Field trip reports

A total of 52 species of bird were seen, testimony to the fact that Frampton Pools has a good range of habitats. Starting at Court Lake, eleven members quickly spotted a Great White Egret across the water. Ducks were relatively thin on the ground but Wigeon and Gadwall were seen as well as Tufted Duck and a single Greylag Goose. Two small birds flitting over the surface attracted our attention, the first being an unexpected Swallow. The second was a small gull, initially some distance away but after a while it conveniently performed a flight over the group who were able to confirm this was a first winter Little Gull. A Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron and Little Egret were also seen at Court Lake. At the Sailing Lake there was not much on the water, just a couple of Great Crested Grebes. The platform held several gulls and, after scoping these for a while, we confirmed they were Black-Headed Gulls, three Common Gulls and a Yellow-Legged Gull that was initially sitting down (which made positive identification challenging) but later stood up to show its bright yellow legs. A Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards, a Kestrel and three Ravens were also seen. There were a few Goldcrests in the trees between the lakes. (Thanks to Peter for leading) Peter Bryant

A car park filling 27 walkers basked in the autumnal warmth with the calls of Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, and Rook nearly making chatting difficult! A flock of Fieldfares, a Moorhen and a Grey Heron were startled from their foraging as we headed up the valley. No Dipper could be found, but up the path, above the ochre quarry, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper played hide and seek in the thickets and taller trees. Above the quarry a Peregrine flew and three Little Grebes, various gulls – including five Common plus seven Cormorants made good use of the abundant water. Our second Green Woodpecker was yaffling above us as we ate and supped our coffee. Swinging right at the road, we spotted both Grey and Pied Wagtail on the barns and Kestrel and Mistle Thrush on the power cables, with a lone Redwing in the adjacent field. Straight up the slope, with Blue and Great Tit in the hedges and a solitary Skylark calling as it passed over. Garden feeders at the corner house were well stocked and used by Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Greenfinch and the two Rhea in their garden compound on Bury Lane stood and stared back at us. Our final species count was 45, which included a Red Kite, skirting the hillside above the big house in the valley as we approached the pub. (Thanks to Geoff and Gill for leading.) Nick Hawkridge

18 members met outside HMP Ashfield for this new BOC walk around the lovely fields of Pucklechurch. As we entered the first of many fields we spotted lots of crows as we overlooked the amazing vista towards Lansdown. Proceeding onwards, Goldfinch were recorded along with Greenfinch surveying the scene from atop the trees. Leaving the first couple of fields we then walked a lovely quiet lane before once again finding a well-hidden footpath leading alongside a private property, the fields of which housed numerous very cute Alpacas who were only too pleased to greet us. We paused for coffee soon after this still enjoying the lovely views whilst three Buzzard gently hovered overhead. We plodded onward through a fairly muddy patch just before Blue Lodge – the house where Black Beauty was written. After a little more lane walking and into the final fields it was nice to see the top of Abson Church above the treetops. We spotted 29 species in all, the highlights being a Red Kite, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove and how lovely it was to see the return of eight Redwings and around 60 Fieldfares. A lovely day was had by all (Thanks to Graham for leading). Graham Blacker

I arrived early to check that the Drove was indeed under water, so our party of six had to head round the tank! Some Coot were noted, which we later estimated at 600-700 after they’d been pushed together at the western edge by the yacht club safety boats. A solitary Shoveler was found; the other 28 having been flushed off by a hot air balloon that came over Fry’s Hill early on. A party of Cormorants were hanging out to dry; including some white breasted juveniles, with a flock of Canada Geese cruising about close by. No waders were seen as the popularity of the site “forced” some visitors down to the water’s edge so their precious dogs could drink and play. The regular Red-crested Pochard was found in among some Mallards and Teal but no sign of the Pintail reported earlier. A couple of Grey Wagtails were seen early but cousin Pied were very numerous, as indeed were Meadow Pipit. A single Little Egret was spotted in the farmland to the west of the tank and a Grey Heron to the south. A Raven flew from its roost over to the south west accompanied by a ‘persecution’ of Corvids. A total of 34 species were seen or heard. Thanks to Alan for the bird list (and to Nick for leading). Nick Hawkridge

18 members met in mild conditions, but misty to properly foggy. The birds at Tickenham village and moors were: Kestrel sleeping in church tower window, Cormorants including a juvenile sitting on one of the new style electricity pylons, a distant Peregrine sitting on another new pylon – confirmed from a photo after the meeting, Little Egret, Grey Heron including a confiding juvenile with smart black head, a Chiffchaff and a big group of Rooks swirling over the village. At the Golf course and paths in and out of woods: a Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail, a third year Herring Gull paddling for worms, a mixed tit flock of 16 or more, a flock of Long-tailed Tits, a small group of Goldcrests, a Bullfinch and Goldfinches, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Buzzard, and a Jay. At Cadbury Camp were a Mistle Thrush in a distant tree soon to be rendered invisible by thickening mist, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, and an unidentified finch and warbler flock on a Hawthorn tree. Total 29 species (Thanks to Jan and Lois for leading). Jan Pridie and Lois Pryce

Five members met in Old Church Road and set off for the harbour, a sixth joining us later. The weather was dry and mild (16-18C) but the westerly wind had a chill. In the harbour we saw the usual gulls and Mallard, plus Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Cormorant and Curlew. There were a pair of Stonechats, a Common Sandpiper, a Meadow Pipit and a Wheatear in the harbour as we walked on toward the Blind Yeo outlet. Moorhen were on the Blind Yeo and a single Cetti’s Warbler singing. We carried on past the golf course, seeing a family group of Greenfinches and several Skylarks, the latter to be present for the rest of the walk. A single Great Black-backed Gull was spotted when looking back toward the harbour. A Peregrine was seen on one of the radio masts with prey, also a Kestrel. As we carried on past Dowlais, there was another pair of Stonechats, a  Wheatear, flocks of Goldfinches and Linnet, more Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. At the farthest reach of the walk (Kingston Pill) there was a flock of 300+ Shelducks, one Wigeon, a few Teal, and Curlews, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper. Out on the mud we managed a Bar-tailed Godwit and six Dunlins. We returned, some by the same route, the rest taking a shortcut by car. Total 39 species. Thanks to Jane for leading. Alan Daniells

Twenty two birders gathered and after an early shower the clouds dispersed and sunny skies were a pleasure. The rail bridge made a good viewpoint over the Gordano Valley and yielded Robin, Great Tit and Chaffinch. At Wharf Lane both Chiffchaff and Collard Dove were seen, and from the first hide a Stonechat, Swallows, Gadwall and Skylark. Further on a Little Egret got up from one of the ditches and in the distance a Buzzard turned lazily. Goldfinches were busy on the Teasels and there was a loud protest from a Cetti’s Warbler. The tower hide gave us good views over the salt marsh with Canada Geese, Black-headed Gull, Teal, Shelduck and Lesser Black-backed Gull showing well. In the fields, on the return leg of the walk, more Little Egret, a Jay and a flyover Raven – calling as it went. Our final species was Kestrel, one hovering and another perched on its nest box platform giving great views and a final and very satisfactory total of 47 species (Thanks to Roger for leading).

Eight members assembled at the WWT car park. We quickly made our way over to the River Parrett and en route heard Water Rail and Cetti’s Warblers, and enjoyed views of Reed Bunting and Stonechat plus a perched Kestrel. Waders on the edges of the river were in relatively low numbers and distant but Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew were seen as well as a perched Marsh Harrier and a pair of ‘formation hovering’ Kestrels. Next stop was the Quantocks Hide with its view over several shallow pools. In between searching for waders, we identified Meadow Pipits (in their buff autumnal plumage) and Pied Wagtails with a few White Wagtails amongst them. Four Wheatears were seen in the grass edges to the pools with Linnets and Goldfinches adding colour to the scene. As the waders were quite distant, it took some time to identify them with confidence – 30+ lapwings, four Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, single Ringed and Golden Plovers and a long-necked, heavily streaked wader delicately poking its long bill into the mud which another birder later suggested was a juvenile Greenshank. Teal and Gadwall were amongst the Mallards. Two distant white blobs were identified as (very sleepy) Spoonbills. The breach, at the end of the peninsula, was relatively quiet although Little Egrets were numerous here. Birds seen included a fly-over Spoonbill, two Ravens, a Kestrel, two Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk plus our first geese (Canada and Greylag). 47 species seen during the day. (Thanks to Richard for leading and to Alan Daniells for compiling the bird list) Peter Bryant

25 members set off from the car park of the Druids Inn and headed swiftly down the road to assemble on the farm track. A good variety of birds immediately made themselves known including Dunnocks, two Collared Doves, a Wren and a Chiffchaff. Moving on, a young Buzzard was calling insistently from its perch on a hedge on the skyline. Nearing our coffee stop at Bye Mills, we came across a mixed flock of Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits and a panicked Moorhen made a desperate dash for the reeds and safety. Whilst we were having coffee a pair of Grey Wagtails put on a lively show whizzing back and forth below the sluice gates and two Kestrels made an appearance. We then came across a very industrious group of biscuit powered young folk on a day out from work who were planting a new hedge for Bristol Avon Rivers Trust. Good habitat for the future! Pensford came and went with no Dippers seen along with a report that they had been driven off by Mink activity. On the hill out, we heard a Green Woodpecker and saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker as we passed a gate into an open field. Approaching Upper Stanton Drew, we sighted four Jays and a Magpie flying across our path. On the way back we spotted Meadow Pipits on the ground and Goldfinches feeding on thistles. 34 species in total. (Thanks to Alan for leading). Alan Craddock

After a lively discussion on who was taking the walk in the place of our absent leader and where exactly the walk went, seven members set out into the constant wind and lightly drizzling rain. After exiting the outskirts of Hawkesbury, we spotted a couple of Pied Wagtails and a solitary Magpie amongst the Carrion Crows at a field boundary, and a telephone line full of Starlings. Further on, a field ahead of us provided around 50 Common Gulls along with a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Following the Marshfield Path uphill, we spotted a couple of Stonechats. We then pressed on across a newly ploughed field to our coffee stop in the thankfully windless shelter of Bodkin Hazel Wood. Two House Martins made a distant appearance and a Wren gave us a quick burst of song for entertainment. Back into the wind and a long slog down a track between cornfields seemed birdless but we found a Robin and a Chiffchaff for solace. Crossing Highfield Lane gave us the shelter of the woods above Horton Court and at last some birdlife in variety. Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Robin and a pair of Ravens were seen and a Treecreeper and a Marsh Tit heard. The weather was starting to close in so we beat a hasty retreat back. 28 species in total. (Thanks to the “committee” for leading.) Alan Craddock