September 2014

A visit to Poets Walk, Clevedon at the end of July confirmed that the peregrines had indeed 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.

Hobbies have been seen much less this year, but now is the time when any youngsters are flying around and the birds are generally more visible. If you do see one please let John Croxton or myself know.

The barn owls on Congresbury Moor have five owlets in their second brood, that’s nine this year, a record for the site. They were ringed by Chris Sperring MBE from the Hawk and Owl Trust and he pronounced them to be well fed and developed. On an evening visit to Herons Green, Chew Valley Lake, a pair of barn owls were out hunting, no doubt to feed their young. 2014 has certainly been a productive year for our owls.

A few migrants have started to appear along the sea wall : there were 100 ringed plover there during the big tides, mid month, along with dunlin, turnstones – some in lovely summer plumage still – and whimbrel.

The first south bound wheatears had arrived and the numbers of migrants is likely to increase as we go into September.

Trevor Riddle 01934 835208