Sunday 16 September – Uphill and Bleadon Leader: Jane Cumming

Ten members including two guests from the USA met at Uphill boatyard. It was dull and overcast with a southerly
breeze so perhaps not so good for any expected migrants. We followed the usual route through the boatyard and
quarry. A Little Egret and Little Grebe were eventually located on the caravan park pond but the quarry and its
bushes were surprisingly quiet with only a few Long-tailed Tits, Goldfinch and Robins present. A Bullfinch was
heard but not seen. We carried on over Walborough Hill, finding several Swallows passing through, views of two
hunting Kestrels, a few Meadow Pipits, Linnets and corvids and delighted by very close views of a Peregrine
almost catching a Wood Pigeon! We made our way back and over to the estuary. There we found a few
Redshank and a solitary Dunlin. Duck numbers were down but we saw plenty of Shelducks and four Curlews. On
the rocky islands offshore were various gulls and Oystercatchers. Overall an unusually quiet morning, no doubt
due to the wrong wind, but 35 species were seen or heard. Thanks to Jane for leading the walk. Geoff Dring