January 29, 2012
Ten members met on, what would be for Steart, an unusually beautiful sunny, windless morning and set off to follow the coast path to Steart Point. The tide was falling by the time the group reached the hides on the Point and the exposed mud was covered with roosting and feeding waders. A mixed flock
January 24, 2012
Even the most optimistic forecast didn’t promise dry conditions for this walk and that proved to be correct, as did the Bird News warning about mud! However, ten hardy souls assembled in the drizzle. Before we left the cars a Cormorant was spotted. We set off across a large field, one third of which had
January 23, 2012
With stunning heathland to explore, we started at Wareham forest (Sherford Bridge), a potential spot for some of the rarer species, many of which sadly remained elusive! We were treated to a scold or two from the Dartford Warbler however and had excellent views of pair-bonding Ravens on a pylon. There was potential sighting of
January 18, 2012
It was a still chilly morning as 31 Birders gathered to begin their walk around Frampton Pools. The first lake still had ice on it and there were only a handful of Coots skating gingerly around. As we started down the wooded 9 track there was a flock of Long- tailed Tits in the overhead
January 15, 2012
It was a very cold, frosty but sunny start to this morning meeting. As we walked along the road to the entrance to the valley several members picked up on Redwing, Bullfinch and Blackcaps feeding in bushes on the opposite bank of the river. After entering the reserve we all had good views of Goldcrest
January 10, 2012
The prospect of the Somerset Levels starling roost attracted 37 members to Ashcott Corner on a dry but overcast afternoon. We first walked down the track to the viewing platform at Ham Wall and soon encountered over a dozen passerines in the willows, alders and surrounding scrub including Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff. Two lucky members
January 1, 2012
At least 23 members appeared in the car park (or later!). As we assembled a Peregrine rushed over us all, heading for a large flock of Lapwing and Golden Plover. We were soon on our way to the Holden Tower, some stopping at hides en route. It took some time to sift through all the
September 27, 2011
The benign forecast swelled our numbers this week to 27 who all made the climb out of the White Horse car park towards Winterbourne. Jackdaws aplenty along this stretch of road, and on the Whiteshill cricket pavilion. We struck across country at Pye Corner where one keen eye spotted a circling Sparrowhawk, at a height
September 25, 2011
A very wet morning, but ten of us walked up the path to the top of the Down enjoying Ravens and Jackdaws performing aerial acrobatics and a distant Peregrine. Then a male Kestrel flew over.The mud flats held a Little Egret, a Grey Heron, a Cormorant, lots of Shelducks and a few Mallards and Teal.
September 17, 2011
Nine members met with Jane, our leader for the day, at Ferrybridge car park at 9.30 on a very blustery day with lots of white horses out to sea. High tide coincided with our arrival and the only birds to be seen were a juvenile Herring Gull, a Black-headed Gull and a diminutive wader which