MARSH WARBLER AT YEOVIL COUNTRY PARK - VISIT TO WEYMOUTH AND YEO VALLEY BIRDS
YEOVIL COUNTRY PARK 15TH JUNE 2023
For the last four days a Marsh Warbler has been singing from a reedbed besides the river Yeo in Yeovil. It was found by a local birder Oli Mockridge , I could not get over there until this morning and luckily for me the bird was still present, singing away and showing very well. Having missed this bird in both Greece and Bulgaria this year it was nice to catch up with it especillay on my doorstep.
I went out at 6am and arrived at the start of the path some fifteen minutes later, another fifteen minutes went by as I walked to the site of the warbler. There was no-one there looking at the bird but it was easy to find as it was singing continuously, a mumble-jumble of notes and phrases stolen from other bird's songs. I took a short video of the bird you can watch the video on Facebook by clicking this link. https://www.facebook.com/reel/218755461104425
A good number of other birds were singing along the river walk too: I saw or heard: Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Balckcap. Mnay common birds were in song too: Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Chaffinch.
Here are few pictuires from this morning's marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Wednesday 14th June
LODMOOR AND WEYMOUTH BEACH & HARBOUR
Weymouth Bay looking eastwards towards the White Nothe
Dawn and i went down to Weymouth in the late afternoon and took a walk from Lodmoor to the Harbour and back. We walked 14,000 steps and had fish and chips sitting in the sunshine overlooking the harbour. Passing through Lodmoor we saw many birds, we noticed that the gulls and terns are busy feeding chicks with many of the gull chicks already fledged includung Med Gulls.
Lodmoor looking from the west track towards Beachdown Way
Other species seen were: Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, Common Shelduck, Little Egrets and Herons. In the scrub and bushes along the path we saw Cetti's Warbler, a very showy individual. Also Chiffcaff, Greenfinch, Reed Warbler and many common species.
THURSDAY JUNE 15TH 2023
A WALK FROM DARTS FARM TO TOPSHAM VIA BOWLING GREEN MARSH AND THE 'GOAT WALK'
Its always great to visit Topsham and Bowling Green Marshes, but there are strings usually attached to my visits with Dawn. We had to pop into IKEA first!! However, it was not painful at all I came out of there in less than hour and with my wallet virtually intact (only very slightly damaged), Phew!!
the lush-looking view from the hide at Bowling Green Marsh
We bought lunch supples in the superb deli at Darts Farms and walked up to Bowling Green Marsh were we had a lovley cuppa whilst watching a few birdies. The tide was low, so not many birds were visible, but we did see 3 Eurasian Spoonbills, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, Common Shelducks, Black-tailed Godwits and my first returning Teal of the summer.
Little Egret at Topsham, feeding on a rising tide
RECENT GARDEN SIGHTINGS
in this lovely weather it is great to sit outside and watch the birds go by from my garden. A Green Woodpecker's nest can be seen and over the last few days I have been watching the adults feeding the chicks, but today I think they have fledged as I have seen no activity at all.
Green Woodpecker - can you seen the chick on the Left hand side, lower part of the tree trunk, begging for food from the nest hole (not visible)?
daddy nears the nest hole
and feeds one of the chicks
My Blue Tits fledged on June 8th whilst I was away in Devon, why couldn't they wait a couple of days for me to come home and see them off?? It is great to see House Martins back in the nests above our flat, last year they never returned at all? At least three nests are occupied.
I can scope over to 'Rook Mountain' and I often see Stock Doves perched in a dead tree, they are usually there from about 6pm, just for an hour or so. I get to see Great Spotted Woodpecker quite often too and the local Buzzards have bred again but the nest is beyond the hill. The local Pheasants are becoming vocal again, I wish they would shut up for a while as August 12th is appraoching, a dangerous time for them. Haven't seen a single Red-legged Partrdige for ages now, I don't think there as been a relase this year and perhaps no hunting either, fingers crossed.