Dove Stone RSPB (including Binn Green and environs)
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Apr 20 10:37 PM, 2018
Slightly bizarre day spent around here today; as some may have heard, unfortunately there was more arson here last night, and today, whilst I was looking around Chew Reservoir, someone (the same people?) decided to set fire to a section of the vegetation along the Chew Brook valley. Several engines, and the fire crews earning their corn (and then some), as they always do. Several RSPB volunteers in there with beaters, too; all credit there. One good thing, though, is that they were caught.
Apart from that, it was another fabulous day around here, with some great species seen. Binn Green still mostly inaccessible, with no access to Yeoman Hey from there (hence I didn't make it to that part of the site).
Binn Green (the little of it I got to see):
1 willow warbler 4+ coal tit 2+ lesser redpoll 1 or 2 great spotted woodpecker
1 willow warbler 3 stonechat 14 meadow pipit 2 skylark heard singing 1 raven 5 red grouse 1 teal (trying gamely to swim up the brook) 2 kestrel
Chew Reservoir:
4+ wheatear 22+ meadow pipit 2 ring ouzel (male giving prolonged view, second bird of unknown sex) 1 teal 71 Canada geese 2 or 3 golden plover (my first here) 2 common sandpiper 1 kestrel
Also whilst at Chew Reservoir, a little way off there was a group of RSPB volunteers and a few others with scopes and whatnot; being nosy, I tried to work out what they might be looking for, and one of the men with them was, I'm sure, Chris Packham. A bit too distant for a 100% ID (and it's rude to stare, especially with binoculars; some people don't like that), but looked like him. A definite patch tick if confirmation is forthcoming, that.
An eventful day, all in.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 20th of April 2018 10:39:25 PM
Graham Beverley said
Sat Apr 7 11:06 AM, 2018
First Swallow of the year for me.
James Minchin said
Fri Apr 6 7:05 PM, 2018
Osprey seen flying over Yeoman Hey res around lunchtime, by volunteers and site manager. Seen again fishing around 3.30 by a visitor.
James Minchin said
Wed Feb 21 5:19 PM, 2018
Greylag on the res today in amongst the Canada Geese too. Same Cormorant and Oystercatcher still there.
-- Edited by James Minchin on Wednesday 21st of February 2018 05:20:39 PM
David Morris said
Tue Feb 20 4:29 PM, 2018
Quick bash 'round' the main reservoir today (couldn't do a lap of it as the path between it and Yeoman Hay is closed, as is Binn Green near the feeders, one of my favourite spots!). Among the usual Black-headed Gulls, Mallards and usual songbirds (lot of Robins out today singing) were:
Treecreeper- 1, in the woods by Ashway Gap
Goldcrest- c3, same place
Cormorant- 1, on one of the rafts on the reservoir
Oystercatcher- 1, flew off the reservoir into a field near the sailing club
Rhys Richards said
Sat Jan 13 11:32 PM, 2018
Lots of Red Grouse on the way to Chew Reservior today.
Charles Farrell said
Sun Dec 31 5:29 PM, 2017
Sun 31st Dec 17 (10:40 - 12:40)
No access to Binn Green or across the reservoirs at one point, so basically just walked along the paths on the west side of the reservoirs. Despite the dry, if sometime windy conditions, there was not much around, at all. Water levels on the reservoirs and in the overflow channels was high and there was a torrent of water coming down the hillsides at the usual points.
- 1 Common Gull on rafts on Dovestone Res - 100+ Black-headed Gull - c120 Mallard (20 on Dovestone and c100 at the top end of Yeoman-Hay) - 1 Pheasant calling - 1 Siskin calling - 2 Pied Wagtail
- usual Jackdaws, Woodpigeons etc
Terry Sykes said
Mon Nov 6 3:47 PM, 2017
7 crossbills 3 male and 4 female in group of mixed finches approx. 14 including greenfinches and goldfinches. Saw twice once at 11.15 and again same group at 13.30
From the road down to reservoir in the larches in front of car park at Binn Green(which is closed to Public due work on Dam commencing this weeks for 3 months!)
Also saw two dark pheasant and a flock of 20+ Goldcrest and Merlin.
-- Edited by Terry Sykes on Monday 6th of November 2017 03:48:05 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 6th of November 2017 04:33:29 PM
Andrea Wilson said
Sun Nov 5 9:23 PM, 2017
Found the attached shot of a Jackdaw taken in the car park at Dovestones on Friday. I didn't notice it was missing a foot at the time. Thankfully it appeared to not be hindered by its disability.
-- Edited by Andrea Wilson on Sunday 5th of November 2017 09:24:41 PM
Thanks for the info and history Rob, there were definitely 2 or 3 individuals on Friday. I've also been told they are classed as a mechanistic mutant of the common pheasant.
Rob Creek said
Sun Nov 5 7:21 AM, 2017
Hi Andrea, that dark emerald Pheasant, assuming it's the same individual, has been here since at least November 2nd 2014 (Ref my post on this thread), or at least there was one of the same colour here on that day. You quite often get black ones, albino's, ones with white patches on (Leucistic tendencies?) and a few odd looking ones around Binn Green but it certainly doesn't look like a Mikado, that surely would've been a stunning dark royal blue colour for a start with different plumage markings. Hope this helps. Rob
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 5th of November 2017 07:34:33 AM
Andrea Wilson said
Sat Nov 4 11:57 PM, 2017
Darrenjruddick wrote:
Looks like an escaped Mikado Pheasant
Thanks Darren
Darrenjruddick said
Sat Nov 4 11:31 PM, 2017
Looks like an escaped Mikado Pheasant
Andrea Wilson said
Sat Nov 4 11:25 PM, 2017
If these two stay around the pine trees they've got a better chance of staying alive as they were more camouflaged than the regular pheasants
Andy Bissitt said
Sat Nov 4 11:03 PM, 2017
Andrea Wilson wrote:
Spotted a number of strangely coloured pheasants from Binn Green area yesterday (photos attached). Are they a usual phase or something else?
I'm surprised the breeders haven't got the feathers to display a bullseye pattern yet.
Andrea Wilson said
Sat Nov 4 9:48 PM, 2017
Spotted a number of strangely coloured pheasants from Binn Green area yesterday (photos attached). Are they a usual phase or something else?
Day spent around here today, not a hugely productive, but a nice day. Lots of coal tits at Binn Green, but very few finches; a couple of goldcrest the pick of the rest.
A willow warbler calling from the copse on Chew Valley path, and a few active chiffchaff here too; a raven high over and a couple of calling red grouse also along the path.
No sign as of 5.00pm, but Adrian one of the RSPB volunteers had a good view from the Sailing Club car park and is pretty certain it was a Cattle Egret. It flew further up the farmers field with all the sheep.
James Minchin said
Fri Aug 4 11:07 AM, 2017
Report an unidentified Egret at Dove Stone this morning with yellow legs. Going to have a look see if I can find it.
Paul Wilkins said
Mon Jul 3 5:18 PM, 2017
Male Ring Ousel active along Chew Reservoir Road. I heard the alarm call first and then found the bird.
JSPALDING said
Fri Jun 2 3:53 PM, 2017
A flock of about 15 crossbills and a cuckoo calling (and eventually seen) plus spotted flycatcher this afternoon.
James Minchin said
Sat May 27 2:56 AM, 2017
Among the usual at Dove Stone (26th May)
Spotted Flycatcher (been hanging around for a few days)
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common Sandpiper
Sparrowhawk
Treecreeper
JSPALDING said
Sat May 20 11:03 AM, 2017
My first cuckoo of the year here this morning.
James Minchin said
Thu May 18 6:16 PM, 2017
Around Dove Stone site 12-6pm
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush
Robin
Goldcrest
Ring Ouzel
Mallard
Canada Geese
Cormorant
Meadow Pipit
Stonechat
Wheatear
Jay
Treecreeper
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Golden Plover
Red Grouse
Dunlin
Curlew
Skylark
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Raven
Pheasant
Red Legged Partridge
-- Edited by James Minchin on Thursday 18th of May 2017 11:09:47 PM
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Apr 30 10:14 PM, 2017
Day spent around here today; pretty windy in the higher areas, meaning less about than normal, but still plenty to see:
Dovestone / Yeoman Hey and surrounds:
3 goldcrest heard singing 1 chiffchaff 15 willow warbler 1 treecreeper (gathering insects) 2 nuthatch 8 lesser redpoll Goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch 6+ swallow 10+ meadow pipit 7 pied wagtail 3 grey wagtail 1 dipper (with what looked more like nesting material than food in its beak) 2 song thrush 6 mistle thrush 1 jay Lots of mallard, including the first brood of the year I've seen; maybe 10 very young chicks. 2 black-headed gull 2 peregrine
Chew Valley path:
1 reed bunting 7 meadow pipit 3 grey wagtail 1 mallard with a single chick at the copse
Chew Reservoir:
12+ meadow pipit 6 red grouse 2 Canada geese 2 common sandpiper 2 curlew 1 peregrine
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 30th of April 2017 10:16:38 PM
JSPALDING said
Wed Apr 12 6:32 PM, 2017
My first swallow this afternoon in a quick visit, plus a ring ouzel, fairly quiet otherwise.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Tue Apr 4 10:52 PM, 2017
Most of the day around here today; slightly truncated visit due to public transport inefficiencies / personal ineptitude, so no visit to the uppermost habitats (the best bits), ufortunately. Highlights:
Binn Green:
2 chiffchaff singing Lots of coal tit and chaffinch especially, good numbers of goldfinch and a couple of greenfinch. 2 lesser redpoll 8+ siskin 1 great spotted woodpecker heard drumming
1 wheatear 3 meadow pipit 1 grey wagtail 1 or 2 red grouse heard
steven burke said
Sun Mar 26 9:46 PM, 2017
all day here having a good mooch around..
no signs of any ring ouzel or wheatear that had been seen in the week. 2-3 dippers plenty of red grouse around 1 brief view of a crossbill, more heard in one of the plantations. lots of siskin around with several redpolls 2 stonechat 1 skylark plenty of meadow pipits around 1 kestrel 1 buzzard 1 sparrowhawk 1 raven 4 grey wagtail 5 pied wagtail 1 oystercatcher mistle thrush sat on nest 3 grey heron 2 golden plover up at chew reservoir plus all the usuals around.
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Mar 24 7:15 PM, 2017
Originally posted today by Will McKellar:
Ring Ouzel beyond the reservoir at Dove Stones, at the foot of the long trek up to the highest point. By four old stone gate posts.
paul brady said
Thu Mar 23 6:16 PM, 2017
Had a red kite drift over Binn Green Car Park at about 3pm today
Also a male wheatear up at Chew Reservoir
Barry Corless said
Sun Feb 19 1:03 PM, 2017
About 45 minutes at Binn Green this morning in misty / drizzly conditions
3+ Brambling 1 Mistle Thrush
Abundant Siskin, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Chaffinch Fewer Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Pheasant, Blackbird, Coal Tit
Andrea Wilson said
Wed Feb 8 11:36 PM, 2017
Cold and dreary today (11.00-15.00)
Finches galore at Binn Green including a Greenfinch, one Brambling and a lot of Siskin.
Usual variety of tits present around the feeders with a single treecreeper and 4 pheasant.
Andrea
James Minchin said
Thu Feb 2 7:17 AM, 2017
A nice flock of around 10 Reed Bunting, mixed with a few Goldfinch and Greenfinch in the hawthorns at the back of the sailing club yesterday.
Other than that just the usual, no sign of the Pochard, must have been a fleeting visit.
Charles Farrell said
Sun Jan 29 5:52 PM, 2017
Sun 29th Jan (09:45 - 12:00): Another nice day, with clearblue sky and warm sunshine - at least around the Binn Green area. This time the path alongside the reservoirs was open, despite it still being shooting season (until 1st Feb), however the lack of sightings of Pheasant and Partridge (other than the odd carcass) suggests that perhaps there is not much left to be shot at.
Binn Green - very busy with finches - 2 Mistle Thrush - 2+ Coal Tit - 12+ Siskin - 15+ Goldfinch - 6 Chaffinch - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Pheasant
Later 2 Buzzard to the north. 1 Peegrine on rock face high above Dovestones Res.
1 Dipper in channel alongside Yeoman Hay.
Mark Bellew said
Sat Jan 21 9:18 PM, 2017
Not the best visit but still a beautiful location. A single heron and meadow pipit were the only birds of note. Mallard, black-headed gull and Canada goose were also present on Dovestone. Next time I'll try Binn Green and yeoman.
David Morris said
Fri Jan 13 11:13 PM, 2017
Binn Green today, approx 3:15-3:45pm
Brambling- 2m, 2f- lifer for me, made the decision to go despite the snow and ice worth while, even though I worried about getting my car out of the car park! As I was leaving someone was struggling to get their car up the hill at the bottom car park...
Mistle Thrush x2- feeding on berries on a bush in the top car park.
Treecreeper- round the feeders.
Other species seen:
Blue Tit
Chaffinch (at least one of each sex)
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Robin
Charles Farrell said
Thu Dec 29 3:06 PM, 2016
Wed 28th Dec (11:30 - 13:30 ish): Beautiful, still, clear lunchtime walk in warm sunshine from Binn Green and around the main reservoir, as Yeoman Hay etc was out of bounds due to shooting.
Binn Green: Mix of usual tits (Great, Blue, Coal) and finches (Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch) Robin Blackbird Brambling - a single male on the feeders. A long-awaited (40+ years) UK tick. My mum claims that they were seen in the garden when I was a youngster, but I have no memory of them. Raven - 1 cronking nearby when we returned to the car.
Feeders fairly quiet, but still a couple of Bramblings about.
Chris Greene said
Thu Nov 24 11:39 AM, 2016
Brief visit to Binn Green ,Tuesday lunchtime.
M+F Bullfinch, plenty of Chaffinch and Coal Tits,male Great Spotted Woodpecker,3 Brambling,4 Siskin, Crossbills(heard only),plus usuals.
Cheers Chris
Ian Campbell said
Thu Nov 10 11:40 AM, 2016
8.30-9.30 a.m. 2nd visit in the last week looking for Crossbill, 6 over car park at 9.20, ( GM Year list now 171). Also 10+ Brambling below feeders. Cheers Ian
JSPALDING said
Sat Oct 29 2:06 PM, 2016
A Green Woodpecker above Binn Green where the trees have been cleared overlooking the reservoir.
My first for a couple of years in this vicinity.
David Walsh said
Sun Oct 23 1:31 PM, 2016
Sunday 23rd October 2016, 12.00 - 12.45pm
Binn Green, following a cold and windy blank around Higher Swineshaw
Goldfinch and Chaffinch dominated around the feeding area, but there were also around a dozen flighty Brambling, and I managed to pick out a couple of Siskin. Without the trees, nothing was flying due to the strong wind.
David Walsh said
Mon Oct 10 12:11 PM, 2016
Monday 10th October 2016, 9.30 - 11.00am
Binn Green, down to Yeoman Hey dam, and back.
20+ Brambling 6 Siskin 10+ Mistle Thrush, including 8 moving noisily around the Rowan trees at the car park 40+ Chaffinch 6 Goldfinch 10+ Greenfinch Several Goldcrest 1 Treecreeper 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 6+ Coal Tits 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Grey Wagtail on Yeoman Hey Reservoir
By the time I returned to Binn Green, at 11.00am, the Brambling were down to 4, and the Siskin had disappeared.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Oct 2 11:09 PM, 2016
Day spent around here today.
Binn Green:
4 goldcrest c15 coal tit 10+ goldfinch 5+ greenfinch 20+ chaffinch 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 cormorant over 1 buzzard
Yeoman Hey / Dove Stone and surrounds:
10+ goldcrest (lots in Ashway Gap wood) 1 nuthatch 30+ lesser redpoll (the dominant species in a large mixed flock that also contained goldfinch and siskin) c15 meadow pipit 3 pied wagtail 2 dipper (one in the channel alongside Yeoman Hey, one on the overflow channel coming down from Greenfield Reservoir(?) at Ashway Gap) 2 song thrush 3 jay A few rook coming in to roost late on when leaving 2 raven
Chew Valley Path:
1, probably 2, stonechat (brief distant view, with the male standing out) 16+ meadow pipit 1 grey wagtail 2 dipper (or the same dipper twice) 3 raven 11+ red grouse 1 kestrel
Meadow pipits, red grouse, and a flock of around 15 goldfinch at Chew Reservoir.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 2nd of October 2016 11:10:32 PM
Graham Beverley said
Thu Sep 22 2:00 PM, 2016
Today at 9am kingfisher on yeoman hey res
Charles Farrell said
Wed Sep 21 11:26 AM, 2016
Steve Suttill wrote:
Rather depressing walk from Binn Green along Yeoman Hey to the top of Greenfield Reservoir this afternoon.
Hardly a single wild bird to be seen or heard. Hundreds of recently released Pheasants and dozens of Red-legged Partridges (never seen so many). I suspect that many of the Mallard have also been introduced. Game bird feeders everywhere and corn scattered all over the place. All so some sadistic so-and-sos can have their "fun"...
Did a similar walk on Sunday 18th Sep and noticed exactly the same thing. Lots of Mallard sheltering along the edge of Greenfield Reservoir and tons of Red-legged Partridge on the hilsides. a few Pheasant were heard but none seen.
At Binn Green, just the usual tits, Chaffinches, Goldcrests and Siskins. Also a single Kestrel.
MARK HULSE said
Mon Sep 12 5:33 PM, 2016
Did the same walk rather depressing , a pair of coal tits plus pair of chaffinch at Binn Green, a male Great spotted woodpecker on the trees opposite the viewing platform and a pair goldfinches flying in , Raven heard but not seen in the same area, 200+ mallard on Greenfield reservoir never seen so many erm???? plus a few pheasant and partridge
Steve Suttill said
Tue Aug 30 7:43 PM, 2016
Rather depressing walk from Binn Green along Yeoman Hey to the top of Greenfield Reservoir this afternoon.
Hardly a single wild bird to be seen or heard. Hundreds of recently released Pheasants and dozens of Red-legged Partridges (never seen so many). I suspect that many of the Mallard have also been introduced. Game bird feeders everywhere and corn scattered all over the place. All so some sadistic so-and-sos can have their "fun"...
Apart from that, it was another fabulous day around here, with some great species seen. Binn Green still mostly inaccessible, with no access to Yeoman Hey from there (hence I didn't make it to that part of the site).
Binn Green (the little of it I got to see):
1 willow warbler
4+ coal tit
2+ lesser redpoll
1 or 2 great spotted woodpecker
Dovestone, Chew Brook end:
4 willow warbler
3 coal tit
7+ lesser redpoll
4 meadow pipit
3 pied wagtail
2 song thrush
2 mistle thrush
2 red-legged partridge
3 curlew
Chew Valley path:
1 willow warbler
3 stonechat
14 meadow pipit
2 skylark heard singing
1 raven
5 red grouse
1 teal (trying gamely to swim up the brook)
2 kestrel
Chew Reservoir:
4+ wheatear
22+ meadow pipit
2 ring ouzel (male giving prolonged view, second bird of unknown sex)
1 teal
71 Canada geese
2 or 3 golden plover (my first here)
2 common sandpiper
1 kestrel
Also whilst at Chew Reservoir, a little way off there was a group of RSPB volunteers and a few others with scopes and whatnot; being nosy, I tried to work out what they might be looking for, and one of the men with them was, I'm sure, Chris Packham. A bit too distant for a 100% ID (and it's rude to stare, especially with binoculars; some people don't like that), but looked like him. A definite patch tick if confirmation is forthcoming, that.
An eventful day, all in.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 20th of April 2018 10:39:25 PM
Greylag on the res today in amongst the Canada Geese too. Same Cormorant and Oystercatcher still there.
-- Edited by James Minchin on Wednesday 21st of February 2018 05:20:39 PM
No access to Binn Green or across the reservoirs at one point, so basically just walked along the paths on the west side of the reservoirs. Despite the dry, if sometime windy conditions, there was not much around, at all. Water levels on the reservoirs and in the overflow channels was high and there was a torrent of water coming down the hillsides at the usual points.
- 1 Common Gull on rafts on Dovestone Res
- 100+ Black-headed Gull
- c120 Mallard (20 on Dovestone and c100 at the top end of Yeoman-Hay)
- 1 Pheasant calling
- 1 Siskin calling
- 2 Pied Wagtail
- usual Jackdaws, Woodpigeons etc
7 crossbills 3 male and 4 female in group of mixed finches approx. 14 including greenfinches and goldfinches. Saw twice once at 11.15 and again same group at 13.30
From the road down to reservoir in the larches in front of car park at Binn Green(which is closed to Public due work on Dam commencing this weeks for 3 months!)
Also saw two dark pheasant and a flock of 20+ Goldcrest and Merlin.
-- Edited by Terry Sykes on Monday 6th of November 2017 03:48:05 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 6th of November 2017 04:33:29 PM
Found the attached shot of a Jackdaw taken in the car park at Dovestones on Friday. I didn't notice it was missing a foot at the time. Thankfully it appeared to not be hindered by its disability.
-- Edited by Andrea Wilson on Sunday 5th of November 2017 09:24:41 PM
Thanks for the info and history Rob, there were definitely 2 or 3 individuals on Friday. I've also been told they are classed as a mechanistic mutant of the common pheasant.
You quite often get black ones, albino's, ones with white patches on (Leucistic tendencies?) and a few odd looking ones around Binn Green but it certainly doesn't look like a Mikado, that surely would've been a stunning dark royal blue colour for a start with different plumage markings. Hope this helps.
Rob
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 5th of November 2017 07:34:33 AM
Thanks Darren
If these two stay around the pine trees they've got a better chance of staying alive as they were more camouflaged than the regular pheasants
I'm surprised the breeders haven't got the feathers to display a bullseye pattern yet.
Spotted a number of strangely coloured pheasants from Binn Green area yesterday (photos attached). Are they a usual phase or something else?
Quick wander round the main res at 2.00pm
Black-headed Gull++
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Mallard++
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Robin
Mixed flock of Goldfinch with a few Linnet
Chaffinch
Siskin
Mistle Thrush
Meadow Pipit
Lower hillsides and valleys:
Buzzard 1
Stonechat 1
Higher hillsides and moorland tops:
Red Grouse 21
Kestrel 1
Meadow Pipit <10
Raven 2
Dovestone / Yeoman Hey & surrounds:
6+ goldcrest
1 willow warbler
5 meadow pipit
20+ swallow
7 pied wagtail
1 grey wagtail
1 dipper
1 or 2 kestrel
A willow warbler calling from the copse on Chew Valley path, and a few active chiffchaff here too; a raven high over and a couple of calling red grouse also along the path.
Chew reservoir:
5 meadow pipit
2 red grouse
3 kestrel (all together)
1 buzzard
No sign as of 5.00pm, but Adrian one of the RSPB volunteers had a good view from the Sailing Club car park and is pretty certain it was a Cattle Egret. It flew further up the farmers field with all the sheep.
A flock of about 15 crossbills and a cuckoo calling (and eventually seen) plus spotted flycatcher this afternoon.
Among the usual at Dove Stone (26th May)
Spotted Flycatcher (been hanging around for a few days)
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common Sandpiper
Sparrowhawk
Treecreeper
My first cuckoo of the year here this morning.
Around Dove Stone site 12-6pm
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush
Robin
Goldcrest
Ring Ouzel
Mallard
Canada Geese
Cormorant
Meadow Pipit
Stonechat
Wheatear
Jay
Treecreeper
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Golden Plover
Red Grouse
Dunlin
Curlew
Skylark
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Raven
Pheasant
Red Legged Partridge
-- Edited by James Minchin on Thursday 18th of May 2017 11:09:47 PM
Dovestone / Yeoman Hey and surrounds:
3 goldcrest heard singing
1 chiffchaff
15 willow warbler
1 treecreeper (gathering insects)
2 nuthatch
8 lesser redpoll
Goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch
6+ swallow
10+ meadow pipit
7 pied wagtail
3 grey wagtail
1 dipper (with what looked more like nesting material than food in its beak)
2 song thrush
6 mistle thrush
1 jay
Lots of mallard, including the first brood of the year I've seen; maybe 10 very young chicks.
2 black-headed gull
2 peregrine
Chew Valley path:
1 reed bunting
7 meadow pipit
3 grey wagtail
1 mallard with a single chick at the copse
Chew Reservoir:
12+ meadow pipit
6 red grouse
2 Canada geese
2 common sandpiper
2 curlew
1 peregrine
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 30th of April 2017 10:16:38 PM
My first swallow this afternoon in a quick visit, plus a ring ouzel, fairly quiet otherwise.
Binn Green:
2 chiffchaff singing
Lots of coal tit and chaffinch especially, good numbers of goldfinch and a couple of greenfinch.
2 lesser redpoll
8+ siskin
1 great spotted woodpecker heard drumming
Yeoman Hey, Dovestone, etc:
2+ goldcrest
2 willow warbler
2 treecreeper
1 nuthatch
3 lesser redpoll
c5 siskin
10+ meadow pipit
3 or 5 pied wagtail
1 grey wagtail
2 dipper
1 song thrush
1 mistle thrush
1 jay
1 curlew heard
1 kestrel
1 buzzard heard distantly
Chew Valley path (only up until the small copse)
1 wheatear
3 meadow pipit
1 grey wagtail
1 or 2 red grouse heard
no signs of any ring ouzel or wheatear that had been seen in the week.
2-3 dippers
plenty of red grouse around
1 brief view of a crossbill, more heard in one of the plantations.
lots of siskin around with several redpolls
2 stonechat
1 skylark
plenty of meadow pipits around
1 kestrel
1 buzzard
1 sparrowhawk
1 raven
4 grey wagtail
5 pied wagtail
1 oystercatcher
mistle thrush sat on nest
3 grey heron
2 golden plover up at chew reservoir
plus all the usuals around.
Originally posted today by Will McKellar:
Ring Ouzel beyond the reservoir at Dove Stones, at the foot of the long trek up to the highest point. By four old stone gate posts.
Also a male wheatear up at Chew Reservoir
3+ Brambling
1 Mistle Thrush
Abundant Siskin, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Chaffinch
Fewer Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Pheasant, Blackbird, Coal Tit
Cold and dreary today (11.00-15.00)
Finches galore at Binn Green including a Greenfinch, one Brambling and a lot of Siskin.
Usual variety of tits present around the feeders with a single treecreeper and 4 pheasant.
Andrea
Other than that just the usual, no sign of the Pochard, must have been a fleeting visit.
Another nice day, with clearblue sky and warm sunshine - at least around the Binn Green area. This time the path alongside the reservoirs was open, despite it still being shooting season (until 1st Feb), however the lack of sightings of Pheasant and Partridge (other than the odd carcass) suggests that perhaps there is not much left to be shot at.
Binn Green - very busy with finches
- 2 Mistle Thrush
- 2+ Coal Tit
- 12+ Siskin
- 15+ Goldfinch
- 6 Chaffinch
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Pheasant
Later 2 Buzzard to the north. 1 Peegrine on rock face high above Dovestones Res.
1 Dipper in channel alongside Yeoman Hay.
Not the best visit but still a beautiful location. A single heron and meadow pipit were the only birds of note. Mallard, black-headed gull and Canada goose were also present on Dovestone. Next time I'll try Binn Green and yeoman.
Beautiful, still, clear lunchtime walk in warm sunshine from Binn Green and around the main reservoir, as Yeoman Hay etc was out of bounds due to shooting.
Binn Green:
Mix of usual tits (Great, Blue, Coal) and finches (Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch)
Robin
Blackbird
Brambling - a single male on the feeders. A long-awaited (40+ years) UK tick. My mum claims that they were seen in the garden when I was a youngster, but I have no memory of them.
Raven - 1 cronking nearby when we returned to the car.
Dovestones:
c60 Mallard
c10 Common Gull
c60 Black-headed Gull
1 Peregrine
Feeders fairly quiet, but still a couple of Bramblings about.
Brief visit to Binn Green ,Tuesday lunchtime.
M+F Bullfinch, plenty of Chaffinch and Coal Tits,male Great Spotted Woodpecker,3 Brambling,4 Siskin, Crossbills(heard only),plus usuals.
Cheers Chris
Cheers Ian
A Green Woodpecker above Binn Green where the trees have been cleared overlooking the reservoir.
My first for a couple of years in this vicinity.
Binn Green, following a cold and windy blank around Higher Swineshaw
Goldfinch and Chaffinch dominated around the feeding area, but there were also around a dozen flighty Brambling, and I managed to pick out a couple of Siskin. Without the trees, nothing was flying due to the strong wind.
Binn Green, down to Yeoman Hey dam, and back.
20+ Brambling
6 Siskin
10+ Mistle Thrush, including 8 moving noisily around the Rowan trees at the car park
40+ Chaffinch
6 Goldfinch
10+ Greenfinch
Several Goldcrest
1 Treecreeper
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
6+ Coal Tits
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Grey Wagtail on Yeoman Hey Reservoir
By the time I returned to Binn Green, at 11.00am, the Brambling were down to 4, and the Siskin had disappeared.
Binn Green:
4 goldcrest
c15 coal tit
10+ goldfinch
5+ greenfinch
20+ chaffinch
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 cormorant over
1 buzzard
Yeoman Hey / Dove Stone and surrounds:
10+ goldcrest (lots in Ashway Gap wood)
1 nuthatch
30+ lesser redpoll (the dominant species in a large mixed flock that also contained goldfinch and siskin)
c15 meadow pipit
3 pied wagtail
2 dipper (one in the channel alongside Yeoman Hey, one on the overflow channel coming down from Greenfield Reservoir(?) at Ashway Gap)
2 song thrush
3 jay
A few rook coming in to roost late on when leaving
2 raven
Chew Valley Path:
1, probably 2, stonechat (brief distant view, with the male standing out)
16+ meadow pipit
1 grey wagtail
2 dipper (or the same dipper twice)
3 raven
11+ red grouse
1 kestrel
Meadow pipits, red grouse, and a flock of around 15 goldfinch at Chew Reservoir.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 2nd of October 2016 11:10:32 PM
kingfisher on yeoman hey res
Did a similar walk on Sunday 18th Sep and noticed exactly the same thing. Lots of Mallard sheltering along the edge of Greenfield Reservoir and tons of Red-legged Partridge on the hilsides. a few Pheasant were heard but none seen.
At Binn Green, just the usual tits, Chaffinches, Goldcrests and Siskins. Also a single Kestrel.
a pair of coal tits plus pair of chaffinch at Binn Green,
a male Great spotted woodpecker on the trees opposite the
viewing platform and a pair goldfinches flying in ,
Raven heard but not seen in the same area,
200+ mallard on Greenfield reservoir never seen so many
erm???? plus a few pheasant and partridge
Hardly a single wild bird to be seen or heard. Hundreds of recently released Pheasants and dozens of Red-legged Partridges (never seen so many). I suspect that many of the Mallard have also been introduced. Game bird feeders everywhere and corn scattered all over the place. All so some sadistic so-and-sos can have their "fun"...