Author: martintayler

We went to Uphill to look for a Short-eared Owl which has been reported there in the last few weeks. Initially we had no luck and so I started taking some poor photos of Redshank. However, we could see the rain coming in so we headed back to the car.

At the last moment we caught sight of the Short-eared Owl and, with the help of Lightroom, I rescued a few half-decent shots from the gloom.

Click gallery below for more photos:

At first there didn’t seem to be a lot about (or as the tide was low not close enough for me to see) so I walked through to Aust. It was surprisingly mild and, although I didn’t take many photos, it was a good walk. The best birds were probably the Kestrel near Aust and the House Sparrows (male and female – I think) right at the end. Not sure what the first bird was as it was very dark but now looks like a Dunnock. A charm of 20 Goldfinch in one tree near the end.

It was supposed to be heavy rain but the sun was shining so we went for a walk through Snuff Mills (expecting the worse). As it turned out we got the whole way round without a drop of rain.

We regularly saw 2 Grey Wagtails all along the valley. Perhaps there were more but I couldn’t be sure. There were lots of Robins too but only 1 decent shot. Several Great Tits too.

Near the Halfpenny Bridge we saw a Dipper which was joined by the 2 Grey Wagtails.

Further up we had great views of 2 Jays. There were reports of 3 Kingfishers in a bush but we only saw one (with a fish) on a branch from a distance but got several views of it in flight too.

There were lots of Mallards (20) and a Moorhen.

Quite a satisfactory morning.

A brief walk around the lake in Eastville Park this afternoon. The Mallards are quite interesting at the moment as they change their plumage. A Grey Wagtail (ISO 20,000!) fishing up the stream that flows in to the River Frome in Eastville Park. A failed effort from the Grey Heron. Desperate for a photo I took a photo of a Blackbird but missed lots of opportunities of a Long-tailed Tit building a nest near the allotments.

Plenty of celandine showing spring is on its way.

A wet and windy morning at Chew Valley Lake. We had drunk our flask of coffee at our first stop and then took refuge in Stratford Hide to get out of the wind. The water in the lake is now very high so there was no sign of the Jack Snipe I had seen on my last visit.  Good to meet Lee Gardiner (Lee @Wildwood_photos) who pointed out the Common Gull to us.

2 Great-blacked Gull stole the show. There were also Black-headed Gull, Shoveler, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Coot and a Lapwing.

I set off in the rain for a walk around Eastville Park as I just had to get out of the house. Fortunately the heavy showers relented and, when I reached the lake, the sun came out for a while.

I stood for some time at the lake as I had a glimpse of an otter beneath the water. No chance of a photo above water though, but I was rewarded when a Kingfisher flew over the lake and perched on the island in the middle. I also enjoyed watching the Grey Heron fishing with some success for him and me.

I saw lots of Great Tit and two Long-tailed Tit on the way back but too dark for photos.

It was good to get out this afternoon for a walk around Stoke Park, Eastville Park and Stapleton. Nothing very memorable except the Mallard in Stoke Park were very colourful as were the Woodpigeon and Stock Dove in Eastville Park.

Blackbirds were busy and Robins (I counted 8) were very noisy. There was a Grey Wagtail on the weir on the River Frome and lots of Black-headed Gull on Eastville Park lake (some have very black heads now). There was a solitary Mute Swan on the lake (hope it finds a partner) and a single Heron.

There was a Starling on our roof and a flock of 32 Goldfinch in the tree over the road.

With low cloud and drizzle at Chew Valley Lake this morning it was much more enjoyable in Stratford hide with 5 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe (amazingly camouflaged) as well as Scaup and Tufted Duck out on the lake.

At Herriot’s the best was a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pochard and a strange hybrid duck that clearly thought it was a Mallard from the company it kept.

Swans were showing off and chasing each other.

In fact lots of birds were getting stroppy.

The light was poor but I enjoyed the challenge of trying to photograph birds (mainly gulls)  in flight.

Some of the delights of Slimbridge. It even felt as though spring was just around the corner.

Glad to get out for half an hour this afternoon in Stoke Park having been cooped up at home all morning.

Mallards and Canada Geese in pairs but a Buzzard attracting unwanted attention. Lots of Goldfinch around at the moment but this one on its own. Interesting light after the rain.

A bitterly cold day – not the kind of day for hanging around. The most interesting birds were Scaup near the dam at Chew. I missed a real chance here as I saw later on the Avon Bird Blog that there was a Common Scoter amongst them – but not in my photo. I should have spent more time talking to the other birders at the lake. Black Redstart ? in the tree near the dam ( 2nd photo from the end) and Swans getting ready for St Valentine’s Day.

First photos for over 10 days due to feverish cold and chest infection. Well enough today to try to get some photos of the local Waxwing of which everyone seems to be getting great shots.

Very cold for standing around for too long and poor light but some success.