Tuesday 19 August – Elberton

 19 members turned up for this extended walk on what the weather forecasters predicted to be a dry, and at times, sunny day. It was just as forecast and rather humid too. Our first noted birds were House Martin, Swallow, House Sparrow, and Collared Dove as we passed Redhill Farm on Marshacre Lane. Easy,level walking through a crop of head-high maize and then down a lane and through several fields, one with grazing sheep, brought us to Littleton-on-Severn village. We had by then added Buzzard, Jay, Goldfinch, Raven, and Robin to our list. We climbed a hill, savouring the splendid views across the Severn Vale, at which point five members took the ‘morning-only’ breakaway leaving the 14 remaining walkers to continue up the hill to enjoy spectacular vistas to the north. Further on lunch bags were opened on a hill overlooking Thornbury as a Kestrel flew by. Then came the long slog through wheat fields and lanes, both with a considerable amount of mud, before we reached our vehicles, having only 23 birds on our list. A most splendid, scenic walk with good company. David Tombs (Thanks to David Tombs for leading).