Deanbirders - May 2002 Field Trip

The day started dull and very wet when everybody gathered at Alvington to catch the Bus driven by Brian, who drives for Newent Disabled Association. Trip there took about tree hours and it rained heavily all the way. When we arrived at the Heronry car park (and yes I do know Herons don’t drive) it was dark, wet and windy, Ken said that the Herons wouldn’t mind. So we went through the gate and up a puddle path to the hide. Once settled in it was dry and fairly comfortable with a brilliant view of about six out of over 100 nests with plenty of information on lamminated boards on the walls about all Birds and Wildlife that can be seen through the hide windows.

The woodland looked prehistoric, the trees were very tall with ivy growing up most of them, under growth was dense, wet and looked untouched for many a year, which is nice to see in this age of hands on everything. There were feeders placed close to the hide to bring in other types of smaller birds that was in the area. There were bird boxes sited on some trees if you looked for them, having a good pair of 8 x binoculars helped spot them.

Which brings me back to the Herons? These birds spend most of the time fishing for frogs, eels and small fish at ground level so it makes you wonder why they build their nest right at the top of very tall oak trees. The wind was blowing the nests and contents from side to side, how they don’t get seasick or fall out is beyond me! After spending some time studying the herons we returned to the bus the weather brightening up a little by now with only a few light showers.

Leaving the heronry car park the driver turned the bus left at the exit and drove about half a mile down the hill to the Moor. Once out of the bus everybody walked over to the Moorland hide leaving me to scan the Moor finding as many different bird species as I could with binoculars (unfortunately no wheelchair access to the hide).

It was time again to board the bus and find a nice little café that Tim new, for a spot of lunch. Hungry by now everyone had a quick look through the adjoined shop full of bird craft and art, ordered our meal and sat down for a disserved rest. Finishing lunch we had our last official meeting before moving on. Tim wanted us to see one more site on the Levels before our journey home, after a drive up and along a few narrow lanes we eventually arrived at a gate leading up a track flanked by wetlands. On the walk, about 200 yards before we turned around to get back to the bus, so it could get back home, beating the rush hour. With our eyes, ears and binoculars there were Buntings, Warblers, Pheasants, Cuckoo, Ducks, Moorhen and Falcons snatching Dragonflies out of the air. It was at this point I realized that I was more of an enthusiast than a birder compared to the rest of the group. But thanks to Tim it was an interesting and enjoyable day out.