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On the 26th February:

1978

We were at Cheddar Gorge to see the male Wallcreeper, which was presumably the same bird that wintered here the previous year and was suppressed, and, the same bird we saw on the cliffs at Hastings on 9th April 1977 on its way back to its breeding grounds.

The bird wasn't easy to see high up on the rock faces of the gorge, and it didn't spend all of time in the gorge, disappearing for an hour or more, probably to Cheddar Quarry, before flying in again.

Cheddar Quarry is where the 1977 bird was seen and as today is a Sunday it is closed.

Eventually, after a wait and lots of scanning, we all got good views of the bird.

From the gorge we went to Cheddar Reservoir where the highlights were 25 Goldeneye and a male Smew.

On the way home we passed by Chew Valley Lake where we saw a Barn Owl.

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing by Laurel Tucker.

 

1983

On Cyprus, where the only birds of note were Cyprus Warblers and a Siberian Stonechat. 

1986

In Pakistan at Keenjhar Lake where new birds were 8 White-throated Munias. 

1990

In Kenya at Lake Borgoria. 2 new birds and 1 new mammal seen today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Fan-tailed Raven. 

2014

At home in Portishead where I saw the 2 male Blackcaps and the female which had been visiting the garden all month, also more activity from the Dunnocks.

2016

A visit to Eastville Park and a walk alongside the River Frome with Dan Freeman, an area I've never been to before, to look for one maybe two Firecrests.

We didn't find the Firecrest, but saw lots of tits, heard a Nuthatch, saw several Goldcrests and had excellent views of 2 Treecreepers.

Then we went further up river to the Snuff Mills where we saw a Grey Wagtail and had great views of a Dipper swimming and also singing.

 

 

 

 

 

Video & photos: Dipper.

 

Also see here.

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