A new walk in warm spring sunshine, vocal lambs, Celandines and Primroses, plenty of bird-life – truly glorious! Led by David Tombs, 25 of us set off from opposite the Village Hall just as the sun was breaking through the mist. Our departure was marked by the busy, noisy occupants of the Rookery in the trees above. Some were still…
Category: Trip reports
Tuesday 10 March – Stanton Drew
A group of 25 set out from the Druids Arms on a beautiful morning. Beneath the hedgerows and along the banks the early flowers of spring, the celandines, daffodils and primroses, provided welcome splashes of colour and the Stanton Drew stone circle gave us an historical theme. We were quickly treated to the sounds of many birds including Robins, House…
Tuesday 03 March – Elm Farm, Burnett
On a blustery morning 21 of us donned our waterproofs for a walk around Elm Farm where the land is managed under the Defra Environmental Stewardship Scheme. As we set off we saw Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Not far down the track we saw our first Yellowhammer and a little further on a flock…
Tuesday 24 February – Backwell Lake
The cold east wind was barely offset by the warm sun; the track from The Sperrings to the lake thus offered a brief respite. Our walk began with a small party of House Sparrow on the roofs, with Goldfinch close by, but at the lake the sun threw such a dazzle on the water that those ducks and geese present…
Sunday 22 February – Barrow Tanks
Four BOC members gathered with me in the car park at Barrow Gurney reservoirs for the planned visit here. There was a threat of strong winds and rain coming in later and it was quite cold, with a southerly breeze, but dry. We proceeded to Tank Number 3, where we were able to watch a Common Sandpiper through telescopes, feeding…
Tuesday 17 February – Gordano Valley
Twenty people met on a bright cold morning with puddles frozen over and a brisk wind. First sighting were four/five Ravens flying over, with Pheasants dotted along the valley, and Mistle Thrush and Great and Blue Tit singing. Greenfinch and Robins were in the hedges and later Blackbirds, Chaffinch and Goldfinch were seen. Some at the back of the group…
Tuesday 10 February – Severn Beach
It was a windless morning of light mistiness and thick cloud but there were 34 smiling faces to see John Prince present me with a delightful Owl trophy in commemoration of walk 1000 at Ashton Park, and of my starting the Tuesday Club way back in November 1994. Thank you, John and everyone. Today, walk number 1015, we headed to…
Saturday 07 February – Portbury Wharf
Eleven members joined the leaders on a dull wintry day at Sheepway. The overnight frost kept the ground solid for most of the day and there was a distinct edge to the North Easterly wind. A number of species was logged before the start; along Sheepway were plenty of Goldfinches and Greenfinches, though the latter were easier to hear than…
Tuesday 03 February – Bristol city centre
Nineteen members met in Millennium Square on this very cold but sunny day. Our first birds. apart from the ever present gulls, were some Goldfinches and a Starling by the Arnolfini. The usual gang of Cormorants were by Prince Street Bridge. One was a juvenile with an almost white breast. Some were adults showing their breeding patches and one was…
Sunday 01 Feb – Exe Estuary
Twenty-seven members met at the Water Tower and travelled down to the Exe estuary. By the time we had got to Exeter the sun had come out. Almost as soon as we got off the coach and started to walk towards the Exminster Marshes area we all observed a Barn Owl which was sitting out in the open on a…
Tuesday 27 January- Failand
A group of 30 set out from the Failand Inn on an overcast, chilly, but dry day. A Mistle Thrush was prominent in a tree top at Failand Hill Farm and although water birds were not expected, a Cormorant was spotted in transit overhead. Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows, Linnets and Starlings appeared in flocks at various points and a group of…
Tuesday 20 January – Shapwick Heath/Ham Wall
As seven of us set off from Ashcott car park on an overcast afternoon with rain threatening we saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Starling and Redwing. On Ham Wall Reserve, as we went to the first view point, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, a Mistle Thrush, Grey Heron and Chiffchaff were spotted. The pools yielded Moorhen, Coot, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe,…
Sunday 18 January – Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall
Eighteen members met at the new RSPB car park at Ashcott Corner on a bright crisp afternoon. Bristol Naturalists’ were also meeting there that afternoon under the leadership of club member Giles Morris so we decided to combine and have a joint field meeting. We walked down the path being the former Somerset and Dorset Railway track from Burnham-on-Sea to…
Tuesday 13 January – Between Chew Valley & Blagdon Lakes
Thirteen members set off from Herons Green for a walk along quiet lanes between the Lakes. We got off to a good start with a Kestrel hovering over nearby fields and water birds on Chew Lake including Canada Goose, Coot, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Goosander amongst others. The weather held for a while as we climbed…
Saturday 10 January – Blashford Lake
There was some cause for concern en-route as the weather was less than promising, but, thankfully, it improved upon arrival. Nine members paraded, though initially going to the ‘wrong’ car park, one car load saw a Long- tailed Duck, which had disappeared by the time we all looked later. The feeder outside the visitor centre was busy with, amongst other…
Thursday 01 January – WWT Slimbridge
Our usual leader was laid up with a bad cold but there were only twelve of us, all “old stagers”, so we took ourselves around and just about managed to stay together! Although there was no sun the light was good at the Martin Smith hide en route to the Holden Tower and the Pintail particularly were looking very spruce,…
Tuesday 30 December – Portishead
With the period of unseasonal wintry sunny days continuing it allowed us to bask in the warm sunshine but be chilled by the frozen ground. Our group of 23 birders began by looking over the salt marsh towards the flock of Dunlins and Ringed Plovers feeding along the water’s edge. We also noticed a small group of Linnets bending the…
Tuesday 23 December – Snuff Mills
At the start of this festive week, there is nothing better than to disappear into the woodlands, try and forget the impending jollities and get a good dose of birding. All along the Frome valley we hoped for Siskin but alas none were seen. The Dipper and the Kingfisher were probably also finding their living elsewhere, as the river was…
Tuesday 16 December – Pucklechurch
This year’s pre-Christmas Lunch walk was well supported with 37 members setting off from the Fleur de Lis at Pucklechurch. It was a lovely sunny morning with the church’s cockerel weather-vane shining golden and the light frost melting. Through the village various chattering House Sparrows, 15 tuneful Dunnocks, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, and Magpie were busy foraging and there was…
Tuesday 09 December – Portbury Wharf
A grey but still day greeted 23 enthusiasts for a jaunt around Portbury Reserve. Numerous Redwings were feeding on the huge crops of berries in the lane. A Kestrel was perched in a nearby tree but became nervous of the watching throng and made an exit stage left. There were not many birds seen at the first hide as the…
Sunday 07 December – Blagdon Lake
Seven members met Nigel Milbourne, a voluntary warden for Bristol Water, and our leader for the day. Early morning rain had given way to sunshine and we first spent some time at the fishing lodge looking out over the Lake and then walked down to the dam. The main highlight of the morning for some of group was the good…
Tuesday 02 December – Slimbridge
The Tuesday walkers started out as a group of 25 people but soon split into threes and fours as we worked our way around the site. There was plenty to see on the Tack Piece, including about 50 Bewick’s Swans although the main winter flock had clearly not yet arrived. Amongst plenty of Curlews and Redshanks, six very distant Ruffs…
Sunday 30 November – Steart
The WWT reserve at Steart has been created as a result of the work by DEFRA to realign the sea wall and provide flood prevention measures in the area. The old sea wall was breached on the 6September 2014 allowing water to flow into the reserve to start the process to create an inter-tidal salt marsh. So the reserve is…
Tuesday 25 November – Coalpit Heath
Seventeen members arrived at the Kendleshire Golf Club car park on a dry but overcast morning. As we set off alongside the golf course, Dunnock and Robin flew about the hedgerow and on the course Moorhen and Black-headed Gulls were avoiding the golf balls along with a solitary Canada Goose. A Carrion Crow passed overhead as well as our first…
Tuesday 18 November 2014 – Frampton Pools
After a misty start to the day the sun broke through and the lakes and surrounding countryside looked very attractive with plenty of autumn colour still evident. 21 birders did the circular walk around the lakes and through woodland. A pheasant shoot was fortunately just finishing. We saw 46 species as a group total. On the water there were Swans…
Sunday 16 November – Cheddar Reservoir
Five members met at the Cheddar end of the reservoir on an overcast morning. The first notable sighting was the very large raft of Coot which must have numbered over a thousand birds. Why Cheddar should be such a draw for wintering Coot was debated without an obvious conclusion. There were also a large number of Great Crested Grebes spread…
Tuesday 04 November – Cheddar
Twelve of us arrived in a deluge of rain with dark skies. Therefore,we decided just to go around the reservoir as the lower paths quickly become like paddy fields. A slightly delayed start gave us a sunny, dry amble with a large variety of both water and ‘field & hedge’ birds. There were very numerous Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Pochard,…
Saturday 01 November – River Avon boat trip
A nearly full boatload of 37 members and guests were treated to fabulous weather and some great sights (birding and otherwise) on this trip. From the first Cormorant fishing in the harbour as we set sail from the ss ‘Great Britain’ ferry stop to the six Curlew on the sand bar opposite the tiny lighthouse at the entrance to the…
Tuesday 28 October – Ashton Court – 1000th Tuesday walk
But first, the report of the very first BOC Tuesday walk in November 1994: Nine members met in the car park at Snuff Mills at 10 am on a cool and overcast morning. It was generally considered that the murky conditions would not lead to a dynamic morning of birding and that we should concentrate on the bonus of mid-week…
Sunday 25 October – WWT Slimbridge (extra to programme)
On a mild sunny day we started our bird count working along to the Holden Tower just after high tide getting an impressive number of wild ducks. We then cut across to South Lake to add some waders and gulls to our list. Amongst the numerous Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls there were a few Common Gulls and one darker…
Tuesday 21 October – Hengrove Mounds / Manor Woods
On a fine but windy day the first part of the walk was around Hengrove Mounds, an old landfill site behind Cineworld. A group of 15 set off up a short wet slope and then followed the path along a belt of trees. Initial sightings were of Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, and Herring Gull moving rapidly…
Sunday 19 October – RSPB Ham Wall
It was a sunny but windy day for our walk around the RSPB’s Ham Wall reserve. Bob Buck and John Crispin (both RSPB volunteers and experts at identifying birds) were our guides for the morning. We were going “off piste” into the conservation area of the reserve which members of the public don’t normally have access to. This was going…
Tuesday 14 October – Severn Beach
Despite the rain pouring down all night and a forbidding forecast, six intrepid members gathered for the high tide at Severn Beach. Their dedication was rewarded by the number and variety of birds they saw through their rain-spattered lenses. There were large flocks of Starlings swirling in the sky, flocks of Dunlin and Turnstones on the shore together with Ringed…
Tuesday 07 October – Winscombe
Heavy rain, until just before the start of the walk, cleared to give a lovely blue sky for the ten hardy souls who had driven in hope, through the rain. Towers of Persil-white cumulus plus the occasional dark grey cloud gave a dramatic back-drop to a fair tally of all varieties of corvids, some gulls, Woodpigeons and hedgerow birds. We…
Tuesday 30 September – Tickenham.
Twenty three people attended this walk on a warm sunny day, covering Tickenham Moor, fields, Land Yeo River, wooded slopes of Tickenham Ridge, and the open pastureland of Cadbury Camp. At the start, many birds were seen feeding around the Tickenham Church yew trees, including two or three Mistle Thrush and a group of three Greenfinch, doing the ‘batty’ flight…
Sunday 28 September – Weymouth and Portland.
14 members assembled at a chillyish Ferrybridge. It was high tide which meant no waders, but the highlight was a close view of a Peregrine being mobbed by Crows. Also of note here were three Mediterranean Gulls, four flyover Sandwich Terns, Wheatears and plenty of Swallows. We moved on to a much warmer Portland Bill and started with a sea…
Tuesday 23 September – Blagdon Lake.
A fine day saw 25 members meet at the Causeway to get good views of a Common Sandpiper in amongst the Gulls. A walk to the lodge saw a division of watchers, with 17 opting for the far side and eight the Lodge side, the £3.50 charge for the walk may have been a factor for those without permits. The…
Tuesday 16 September – River Avon, Ham Green to Pill
13 people set out on the bus from Pill, another seven joined us at Abbots Leigh, having come by bus from Bristol, then Jan turned up on her bike, making 21. The weather was perfect. Robins sang as we went along, Rooks and Jackdaws were feeding on the lawn of the bungalow opposite Brackenwood Garden Centre. Raven was heard and…
Saturday 13 September – Severn Beach.
On a somewhat chilly and rather overcast morning some fifteen club members met at Severn Beach for one of the leader’s near annual BOC / Severnside coastal walks. However, with the Severn Beach high tide wader roost having become less attractive to the smaller shorebirds in recent years it was decided that a walk north along the sea wall to…
Tuesday 09 September – Old Down.
This was asplendid weather day. The air was still, the sky a light blue, the sun was warm and there were 19 walkers all eagerly waiting for the off. While walking across the cricket field we admired a stand of majestic Scots Pines and then descended the hill leading to the village of Tockington. There were a few birds noted…
Tuesday 02 September – Barrow Gurney
Fourteen of us started from the pub car park, seeing a Raven, House Martins, and Swallows above us. As we walked up Hobbs Lane we had good views of two Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk. Around the tanks the usual suspects were seen, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, and Great Crested Grebe, with a Cormorant on each buoy. As we…
Saturday 30 August – Chew Valley Lake
Twelve members met at Herriotts Bridge for this morning only walk around the lake area. From Herriotts Bridge 14 Black Terns were observed flying low over the water on the Sailing Club side of the lake. There were Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler as well as a single Great Black-backed Gull and two Grey Herons on the pool. As we were about…
Tuesday 26 August – Bridgeyate to Wick
I can hardly contain myself. We started with Jackdaw hordes – their calls and fuss all around during the walk. There was a nice field full of approximately 80 Herring Gulls feeding with 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls but by far the best was to get to a corner of the Blue Lodge estate and hear a terrible racket of Corvid…
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…
Tuesday walk 19 Aug 2014 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…
Sunday 03 August – Langford Lakes and Normanton Down, Wilts
It was a warm and sunny day following the heavy rain on Saturday. The main target was Stone Curlew. As these are best seen in the afternoon we took the chance to visit Langford Lakes first. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has created an attractive and accessible reserve. The reserve is being extended beyond the lakes to include some additional wetland…
Tuesday 29 July –Swineford
A Goldfinch in the car park gave a good start to a varied walk, enjoyed by 24 of us. It was again hot and sunny as we passed under shady trees by the side of a barley field and climbed to Upton Cheney, from where there was a wonderful view. Leaving the village some mature trees gave welcome shade and…
Sunday 27 July – Titchfield Haven and Farlington
Titchfield Haven is a wetland reserve on the Solent not far from Fareham. The reserve has several good hides and a range of habitats; salt/brackish water, fresh water, reed beds, wet pasture and woodland. The weather was warm and sunny with some cloud cover and light winds.. Tern breeding platforms held a few Common terns, a Little Egret, Black -headed…
Tuesday 22 July – Easton-in-Gordano
Never have I led a walk in such hot sunny conditions – ten people survived the course, seven went back before “the extra bit”. We started off with Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greenfinch, Wood Pigeon and a family of eight Long-tailed Tits. These were in a tree at Glebe Pond, where we stopped to look for dragonflies, seeing either…
Tuesday 15 July – Little Sodbury
The day started windless, cloudless and humidly warm and 22 birders sat enthralled on the first ‘old fort’ high point, with its magnificent 180 degrees of crisp and clear view across the Severn Vale. This became our first rest and refreshment break and birds noted up to then were about 18 and included House Sparrow, Crow, Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Chiffchaff, Mallard,…
Sunday 13 July – Forest of Dean
14 members met on a warm and sunny evening at New Fancy View. We first climbed up to the viewing platform. It was relatively quiet although Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Blackcap, Nuthatch and Swift were either seen or heard or both. We then drove to Cannop Ponds and had a delightful walk round the eastern shore of the…
Tuesday 08 July – Frampton Cotterell
Twenty five members, including two new ones, met at the Globe Inn, Frampton Cotterell on a very overcast but warm morning. Before we set off up along the Frome Valley the leader warned everyone about the possibility of ticks – fortunately none were encountered. By the time we reached the coffee stop it had really warmed up and the sun…
Tuesday 01 July- Priddy
Walking conditions were ideal for the twenty who came today – sunny with some cloud. Through the village we were aware of considerable numbers of House Sparrows, Jackdaws, House Martins and Carrion Crows with a few Swallows, Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit and Wren. Going down Nine Barrows Lane and across the lower fields, Rook, Blackbird, Great Tit,…
Friday 27 June – Marshfield
Eleven members met at the lay-by on the Marshfield bypass on a fine sunny evening. We stuck to the lanes on the north side of the bypass, avoiding the muddy track. Our first sighting was of Swallows and Swifts busily soaring and diving after the numerous insects in the evening air. Then we came across a recently mown field on…
Tuesday 24 June – East Harptree
Unlike previous years when the rain has been incessant or in deluge form, today was hot – hot – hot. Renowned for its lung-busting hill at the finish it was no surprise that only eight brave souls made the effort. From the shady side of the car park we had good views of Coal and Blue Tit, but special mention…
Tuesday 17 June – Hinton Blewitt
It was a warm sunny day with a light north-easterly breeze. 20 members met opposite Hinton Blewitt church and walked through the villages of Hinton Blewitt and Coley to the reservoirs. There were all the usual birds around, plenty of nesting House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Starlings, Wrens, Jackdaws and House Martins and Swallows. We saw a Mistle Thrush carrying food…
Tuesday 10 June – Woodchester Park.
What a treat awaited us as we 22 Tuesday walkers assembled at the car park of Woodchester Park. A deep, densely-wooded valley with sides so steep that the trees providing us with a gorgeously dappled-shaded canopy – seemed amazingly tall. Ponds, one meandering so gracefully into the distance the eye was immediately drawn to far shore. A low mellow-stoned building…
Tuesday 03 June – Sand Bay
By sticking strictly to time (10 o’clock start), we couldn’t count Little Egret, two of which flew over the car park, reasoning that we’d pick them up later. That held good for the Kestrel that came over at about the same time – we had three sightings of them, but alas the Egrets eluded us. The climb to the Trig…
Sunday 01 June – Aylesbeare and Axe Estuary
A change of plan and what a good day you missed! The weather was kind and the four members who met Gordon in the car park were soon off to Bowling Green Marsh to see a ‘lifer’ for most –a Ross’s Gull. There was also a Little Gull and Mediterranean Gull in amongst the Black-headed Gulls, summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits and…
Tuesday 27th May – Shapwick Heath/Ham Wall
A small band of twelve members set out on a sunny morning to enjoy an amble along Shapwick Heath, passing the lagoons and visiting Noah’s and Meare Heath hides. There was then time to picnic in the Ashcott car park before a pleasant hour on Ham Wall. We had lively action from the start with Reed Warbler, Coal, Great and…
Tuesday, 20 May – Newport Wetlands Wildlife Reserve
This reserve was established in 2000 to mitigate losses of wildlife habitat when the Cardiff Bay Barrage scheme was built, and is owned by National Resources Wales. The RSPB Visitor Centre has a shop and café, and there is a good picnic area. 18 of us met up at the car park and spent the morning roaming the site. The…
Saturday 17 May – Coombe Hill Meadow
We met Mike Smart on a warm sunny evening for a guided walk around this wetland meadow alongside the canal. Brimstone butterflies were flitting around us as Swallows flew overhead to the sound of Skylarks. We took the circular walk through the SSSI spotting many plants before overlooking the first scrape. There were two Avocets feeding and the Oystercatchers had…
Tuesday 13 May – Priors Wood – Bluebell Walk
The wet, slippery and very muddy conditions of the previous week had fortunately dried up well in the sunshine and we were able to avoid the worst of it by keeping to the main path rather than the usual side track. Blackcaps were singing everywhere, also Wrens, Robins, Chaffinches and Goldcrests, though only one or two Chiffchaffs. On a thin…
Saturday 10 May – Lower Woods Nature Reserve
What a pity only four members turned up for this meeting on a lovely sunny morning! Lower Woods is one of the largest oak-ash woodlands on heavy clay soils in England. Bill Heslegrave, a volunteer with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, led us through some of the grassy trenches, rides and 23 coppices in this ancient wood. Birds were surprisingly scarce but…
Tue 6th May 2014 South Stoke.
The Wren and Chaffinch were our first species and proved to be (apart from Woodpigeon) the most abundant bird. Our new kneed organiser joined us 11 walkers for the first ½ mile, walking well since his operation. Before the hill Robins and House Martin were spotted, the House Sparrows called from the roofs and the view from the hill top…
Tuesday 06 May – South Stoke
The Wren and Chaffinch were our first species and proved to be (apart from Woodpigeon) the most abundant birds. Our ‘new-kneed’ organiser joined us eleven walkers for the first half mile, walking well since his operation. Before the hill, Robins and House Martin were spotted, House Sparrows called from the roofs and the view from the hill top as ever…
Tuesday, 29th April – Pucklechurch
This was a walk in “Stan Country” – one of the many which Stan Wilmott used to lead. 15 members set out across a wheat field to the sound of skylarks – this week against a grey sky. Blackcaps, robins, blackbirds and wrens were heard throughout the walk – double figures in all four cases. Some of the time the…
Sunday 27 April – Cleeve Hill
A good mix of habitats and a great view were enjoyed by twelve members on this amble around Cleeve Hill. We got off to a good start with views of Wheatear close to a quarry and were serenaded by numerous Skylarks. Walking first around the top (dodging a few golf balls from the nearby golf course), we picked up several…
Tuesday 22 April – Newton St Loe
A startled Green Woodpecker flew up from the ground as we set off through the churchyard with a further two seen in the adjoining field. Woodpigeon, Blackcap, Carrion Crow, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Rook, finches and tits were all in abundance at various places throughout the walk. As we passed the fishermen on the…
Tuesday 15th April – Gordano Valley.
The walk was sunny and bright 25 walkers saw/heard 36 species. The prime specimen being a Common Crane seen circling at height over the centre of the valley. Thanks to Goeff Harris for leading. We only saw one, imagine this spectacle over the Gordano Valley
Saturday 12 April – St Catherine’s Valley
It was mostly overcast with a coolish breeze, even so, twelve members gathered for a very pleasant and rewarding walk. Chiffchaff was the first bird, together with the expected resident birds which included Skylark, Bullfinch and Stock Dove. Blackcap and Green Woodpecker were heard as well as Yellowhammer – a male of the latter then seen on a track. Buzzards…
Tuesday 08 April – Castle Combe
Another great walk in varied habitat but this week not a single Skylark was heard nor a winter thrush seen, spring had come and the sound of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Nuthatches predominated. From quite early on singing Robins, Wrens, Chaffinches and Dunnocks were heard as well as calling Great Tits and Blue Tits, plus some other calls that led to…
Sunday 06 April – Brean Down
The weather forecast was dreadful: ‘Heavy rain and strong winds worsening around the coasts’ it said. Just the job for a walk along Brean Down then? But that was the forecast put out the night before; by the morning of the meeting the heavy rain had been put back by 12 hours but it seemed that many people had not…
Tuesday 01 April – Hawkesbury Upton
It was a pretty misty start to our All Fools’ Day walk and there was much discussion as to whether clout casting might be opportune. 16 members, and soon to be joined by a 17th, set off through the village where there were plenty of Starlings. Soon, we were in typical “top of the Cotswolds” country and could hear many…
Saturday 29 March – Newport Wetlands.
In overcast skies and mist, but with the sun trying to break through, some of the 19 of us applied our first sun cream of the year. The car park was surrounded by calling Chiffchaff, Greenfinch and Goldfinch and Wren. On the bird feeders at the Centre we were rewarded with many and both sexes of Reed Bunting, Mallard cleaning…
Tuesday 25 March – Hambrook.
The promise of a mildish spring morning enticed 31 walkers to enjoy the area around Hambrook. We waited for the Dipper to show at Bradley Brook and just as folks had given up it duly arrived and gave everyone time to admire it. When most had moved on, two Kingfishers were spotted sitting on a branch before flying off. Heading…
Sunday 23 March – Forest of Dean.
Just over 35 people met at Nagshead RSPB reserve and just as Ed was introducing the morning a Hawfinch flew over ‘ticking’. During the morning’s walk around the woodland Nuthatches dominated the birdsong along with Blue Tits, a few Great Tits, and Coal Tits. A Chiffchaff was singing by the meadow while Redwings sat at the top of the oak…
Tuesday 18 March – Bridgeyate.
Getting across the A420 outside the Griffin Inn is always a challenge, particularly when trying to identify the Wagtail on the house tops opposite! However, the Collared Dove and Magpie offered no such contest, as we entered the housing estate en route for the Dramway. Some Lesser Black-backed Gulls fought the wind and Woodpigeon were blown out of the trees…
Tuesday 11 March – Elm Farm, Burnet.
Out at the stewardship scheme acreages of Elm Farm, we walked in the bracing NE wind under a full grey/white sky with plenty of birdlife. From the car park we had splendid views and heard the wheezing call of Greenfinch and there was an addition of five more of these brightly feathered birds, some setting off on circular sprint chases…
Sunday 09 March – Leigh Woods
This was a popular walk on a lovely sunny morning. A good selection of woodland birds were seen but the birding highlight of the day was a sighting of a colourful male Crossbill high in a pine tree.
Tuesday 04 March – Portbury Wharf
A warm, sunny day greeted 32 eager birders for a walk through the Portbury reserve. A Song Thrush serenaded us, Chaffinch, Wren and Great Tit showed, but an early disappointment was no Little Owl at the barns. At the first hide there was a dramatic fight between two (presumably male) Coot with one desperately trying to drown the other! A…
Saturday 01 March – Middleton Lakes
The early frost gave way to warm sunshine as eleven members met at this RSPB reserve in the Lower Tame Valley on the Staffordshire/Warwickshire border which has been made from 400 acres of old gravel workings. The heronry had 18 pairs guarding nests and seven pairs sitting on nests and was very visible from the boardwalk. Further along the Woodland…
Saturday 25 February Bristol City Centre Harbour Walk
The group met under blue skies and warm sunshine in contrast to last year’s snow and bitter wind. In consequence there was a splendid turnout of 28 members. We left Millennium Square and headed for Prince Street Bridge where our first birds were gulls, Mute Swans, a Great Crested Grebe and Cormorants. The latter were showing their white breeding patches…
Tuesday 18 February – Severn Beach
It was a little after high water as 31 members walked beside the River Severn, which was flowing out very fast owing to recent excessive rains. The traffic noise from the M4 and Severn Bridge was disturbingly loud but we were rewarded with eleven bird species before reaching New Passage and there added Teal, Wigeon, Dunlin, and Shelduck. At the…
Saturday 08 February – Uphill / Axe Estuary
The horrendous forecast of gales and heavy rain for Saturday obviously put off many people attending what turned out to be a really good walk, so it was six hardy souls who set off. We only had one short shower and the sun was out for most of the morning! We took the telescopes to look over the beach at…
Tuesday 04 February – Luckington
Thirty three is a very respectable total for a Tuesday walk and an even more respectable number for lunch afterwards. This walk was the last with our organiser, Hazel Wilmott, before her move to Dorset in two weeks. At the start we had a fine pair of Mistle Thrushes who were searching the grass behind the pub car park and…
Tuesday 28 January – Backwell lake
14 walkers met at Morgan’s Hill in Nailsea. There were two heavy showers during the morning but we escaped getting really wet and when the sun broke through it felt mild. We even found a few snowdrops in flower. A circuit of the lake gave us good views of two male and a female Goosander, Tufted Ducks and a female…
Tuesday 21 January – Meare Heath and Ham Wall
19 members met in the Natural England car park on an overcast and breezy afternoon. We first walked down to the viewing platforms overlooking the Ham Wall reedbeds. A couple of members were really lucky on the way down to have a brief glimpse of an otter swimming in the adjacent South Drain; a rare sighting during daylight. The open…
Saturday 18 January – Eastville Park
Eight BOC members turned out on a grey day; the rain held off until 1pm and we had sunshine for part of the walk. From the car park we followed the path round the playing field, then went on the Frome River Walkway, passing the lake and along the river path and the Jewish Cemetery before returning to the car…
Tuesday 14 January – Badminton
A sparkling sunny, frosty morning attracted 19 members. The walk, led by Peter Holbrook, began with a flurry of activity with feeders in a garden and the woodland on the edge of the village producing Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Robin, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush and Buzzard to name just a few. As we continued along the fringe…
Sunday 12 January – River Exe and Dawlish Warren
Leaving Bristol on a bright but cold Sunday morning 37 members were looking forward to a day’s birding on the Exe and at Dawlish Warren. Our first stop was at Exminster Marshes where the extensive flooding precluded a planned walk to Powderham Church; it was, however, a bonus for the wildfowl. From the bridge and road, good numbers of Wigeon…
Tuesday 07 January – Pensford
Eight of us started walking from the Pub car park, first seeing Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Pied Wagtail and Robin. As we passed over the fast flowing River Chew there was nothing in sight, in fact when we walked along it from Woollard to Publow it was the same. Up over the fields out of Pensford there was a…
Wednesday 01 January – Slimbridge
As the rain poured down on my arrival I wondered whether there would be anyone else there. I shouldn’t have doubted. BOC members are made of tough stuff! Nine appeared, well kitted out for the weather and we were soon in the shelter of the hides. The Tack Piece and Dumbles were full of water and birds. As usual, it…
Tuesday 31 December – Snuff Mills
As my record book’s crinkled pages attest it was wet when we set out. Our first birds were a party of four male Blackbirds at a standoff atop a TV aerial. Nothing delicate could survive the roaring, white topped water as it dived under the bridge, although a Mallard pair had found sanctuary in a small inlet and a Moorhen…
Tuesday 17 December – “Between the Lakes Walk”
We were lucky to enjoy a fine bright morning for our walk from Heron’s Green at CVL over Breach Hill past Ubley Hatchery and back along the lanes to CVL, a total distance of nearly five miles. The views over Blagdon Lake were lovely and the mixed habitats of water, fields and woods made for a good range of birds.…
Tuesday 10 December – Pucklechurch (Christmas Lunch)
35 members set off on a grey but very mild morning from the car park of the Fleur de Lys in Pucklechurch, soon to be joined by a 36th member, who had cycled from the centre of Bristol. This is always a slightly shorter walk than our usual Tuesday ones so we can be back at the pub in good…
Saturday 07 December – Curry Moor
Twelve members met at the Newbridge Sluice north of the village of North Curry. This was a new location for a Club field meeting on a different part of the Somerset Levels than normally visited. We commenced the walk along the southern bank of the River Tone giving extensive views of the surrounding area. Mixed flocks of Fieldfares, Redwings and…
Tuesday 03 December – Slimbridge
What has not been said about this national resource?! We 22 set out – not for us the duck or goose preservation ponds – but into raw boned and wild, windy bird hides. We had to break ourselves in slowly – the luxury and heating of the Peng observatory was just the job. From behind clear glass we were afforded…
Sunday 01 December – Torbay
Eight BOC members were joined by a couple of local birders to explore the Torbay area and surroundings. Having met on the front at Paignton, we made straight for the Clennon Valley (an inland park area with woodland and ponds) to find a Yellow-browed Warbler that had been in this sheltered valley for a couple of weeks. After some persistence…
Tuesday 26 November – Clevedon
A cold, dry morning saw 30 members gather at the Salthouse car park. A Jay was flitting around the play area with two Pied Wagtails and, from the vantage points on Poet’s Walk, Oystercatchers and Redshanks were quickly picked out. Teal, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Shelduck and beautifully camouflaged Turnstones put in an appearance on the mud and rocks. Two Little…