March 2025 - Blagdon Lake Birds

Monday 31st March [Bright & sunny]

Although not the purpose of our visit to Cornwall, I spent a several hours around the Penzance area hoping to see the Booted Eagle and failed, so settled for a few minutes with the Hoopoe at Marazion.

Sunday 30th March

I drove to Cornwall with Ce for a couple of days today, and have no news from the lake.

Saturday 29th March [Bright & sunny to start with, then clouding over as the day wore on.]

I repeated yesterday’s birding walk from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. I saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam wall, then parked up at the Lodge. On the way towards Top End I didn’t pick out anything much, but was surprised by a Sparrowhawk that flew across the road right in front of me, almost within touching distance. At Flower Corner I caught a glimpse of a drake Ring-necked Duck that I saw, occasionally, from the hide. A Little Egret flew past the hide but it was otherwise pretty quiet. On the way back, I saw a Willow Warbler feeding in a Willow bush on the west corner of Green Lawn, and spotted a distant flock of hirundines in front of the Lodge. When I got back there, I counted circa 30, mostly Sand Martins, with a handful of Swallows and a single House Martin – another first for the year. 40 spp. I had a quick chat with angler Jeff H. as he was going home, and he told me he’d seen a Kingfisher fly along the North Shore about ten days ago.

Friday 28th March [Mainly sunny, with a light shower in the afternoon.]

I had a walk from the Lodge to Top End hide and back this afternoon. The breeze was blowing pretty hard up the lake and viewing waterfowl was pretty difficult. It seemed like there were fewer birds on the water today. Anyway, I heard a Cetti’s Warbler at Home Bay, then saw my first Reed Bunting of the year in Holt Bay. It was pretty wild at Top End, and I couldn’t really identify too many of the occasionally visible ducks. I decided to turn back and when I got to Burmah Road I spotted one of the Ring-necked Ducks with a few Tufteds. I couldn’t see the other one anywhere close by, so headed on fearing getting caught up in the approaching showers. When I got to Holt Bay I had a quick chat with an angler who told me he’d seen a pair of Greylags flying around during the morning and, as we chatted, a Swallow flew overhead. He told me he’d seen three a few minutes earlier. Another first for the year! I got back to my car and because the Lodge entrance was still closed, I had to drive back along the south side to Ubley gate. I saw a Little Egret and another two Swallows at Top End before leaving. 43 spp.

Thursday 27th March [Cool & overcast]

The Lodge entrance was open when I arrived at 1045 hrs this morning, I saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam, fed the birds, heard my first WIllow Warbler of the year at Green Lawn, and found two Ring-necked Ducks and a newly arrived 1st-winter drake Goldeneye from Top End hide. I spent about an hour in the hide with my camera watching Great Crested Grebes and a very confiding Great White Egret before having to leave to go to the gym in the afternoon. While I was doing a set of reps on the treadmill later, I watched the mist and mizzle spread up the valley from the coast until the lake had completely disappeared from view. Hopefully, it’ll reappear tomorrow! 40 spp.

Great Crested Grebes, Top End © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Great White Egret, Top End © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Wednesday 26th March [A glorious sunny day]

I had a walk with friends this morning on the Mendips to Ubley and back. I got to the lake late this afternoon. I drove the south side and came across this Red-legged Partridge at Hellfire Corner. However, while I was trying to photograph it a car came along the other way and put paid to my effort to try and get it to walk out into the late sunshine.

Red-legged Partridge, Hellfire Corner © Nigel Milbourne 2025

I continued to the Lodge and checked the feeder and had a look around the dam end, but there wasn’t much there to report back. So, I drove back along the road checking and listening as I went. I got to Burmah Road and was scanning through some ducks and spotted the two drake Ring-necked Ducks again. They were a way off, feeding in deep water with some Tufted Ducks but try as I might I couldn’t find the wintering bird, assuming it wasn’t one of the two photographed. So, whilst I felt confident there were three on Monday night, I’m not 100% sure. These two aren’t behaving like the usual bird and I cautiously believe they are different birds. While I was at the lake I also noted a Little Egret, but no hirundines.

Ring-necked Ducks, Burmah Road © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Tuesday 25th March [More sunshine]

I had to get some more bird food just after lunch, and parked at the Lodge on the way back. I birded on foot from there to Top End hide and back. There was a lot of fishing boat activity after a quiet day yesterday, and I couldn’t find any Ring-necked Ducks. One of the first birds I saw was a female Marsh Harrier over Long Bay, but surprisingly no Great White Egrets, just a single Little Egret. I counted eight singing Chiffchaffs and four Blackcaps during my walk. I had to drive back to the Ubley gate after my visit at 1700 hrs and managed to miss an Osprey flying west along the Mendip ridge reported by Chris C. over his garden in Compton Martin. Not my day!

Monday 24th March [A cold start before turning bright sunny & warm]

I made two visits to the lake today, one over lunchtime and another late evening. Unfortunately, there was just the one Ring-necked Duck that I could see. I saw it on both occasions off Rugmoor Point with Tufted Duck, and assume it was the wintering bird as there was no sign of him in Long Bay. Two each of Little and Great White Egrets were the best of the rest in a list of 38 spp.

Sunday 23rd March [Mainly overcast]

This morning, I met up with Mark, Ken and some members of Avon Bat Group to check boxes at Chew Valley Lake. We split into three groups and when we got together at the end we discovered we’d found 105 Soprano Pipistrelles. There was also evidence that Lesser Horseshoe Bats are already on the wing after hibernation and, that massive numbers of chironomid midges have already hatched (super food for the smaller bat spp). After a cuppa and some cider apple cake at New Manor Farm, we went our separate ways. After a short time back at home, I went down to the lake and saw the drake Ring-necked Duck in Long Bay. I drove on to Top End, turned the car around, parked, and went into the hide. Almost straight away, while scanning with my bins I saw two birds asleep right on the other side against the bank, that looked like drake Ring-necked Ducks. So, I went to get my scope from the car and sure enough that’s what they were. Eventually they both woke up, preened and started feeding. Mark H. came from home for a look, and after an hour or so watching them, we decided it was getting a bit dark (1845 hrs), so drove back along the south side road but couldn’t spot the wintering bird in Long Bay. Nevertheless, I’m pretty sure I’d seen three different RNDs at the lake this afternoon. I also saw three Great White Egrets (including red ‘ABF’), two Little Egrets and possibly some Cattle Egrets, although they were pretty well hidden. I was quite surprised that there weren’t any hirundines over the lake in the overcast conditions. 36 spp.

Drake Ring-necked Duck, Long Bay © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Not a particularly sharp picture, but it is worth showing because the neck stretch has revealed the colour ring.

Saturday 22nd March [Mainly overcast]

I was away for the day today, so didn’t visit the lake. However, Andy M. did and he saw the drake Ring-necked Duck back in Long Bay. Disappointingly though, yesterday’s Little Gulls had, as expected, moved on.

Friday 21st March [Overcast]

Nothing for ages then they come like buses… Two Egyptian Geese at Peg’s Point and seven adult Little Gulls at Top End were pleasing finds this afternoon. Up until then, I’d seen twelve fewer species at the lake than this time last year. One of the Siberian Chiffchaffs was still present, the other seems to have moved on. I also noted one Little Egret and two Great White Egrets (one of which was red ‘ABF’), two red-legged Partridges, and ten Common Chiffchaffs and one Blackcap singing along the south side. 41 spp.

I didn’t have my camera with me today, so here’s a picture of a Little Gull I took Nr. Oulu in Finland in 2006.

Thursday 20th March [A beautiful Spring day]

Spring has finally sprung! My late morning/lunchtime walk was a delight, and I saw five butterflies on the wing, three Brimstones and two Peacocks. I counted nine Chiffchaffs singing along the way from the Lodge to Top End gate, as well as two Blackcaps. Just after I turned to head back I got a message from Mark H. to say an Osprey was briefly over the Pumping Station before heading north. I sat in the Top End hide scanning for it, but no luck, although I did see a hirundine sp. high up over the lake that was too far away to identify. I saw a pair of Collared Doves by the Inspection House, my first of the year at the lake, a female Marsh Harrier, five Snipe, a Little Egret, a Great White Egret, and heard a couple of Nuthatches calling. 39 spp.

Wednesday 19th March [Mild & sunny]

I spent a couple of hours at the lake late on this afternoon. It was so nice not to have that cold wind blowing over the water. In truth I didn’t see a great deal, just two each of Great White and Little Egrets (including GWE red ‘ABF’), and one of the Siberian Chiffchaffs (the one with ticks, or whatever they are, around the base of the bill – see upper picture on 9th March). It was nice to meet Marc H. and Jan at Top End too, together we spotted a Mink when walking to look for the Chiffchaffs. 41 spp.

Tuesday 18th March [A glorious sunny day. A cool wind still blowing.]

I spent most of the day with friends on the National Trust Bath Skyline walk. There were some terrific views over the city in the sunshine. I didn’t get back until tea time, and popped down to the lake to see if there was anything new. I didn’t have time to check out the Chiffchaffs, but spent a short while in the hide with my camera. I saw two Little Egrets and two Great White Egrets (one of which was Red ‘ABF’). I didn’t see the drake Ring-necked Duck. 30 spp.

Little Egret, Top End © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Monday 17th March [The wind has started moving through the east & the wind wasn’t quite so cold]

Phil, Rob, Skip and I did the WeBS count this morning. Waterfowl numbers have dropped dramatically during the last month: Canada Goose 20, Mute Swan 15, Shoveler 3, Gadwall 6, Mallard 47, Teal 5, RING-NECKED DUCK 1 drake, Tufted Duck 193, Moorhen 15, Coot 306, Little Grebe 1, Great Crested Grebe 11, Snipe 31, Common Sandpiper 1, Common Gull 3, Herring Gull 10, Great Black-backed Gull 4, Lesser Black-backed Gull 2, Cormorant 19, Little Egret 3, Great White Egret 2 (including Red ‘ABF’), Grey Heron 7, Sparrowhawk, 1, Red Kite 1, Buzzard 3, Grey Wagtail 2. After we’d admired the ‘Ringer’ and finished the count, we went to have a look for the 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, which were still present and feeding in close proximity to 5 Common Chiffs. We also admired the Cuckoo-flowers which have started to bloom at Top End; what we need now is some sunshine, warmth and Orange-tip butterflies. I noted 43 spp. and missed a Red Kite & a Sparrowhawk. Later in the day, I watched a pair of Red Kites over Blagdon village.

Sunday 16th March [Frost overnight. Mainly sunny by day with a cold breeze.]

I birded from the Lodge to Top End gate and back again in the afternoon. It was cold again in the areas where there was no shelter from the stiff breeze. I heard a Red-legged Partridge calling/singing, saw one each of Great White and Little Egrets (the GWE was Red ABF again), the two Siberian and five Common Chiffchaffs, at least ten Snipe, and a few Starlings, Fieldfares and Redwings aside from the regulars. 44 spp. Tomorrow is WeBS count day.

Saturday 15th March [Dry with sunny spells. The wind was still cold today.]

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End gate & back this afternoon. It was pretty quiet in the cold conditions. I saw the two Siberian Chiffchaffs. but there was no sign of the drake Ring-necked Duck. There were two Great White Egrets, and the only other ‘interesting’ sighting was of a Partridge sp. that ran into cover before I could get the bins focused on it. 37 spp. It looks like it might start to warm up a bit around midweek with the wind turning through the east to southerlies next weekend. Hopefully, we’ll start to get some more hirundines through and it’ll be time to start looking out for Ospreys heading north.

Friday 14th March [Dry & mainly sunny with a cool northerly breeze]

I spent the afternoon hoping to be able to take some pictures of any migrant gull flocks that dropped in, but it wasn’t to be today. So I had a walk around at Top End with my camera. I saw a whole bunch of Chiffchaffs, including both the Siberian Chiffs. Then, I went to the hide where the Great White Egret with the red ring ‘ABF’ was hunting nearby – the only one I saw. While I was scanning around, I was taken aback to see the drake Ring-necked Duck close up against the flooded Top End trees. He must have been hiding away in the trees since I last saw him on 1st March. Perhaps this finally explains why we get gaps in his stop-over each winter, he’s just settled and feeding out of sight around the reed bed that’s hidden behind the trees. 48 spp.

Great White Egret (Red ABF), Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Thursday 13th March [A cool wind though dry with some sunny spells]

Mark, Ken and I checked some bat boxes this morning at Chew Valley Lake, although we’re planning to do most of them on the 23rd. We saw some Soprano Pipistrelles and found one of the boxes missing where some tree work had been undertaken – not happy about that! Let’s hope it’s been put aside for us to rehang. After a cuppa and a piece of cake, we went our separate ways and I dropped by Blagdon Lake, where the boats were out on the water for the first time this season. Most of them were anchored up close under the north shore out of the biting wind. I had a look for the Chiffchaffs and saw both Siberian Chiffs. and at least two Common Chiffs at Flower Corner. I noted just one Great White Egret, and actually saw a Cetti’s Warbler at Home Bay reeds before leaving to go to my afternoon gym session. 37 spp.

I’m hoping to spend some time getting a load of pictures of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls that are migrating through in the next few days. In the past they were deemed to be Baltic Gulls ssp. fuscus, and they certainly are very black with little contrast between the overall upperpart colour and the wingtips. I don’t think they’re Baltic Gulls for one minute, but their dark colouration is certainly striking at this time of passage – perhaps a percentage of them are ssp. intermedius. A portfolio of images would be a worthwhile project to try and give us a clearer picture of what is happening during March each year.

Wednesday 12th March [Sunshine & cloud. A cold northerly breeze.]

I had an hour or two at the lake late this afternoon, but it was perishing in the wind birding around Green Lawn to Wood Bay Point. Again, there wasn’t too much to see on the water now that the vast majority of the wildfowl have moved on. However, at around 1530 hrs, the blizzard of Cattle Egrets flew in again from the east, and landed in the Top End trees out of sight. I reckon there were 36+ today. In the cold wind there wasn’t much birdsong, but i reckoned on seeing and hearing at least six Common Chiffchaffs, and saw one, perhaps both, Siberian Chiffchaffs. I hope it’s a bit warmer tomorrow because Mark, Ken and I will be checking a handful of bat boxes at Chew Valley Lake to see that they are still hanging safely, and to clean them, assuming they’re not occupied. 38 spp.

Tuesday 11th March

A late afternoon visit meant I was the only person at the lakeside. I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. The two Siberian Chiffchaffs were still present, and I saw three and heard one Common Chiffchaffs. I counted five Gadwall and 19+ Shovelers, and on the way back to the Lodge saw a tree festooned with 44 Cattle Egrets. 37 spp.

Monday 10th March [Cooler, overcast, with spits and spots of rain.]

I birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End hide and back late this afternoon. I saw three Goosanders when I arrived at the dam, before moving on to top-up the feeder. I heard a singing Cetti’s Warbler, a Nuthatch, three singing Chiffchaffs, and saw one of the Siberian Chiffchaffs, three Great White Egrets, three Pochard, 4 Gadwall, and a flock of at least 150+ Starlings in a list of 42 spp.

Mark H. sent me a picture of the red ring on the Great White Egret frequenting Top End (see notes for 4th March) and it reads ‘ABF’. He sent details of his sighting to the BTO who have replied: This bird was ringed by A J Morgan as age nestling, sex male on 26-Apr-2022 07:30:00 at a confidential site, Somerset, UK. He was later sent a picture of the bird being ringed, with a note to say it was in breeding plumage last year at Slimbridge and may have bred. I saw it again over the weekend. Thanks for the info. Mark.

Before I got to the lake late this afternoon, I received a call from Simon H. who’d been looking in Holt Copse and found a little patch of Sweet Violet in flower (blue-violet form). Perhaps it’s an early response to the opening up of the tree canopy, although it’s usually more a plant of woodland edges. It’s a good nectar source for early butterflies, and to be welcomed. It occurs in various places around the lake, especially the white-flowered form. Another early, but barely noticed, flower of Holt Copse is Dog’s Mercury, usually associated with ancient woodland. It is widespread around the lake, even away from woodland, probably reflecting where woodland and hedgerows were before the farmland was flooded.ch

Sunday 9th March [A nice warm & sunny day, but with that same easterly breeze as yesterday.]

I spent early afternoon at the lake with my bins and camera, and birded on foot from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. There wasn’t anything new out on the water, but newly arrived Chiffchaffs had started singing, one each in Lodge and Top End hide woods, where none overwintered. Back with the Siberian Chiffchaff, I spent an hour or more photographing it, and noticed the bird pictured yesterday was still present too. I’m fairly confident it’s also a Siberian Chiffchaff and, like the other, was also strikingly pale in the bright sunshine.

The probable Siberian Chiffchaff (top) shown together with the original (bottom), both photographed this afternoon in adjacent parts of a hedge. The legs photographed from the side, and slightly towards the sun look pale pinkish rather than black. However, compare them with yesterdays picture (below) and the original Chiffchaff, which were both taken with the sun behind me. Interestingly, while watching the original Sibe Chiffchaff with Dave P. last Tuesday, looking into the sun, it too appeared to have pinkish legs. I also noted a flock of 40+ Fieldfares, and three Great White Egrets in a list of 47 spp.

Saturday 8th March [Sunshine & cloud]

I had an hour or so at the lake just after lunch. I didn’t see anything on or over the lake of note, so spent half an hour looking for the Siberian Chiffchaff which I saw once for a few seconds. I also saw a couple of Common Chichaffs too, but it was a bit breezy. I met Merv P. at the dam and we had a look through a pretty big flock of Lessser Black-backed and Herring Gulls that had appeared on the water, presumably birds on migration heading north. I counted 38 spp.

Friday 7th March [Mainly overcast & grey, but we were spared the rain.]

I had a look for the Siberian Chiffchaff this afternoon and had a few all too brief encounters with it. There were also at least six Common Chiffchaffs in various places at Top End too. I saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam wall, and five Great White Egrets, but saw little else out of the ordinary. I then spent a while in the hide with my camera before leaving for home. 35 spp. logged. Hopefully, we’ll get some more sunshine over the weekend.

Thursday 6th March [Breezy, but dry & sunny early, clouding over later.]

I didn’t get to the lake today, but Marc H. sent me news of a Red Kite, some calling Common Chiffchaffs, and 5 Red-legged Partridges. Cheers mate. I walked with friends from Kings Wood over Wavering Down to Crook Peak and back. The best birds were a pair each of Stonechats and Skylarks, and a flock of Fieldfares with a few Redwings.

Wednesday 5th March [Warm & sunny with a southerly breeze]

An afternoon walk saw the Common Sandpiper on the dam, a Water Rail in Home Bay reeds, a Greylag on Green Lawn, a Chiffchaff at Flower Corner, and at least four Great White Egrets around the lake. I spent some time with my camera in the hide being entertained by two pairs of Great Crested Grebes. I saw my second butterfly of the year a Peacock in the afternoon sunshine too.

Tuesday 4th March [Warm & sunny after an early morning temperature inversion & thick mist.]

Today was opening day for season ticket holders to start fishing from the bank. I understand it went pretty well. I waited until the sun burnt through the early morning mist before arranging to meet Dave P. who wanted to come and see the Siberian Chiffchaff. We eventually pinned it down and had some very satisfying views before making the short walk back to the car. During the three or so hours I was at the lake, in addition to the Sibe Chiff., I saw the Common Sandpiper, two Sand Martins, a Common Chiffchaff, a female-type Marsh Harrier, five Great White Egrets (one with a red leg ring that I couldn’t read), heard two Tawny Owls calling to each other, a Water Rail squealing, and saw 20+ Snipe in flight. Moreover, just as I said to Dave we might see a Brimstone Butterfly, a male appeared in flight in the wood at Top End hide. A lovely afternoon, and excellent company, produced a list of 52 spp.

Monday 3rd March [Another cold start but sunny & warm later.]

I spent a couple of hours over lunchtime at the Top End hoping to find the Siberian Chiffchaff and Ring-necked Duck, but it took me about an hour to find the Sibe Chiff., so there was little time left to look for the RND and I didn’t spot it. No Sand Martins have appeared yet, despite the beautiful weather. The Common Sandpiper was back on the dam, and I noted six Great White Egrets, a Red-legged Partridge, and three Common Chiffchaffs.

Sunday 2nd March [A cold start but sunny and warm throughout the day.]

I met with Mark at 1000 hrs this morning to finish off the first bat box round of the year at the lake. This was mainly to check they are hanging safely on the trees and to clean them out. We found 12 Soprano Pipistrelles and a single Lesser Horsehoe Bat during the day. While at the Pumping Station I saw the wintering Green Sandpiper and four Grey Wagtails. When we’d finished at around 1630 hrs I drove back along the south shore but although I paused briefly, I didn’t spot the Ring-necked Duck or the Chiffchaffs, but I’ll be having a look tomorrow morning, all things being equal. I counted five Great White Egrets as I drove from one end to the other though. It was a lovely day out in the sunshine, but I’m feeeling shattered now!

Saturday 1st March [Cold to start, but a nice sunny day, with a light cool breeze.]

I attended a very interesting talk by Mark Elliott, thanks to an invitation from Bristol Water, this morning. It seems European Beavers are quite likely to be colonising Chew Valley Lake in the near future as they spread in the Bristol Avon catchment area. We were given a very thorough insight into how they became established in the south-west, and how they are spreading rapidly thanks to legal, and illegal, introductions into more river systems. A huge amount of work has been done monitoring their impact, and how solutions are being found to help them thrive alongside humans. With the recent legislative announcement made yesterday there is no doubt they are here to stay (see Blog post today).

Back at Blagdon, I spent the afternoon at Top End watching the Siberian Chiffchaff and, as I was about to go, I spotted the Ring-necked Duck again at the edge of the flooded trees in Top End. I guess that’s where he’s been feeding since I last saw him in Long Bay. I counted five Great White Egrets too. List 38 spp.