Field trip reports

Swallows and House Martins were flying overhead as we arrived at Goldcliff. A dozen members enjoyed dry and fair weather although conditions were not ideal as a couple of the pools had dried out completely and the tide was out. The walk started with a pair of Stonechats perched on a fence and a fly-past Marsh Harrier. Monks Lagoon held three Herons but little else although a Red Kite flew over as we were leaving the Curlew Hide. Views from the hide overlooking the deeper pools revealed a range of ducks including Teal and Shoveller as well as a Little Grebe. A hovering Kestrel greeted us at Avocet Hide. Initially disappointed by the lack of water in Priors Lagoon, we hit the jackpot with both Wheatear and Whinchat being seen, both giving good views. Venturing to the sea wall, two Whimbrels were found, with Curlews and Shelduck for company, and another Wheatear was spotted on the seawall fence. A Sparrowhawk flew close over our heads. The walk back to the carpark was interrupted by sightings of several migrant warblers including Lesser Whitethroat. A Southern Hawker dragonfly stopped long enough for a photograph. (Thanks to Peter for leading) Peter Bryan

On a slightly grey Tuesday morning, with a balmy southerly wind, 19 BOC members including two new recruits met in a car park in Barrow Gurney. As we set off the sighting of the day flew straight towards, and over, us; a Marsh Harrier! With plenty of Swallows and Martins around, we set off uphill and a squirrel amused us with its high wire trapeze act along a power line. At great risk to the membership, we crossed the A38, then spotted flocks of Canada Geese, Starlings and Rooks, and then the second-best sighting of the day; a Hobby. Dropping down through a grass crop, a flock of Greenfinch flew past, and we arrived on the outside of the upper Barrow tank, showing the usual ducks and gulls, Great Crested and Little Grebe, Cormorants, and in the distance, Wagtails, both Pied and Grey. We skirted round the tank, a Raven flew nearby, and Buzzard and Chiffchaff were regularly heard. A Dunnock was spotted on a dungheap of gargantuan proportions, but the number of birds was now diminishing so it was some relief to come across a feeder with Chaffinch, tits, and a nearly adult Robin. After an even more horrendous crossing of the A38, we found ourselves immersed, totally, in a dense high crop of maize covering our route (we continued through it; no birds were seen, but no members were lost, or so we believed). Easier walking  followed, then a stubble field where there were numerous gulls and corvids on the ground, groups of Swallows, Starlings and Rooks on wires, and Skylarks singing – life was back to normal after the monoculture hell. 41 birds, a lovely, scenic, walk, with some unusual excitement, so many thanks to Graham for leading and Alan for the bird list. John Skinner

Sixteen people set out from Priddy Green rightly optimistic that the rain would stop. We walked up through the churchyard before zigzagging our way towards the Nine Barrows at the top. A few tits and Wrens were calling as we walked up until someone called out a Sparrowhawk overhead. A large flock of Jackdaws and a few Crows and Magpies were spotted and a distant calling Raven. A small patch of woodland gave us a Nuthatch while failing to locate some possible Treecreepers and Bullfinches. Emerging back into the field one Kestrel turned into a family of three. Small numbers of Swallows and House Martins were overhead and crossing the top threw up Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and a flock of 40 plus Herring Gulls with around five Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Some distant brown jobs on a farm building revealed their Wheatear white rumps as they flew off, also sending up a flock of Linnets as they all circled back over us. Dropping back down to the Mineries we disturbed an Adder from the path, an even greater shock was overtaking some walkers, a first for me on a BOC walk. A pond gave us a family of Coots before heading back towards Priddy seeing three female Roe Deer wall hopping, two Tree Pipits, a few Chiffchaffs and Goldfinches. We thought a Buzzard rounded off the raptors for the day before a great spot whizzing low overhead, a Hobby, probably heading southward. A final bird fly-catching along a hedge top was frustratingly too distant to positively ID but the consensus was a probable Redstart based on the flashes of red as it flitted up. Excluding this the bird count was 29. (Thanks to Graham for leading) Ian Price

Six members joined me to have a look around the lake, albeit mainly using our cars rather than walking any great distances. We started at the south end of the dam where we saw the usual Common Sandpiper on the wall and scanned the west end of the lake carefully. Due to an angling competition being held at the same time, I decided we would walk along Park Lane and down the entrance drive to the Lodge, birding as we went. From there we saw four Egyptian Geese among the Canada Geese on the north end of the dam, before we ventured into Lodge Copse and watched the feeder for a few minutes to try and see some small passerines, at this difficult time of year, before retracing our steps to the cars. There were a few birds showing in the trees by the Inspection House by the time we got back and were pleased to see two Nuthatches there. We drove along the south side track to Green Lawn, where we parked and took a look along one of the few exposed margins of the lake. The water level is still a bit too high to attract passing waders unfortunately, so we checked the waterfowl, saw the first Teal of the autumn, and took a look at some of the plants. One keen-eyed person spotted a green beetle in the middle of a yellow flowerhead which I was able to tell them was a Fleabane Tortoise Beetle. At the east end of the lawn there were three Little Egrets and we took a look through one of the large flocks of, mainly male, Tufted Ducks for anything unusual. We drove again to Rainbow Point, where we could scan most of the Top End of the lake. There were around a thousand Coots feeding on the extensive weed that grows at that end of the lake. As the meadows had been cut at Top End, we drove on again to Bell’s Bush where we walked out across the meadow to look more closely at the Shoveler, Gadwall, Little Grebes and Pochard that were at this end of the lake. A Buzzard, momentarily gave us the impression it was a Red Kite, due to its moulted central tail feathers, and a few Sand and House Martins were feeding over the water in front of us. Three of us then carried on to the north shore where we checked Rugmoor Bay, then drove slowly along to the car park at the end of the track where we saw male and female Roesel’s Bush-crickets in the long grass by the hedge. As the time was approaching 14:00, we decided to call it a day at this point and make our way back to the Lodge. We logged 46 bird and five butterfly species, a fair representation of what there was to see. (Thanks to Nigel for leading the walk.) Nigel Milbourne

There was a healthy turnout of 17 members. It had been a while since I’d been out with the Tuesday group, and it was great to reconnect with the friendly folk. A distant Raven got the bird count off to a good start. We set off from the car park down a lovely woodland path. There weren’t many birds but there were lots of interesting wildflowers. The group stopped several times to admire butterflies, the star being a magnificent Silver-Washed Fritillary. Those at the front of the group were lucky enough to see a Slow Worm, before it retreated into the undergrowth. A Buzzard was heard and then seen, so the criteria for stopping for refreshments had been met. After our break we were then out into open countryside, with picturesque views over Hawkesbury Common. Beautiful Demoiselles, plus Muntjac and Roe Deer were seen as we crossed the fields. For the last stretch, we were back in the woods, where Bullfinch and Marsh Tit were seen by a lucky (or perhaps just more observant) few. In total, 23 species of bird were seen, plus several other notable species. Lower Woods is well worth visiting – I’ll be back! Thanks to Jean for leading the walk, to Alan for recording the species count, and to all present for their great company. Tim Fell

Seven of us set off around the little harbour on an overcast and windy morning that did not bode well for passerines, and we searched in vain for small birds around the salt marsh. However, a Common Sandpiper was seen from the slipway and we scanned 70 Black-headed Gulls hoping for a Mediterranean Gull, with no success. 68 Mallards in their drab eclipse plumage drifted along the muddy creeks, and we had to look twice to identify one young Shelduck on its own. Three Dunlins were off and away, seen only in flight. There was a small roost of Little Egrets close to the Blind Yeo, which held seven Moorhens but nothing else. On along the shoreline, with great views of a Rock Pipit; down to Dowlais where the pool was dry, as usual in summer; then along the hedgerow which produced a Whitethroat or two amongst the Blue Tits; and beyond to the gate overlooking the River Kenn. Here at least you can be sure to find birds: a Grey Heron, more Shelducks and Mallard, and the wader roost holding 20 Oystercatchers, 37 Curlews and 38 Redshanks. On returning to the Pill we were surprised to find at least 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Kestrels, one Swallow, one Chiffchaff and two Linnets took the species total to 34. Many thanks to Rob Hargreaves for keeping the score. (Thanks to Jane for leading.) Jane Cumming

Sixteen of us set off on a fine sunny morning, House Sparrows chirping away as we approached the Common. Starlings and Wood Pigeons on nearby wires quietly watched us cross the cattle grid and a Green Woodpecker welcomed us noisily. Our leader called us to the gate overlooking the adjoining golf course where we enjoyed excellent views of a Mistle Thrush, posing perfectly on a grassy mound, a mere pitching wedge away. Following the western edge of the Common, the going became quite tricky at times where the ground had been heavily poached by the huge herd of bullocks we were about to encounter. The small trees and bushes along the fringe held plenty of interest, including Common Whitethroat, Great and Long-Tailed Tits and Chiffchaff. A Peregrine was heard and seen by at least one of us. At coffee time, House Martins were racing around and a Grey Heron drifted slowly across behind us. Returning across the middle of the Common into a fresh breeze, the absence of Skylarks had been noted when several obligingly appeared. A distant corvid was revealed by telescope to be a Rook. A certain member, spotting a patch of prickly vegetation, announced [predictably] “this’ll be where we see Goldfinches”. He was right. Our departure from the Common was marked by the same Green Woodpecker, and four Mallard seen on the stream near the cars took the total species to 32. An excellent walk in a great location. Many thanks to Alan for leading. Colin Hawkins

The heat put off a lot of people, rising to 26C+ and making it very hot in full sun, and we clocked in with 12 of us. Up on the golf course were a dozen or so Herring Gulls and two Lesser Black-backed, a Pheasant and some Jackdaws, also Blue and Long-tailed Tits, and Bullfinch was heard. No Swallows at the cottages, but some later over the fields. We then fought the brambles on the path between the golf course and the coast, [which the leader had tried to battle with on the recce], seeing very few birds but several Gatekeeper butterflies and a Speckled Wood. Once out in the field for coffee break we could enjoy the swirling House Martins and the Goldfinches and Greenfinches in the trees around the garden over the wall and Buzzard and Raven were heard overhead. From the coast path, nice and shady, we could hear the lapping of the incoming tide and spot the odd Herring Gull and three Black-headed Gulls, then make out an Oystercatcher on the rocks close to the water, then another more obvious one further on. There was a Song Thrush in the next field. At Walton Common Ian alerted us to the calls of Treecreeper (he eventually saw two), Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Coal Tit. Yaffling Green  Woodpeckers were a feature of the walk and two young Robins were seen. Thanks to Graham for keeping the bird list – 34 species. (Thanks to Judy for leading) Judy Copeland

Twenty-one of us birders met in a car park in Frampton on Severn. The weather was dull with a threat of rain. Luckily we had only light drizzle for a few minutes and the morning ended in bright sunshine. The habitat was varied consisting of a sailing lake and pool, mature trees, hedgerows, open grassland and fields of wheat and beautiful wild flowers. On leaving the car park we heard a Song Thrush, but were unable to see him amongst the leaves. We spent some time by the sailing lake where we saw four Cormorants, three Common Terns, two Oystercatchers, a Grey Wagtail, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull struggling to eat what could have been a large worm or an elver. Amazingly, he managed to gobble it whole. We then walked the perimeter of the Frampton Estate and Lake. Swallows and House Martins flew over head, we heard a Cetti’s Warbler, saw Nuthatch, 20 Jackdaws, 50 Rooks, two Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, Buzzard, a Jay, six House Sparrows, Wren, and a Blackbird, a Blue Tit and six Goldfinches. Towards the end of the walk at the far end of the lake there were 48 Mute Swans, a Little Grebe, a Mallard, two Great Crested Grebes, 16 Greylag Geese and four Barnacle Geese. A Greenfinch was heard when we returned to the car park making a total count of 40 species. Thanks to Alastair for leading a very splendid walk. Joyce Donkor

Seven of us met to explore the largest area of ancient woodland in the South West. The weather was overcast to start so we did not see as many butterflies as expected, but numbers were also clearly down too, as has been noticed in many places this summer. Marsh Tit and Nuthatch showed well as we parked our cars. The walk down to the Little Avon River was still quite muddy which shows how well this area holds moisture and supports the amazing wildflowers that we saw. Groups of Coal Tit flitted about, with several more Marsh Tits and also Great Spotted Woodpeckers heard. At least two groups of Spotted Flycatchers were around, including one who obligingly sat out in the open to allow the group good views. Butterflies became more active as it warmed up, with two Silver-Washed Fritillaries showing nicely at the end. A total of 28 bird species and eight butterfly species were seen. Many thanks to Linda for leading and to Mark Coller for sharing his expertise about all things natural with us. Nick Page