A chilly start in the breeze, as we gathered in the parking area alongside St. Katherine’s Church..Eighteen of us set off under the guidance of Melanie, who as you would expect certainly knew her ‘patch’. Despite the Common being a popular dog walking spot, Skylarks were in abundance, ascending and descending, often to an accompaniment … Read more
The start up through the woods held Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, with a shout from a few Chiffchaff and the call of Stock Dove, but the prize was a Treecreeper working hard for its family. The path was steep with well-worn and thus slippery stone, until we finally emerged from the trees to see … Read more
18 of us waited in the RSPB car park for the rain to stop. Fifteen minutes after our start time our leader, Lewis, was able to address us in drier conditions. We set out along various paths that showed us the product of the careful management that this reserve benefits from. The principal practice is … Read more
Two Whitethroats sang as we climbed the steps, a nearby Blackcap chimed in, as did a distant Chiffchaff. The top was not cold, the wind merely adding a refreshing zephyr to a warm day. Some Shelduck peppered the mud flats, a team of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull washed at the point, a couple of … Read more
The weather forecast was wrong, who knew? An icy wind blew as 18 swiftly bundled up members assembled for a walk around the Angidy Trail. Nuthatches galore called and seemingly invisible Blackcaps sang as we headed out from the cars and started the climb up the hill. The first of many Buzzards was seen. Goldcrests … Read more
There was a healthy turnout of BOC members and birds on today’s walk. On first entering, seven Gadwall swooped in front of us. We unusually saw a Cetti’s Warbler perched out in the open on a pile of twigs. Bitterns boomed five times, three times, twice and flew across the landscape. Hobbies were aplenty flying … Read more
We met with the Somerset Ornithological Society at the unearthly hour of 08.15, some of our group were up at 05.00 to arrive in time. There were about five of us from the BOC, and twenty from SOS. The leaders were the excellent Brian Gibbs and David Dawe. The walk was up Hodder’s Combe, Somerton … Read more
Twenty or so people walked up over Wains Hill and along Poets’ Walk, stopping to examine the historic “Sugar lookout” and admire the bird’s-eye views south along the Clevedon coast. We noted a selection of standard woodland species, singing and displaying Whitethroats where the terrain opened out to grassland and scrub, and hirundines passing NE … Read more
This visit to Portland was designed to coincide with peak Skua passage, but on a fine sunny day the only evidence of migration off the Bill was two Sandwich Terns flying east a long way out and a trickle of Swallows coming in off the sea. However, the more local seabirds put on a fine … Read more
On a dry and mild morning 25 members gathered in the car park where one early arrival had spotted a Grey Partridge. We set off through the meadow, to the first lake. There we stopped to watch the Mute Swans, Tufted Ducks and a Little Grebe. A great splashing in the shallow water was later … Read more
