Sunday afternoon, 2/6/13....Weather hot and sunny.
A walk down Culm Valley from Culmstock with the Wigan RSPB Group.
The River Culm runs west from the Blackdown Hills. We started off from the Culm Valley Inn by the road bridge
in Culmstock and walked on riverside paths and meadows in a downstream direction.
The valley is an idyllic setting for some gentle birdwatching.

Within a few yards from the bridge a family party of Nuthatch were seen around a tree cavity.
There was constant Nuthatch activity and 3 Nuthatch were often together.
A few yards further on and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were feeding young. The female was continuously active over the river catching Mayfly, under the shade from trees.
After going further downstream to view a Sand Martin colony on the riverbank,
I returned to watch the Woodpecker on its fly catching activity. Sometimes it stood on rocks
in midstream and then up again for the flies. A few other species were also imitating Flycatcher;
with a pair of Chaffinch often getting in the way of the Woodpecker. Also House Sparrows and a Robin were
feeding this way. Swallows, House Martins and the Sand Martins were over the River in numbers, with the highest proportion of House Martins that I have seen this year.

On shingle banks in the river, a family party of Grey Wagtails were very busy and 4 were counted together.
Our Group pressed on down the riverside to add Dipper and a genuine (Spotted) Flycatcher.
I remained on the riverbank to watch all the feeding but I did add a Common Buzzard and a single Yellowhammer in the Buttercup meadow.

The Culm Valley Inn attracted some new clients.











-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 6th of June 2013 09:17:39 PM