Tuesday 21 May – Leap Valley Leaders: Joyce Donkor and Kate Cashmore

Nineteen people set off on a warm sunny day to explore this valley tucked away in East Bristol. We crossed the community field where Magpies and Jackdaws foraged in the grass and Feral and Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves flew among the trees, and a Herring Gull flew over. On entering the wood, a Song Thrush was singing. Further along, we had good views of two Great Spotted Woodpeckers bringing food to their nest hole in a tree by the path, so, fortunately, the climbing cat that the leaders had seen in the tree a week before, had not managed to get the young. Across the main road, we continued to follow the stream and the woodland to the Leap Valley Nature Reserve, where a Whitethroat was seen and a Buzzard driven off by Crows. At Moorend Bridge, there were Mallard in the Frome, with a Little Egret, and a Grey Wagtail. Two Jays, a Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tits and Long Tailed Tits were spotted nearby. Walking back by the fields, a Swallow was seen, a Stock Dove heard, Greenfinch and ten Goldfinches seen and heard, and some people watched a family of Pied Wagtails with two young on a fence. Thirteen Chiffchaffs and 13 Blackcaps were heard or seen altogether plus five Dunnocks. The total number of species was 36. (Thanks to Joyce and Kate for leading.) Kate Cashmore