Blagdon Lake Birds
November 2024 News
I am in the process of updating the website now that I have been very kindly helped by HeklaDesign. We have agreed to move over to WordPress as the platform. This will take some time, but I'm hoping to be able to keep the daily blog going in the meantime, although I have no plans to post more pictures until this is complete - they will come in due course.
Wednesday 20th November [Sunny & cold]
I birded on foot in the sunshine this afternoon from Home Bay to Flower Corner and back. I spotted the, presumed, returning adult drake Ring-necked Duck back in Long Bay, feeding on his own, and an adult male Marsh Harrier flying along north shore that looked stunning in the low sunshine. I think there were three Great White Egrets around the lake, and the usual cast of other waterfowl. At Flower Corner I had a quick chat with the contractor who was just finishing off the boardwalk over the stream at Bell's Bush barrier, and thanked him for a great job. It is possible that the kissing gate at the end of the boardwalk that has replaced a stile, could be standing in water on occasions, but that should be easily remedied with a couple of bags of stone chippings. I shall look forward to using it myself when I'm out for a run in the winter along the footpaths and byeways.
Monday 18th November [Overcast, then drizzle came in & turned to light rain.]
Phil, Rob, Skip and I did the WeBS count this morning and, thankfully, finished before the light rain started. There were no real surprises, although two adult female Marsh Harriers were nice. None of us saw yesterday's Scaup though. The counts were as follows: Canada Goose 20, Mute Swan 19 (inc. 3 juvs.), Shoveler 11, Gadwall 48, Wigeon 130, Mallard 95, Pintail 1, Teal 53 (u/count), Pochard 142, Tufted Duck 999, Goldeneye 13, Moorhen 20, Coot 1286, Little Grebe 5, Great Crested Grebe 67, Common Sandpiper 1, Black headed Gull c. 30, Common Gull c. 25, Herring Gull c. 10, Great Black-backed Gull c. 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull c. 5, Cormorant 22, Grey Heron 9, Marsh Harrier 2 (adult females), Grey Wagtail 2. The Teal undercount was because we heard more in the trees at Top End that we couldn't see, and I knew there were many more present yesterday.
Sunday 17th November [Overcast, then drizzle set in during the afternoon.]
I didn't get to the lake yesterday I'm afraid, but met Mark this morning to check some bat boxes we put up in Ubley churchyard in 2022. We found a Soprano Pipistrelle in one of the boxes, the first bat to use the scheme, so that was a good start to the morning. From there we drove to the lake where we spent the rest of the morning building the base for a reptile and amphibian heap using the RAVON recipe, primarily for Grass Snakes to use for egg-laying, but something that will, hopefully, be used not only by frogs, toads, newts and slow worms, but also by small mammals and all manner of invertebrates - in a bid to maintain and improve local biodiversity. Just before we started buidling the heap, we disturbed a Frog in the grass. I hope it was a sign of good things to come. During the morning I received a message from Andy M. to say he'd found a 1st-winter Scaup off Green Lawn. I didn't have the chance to have a look for it until 1400hrs, but despite a look around the area he saw it, I couldn't find it again. I did count circa 110 Teal in Holt Bay though and also spotted the presumed drake hybrid Ferruginous Duck x Pochard that has returned for another winter. Tomorrow, we will be doing the monthly WeBS count during the morning so perhaps we'll see the Scaup then.
Friday 15th November [A glorious, sunny, afternoon.]
It was flat calm when I arrived at the lake before lunch, and I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End hide and back, glad to be out in the sunshine. I saw the usual wildfowl, with the dabbling ducks concentrated at Top End, and heard two Water Rails 'chipping' at one another in the reeds at Home Bay as I went past. The usual four Little Grebes were under the near bank at the corner of Home Bay and Green Lawn, but the big surprise when I got to Rainbow Point, was the sight of seven Great White Egrets - most of them just 'catching some rays'. At Burmah Road I spent some time watching a Common Chiffchaff in a sallow that kept being chased by another bird, which also turned out to be a Chiffchaff (I saw another in Long Bay on the way back later too). At Hellfire Corner a Nuthatch was calling, and with some of Egrets in a tree at Flower Corner there was a Marsh Harrier (probable adult female, but facing me and partially hidden). It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, and I put together a list of 43 species in three and a half hours.
Thursday 14th November [A misty start turned to sunshine]
A quick 40 minutes mid-afternoon turned up 37 species but nothing out of the ordinary. Lots of gulls were dropping in to bathe, but I didn't have time to go through them. I did, however, count 148 Teal hauled out at Peg's Point standing in the sunshine, I also counted a single Great White Egret, 7 Little Grebes, 7 Grey Herons and just 2 Canada Geese.
In the evening I received a phone call that I'd been dreading, but expecting, to tell that my great friend 'Blackburnian Jack' Willmott had passed away at 4pm. He had been diagnosed with MND just a couple of months ago, and it quickly took its toll. I wasn't with him when he found the, then first, Blackburnian Warbler for the UK in a geo on Fair Isle (hence the nickname), and I have still to see one, even with my many trips to the New World, but we travelled many thousands of miles together in pursuit of birds all over the UK, Finland, Lesvos and twice to Spain and the USA. We had a few dips, but also saw lots of fabulous birds and other wildlife, and had so many laughs along the way. We worked together for many years until he retired, and it was he, and Alan B., that encouraged me to go out with them birding when I moved to Blagdon. Latterly, we've stood on the touchline of several non-league football clubs around the south-west, but he was really a long-suffering supporter of Cadbury Heath FC with his great mate Sid M. Jack, I'm going to miss our trips out together - RIP buddy.
Wednesday 13th November [Sunny, but cool out of the sunlight.]
I have been busy on the update of the website and getting myself fit again this week, so I got to the lake for the last hour of daylight. I spent some time going through the 1000+ gulls that were roosting and bathing when I arrived. I would guess that about a third of the throng were Common Gulls, the biggest flock of the autumn that I've seen so far, most of which started to fly off to t'other place to roost, while I had a look at the rest of the lake. I counted 44 Great Crested Grebes as they gathered to roost, two Great White Egrets, and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker on the the feeder at Lodge Copse. Most of the little passerines were already hiding with heads under wings...
Tuesday 12th November [Sunny spells. Cold.]
I didn't manage to get to the lake yesterday, but spent two and a half hours there this afternoon, birding from Green Lawn to Top End gate and back. It immediately became apparent that there were a number of winter thrushes on the move, with groups of Fieldfares going overhead, the first I've seen this autumn. I noted two drake Goldeneye from the Lodge, and a 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull with a small flock of Common and Black-headed Gulls just off the dam wall. As I checked Lodge Copse, I thought it strangely quiet, that is until I put a male Sparrowhawk up. As I walked along the south side, I saw at least 10 Buzzards, including two feeding on worms in the stubble field behind the Top End hide as it was being ploughed. Ialso heard at least one, probably two, Chiffchaffs calling in the sunshine. IN the hide, I was extremely fortunate to scan the edge of the Top End trees just as an Otter swam into view, it dived showing it's tail and went back into the trees. A little later, all the waterfowl panicked along the shore line at Indian Country, which I thought would be the Otter again, but it turned out to be a Marsh Harrier - an apparently all-brown one, without any distinguishing features that might give a clue to its sex or age. I think it's probably the same bird Mark saw a couple of days ago at Holt Bay and texted me about.
Sunday 10th November [Mild. We nearly saw the sun today too.]
I birded on foot from Rainbow Point to Top End gate and back and enjoyed my visit, albeit I saw nothing new or out of the ordinary apart from a Hornet still on the wing and buzzing around me in the Top End hide. I thought I'd see more passerines in the mild and still conditions. The Starlings are building in number at the Home Bay roost, and I shall have to take a closer look one evening.
Saturday 9th November [Anticyclonic conditions still hold sway - has the sun gone out?]
I nipped over to Cheddar this morning to do the Parkrun, my first in about eight weeks, and was pleasantly surprised how well I went after the lay-off. I'm planning to do some Yeofit classes over the winter months to maintain and, hopefully, build core strength and balance in a bid to slow the age decline! Later, I went down to the lake in the car and spent an hour having a look around. 'Phil' the pheasant ambushed me at the entrance gate as soon as I pulled up for a handful of sunflower hearts, as he does frequently. However, I didn't see any Cattle Egrets, probably because I haven't seen any cattle out in the fields on Holt farm for the last couple of days. I saw 5 Little Grebes in Long Bay, and a Grey Heron and Great White Egret together at Rugmoor, but little else of significant interest.
Friday 8th November [Overcast & grey]
I checked the dam end of the lake using my car for transport then birded on foot from Rainbow Point to Top End gate and back in a couple of hours after lunch. I saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam, 4 Pintail, 5 Goldeneye, 24 Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret, 50-60 Redwings at Top End, and Mark reported seeing a female/juvenile Marsh Harrier on his way to work. Teal and Tufted Duck numbers have started to increase again as the wildfowl are on the move again, but I couldn't find anything exotic among them.
Thursday 7th November [Misty & turning colder during the day]
The flock of 19 Cattle Egrets were present this afternoon, and roosted at Top End again, as did two Great White Egrets that appeared to fly in from the west. Teal numbers had gone up to 32 today, among which were the flock of 14 I saw yesterday, and there was just a single Pintail sitting on the water from the Lodge when I arrived. I met Mark in Top End hide and we heard a Water Rail squeal, plus a possible second bird when we could hear some rail -like chattering. Mark also heard a Cetti's Warbler from the hide that escaped my hearing. Even though there was a breeze blowing waves up the dam this afternoon, I saw the Common Sandpiper on the wall when I arrived. I managed 38 spp. in 3 hours, birding on foot from the Lodge to Top End hide and back.
Wednesday 6th November [Fog on the hills & mizzle in the valley all day.]
I didn't spend very long at the lake (just an hour), but I searched hard for the Red-crested Pochards, however, they seem to have moved on. There were fewer waterfowl today and I was wondering if this was due to Guy Fawkes night and fireworks? I saw 19 Cattle Egrets that appeared to roost at Top End, and noted them feeding with the Holt Farm cattle earlier. Nine Pintail were sitting on the water in the middle of Top End, as if they'd just dropped in for a rest on their way to somwhere else, four Goldeneye were feeding in front of the Lodge and a small flock of 14 Teal were in Holt Bay.
Tuesday 5th November [Fog on the hills & mizzle in the valley all day.]
With the boats off the lake now, the waterfowl have spread all over, although there are some concentrations of Tufties, Pochards and Coots, especially in front of the Lodge, between Green Lawn and Rainbow Point and between Wood Bay Point and Rugmoor Point. So, if you enjoy looking through a scope at Aythya ducks Blagdon's the place just now! I arrived late afternoon and birded on foot from the Lodge to Flower Corner and back. I saw 13+ Cattle Egrets on the west end of Green Lawn, that had moved on by the time I got there. In the mouth of Holt Bay I came across 4 Red-crested Pochards (3 drakes) which was a very welcome sight. From Rainbow Point I could see a flock of Cattle Egrets in a tree at Flower Corner and reckoned on there being at least 18. There wasn't too much else to report apart from Starlings flying in to roost in Home Bay reeds, and lots of corvids flying into lakeside trees to roost. I think the Cattle Egrets may also have roosted because they were still in the tree at Flower Corner as I headed back to the Lodge at about 1630 hrs in the drizzle and damp conditions.
Monday 4th November [Overcast with a chilly ENE wind]
I spent two and a half hours during the afternoon birding in Lodge Copse where there seemed to be fewer birds than yesterday, then on foot from Green Lawn to Top End gate and back. I saw 13 Cattle Egrets with the Holt Farm cattle, 13 Shoveler, eight Gadwall, 29 Wigeon and a flight of six Goldeneye (a drake and five brownheads). What I presume were the same 13 Lapwings I'd seen on Saturday flew through my field of view as I was checking the Aythya ducks, and I added two Great White Egrets.
Sunday 3rd November [A murky grey day. A chilly easterly wind]
I birded on foot from Rainbow Point to Top End gate and back. There were a few new dabbling ducks in, and I counted 17 Shoveler, four Gadwall, seven Wigeon, plus the Common Sandpiper on the dam. I also saw a Little Egret, a Great White Egret and two Grey Herons in a couple of hours over lunchtime. There were lots of passerines in Lodge Copse but I couldn't positively identify the few finches I found in the treetops in the poor light conditions - perhaps Siskins?
Saturday 2nd November [Overcast & some light drizzle]
I had a look at the lake around lunchtime, and on reaching the dam for a scan, I immediately saw a Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret along the North Shore. The water was nice and flat in the windless conditions, so I looked through the Aythya ducks but only found Tufted and Pochard. When I got to Rainbow Point, I saw the Marsh Harrier again at Top End and it put up 13 Lapwings which flew around the lake for a while before settling down on Green Lawn. While at Green Lawn I saw a pair of adult Goldeneye, the first of the autumn.
Friday 1st November [Dry, overcast & mild]
I don't have any bird news today, I was out meeting old work colleagues for a long lunch, but I can share the good news that the public footpath along the south side of the lake is currently being upgraded at Bell's Bush barrier to a boardwalk where it so frequently floods throughout the winter. When I spoke to the contractors on Wednesday, they told me they've also cleared the gulley and think they will finish sometime in the coming week. This will make such a difference to walkers using the path, as I do, and eliminate the need to jump over the fence to get around it. We raised this with BW earlier in the year and, fair play, after many years of problems the issue will now, hopefully, be resolved. Great job.
Wednesday 30th October [Overcast, still & mild.]
Two and a quarter hours over lunchtime was much more productive than the last few days, and I saw 6 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, heard some Teal in Top End trees, saw the Common Sandpiper back on the dam, a Great White Egret, at least 4 Cattle Egrets on Holt Farm with cattle (mostly hidden by a hedge), and four Siskins in an alder tree at Top End in a total of 41 spp. There are still large numbers of Aythya ducks and Coots on the water which may stay awhile with the angling boats coming off the water tomorrow (although I can't find confirmation on the fisheries website). There's just one day left to improve on a miserly 62 spp. this month - it's been a disappointing autumn migration in the Yeo valley so far, but November quite often brings unexpected surprises. We can but hope.
Tuesday 29th October [Overcast & mild with little wind]
I managed to get out for a run at lunchtime, which left me little time to visit the lake after I got home, and showered. In 22 minutes I saw 21 spp. including a flock of 20 Cattle Egrets on Holt Farm at gone 1700 hrs, when I would normally have expected them to have flown to roost.
Monday 28th October [A dank, grey day, with drizzle & light rain.]
Not deterred by the conditions, I spent nearly three hours at the lake this afternoon but saw very little variety in the bird life. I managed just 31 species for my trouble. The only notable bird I saw was a single Cattle Egret.
Saturday 26th October [A pleasant, warm, sunny day.]
It was a grand afternoon, so I decided to get out in the sunshine and birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End gate and back. Sadly, from a birding point of view, it was very quiet. I saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam, two Great White Egrets, and 14 Cattle Egrets that flew off to t'other place late afternoon, and that was about it. 35 spp. In addition, I saw an unidentified white butterfly, a Red Admiral and a Migrant Hawker on the wing.
Friday 25th October [A dull morning that brightened later in the day]
Today I drove to Rainbow Point, after checking out the dam end, and set my scope up to scan a group of Cattle Egrets in a tree on Rugmoor Point. There were 18, that flew off to t'other place not long after I'd counted them. I could see a handful of sleeping Shoveler, and just two Wigeon, apart from a few Mallard and Pochard, and hundreds of Tufted Duck and Coots. When I walked to Top End, I watched three male Great Spotted Woodpeckers having a right set to in a willow tree. Apart from the 'peckers and a few singing Robins it was pretty quiet.
Wednesday 23rd October [Overcast to start, brightening later.]
When I pulled up at the Lodge this afternoon, there was an absolute cacophany coming from Lodge Copse, where at least four Ravens were present and others appeared to be coming and going. They were all up in the tree tops, so I couldn't work out why they were there - it's a most unusual occurrence. Two Egyptian Geese were on the north end of the dam, and I was just in time to see two Cattle Egrets fly off towards t'other place, two Great White Egrets fly in high from the dam end that landed on Rugmoor Point where another was already feeding, and a male Marsh Harrier that flew across the lake to Rugmoor Point too. I chatted to couple of birders who told me they'd seen two Marsh Harriers before I got there. At Top End I saw two Redwings.
Monday 21st October [Overcast but warm and dry - unlike the WeBS count last month!]
Rob, Skip and I did the WeBS count this morning. It wasn't exactly the sunny morning the weather forecasters promised, but it was nice for the count. The totals were as follows: Mute Swan 26, Shoveler 5, Gadwall 2, Wigeon 4, Mallard 58, Pintail 8, Pochard 123, Tufted Duck 898, Moorhen 18, Coot 1735, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 34, Common Sandpiper 1, Black-headed Gull c.80, Common Gull 2, Great Black-backed Gull 4, Cormorant 16, Cattle Egret 4, Great White Egret 1, Grey Heron 4, Red Kite 1, Buzzard 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Grey Wagtail 1. We also saw a Redwing at Top End in a list of 45 spp.
Sunday 20th October [Wet overnight & morning. Turning sunny in the afternoon.]
Late afternoon, I met up with Mark at t'other place to do the four bat boxes at Woodford Bank. We didn't see any bats, but cleared the boxes out ready for next year. My word there have been some changes along that bank with erosion, and scrub growth, during covid. Anyway, to be fair, there has been a great job done recently, clearing scrub and opening out the woodland a bit, which has made checking the bat boxes a whole lot easier than of late. It also looks like quite a bit of work has been done along the south side of Villice Bay too since I last saw it. Tomorrow, we will be doing the Blagdon WeBS count.
Saturday 19th October [Dry & sunny]
Mark and I met up at 0900hrs to do the bat boxes at the Pumping Station, then we drove along the lake looking for birds on the way to t'other place, where we did the boxes at Moreton. In the 16 boxes at Blagdon we saw at least 15 Soprano Pipistrelles.
Friday 18th October [Dry in the morning, drizzle later.]
I had a quick drive through late afternoon but didn't see anything of note.
Thursday 17th October [A beautiful day to be out]
It was warm and sunny, so I birded from the Lodge to Top End gate and back this afternoon. I met Martin K. at Top End and while chatting to him saw two Marsh Harriers, a male and a probable juvenile, over the lake that flew off towards t'other place. Then, the 26 Cattle Egrets that were on Rugmoor Point followed them. I heard a Cetti's Warbler sing, and saw two Migrant Hawkers, a Common Darter, a Red Admiral, two Comma's and a Speckled Wood, still on the wing in the mild autumn weather.
Tuesday 15th October [Overcast]
I birded from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. I saw the Stonechat again, Common Gull, Lapwing, Kestrel and Raven in a list of 33 bird species and a Migrant Hawker.
Monday 14th October [Dull & overcast with low mist on the hills]
I arrived at the lake around 1500 hrs this afternoon and after checking the dam, drove on to the Lodge. There were some fishing boats in Pipe Bay, but quite a large flock of waterfowl over Tiny's Shallow. So, I got the scope out and went through the Coots, Tufted Ducks and Pochard, then looked around and spotted a white gull off Spinney Point. I spent some time looking at it but was a bit puzzled by it's almost completely white appearance sitting on the water. A boat angler approached quite close by but it didn't spook, it just stayed there on its own with nothing else to compare it with for size. It looked long (the wings extended well beyond the tail) and I thought of a possible Glaucous Gull, but desperately wanted it to move. Eventually, it flew, and I thought it was going to go up the lake, but it veered and came in towards Green Lawn where it landed. In flight I could see biscuit coloured feathering in the wings, and curiously, the remains of quite a broad tail band. I thought this latter feature probably ruled out Glaucous and Iceland Gull. I decided to whip up to the house to get my camera in the hope of getting some photos while it was on the Lawn, but it had gone by the time I got back. I drove to Rainbow Point in the hope that it might have landed on Rugmoor Point. When I scoped the point, there were white 'blobs' everywhere - at least 31 Cattle Egrets and 16 Lapwings, but eventually I spotted the gull among a small flock of Black-headed Gulls. It was smaller than I'd first thought, so my mind turned to one of the medium-sized gulls e.g. Iceland, Kumlien's, Thayer's or even an abberant Common. I rang Chris C. to see if he was around and would be prepared to come to Rugmoor Gate, for a closer look, because I was really puzzled by it. We met at the gate and scoped it. It had a stoutish bill, black at the end and pink for the basal two thirds, with a blackish cutting edge. It was almost pure white when standing, with pale pinkish legs. There was one darker mark on the left side, lesser coverts or mantle, which Brian T., who'd also arrived, said appeared greyish to him. We all thought the bird looked long-winged, rather-dainty looking, and stood not much taller than the Black-headed Gulls. It was dwarfed by the Great Black-backed Gull nearby. It flew back down the lake and west over the dam while we were still there, and Brian got a few flight shots as it went by which show the brown feathering in the wings well, so at least we have these to look at - well done mate. We debated the possibilities at the time, but couldn't come up with anything other than a probable hybrid and/or leucistic gull. But the question, still remains that even if it was a leucistic specimen, or hybrid, what was it? Brian shared some of his pictures later, and Chris a short video, on our local birding WhatsApp group, so I went through the gull books and websites and am really none the wiser. Brian shared his pics. on our local birding WhatsApp group and there seemed to be some consensus that it looked like a Lesser Black-backed Gull, with a suggestion that it might be one of the northern races. I could see that as a possibility due to its long-winged appearance. I hope it gets seen again, because it's worth some close-up pictures to, hopefully, throw a bit more light on its parentage. While I was stalking across Green Lawn hoping to photograph the gull there, I noticed what I assume to be the male Stonechat that I'd seen in Long Bay hedge last Friday. I also noted two Great White, and a Little Egret during all the excitement.
Sunday 13th October [Cold overnight. Increasingly pleasant as the day wore on.]
Mark and I decided to try and get a few more bat boxes checked at Chew Valley Lake today, so arranged to meet up at 0830 hrs. We concentrated on the Picnic Site #2 area to Hollow Brook, then Wick Green. There seemed to be fewer bats in the boxes today, perhaps as a result of the cold night. We found 16 Soprano Pipistrelles in the 25 boxes we checked, which means we've just got Moreton and Woodford Bank to do before the end of the month (which is something of a relief). Although there weren't many bats in residence, most of the boxes had plenty of evidence of use over the year left in them! I didn't go to Blagdon Lake today.
Saturday 12th October
Having spotted a curiously small bat in one of the Blagdon boxes last Monday, we decided to go back to have another look for it this morning. Where there had been, what we took to be eight Soprano Pipistrelles in the box last time, turned out to be just three this time around, with no sign of the 'little' bat. After that, we drove over to Chew Valley Lake to check a few of the boxes there, on Nunnery Point and at the Ringing Station. We found 20 Soprano Pipistrelles in 13 boxes, before calling it a day - I had to leave to go and get my winter 'jabs' at the surgery. On the way along the south side of Blagdon, on the way to t'other place, I counted six Great White Egrets and met Andy M. who told me he'd not found anything of interest by the time he'd got to Bell's Bush.
Friday 11th October [Sunny with a nip in the air]
I drove slowly along the south side of the lake stopping at several spots to scan this afternoon, and at Rainbow Point to scope the bulk of the wildlfowl just east of there. I saw 21 Cattle Egrets fly over Holt Farm and off over the Mendips, where I also saw a Red Kite in flight, a male Stonechat at Long Bay, a Great White Egret at Holt Bay, 16+ Lapwings on Rugmoor Point, and five Pintail at Top End. The water level has come up to about 73% now, and there are few places for waders to drop in and feed on, but I live in hope. Avon Birds had a report of 13 Grey Partridges at the lake today - without doubt birds put down by the shooting fraternity and, possibly, not Grey Partridges either. Mark saw two groups of Red-legged Partridges a few days ago, which I haven't seen since, and, I photographed a slightly curious 'game' bird on the neighbours drive in the village on Sunday 29th September that resembled a Grey Partridge but may have been another of the released birds..
Thursday 10th October [Broken cloud & cool]
I birded on foot from Home Bay to Flower Corner and back late in the afternoon. I didn't notice anything new on or around the lake. Not even an egret.
Wednesday 9th October [A warmish, mainly dry, day.]
After a visit to the physio. early in the morning, followed by a trip to the dentist, I was about to go to the lake when Merv. P. texted me to say he'd been at the lake in the morning and had very little to report, apart from saying the work on Wookey Point has now been completed. He said the last few willows have been removed and the cut wood was being burned - the view from the hide was much better now. Once again, thanks to BW for managing to get this done before the water level beat the contractors - it was really nip and tuck. Teal, a dabbling duck, are the one bird species named in the SSSI designation for the lake, especially the aggregations that occur when the water level falls sufficiently for them to be able to feed around the lakeside margins. Clearing the vegetation from Wookey and Rugmoor Points will, hopefully, encourage that to happen again when the water level drops next time. On the 8th Jan. 1956, 2900 Teal were counted at the lake, and although I've only counted a maximum of 1750 during the 28 years I've been doing WeBS counts, it is important to manage the reserve in order to provide suitable habitat for them. As Merv hadn't seen much, I decided to go for a quick walk through the woods instead of going to the lake, before the forecast showers arrived. Later, I read that Pat H. had seen a couple of Cattle Egrets in the dairy herd, I assume, at Holt Farm on the south side of the lake.
Tuesday 8th October [Heavy rain & short sunny spells]
I didn't venture down to the lake until just after tea for a quick look around, therefore, I haven't got anything to report except for lots of coloured water running into the lake as the heavy rain drains off the fields.
Monday 7th October [Dry early, showers later.]
I met up with Mark just after 0900 hrs this morning, to clean and check the bat boxes around the lake (except for those in the Pumping Station grounds). We managed to get all the boxes done just as it started raining. We did 44 Schwegler boxes, Jane's House and three Kent boxes and found one Lesser Horseshoe, 54 Sporano Pipistrelles and 11+ Natterer's Bats. It took us six hours. After that, and with the rain falling, I decided to go home rather than bird my way back. I had seen a Great White Egret, Kestrel, and heard yaffling Green Woodpeckers during the day but was really focussed on getting the boxes done to be honest.
Sunday 6th October [Remaining warm although some heavy rain showers]
I only got to the lake at last light, in order to refill the bird feeder, so didn't see very much in the way of the birds, although a single Great White Egret and three Little Egrets shone out like beacons in the failing light. Tomorrow, Mark and I are going to check some bat boxes at the lake.
Saturday 5th October [A warm sunny, afternoon.]
I birded from the Lodge to Top End hide and back, but to be honest although I scoped just about every Tufted Duck I could see, and there were several hundred, I could't find anything thing else hiding among them. So, when I got to Bell's Bush, I resorted to counting Wigeon -there were a surprising 110. When I got to the hide, although there were still some bushes on Wookey Point, I counted 11 Pintail, but there may have been others I couldn't see well enough sleeping up against the bank. I also noted the Common Sandpiper, eight Lapwings and a single Great White Egret.
Friday 4th October [A warm afternoon in the sunshine]
Rejoice! I was greeted with the sound of chainsaws and the Green Mantle team clearing willows on Wookey Point thjis afternoon. Thank you BW, Kirsty, Green Mantle and all those who kept chipping away to try and get this work done - you know who you are. They hadn't quite cleared all of it by the time I left, but they told me they hope to burn the cut wood next week and, I presume, finish off. That might depend on the weather and rising water level of course. Fingers crossed. There were still some butterflies and Migrant Hawkers flying, but the waterfowl were mostly gathered in a huge flock between Wood Bay and Rugmoor Points, due to the pike fly anglers at the dam end and the chainsaw action at the Top End. I counted five Great White Egrets, two Lapwings and saw most of the usual ducks with the exception of Pintail. There was the added bonus of an adult Yelow-legged Gull at the Lodge and Red Kite over Yeo Valley Farm too.
Thursday 3rd October [A warm sunny afternoon]
It was a pleasant afternoon to spend birding at this time of year. I saw the Common Sandpiper, one Great White Egret, eight Lapwings, eight Pintail and three Great Woodpeckers, of note. While I was in the hide a stunning Fox showed on the water's edge, but I didn't quite have time to grab a photo. Butterflies included a Painted Lady, one Red Admiral, and several Small White and Speckled Woods, plus a few Migrant Hawker dragonflies. There seem to be lots of wasps and more than a few Hornets about too.
Wednesday 2nd October [Mainly overcast]
Today, I went to the lake late morning and birded Rainbow Point to Top End gate and back unitl early afternoon. Things are very quiet at the moment, and the only thing that was of much interest was a juvenile Marsh Harrier that was hunting around the Top End for most of the time I was there. It was being chased and harried by an adult Black-headed Gull that seemed to be on a personal mission to drive the harrier to into bankside trees. At one point, a pair of Crows joined in the fun too. I did a little better than Monday with three Lapwings, two Great White and three Little Egrets, in 35 bird spp. plus some Migrant Hawker dragonflies.