Birdwatching in Lockdown 2021

Unfortunately Covid reared its ugly head and our first visit since lockdown was cancelled.  If it is any consolation I saw a Nightjar on one of my recces and heard them on 3 other recces I did in advance of the visit.  I intend including this in next year’s programme.

June 2021

I hope you have been able to get out and about to do some bird watching.  Below are sighting in June sent to me by some of the group’s members.  I also add any interesting sightings to the Bird Watching forum under Sightings.  When you make a comment you can click the box to receive notifications of any new comments on that topic.

From me (Kay):

Garden – Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Wood Pigeon.

Plus in and around Minehead – Blackcap, Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Crane, Cormorant, Goldfinch, Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, House Martin, Little Egret, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nightjar, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Red Kite, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Swallow, Swift.

The Heron and Little Egrets were at Swell Woods in the Heronry.  There was also a family of Nuthatches near the hide.  Cranes, a pair with one well grown chick, were also seen in the fields from the Swell Woods walk.  Also another in flight by the Oare Red Brick Railway Bridge.

The Red Kite was seen being mobbed by Gulls over Alcome/Callans Wood area, Minehead.  A friend living that way told me it had been seen there a few times recently.

Started my search for Nightjars on 30^th June and heard then saw one, will do more recces so hope we can at least hear a few on our July meeting.

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

We have all the usual birds visiting our garden, including the Great Tits currently looking after a second brood in another of our nest boxes. The male has a distinctive 3-note ‘teacher’ call, so I know it is the same pair.

We began the month with a walk at Simonsbath, following Kay’s example, and were pleased to identify the Tree Pipits, and also catch a distant view (probably) of the Cuckoo, who was calling for a good while, as was the Green Woodpecker.

A trip to Steart Marshes added Avocet, Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover to our 2021 list. Other water birds seen there included Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Canada Goose, Cormorant, Mallard, Oystercatcher and Shelduck, and we heard Reed and Cetti’s Warblers.

We visited Woody Bay, for a clifftop walk, looking down from Wringapeak to see the Guillemots, Razorbills and Fulmars nesting on the cliffs and swimming on the sea way below us.  The views were distant, even with the telescope, but good additions to our list.

Along the Rugged Coast Path we were pleased to have clear sightings of both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, both still singing cheerfully.  And we caught sight of a Dartford Warbler briefly on North Hill.

Our final outing of the month was a walk on the Quantocks, specifically to see the Yellowhammers, which we see each year at the bottom of Smith’s Combe, along the Perry-Holford path.  They did not disappoint us, being there in good numbers, singing ‘a little bit of bread and no cheese’!

Our and about locally, we have seen:

Swallow, House Martin, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Magpie, Crow, Raven, Rook, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon,  Wren, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Buzzard, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull.

From Jan Lowy:

Not much to report this month, except two visits to our fat ball by a Great Spotted Woodpecker – great excitement.

The garden is still full of juveniles – the young blackbirds are still pestering the parents for food, and getting pushed away!  Otherwise, just all the usual birds.

From Tim Hedgecock:

	Additional birds seen/ heard
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Siskin Dunnock Blackbird Song Thrush (H) Robin Blackcap Wood Pigeon Wren Herring Gull (flyover)	Wood Warbler Whitethroat Pied Flycatcher Swallow House Martin Swift Raven Rook Jackdaw Great Black-backed Gull Wren Song Thrush Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail	Grey Wagtail Stonechat Linnet Reed Bunting Buzzard Kestrel Black-headed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Magpie Jay Shelduck Mallard Moorhen Coot

From Joy Roscoe:

Sparrows, blackbirds and pigeons continue to come to the seed feeder and bird bath.  Martins and swifts circle overhead and hunt for flies up and down the river.  Gulls of all sorts, the odd jackdaw and rook, inhabit the rooftops.  Charms of goldfinches crowd the trees on the opposite bank.

A wren visits the plant troughs and sings a loud song.  When I’ve been able to walk a short distance up the Mineral Line I’ve seen and heard long-tailed tits, blue and great tits, heard song thrushes, blackcaps and various unidentified warblers.

From Andrew Berry:

In my garden I have seen: Chaffinch, Garden Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Sparrow & Blackbirds.

From Janet Wilson:

Our Rose Starling has left our area now, but we have a male Sparrowhawk trying to take a bird from our bird table.  He hasn’t got anything yet, even sits on the roof of the table after. The female Sparrowhawk has tried to pick a bird out of a bush at the top of the garden.

Below is our list for our Porlock garden for June:

Sparrowhawk m & f Rose-coloured Starling Blackbirds m & f + young Robins + young Wagtails Siskin’s m & f Goldfinches Blue Tit Starlings + young Chaffinch m & f + young Collared Dove Wood Pigeons Racing Pigeon Sparrows + young Mistle Thrushes Jackdaws Rooks Magpies + young

These are above our garden: House Martins Swifts Swallows Herring Gulls Buzzards

May 2021

I hope you have been able to get out and about to do some bird watching.  Below are sighting in May sent to me by some of the group’s members.  I also do a weekly round-up of the walks I have been doing and some of my sightings which can be found on the Bird Watching forum under Sightings.  When you make a comment you can click the box to receive notifications of any new comments on that topic.

From me (Kay):

Garden – Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Herring Gull, House Sparrow (nesting), Pied Wagtail, Robin (nesting), Wood Pigeon.  The Blue Tits, Coal Tits & Great Tits have all brought their families to feed in the garden also a juvenile Blackbird and Wood Pigeon have been seen.

Plus in and around Minehead – Blackcap, Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Goldfinch, Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, House Martin,  Linnet, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Rook,  Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Swallow, Swift, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler, Yellowhammer.

Also heard Green Woodpecker, Raven, & Wren.

Red Deer hinds seen on various walks.

Finally a stroll in Simonsbath yielded:

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit,  Buzzard,  Chaffinch, Chiffchaff (heard just the one), Cuckoo (H just once), Goldfinch, Grasshopper Warbler (pair), Great Spotted Woodpecker (using same nest hole as a few years ago and sounded like there were youngsters in there), Great Tit, Green Woodpecker (H), House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw (H), Jay, Linnet, Magpie, Pheasant (H), Pied Wagtail (H), Redstart (male), Robin, Song Thrush (H), Skylark, Stonechat, Swallow, Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler (lots), Winchat, Wood Pigeon, Wren (including a nest low down in a moss covered wall).

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

In the garden, we were delighted to have brief visits by a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and by a beautiful male Bullfinch.  Other than that it has been all our regulars.

The Sparrows, Dunnocks, Robin and Blackbird all have young to entertain us, but the Great Tit family fledged and disappeared unseen by us.

On a trip to Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels, we added several species to our 2021 List :

Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Hobby (perched and flying), Great Crested Grebe (with young), Little Grebe, Coot, Pochard and Sedge Warbler.

Other sightings there:

Mute Swan, Little Egret, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Canada Goose, Buzzard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Moorhen, Mallard, Wren, Willow Warbler.

Heard but not seen:

Cuckoo, Water Rail, Bittern, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff.

Other sightings on our walks during May:

Swallows and House Martins, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Dipper and Grey Wagtail, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Pied Flycatcher (Horner woods), Wood Warbler (Nutcombe Bottom), Swifts (Selworthy Church).

From Jan Lowy:

Only birdwatching in the garden.  We haven’t been able to identify any nests, but seem to have a family of four young Blackbirds, and two Dunnocks.  Probably also some Siskins, but they come in so many different colours it is difficult to be sure what they are.

Still, they give us lots of pleasure – and eat us out of house and home!

From Tim Hedgecock:

(H) = heard only

Birds seen/ heard in my garden during May	Additional birds seen/ heard
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Siskin Dunnock Blackbird Song Thrush (H) Robin Blackcap Wood Pigeon Wren (H) Herring Gull (flyover)	Willow Warbler Whitethroat Raven Rook Great Black-backed Gull Wren Song Thrush Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail Stonechat	Swift Linnet Reed Bunting Buzzard Kestrel Black-headed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Magpie Jay (H) Shelduck Mallard

From Joy Roscoe:

 Sparrows, blackbirds and pigeons continue to come to the seed feeder and bird bath.  Martins and swifts circle overhead and hunt for flies up and down the river.  Gulls of all sorts, the odd jackdaw and rook, inhabit the rooftops.  Charms of goldfinches crowd the trees on the opposite bank.

A wren visits the plant troughs and sings a loud song.  When I’ve been able to walk a short distance up the Mineral Line I’ve seen and heard long-tailed tits, blue and great tits, heard song thrushes, blackcaps and various unidentified warblers.

April 2021

Hi Everyone

I hope you have been able to get out and about to do some bird watching.  Below are sighting in April sent to me by some of the group’s members.  I also do a weekly round-up of the walks I have been doing and some of my sightings which can be found on the Bird Watching forum under Sightings.  When you make a comment you can click the box to receive notifications of any new comments on that topic.

From me (Kay):

Garden – Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Robin nesting), Wood Pigeon.

Plus in and around Minehead – Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Dartford Warbler, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Crow, Great Tit, Greater Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret,  Magpie, Mallard (several with ducklings), Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Swallow, Whitethroat.  Also heard Great Spotted Woodpecker (vocal & drumming), Green Woodpecker, Raven, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler & Wren.

Red Deer hind seen and Otter spraint.

Marg Grizzell:

Warblers a plenty Skylarks etc and a Cuckoo between the first and second car parks in the Combe on North Hill.

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

April passed with only a few additions to our 2021 bird sightings list.  At Clatworthy Reservoir we saw Tufted Ducks and our first Willow Warblers of the year.  Then at Stolford, we added Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Pintail and Whimbrel.

We have heard Whitethroats, Cetti’s and Reed Warblers, but not seen them yet.  Still waiting to hear a Cuckoo.

The garden is busy with all our usual visitors: House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Goldfinch, Siskin, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Herring Gull, Rook, Jackdaw, Crow, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie.

From Cherrie Temple:

We get blackcaps visiting the garden regularly and the male stops once a day to have a quick sing. He doesn’t stay long, but this time it was long enough for a photograph. The female has also been seen, but not so much recently. Other regular birds include great tits, coal tits, blue tits, long tailed tits, goldfinches, robins, wrens, blackbirds, dunnocks, sparrows, pigeons, rooks and more recently some herring gulls. We often hear green woodpeckers and see buzzards floating about above in the thermals.

From Tim Hedgecock:

 My highlights this time have been a trip to Steart and a couple of walks around Dunkery and Horner Woods. I attach a few photos too – the Pied Flycatcher seen in Horner Woods and a couple of the Avocets, the Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper from Steart.  You can see the yellow eye ring and black bill on the Little Ringed Plover and the white shoulder on the Common Sandpiper.

(H) = heard only

Birds seen/ heard in my garden during April	Additional birds seen/ heard on North Hill during daily exercise
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Siskin Dunnock Blackbird Song Thrush (H) Robin Blackcap Chiffchaff (H) Wood Pigeon Wren (H) Blue Tit Great Tit Coal Tit Herring Gull (flyover) Sparrowhawk (flyover)	Willow Warbler Garden Warbler Cetti’s Warbler  (Heard at Steart) Reed Warbler (Heard at Steart) Sedge Warbler (Seen at Steart) Whitethroat Raven Rook Cuckoo (Heard from Dunkery Beacon) Great Black-backed Gull Wren Song Thrush Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail Stonechat	Redstart (1 seen and another heard on Dickie’s Path on side of Dunkery) Pied Flycatcher (Seen in Horner Woods) Linnet Reed Bunting (Seen at Steart) Buzzard Kestrel Black-headed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Avocet (about 25 seen at Steart) Common Sandpiper (seen at Steart) Little Ringed Plover (seen at Steart) Magpie Jay (H) Shelduck Mallard

From Joy Roscoe:

March 2021

Hi Everyone

I hope you have been able to get out and about to do some bird watching.  Below are sighting in March sent to me by some of the group’s members.  I also do a weekly round-up of the walks I have been doing and some of my sightings which can be found on the Bird Watching forum under Sightings.  When you make a comment you can click the box to receive notifications of any new comments on that topic.

There is also a list of suggested sites to visit in Minehead together with some of the birds you may see or hear there.   See right side bar for Local Birdwatching Sites and then click on Minehead link.

From me (Kay):

Garden – Blackbird, Blackcap (female only), Black Redstart, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff (well a Warbler on 31st), Coal Tit, Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail,  Robin, Wood Pigeon.

Both Robins seem very busy, I wonder if they have chicks.

Plus in and around Minehead – Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Cettis Warbler, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Crow, Goldcrest,  Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Egret,  Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Raven, Redpoll, Redshank, Redwing, Rook, Skylark, Stonechat, Teal, Wren.   Song Thrush and Jay heard.

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

The garden has been busy this month, with Great Tits preparing a nest in one of our nest boxes, and Blackbirds a nest in the firethorn, as well as House Sparrows and Dunnocks in the hedges.  We had a Redpoll and a Blackcap visit briefly, and there are more Siskins and Goldfinches, and a Wren singing at full volume.

Round and about, it was good to see and hear the first Chiffchaffs on 25th March, on the Mineral Trail from Washford, which was alive with bird song, particularly Blackcaps, Blackbirds, and Song Thrushes.  We also spotted an immature Bullfinch.  Chiffchaffs are now everywhere of course, even one in our garden yesterday (31^st March).

At Dunster beach we added Linnet to our list, and in Horner woods we had a good sighting of a Marsh Tit, our first for many years, plus a lovely Dipper on the stream.

We had a really close-up view of a Treecreeper on a walk from Nutcombe Bottom, but had no phone or camera with us!

On Tuesday we celebrated partial freedom with a circular walk at Dunkery Beacon, and enjoyed Ravens, Buzzards, Skylarks and Pipits overhead, plus a Green Woodpecker calling.  And yesterday we finally saw our first Nuthatch of the year at Hopcott.

From Steve Pearce:

Lesser spotted woodpeckers, also more than recent months: chaffinches, long-tailed tits, goldfinches.

Oystercatchers, coots, egret, blue heron, common buzzards, great and blue tits, tawny owl and usual garden suspects.

 From Jan Lowy:

 The Blackcaps and Long Tailed Tits are still enjoying the new fat ball and we see the Lesser Redpolls regularly.  Also Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Siskins plus the usual.

 From Tim Hedgecock:

(H) = heard only

Birds seen/ heard in my garden during March	Seen or heard elsewhere
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Siskin Dunnock Blackbird Robin Wood Pigeon Blue Tit Great Tit Coal Tit Tawny Owl	Raven Jackdaw Rook Wren Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Starling Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Stonechat Wheatear Linnet House Sparrow Buzzard Magpie	Jay Collared Dove Black-headed Gull Herring Gull Common Gull Greater Black-backed Gull Curlew Oystercatcher Little Egret Grey Heron Shelduck Mallard Wigeon Canada Goose Mute Swan

From Joy Roscoe:

Nothing unusual in terms of sighting but a serious comment – the sparrows which nested in the swift box and in two areas of the eaves of my house have not done so this year. In fact the colony that lived in the brambles and vegetation close by have disappeared bar two or three birds. My neighbour opposite has far fewer on her seed feeders. Has anyone else notice this sudden drop?

Sally Stuttard:

Various tits, sparrows, chaffinches, Robins , pigeons and the odd wren.  Sweet little birds with a lovely song.

February 2021

Below are sighting in February sent to me by some of the group’s members.

From me (Kay Bullen):

Garden – Blackbird, Blackcap (both male & female), Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Crow, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail,  Robin, Wood Pigeon.

Plus in and around Minehead – Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Crow, Curlew, Dipper,  Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tits, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatchers, Pheasant, Raven, Redwing, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Wren.  Heard Green Finch and a Tawny Owl (during the day being mobbed by Jays).

Various Red Deer sightings including 7 hinds at Nutcombe/Croydon Hill and on 3 out of 4 of my walks in the last week of Feb they were seen.  Also seen were Peacock butterflies, Bumble Bee and other bee species.  Snowdrops, primroses, catkins and pussy willow were also out.

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

A Sparrowhawk settled in a tree in our garden for several minutes.

Shovelers were amongst the water birds at Lower Marsh Farm, plus Skylarks along the Golf Course.

On Porlock Marsh, birds were few, but several Redshanks were a good addition to our 2021 sightings.

Up at Conygar Tower we saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker, then on the River Avill in Dunster Park we spotted a Grey Wagtail just by the A39.

As you say, it is lovely to hear all the bird song on our walks now – a sure sign of Spring.  Also, like you we were surprised to hear the call of a Tawny Owl yesterday (28 Feb), as we walked down through the woods to Whitecross Lane.

From Tim Hedgecock:

(H) = heard only

Birds seen/ heard in my garden during February	Seen or heard elsewhere
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Siskin Dunnock Blackbird Robin Wood Pigeon Blackcap Blue Tit Great Tit Coal Tit Long-tailed Tit Sparrowhawk Herring Gull Tawny Owl	Raven Jackdaw Rook Wren Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Starling Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Stonechat Linnet House Sparrow Buzzard Magpie Jay Collared Dove Black-headed Gull	Common Gull Greater Black-backed Gull Curlew (c.30 at Dunster beach) Dunlin Oystercatcher Little Egret Grey Heron Shelduck Mallard Teal Wigeon Canada Goose Mute Swan

From Steve Pearce:

Nothing unusual. Kestrels, common buzzards, a lot of  chaffinches and long tail tits, great and blue tits, greenfinch, egret, wren, robin, blackbirds, fieldfare, yellowhammers, lesser spotted woodpeckers. Not walked to the coastline this month.

Susan Mew:

There was a flock of about 20+ oystercatchers down at Dunster Beach on Friday. And I think there lots of Widgeon out at sea. Otherwise it’s just been the usual visitors in the garden.

From Jan Lowy:

We have very much enjoyed seeing what, for us, are large numbers of birds in the garden this month.  The Blackcaps and Long Tailed Tits are still enjoying the new fat ball and we see the Lesser Redpolls regularly.  We get up to a dozen goldfinches, and often 3 or 4 blackbirds, dunnocks, siskins etc. which are good numbers for our small garden.

From Joy Roscoe:

Sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, dunnocks, song thrushes heard not seen, wrens, rooks and crows, dippers, peregrines, a small flock of peewits, a pair of Shoveler duck.

Andrew Berry:

Black headed Gull, Black backed Gull, Egret, Common Sandpiper & Shelduck.

I also saw something that I think was a species of goose but have no idea what it was. It was sighted, on its own, on the beach at Blue Anchor; very low tide.

Lynda Edwards:

Yellowhammers or would they be finches, spotted middle top road between American camp and Selworthy Beacon carpark last Thursday on a beautiful summer afternoon.  A splendid sight.

January 2021

Below are sighting in January sent to me by some of the group’s members.

From me (Kay Bullen):

Garden – Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail,   Black Redstart, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Herring Gull (still paddling for worms) both male & female Blackcap.

Plus in and around Minehead – Bullfinch, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Crow, Dunlin, Dipper, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush (H), Moorhen, Nuthatch, Oystercatchers, Pheasants, Raven, Rook, Shelduck, Song Thrush, Starling, Stonechat, Treecreeper, Turnstones, Widgeon, Wren.  Heard numerous Jays.

From Pam & Nic Pettit:

Our New Year’s Day walk got us off to a good start too.  Walking a circuit of lanes from home via Bratton, Woodcombe and Parks Walk, we saw (amongst others) Buzzard, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Moorhen, and Song Thrush.

We are pleased to have listed 44 species seen during the month, nothing unusual.

Our most profitable walk was a circuit round Marsh Street, Dunster beach and Lower Marsh Farm, where we saw Mute Swan, Little Egret, Mallard, Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Curlew, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Stonechat and Meadow Pipit.  Also an over-wintering Chiffchaff.

We have been pleased to have had 2 sightings of Treecreepers, one in Bratton, one in trees just off Parks Walk – particularly pleasing because we somehow managed not to see a Treecreeper at all last year!

Other notable sightings have been Redwings in Alcombe and a Mistle Thrush in Woodcombe.  We are always surprised to see the Moorhens on the small pond along Woodcombe Walk too.

From Tim Hedgecock:

(H) = heard only

Birds seen/ heard in my garden during January	Seen or heard elsewhere
Carrion Crow Goldfinch Greenfinch Chaffinch Dunnock Blackbird Robin Wood Pigeon Blue Tit Great Tit Coal Tit Long-tailed Tit Great Spotted Woodpecker Green Woodpecker Sparrowhawk Herring Gull Tawny Owl	Raven Jackdaw Rook Wren Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Starling Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Stonechat Linnet House Sparrow Buzzard Magpie Jay Collared Dove	Black-headed Gull Common Gull Greater Black-backed Gull Curlew (c.30 at Dunster beach) Dunlin Sanderling (2 seen on Minehead beach by the golf club still) Oystercatcher Little Egret Grey Heron Shelduck Mallard Teal Wigeon Canada Goose Brent Goose (3 on Minehead/ Dunster beach) Mute Swan

From Steve Pearce:

Oystercatchers, shelduck, moorhen, chough, common buzzard, lapwing, dunlin, greenshank, flock of chaffinch, woodlark, skylark, wren, fieldfare, redwing, long-tailed tit, goldfinch

On walks from Sampford Brett.

From Jan Lowy:

I thought I would send you the list of birds that we saw in the hour when we sat in the window of our conservatory recording birds for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.  We were amazed by the number, because it wasn’t a pleasant morning.

Goldfinch Blackcap Robin Dunnock Siskin Long Tailed Tit Wood Pigeon

Lesser Redpoll Blackbird Chaffinch Blue Tit Pied Wagtail Greenfinch Starling

I think I mentioned that we recently put up a fatball.  That is what attracted the Long Tailed Tits – we have had 7 of them in and out of the garden for the past week or so.  We also have a male and a female blackcap, both of which use the fatball constantly.

And the Redpoll as well – there were two of them, females I think.

From Joy Roscoe:

Egret, Mineral Line

Three song thrushes, Mineral Line

Curlew, Blue Anchor

Shoveler, Blue Anchor

Long tailed tits, Mineral Line

Great Tits, Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, ditto

Dipper, Washford River

Peregrines, West Street beach, Watchet

All the usual corvids and pigeons!

Andrew Berry:

Nothing too exciting but I have had a sighting of a Chaffinch in my garden today. Have not seen one there before.