AVIANS REPORT 2020/2021 After February 2020, the Avians were not able to meet outside until Covid rules were relaxed. However, we have made three trips since then, the first in May 2021 having been to the RSPB Reserve Ham Wall in the Somerset Levels, notable for example for Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Great White Egret and the summer visitor Hobby (scientific name Falco subbuteo - many will recall the "hobby" of playing Subbuteo). Because of Covid rules, we took picnics for post-birding sustenance. June saw us visit Fyne Court in the Quantocks for a walk in woodland and meadows culminating (like the Ham Wall trip) in a picnic. Dudley Shellard organised this trip and had filled the empty bird feeders in the picnic area before we started so we were able to enjoy seeing Stock Dove, Siskin and Nuthatch feeding on them while we tucked into our picnics. In September, the venue was Chew Valley Lake, where we had some good sightings including a variety of wader species – Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Black Tailed Godwit. This was the first occasion we could have a pub lunch – in the garden of the Ring O’ Bells in Compton Martin. Although, each of us enjoyed what we ate, most of us were extremely jealous of Paul Main’s enormous dish of Ham Hock which he valiantly consumed. We had 13 to 18 on each trip – which are comfortable numbers for enjoyable birding. At the time of writing, a visit to Clevedon Pill and the coast beyond is scheduled and future venues are expected to include Oldbury-on-Severn, Steart and the Wildfowl and the Wetlands Trust site at Slimbridge.
Michael Newstead
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