January 27th-29th 2025 Somerset Levels
A group of us decided to venture further afield to visit Slimbridge and the Somerset levels and booked ourselves into the Premier in at Bridgewater for a couple of nights. 3 fascinating days:
Slimbridge: We managed some 53 species here not including some lovely captive species such as Smew and Buffleheads.
Little Egret, Pintail, Rook, Teal, Wood Pigeon, Starling, Lesser Black backed Gulls, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black Swan, Curlew, Herring Gull, Greylag, Black headed gull, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Golden Plover, Mallard, Buick Swans, Canada Geese, Coots, Pied wagtails. Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Raven, Peregrine, Black tailed Godwit, Water Rail, Dunnock, Great Tit, Robin, Bluetit, House Sparrow, Redshank, Ruff, Russian Whitefront Goose, Little Stint, Dunlin, Barnacle geese, Gadwall, Magpie, Oyster catcher, Spoonbill, Golden eye, Avocet, Cranes, Pochard, Long tailed tit, Chaffinch, Grey wagtail, Carrion crow, Knot and Pheasant
February 12th 2025 Tamar Boat Trip - 36 species
Mute swan, curlew, Little Egret, Common Gull, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Great Northern Diver, Black headed gull, Shag, Great Black backed gull, Feral pigeons, Turnstone, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Oyster catcher, Great Crested Grebe, Crow, Black tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Common Scoter, Redshank, Pale and black bellied Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Spoonbill, Canada Goose, Avocet, Buzzard, Slavonian grebe, Wood Pigeon, Razor bill, Black necked grebe and Herring gull,
February 21st 2025 Bude - 32 species
Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Crow, Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Moorhen, Shelduck, Teal, Snipe, Mallard, Canada Goose, Mute swan, Starling, Robin, Goldfinch, Bluetit, Redwing, Cormorant, Song Thrush, Black headed gull, Great tit, Magpie, Wren, Grey Heron, Rook, Great spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Long tailed tit and House sparrow.
March 12th 2025 Respryn - 23 species
Wren, Crow, Firecrest, Blackbird, Wood pigeon, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Coal tit, Dipper, Song Thrush, Robin, Jackdaw, Marsh tit, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Magpie, Siskin, Pheasant, Mallard, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Blue tit and Herring gull + Grey Squirrel
April 9th 2025 Porth Reservoir and East Pentire
Porth Reservoir - 33 species bird
Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, Wood pigeon, Great Crested grebe, Mallard, Cormorant, Moorhen, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Coot, Robin, Blue tit, Herring Gull, Wren, Dunnock, Kingfisher, Great tit, Great spotted wood pecker, Blackbird, Buzzard, Crow, Lesser Black backed gull, Swallow, Teal, Coal tit, Magpie, Little Egret, Snipe, Gold crest, Dunnock, Blackcap, Wren, Long tailed tit
Butterflies: Peacock, Orange tip, Small white
East Pentire - 15 Species
Swallow, Jackdaw, Skylark, Gannet, Linnet, Kestrel, Black redstart, Stonechat, Rock Dove, Wheatear, Oyster catcher, Rock pipit, Shag, Great black backed gull and Fulmar,
May 30th 2025 The Rumps 27 species of bird + 6 misc.
Skylark, Herring gull, Fulmar, Gannet, Raven, Linnet, Kestrel, House Martin, Wren, Guillemot, Great Black backed gull, Razor bill, Cormorant, Shag, Oyster catcher, Rock and Meadow pipit, Crow, Pheasant, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Wood pigeon, Puffin, Swallow, Blackbird, Magpie
Wall butterfly, Speckled wood, Large white, 6 spot Burnet, Ladybird
June 11th 2025 Bodmin Beacon Reserve - 15 species + 5 misc.
Swift, Stonechat, Robin, Wren, Wood pigeon, Magpie, Buzzard, Herring gull, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Blue tit, Blackcap, Dunnock, Crow, Jackdaw
Meadow Brown, Golden ringed Dragonfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood
June 26th 2025 Isles of Scilly day trip with a chartered boat to some outlying islands and Bishop's rock - 20 bird species + 1
Sandwich tern, Herring gull, Rock pipit, Cormorant, Swallow, Great black backed gull, Feral Pigeons, Oyster catcher, Gannet, Grey Heron, Manx Shearwater, Lesser black backed gull, Mallard, Fulmar, House Sparrow, Puffin, Collared dove, Guillemot, Razor bill, Shag and Common Dolphin
Nightjar evenings 17th June, 24th June & 18th July 2025
Nightjar, Night heron, Long tailed tit, Song thrush and Blackbird
July 9th 2025 Breney Common - 18 bird Species +
Raven, Wood pigeon, Jackdaw, Blue tit, Blackcap, House Martin, Yellowhammer, Herring Gull, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Linnet, Swallow, Crow, Wren, Buzzard, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Coal tit
Butterflies and insects - 24 species + 2 amphibians
Small Copper, Purple Hairstreak, Green veined white, Large white, Small white, Peacock, Red admiral, Large Skipper, small Skipper, Ringlet, Silver washed Fritillary, Comma, speckled Wood, Holly blue, Gatekeeper and Meadow brown. Emperor Dragonfly, Golden ringed Dragonfly, Black tailed skimmer, Migrant Hawker, Keeled Skimmer, Emerald damsel fly, 4 spot chase, Common blue damselfly + Common Lizard and froglets
August 27th 2025 Planning mtg at Coulson Park Lostwithiel - 27 species of birds + 4
Wood pigeon, Mallard, Magpie, Buzzard, Moorhen, Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, Crow, Great Tit, House martin, Swallow, Kingfisher, Raven, Cormorant, Black headed gull, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Wood Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Grey heron, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Rook, Long tailed tit, Blue tit and Sparrow Hawk.
Emerald Damsel fly, Red Admiral, Large White + Roe Deer
Sept 17th 2025 Par Spit beach and St Andrews - 26 species
Robin, Great tit, Blue tit, Canada goose, Wren, Great spotted wood pecker, Tree Creeper, Mute Swan + cygnets, Moorhen, Mallard, Black headed gull, Herring gull, Grey heron, Snipe, Crow, Cormorant, Teal, Jackdaw, Magpie, Curlew, Stonechat, Oyster catcher, Little Egret, Whimbrel, Shag and Buzzard
Oct 15th 2025 Old Town Cove - 36 + 1
Robin, Wood pigeon, magpie, Redshank, Kingfisher, Cormorant, wigeon, Rock Pipit, Curlew, Blue tit, Jackdaw, Black headed gull, Mute Swan, Oyster Catcher, Black backed gull, Mediterranean gull, Crow, Snipe, Brent goose, Grey heron, Shag, Little egret, Goldcrest, Mallard, Long tailed tit, Herring gull, Bar tailed Godwit, Black tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Teal, Little grebe, Moorhen, Wren, Chaffinch, Buzzard and Great Black backed gull
Roe Deer
Nov 24th- 25th Dorset -
Radipole and Lodmoor: 47 bird species
Cormorant, Black headed gull, grey heron, Shoveler, Tufted duck, Wood pigeon, Little grebe, Gadwall, Teal, Mediterranean gull, Shelduck, Moorhen, Mallard, Feral pigeon, Herring Gull, Mute Swan, Blue tit, Crow, Robin, Dunnock, Lesser Black backed gull, Goldfinch, Great black backed gull, Cetti's Warbler, Blackbird, Nuthatch, Chiff chaff, Great tit, Long tailed tit, Coot, Goldcrest, House Sparrow, Marsh Harrier, Magpie, Desert Wheatear, Pied wagtail, Starling, Great white Egret, Lapwing, Water Rail, Little Egret, Snipe, Canada Goose, Black tailed Godwit, Wigeon, Rook and Dunlin.
Portland bill - 20 bird species
Kestrel, Herring Gull, Crow, Great Black backed gull, Rock pipit, Guillemot, Pied wagtail, Gannet, Cormorant, Starling, Jackdaw, Razor bill, Shag, Magpie, Stonechat, Wren, Linnet, Blue tit, House sparrow, Wood pigeon.
Red admiral butterfly
Chesil Beach - 12 bird species
Brent Goose, Mediterranean gull, Ringed plover, Buzzard, Dunlin, Black tailed Godwit, Great black backed gull, Herring gull, Grey Plover, Oyster catcher, Turnstone and Black headed gull.
December 4th 2025 Christmas lunch at The Crown in Lanlivery
Dec 10th 2025 Camelford and Davidstow - 21 species + 2
House Sparrow, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Starling, Great tit, Magpie, Collared Dove, Blue tit, Robin, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Crow, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Rook, Redwing, Stonechat, Moorhen and Buzzard.
Squirrel and Roe Deer.
What an amazing year we had! Well done again to all who took part and supported us. Not only did we do our regular monthly trips we ventured further to the Somerset Levels, Dorset and the Isles of Scilly. In total we recorded 121 species - up on last year!
Looking forward to next year.
Jasmina Goodair, Marion May and Adrian Langdon
