1st September.
A walk through Hanging Hill wood produced a few birds, 4 Magpies,2 Jays,1 Mistle Thrush,4 Tree Creepers,5 Blue Tits,and a Blackbird with white wing feathers. As I approached Colliters brook in the second half of the wood a Kingfisher disappeared up stream.
I was watching a few Speckled wood butterfly's when some thing caught my eye, on a piece of old decaying wood sat a Toad. I walked on to Yanley lane and sat and watched two Little Owls in their usual tree.A female Kestrel caught afield Vole and pitched on the telegraph wires to devour its prey. From my vantage point high up on the landfill I watched as a Buzzard was mobbed by two Jackdaws..
3rd September.
My bungalow is situated next to a playing field,running for about 200 yds is a hedge of tree,s and bushes. There is a resident flock of House Sparrows which use my feeders and the feeders of the lady behind me. This morning I was sat reading the paper when I heard a cacophony of noise coming from the garden.I watched as a flock of around 40+ Blue tits and Great tits made their way along the hedge row.I have never seen such a large flock in one area as this.On my local patch at this time of year you would expect a small flock of Blue tits ,Great tits,Long Tailed tits, and the occasional Tree Creepers.Recently on the playing field after the grass has been cut,i have observed plenty of Lesser Black Backed gulls and Black Headed gulls feeding I presume on earth worms..
7th September.
Very quiet at the moment,very few Butterflies on the wing,did see a Common Blue, Red Admiral and a number of Speckled woods.A female Kestrel quartered the fields next to the landfill trying for a field Vole or two.Several pairs of Swallows heading south, a new Fly over for me was a Cormorant that headed towards Barrow tanks reservoir.The fields near the plantation have a large crop of maize which looks nearly ready for harvesting,large flocks of Finches and Sparrows soon deal with the left over corn. Quite a few Common Darters on the path between the corn field..
9th September.
Yesterday from my back garden around 11am I was trying to photograph some of my neighbours House Sparrows, I noticed a large bird of prey heading towards Dundry. I took a quick picture, and forgot about it, then this morning I had a look expecting a Common Buzzard was surprised to see a Osprey I have had to crop the image to get a close up view but I think thats what it is. Please e-mail me if you have a different id: of the bird.
12th September.
Very early start before sunrise made my way towards the Plantation to see if the Maize crop had been harvested,not yet, but any day now.Surprised a Fox that came out from behind the path which leads to the Cricket pitch. 2 Kestrels on the landfill ♀♂ plus a few Goldfinch and several pairs of Bullfinches. The Little owls where in the Ash tree near to the lane leading into Yanley lane,a small flock of Swallows and a single House Martin heading south.The Wood Pigeon flocks are increasing and plenty of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes on the West side of the landfill. Thought I saw a Redwing flying towards the Cricket pitch but it may be a bit early for that species.Robins seem to be in every bush with their rapid series of Tick tick tick calls and several Blackcaps plus a Whitethroat and a very Yellow warbler which I have no ideal what it was.About the same size as a Willow warbler but with out the eye stripe.
17th September.
In glorious sunny conditions a walk around my patch produced 2 Ravens calling above Hanging hill wood,a large flock of tits along the foot path towards the iron bridge, mostly Long tailed and a few Blue tits. Male and female Mallard on the wood entrance pond along with 2 Moorhens.Several Blackcaps near the waterfall, 3 Chiffchaffs, a small charm of Goldfinchs on the landfill site.2 jays several Carrion crows and at least 30+ Woodpigeons. On the path near the waterfall several Small copper butterflies one small Blue and a Comma. On the landfill I watched a Kestrel hovering and then catching a field Vole.
19th September.
Very quiet along the path from the waterfall, a few Blackbirds in the under growth a couple of Chiffchaffs plus a flock of 11 Goldfinch near the wood entrance pond. On the pond two Moorhen plus a noisy Jay in the near by willows.The maize fields have not yet been harvested, but a few House Sparrows have started plundering the ripe corn.Over the proposed stadium site a male and female Kestrel plus a Moorhen in the relief channel.
21st September.
A quick walk around the perimeter of the proposed stadium site produced a female Reed Bunting,a few Robins a Great spotted woodpecker and a Kingfisher in the stream at the Silbury road bridge plus Several Common Darter dragonflies.
22nd September.
Large flock of Swallows over the west side of the landfill site,in the top part of the woods I watched a large party of Long tailed tits,Bluetits,Goldcrest and Tree Creepers make their way through the canopy. The occasional Jay also making them selves known,plus several Blackbirds Songthrush,and Wrens skulking around the undergrowth. 2 Great spotted woodpeckers seen near the iron bridge, a Common Buzzard over the plantation.Male Reed Bunting along the Longmoor relief channel.
23rd September.
From my back garden a steady stream of Swallows heading south, plus 2 Common Buzzards I watched one of the Buzzards circling quite high he then folded his wings and dropped in to a steep dive, pulling up just before the trees on Bedminster down a beautiful site to watch.
