Sunday 24 October – Clevedon-Yeo Leader: Jane Cumming

As 17 people, including a new member and another potential member, assembled in Old Church Road, the weather looked distinctly unpromising. However, it steadily improved through the morning and it certainly didn’t stop us from birding!
There was relatively little on the water by Clevedon Pill, a handful of Shelducks and Great Black-backed Gulls being the pick of the bunch. On the rocks to our right were 54 Redshanks with six Oystercatchers on the point across the bay. The harbour had mostly gulls, predominantly Black-headed although one Lesser Black-backed was also picked out on the return journey; there was a Grey Heron knee deep in the water. The reedy/shrubby patch in front of the harbour held our first Stonechat of the day, being harassed by a Robin. Despite pausing for 15 minutes, we failed to positively identify a bird skulking in the reedbed and ‘peeping’ continuously (Little Grebe? Water Rail?). A female Reed Bunting was seen on the rocks near the harbour which held our first Meadow Pipits (dozens of which were heading south on migration accompanied by a smaller number of Greenfinches, Chaffinches and several pairs of Stonechats). Blind-Yeo had three Moorhens but little else, so we headed round the golf course to the estuary (it being close to high tide by this time). The most notable bird on the shoreline was a Little Egret poking away at the mud. A few yards down the path, however, we came across a Wheatear which flew past the group and then considerately paused next to a Rock Pipit, both giving good views. Approaching the end of the path, the wader roost came into view. Five Ringed Plovers were observed on the mud and, in the nearest bay, 30 plus Curlews could be seen, some feeding in the water, others on the grassy bank. A smartly plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit was admired, and gave us a useful comparison with Curlew when it moved closer. Three Dunlins flew left and right on the shoreline and then settled, although not for long. In addition, nine Lapwings wheeled overhead but did not linger. Around 25 Shelducks could be seen in the bay beyond the Curlews; Wigeon and Teal were also seen, with increasing numbers of both as the tide receded. The bird of the trip was a wild swan – Whooper – that flew slowly over us towards the golf course. It was reported half an hour later at Portbury Wharf. The return journey started with two Roe Deer in a grassy field, and some more Curlews feeding in the next field. A Grey Wagtail flew into the rocks close to where the Wheatear had been seen earlier; there were more Meadow and Rock Pipits and some Linnets. The final bird of the trip was a Peregrine flying over the harbour and on towards Wain’s Hill. Thanks to Jane for leading. Peter Bryant