Tuesday 19 November – Cheddar Reservoir

 It was a brilliantly sunny morning and there was still a lot of very colourful leaves on some trees, but the blustery northwest wind made the 18 members glad they had (mostly!) come clad in cold weather gear. The decision to make this a “reservoir only” walk was surely the right one – standing water and mud could be clearly seen on the moors. The usual crowd of Coots were in place, Cormorants were posing on the buoys and a raft of Pochard was looking particularly good in the sunlight. Crows, Jackdaws, Rooks, Magpies, Mallards and Tufted Ducks were soon added to the list, as were Starlings in nearby fields. After a bit of concentrated looking, a few Redwings and a possible Fieldfare were also spotted, plus a Buzzard perched on a post and some Long-tailed Tits in the hedgerow. Very good close views were had of a Long-tailed Duck and a Great-crested Grebe that might just have been something else was examined. A lone Redshank was mooching about at the water’s edge and a Green Woodpecker spent some time in a field below us. During the latter part of the walk we saw a pair of Teal, a Grey Wagtail, two Little Grebes and a Sparrowhawk and Carrion Crow tussling above us, and not forgetting a calling Dunnock. Altogether 31 species were seen and one heard.