Field trip reports

There were good conditions for the migration watch as it was overcast but dry with light winds. The chart and descriptions below show the impressive numbers and variety of birds recorded this year. The chart is interesting in that it shows the typical distribution of birds through the morning, quickly rising to a peak before falling away between 10 – 11am. Many thanks to all the leaders and members who supported the watches. Severn Bridge service station – 07.30 to 09.00 The conditions were cool, with a light NE breeze, and low cloud. The Baltic area was already cold, but the viewing conditions meant that the small groups appeared out of the murk briefly when almost above us, and vanished almost as fast. Identification was largely based on shape and size, as very few identifiable flight calls were heard, though this in part was influenced by the age of the leader. Between 7.45 and 9.00 we observed 47 parties with an average of 12 birds, of which almost all were finches, almost certainly Chaffinches, and almost all were flying north into the wind. The overall rate was 450/hour, with a maximum of 744/hr between 8.30 and 9.00. This is much the largest passage that we have observed in the last five years. The only other birds observed were a small group of Starlings and another that were thought to be Redwings. There were also two Peregrines on the bridge buttress- one of which brought in and ate a kill. Richard Bland  

Eleven club members met at Ferrybridge in a cool breeze to study the birds on the end of The Fleet. The highlights for me were the 25 Mediterranean Gulls having only seen them in ones and twos before. Also in attendance were 500 Black-bellied Brent Geese, four Red-breasted Merganser (the first report of the autumn on this site) and some waders – Sanderling, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Ringed Plover. There followed a drive to the Lighthouse on Portland for a sea watch (quiet – just Gannet, Shag and Rock Pipit) before a walk round to the Bird Observatory via the quarry. Two Wheatears were seen near the chalets and one lucky member had a good view of the resident Little Owl which unfortunately popped back between the stones before the rest of the group arrived. The Observatory gardens provided Stonechat, Goldcrest and other common warblers before we went to the usual lunch spot at the Southwell Industrial Estate. Here the same (not so) lucky member managed to lock the car keys in the boot so had to wait for the AA while the rest of the party went to search a bush for a Yellow-browed Warbler with limited success. A further two sites were visited with failed searches for Wryneck and Ring Ouzel before the day ended with two juvenile Swallows. Overall 41 species were seen. Thanks to Jane for leading. Keith Williams

A group of 13 ‘hardy souls’ set out from Upton Cheyney in pouring rain. It did not look very promising for birding but we soon got our morning’s list started with Blue and Great Tits on a garden feeder and a Starling and Chaffinches were seen in the same area. A Thrush was seen flying and quickly identified as a Redwing which was the first of this autumn for the Tuesday walk. By this time the weather was improving and we soon had a nice rainbow to lift our spirits and, apart from a few very light showers, the rest of the morning was very pleasant and decidedly warm in the October sunshine. We soon added Long-tailed Tit (approximately 25 were seen during the walk), Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin and Buzzard with a large number of Jackdaws seen over and around the church tower. We saw Collared Dove and Blackbird and some had a good view of the first of three or four Jays with one having an acorn in its bill. A small flock of about 40 Black-headed Gulls flew over and two Goldcrests were heard and then seen. After walking along the Bristol to Bath cycle path we took a footpath along the River Avon. Two or three of our group were fortunate to see a Kingfisher and we also added Kestrel, Yellowhammer and Skylark. A Green Woodpecker was heard and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen briefly. Towards the end of the walk a Chiffchaff was heard and Thrushes were spotted in a dead tree; three were identified as Mistle Thrush and one as a Song Thrush. There were also two Greenfinches in the same tree. It was a much more enjoyable morning’s walk then we envisaged when we set off and we managed a total of 28 species. Thanks to Nick Hawkridge for keeping a record of species seen and to David Body for leading. Mike Landen  

This is one of our most popular Cotswold walks so, on a perfect Autumn day, it was no surprise it attracted a big turn-out – 28 members. We set off from the Beaufort Arms car park in warm sunshine, soon noting Collared Dove on a rooftop, Jackdaw, Blackbird, House Sparrows and a flock of 30 Starling. As we walked past fields of stubble we saw a Kestrel flying from bush to bush – the first of three Kestrels seen – then a solitary Yellowhammer on a telegraph wire, its colours showing well in the sunshine. A pair of Pied Wagtail and a Meadow Pipit in a field were followed by a Buzzard atop a post, seemingly trying to disguise itself as part of the post. Three Skylark were singing lustily as they rose from the stubble and some of us saw a Hare jumping over a bale of straw. Half a dozen migratory Swallows were heading south. After coffee stop, the list grew steadily as we noted female Chaffinch, a singing Wren, Great Tit and Chiffchaff. A Comma butterfly was sun-bathing on a bush and a Robin sang its wistful autumn tune. Other notable sightings were a fly-over by four Greenfinch, a Goldcrest in an Ash tree, and a flock of Linnet. Total species, 30. Thank you, Peter, for leading and Nick for taking the count. John Beaven  

Eight members assembled outside Clevedon Cemetery on a beautiful “blue-sky” morning, ready for a walk along the coast to Kingston Pill as the tide started to recede. Our leader, Jason Williams, quickly spotted a Nuthatch in the cemetery closely followed by very good views of a Goldcrest, a flock of mixed tits, a Chiffchaff and Swallow; and all before we had reached Clevedon Pill. A large roost of Black-headed Gulls and a few Shelduck were noted but the sight of a Kingfisher in flight and a flock of 25 Cormorants overhead were highlights. A very obliging Rock Pipit, several Reed Buntings and more Swallows were seen as we approached the sluice gates at Blind Yeo where a Grey Wagtail was spotted. From here on there were many Meadow Pipits, small flocks of Linnets and Goldfinches, some Skylarks but only one Wheatear. A lone Buzzard and a variety of corvids, including a Raven, were observed. A Sparrowhawk flew along the hedge causing mayhem by setting up the smaller birds and four Lapwings. Along the coast, small flocks of Turnstones, Dunlin and Oystercatchers rose and settled frequently in the company of Curlew, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper. Redshanks and Little Egrets busied themselves in the steadily emerging creeks and gullies, mixing with gulls and a Grey Heron. With a species count of 45 this was a good morning’s bird watching. Thanks to Jason for leading such an enjoyable walk. Ken Carruthers  

Fifteen people met to start the walk. From the car park Chiffchaff and Robin were heard and as we made our way up Hobbs Lane we saw Blue Tit, with Swallows and House Martins flying overhead, and some people seeing a Kestrel and a Jay. At the tanks, Cormorant, G C Grebe, Coot, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Mallard and 28 Canada Geese were seen. During the walk we counted four to five Buzzards and a party of seven or eight Long-tailed Tits, Goldfinch and lastly two Ravens. We also saw Specked Wood and Red Admiral butterflies. A total of 31 bird species seen or heard. Geoff Harris

Eleven people met by the church on Tickenham moor, on a fine day after the previous one’s torrential rain. Numbers of Mistle Thrushes undulated across the fields with a couple perching on the church weather vane, and Crows flew past with nuts pulled from an adjacent walnut tree. More Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws fed amongst the sheep and cattle with a Buzzard above. Swallows flying low almost brushed our bodies as we crossed the levels towards the Land Yeo, and a Kestrel hunted nearby. We had nice groupings of small birds clustered in trees up to Tickenham Ridge – Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Blue Tits and Chiffchaff, with a Nuthatch calling in adjacent woodland. In the fields past Cadbury Camp, keen-eyed Jan spotted small birds flitting up and down on the woodland margin – a Spotted Flycatcher group of one adult and two young. Green Woodpeckers perched on apple trees in an adjacent orchard. More small birds clustered in the small sunny quarry at the base of the descent, including Chiffchaffs and Goldfinch, with House Sparrows and House Martins towards the moor. As we returned along the Land Yeo we saw a Hobby, five Herons, a Kingfisher, Mute Swans, and two Kestrels hunting in a field newly cut for hay.Oddly we saw not a single Starling, but the total species count was a respectable 34.Also of interest: Wild Basil, a Yellow Waxcap mushroom, and Migrant Hawker and Common Darter dragonflies. (Thanks to Lois and Jan for leading) Lois Pryce

Six of us met at New Passage on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, later joined by a seventh. We started watching on the Severn Estuary at high tide, soon seeing Herons, Turnstone and many Curlew, Godwits, Black-headed Gulls, Dunlin, Redshank and Oystercatchers, though they were mostly some way off. Along the pill and saltmarsh we saw flocks of Linnets and Starlings with lots of Goldfinches, Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and one Grey Wagtail bobbing on the short grass. All around our heads were Swallows and House Martins (we looked for Sand Martins which have been migrating over, but found none), and from the embankment we saw a Kestrel and Little Egrets, and pools full of Canada Geese. We were encouraged to find one of the Yellow Wagtails seen here recently, by the promise of a bottle of wine to the first to spot one, and we did! – at some distance, but eventually we were confident it wasn’t a Grey but a bona fide Yellow busy following a cow munching its way across the marsh. At the end of the side lane we saw one fine Ruff close up in the shallow pools, and more Ruff and Snipe on the edge of the water further off, the latter showing their stripes well. On the return leg we saw and heard Chiffchaff, and had a wonderful sight in one small area of the embankment hedgerow of Stonechats, Wheatears, Whitethroats and Robin perching and flying within a few inches of each other. Back at the Estuary the tide had fallen, and we saw Wigeon, Teal, and many Redshank scurrying along the water’s edge, one or two Ringed Plover and more Turnstone hidden in the seaweed. We saw a total of 45 species, which didn’t even include common species such as Blackbird, Tits or Dunnock! Many thanks to Lois for leading this very enjoyable saunter along the coastline and to the knowledgeable birders who kindly shared their knowledge with us less-experienced folk! Alison Pilling.

A cloudy and chilly start as 23 of us set off through the church yard towards Newton Park. As we approached the lower lake a Kingfisher flew across the far side. In case anyone had missed it another did a flyby and so did another for good luck. A Grey Wagtail was on the far side and then we had good views of an adult and juvenile Grey Heron in the field opposite. A family of Mute Swans added grace to the upper lake whilst the Mallard, Coot and Moorhen provided the sound effects. A little further on those towards the rear were rewarded with views of a Little Owl and Green Woodpecker. Throughout the walk there were Goldfinch, Great and Blue Tits, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren, Robin, Gulls, Nuthatch and flocks of Linnet, Jackdaw and Crow. The expected Swallows, House Martins and Sparrows were at Stanton Prior and we were all rewarded with a view of another Little Owl at New Barn on our way back. Many thanks to Nick for meticulously recording 34 species and to Rod for leading. Rod Vowles  

Twenty members met at Winscombe on a fine, sunny morning for a four mile walk on Mendip. A Lesser Black-backed Gull watched us depart the car park from a nearby rooftop. As we left the village we saw Jackdaw, Swallow and House Martin and three Blackcaps flitting along a hedgerow, and a Buzzard was seen high over Sandford Hill. A flock of Linnets about 28 strong appeared and as we climbed through the woods up Sandford Hill two Jays were seen, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker were heard, along with Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, a couple of Nuthatches and a Treecreeper. Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits showed and on the way back towards Sidcot a Kestrel passed by. A highlight was a Spotted Flycatcher which obligingly made feeding flights from the top of a not too distant tree giving everyone an excellent view. The walk ended as it had started with a Gull – this time a Herring – as we were almost back at the car park. We saw 34 species overall and also had some great views across the Severn Estuary to Wales and the Quantocks in the clear air. Thanks to Sue Watson for leading. Mark Watson