Saturday 17 April – Clevedon Pill Leader: Jane Cumming

An hour before high tide we set out from the allotments to walk around the harbour, check the Blind Yeo for freshwater birds, then wander on across the golf course and down the edge of the saltmarsh to the gate that overlooks the mouth of the River Kenn. Unfortunately, on a dry and sunny Saturday like this one, such a popular route can get rather overcrowded and groups of people standing around on the rocks by Wains Hill meant no pipits on the foreshore. The Blind Yeo yielded a few Moorhens and Grey Wagtails and a singing Cetti’s Warbler. A handful of Swallows and a Sand Martin passed up the coast around us as we walked on. The pool at Dowlais entertained us for a while as we searched it for ducks and waders, picking out twelve Teal and a few Lapwings and Snipe. At the southernmost point of the walk we were dismayed to see a fisherman on the private land beyond, therefore nothing at all roosting around the river mouth. However, the near shore did hold four displaced Whimbrel, some Redshank and a few Mallard. A probable Whinchat half-lost in the heat haze might have been the morning’s best bird were it not too far away for positive identification. Back at Dowlais we re-checked the pools and then followed the path down to the road, along to the Strode Road bridge and back down the banks of the Blind Yeo. Chiffchaff was the only warbler, but the walk produced the expected corvids, sparrows and garden species. The other potential highlight was a harrier passing over so high that it was barely visible, but sadly that too eluded certain identification. It was a pleasant walk with 33 species positively identified as well as two that got away. (Thanks to Jane for leading, Ed). Jane Cumming