Duchess Pond Stoke Park
With the threat of showers I made the short walk to Duchess Pond in Stoke Park and managed a few bird shots in between the showers.
A Moorhen with three chicks seemed busy making/repairing a nest next to the water lilies. 8 House Martin flitted around. I disturbed the 27 Mallard but managed not to disturb the Grey Heron as it grabbed a dragonfly before flying off to Eastville Park.
Oldbury-on-Severn
A pleasant day for a walk along the Severn Estuary from Oldbury-on-Severn. Very grey to start but brightened up and quite warm by the time we made our way back to The Anchor.
Coffee in the lovely Community Shop and Café before we started and a pint of Bass in the Anchor at the end – nice way to celebrate a birthday.
A Kestrel in the distance was the first sighting.
Then a Curlew and a few Oystercatchers on the Estuary.
And then we turned inland and did a circuit of the lagoons near to the Power Station where we saw a Tufted Duck and chicks, Moorhen and Coot on the small lagoon and a Little Egret fly over. A good number of butterflies too.
Back at The Anchor I was trying to capture Beautiful Demoiselle in flight (again) when a Grey Wagtail came and posed in the stream.
Eastville Park
A feature of our short walks around Eastville Park at the moment is these Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies which are always seen in the same spots. Almost impossible to photograph in flight but quite pleased to get one with wings open.
We spotted five Grey Herons; their plumage always amazes me.
Tried birdwatching at New Passage but driven back by the rain. Only achieved one photo – a greenfinch (only 1.7 million breeding pairs in UK!)
There was plenty of drama though later in Eastville Park with Black-headed Gull trying to snatch Moorhen chick – the chick survived. The resident Grey Heron watched all the action placidly. Plenty of butterflies and damselflies too.
A week’s holiday in Bergerac in the Dordogne Valley in France gave little opportunity for nature photos, especially as I was restricted to a “tourist” camera and lenses. However; I wasn’t going to waste any opportunities and captured the Black Redstart in the garden, Pied Wagtails on the river and a few butterflies,damselflies and dragonflies.
Also saw Hoopoes, a Golden Oriole and Crag Martins on the Dordogne.
Ham Wall Somerset Levels
The highlights of this trip were juvenile Marsh Harriers, Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret and Great Crested Grebes.
Giant hogwood, nettles in flower, wild raspberries in fruit, blackberries forming, Indian Balsam and lots of other interesting flora. Damselflies (Beautiful Demoiselle mainly).
Two sightings of Kingfisher. More ducklings on the lake and lots of interesting colours of the Mallards moulting. Thanks to Nigel for pointing out the hook feather on the drake. Grey Heron as spectacular as ever.
Folly Farm Chew Valley
No photographs of birds at all – in fact didn’t even see many birds. However, some butterflies and other insects to challenge my photographic skills.
My favourite was the Six-spot Burnet, a day-flying moth.
WWT Slimbridge – Slimbridge Wetlands Centre
I used to be very bored when I went to Slimbridge as a kid. How views can change! I still have some reservation about the birds in captivity but do recognise how important all of this is.
Highlights were the Avocets, Ruff and Redshank in their own pen (safe from the Black-headed Gulls – I’m sure they have enough else to feed on), the otters and a glimpse of a Buzzard from the Kingfisher hide.
Sand Point near Weston Super Mare
3 months after breaking her femur my wife Wendy visited her consultant this morning in Weston General Hospital (5 x-rays and consultation all completed in 30 minutes – it would take that time to park at Southmead!) and then walked out to Sand Point.
Dunnock, Bullfinch and Stonechat best of the birds.
Also a a Marbled White at a distance.
Snuff Mills
There were not many birds to see on a morning walk through Snuff Mills. Only a Blackcap of note (no photo – I was just too slow) and a family of Mallards growing up.
A Speckled Wood butterfly was worth a photograph.
Some beautiful flowers near the Snuff Mill. The volunteers do a fabulous job.
Eastville Park
It was great to have an evening walk around Eastville Park – our first walk together to the park from home since Wendy broke her leg.
It was quite astonishing to see how much everything had grown. There were places where we couldn’t get anywhere near to the river and the River Frome was quite dark in places with the trees laden with leaves. Difficult to see many birds though, although the bird song was quite a delight but sometimes a din with the crows at full blast.
What a delight too to see a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail (sadly no photo though). I nearly didn’t take my camera out of the bag until we saw a wonderful damselfly.
The ducklings on the lake didn’t seem too perturbed by predators (not a gull in sight). Good to see Swifts too.
Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos 