Field trip reports

A sunny morning and a delightful walk through varied habitats including field, woodland, narrow country lane and riverside. We left Blackhorse Road to enter an open area of common land with trees and shrubs. There we spotted Starling, Crow, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail. The route led us through woodland carpeted in Bluebells and other wild spring flowers. Here were recorded Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackcap, Coal Tit, Robin and more Chiffchaff, and the fluting song of Blackbirds, resonant of summer days. The path led across a sports field where we saw a Jackdaw, either predating a nest, or possibly building one. We went up some steps over the A4174 to a pleasant country lane with more Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail and Chaffinch. Perched on a barn roof was a small group of elegant white Doves. Then down to the River Frome where we had sighting of the Kingfisher darting along, the Dipper dipping, and a Goldcrest flitting from branch to branch nearby. Retracing our steps we turned along a narrow lane surrounded by fields, where we were treated to the sight of two Swallows circling and darting before settling on the telegraph wires. An excellent walk and 36 species recorded. Thanks to Joyce and Kate for leading. Di Bunniss

Thirteen people met at Ashley Walk in the New Forest for a walk through open heathland, woodland (some ancient) with closely-grazed glades and intermittent small streams. The weather started cold with a strong north-east wind but remained sunny all day. On the heath, brilliant with thickly flowering gorse, we found two Dartford Warblers, Common Redstarts, Stonechats, Linnets and two surprising Bullfinches with Swallows flying down to sip at a shallow pond with Buzzards and Ravens above. The woods were alive with bird song, and we could hear and/or see Coal Tits, Willow Warbler. Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrests, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Song and Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Siskin with Stock Dove in the distance and the thrill of a Cuckoo calling! Species we also looked for included Woodlark, Hawfinch and Tree Pipit but as Jane said you rarely get 100% lucky! Langford Lakes: Returning home, we made an unplanned visit to Langford Lakes Nature Reserve (between Warminster and Salisbury), created from five gravel pits with adjacent fields and chalk stream. Water birds included abundant Canada Geese as well as Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing, Snipe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, and Water Rail heard. Floating nesting platforms showed that terns were expected too while Swallows, Sand and House Martins, Red Kites and Buzzards flew above. In the surrounding vegetation we heard and/or saw Sedge, Reed and Cetti’s Warblers, Blackcap and Whitethroat, with a probable Garden Warbler and finally heard Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming – our first and only woodpecker of the day.Our total species was 59. Thanks to Jane for leading. Lois Pryce

Fifteen members met at the car park and were introduced to our substitute leader Matt, a student on his gap year who birded the area most days. We first heard Blackcap and Chiffchaff and soon had good views of both species. Walking up the hill we startled a Jay. From the ridge, looking down on the mud of Sand Bay, we could see a number of Shelduck pottering about and a few gulls passed by. Matt called out ‘Siskin’ as two small birds flew rapidly overhead and vanished. In the shrubs were a variety of finches (Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet) and several warblers. There was one Willow Warbler amongst many Chiffchaffs. A Blackbird briefly got pulses racing as we had been talking about the possibility of Ring Ouzel. The star bird on the point was a Rock Pipit seen well. A male Stonechat also gave good views. Walking up to Middle Hope the scenery changed to open grassy spaces. Skylarks were prevalent and closer to the ground than usual. A Wheatear was spotted in the distance, a beautiful male that gave good views through the ‘scope. As it started to warm up, three or four Buzzards were seen rising over Sand Bay. We walked on past Woodspring Priory where there were Jackdaws as well as a collection of white doves. At Woodspring Bay around 40 Redshank were feeding in the mud, there was a Heron at the back of the stream and a dozen Mute Swans were in the fields behind. A Collared Dove was seen on top of a telegraph pole. We also spotted a few butterflies (Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood) enjoying the sunshine. 23 bird species were seen but no hirundines. Nonetheless a very pleasant Spring walk in good company and with thanks to Matt for leading. Peter Bryant

Sixteen people met in Northend village on a fine day. Greenfinches and Collared Doves sang close by. As we set off up the hill our leader pointed out the remains of last year’s House Martins’ nests; the village usually has a good population. We commenced the long uphill slog to Little Solisbury Hill. Reaching the top we were greeted by singing Skylarks and treated to wonderful views across Bath and beyond. Before heading down the other side our coffee stop produced a showy Whitethroat singing away, the first of the year for many of us. Skirting the hill through a tract of woodland gave extra Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Song Thrush singing very loudly. Here a splinter group of three veered off to go along Chilcombe Bottom while the rest of the party took another route, which proved more challenging. We met again at a small wetland reserve. The pool was home to Moorhens and a surprise pair of Canada Geese with one sitting on the nest in a clump of reeds. We had time to finish via the slightly longer route near a stream and were soon rewarded by the song of a Garden Warbler. This most enjoyable walk, notable for its wonderful views, had given us 36 species and plenty of exercise. Thanks to our leader Robert. Anne Crowe

Surprisingly, only 16 turned up for this lovely walk although the weather forecast had not been optimistic. Immediately we left the car park we saw Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff and Great Tit along with many other usual suspects, so many in fact we thought we may as well stay put for the three hours! We all continued heading towards Barrow tanks, taking our lives in our hands by crossing the A38. Cormorant, Little Egret, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and Mallard were soon noted, plus our first Swallow of the year. We headed down lanes and through fields encountering Greenfinch, House Martin, Skylark, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Song and Mistle Thrush and the most beautiful pair of posing Bullfinch showing really well. We took a very welcome stop for coffee at a convenient barn, which looked like it was about to collapse at any moment. Returning through country lanes, Willow Warbler was heard and eventually spotted. All told we saw 37 species in what turned out to be a splendid walk which surprisingly ended in rather warm conditions. Thanks to Geoff for leading. Graham Blacker

There were 26 of us who set off on a blustery dry day, up through broadleaved woodlands carpeted with wood anemones, celandines and other spring flowers, through open grassland and back along the River Avon past the heronry. Between us we saw or heard 34 species including a pair of Bullfinches and Greenfinch, Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and many adult Herons on their 15 or so nests in the heronry. At one time we had Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Buzzards all in view at the same time above us! We also saw paw prints up a muddy bank which could be otters as they have been reported here. (Thanks to Karen for leading.) Karen Birmingham

There was a healthy turnout of 20 birders, keen to enjoy a nice Spring day. The group had a pleasant walk across fields, spotting Redwing as we went, and down through the almost impossibly picturesque village. We paused at the bridge over the brook where we heard a distant Nuthatch calling. There was plenty of birdsong in the trees around us, plus the yaffling of Green Woodpecker echoing around, Buzzards mewing overhead and Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in the distance. Smaller birds of note were numerous Chiffchaff calling, a Goldcrest flitting around bare branches, several Greenfinch and a Treecreeper giving good views to a lucky few. Looking down, we saw Violets, lots of Lesser Celandine, plenty of Wild Garlic coming into leaf and the occasional early Bluebell just starting to flower. The small pool at Kent’s Bottom yielded some water birds, including a gaggle of Canada Geese, and also a flock of Linnet feeding in a field of Sunflowers beyond. The closing section was along quiet lanes through farmland. Here we saw a couple of Red Kite, a large mixed flock of Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling, plus Stock Doves feeding amongst a group of Common Gull, with a flyover Meadow Pipit conveniently calling. The last significant bird of the day was a beautiful Yellowhammer, very obligingly singing from the top of a nearby hedge. Our total was 45 species. Thanks to Geoff for leading, to Alan Daniells for keeping the records, and to all present for their great company. Tim Fell

What a glorious day for a walk. We disappeared into the confines of Leigh Woods where Sue Prince’s sharp ears picked out many of the usual woodland species as we walked towards the river, but I think we all managed Chiffchaff and Nuthatch, and she later got a Blackcap. A woodland clearing with useful stumps provided an idyllic setting for coffee. From the River Avon towpath a Common Sandpiper was quickly spotted on the opposite bank, then a few Redshanks – some flying low over the water – eventually 37 were counted, massing as the tide raced out. There were around 30 Mallards on the river, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Oystercatcher and one Shelduck, both occasionally seen here. A couple of Buzzards went over, but no Heron showed up. A flock of corvids, Crows and Jackdaws, were on the field beside us. Three Coots and two Moorhens were on Ham Green Lake with a number of Mallards, but no Grey Wagtail. The two Ravens who nest at Ham Green were seen in flight. Three Brimstone butterflies were a delight. Then we wended our way under the railway viaduct and up through the Pill alleyways back up to the cars. 34 species. (Thanks to Judy for leading). Judy Copeland

Eleven people set off along Sheepway Lane on a beautiful but chilly morning. A Goldcrest was heard in a tree bordering the road, and for the first part of the walk along the path between hedges we were reliant on those with sharp ears but most of us heard the first of four Chiffchaffs. We had a new birder with us and hope she can now recognise Chiffchaff! A Song Thrush was singing, another in a field, also a Rook and frequent Jackdaw flying over as well as four Starlings and two Cormorants. A Great Spotted Woodpecker showed and a Wren sang close to the path. Next, a Stock Dove sitting atop an owl box. We arrived at the sea wall to find a couple of Shelducks on the shoreline and some Canada Geese on the salt marsh. Along the bank, we struggled to hear a distant Curlew and a few Skylarks ‘chirruping’, a Cetti’s Warbler called and only two Black-headed Gulls flew over the marsh. From the North Pool hide we could see on the island four Shelduck and one Oystercatcher, but mainly gulls, with 35 Lesser Black-backs counted – they breed there I’m told. Then a Marsh Harrier appeared, dipping over the reeds, giving good views. Most of the Gadwalls, seven, were on the South pools, making a total of eleven between the pools, also Mallard, two Teal, Coot and two Mute Swans, plus Little Grebe at each of the pools, producing some nice trilling. A total of 40 species. (Thanks to Judy for leading). Judy Copeland

The House Sparrow and Greenfinch calls faded as we left the village. The first Ash yielded our first star bird, a roosting Little Owl. Onwards past the still short crops, Skylark song persisted, Buzzards predictably soared and a couple of Meadow Pipits poked about in the adjacent grassland. At Ram Hill, two Mistle Thrushes were prominent in a horse paddock while a Green Woodpecker hollered loudly. A wooded area presented Jay, Song Thrush and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Long-tailed Tit all showed well. Upon exiting the farmyard a raptor dashed into the top of an oak; calls of Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were made, only for it to take flight to cross the field to a distant perch. The slate back excluded Kestrel and the true identity now favoured Merlin. Its place in the tree was taken by a male Yellowhammer, gleaming in the sunshine. Back along the lane the Little Owl had shifted position in its tree, tolerant to our many eyed gaze. A gathering of Starlings at the village edge ended our count at 35 species. Thanks to all for such an enjoyable walk (Thanks to Mike for leading). Mike Jackson