October 14, 2014
Despite the rain pouring down all night and a forbidding forecast, six intrepid members gathered for the high tide at Severn Beach. Their dedication was rewarded by the number and variety of birds they saw through their rain-spattered lenses. There were large flocks of Starlings swirling in the sky, flocks of Dunlin and Turnstones on
October 10, 2014
This trip was billed as “something of a twitch fest” but it didn’t often feel that way, partly because most of the rarities we sought, either fell into our laps or else defied long and painstaking efforts to locate them. En route to Norfolk we saw a large number of Red Kites from the minibus,
October 7, 2014
Heavy rain, until just before the start of the walk, cleared to give a lovely blue sky for the ten hardy souls who had driven in hope, through the rain. Towers of Persil-white cumulus plus the occasional dark grey cloud gave a dramatic back-drop to a fair tally of all varieties of corvids, some gulls,
September 30, 2014
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
September 28, 2014
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
September 23, 2014
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
September 16, 2014
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
September 13, 2014
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
September 9, 2014
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
September 2, 2014
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