along with some noisy Jackdaws.…
Tuesday 22 March – Lansdown, Bath.
Thirty Three people gathered by Lansdown Racecourse above Bath on a still chilly day, to walk the high flat top and wooded escarpment sides of this Cotswold upland, with leader Jane Cumming hoping for late Golden Plovers and early Wheatears. As we set off, Skylarks and a Kestrel flew above the racecourse turf and a Mistle Thrush sat quietly on a…
Tuesday 15 March –Wick
Frequent springtime birdsong was a delightful feature of this absorbing walk. Led by Dave Body, 26 of us set off in hazy sunshine from the Rose and Crown and entered the invitingly-named Golden Valley Nature Reserve. The musical programme began with the joyous song of a Robin as we walked beside the River Boyd. That stretch of the river, with…
Sunday 13 March – Forest of Dean
16 people met at New Fancy View on a beautiful sunny spring-like day. However, our arrival followed that of a large birding group from Gloucestershire. We amicably decided that the viewpoint was not big enough for both groups and so we left them to it and proceeded to Speech House. Walking to Crabtree Hill we were serenaded by Siskin, Dunnock,…
Saturday 05 March – Wareham Forest
On a dry and sunny but cool, breezy morning, twelve people made the journey to Wareham Forest and met our leader for the walk – Ian Alexander of Natural England who knows the forest area well. Once assembled we saw Siskin, Stonechat and Mistle Thrush in the trees near Sherford Bridge and as we moved on towards a more open…
Tuesday 01 March – Forest of Dean
The arrangement to start at Parkend at 1000 hrs was all rather last minute; however, it was rewarded with sightings of a couple of Hawfinch, which was brilliant. Finally getting to New Fancy View, a little after our time, we made the party up to a dozen. As we walked onto the viewing platform, the sun emerged, which prompted the…
Sunday 28 February –Chew Valley Lake
Despite the bitter weather 12 of us met up at Herriott’s end. Still, two Cetti’s Warblers were singing and a Greylag and Barnacle Goose appeared to be courting. Over the back were Shelduck, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard and Tufted Duck. The lake was very full, bad for dabbling duck, so no Gadwall. We walked up to the ringing station where we…
Tuesday 23 February –Backwell Lake
A party of 30 birders met in The Perrings, Nailsea for this four mile walk around Backwell Lake and out along Youngwood Lane to Chelvey, returning via Morgan’s Hill. The sunny morning, with little wind, meant that the smaller birds were singing and active. The thrush family was especially pleasing with two Song Thrush, Redwing, a Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush and…
Tuesday 16 February –Bristol Harbourside
On a cold, but gloriously sunny morning 25 members gathered in Millennium Square. With so much disturbance on our pathdue to the construction of the Metrobus route and work on two of the bridges I thought that the birds might be absent. Happily I was proved wrong. The Cormorants were still using their favourite perch by Prince Street bridge and…
Sunday 14 February –River Exe coach trip
Thirty club members travelled down to Devon for ourannual walk down the River Exe. On arriving at our drop-off spot at Exminster, we found that many of the fields on the RSPB reserve were flooded due to the recent heavy rainfall in Devon, but we made our way down the lane (through the flooded road) to theTurf Hotel at Powderham.…