A summery half day at The Cotswold Water Park

We headed to the Waterhay car park.

Before we had really started a kestrel flew across the car park, not the only one of the day – I think they must be having a good year!

As we headed along the first footpath, we encountered a mix of small birds including chiffchaff, blue tit, great tit, wren, an elusive goldcrest and robin.

A young wren

We briefly popped through the hedge to look at lake 82, where we had another view of a kestrel and on the lake there were tufted duck, great crested grebe feeding their young, mallard, coot and mute swan, also flying overhead were a number of Canada goose and cormorant as well as a single greylag goose.

As we passed the buddleia bushes for the first time we saw a couple of chiffchaff, but not many butterflies.

As we reached the long lake 68a/b we saw a number grey heron and little egret dotted along the edge of the lake.

There were also more mute swan and cormorant, a lot more cormorant in fact. We also saw some black-headed gull and lesser black-backed gull mixed in the throng.  Along the edge of the lake was a moorhen or two feeding then we were lucky enough to spot a kingfisher sitting quietly in a lake-edge bush – brilliant!

Kingfisher with a moorhen hiding below

Around the same time we picked up our first comma of the day as the sun started to warm the day up.

We worked our way along the edge of the lake picking up additional bird species like pochard and common tern on and over the water. In the hedgerows we picked up long-tailed tit,  blackbird, song thrush, cetti’s warbler, blackcap and some all to elusive reed warbler and whitethroat. Finally a couple of green woodpecker were seen making swift exits from the lake edge ahead of us!

Butterfly were much more showy as the sun continued to warm the day, several more comma were seen as well as a number of red admiral, a small tortoiseshell, a lovely painted lady and a fair few green-veined white. 

Comma

(NA)

A day on the Somerset Levels

A summer visit to Somerset

With the sun already out we know today would be a very hot one.

First stop at Shapwick Heath was Noah's lake where an Osprey had turned up a few days ago, the birds was soon found sat on its favourite perch.

After watching the bird for around ten minutes it took off and flew high over the lake then turned and flew back towards us stopped and hovered then dived for a fish, no fish this time but after two more dives you could see a fish in its talons and it was off to its favourite perch. Brilliant to see an Osprey fishing at such a close range.

Just before moving off we noticed a black mammal running down the path in front of us and as it got closer we could see that it was a large Mink, it soon crossed the canel to the disapproval of the Swans on the water but it soon disappeared into the vegetation on the far bank.

Next stop meare Heath hide to look for Marsh harriers, two birds could be seen hunting in the distance but soon dropped down into the reed beds.

Moving on to our next stop to look over a wetter area we found several ducks moulting out a mix of  both Gadwall and Mallard, a closer look found two Garganey mixed in with them before we moved on a Bittern flew out of the reeds given a close fly past.

Moving on to Ham Wall two Great white egrets were seen flying over the reeds along with Grey heron and Little egrets.

With the sun getting to us we headed for one of the hides to cool down. Here we had much closer views of Marsh harriers as they drifted over the reeds, also another Bittern landed in the reeds just in front of the hide. Before leaving a Hobby appeared hunting high over the marsh.

After we had cooled down we moved on this time looking over the wader scrape, a quick look found a Glossy ibis and a Common sandpiper moving down the path to obtain a better view we started scanning again.

This time we found two Glossy ibis along with both Green and Common sandpipers and several lapwing. A group of  Black tailed Godwits flew over but did not land.

Not many smaller birds around today due to the heat but we did hear a Cetti's warbler and both Willow warbler and Chiffchaff.

Later in the day a brief look back at Noah's saw the Osprey fishing again always returning to its favourite tree to eat its prize.

Another great day of wildlife all be a little hot!!DT.

Morning at the Cotswold Water Park

Today started with a Badger crossing the road in front of me as I entered the water park a good start.

Small birds were hard to find today so we put all our efforts into scanning the lakes to look for water birds.

On the largest lake several groups of Great crested Grebes were seen and when counted up we managed a total of 35 birds, there was also a large group of Mute swans totalling 29 birds.

Moving on down the lake several Little Egrets flow over along with a couple of Grey Herons with about 20 Mallard on the water.

A small group of Red crested Pochard passed by along with several Tufted ducks.

On the path back two Jays flew along calling as they went giving away their location.

Several groups of both Sand and House Martins flew over the lake along with a few Swallows and just a single Swift.

On our route back to the car park our star bird turned up gliding slowly over the lake it was a fine Osprey.

Not everyday you see them in the water park just goes to show that anything can turn up if you are out there looking.

An enjoyable couple of hours spent in the morning sunshine. DT

Sunday afternoon at Cotswold Water Park

Initially we headed to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve at Lower Moor.

From the first hide dragonflies were very much the order of the day with Emperor, four-spotted chaser and brown hawker putting on an amazing aerial show. 

Four-spotted chaser

The lake was covered with blue damselflies, no doubt a mix of common blue and azure. It’s worth looking at the common blue link to see a pair properly forming the heart shape!

Birds were a bit thin on the grounds, but we were lucky enough to watch a common tern fishing and see a family of mute swan move effortlessly across the lake.

We then worked our way around the edge of the lake and saw signs that otter were active in the area.

The next lake had Canada goose, mallard and great crested grebe all nicely on show.

The next dragonfly species seen was a couple of cracking male black-tailed skimmers.

A male chiffchaff was singing from the top of a willow tree, but managed to stay hidden from us.

We then moved onto Clattinger Farm where we saw a number of butterfly species: meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white, large white, large skipper and small skipper.

Male marbled white

We also saw, smelt and tasted a number of plants including: pepper saxifrage, lady’s bedstraw, betony, black knapweed, greater knapweed, salad burnet, greater burnet, devil’s-bit scabious, bird’s-foot trefoil and common spotted orchid. 

On our way back to the picnic area, a brief stop at Twitcher’s Gate produced coot, greylag goose, cormorant, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull and more common tern. 

Pewsey Downs and its farmland birds

We started off from the Small Grain car park, heading towards the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Morgan’s Hill.

We were soon picked up some linnet singing on and around the bushes and a lovely male yellowhammer sat singing his heart out from the top of a hawthorn bush.

Male linnet at Morgan's Hill

As we carried on along the old Roman Road, we saw common spotted, pyramidal and fragrant orchids just inside the reserve.

As we passed by the woodland and into the open farmland we started to pick up more yellowhammer and the first of several male corn bunting singing their jangly song.

Male corn bunting

We also picked up an increasing number of skylark and meadow pipit singing and collecting food for their chicks. We were also singing good numbers of whitethroat, a species that seems to have wintered well in the Sahel in Africa and returned to the Pewsey Downs in good numbers.

As we were watching another male corn bunting singing from a bush, he shot off to chase away a cuckoo who soon disappeared.

We continued on, really getting to grips with the songs and calls of the various farmland birds, virtually all of which are of high conservation concern. We picked up some butterflies as well, meadow brown, ringlet, large skipper and marbled white being the most numerous.

Marbled white at rest

We headed towards the main round along the side of a wood and were surprised by a hobby that was hunting for insects in the shelter of the trees – great stuff!

Next on the list was a male yellow wagtail who flew over us and landed on top of the crop where we had great views of him.  We heard and saw several more of these fantastic birds during the walk, but didn’t see one quite as well again.

Male yellow wagtail

The next sighting of note was a sheltered patch of flowers that had several butterfly species on them as well clusters of six-spot burnet moths.

The last bird of note was a male redstart flitting along the hedgerow, his red tail clearly evident as he flashed from bush to bush. 

A really nice morning's walk! (NA)

Half day at CWP

A mid morning early afternoon walk in sunny conditions.

There are still a few warblers singing we heard Chiffchaff, Sedge warbler and Whitethroat on the first  footpath away from waterhay.

Over the man area of water a couple of Common tern were fishing with a Black headed gull for company.

Waterfowl numbers seem to be a little higher at the moment it seems things are moving around.

Several Buzzards were seen soaring on the thermals and a scan of the trees found three Little egrets.

Looking over the reed bed both Reed bunting and Reed warbler were found and on the water a few Red crested pochard floated around.

In the thick scrub a lot of young birds could be heard but impossible to see through the vegetation.

Heading back our highlights were a fantastic Grass snake moving across the path just in front of us and a small area of Orchids still in flower.

A lovely peaceful walk around one of my favourite areas in the water park. DT.

Somerset Levels in July

We started our trip on Ham Wall RSPB reserve and despite the lateness of the date we were soon listening to and watching a number of warbler species. The first ones we encountered were blackcap, willow warbler , whitethroat and chiffchaff, all of which we heard and mostly saw very well. We also watched a family of reed warbler in a hawthorn bush. Our next warbler along the footpath was a garden warbler not seen but heard well, allowing the song to be compared to the blackcap. We also got to grips with robin, chaffinch, bullfinch, goldfinch, wren, blackbird, song thrush , long-tailed tit, blue tit and great tit.

We then saw our first little egret and bittern of the day flying over the reeds, as well as a buzzard, quickly followed by a marsh harrier.

We reached the first hide and were greeted by a number of waterbird families. We had great views of young great crested grebe, pochard, coot and tufted duck.

 

Female tufted duck and ducklings

Soon afterwards we had great views of a reed bunting, little grebe and mallard.

After that we headed onto the second viewing platform, on the way we listened to many blackcap, with the odd chiffchaff and whitethroat in the mix also. Swift were present over the reeds in good numbers and we saw the first of a number of great white egret loafing across the reeds.

While at the lookout point, we spotted a hobby hunting over the reeds with the swift. on the way however we were distracted by the flying antics of several hobby over the reedbed, mixing in with the swifts. We could see it catching insects in their feet and passing them to their mouths – great stuff!

From the viewing platforms we picked up a few more birds: lapwing,  gadwall and black-tailed godwit.

We headed for the tower hide, on the way to which we saw a cuckoo fly by, having heard one calling just earlier.

From the hide we had more great views of ducklings, this time coot, pochard and great crested grebe, as well as some young marsh harrier getting to grips with that flying malarkey.

After lunch we headed out onto Shapwick Heath where we heard cetti’s warblers singing well, as well as more whitethroat.

Great crested grebe adult with a hungry chick

We picked up shoveler in with the gadwall on the first pool. On the opposite side we watched the antics of two recently fledged marsh harrier, practising food passes, that came in very useful when the male turned up with food.

We saw similar things from the other hides, more marsh harrier, great white egrets and bittern! (NA)