Sparrowhawk flew across Sully Brook near the Medieval Village/Mile Road junction. c.30 House Martin high above there. Kingfisher flew under main bridge and along the shoreline of E lake. 4 Linnet W paddock and light Swallow passage over, plus a single Raven.

During a quick walk round this morning, east paddock had a Clouded Yellow, female Blackcap, 20-30 Goldfinch, and a Jay. A light passage of Swallows overhead, the ad Little Grebe still has 1 fully grown youngster in tow and the fully grown but still stripe-headed GC Grebe seems pretty independent now.

A few House Martins were over W lake this morning. The ad Little Grebe is still feeding a youngster and the young GC Grebe is now full sized but still with a striped head. Quite a few Emperors at the dipping pond.

GBC  Monthly Public Walk.

Twenty-four folk came on our walk on Saturday morning, Very pleased to see some new new people.  A special thanks to all for helping them feel welcome.

We were delighted to find 45 species, a good count for for a blustery September day. Highlights were-: Bar-tailed Godwit, Wheatear, Whimbrel. Sanderling, Golden Plover, Wigeon, Mistle Thrush, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Teal, and…… a Marsh Harrier. Complete list was Mute Swan,  Gadwall , Wigeon,  Mallard,  Teal, Great Crested Grebe , Grey Heron , Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew,  Sanderling, Dunlin , Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull,  Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Starling , Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin,  Stonechat, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Dunnock ,Meadow Pipit, Linnet, and Goldfinch .

Pretty quiet this morning, but a small feeding group near the Medieval Village entrance comprised mainly of Blue Tits and a Great Tit, also had a male Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs. Around the snipe paddock perimeter, there was a single Stonechat and another male Blackcap. A few Swallows were overhead. Green Woodpecker calling loudly by the east paddock.

Saturday, 14 April 2018

On a perfect spring morning 5 members set off from the car park along the Carriage Drive. We soon encountered the expected woodland species which included a coal tit nesting in a hole on the valley slope. Below us was the Upper Lake where a dipper was seen on the waterfall stonework.  Continuing along  Carriage Drive we descended to the Lower Lake where we added coot, moorhen, mallard and 3 little grebes trilling loudly.  Whilst here buzzards were heard ‘mewing’ overhead and in the space of 2 to 3 minutes 4 buzzards, a red kite and the bird of the morning, a large female goshawk flew over the valley.

As the path following the LLan back up stream was wet and muddy, we by-passed this lower section and picked up the riverside path at the Sapper Bridge to walk back to the Upper Lake.  Dead riverside alders showed evidence of woodpeckers and we were fortunate enough to find a tree creeper here.  At the Upper Lake we added grey wagtail –  giving a species list of 33.

A bit late [busy day] but there was an adult winter Med Gull with a lot of Black-headed Gulls, on the W lake posts this morning. A male Blackcap was in the W paddock hedgerow.

Tuesday 17 Sept evening – 2 male and 1 female Wheatears,1 male and 3 female Stonechats.

Morning walk round. 3 Spotted Flycatchers [1 by Sully Brook nr adjacent entrance/exit to Cogan Wood], and 1 Stonechat and a fem Blackcap there, 2 Spot Flys W paddock [just before dip down to the snipe paddock], 1 fem Common Redstart W paddock hedgerow mid way along, 1 male Blackcap and 3 Reed Bunting and another Stonechat in snipe paddock bushes, 1 ad Green Woodpecker. Graham Smith had a couple of Yellow Wags in a ploughed field above Sully Brook.

Been away for a week! 2 drake Pochard on W lake this morning were new arrivals for me. A Raven flew over W paddock, and 1 poss 2 Redstart were seen by the W paddock hedge [Graham Smith] although I couldn’t find them myself during a brief look. Jeff Curtis had a Spot Fly by the lower dovecote field. 2 poss 3 Stonechat were near the snipe paddock [50m beyond the dragonfly pond].

Early a.m. – report of a Richards Pipit with mipits near The Deeps – no further news.

Wednesday 11/9:

Barry Dock – 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kestrel and a Raven

Sully Island, playing fields and beach – 1 Sparrowhawk, 46 Ringed Plover, 1 Green Woodpecker and a Great Black-backed Gull

Cosmeston – 4 adult Little Grebe, each with a juvenile in tow. 1 Kingfisher.

A brief visit in a lull in the rain today saw a number of apparently downed birds, including a Whinchat, several new Little Egrets, Turnstone, Teal, a few hundred hirundines and this Greenshank.

8.00am – 11.30am .

Really good few hours at Aberthaw this morning . Highlights were 10 Yellow Wagtails , 1 Whinchat , 2 Stonechat , 2 Wheatear , 1 Spotted Flycatcher , 10+ Chiffchaff , 2 Willow Warbler , 6 Blackcap . Heard Water Rail and had my first Cettis Warbler at Aberthaw in over 40 years of visiting there . 5 Little Egrets at Breaksea Point . Steady movement of Swallows 200+ eastward with a few Sand and House Martins and a steady movement of Meadow Pipits c150 westward .

A second summer Mediterranean Gull with lots of BHG Blackcap 3 Whitethroat 2 Willow Warbler 1 Chiffchaff 3 Yellowhammer 1 Stonechat 6 Whinchat 1  House Martin 20. A good selection of Leps at Southerndown Hummingbird Hawkmoth 2 Silver Y 1 Large and Small White Small Heath Common Blue Rea Admiral Small Tortoiseshell Painted Lady. A female Southern Hawker was ovipositing in the small pond in the walled garden.

 

 

 

At least nine wheatears between Boverton and Seawatch Centre – Thursday mid-afternoon. Andrew Lewis.

 Yellow-legged Gull and Oystercatcher the long-stayer Shelduck was also there.

On brook in Boverton village at 1630 Tuesday 3rd September. Andrew Lewis.

Monday Sept. 2nd Tawny Owls (2 males, 1 female) calling 2100hrs. alongside railway line Boverton. Andrew Lewis