Chew Valley Reservoir near Bristol, 2 March 2025

Above: Chew Valley Reservoir from the north © Phillip Delve

Leader: Lucy Starling

Twelve members and a guest enjoyed a beautiful sunny five hours birding around the reservoir; this meeting was rescheduled from 18th January when cancelled due to bad weather. We started at Woodford Lodge and walked to Picnic Area 2 and on toward the footbridge to the start of the Bittern Trail. The trail ahead was muddy and wet so we finished the afternoon birding from Heron’s Green and Herriott’s Bridge.

Most of the group managed at least a glimpse of a very active Firecrest along the footpath from Woodford Lodge. Other notable seen in the area and off The Dam included Chiffchaff (singing) Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Kingfisher and a pair of Goldeneye. I was delighted to find a male Chaffinch singing in the trees alongside the road behind the Salt and Malt building (one of the first common garden birds I became very familiar with as a child).

Weaving our way through the families, buggies, dogs and toddlers, we enjoyed a relatively peaceful picnic near the start of the Grebe Trail where, in the trees behind us, a Treecreeper was singing quite vigorously and gave us some good views. Some of the party saw a Cetti’s Warbler along the reed edge but everyone heard the explosive song. In the sky, we found a pair of Buzzards circling and a Raven dashed overhead “kronking”.

Our final viewing stops added several new species including super telescope views of Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret ( more distant on the far grass bank). Scaup, Great Crested Grebes (in full breeding plumage) and a pair of Goosander. Herriott’s Pool is invariably good for gull watching where one can learn the differences between Black-, Headed, Common, Herring, Lesser Black-Backed and Greater Black-Backed Gulls. Most of the winter wildfowl had departed but there were still quite a few Tufted Duck, Gadwall, one or two Pochard, Teal, Shelduck and a pair of Pintail.

My thanks to Phillip D and Glen M for assisting me and sharing telescopes and to Ruhua for her excellent spotting skills. My total species seen and or heard was 51

Lucy Starling