Fourteen hardy souls gathered at the Griffin PH car park. After a rainy start, we entered a mature housing estate and were delayed by a barrage of song from unseen birds. We saw the usual Crows and Jackdaws and were then treated to a Red Kite sailing over. We saw various feeders and were delighted … Read more
Around 20 of us gathered in freezing but sunny conditions for a birding feast. Lacking Corn Bunting we had to be satisfied with two Grey Partridges, 200 Common Gulls and 165 Lapwings. Two Buzzards and a Kestrel perched about a horse paddock, overlooking ground feeding Fieldfares, a Mistle Thrush, and Starlings. Along the side road … Read more
Nineteen walkers enjoyed a lovely sunny walk at Brean Down. The birdwatching started with Shelduck, Sanderling and Dunlin visible on the shorefront. We also saw Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Making our way up 213 steep steps we saw Stonechats, Robins, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, a Pheasant and a Wren. The weather was lovely and … Read more
Twenty-five members met at the bottom of Burrington Combe on a rather overcast morning. We set off along a lane and then followed a stony path up through the woods until we reached the more open ground at the top of Burrington Ham. The woods were rather quiet, but Robins, Wrens, Blue Tits and Great … Read more
Eighteen of us met at Steart Marshes for a cold frosty start with icy puddles and partially frozen lagoons. We covered a three mile loop showing off some of the best bits of the marshes. Highlights included seeing a Water Rail, a Little Stint, the odd Snipe and best of all, one ‘mega’ for most … Read more
After a cold night with rain and a sprinkling of snow, 28 people gathered on a bright, sunny, but cold morning. The Three Brooks Nature Reserve was, for me, a completely new location. Though surrounded by roads, houses and the M4, it is a surprising natural oasis. We set off northwards through a muddy Savage’s … Read more
Over 20 of us gathered in the car park. The first excitement was a sighting of a female Merlin which had been around for a week or so preying on the Snipe. The duck numbers were good, with Teal and Wigeon making up the majority. A little searching revealed a small group of Pintail, but … Read more
Five adventurous birders ignored the amber weather warnings to meet at Slimbridge for the first BOC gathering of 2025. We made a dry start in the Peng Observatory where we had excellent views of beautiful Pintail and many noisy Bewick’s Swans. In the Rushy hide we managed to get brilliant views of a Spoonbill feeding, … Read more
Thirty-four of us gathered on a mild, blustery but dry day for a very enjoyable walk to bring in the New Year, with a new route and new leader. Caron had negotiated the route with a local farmer, and told us lots of interesting details about the area, including the Battle of Hinton fought in … Read more
A dozen members met for the Christmas Eve walk on a day that was initially grey but got gradually brighter. We paused at the church to see the ‘Slave Grave’, then walked up the broad ride seeing a Song Thrush and two Jays. Coal Tits were singing their slurred two tone call in the treetops. … Read more
