15th May 2025 – Stoke Park, Bristol

We are very lucky that we have two parks very close to where we live in the middle of the city of Bristol: Eastville Park, a Victorian city park with children’s playgrounds, green spaces and a lake and a river where we regularly see common kingfishers and dippers; and Stoke Park Estate which is a local Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) covering over 100 hectares. Stoke Park Estate is also designated as a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Site (RIGS): an important place for geology and geomorphology. The site has species-rich grasslands, woodland, scrub, and ponds. It is home to wildlife like great crested newts, dragonflies and glow worms.

I spent the afternoon wandering around the fishing lake which is also known as Duchess Pond.

3 swifts passed over briefly but sadly didn’t reappear. However I was pleased to get some shots with the one chance I had.

A kestrel appeared briefly but stayed in line with the sun (I’m sure to stop me photographing it).

I caught a glimpse of a chiffchaff and was pleased to get some shots as they are quite elusive at this time.

There were plenty of carrion crows too (not so elusive!).

There were lots of(Canada Goose) goslings, ducklings and coot and moorhen chicks.

All around the lake there were dragonflies and damselflies which always prove a great challenge to photograph. I am not very knowledgeable with these and am only hazarding a guess at what was what.