RSPB GUIDED WALK IN FOD

Although there is no local RSPB group in North Wilts, other local groups welcome birders to join them on their guided walks after payment of a small fee, and this is what I did today. I'd noticed a walk with the Gloucestershire group in the Forest of Dean today, aiming to see crossbills, redpolls, siskins, and possibly hawfinches and goshawks. 

Not ever having seen a crossbill, and without redpolls and hawfinches on my list so far this year, this was an attractive trip, so I headed over to Speech House Woodland car park to join the group. It is a fairly easy journey to the FOD and took me just over an hour. I had a  bit of a wait in the car park, but with 15 minutes to go, cars began to arrive, with occupants wearing suitable mostly green and beige clothing and holding binoculars, which made them easy to pick out as members of the RSPB group! 

Eighteen of us made up quite a large group, but just after ten o'clock we set off through the woodland. I soon got chatting to some other members of the group, it transpired that several had also made a journey of an hour, and one lady had even left her home  at Cheltenham  at 7 am to catch  4 buses in order to arrive at the car park in time for the walk!  I did offer to give a lift part way home but she declined as she had already worked out her route and timings. 

Soon after leaving the car park, our leader heard the calls of crossbills, coming from the conifers above us, but sadly we didn't actually see the birds themselves. If on my own, I would have probably waited longer, but as we had only just started out we didn't stop for long. However, having heard them early on the walk, I was hopeful of seeing or hearing some more later on.. (we didn't!) 

The route we took passed by a deserted lake ( apparently the presence of carp was blamed for eating all the food that the birds would normally have fed on) and then through some more woodland to an area of heathland. This was where  I saw the great grey shrike in early 2018 but it wasn't seen last year, so whether it will return again this winter I don't know.   We saw several stonechats, and a flock of siskins and goldfinches land at the top of a distant conifer. Further on we stopped for a while in an open area, and our  guide pointed out a goshawk flying across although, again at a distance. We watched it for a while, noting its different wingflapping which determined that it was not a buzzard. 

The weather was sunny and felt quite warm in the autumn sunshine, with little wind. It was certainly a pleasure  to be out in the open air, and have the opportunity to chat to like minded people with an interest in birds. It's  nice to hear recommendation of other reserves to visit and to tell others about one's own experiences.

No photos again today, but the here is the list of birds we saw today:

blue tit, 
great tit,
robin,
song thrush,
chaffinch,
coal tit,
linnet
goshawk
buzzard
siskin
goldfinch
crossbill (h)
stonechat
wood pigeon
jay
crow