Blagdon Lake Birds

August 2024 News

Saturday 31st August [Breezy with sunny spells]

I started with Parkrun at Burnham & Highbridge and feeding the bat in care, then went to the lake in the afternoon. There were plenty of egrets, I counted 9 Great White Ardea alba and 9 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, 24 Great Black-backed Gulls Larus marinus, 2 Wigeon Mareca penelope, but I didn't spot any waders. There were several hundred hirundines of the 3 main species over Top End too. I couldn't see the Osprey Pandion haliaetus, until I went to the Top End hide. I think it flew out of the 'cormorant tree' at Flower Corner to its usual roost branch and was eating a fish (probably a trout) when I left at 1645 hrs. Melanie P. went to the lake later in the evening and also saw it eating a fish on the same branch.

Friday 30th August [Sunny & fairly warm]

I went to the lake twice today, firstly late morning to lunchtime, then early evening until dusk. I saw the Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos as usual, and on reaching the Lodge was delighted to see 3 Redshank Tringa totanus on Tiny's Shallow. I checked the gulls for rings and saw nothing unusual, but Pete and Charlotte C., who visited during the afternoon, saw a Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis on the island too. I counted 4 Great White Ardea alba and 5 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, counted 56 Teal Anas crecca, 18 Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis, 37 Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus, 3 Lapwings Vanellus vanellus, 5 Buzzards Buteo buteo and 3 Grey Wagtails Motacilla cinerea. My second visit was primarily to see if any new waders had dropped in during the afternoon and to see if the Osprey Pandion haliaetus came back to roost in the evening. I walked from the Lodge to Rainbow Point, where I saw the Osprey, so went back for my car and drove to Top End so that I could scope it in better light. I feel sure it is an an unringed adult female but have yet to see its underwing or spread tail to look for patterning and signs of moult. While I was watching the Osprey, an interesting-looking wader flew around the Top End several times. It didn't call and had no discernible patterning, so I have no real clue as to what it was and I couldn't find it anywhere around the bank. The Serotine in care is doing okay, and was introduced to waxworms as part of its diet today (thanks to Mark for bringing some over from his local pet shop). I am starting to try and get it to feed itself and exercise - it made two short flights today, which pleased me because I don't want it to get fat and lazy. It has, after all, got to make its way back in the wild as soon as possible.

Thursday 29th August [Overcast early on, but the sun came out later.]

I spent the afternoon at Charterhouse on the Mendips with some invertebrate specialist friends. We enjoyed looking at the ponds and Nether Wood then, while we chatted before going home, a Hobby came hurtling by, presumably on its way south. After something to eat, I went to the lake and was thrilled to see an Osprey Pandion haliaetus apparently roosting again at Top End before I left. I saw 2 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca, 2 Teal Anas crecca, a Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, and 3 each of Great White Ardea alba and Little Egret Egretta garzetta too. The other good news is that the tide is finally starting to go out, so fingers crossed for some wader passage now. The Serotine Eptesicus serotinus in care is a real sweetie, and is happy to sit in my open (gloved) hand while it chomps through mealworm after mealworm. Tomorrow, on Daniel H. advice, I'm going to add some waxworms into its diet to try and get some weight on - its currently 12g and I'll only release it when its over 20g.

Wednesday 28th August [Overcast at times, with sunny spells & warm.]

At the dam this evening there were 3 Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos, with another seen on Green Lawn. In front of the Lodge, the island is starting to show, and I saw 2 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegytiaca there, plus another on Green Lawn, and at Green Lawn I spotted an adult male Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, the first of the year. I counted 2 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta and 4 Great Whites Ardea alba, then at Bell's Bush I noted 22 Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis, and an Osprey Pandion haliaetus in the pines opposite at Indian Country. The Osprey had extensive brown feathering on the belly, if it wasn't mud, so may have been a female, but I didn't see it fly.

Tuesday 27th August [Breezy. The sun came out in the afternoon.]

What a strange and unexpected day! I took a call at 0830 hrs to say a swimming bat had been rescued from the water off the boat pontoons at Chew, and would I go and check it out. It was another very underweight Serotine Eptesicus serotinus, so I took into care. By the evening it had dried out and had started eating mealworms like they were going out of fashion. Friends arrived at 1030 hrs and we went for a 4 mile walk to Burrington and back across the fields and through the woods. Then, just as I was about to go the lake, Dave C. rang me and said a friend in Priddy had found an injured bat outside her kitchen on the ground, and would I go and take a look for him. Sadly, it was badly injured with a bone protruding from the wing, which had been broken at the main joint, so I took it straight to Langford vets. who very kindly put it out of its pain. Given the injury, I didn't wish to handle it too much, but think it was probably a Common Pipistrelle. So, that was the day almost done already, but I did manage an hour at dusk at the lake, and was pleased to see that some birds were now standing on Tiny's Shallow in front of the Lodge, including 2 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca. I saw a Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos on the dam wall, and while at the Lodge I heard the approach of a flock of Greylag Geese Anser anser from the west. They flew straight up the lake, but were almost impossible to count accurately. There were between 25-30, and I reckoned on 26 from the three or four attempts I made to tot them up, but am happy to settle on 25+. I think this is the biggest single count there has been at Blagdon, which is crazy when you think how many there are just over the hill on the Somerset Levels. A midnight feed for the Serotine saw it tuck into 15 mealworms before I roosted it again - so I'm hopeful it'll quickly put on weight and be able to be released back at Woodford Lodge. Thanks to fisheries warden 'Big Mark' for the rescue.

Monday 26th August [Sunny]

Ce and I spent the afternoon walking at Apex Park and along the river at Burnham-on-Sea. When we got back, I went to the lake with enough time before dark to have a more thorough look through the waterfowl. The Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula were spread along the north shore from Butcombe Bay to Green Lawn and this gave me the opportunity to go through them carefully with my scope - I still couldn't find anything different though. There were 2 Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos on the dam, 3 tiny black Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chicks at Cheddar Water, 2 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca on Holt Farm, 3 Great White Ardea alba and 4 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta at various points around the lake, and I picked out 11 Pochard Aythya ferina and 13 Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis.

Sunday 25th August [Sunny spells]

I went down to the lake after tea and checked the dam, the Lodge area and Green Lawn before driving to Rainbow Point where I met Nick W-B, so we birded together to Bell's Bush and back. I listed 30 species, but the only birds that I saw of any note were 2 Great White Ardea alba and 2 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta. It was nice to have a catch-up with Nick while we walked too.

Saturday 24th August [Breezy. Rain am then dry pm.]

I grabbed half an hour at the lake around lunchtime, after the rain stopped. I saw a Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos and 4 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca on the dam then, as I moved on, I counted 2 Great White Ardea alba and 5 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta. While scanning towards Top End with my scope I picked out a Red Kite Milvus milvus low over the water that circled for quite some time, giving great views before I had to leave.

Friday 23rd August [Warm & sunny]

I went to the lake early in the afternoon to rehang a bat box at Top End. It didn't take long, and on the way there and back I saw 2 Great White Egrets Ardea alba, 5 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta and an Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca. There were no boats out and the Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula flock was mainly at the dam end. I didn't have time to go through the waterfowl at Top End. I met up with Mark at Chew Valley Lake shortly after,with the aim of rehanging a couple of boxes there. Unfortunately, the bats had other ideas and both boxes were occupied, so we left them to it. Some heavy rain is expected overnight, which might bring a few migrants down, so I'll try and get to the lake in the morning if I give ParkRun a miss.

Thursday 22nd August [Sunshine & a shower or two]

This morning I enjoyed a hugely enjoyable meet up with my old birding mates Alan B., Jack W., Sid M., Brian L. and Mark P. who I've travelled around Britain and many parts of the world with watching birds. Merv P., Chris C. and Rich M. were also at Chew when we met, so it was a real 'old timers' get together at Herriott's. We shared some tea and cake, and many reminiscences of our adventures, all in the pursuit of our shared hobby. After a run in the afternoon, I went to the lake for an hour this evening. There didn't appear to be anything new to see; I logged 4 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca, 3 Great White Egrets Ardea alba, one Little Egret Egretta garzetta and at least one Lapwing Vanellus vanellus. Interestingly, most of the Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula had moved down the lake to the dam end in a huge flock, but whether this was due to them looking for food at a prefered depth, or, they are pre-empting tonights strong winds and looking for a sheltered roost, I'm not sure. Perhaps, the former is the most likely, with fishing boats off the water, they can feed there without disturbance.

Wednesday 21st August [Mainly overcast with occasional sunny spells]

I did visit the lake very briefly yesterday and saw some egrets, but this afternoon I had more time to go for a walk from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. Disappointingly, the sun was hidden for much of the time, so there were few insects on the wing, and the birds were keeping themselves hidden. I saw 4 Great White Ardea alba and 3 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, and there were one each of Teal Anas crecca and Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca among the more familiar birds. I noted 35 species in total, plus 4 butterfly and 2 dragonfly species. The water level has dropped slightly, but not enough to attract waders, and I fear it probably won't this year. The shallow margins of the lake are very heavily weeded, and to a certain extent attractive to Coot, dabbling duck and herons/egrets. Tufted Duck have mainly been males for the last month, but young of the year and females are starting to arrive now, and if things follow the usual pattern, we may see a reduction in total number at the lake during September, before a possible increase again into the year end, largely dependent on the amount of food available to them. There were a handful of hirundines at either end of the lake, mainly House Martins Delichon urbicum with a few Sand Martins Riparia riparia, but surprisingly very few Swallows Hirundo rustica, as has been the case for the whole summer.

Monday 19th August [Overcast, mainly dry.]

Rob, Skip and I carried out the monthly WeBS count this morning. It was quite eventful in the end as we had a visit from an Osprey Pandion haliaetus at Top End, which flew up towards Breach Hill, and then showed again between there and t'other place with another Osprey. A Hobby Falco subbuteo made a brief appearance over Top End as well. Full count details were as follows: 115 Canada Geese, 38 Mute Swans (inc. 4 juvs.), 4 Egyptian Geese, 25 Shoveler, 72 Gadwall, 218 Mallard, 1 Teal, 7 Pochard, 447 Tufted Duck, 56 Moorhens, 1113 Coots, 11 Little Grebes, 56 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, circa 30 Black-headed Gulls, 23 Herring Gulls, 23 Great Black-backed Gulls, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 19 Cormorants, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Great White Egrets, 5 Grey Herons, 2 Ospreys, 2 Buzzards, and a Hobby. We also, saw a late Swift with House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows and what we assumed to be a family group of 6 Nuthatches in the trees along Butcombe Bank.

Sunday 18th August [Sunny spells & breezy]

I hosted an enjoyable visit by some members of Bristol Ornithological Club for 5 hours today. We saw a Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, 4 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca, the first Teal Anas crecca of autumn, 5 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, 2 Great White Egret Ardea alba, and Sand Martins Riparia riparia, of note in a list of 49 bird species seen during the visit and a short visit I made later in the evening. We also spotted a green Fleabane Tortoise Beetle Cassida murraea at Green Lawn, and several Roesel's Bush-crickets Metrioptera roeselii at North Shore car park.

Saturday 17th August [Sunny most of the day then drizzle in the evening]

It was a pretty busy day today, with a Parkrun in the morning, a footy match with friends in the afternoon, feeding the bat twice, and down to the lake to clean and disinfect the bird feeder, before refilling it. Then I had a quick drive along the south side to see if there was anything about. I counted 3 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca, 4 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta and 3 Great Whites Ardea alba.

Friday 16th August [Sunny & warm]

An afternoon by the lake helped me log 39 bird species, including a Peregrine Falco peregrinus, 8 Lapwings Vanellus vanellus, 5 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, and 2 Great White Egrets Ardea alba. I couldn't find any Lesser Emperors, but there were still a few Emperors Anax imperator, and quite a few Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta on the wing. I met Steve and Sue M. who told me they'd seen one, probably two Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus before we met. The meadows on the north shore were being cut this afternoon, but there's still a few to do on the south shore. Hopefully, they'll be done soon. There's a big boat fishing competition being held at the lake this coming weekend, with practice on Saturday and the match on Sunday. It has been transferred from Chew Valley Lake at late notice, which means it clashes with a Bristol Ornithological Club field meeting that I'm leading on Sunday morning. If you are coming to the BOC meeting, please meet at the south end of the dam at 0930 hrs rather than at the fishing lodge, which will be extremely busy.

Wednesday 14th August [Autumnal until this afternoon. when the sun came out.]

Another day - another bat! I was birding at the lake during lunchtime when I had another call for help, more about which later. At the lake I saw 35 Mute Swans Cygnus olor (4 juvs), the first Wigeon Mareca penelope of the autumn, 27+ Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus, 3 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, a Great White Egret Ardea alba, a Hobby Falco subbuteo, and a Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus of note, in a list of 39 species. Another trip to Bruton this afternoon to collect a bat from the vets that had been brought in to a customers home by a cat. It was a Soprano Pipistrelle that the vet believes to be fit and well. I'll keep it for a couple of days to see how it fares.

Tuesday 13th August [Sunshine & cloud. Rain in the evening.]

I went to Congresbury this morning to run, then met with friends to walk along the River Yeo to Wrington and back. After tea, I went to the lake to bird from my car. I saw nothing of interest bar 2 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, and an increase in the number of large gulls that are appearing on the lake this week (autumn passage has started), before going home as the rain made birding a little unpleasant.

Monday 12th August [A cloudy morning, then warm & sunny in the afternoon. Breezy.]

I enjoyed a couple of hours lakeside this afternoon, just as the sun came out. I saw a Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope at the south corner of the dam, and 3 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca among the throng of Canada Geese Branta canadensis. As I got to Green Lawn on foot, I saw a small tern fly past, a Black Tern Chlidonias niger and the first of the year. It spent at least an hour at the dam end, but appeared to have moved on by the time I got back to the Lodge. A female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus flew across the lake, there were singles of Great White Ardea alba and Little Egret Egretta garzetta, and I noted that Gadwall Mareca strepera numbers seem to be rising too.

Sunday 11th August [Hot & sunny]

I didn't get to the lake yesterday, and with bat duties I didn't get there until 2000 hrs this evening. I birded from the Lodge to Bell's Bush and back. It was an evening of herons, with 3 Grey Herons Ardea cinerea, 4 Great White Egrets Ardea alba, 3 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, and a surprise Bittern Botaurus stellaris which, I think, flew out of the main reed bed at Home Bay out over the lake towards Green Lawn, then back towards the Lodge and off towards the village and over the Mendips at 2134 hrs. I couldn't see it, but recorded the graow flight call it gave, which was quite far-carrying. All the small passerines had gone to roost by the time I got there, and the gathering corvids were the most numerous birds I saw - especially the hundreds of Jackdaws Coloeus monedula. A single Hobby Falco subbuteo was the only other notable bird.

The Serotine, a juvenile female, has been doing well and I took it to Izzy of Severn Wildlife Rescue this afternoon at Bradley Stoke. She will continue its rehabilitation, and all being well, take it to their flight cage when it is able to feed itself, then soft release it. Before going to North Bristol, I had another emergency bat call to move a bat found inside a local building that has a Soprano Pipistrelle maternity roost in the cavity wall. Luckily, it was in good shape, bright and alert, so I posted it back into the roost emergence point and watched it scuttle straight back in. Happy, if unpredictable, days!

Friday 9th August [Wet early morning, then pleasant & sunny with a stiff breeze]

I spent a couple of hours at the lake late in the afternoon, and saw the Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos on the dam, 3 male Lesser Emperors Anax parthenope at the dam/Lodge, 3 juvenile Hobbies Falco subbuteo, a Garden Warbler Sylvia borin and Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla eating elderberries, a Great White Ardea alba and 7 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, and a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus fly across the lake while chatting to Mervyn P. Also, noted were a Common Frog, Migrant Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Large White, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, and Meadow Brown. The Serotine continues to improve and will, hopefully, go to carer Lizzy on Sunday, who will be able to continue to rehabilitate it for release.

Thursday 8th August [Wet nearly all day]

Another day and another call to help an unfortunate wild animal. I picked up a Tawny Owl that was being mobbed by Magpies before they were driven off by the finder. I went to help catch it and confine it for examination. Mel P. and I had a closer look at it and could see the right wing had been damaged - we weren't sure if it was just superficial or more serious, and didn't wish to cause it any more pain. So, we took some advice, and I decided to drive it to Secret World. I managed to contact them and they suggested I pop into Langford on the way to see if I could get a veterinary assessment of the owl. Sadly, the wing had been badly broken, so they recommended it be euthanised. Late home for tea again, and no chance to get to the lake. The bat, a Serotine, seems to be doing okay and feeding. I'll have a chat to Bristol Bat Carers tomorrow and see if they want it in for assessment, but now it's time to feed it again...

Wednesday 7th August [Some drizzle & mainly overcast]

I have been to the lake a couple of times since my last posting but have had little to report. Today, I thought I'd spend more time late afternoon having a good look around, but only got as far as Green Lawn when I had a call asking if I could go to Bruton to pick up a bat that had been taken in to the veterinary practice. The problem was I only had an hour and a quarter to get back to my car, collect my gear, and get there before they closed. Up to that point, I'd seen nothing at the lake to report here. I'm hopeful the bat will be okay (it's eating and drinking), so I may get more time to get back to the lake tomorrow. Sorry folks.

Friday 2nd August [Mainly overcast with sunny spells this afternoon]

There were few birds at the dam today, presumably flushed by grass cutting sometime before I got there this afternoon. There were at least two Lesser Emperors Anax parthenope in the southern corner of the dam though - I saw four today. There were plenty of birds coming to the feeder including a Siskin Spinus spinus, and 2 Little Egretta garzetta and a Great White Egret Ardea alba, a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, and a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus towards Top End too.

Thursday 1st August [Warm & humid early. Sunny later.]

I got to the lake at 1400hrs this afternoon and found 11 Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegytiaca at the dam end and a Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos on the wall. I saw the first of 5 Lesser Emperors Anax parthenope there, but aside from photographing one in flight and looking for them at Bell's Bush (at least one there too) I didn't really spend any more time looking at dragonflies today. I counted 32 Mute Swans Cygnus olor, there may be one or two more, but can still only find two broods (of one and three). Off Bell's Bush there were two Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis sitting in the extensive floating weed and algae. I also saw one Little Egretta garzetta and one Great White Egret Ardea alba. With the dry hot spell, the lake is looking extremely weeded over at Top End and around nearly all the banksides.