Field trip reports

Chill was in the air at the Park Avenue car park but at least the high winds of the previous night had moved on. As the four in our party gathered, a Sparrowhawk cruised overhead, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was high in a tree down the slope and a Dunnock sang lustily in the vicinity. Our leader pointed out a Peregrine on a distant church spire. A promising start. We started on the path round to the westernmost point of the park, stopping to admire Goldfinches feeding in the trees. The trees at the corner of the park were productive with Long-tailed Tits and a couple of Goldcrests easily viewed with a mixed flock of tits. Two Song Thrushes were feeding on the open grass. As we reached the River Frome near the allotments, we could see that the river was very high with fast flowing water. A Jay was seen as we headed to the lake. On the water were a dozen Mute Swans accompanied by Mallard, Coot and Moorhen. There were two Herons (one adult, one immature) but no sign of the hoped for Kingfisher or Tawny Owl. Various parties of Cormorants were flying, fishing and roosting high in the trees above the lake. We also saw both Pied and Grey Wagtails on the lake edges and a pair of Coal Tit in a fir tree at the back of the lake. The weir was under water but we found a second Great Spotted Woodpecker nearby. Two Dippers were up the small tributary stream. They were very obliging, feeding along the stream edge until they felt they had delighted us enough. One flew off and the other jumped into the water speeding off downstream in the current. 33 species seen. (Thanks Rich for leading) Peter Bryant

Five members walked from Severn Beach to New Passage and Pilning Wetlands and back, taking in the inland Pill. We saw about 300 Wigeon along the shore; Canada Geese, Shelduck, Curlew, Little Egret, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits on the salt marsh; Shovelers, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe, 12 Dunlin, Redshank and Grey Heron on the pools, with a large flock of about 400 Lapwing flying above, put up by at least some of four raptors: a Buzzard, Kestrel and Peregrine, and a Merlin putting on a breathtaking horizontal chase and catch of a passerine; plus a Blackcap in the hedgerows and a Kingfisher on the Pill. Total species count 40. (Thanks Lois for leading) Lois Pryce

I was assigned to the monthly WeBS count on the estuary at Uphill in mid-2016 so I’ve monitored birds there regularly for more than four years. The last thing I expected as we set out for this morning walk was to get not one but TWO “patch ticks” – species I’d never seen there before. The threatened rain fell before the start of the walk and the morning went from dry and pleasant to clear, sunny and absolutely beautiful by noon (followed by thunder, lightning and hail at 15:30 but we were all safely back home by then!). With a 10:00 high tide we started on the beach checking the ducks and waders along the edge of the salt marsh: 143 Shelduck, only seven Mallard (where did the rest go?), 62 Wigeon and 275 Teal. A goose lurking in waterside reeds across the estuary was assumed to be a Canada until we put telescopes up and realised it was a Brent Goose – not at all common along the Severn and my first patch tick. We found nothing unusual amongst the winter waders but got typical counts of 80 Oystercatcher and 25 Curlew. We only saw six Dunlin, a low count, and I suspect we missed a lot of the Redshanks as we picked up only about 40 along the muddy banks of the River Axe and there are often a couple of hundred. Flocks of Black-headed Gulls were passing constantly up and down the coast. We noted three Great Black-backed Gulls (two immature) and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst a dozen or more Herring Gulls. Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtails completed the beach list. Moving down to Uphill marina we walked out past the pool which held two Little Grebes and a Moorhen, along the path at the base of the cliff – Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Chaffinch – and out onto Walborough Hill. A Raven flew over calling. The marshy pools below the hill held a few Teal and a Little Egret, and we scanned the Brean Down side to count 27 wintering Mute Swans in the fields. We walked on south along the dyke towards Weston Sewage Treatment Works. Skylarks failed to appear but we did see a Stonechat and a flock of Linnets, a Sparrowhawk hunting low over a stubble field, and flocks in flight which resolved themselves into 70 Redwings and 400 very distant Lapwings (probably over Bleadon Levels). Then something sprang out of the ditch by the cycle path, close to some walkers, and sped low and fast along the hedge away from us. It was quite large, chunky, loosefeathered and brown, and I couldn’t think what it was (partridge? Little Owl?) until it jinked sideways to show the long bill – Woodcock! My second patch tick, and most unexpected in this habitat of marsh, hedge, pool and ditch but no woodland. I wonder if it had migrated in overnight. It certainly made my day! We had 39 species altogether, or 40 if you count … Read more

Five members met on a bright and sunny morning eagerly anticipating a good morning’s birding. The local gamekeeper was distributing feed at a small pond which disturbed the birds for us. There was a large group of Mallard and another of Teal, the eventual count for both being 56 and 206 respectively for the morning. Leaving the cars/motorbike we ambled along the route and slowly built up a total of over thirty species for the morning. A bird feeder in a front garden gave us Bullfinch and Nuthatch and some members were lucky to see the two Mandarin Ducks. The weather stayed dry and bright and we returned to our transport before 14:00. Many thanks to Geoff for a great morning and an interesting varied walk. 31 species in total. We were surprised to see two butterflies, a Red Admiral and a Peacock. Beth Yates

The weather was kind to us; a frost free start and a bright sunny day. The route starts at the Druids Arms following the Two Rivers Way to Pensford and then returning via Upper Stanton Drew. The farmland is predominantly pasture (sheep) with hedgerow (scalped) and copse. Leaving Stanton Drew, and the Green Woodpecker on the Church, we saw good sized flocks of gulls, mainly Black-headed and Common with the odd Herring and Lesser Black-backed. We also had the first of four Great Spotted Woodpecker. Flocks of Sparrows on the edge of the village gave way to a couple of Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and one Chiffchaff. Lots of Woodpigeon including one flock of more than a hundred. A couple of us briefly spotted a Kingfisher along the river followed by a Treecreeper. The first of our Buzzards made an appearance, shortly afterwards a Kestrel. Small numbers of Redwings were seen throughout the walk and just one Fieldfare (in Upper Stanton Drew). The nice, neat hedgerows were devoid of berries so nothing to attract the thrushes. The Dipper failed to make an appearance in Pensford, perhaps the river was running too fast following the recent rain. This may explain the lack of Grey Wagtails too. Thirty seven species in total. Thanks to Alan Craddock for the comprehensive route details. (Thanks Alastair for leading). Alastair Fraser

On a cold, fine day we met at the churchyard where grain on the path was attracting Chaffinches and a Collared Dove with a couple of Magpies in attendance. We walked along the woodland edge to the harbour where the tide was at its full height, and peered around the southern side of Wains Hill to find a tidal roost on the rocks of 70 Redshanks and a couple of hundred Dunlin with a few Oystercatchers. As the water started to drop and Blackstone Rocks emerged from the waves, it grew easier to count the birds that feed out there – 21 Shelduck, 19 Wigeon, 28 Curlew. A few Herring Gulls and one Lesser Black-backed were scattered amongst at least 150 Black-headed Gulls. We walked on round the harbour, looking out for typical salt marsh species such as Stonechat and Rock Pipit and finding both, as well as Meadow Pipit for comparison. The Blind Yeo produced Mallard and Moorhens, and a Green Woodpecker flew across it too fast for most observers to latch on to. We strolled on across the golf course and down to the River Kenn roost at Dowlais, seeing more Stonechats – we had a total of seven, so they were probably still on the move seeking agreeable winter quarters. A few Lapwings close by were well outnumbered by a distant flock of about a hundred in flight. We watched Grey Herons, a Little Egret, a few Skylarks and a typical selection of common hedgerow and woodland species: 35 on my list from an unexceptional but pleasant morning. (Thanks to Jane for leading). Jane Cumming

Assembling for a chilly start, six members met at Snuff Mills car park for a wander through Eastville Park and environs. Reaching the bridge over the Frome, we could see that the river was in spate and so there would be little chance of seeing a Kingfisher unless on the ponds or in flashpast. We carried on into the Park and encountered our first flock of Long-tailed Tits of the day. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Blackbirds, Wren and Dunnock were in evidence along the brambles and Goldfinches and Woodpigeons in the trees opposite. One of the highlights of the day followed as we turned uphill into Wickham Glen where we found another mixed tit flock accompanied by a couple of Nuthatches, two or three Goldcrests, a Coal Tit and further up in a Yew tree scoffing on the berries, two Mistle Thrushes, a truly enchanting quarter of an hour in the autumn sunshine. Pressing on we came to the ponds where as usual there were a goodly number of Black-headed Gulls (c70), Mute Swans (being a little aggressive to one another), two trees worth of Cormorants (seven), two Grey Herons, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, a single Lesser Black-backed Gull and in the nest box on the first island we came to, a female Tawny Owl (bigger than the male, thank you, Rich). Heading back, we saw a Sparrowhawk at height being shepherded away by a pestering Carrion Crow and somewhere along the way we also picked up in no particular order, two Woodpeckers (one Green heard and a Great Spotted seen), a Grey Wagtail and four Chaffinches. There were also a good number of Jays about (six). For our finale, we once again headed up the Fishponds Brook in search of the elusive Dipper but other than quite a lot of mud and a brief encounter with a cameraman who had spotted one an hour earlier, our luck had run out. 32 species seen. Thanks to Rich for leading. Alan Cradock  

One upside of COVID-19 numbers restrictions – we all got to see the three Goldcrest that were frantically feeding in the hawthorn bush above the welcome sign in the car park. Those and a dozen Long-tailed Tit were about the only species we saw before we got to the top of the windswept steps. It was a bit of a slog to get to The Point, with Shelduck being picked out on the tide line at about half a mile distance. Thankful to be out of the south west wind on the north face of The Point we collected sightings of Stonechat, Wren, Meadow Pipit and Great Tit as we hooded up against the rain. Coffee stop, in the usual spot, without rain was good, as was identifying a wader that some sharp eyed person had spotted; it was a Bar-tailed Godwit. Amazing how it could disappear against the background of weed, rocks and mud. We flushed another bird as we walked along the shore which resolved into a Curlew, while inland a couple of Redwing were feasting on Hawthorn berries. A brief foray along the track showed us a vast flock of gull in the flooded fields which we studied as we made our way back to the car park: c500 Black-headed Gull c50 Common Gull, a couple of Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull, and hiding in full view the sought after Egyptian Geese. Alas, there was nothing special in the woods as we descended to the top of the car park, although the Raven that had been around all day gave a single croak to send us on our way. Thirty species noted and as ever six walkers. (Thanks Nick for leading.) Nick Hawkridge

One member had to with withdraw from this walk, so five of us met at Compton Dando where visibility was quite poor but there was no significant rain and it was quite mild. We stopped at the bridge within the village but did not find either Dipper or Grey Wagtail on this occasion. On the next section we saw two Mistle Thrushes, with one perched at the top of a tall tree, giving us a nice view, and a little further on we spotted a Buzzard flying quite low over the trees. We soon added Herring Gull and Great Spotted Woodpecker to our list and, as we left the woods three Ravens flew overhead. We crossed a meadow which had been cut and saw a Jay (two more were seen later). A small flock of birds were identified as Meadow Pipits accompanied by two or three Pied Wagtails and then two birds flying at a medium height were spotted. In the poor light it was a little while before they were identified as Sparrowhawks and we all enjoyed watching them. Four Fieldfares flew over and then Chiffchaff, Nuthatch and Bullfinch were all heard. We arrived at the bridge in Woollard where we had a coffee break and also saw a Grey Wagtail. As we made our way out of the village we disturbed a Grey Heron which gave us a nice view as it quickly flew off and a Moorhen was spotted on the river. One member of the group was fortunate to see a Kingfisher but we were a little spread out at the time so the rest of us ‘dipped out’. As we made our way back across the fields, we were very fortunate to see a Red Kite. It flew almost overhead so gave us very good views and it had at least a couple of tail feathers either missing or damaged. Although it is becoming more common in our area it is still a nice bird to see. Our final species of the morning was a Collared Dove seen on the edge of Compton Dando village. It was a very pleasant walk with the weather turning out to be a little better than expected and we had a respectable total of 28 species. (Thanks Mike for leading.) Mike Landen

A woodland walk, mainly deciduous with some conifers and areas of plantation. The woodland is largely closed canopy, creating an impoverished habitat at lower levels due to the lack of light. The ash trees are suffering from dieback that may, ironically, lead to more open clearings. The first section along the Combe was very quiet, a few Jackdaws and a Jay heard up in the trees and a small flock of Redwings that perched briefly before flying off. Our usual route was blocked by tree management, necessitating a detour that required some map reading. We heard Nuthatch and not much else. We navigated to Warren House, a more open area, and this proved more productive. Several flocks of Redwings passed overhead. Chiffchaff, Robin, three Ravens and Pied Wagtail raised our spirits. We finally ran into a flock of Tits, mainly Great with some Blue and a Coal, in the woods along Cleeve Toot. Also Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Thanks Alastair for leading.) Alastair Fraser