Paul's Birding Diary

Sunday 1st April 2007 On a lovely sunny day I did a circular walk with Linda around Painswick, starting at the Royal William, over the beacon, into the village and returned along Painwick Stream. Out of the breeze it felt like Summer. The return leg along the stream was stunning, and packed with wildlife. Three Buzzards gave good views overhead just out of the village and there was a Dipper near Damsells Mill. Most unexpected of all was a Natterer's Bat feeding over the millpond near Tocknells Court mid-afternoon. I nailed the ID from the 'red arms' seen in some angles, the white underneath contrasting with the brownish-buff upperparts, and the size and shape of the ears (I have added a couple of links to useful bat websites). There were quite a few butterflies too on the walk, at least four Brimstones , three Small Tortoiseshells and two Commas (photos: Paul Masters).

Saturday 31st March 2007 I was wondering yesterday if Spring will finally get going, well I think today has answered that with a definite YES after an excellent morning's birding with Andy. First, at Compton Abdale an Osprey flew north towards Compton Grove at 7.30am. Later, a group of six Wheatears (4 males, 2 females) and c20 Linnets were at the old airfield, and at least 500 Fieldfares to the east of the airfield. A pair of Mandarin were an usual sight on the River Coln near Yanworth. There were also plenty of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests singing in the Woods, and numerous Skylarks on the airfield. On the mammal front, we saw three Brown Hares around the area and around 20-30 Roe Deer in Chedworth Woods. This afternoon in my garden at Quedgeley, a Brimstone butterfly made a brief visit. (Photos of Wheatears, Skylark, Buzzard and Fieldfares by Paul Masters).

Friday 30th March 2007 At Frampton this evening on the sailing lake with Andy, there were at least 100 Sand Martins and after they had all disappeared, at least 10 Swallows , my first of the year (two days later than my first Swallow last year). Will spring finally get going now?

Sunday 25th March 2007 I accepted an offer of a lift with Mark this afternoon to look for Red Kites. After reaching Withington village, we took a wrong turn and ended up on the road to Woodbridge. It wasn't really a wrong turn though because as we reached the edge of the woods, a Red Kite was soaring parallel to the woods, and gave superb views for about 10 minutes, twice circling overhead (photo: Paul Masters) . Absolutely brilliant. The afternoon was complete with a female White Wagtail at Cassey Compton nearby, and later a male near Andoversford while looking through a flock of Common Gulls .

Saturday 24th March 2007 An early start to Frampton this morning, and I finally saw my first Water Rail of the year at the reed-bed to the north of Splatt Bridge. There were also four Little Egrets see in the area, three of them in flight and another perched in a tree by the canal at Nebrow Oakwood. At the sailing lake there were c60 Sand Martins and a Kingfisher , and 10 Linnets were in a field near Parkend Bridge at Moreton Valence. At Hawling this afternoon, two Corn Buntings were in a field just north of the 'triangle', also two Yellowhammers and in a further field 221 Golden Plover were seen in the air, (photographed and counted - see below!). Near Shipton, cutting back to the A40 there was a big flock of mainly Starlings but also 10 Fieldfares and two Redwings among them (photos of Corn Bunting and Golden Plover flock: Paul Masters).

17th - 19th March 2007 It's been a busy weekend, what with Linda's birthday on Saturday, travelling to relatives in Weston-super-Mare later the same day, Mother's day Sunday, plus a slight case of common cold on top, I haven't had a chance to do much birding. On Saturday we went to Kempley to take in the wild Daffodils, which are in full flower at the moment and looked fantastic in the warm sunshine (photos: Paul Masters, taken at Gwen and Vera's Fields GWT Reserve) . You have to keep reminding yourself that these are wild flowers. On a two-mile walk the only birds of note were at least four Buzzards , a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and a calling Green Woodpecker . I keep hoping for a covey of Grey Partridges in the same spot I saw them several years ago between Kempley Green and Dymock Wood, but I haven't seen them since. Sunday in Weston, a visit to the sea-front was 'bracing', the sand-blasting followed by horizontal rain, with a cold, and I ...

Thursday 15th March 2007 I stopped off at Highnam Woods this morning for a brief visit before work. Using the car as a hide, a hungry MarshTit visiting the table nearest the car park made a nice study for a photograph in the early morning sun. Other species at the feeders included another Marsh Tit , a Coal Tit , at least two Nuthatches , a Jay , and several Blue Tits , Great Tits , Chaffinches and Greenfinches (photo: Paul Masters).