Field trip reports

Twenty three people attended this walk on a warm sunny day, covering Tickenham Moor, fields, Land Yeo River, wooded slopes of Tickenham Ridge, and the open pastureland of Cadbury Camp. At the start, many birds were seen feeding around the Tickenham Church yew trees, including two or three Mistle Thrush and a group of three Greenfinch, doing the ‘batty’ flight more usually reserved for spring. An adjacent walnut tree saw a steady stream of corvids – most or nearly all Rooks – plucking the green encased nuts and flying off ; somewhere they must have been dropping them from a height or letting vehicles break them open to get to the meat inside. The subsequent field and woodland walk was generally quieter but a fair number of birds were seen and heard, including Nuthatch, Jay, Goldcrest, and Long-tailed Tit, and a juvenile Hobby (lighter beneath) and many Buzzard soared above (once again the variation in underwing colouration was most marked). On Cadbury Camp were Meadow Pipit, Skylark, and a Green Woodpecker – heard but not seen. Back down on the moor a couple of Mute Swans flew low over the rhynes with a few flying Mallards close behind. A Kestrel, which circled briefly before landing on a telegraph pole, was mobbed by a crowd of Meadow Pipit – keeping their distance, but making their presence felt. A few lucky people saw Clouded Yellow butterflies, and more noticeable were the scores – probably hundreds – of mostly coupled, reddish dragonflies (Common Darters?) sporting and possibly laying their eggs into the water among the vegetation growing on the margins of the Land Yeo. Total bird species seen/heard was 32. Lois Pryce  (Thanks to Lois and Jan for leading).

 14 members assembled at a chillyish Ferrybridge. It was high tide which meant no waders, but the highlight was a close view of a Peregrine being mobbed by Crows. Also of note here were three Mediterranean Gulls, four flyover Sandwich Terns, Wheatears and plenty of Swallows. We moved on to a much warmer Portland Bill and started with a sea watch. After a patient wait, during which time we saw Gannets, Shags, Rock Pipits and again, lots of Swallows passing by, we were rewarded with eight Balearic Shearwaters. We walked to the Observatory Quarry and surrounding area, hoping to catch sight of the Barred Warbler and Wryneck that had been reported there over the last day or so, but, had no luck with those. There was though, a difficult to see Little Owl in the Quarry, and a Whitethroat. A Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels were also seen nearby. Lunch was taken at Southwell where we shared a grassy knoll with a Lime Hawkmoth caterpillar. We took a stroll around some nearby fields again hoping for Wryneck, but, as well as more common species, we had to be content with Stonechat, Stock Dove, Raven, and more Wheatears. In the lane leading to the fields the air was filled with the buzzing from a huge number of Honey Bees collecting pollen from the Ivy. We also came across the web of a Small Eggar Moth. Our next stop was Portland Castle where after a short while we saw the Black Guillemot which had been present for a week or more. It was already in winter plumage, but was still a delightful bird to see. There was also a Kingfisher and Little Egret here. Lastly, we headed for Radipole and found a number of Snipe, ten Black-tailed Godwits, Water Rail, two Chiffchaffs, another Kingfisher, and Cetti’s Warblers (heard only). The last member to leave later reported seeing some Bearded Tits. Also, some of us saw the long staying Hooded Merganser. To tick, or, not to tick? Including the Merganser a total of 60 bird species were counted. The weather brought out a good selection of butterflies, the best of which were some Clouded Yellows, two Wall Browns, Painted Lady, Green Veined White, and male and female Common Blues interacting together. Thanks to Louise for leading an enjoyable day. Trevor Ford.

 A fine day saw 25 members meet at the Causeway to get good views of a Common Sandpiper in amongst the Gulls. A walk to the lodge saw a division of watchers, with 17 opting for the far side and eight the Lodge side, the £3.50 charge for the walk may have been a factor for those without permits. The far side was fairly quiet with Mistle Thrush and Nuthatch being viewed with the Greylag/Bar-headed hybrid Goose in with the Canada Geese and the other lake regulars. There were no Buzzards until the last five minutes of the walk when six turned up. The Lodge side had more luck with a Marsh Harrier, probably juvenile, Little Egret, Raven and Kestrel and Blackcap. Most of the small birds showed but Greenfinch and Chaffinch were conspicuous by their absence. Margaret Swatton  (Thank you Margaret for leading.)

 13 people set out on the bus from Pill, another seven joined us at Abbots Leigh, having come by bus from Bristol, then Jan turned up on her bike, making 21. The weather was perfect. Robins sang as we went along, Rooks and Jackdaws were feeding on the lawn of the bungalow opposite Brackenwood Garden Centre. Raven was heard and two Buzzards heard and seen. In the wood Coal Tit and Goldcrest were calling, and at one point everyone stared across to a dead birch tree engulfed in a fungus – which Our Expert has now indentified as Birch Polypore. On arrival at the river we scanned without success for the Greenshank, but later one lucky person saw it flying out from the near bank and going up river. We counted a total of about 50 Redshank, three Cormorants, many Black-headed Gulls but only one Lesser Black-back. One Common Sandpiper was found, one Lapwing and, to start with, one Heron though the final total was eight. The best spot of the day was a Roe Deer on the opposite bank walking towards a fox, which ducked down into the grass to allow it to pass. Behind the deer was another fox and both foxes sat looking across at us, watching us watching them and knowing that the river was an effective safety barrier! Greenfinch and Goldfinch were noted and we caught up with House Sparrow at the farm and Grey Wagtail and Moorhen on Ham Green Lake, before reaching Pill and following alleyways back to the Memorial Club. Nick noted a total of 43 species.Judy Copeland (Thank you to Judy for leading.)

On a somewhat chilly and rather overcast morning some fifteen club members met at Severn Beach for one of the leader’s near annual BOC / Severnside coastal walks. However, with the Severn Beach high tide wader roost having become less attractive to the smaller shorebirds in recent years it was decided that a walk north along the sea wall to New Passage and Northwick Warth would be appropriate as good numbers of wildfowl and waders had been frequenting this area in recent weeks. Before the group set off from the meeting point a few small shorebirds were seen on the incoming tide. These included some twenty five Ringed Plovers and two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers; the latter was a target species for the morning’s walk! On the journey a large party of over one hundred House Martins were seen swirling around over Severn Beach and Pied Wagtail were particularly numerous on the grassy bank behind the sea wall. Also, a couple of Wheatear gave fleeting views but not all of the party saw them. On arrival at New Passage the tide was reaching its full height and good numbers of birds were gathering on the salt marsh. The first species of note was a juvenile Ruff that was consorting with a small group of Redshank. The leader attempted to ensure that everyone had good views of this individual. Of interest, four juvenile Ruffs had been present in the area during the preceding week. For a few minutes hundreds of migrating hirundines descended and flew low over the tide line, presumably picking off insects disturbed from the grass by the advancing waters. A couple of Kestrels that were interacting with each other flew overhead and disappeared toward the recently established wetlands. Most of the participants then walked north along the sea wall in order to obtain better views of the small waders and other species present but the cold northerly winds caused a number of members to abandon the trek and headed back towards Severn Beach. However, most saw a Hobby that performed very well over the salt marsh before it too disappeared. As well as the numerous wildfowl and waders, good numbers of Meadow Pipits and a few Skylarks were present on the salt marsh, the former caused some debate due to their rather bright plumage. For those attendees that continued to brave the chilly wind, four juvenile Curlew Sandpipers and a juvenile Little Stint were eventually located amongst the Dunlin and Ringed Plover flock. One of the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper had a small yellow flag with black letters EEP on its right tibia and a red and a metal ring on its left leg; this bird was of Norwegian origin. (Details of the Curlew Sandpiper are set out at the end of this report). All in all the meeting proved to be quite productive if somewhat cold. (Many thanks to Brian for leading the walk.) Brian reported the details of the ring on the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and received the … Read more

This was asplendid weather day. The air was still, the sky a light blue, the sun was warm and there were 19 walkers all eagerly waiting for the off. While walking across the cricket field we admired a stand of majestic Scots Pines and then descended the hill leading to the village of Tockington. There were a few birds noted on the way including many Pied Wagtails on the cricket ground and several Crows, a Robin, House Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Wood Pigeon and Jackdaw further on. The paths across the fields were bone dry and we reached our view-point refreshment area, overlooking part of Alveston, having added Blackbird, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Raven, Magpie and Blue Tit. We then followed a footpath behind a row of houses with large gardens and crossed a road, climbed a stile, and then walked beside part of Old Down Country Park, by which time the sun had become rather warm and birds were in hiding, so we added only a few more species to our list, including Lesser Black-backed Gull, Dunnock, Bullfinch and Long-tailed Tit. A total count of 25. (Thanks to David for leading)       David Tombs

 Fourteen of us started from the pub car park, seeing a Raven, House Martins, and Swallows above us. As we walked up Hobbs Lane we had good views of two Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk. Around the tanks the usual suspects were seen, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, and Great Crested Grebe, with a Cormorant on each buoy. As we left the tanks, five Grey Herons had gathered and were standing in one field together, looking like soldiers on sentry duty. Further along, Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, and as we approached our coffee stop by the old barn, two birds were seen briefly and heard calling – Hobby/ Kestrel? It was only as we got nearer that we confirmed that they were Hobby, and a tick for the patch, this being the first time Hobby had been seen on this walk. We were seeing Buzzards throughout the walk, at least six or seven, with also four Jays and two Green Woodpeckers seen just after our stop. Towards the end of the walk four Whinchats were seen, perching on old railway sleepers acting as posts. They were at a distance but confirmed by scope views and photos – a brilliant sighting and again a first on this walk. We also had Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Stock Dove, Nuthatch and Meadow Pipits, to give total of 38 seen or heard. Geoff Harris  (Thanks Geoff for leading)    

 Twelve members met at Herriotts Bridge for this morning only walk around the lake area. From Herriotts Bridge 14 Black Terns were observed flying low over the water on the Sailing Club side of the lake. There were Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler as well as a single Great Black-backed Gull and two Grey Herons on the pool. As we were about to move on to Herons Green Bay a Hobby was observed being mobbed by a Crow. At Herons Green Bay the Spotted Crake that had been showing up to about 0840 had decided to elude us but still we had four Little Egrets, a flock of 20 Sand Martins and a very good view of a Kingfisher which obliged by sitting on a bare branch on the opposite side of the Bay. (Well spotted Jane and Geoff!) A Whinchat was observed on top of the bushes at the rear of Herons Green Pool. We moved to Villice Bay where on the approach to the hide we saw a Blackcap and a Common Buzzard. From the hide all the members were able to observe a single Garganey as well as Pochard, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, three Green Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, six Little Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe and three Common Terns. A Sedge Warbler perched on top of the reeds at the left of the hide and Kingfisher flew past. As we were getting ready to leave the hide we were treated to a further Hobby, which put in an appearance over the top of the trees on the opposite side of Villice Bay. All in all, a very good mornings birding, with 34 species being noted. (Thanks to Charles for leading) Charles Stapleton  

 I can hardly contain myself. We started with Jackdaw hordes – their calls and fuss all around during the walk. There was a nice field full of approximately 80 Herring Gulls feeding with 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls but by far the best was to get to a corner of the Blue Lodge estate and hear a terrible racket of Corvid versus raptor! What a raptor, a pale underwinged, tatty headed Osprey, who gave us good views before dropping from his perch and leaving away south westward into the valley and out of sight. This walk is one of those much favoured by Stan Wilmot and, notwithstanding the Osprey, gave all nine walkers splendid views of a Dipper posing mid-stream just above the bridge over the Boyd, near Court Farm in Wick. Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail were also there but departed before most of the party had arrived. So, after all that, even the masses of Swallows nearly taking our eyes out and the 300 plus flock of brown Starlings and the dozen Long-tailed Tits obligingly crossing a hedge gap to allow counting, and the fir tree full of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs feeding voraciously could really match the Osprey. There was a total of thirty two species for the day. Many thanks to Dave Body for leading.  

 19 members turned up for this extended walk on what the weather forecasters predicted to be a dry, and at times, sunny day. It was just as forecast and rather humid too. Our first noted birds were House Martin, Swallow, House Sparrow, and Collared Dove as we passed Redhill Farm on Marshacre Lane. Easy,level walking through a crop of head-high maize and then down a lane and through several fields, one with grazing sheep, brought us to Littleton-on-Severn village. We had by then added Buzzard, Jay, Goldfinch, Raven, and Robin to our list. We climbed a hill, savouring the splendid views across the Severn Vale, at which point five members took the ‘morning-only’ breakaway leaving the 14 remaining walkers to continue up the hill to enjoy spectacular vistas to the north. Further on lunch bags were opened on a hill overlooking Thornbury as a Kestrel flew by. Then came the long slog through wheat fields and lanes, both with a considerable amount of mud, before we reached our vehicles, having only 23 birds on our list. A most splendid, scenic walk with good company. David Tombs (Thanks to David Tombs for leading).