A Hobby was by the Clevedon Salerooms on the 6th and at least 50 House Martins and a couple of Swifts were in the Chestnut Park/ Little River area the following day. The warbler song was much diminished early in the month but Song Thrushes and Skylarks were still very audible.
The Strawberry Line count on the 8th revealed a lot of juvenile birds, it is likely that some of the young Great Tits and Blue Tits had fledged from garden Nestboxes and then followed their parents to the Strawberry Line to find food. Nine Swifts were feeding over the Line and the Hobby mentioned above was seen again.
One of our Congresbury members reported a Great Spotted Woodpecker attempting to ‘break in ‘ to their bee hotel to predate the bees or more likely the grubs. This was the first instance of this behaviour that I was aware of until Chris Packham reported a similar incident in his own garden on Springwatch. It will be interesting to see if activity develops more widely. Since Great Spots will open up wooden nest boxes perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised.
But I was very surprised by a juvenile Peregrine which flew from one pylon to the next across Wemberham Lane at head height at great speed. Perhaps one of the birds from Weston Town Quarry. The final Strawberry Line count on the 15th was only notable for a circling Red Kite over Congresbury Moor.
A Jay on the Congresbury section of the Strawberry Line was an unusual sighting for the observer, he also recorded a Lesser Whitethroat there on the 20th. Later that day a juvenile Green Woodpecker called from the field adjacent to Nortons. I had to research it as I hadn’t knowingly heard one before.
After a gap of three months, there was a Kingfisher on Wemberham Rhyne, probably a young bird. Also two Tawny Owlets nearby at dusk. A Spotted Flycatcher and a Treecreeper were seen at Goblin Combe.
The Kestrels on our Congresbury Moor Reserve fledged three young but adults and young had dispersed by the 23rd while juvenile Barn Owls were still present in the adjacent box. The hot weather produced 48 House Martins over Chestnut Park, Yatton as well as low flying screaming Swifts.i even managed half a dozen low Swifts over Horsecastle.
July is generally a quiet time for many bird species so sightings from members will be very welcome to [email protected]
