Saturday 13 May – Quantocks, Holford – Leaders: Brian Gibbs and Dave Dawe

We met with the Somerset Ornithological Society at the unearthly hour of 08.15, some of our group were up at 05.00 to arrive in time. There were about five of us from the BOC, and twenty from SOS. The leaders were the excellent Brian Gibbs and David Dawe. The walk was up Hodder’s Combe, Somerton Combe, and up Stert Combe on the east side of the stream, coming out on the heathland, and retuning north, just to the west of Higher Hare Knap, we came down the ridge into the car park. Unfortunately, we were a bit early to hear or see Wood Warbler, but we did find Dipper, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Garden Warbler, Grey Wagtail, and coming out of the wood to the heath heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. The heath gave us a Cuckoo to see also Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Tree Pipit, Redpoll and Yellowhammer. (Thanks to Brian and Dave.) Rob Hargreaves