Trip reports
Thursday, 19 January 2012 Dawlish Warren - Tuesday 17 January 2012 Eleven members met at the car park on quite a cold morning before moving off along the track towards the visitor centre. Several small birds were located in the trees and bushes, including a male bullfinch in the emerging sunshine. More... |
Friday, 13 January 2012 Cheddar Reservoir - Tuesday 17 January 2012 Thirteen members met at Cheddar Reservoir on a fine day but as is usual with winter visits to Cheddar, a strong cold breeze made watching uncomfortable. More... |
Sunday, 11 December 2011 West Sedgemoor - Thursday 8 December 2011 Thirteen members attended on a dry but blustery morning. The panoramic view from the hide across the flooded meadows gave fantastic views of a wide range of wildfowl that annually congregate here in the winter. More... |
Tuesday, 6 December 2011 Steart - Wednesday 30 November 2011 Thirteen members met at the car park at Steart to walk along the foreshore and out to the hides. The weather was fine and sunny and the walk got off to a good start when a little owl was seen perched in a barn. More... |
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 Cheddar Reservoir - Tuesday 25 October 2011 Cheddar Reservoir was the meeting point for nine members mainly bent on seeking wildfowl and waterbirds. Low water levels did little to enhance the chances of good bird numbers but those present gave splendid views of a variety of species. More... |
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 Catcott Heath - Saturday 12 November 2011 Sixteen members gathered at the hide at Catcott on a misty dry morning which developed into a fine sunny day. More... |
Monday, 10 October 2011 Ferrybridge & Portland - Sunday 9 October 2011 Just five hardy souls gathered at a windswept Ferrybridge, South Dorset for this meeting. More... |
Tuesday, 4 October 2011 Bowling Green Marsh - Thursday 29 September 2011 Ten local group members gathered at one of the group's favourite birdwatching locations - the hide at the RSPB reserve at Topsham on the River Exe. More... |
Friday, 9 September 2011 Robber's Bridge - Sunday 14 August 2011 Following a damp start, the weather gradually improved throughout the day for the ten members who met at Robber's Bridge on Exmoor for this meeting. More... |
Friday, 9 September 2011 Ashcott Corner - Wednesday 24 August 2011 Ashcott Corner proved to be a very popular venue for this meeting with 25 members in attendance. Heavy rain had been predicted for the day, but apart from one fairly short downpour later on, the weather was most uncomfortably hot. More... |
Sunday, 24 July 2011 Chetsford Water - Tuesday 19 July 2011 Chetsford Water on Exmoor was the venue for this meeting where eight members met at the small car park where the road crosses the bridge over the fast-running stream. More... |
Monday, 4 July 2011 Saturday 2 July - Staple Plain A calm balmy evening was perfect for finding nightjars at this recent meeeting of the Taunton group. More... |
Thursday, 16 June 2011 Dorset was the destination and Radipole the venue for this recent local group meeting. More... |
Sunday, 5 June 2011 Horner Woods - Wednesday 18 May 2011 Leafy coverage did little to help finding birds at Horner woods but the bonus was the chorus of birdsong ringing through the trees. To have a cuckoo calling in the background was a treat, especially these days when it is quite a rarity. More... |
Friday, 20 May 2011 Stolford & Hinkley - Saturday 7 May 2011 Fourteen members of the local group met for a field meeting at Stolford and walked along the shoreline and around the Hinkley Point power station site. More... |
Sunday, 24 April 2011 Another scorcher when seventeen members met at Dunster beach. Shirt sleeves and good light were the order of the day and one of the first observations was of swallows hawking over the field and several whitethroats displaying and singing their scratchy song. More... |
Sunday, 24 April 2011 Seventeen members gathered in the bright sunshine at this local group meeting at the favourite Ashcott Corner reserves. More... |
Monday, 21 March 2011 Catcott Heath - Saturday 5 March 2011 Overcast skies and a chill northerly breeze that blew straight into the front of the hide at Catcott made for uncomfortable conditions for the nineteen members who met there recently. More... |
Monday, 21 March 2011 Budleigh Salterton - Thursday 17 March 2011 There were superb birding conditions at Budleigh recently when seventeen members gathered for a field meeting. More... |
Tuesday, 1 March 2011 Bowling Green Marsh - Wednesday 23 February 2011 A great favourite among field meeting venues is Bowling Green Marsh, the RSPB reserve at Topsham, near Exeter. This trip to the reserve proved to be very successful as, with the high tide forcing birds off the mud of the estuary, the place was alive with many species of birds. More... |
Monday, 7 February 2011 Steart - Sunday 6 February 2011 Wild and windy conditions greeted thirteen members when they met at the car park at Steart recently. Birding got off to a good start near Wall Common when a group of thirteen white-fronted geese was spotted in a field. More... |
Monday, 10 January 2011 Dawlish Warren - Saturday 8 January 2011 Despite a really cold wind, there was bright sunshine for the eighteen members who met for a field trip to Dawlish Warren. More... |
Monday, 13 December 2010 West Sedgemoor - Thursday 9 December 2010 The bitterly cold weather had a dramatic effect on the recent field meeting. Despite bright sunshine, the temperature remained very low and the nine members that arrived were glad of extra warm clothing.Meeting at Swell Wood, there were many small birds on view happy to feed on the nuts and fat that had been hung in the trees. More... |
Monday, 22 November 2010 Catcott Heath - Wednesday 17 November 2010 Constant rain and a cold wind were not ideal for birdwatching but seemed to suit the ducks so that a few hours int the hide overlooking the flooded area were well spent by eight members from Taunton RSPB. More... |
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 Cheddar & Chew Valley Lake - 6 November 2010 Ten members gathered at the car park of Cheddar Resewrvoir recently for a field meeting and found sunny, calm conditions, a rare event at Cheddar as the raised concrete water-filled bowl at the foot of the Mendips is renowned for the strong winds that rip across the flat expanse of open countryside. More... |
Friday, 8 October 2010 Wall Common & Steart - 3 October 2010 There was a small turnout of five members at this recent meeting. The weather proved to be far better than expected following a forecast of heavy rain, indeed as the day wore on, the weather gradually improved. More... |
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 Ferrybridge & Portland - Thursday 16 September 2010 Just six brave souls made the journey down to Dorset recently for this field meeting. The weather was kind, being overcast and quite chilly but at least dry. More... |
Thursday, 9 September 2010 Brean Down and Berrow - 4 September 2010 This is the time of year when migrants can be encountered, so the site chosen for this meeting was Brean Down, the point of land that stands well out into the Bristol Channel and shortens the distance migrant birds have to fly over open water after travelling through Wales. More... |
Thursday, 19 August 2010 Ashcott Corner - 18 August 2010 What a great day of birdwatching! August is one of the months when birding is not easy with all sorts of young birds and moulting adults about and a distinct lack of bird song to aid identification. 17 members were well rewarded during their recent visit to Ashcott Corner. More... |
Wednesday, 18 August 2010 Robber's Bridge - 8 August 2010 Twelve members attended this recent field meeting at Robber's Bridge on Exmoor. The weather was extremely kind with excellent light conditions. More... |
Thursday, 29 July 2010 July is not the best time of year to do some birdwatching. After the rigours of the breeding season, most birds are quietly resting and recuperating in worn plumage awaiting the moult with large numbers of juveniles adding to the difficulty of identification. More... |
Monday, 5 July 2010 Ashcott Corner - Saturday 3 July 2010 Walking from the car park to the viewing point over the reserve, fourteen members recorded a variety of species that are found in the varied habitats along the old railway track. More... |
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 Staple Plain (Quantocks) 25 June 2010 THERE were ten members present at the recent Taunton RSPB local group evening field meeting at Staple Plain on the Quantock Hills when the quarry species was the nightjar. More... |
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 THE ever-popular venue of Greylake was the setting for the most recent field meeting of the Taunton RSPB local group. More... |
 | Sunday, 30 May 2010 Despite grey, overcast skies the weather was warm and dry for the walk up through this wonderful wooded valley on the northern edge of Exmoor. It is a treat to follow the rocky, foaming course of Horner Water, regularly stopping at every bridge and vantage point to scan the cascades for dippers or grey wagtails. It wasn't long before dippers were seen briefly before they shot off upstream around a bend. More... |
Friday, 23 April 2010 Stolford & Hinkley - 20 April 2010 Another regular venue, Stolford & Hinkley provided the setting for a recent field meeting of the group. There were twenty people in attendance including two welcome visiting members from the Crewkerne group and, luckily, the location lived up to expectations with a good tally of 44 species for the day. More... |
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 Ashcott Corner - 11 April 2010 Highly placed on the list of birding venues in Somerset are the Avalon Marshes, and top spots on the marshes as far as the Taunton local group is concerned are Ashcott Corner and Ham Wall. This was definitely underlined recently when twenty-one members gathered at the car park on a fine clear day with superb viewing conditions but with a chilly wind blowing across the expanses of water. More... |
Friday, 19 March 2010 Bowling Green Marsh - 24 February 2010 One of the West Country's premiere birding spots provided the venue for the meeting of the Taunton local group. Ten members met at Topsham to visit the reserve at Bowling Green Marsh. More... |
Sunday, 28 February 2010 Cheddar Reservoir - 26 January 2010 Fortunately there was no wind on the bitterly cold day when fourteen members gathered for a field meeting at Cheddar Reservoir. But what a day's birding it turned out to be with a list almost like the who's who of the bird world. More... |
Monday, 30 November 2009 Cheddar Reservoir - 8 November 2009 Following a prolonged spell of very mild weather, it was a great surprise to the twelve members who met at Cheddar Reservoir recently to discover that a bitterly cold northerly wind was blowing across the surrounding walkway. More... |
Monday, 26 October 2009 Bowling Green Marsh - 20 October 2009 Bowling Green Marsh, the RSPB reserve at Topsham, near Exeter, is one of the favourite venues for a field meeting for the Taunton local group. The recent meeting there proved to be just as successful as usual despite a somewhat unsettled day of weather. More... |
Monday, 5 October 2009 Radipole & Portland - Saturday 3 October 2009 Autumn had appeared over the horizon when just five members met at Radipole for a walk round this well-known reserve.Although the temperature had not plummetted, a very strong wind was blowing that gave the distinct feeling that winter was just around the corner. More... |
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 Steart - Sunday 6 September 2009 Although the tide was not altogether at its best for birdwatching, nevertheless the twelve members, led by Evan Williams, had a wonderful day. More... |
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 Ashcott Corner - Thursday 17 September 2009 Taking advantage of a settled spell of good weather, fifteen members, led by Gillian Cowen, made a return visit to the popular Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, a venue that features regularly in the group's annual programme. More... |
Friday, 21 August 2009 Farley Water - Wednesday 19 August 2009 Another walk on Exmoor for the Taunton group took place at Farley Water recently. Nine members, led by John Connolly, set off in an almost gale-force wind beneath low, scudding dark clouds that eventually began to deposit a thick, misty drizzle. More... |
Friday, 21 August 2009 Chetsford Water - Saturday 8 August 2009 Decent sunny weather seems to be rather scarce these days, so it was especially nice for the eleven Taunton members, led by Colin Sampson, who gathered at Chetsford Water to find a warm, clear day with excellent light for birdwatching. More... |
Tuesday, 4 August 2009 Greylake Moor - Tuesday 28 July 2009 Fourteen members, led by Stuart Hill, met at Greylake RSPB nature reserve for a recent field meeting on an overcast but warm and dry day. They were joined at the car park by Assistant Warden Becky Thorpe and Volunteer Clare Rands who were there to guide the party round the reserve. More... |
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 Staple Plain - Friday 17 July 2009 Several days of continuous rain did not bode well for the Taunton group annual nightjar walk at Staple Plain recently. However, there seemed to be a break in the weather on that particular evening and fourteen members, led by Evan Williams, gathered at the car park and spent a little time watching deer on the other side of the valley. More... |
Monday, 6 July 2009 Robbers' Bridge - Sunday 5 July 2009 Variable weather conditions alternating between bright sun and overcast cloudy skies greeted twelve members, led by Colin Sampson, when they arrived at the car park at Robber's Bridge on Exmoor. More... |
Sunday, 21 June 2009 Ashcott Corner - Thursday 18 June 2009 Seventeen members, led by Gillian Cowen, were treated to a first-class day of birdwatching when they attended a field meeting that took place at Ashcott Corner. One of the group's favourite venues, it lived up to its reputation and, despite cloudy overcast conditions, gave views of some brilliant birds. More... |
Monday, 8 June 2009 Langford Heathfield - 6 June 2009 Spending the first forty-five minutes sat in cars waiting for the rain to abate did little to enhance the enthusiam for the nine Taunton members who met at Langford Heathfield for a recent field meeting.Indeed, when the rain eased off, two members decided to quit and two more went off for a stroll while the remaining five decided to give it a go and walk through the woods on Langford Common. More... |
Friday, 29 May 2009 Thurlbear - Wednesday 20 May 2009 Thurlbear has a nature reserve that is not only local to Taunton but also offers the opportunity to see many species that are normally mainly found on chalk downs, the very habitat that the reserve has been constructed to respesent. Twelve members, led by Terry Mullins, recently held a midweek trip there and were rewarded with a day of fine weather and an excellent selection of flora and fauna. More... |
Friday, 29 May 2009 Leaves are thickening on the trees. The bright green new leaves of the beech make a real touch of spring and this, together with a pleasantly warm and sunny day, all made for a splendid field meeting when fourteen members, led by Eric Luxton, met at the car park at the foot of Horner Woods. More... |
Wednesday, 6 May 2009 Bincombe - Tuesday 28 April 2009 Eleven Taunton local group members, led by Stuart Hill, met at the triangle at Over Stowey to begin this year's field meeting at Bincombe. The weather was exceptionally good with plenty of sunshine and warmth as the group headed off down the road towards Nether Stowey and turned into the lane that eventually leads up the through combe. More... |
Wednesday, 15 April 2009 Stolford & Hinkley - Saturday 11 April 2009 Clear views over the Bristol Channel from Stolford created a panorama right around from Brean Down past Steep Holm, Flat Holm and the coast of South Wales to the distant high cliffs of Exmoor on the North coast of Somereset. Exceptionally clear conditions added to a great day for the 14 Taunton members, led by Evan Williams, who met there and walked along the sea wall and around the power station at Hinkley Point. More... |
Wednesday, 15 April 2009 Catcott Heath - Thursday 19 March 2009 Spring had certainly arrived when 13 members, led by John Connolly, gathered at the hide of the Catcott nature reserve. Despite a foggy start, the warm sun soon burned off the mist and left a bright, sunny although somewhat hazy day. More... |
Tuesday, 3 March 2009 Budleigh Salterton - 1 March 2009 Gathering at the car park, fifteen members led by Evan Williams, headed up the estuary on a bright and calm day. There were large numbers of wigeon gathered on both the river and the sea and among other bird species were teal, mallard, shelduck, curlew, little egret and the bonus of a single whimbrel. More... |
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 Dawlish Warren - 18 February 2009 It was dry and mild, but there was a bit of a haze when 24 members, led by Stuart Hill, met at Dawlish Warren for a field trip. Tending to split into sections as they made their way out to the hide on the Warren, there was a good coverage of any birds that were present. More... |
Wednesday, 21 January 2009 Bowling Green Marsh - 20 January 2009 This recent field trip near Exeter was a mixture of good and not-so-good fortune. On arrival it was found that the tide was still well out and there was a distinct lack of birds on the reserve apart from some black-tailed godwits. More... |
Monday, 15 December 2008 West Sedgemoor - Thursday 11 December 2008 Twenty one members, led by John Connolly, gathered at the RSPB reserve for the last meeting of the year. More... |
Friday, 28 November 2008 Westhay - Saturday 22 November 2008 Westhay Moor was the setting for twenty-one local members, led by Gillian Cowen. Westhay soon produced heron, a gathering of mute swans including seven juveniles, shoveler, mallard, seven greylag, cormorant, coot, and little grebe. More... |
Wednesday, 19 November 2008 Cheddar Reservoir - Wednesday 12 November 2008 Flat calm water greeted seventeen local group members when they arrived at Cheddar reservoir More... |
Monday, 20 October 2008 Stolford & Hinkley - 19 October 2008 Looking across the Bristol Channel, it was very noticeable that viewing conditions were going to be good for the twenty-five members, led by Eric Luxton, who met at Stolford. More... |
Wednesday, 15 October 2008 Bowling Green Marsh - 7 October 2008 Fifteen members of the local group, led by Charles Quinn, attended the field meeting at Topsham. More... |
Monday, 22 September 2008 Eighteen members from the local group, led by Evan Williams, met at the car park and headed along the road towards the hides. One good sighting was a little owl perched on a post . It remained motionless and everyone had great views of this attractive voracious predator with its mottled brown plumage and outstanding cream eyebrows. More... |
Friday, 19 September 2008 Sand Point - Thursday 11 September 2008 Autumnal migration should be well under way by now. 15 members from the local group, led by John Connolly, met at Sand Point, near Weston-super-Mare and were greeted by a reasonably fine day with a bit of a wind but only one light shower of rain. More... |
Wednesday, 30 July 2008 Chetsford Water - 26 July 2008 19 Members, led by Colin Sampson, met at the small off-road parking areas to walk down Chetsford Water towards Nutscale Reservoir. More... |
 | Wednesday, 16 July 2008 More than thirty members, relatives and guests gathered in the gloom in the car park at Staple Plain and, after some time observing the numerous red deer that were among the bracken on the other side of the valley, set off to walk up the wide path to the top of the hill. More... |
Friday, 27 June 2008 Ferrybridge & Portland Area - 22 June Beginning a field meeting in the Weymouth area at Ferrybridge was not too great an idea as the tide was in and the Fleet awash, covering all sandbanks that usually provide resting and feeding places for birds. More... |
Thursday, 12 June 2008 Greylake Moor RSPB reserve proved a popular attraction for the latest field meeting when 26 people arrived and were escorted around part of the reserve by West Sedgemoor assistant warden Becky Thorpe and RSPB volunteer Nigel Smith. More... |
Sunday, 18 May 2008 Horner Water flows down a typical Exmoor Valley the sides of which are cloaked in fine sessile oaks, an outstanding habitat for visiting migrants seeking suitable nesting and rearing conditions. It was here that 12 members , led by John Connolly, met for a meeting on a calm warm day. More... |
Monday, 12 May 2008 Glorious weather and a local reserve led to a large turnout at Thurlbear. Twenty-one members, led by Stuart Hill, walked on to the patch of chalkland habitat well known among butterfly students. More... |
Wednesday, 30 April 2008 Deep wooded combes with fast flowing streams that eat into the sides of the Quantock Hills are favourable birdwatching spots in the spring. One such favourite is Bincombe and its popularity was demonstrated at a recent meeting, led by Evan Williams, by an attendance of 25 members. More... |
Wednesday, 30 April 2008 Despite the bright sunshine, there was a chill wind when 15 members, led by John Connolly, met recently at a field meeting at Ashcott Corner. More... |
Monday, 24 March 2008 Budleigh Salterton - 22 March 2008 Streaming eyes and shaky optics were not the only concern for sixteen Taunton RSPB local group members, led by Stuart Hill, who met recently for a field meeting at Budleigh Salterton. Main concern was staying upright when in exposed situations. In fact the north-westerly wind was so strong offshore that some concern was felt about venturing onto the clifftops. More... |
Thursday, 13 March 2008 Bulging at the seams, that was the hide at Catcott Lows recently when a larger-than-usual number of members, led by Evan Williams, met for a field meeting. More... |
Sunday, 17 February 2008 Field trip to Dawlish Warren - 17 February ANOTHER day of brilliant sunshine, but accompanied by a bitter east wind, greeted fifteen Taunton RSPB local group members led by Gill Cowen, when they met at Dawlish Warren for a recent field trip. More... |
Wednesday, 6 February 2008 Radipole and Portland - 6 February 'DEFINITELY the best field trip for many a day' was the opinion expressed by the sixteen Taunton RSPB local group members who gathered recently in the Weymouth area. More... |
 | Saturday, 26 January 2008 Cheddar Reservoir - 26 January 2008 The most recent field meeting took place at Cheddar Reservoir. More... |
Sunday, 20 January 2008 Bowling Green Marsh - 15 January 2008 The first field meeting of 2008 for the Taunton local group took place recently at a favourite site, the RSPB reserve at Bowling Green Marsh near Exeter. More... |
Tuesday, 11 December 2007 Eleven stalwarts braved the elements to turn out for a recent Taunton local group meeting at West Sedgemoor. More... |
Friday, 30 November 2007 Cheddar Reservoir and Chew Valley - 24 November 2007 Arriving at Cheddar reservoir, fifteen members led by Charles Quinn found overcast conditions with a thick drizzly rain. More... |
Thursday, 15 November 2007 Ferrybridge and Portland Area - 8 November 2007 Winter clothing was the order of the day for a dozen Taunton local group members, led by Eric Luxton, who recently spent the day in the Weymouth area. More... |
 | Saturday, 27 October 2007 Wall Common & Steart - 21 October 2007 Although high tide was predicted for early afternoon, acres of muddy foreshore greeted the 25 members who gathered at Wall Common on a chilly and bright morning. More... |
 | Thursday, 18 October 2007 Prawle Point - 10 October 2007 11 Taunton local group members, led by John Connolly, were rewarded with splendid warm weather and ideal birdwatching conditions. More... |