Cheddar Reservoir 2020
Handful of housemartins and swallows plus a green woodpecker by the reservoir early evening and a pair of grebes performing the weed dance. Willow warbler calling down Holwell Lane and mistle thrush and song thrushes singing. Flock of about 20 martins and swallows on the reservoir yesterday morning.
a Marsh Harrier floating over the thatching reeds this morning , heading off toward Cross/Weare
My walk down Holwell Lane, round the reservoir to the track down to the river yesterday produced a peregrine overhead, pair of stock doves, green woodpecker and the reed warblers as reported by Neville though only heard. Swallow plus my first housemartin over the village puts me on 160 for the year.
early -ish this AM around the res today, and a single Common Sandpiper between Axbridge gate and the small wood, and a group of House Martins and Swallow, around 100 birds in the area by the Boathouse toward the Cheddar Tower
a further influx of Reed Warblers overnight, [audible only] in 4 different locations along the drove, male and female Blackcaps, a pair of male and female Bullfinch , 2 Greenfinch, two Green woodies’ one of which was perched to within 3 metres of me before taking flight , As yet no sign of any Matins or Swallow along this location or by the river, where i have seen in previous years, albiet in reducing numbers
down to the river.. [the boss] and this morning it heralded the sound of a pair of Reed Warblers ,in the thatching reed quite close to the river,Thursday am delivered a Greenfinch and Male Blackcap close to the former Cheddar Models building ... all the usual suspects still in abundance ,Wrens seem to be more plentiful than i can remember… also the Fieldfare seem to have left the area since last weekend
This afternoon:
Holwell Lane: 2 willow warblers
Reservoir - grey wagtail, 2 common sandpipers, common tern,
female Kestrel, Ravens
Lane to river: swallow, w.warbler calling, green woodpecker calling, plus chiffchaffs everywhere.
River - meadow pipits
Strawberry Line - song thrush singing
over the last week on my early morning sortee, 4 Jay’s, pair of Canada geese arriving at the res’, a continual chorus of Chiff Chaff, chaffinch, single Moorhen, LT Tits, great and Blue, 5 mute swan on the river this am, Willow Warbler amongst the thatching reeds, several Dunnock,a female Reed Bunting, a group of around 12/15 Fieldfare, couple of pairs of Bullfinch, several Wrens and on my last paces from the drove a Sparrowhawk , the peace is deafening i can hear the thatching reed drying out as the sun rises!!
the keeping me sane dog walk, taking me past the res and toward the river produced two Green woodies ,pair of Bullfinch, plenty of very vocal Chiff Chaff , 2 LTtits 2 Thrush, a male Blackbird with a beak full of worms and a discarded Robin’s egg,split neatly in two, have noticed several new or replenished “woody” created holes that are “weeping” sap ,new inhabitants ready to move in it seems
my walk with the dogs takes me to the Cheddar reservoir, BRISTOL WATER HAVE POSTED ON THE ENTRANCE TO SHARPHAM ROAD ” ACCESS TO THE FOOTPATH IS CURRENTLY OPEN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” .... but re iterate the fact of not wanting to encourage vehicle travel to this area,
To be fair, those bulletins only say the car parks, picnic areas (inc. Salt & Malt) & fishing are closed - they do not mention the footpaths - this is to discourage people from driving to the sites & we certainly shouldn’t be encouraging that.
Mike
NOTICE :: That Bristol Water have stopped vehicular access to its parking areas at the Cheddar Reservoir, walking around is still [currently] permitted ....There is parking available at the Sharpham Road playing fields [approx 30 vehicles] so if visiting please use this facility or park responsibly at the Axbridge side and as is requested by HMG keep your distance
In response to this, I thought I may add some clarification. Neville, please note this is not directed at you personally, but there is too much misinformation being touted, and people are still not taking the threat of Covid-19 seriously enough.
ALL Bristol Water sites are CLOSED to the public.
This has been reported on numerous outlets, for example; https://www.bristolwater.co.uk/access-to-lakes-and-reservoirs-closed/ and https://www.bristolwaterfisheries.com/news/covid-19-latest-update-lakes-closed-in-until-further-notice/ for absolute clarity, this means that NOBODY should be accessing any of their sites. As has been discussed extensively before, access to Cheddar is permissive, not public.
Secondly, driving to ANY site to undertake birding/photography under the guise of exercise DOES NOT constitute essential travel, and condoning this is nothing short of socially irresponsible.
Obviously if individuals are happy to breach government legislation for their own selfish needs at the detriment of wider society, that is their choice, personally I will be sticking to my garden and immediate environment.
NOTICE :: That Bristol Water have stopped vehicular access to its parking areas at the Cheddar Reservoir, walking around is still [currently] permitted ....There is parking available at the Sharpham Road playing fields [approx 30 vehicles] so if visiting please use this facility or park responsibly at the Axbridge side and as is requested by HMG keep your distance
down the lane and beyond the res toward the Rive Axe, two willow warblers flitting low down in the bushes ,Several Chiff Chaff ,chaffinches, a Female Reed bunting and two Skylark ,airborne in full song , also a splendid looking deer
Large number of sand martins this afternoon between Cheddar tower and boat house
Yes, first big push of the spring I think Diana, somewhere in the region of 150-200 this evening. The Laughing gull dropped in around 5:15 this evening, picked it up in flight as I was trying to estimate the no’s of hirrundines.