NT
1975
A visit to Barrow Tanks produced only 2 Goldeneye, 5 Redpoll and 10+ Goldcrests. Then on to Chew Valley Lake, the
Great Northern Diver was still there, and we saw 12 Goosander, 300+ Wigeon, 3 male and 6 female Goldeneye, around 200 Pochard, 300 Teal, 38 Pintail, 19 Shoveler and a male Smew. There were also 16 Bewick's Swans, 101 Snipe and around 500 Lapwing, also a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher, a Barn Owl and female Merlin. In the woodland a Treecreeper, 2 Long-tailed Tits and a Green Woodpecker.
1976
A return to Chew Valley Lake where on the western side we saw a Barn Owl and Sparrowhawk, the female Smew was on show and there were now 3 Long-tailed Ducks, also 3 Goldeneye and 23 Goosander. We saw the Black-tailed Godwit again and a Green Sandpiper. We continued to Blagdon Lake where there were lots of ducks and 28 Bewick's Swans, also many Lapwing, a flock of Dunlin, around 50 Snipe and about 120 Stock Doves.
1981
A day out in Somerset on a cold, mainly bright day. First stop was Cheddar Reservoir where there was a male Long-tailed Duck, a female Goosander and 4 Mute Swans amongst the commoner ducks and Coots, also 2 Grey Wagtails. We continued to Bridgewater Bay, where at Catsford Common we saw 3 Shore Larks, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, 4 Shelducks and 6 Yellowhammers. At nearby Wall Common we saw a Water Pipit. Heading inland, near High Ham was a flock of 400+ Fieldfares and Redwings, at Tealham Moor were around 300 Golden Plovers, 12 Dunlin, 150 Fieldfares and a Teal.
2003
2020
A visit to Portbury Wharf, where driving along Wharf Lane I flushed a Merlin from the trees at the side of the lane which flew infront of the car before disappearing over a hedge. At the pool there were 8 male and 5 female Tufted Ducks, a male
Ring-necked Duck, 11 Coot, 3 Moorhens, 2 Little Grebes, 5 Gadwall, 2 Green Woodpeckers and I saw 1 and heard 2 more Water Rails. Along the track were Bullfinches, Goldfinches and Greenfinches. Out on the foreshore I saw 5 Skylarks, 42 Meadow Pipits, 6 Linnets and 5 Reed Buntings, and on the shore 2 Mute Swans, about 60 Redshank, 10 Curlew, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Snipe, around 160 Lapwing, 30+ Dunlin and 17 Shelducks.
A brief visit to Barrow Tanks, seeing a distant Great Northern Diver and Black-throated Diver, which were spending more time underwater than at the surface.