boc.bristolgraphics.net The sun was shining as eleven of us including one guest arrived in the Gwent Levels. As we walked to the RSPB stall to peruse the sightings board we passed a set of bird feeders, enabling us to claim a variety of tits and finches as well as a female Pheasant that had established itself … Read more
And the Lord said unto Noah.… “ 26 birdwatchers shall thy take and shelter from the driving rains beneath the canopy of We the Curious for oh, 20 minutes or so, before they shall venture forth around the dockside of olde Bristol towne”. And lo, the rain did abate and we set off bravely. We … Read more
On our way to Court Lake we checked out the gull flock in front of Frampton Court house. Black-headed dominated, with the exception of a single Common Gull, a Herring Gull, plus a lone Greylag Goose. Court Lake was busy with many Mute Swan, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler and Coot, but much fewer Mallard and Moorhen. … Read more
A stormy night left behind a dramatic cloudscape, with the sun breaking through to create vibrant colour-saturated views over this beautiful stretch of fields, levels and river south of Weston STW. Flyover Black-headed Gulls shone white against dark cumulus clouds, Grey Heron and Mallard gleamed against the grey water, and 250 Lapwings flashed black and … Read more
meeting combined a BOC outing with a belated WeBS count, so the group was subjected to a stationary hour on the beach surveying the high tide roosts. The counts of 180 Shelduck and 103 Oystercatcher were much as expected, but other numbers were low – just a few Mallard and Teal, two Wigeon, a handful … Read more
21 of us met in the Upton Inn car park in the fine mild weather; it was good to welcome two who were new to the group. Coming off the rough track, starting the long downhill path through fields we had the unmistakeable flight of a Great Spotted Woodpecker, some fine views to the west … Read more
A group of 15 birders met outside the ‘Ring of Bells’ on a misty autumn morning, the sun breaking through as we set off past the church. The first excitement came as we watched Long-tailed Tits in a holly tree and realised that the neighbouring tree held a lovely young male Sparrowhawk. As we walked … Read more
Day One: Our first day’s bird walk was to Morden Bog a NNR in Wareham forest, a remnant of Dorset’s once extensive heathland. We walked along a sunken footpath lined with oaks and pines, opening out into a heathland of birch, gorse, and sedge tussocks. Fungi were plentiful including Fleecy Milkcap, False Chanterelle, Russula brittle … Read more
On a beautiful autumn morning 17 members assembled on Priddy Green. Graham led us up to the church and through the churchyard to Nine Barrow Lane. We then took a footpath over fields to East Water Lane. Here Nick organised a photograph of the group as one had been taken at the same spot some … Read more
Any rain encountered en route to our start had ceased and a blowy, autumn morning saw 21 members (three of them still in shorts!) meet. The initial mile or so of this very pleasant walk through an English country estate didn’t turn up many easy to see birds and the paths through the woods were … Read more
