Tuesday 10 December – Saltford Leader: Robert Hargreaves

Thirty-one members met at the Riverside pub car park for a somewhat cold and windy walk along the Shallows of the River Avon, with a higher ground option for those who didn’t mind braving the muddy hill. Despite having less than ideal conditions, there was plenty to see – 29 species in total, including fifty winter visiting Redwings, two Mistle Thrushes, a Kingfisher and a very relaxed Great Spotted Woodpecker enjoying some preening time at the top of a tall pine. Plenty of Goldfinches and over a dozen Long-tailed Tits were flocking and calling in the trees, eventually answered by the ‘prokk’ of a Raven. The gulls in the cow pastures across the river from us provided a very nice side by side comparison of species: Black-headed, Common, Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gull all in one field. About the time the wind picked up and temperature dropped, it was time to enjoy a lovely Christmas lunch at the Riverside Inn. Many thanks to Robert for leading us on this one, to all those who organised it and to everyone who came along. Teresa Patten