Martin Wright reports on a chilly Wildlife Watch Session on 28th February
We are having a very cold winter, and the Brimscombe Wildlife Watch session was the coldest so far. Despite the temperature ten of us met in the car park of The Ship Inn ready to face the elements. In actual fact, the wind chill wasn’t too bad, as we headed westward along the tow-path. It has to be said, that the wildlife kept a low profile, but Mallard and Moorhens were soon in evidence, with Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits in the trees.
Our star bird was a Dipper, in its usual spot on the river at Griffin Mill.
There was also an unexpected view of a Kestrel, hovering at very close range near the canal. We crossed the railway line as we have done in the past, when walking in the opposite direction, and walked up the field onto Rodborough Quiet Lane. We then went around the side of the valley towards Bagpath.
It was here that we faced the full onslaught of the cold wind the media have dubbed ‘The Beast from the East’. Nevertheless, there were very good views across the valley. We spotted a Buzzard, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a pair of Bullfinches, but very few signs of the ‘spring season’ as on our last walk in February. Fortunately, on this chilly day, there were hot meals available at The Ship Inn, so we enjoyed a nice warm finale to the session.
Twenty four species of bird were seen:
Mallard, Blackbird, Buzzard, Song Thrush, Kestrel, Goldcrest, Pheasant , Long-tailed Tit, Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Grey Wagtail, Jackdaw, Dipper, Crow, Wren, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Bullfinch and Robin
The Next Session
The next Waterside Wildlife Watch session will meet at
The Gateway Centre, Cotswold Water Park, Cirencester GL7 5TL
at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday 14th March
Click here to read Martin’s overview of this year’s sessions
Click here, or on the on the poster icon below, to print your reminder sheet