Trip reports

Heron's Green - Chew Valley Lake

Wednesday, 19 August 2009

After last year's evening we couldn't have chosen a better night, sunny and warm with a light breeze. Over twenty members and a vistor from the University of Texas gathered for a social chat and to see a few birds. There were family parties of little grebes and lots of great crested grebes, including one bird sitting on a nest (in the second half of August!!). A single oystercatcher was resting with the loafing gulls, whilst a common sandpiper was more active feeding on the margins. Pochard were particularly numerous but there were only a couple of ruddy ducks - our visitor did say that they reminded him of home. A raven sat high on a pylon but best was a barn owl seen perched at the back of the pool, then hunting and interacting with a buzzard. A second common sandpiper flew over calling to end a very pleasant evening. Trevor Riddle