Field trip reports

What a great time of year to visit Ham Wall – Bitterns booming, Cuckoos calling and warblers warbling! The air was filled with dragonflies and damselflies and many birds were nurturing their young. Nine of us met in the car park at 09:00, later to be joined by others so we eventually totalled 15. On the way to the first viewpoint, we stopped to admire a female Blackcap preening and posing for us. From the Tor View Hide we heard a Cuckoo and saw a Bittern flying in the distance. On the way towards Avalon Hide we heard a variety of warblers (including Garden and Willow) and caught a glimpse of some, but it was rather breezy so they kept mostly out of sight. Highlights at Avalon Hide were a flock of five Cranes circling in the distance – what a treat! – and through a scope we could just see a Barn Owl in its box. Marsh Harriers showed well and a flock of Sand Martins were nesting rather precariously in a huge soil heap on the outskirts of the reserve, evidently preferring this site to the purpose-built RSPB accommodation! A Hobby showed well near Viewpoint 2 on the return route and some also saw the Blue-winged Teal at Viewpoint 1 which had attracted a crowd. A great day out, worth getting up early on a Sunday for, and then rain stayed away! Thank you to Peter for leading the walk and bringing his scope. Denise Rudeford

Despite favourable weather conditions for some at least, the attendance at today’s walk through Priors Wood was limited. Initially, it appeared the event might proceed in solitude until Colin and Olwyn arrived shortly before 10:00, for which their presence was appreciated. The first notable observation consisted of five House Martins near the house eaves prior to entering the woodland, where the shade was most welcome. Soon after, Chiffchaff, ten Blackcaps, a couple of Goldcrests, and a Dunnock were recorded, each vocalising actively amidst the sunlight. At 11:00, we paused on a large log to appreciate the tranquil atmosphere, punctuated by the songs of additional species such as Blackbird, Robin, and Coal Tit. The walk continued through the woods and across streams, yielding further observations including a faintly heard Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, and an auditory record of Treecreeper. While the total count was relatively modest due to fewer observers, it is likely that many species went undetected. Upon returning to the vehicles, a Herring Gull was seen perched on a chimney, followed by a final sighting of a soaring Buzzard, resulting in a respectable total of 25 species for the day. This was a lovely walk through beautiful woods where there were still a few Bluebells to be seen even this late into May (Thanks to Graham for leading) Graham Blacker

Eight of us visited Puxton Moor. Presumably small numbers due to a poor weather forecast. However, it didn’t rain all morning! We had a quick look at the outside of Puxton church built in 1557, but the site is much older. After crossing a ploughed field we heard our first of ten Reed Warblers by the drove road leading to the 70 hectares of Puxton Moor nature reserve in the care of Avon Wildlife Trust. Several Swallows and Swifts were seen flying low over us catching the plentiful insect life. In the reeds by the rhynes we heard Reed, Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers so it was good to get a comparison. The rhynes by the farm track had recently been dredged making this area less interesting at the moment, but at least there was no fly-tipping as in the past. Just before the bridge we had a very good view of a Scarce Chaser dragonfly and several Azure Damselflies as well as Painted Lady butterflies which all seemed to become active when the temperature rose in the late morning. At the narrow bridge where Goosey Drove meets Puxton Lane we had a good view of the paired dimples of the Willow Emerald Damselfly which had used an apple tree to oviposit. In total we saw or heard 37 species of bird. Many thanks to Gareth for leading and Robin for compiling the bird list

Thirteen persons attended this field trip, braving the showers. The group walked up Hodder’s Combe and saw and heard male Pied Flycatchers and heard Common Redstart. A family of Treecreepers was seen with two juveniles with flecked plumage on the back and wings. The route took us up Slaughterhouse Combe and we heard our first Wood Warbler and soon after we saw and heard a second singing from the mid zone and allowing reasonable views. Near the top of the Combe, a female Common Redstart perched on a tree next to us and then entered a nest hole. Reaching the crest of the heath we observed eleven female and juvenile Red Deer and then walked along the path to Bicknoller Post, passing several families of Stonechats on the way.Nearing the Post, we were pleased to see a singing male Dartford Warbler and close by a further pair were observed at a possible nest site. After admiring the views towards Minehead and Hinckley, we descended via Lady’s Edge. We heard a Cuckoo calling and were delig hted to see a pair and on close looking at the photos it looks as if the second bird was a female, though perhaps greyer than some. On the way down we were interested to see the botany of the acidic seeps and saw Round-leaved Sundew and Common Lousewort. Lower down we heard our third Wood Warbler and had great views of a male Pied Flycatcher entering one of the nest boxes. Overall, we saw nine Pied Flycatchers, and all were male. Total species observed was 41. (Thanks to Robin for leading) Robin Martin

Fifteen met on a mild, overcast evening, with one short spell of light rain. RSPB had identified three territories of singing Nightingales this year, there having been only two in each of the previous three years (down from 20 singing males in 2001). There were plenty of woodland birds (18 species total) to entertain us before the main event. Song Thrush and Blackbird were the most prevalent, with nine each, followed by Robin, Wren, and Blackcap. We had four Great Spotted Woodpeckers. One each were heard of Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Goldcrest. Arriving at the first reported territory at about 20:15, all was quiet, other than a Song Thrush occasionally trying out Nightingale mimicry. After 15 minutes we followed the path to the other side of the scrub, and we heard the first snatches of Nightingale song. The bird then treated us to a prolonged recital, to much delight. We proceeded to the second and third territories without success. Arriving back at the car park we decided to return along the track to the second territory, and by then a second Nightingale was singing. It was good to know that some birds had returned, but this population at the edge of the range remains vulnerable. I wonder how far my grandchildren will need to travel to hear Nightingales in 2036. Thanks to Robin for keeping the bird list. (Thanks to Gareth for leading). Gareth Roberts

Facebook often targets me with irrelevant ads, but this one hit home. It was a T shirt that said. I Came, I Saw, I Missed the Shot. That was much of my experience during my first outing with the Bristol Ornithological Club to Westhay Moor! Darn those little warblers! They hide so well! Nevertheless, plenty of very noisy Reed Warblers were heard plus Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a lot of Cetti’s Warblers which were also glimpsed by some members. I knew I would be traveling from Wisconsin in the US to Bristol for the birth of my grandson, so I contacted the club back in February and was thrilled that there was a walk I could join! There were 23 people, 39 species of birds, several butterflies and dragonflies and plenty of wonderful conversations! Highlights were a Cattle Egret that coincidentally happened to fly in and land next to…Cattle! Great White and Little Egrets were also spotted along with Bittern booming in the reeds. Some of the group actually got to see one fly by, one person even capturing a photo! That would not be me. A Hobby flew overhead and several Marsh Harriers were flying, which members photographed. The highlights personally were seeing birds that are common to you, but a treat for me and also joining in conversation with you all. It was a beautiful location and perfect weather! Thanks for welcoming me! Hope to join you again on future visits! (Thanks to Elaine and Nick for leading) Mary Caporal Prior (US visitor)

Sixteen members gathered at the AWT 250-acre nature reserve, Folly Farm. This was the day that the 30,000th walker would take part in the Tuesday walks. Alastair Fraser was the lucky winner of a lovely pair of ornamental Swans and a pair of blue birds presented by Graham before the walk. We set off on a dry sunny day wondering if we really needed our jackets. The first part of the walk was a long climb through woodland listening to the sounds of Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Robins. The bluebells were a lovely sight. As we reached the end of the wooded area a Song Thrush was spotted. The walk carried on over fields, with good views of a Mistle Thrush foraging on the ground. The views of Chew Valley Lake from the hilltop were stunning. Walking along the ridge an elusive Garden Warbler was heard in the Shrubbery, three Goldfinch posed on the top of a dead tree and a Buzzard flew overhead. Swifts and Swallows were spotted and a number of Blackcaps were singing away. We had an encounter with a herd of cows on our way down the hill and spotted a singing Skylark. After the initial glimpses of the sun a chilly wind and clouds had appeared reminding us ‘Ne’er cast a clout till May is out’ A total of 26 species and some beautiful views. Thanks to Alastair for keeping the bird count and Jean for leading a lovely walk. Maree Richards.

Ten of us including three younger members, turned up today for a fantastic sunny walk in the New Forest. As soon as we all paid the new parking charges, we made our way down a gravel path where Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were singing and we could hear a Cuckoo in the background. We came into a large area of Gorse in full bloom here and we immediately started to see birds flitting around, Robins, Blackcaps and Stonechats were observed. We heard a Chaffinch singing away and Jane pointed out it was odd because they do not like the spiny shrub. After a lot of searching we finally saw it perched in a single tree. We walked on further to a large clearing and many Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and Meadow Pipits were observed. A Cuckoo was heard many times and finally after some bubbling trills (female) we saw one flying between trees. A raptor was spotted giving us all a debate on a Hobby or Sparrowhawk, but Hobby won. We made our way up the hill over a log across a stream and through the Gorse to have our picnic. Robin went looking for butterflies and spotted an Adder. After lunch we made our way back along the gravel path and were overjoyed when we saw a Dartford Warbler. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any Redstarts but Firecrest, Goldcrest and Treecreeper made up for it. Just before we got to the car our final bird was a Wheatear. A great list of 40 species and a lovely day. Thank you Jane for leading this fabulous walk and thank you all for coming so far. Caron Thornton -Trippit

Nineteen of us met on a dry, partially cloudy morning at the free Wireworks car park in Tintern. We started the walk with a climb up through the wood, which was spectacular with Bluebells, Ramsons, unfurling Ferns and a bird audio challenge. Blackcap, Song Thrush, and Goldcrest were heard and upon reaching the top a Buzzard agitated the local Jackdaws and Carrion Crows. We soon reached our coffee spot overlooking a scenic lake and our first waterfall. Afterwards we were rewarded with a Dipper under a bridge that had a beak full of food. Continuing the now steady climb upwards we reached an open space with blue sky that held circling Raven, Red Kite, and Buzzard. After a picnic lunch in a well-maintained garden alongside the tranquil Angidy River, we detoured to another lake. On the river along here two Dippers were seen and for those that didn’t blink or look away at the wrong time we saw them pair-bonding with wing shakes. Later a Marsh Tit and Grey Wagtail were seen in the same location. The return trail was all downhill with views of a Sparrowhawk and for a lucky few a Treecreeper played peek-a-boo around a tree. Thanks to Graham for leading and to Alastair for recording 30 species of bird. Louise Bailey.

There was a pleasing group of 22 people attending this field trip and it was nice to see a few newer and younger members. From the car park we heard and saw a Cuckoo flying by and there was a lot of warbler activity and song from the nearby trees. Walking onto the reserve there was a Reed Warbler showing and posing well just beyond the picnic tables and in the trees leading up to the embankment there were numerous Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing. On the embankment there was a Garden Warbler singing and showing well in the trees to the north. We stopped at the first Viewing Platform and could hear several Bittern booming, and we had a couple of in-flight views of this elusive bird. There were Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit on the small islands and shallower areas. Also, we saw a good number of commoner duck species including Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck and a few Pochard. There were also some Great Crested Grebe pairs displaying at different points. We walked on to the Avalon Hide and observed several Marsh Harriers including a stunning male that flew close by and a male Reed Bunting was singing from some Willows. We were also delighted to see a Hobby hunting over the reed beds as we returned via the second Viewing Platform. We finished by going to the Tor Hide where there are several Heron nests and one with some small chicks. On the way we saw a Common Sandpiper using the Tern and Gull rafts with some Black-headed Gulls in summer plumage and both Little and Great White Egrets. Overall, we recorded 55 species. (Thanks to Robin for leading) Robin Martin