Field trip reports

Nineteen walkers enjoyed a lovely sunny walk at Brean Down. The birdwatching started with Shelduck, Sanderling and Dunlin visible on the shorefront. We also saw Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Making our way up 213 steep steps we saw Stonechats, Robins, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, a Pheasant and a Wren. The weather was lovely and the views from the top were expansive. Not only we did we see a range of birds as we headed to the headland (Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, Buzzard), we also came acr oss some slime mould. At Brean Fort we stopped for coffee. The birding highlight came towards the end of the walk as the Kestrel paid us another much closer visit, hovering beautifully just 50-60 metres away. Before descending to the car park, we looked over the Somerset Levels toward Brent Knoll and saw Little and Great White Egrets, a Grey Heron and a Cormorant. On the way down Ravens were seen. Thanks to Graham for leading. Tim Snowden

Twenty-five members met at the bottom of Burrington Combe on a rather overcast morning. We set off along a lane and then followed a stony path up through the woods until we reached the more open ground at the top of Burrington Ham. The woods were rather quiet, but Robins, Wrens, Blue Tits and Great Tits and several Coal Tits were seen as well as Pheasants, a Green Woodpecker, one or two Jays and several other corvids. We continued along the top of the Ham, where a Cormorant was seen flying in the distance, a potential Stonechat turned out to be a Robin, and a Buzzard was perched in a distant tree. Some of the group got a glimpse of a couple of Treecreepers and a Goldcrest in an ivy covered tree, and a Song Thrush flew across the path behind us. Our route then looped back down through the woodland, where a Nuthatch was spotted. Those of us lagging behind spied a single Goldfinch, and were treated to a fantastic, close-up view of a Kestrel on a nearby roof right at the end of the walk. A total of 25 species. Thanks to Clive for leading. Liz Hammond

Eighteen of us met at Steart Marshes for a cold frosty start with icy puddles and partially frozen lagoons. We covered a three mile loop showing off some of the best bits of the marshes. Highlights included seeing a Water Rail, a Little Stint, the odd Snipe and best of all, one ‘mega’ for most of us, a Least Sandpiper. Other birds of interest were Bullfinch, Marsh Harrier (distant), Curlews, 64 + Avocets, Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare, and a couple of Chiffchaffs by the Parrett Hide where we had a coffee break. The tide was well out letting us see several Redshanks, Canada Geese, and a mixture of Wigeon and Teal on the mud banks. Around 50 species of birds were noted on Bird track by Rosie, so many thanks to her and for everyone keeping their eyes wide open and ears pinned. A good day for all. (Thanks also to Nick and Elaine for leading) Nick Jobson-Wicks 

After a cold night with rain and a sprinkling of snow, 28 people gathered on a bright, sunny, but cold morning. The Three Brooks Nature Reserve was, for me, a completely new location. Though surrounded by roads, houses and the M4, it is a surprising natural oasis. We set off northwards through a muddy Savage’s Wood, quiet apart from an obliging Great Spotted Woodpecker that most of us managed to see. There were soon encouraging signs of Blue Tits, Great Tits and Jackdaws everywhere, pairing off for the Spring. From the top corner of the reserve, we turned back south to follow a brook where one person got a brief view of a Little Egret, Cormorants flew over and others saw a Stock Dove and briefly a Kestrel. After a stop for coffee, we went up a short rise into some scrubland, pleasant but, alas, an almost bird free zone. Finally down to a pool, which had Mallard, noisy Black-headed Gulls and nearby, Goldfinches. 24 species in all. Thanks to Jean for leading. Dru Brooke-Taylor

Over 20 of us gathered in the car park. The first excitement was a sighting of a female Merlin which had been around for a week or so preying on the Snipe. The duck numbers were good, with Teal and Wigeon making up the majority. A little searching revealed a small group of Pintail, but the Baikal Teal was not showing. Birds of prey were more distant, with Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Buzzard and the Merlin making appearances. Some members were fortunate to see a ring-tail Hen Harrier. Cetti’s Warbler and Water Rail were heard regularly close to the hides. Most of the group then moved to the Westhay SWT reserve where we saw flocks of Long-tailed Tits and both Goldcrest and Chiffchaff while quartering Marsh Harriers gave much closer views than in the morning. Opposite the car park was mixed flock of three Great and nine Little Egrets. More noteworthy were the 200+ Cattle Egrets in the fields either side of the Burtle road on the way home. Three Egret species in a day is now the norm for the Somerset  Levels, though 41 species for the day was a relatively modest total. (Thanks to Giles for leading) Giles Morris

Five adventurous birders ignored the amber weather warnings to meet at Slimbridge for the first BOC gathering of 2025. We made a dry start in the Peng Observatory where we had excellent views of beautiful Pintail and many noisy Bewick’s Swans. In the Rushy hide we managed to get brilliant views of a Spoonbill feeding, sweeping its bill from side to side. From there, we also saw a Black Swan and a lone Curlew with two leg tags. The second significant spot of the day was a Water Rail in the company of a Moorhen. The bird feeders were proving to be attractive to Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch with Robin and Dunnock on the ground below. We enjoyed a coffee in the Kingfisher Kitchen where the land outside is being transformed into a new Estuary Zone. Three of us then called it a day whilst two continued to the Kingfisher Hide where they saw Little Stint, Ringed and Golden Plover, two Snipe and a Marsh Harrier. A total of some 37 species. Thanks to Graham and Di for leading. Alison Hooper

Thirty-four of us gathered on a mild, blustery but dry day for a very enjoyable walk to bring in the New Year, with a new route and new leader. Caron had negotiated the route with a local farmer, and told us lots of interesting details about the area, including the Battle of Hinton fought in AD577 between the West Saxons and Britons. Starting at Dyrham village we went along the Cotswold Way past the Hill Fort, then back through fields (sheep, turnips etc). 33 bird species were seen. The star attraction was a female Kestrel which was very happy to be admired. Other birds included a pair of Bullfinches, Redwings (c.60), a Red Kite, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush, Jay, Raven, Grey Heron, two Buzzards, two more Kestrels and fields full of Common Gulls (c.85), ten Pied Wagtails and Crows. And there was a fleeting view of a Muntjac Deer. Thanks to Caron for leading and for the mince pies. David Gould

A dozen members met for the Christmas Eve walk on a day that was initially grey but got gradually brighter. We paused at the church to see the ‘Slave Grave’, then walked up the broad ride seeing a Song Thrush and two Jays. Coal Tits were singing their slurred two tone call in the treetops. As we reached the stream, I spotted a female Grey Wagtail hopping across the rocks. We climbed up to the castle, passing Robber’s Cave en route, with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits for company. There we stopped for coffee (and some very welcome mince pies). The route back to the car park passed through beech woods where Nuthatches could be heard calling. A rather disappointing 20 species identified, including a Goldcrest seen by others. (Thanks to Di for leading) Peter Bryant

Sixteen birders set off from the nature reserve entrance on a dull, slightly drizzly day, but the rain soon stopped. A flock of 19 Long-tailed Tits were seen at the start. We walked along the edge of a field with a Magpie and a Blackbird in the grass, while hearing a Song Thrush singing from the trees. A Wren flew across, the first of three seen, and Jackdaw and Woodpigeons sat in the trees. We then entered the semi-natural ancient woodland, where Blue Tits and Great Tits and three Goldcrests were seen. We had coffee in a clearing with new tree planting replacing felled diseased Ash trees, and had good views of a flock of nine goldfinches and two Jays. On returning along a slightly boggy field, a Green Woodpecker was spotted flying up from the grass, perching for a while on a branch, and some people saw a second one in the wood. A total of 35 Redwings flew over and about 100 Starlings were perched on overhead wires. Other birds seen included Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail and Pheasant. A total of 24 species altogether .Thanks to Alan for leading, and keeping the bird list Kate Cashmore

Twelve of us met at Herriotts, with some faces that were new to me. ‘Good to meet you’. As we arrived the start of a mostly blue sky opened up. In the hour we spent there, we found nine Shelducks, 20 Shovelers, three Pintails, 40 Teals, twelve Pochards, two Water Rails, 25 Lapwings, 80 Cormorants, three species of Herons (Ardea are Herons) a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher, a Bearded Tit seen by two people as well as a Cetti’s Warbler. There was a lot of discussion about a Yellow-legged Gull, put down as a Lesser Blacked-back Gull, though later it was confirmed as Yellow-legged Gull. Going round to Heron’s Green, a Red Kite and Redwings flew over. We added three Goldeneyes (one male close in), two Little Grebe and a few Chaffinches. By now, the cold had become too much for one member, which was a shame, as at Woodford, out the wind, it was very pleasant. Along Walley Bank we found eight beautiful Goosanders, Red Kite again and Buzzard, another static Kingfisher, both Woodpeckers, one Jay, two Goldcrests charmingly picking insects as they climbed up, and then fluttering down like leaves, three kinds of Tits, and a Song Thrush. Most left for lunch at this point, but for those that stayed a Slavonian Grebe was seen from Stratford, and back at Herriotts as dusk arrived, about a 15,000 Starling murmuration, and over a 100 Egrets coming to roost, with Cattle Egrets the most common. 55 species for the day. Thanks to Anne for her assistance in leading the walk with me Robert Hargreaves