Tuesday 09 May – Wains Hill and Clevedon Pill – Leader: Jane Cumming

Twenty or so people walked up over Wains Hill and along Poets’ Walk, stopping to examine the historic “Sugar lookout” and admire the bird’s-eye views south along the Clevedon coast. We noted a selection of standard woodland species, singing and displaying Whitethroats where the terrain opened out to grassland and scrub, and hirundines passing NE along the cliffs. The sluice produced Moorhens, a singing Cetti’s Warbler and good views of a Grey Wagtail. Walking on through the golf course to Dowlais pool we added two Canada Geese, two Mute Swans and a lingering Black-headed Gull. The shoreline held Shelducks, Oystercatchers, a Whimbrel and plenty of the larger gulls. Two more Whimbrels flew low along the coast, and later two Curlews – larger with longer bills, flying higher though rather distant. At the turnaround point there were at least five Swifts feeding over the Dowlais meadows. Also reported: Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, both woodpeckers, singing Skylarks, Reed Warblers, Blackcaps, Rock Pipits and Reed Buntings. The morning’s total was 51 species. (Thanks to Jane for leading) Jane Cumming