The most exciting local news concerns a very late Barn Owl nest in YACWAG’s Littlewood reserve. This was discovered by volunteer warden John Croxton at the end of September and five owlets were duly ringed by Chris Sperring MBE from the Hawk & Owl Trust early in October.
The persistent rain mid month was a major concern but we believe that at least four of the young survived this and hopefully will have fledged by the time that you read this. It has been a great year for our owls: this nest box has already produced two Tawny Owls and then Stock Doves nested in it. Three species in one season must be some kind of record.
Staying with owls a trip to the sea wall during the very high tides produced a lovely Short Eared Owl, no doubt on migration. A flock of 40 Goldfinches was less impressive but a welcome sight after reports of few of these birds in gardens.
A Peregrine was seen (unsuccessfully) chasing a curlew at the old Kenn estuary and another was feeding on a pylon near Yatton where it successfully saw off two Ravens that were coveting its kill.
Wheatears were still to be seen along the estuary in good numbers mid month with hundreds of Meadow Pipits on their way south. Four clouded yellow butterflies was a nice sight as well. There seems to be a few more Grey Wagtails around this autumn, perhaps reflecting a more productive breeding season: Sheila Naish saw one in her garden and there was another on Stowell’s buildings viewed from Wemberham Lane with some Pied Wagtails.
A Kingfisher caused a surprise when it flew out over the road near The Bridge Inn and another was by Wemberham rhyne : this species has also had a productive year. Kestrels too seem more abundant ound Kenn Moor for the same reason and at least one stonechat was back on winter territory there by the 23rd.
Jill and I visited Chew Valley Lake to see a Great Skua. This brute of a bird was living on a Coot a day and had probably been driven inland by bad weather. Certainly ex-hurricane Gonzalo played a major part in 305 Great Skuas being recorded of the North Cornwall coast.
Trevor Riddle 01934 835208
PS – MEGA – Eleanora’s Falcon seen over Bullocks Farm, Kingston Seymour 26th 
(they aren’t very big!) These birds store prey on a thorn bush known as a larder but whilst we were watching it only caught a small insect which it consumed immediately. It had caught two lizards earlier and a photographer was able to show us a picture of one capture. Presumably the lizards were just coming out of hibernation and perhaps weren’t fully awake.
Finally, 53 Snipe and a single Jack Snipe were present on YACWAG’s Kenn Moor reserves, the highest count of the winter.
A bit out of our area, a Dartford Warbler is wintering in a public park in Cheltenham. ‘Darties’ breed on gorse and heather moors so to find one in a park (and it has survived cold and snow) is astonishing. It is frequenting a wildflower meadow area – full marks to the local council for providing this.
to Cheddar reservoir. Immatures of this species turn up fairly regularly ( on Clevedon Marine Lake once!) but this is the first adult male, with a long tail, that I have ever seen in our area.
John Pockett phoned me mid month to say that whilst returning from Kingston Seymour, a pair of Cranes flew over and landed in the field next to the junction with the Yatton to Clevedon road.
The sea wall has produced a few unusual migrants, my favourites being four Avocets, the emblem of the RSPB. The very high tides mid month made for good viewing conditions, which was just as well with fairly similar species present. The odd Little Stint. Sanderling and Curlew Sandpiper were mixed in with the Dunlin flock.
nested successfully. Two juveniles were in flight with one of the adult birds so I was able to include that information in the national peregrine survey.
ittle Owls however were still around the village hall area mid month.
at the Little Owls are as successful as their neighbours. With the decline in Kestrel numbers this is especially good news. On the subject of owls, here are pictures by Noah Croxton taken when chicks were ringed from a box near the Strawberry Line. Chris Sperring MBE who normally rings Yacwag owlets was away, so we were fortunate to secure the services of Ed Drewitt, a professional naturalist and licensed ringer from Bristol to do the job. You may hear Ed talking on natural history topics on Radio Bristol from time to time.
and the settled weather (at time of writing) that our pair may have a second brood. Reports I am getting continue to suggest that both Tawny and Barn Owls are having a very good year. Indeed, this comment applies to many species. I have never heard so many Wrens singing or seen so many young birds. Indeed it’s not only birds, there has been an abundance of small fish on the Avalon Marshes, so much so that the nesting Bitterns can walk from their nests to catch fish and consequently there are less feeding flights. This is great, but makes monitoring (volunteers watch for and map feeding flights) more tricky. Cuckoos have also been present in better numbers than for many years, John Croxton and I were surprised to hear one calling in Littlewood – the first that I have ever heard there. The Cuckoo at Mendip Spring Golf Club was still being seen and heard in mid June.
beginning of the month. This bird would have been resting and feeding during its long migration from Africa to Northern Britain or perhaps even Iceland. The first Wheatears started passing through in mid March and the stragglers are still coming as I write (20th).
Red kites are on the move – one was over Nailsea (15th) and another over Yatton (20th).
Awaiting meeting note.
The book group met on the 23rd February 2015 to discuss ‘Scoop’ by Evelyn Waugh.
Since the last book group update we have read three books. On Monday 29th Sep-tember we met at The Drum to discuss ‘Saturday’ by Ian McEwan. This story takes place over a 24 hour period and chronicles a day in the life of a neurosurgeon. We admired McEwan’s meticulous research and the twists in the plot. However we agreed we could marvel at the writer’s skill without liking the book.
Japan. He is following the progressive Spring flowering of the Cherry blossom. An interesting witty read. It did not provide insights into Japanese culture that might have been hoped for.
