Another great day on our trip to the Camargue with plenty of photo opportunities. I am afraid the photos will have to speak for themselves.
The star of the day: a cuckoo
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27th May 2025 – The Camargue, France
Montagu’s harrier (at some distance) en route to Les Salins de Giraud on the coast Montagu’s harrier Black kite Just what you would expect in this part of the world – a greater flamingo Greater flamingo A fresh breeze but still quite warm Slender-billed gull Pied avocet through the tinted windows of the minibus Les salins de Giraud Other activities were available Spoonbills and egrets Bee eater Great picnic spot under a mulberry bush Barn swallow White stork in a steep dive Common cuckoo A common cuckoo A common cuckoo A common cuckoo A common cuckoo Gull-billed tern A feathered footman moth Allium and snails Orange-winged dropwing back at the hotel Frog in the hotel pond Hotel pond -
26th May 2025 – The Camargue, France
A selection of photos from our first days in The Camargue in the south of France. What a start!
Black kite over the hotel near Arles 
Griffon vulture near the hotel near Arles 
Griffon vulture near the hotel near Arles 
White stork with nesting material at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Glossy ibis at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Cattle egret at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Swallow at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Purple heron at the Marais du Vigueirat reserve 
Squacco heron at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Glossy ibis at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Coypu at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Painted lady butterfly at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Black-tailed skimmer at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Terrapin at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Common tern at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Black-winged Stilt at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Little egret and lunch at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve Night heron at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Night heron at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
White stork and young at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
White-tailed skimmer at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Speckled wood butterfly at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Yellow wagtail at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Large skipper butterfly at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Female demoiselle of some sort at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Camargue horeses at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Gull-billed terns and red-crested pochard at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Grey heron at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Glossy ibis at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Squacco heron at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Camargue wild horses 
Bittersweet or nightshade at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve 
Iris at the Marais du Vigueirat Reserve -
23rd May 2025 – Eastville Park, Bristol
A walk around the park this morning brought a few surprises: the 14 goslings we had seen earlier in the week had all gone, presumably predated, and a grey heron, which we have not seen for a while, was back (presumably from the heronry to which they disappear at this time of the year).
A grey wagtail leaping from one stone to another on the River Frome 
A wren, one of the noisiest birds but often the most difficult to see, beneath the tree canopy. 
The grey heron pretending to sleep 
The five cygnets were safe 
A cormorant gorging on the fish stocks in the park lake 
Lesser black-backed gull, surely no 1 suspect for the disappearance of the goslings 
Lesser black-backed gull 
Mute swan keeping a keen eye on its cygnets 
The grey heron perching on a fallen tree in the middle of the lake. There was an earlier attempt to remove the tree but coots had already started nesting there. 
Close up of the grey heron 
Red horse chestnut, popular in large gardens and parks in Britain 
The lake in the park 
Yellow flags on the park lake 
A beautiful hornbeam between the park lake and the River Frome 
We sat opposite the kingfishers nest on the River Frome for a while but there was no action this morning 
Beautiful demoiselle 
Female beautiful demoiselle 
Beautiful demoiselle in flight -
20th May 2025 – RSPB Ham Wall, Avalon Marshes, Somerset
If you have followed my blog through the winter I generally have something to complain about on my visits here: too cold, too wet, poor light, wrong lens, wrong settings, my incompetence etc. Not today: it was just a joy to be here. I’ll let you judge for yourself …
Scarce chaser 
Four spotted chaser 
Speckled wood 
Blackcap 
Four spotted chaser 
Great diving beetle Grey heron 
Great crested grebes 
Great white egret 
Great white egret 
Great white egret 
Great white egret 
Great white egret 
Great crested grebe 
Azure damselfly 
Red admiral 
Four spotted chaser 
Robin 
Marsh harrier 
Marsh harriers 
Marsh harrier 
Marsh harrier 
Little egret 
Scarce chaser 
Common brimstone -
18th May 2025 – Eastville Park, Bristol
We saw our first mute swan cygnets on our Sunday morning walk around Eastville Park. There were goslings, ducklings and moorhen and coot chicks everywhere. However, our walk was really enlivened by the late appearance of a kingfisher which announced itself very noisily (as they do) so that we couldn’t miss it.
Cygnets 
Mute swans and cygnets 
Canada geese and goslings 
Canada geese and goslings 
Very strangely – a pink-footed goose 
Kingfisher 
Kingfisher Kingfisher 
Speckled wood butterfly -
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.
This is the annexe to the main fishing lake (Duchess Pond) with a view of the yellow Dower House, built in 1563 as a private stately home, but now converted to private flats. 
The main fishing lake (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.
Common swift 
Common swift Common swift 
Common swift 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.
Chiffchaff 
Chiffchaff 
Chiffchaff There were plenty of carrion crows too (not so elusive!).
Carrion crow 
Starling – don’t they look splendid with the sun on their plumage? There were lots of(Canada Goose) goslings, ducklings and coot and moorhen chicks.
Coot and chick 
Ducklings 
Canada geese and gosling 
Moorhen 
Coot – look at the size of their feet 
Coot chick 
Black-headed gull (probably looking for ducklings or 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.
Scarce chaser 
Scarce chaser in flight 
Scarce chaser looking straight at me. 
Azure damselfly 
Large red damselfly 
Blue-tailed damselfly 
A common carder bee for good measure 
Stoke Park Estate and the Dower House -
14th May 2025 – WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
It’s the first time we have seen the new ‘Estuary Shoreline’ landscape at Slimbridge. It’s situated in front of the Kingfisher café and, although we had our doubts as we saw it being developed through the winter, we were very impressed with what the talented Grounds Team have achieved in designing it and building it in-house.
The new ‘Estuary Shoreline’ landscape 
Wonderful wild flowers enhanced the new landscape 
The bees (early nesting bumblebee) were loving the new plantings at the “Estuary Shoreline landscape” 
Common carder bee 
Shelduck looked magnificent in their breeding plumage 
The avocets probably stole the show 
A very handsome shoveler duck It was a joy to walk out to the estuary and, although the white spotted bluethroat which has returned here for the fifth year in a row evaded us, we did enjoy the display by a short-eared owl.
Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl 
Short-eared owl 
There were plenty of these azure damselflies to see 
Avocets 
Avocet flying over shelduck 
Avocet 
Black-headed gull with nesting material 
Avocet on its nest -
6th May 2025 – RSPB Ham Wall, Avalon Marshes, Somerset
Another great day at Ham Wall. Plenty of sunshine but a cold wind.
Lots of opportunities for great photos but I failed miserably as I was having camera problems which I haven’t got to the bottom of yet!
Editing has saved the day a little but far too many great opportunities missed.
The best of the birds? Glossy ibis, a red kite and a pair of common cranes.
A scare chaser 
Great white egret 
Great white egret 
Glossy ibis amongst the reeds Glossy ibis in flight 
Red kite 
Red kite 
Red kite 
Common crane 
Reed warbler 
Red admiral 
Red admiral -
5th May 2025 – Eastville Park, Bristol
Whilst there were parades across the UK today to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day these newcomers to the park (Canada Geese goslings) were making their contribution.
Canada geese and goslings 
It was also pleasing to see a grey wagtail on the weir as we haven’t seen one in the park for a while.
Grey wagtail 
Grey wagtail 
Grey wagtail 
Grey wagtail -
2nd May 2025 – Eastville Park, Bristol
Early morning walk in the park. Much fresher this morning after yesterday’s highs of 27° C. Quite amazing weather for this time of the year.
Ramsons (wild garlic) in the woods 
Kingfisher leaving nest 
Kingfisher flying up the River Frome 
Kingfisher having a scratch 
Kingfisher just above our heads Coot with chick 
Cutelets 
Coot with chick 
Mute swan 
Lesser black-backed gull 
Blackbird 
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29th April 2025 – RSPB Ham Wall, Avalon Marshes, Somerset
Another trip to Ham Wall on a beautifully sunny and incredibly warm day for late April.
So much wonderful bird song. Clearly the birds were loving it too.
There were lots of people there and so I avoided the hide where the glossy ibis could be seen.
Again there were plenty of views of marsh harriers but a little more distant than last week. I just missed a pair of cranes; by the time I arrived they were hunkered down with their brood.
For me the treat was several very melodious reed warblers and so I will give them prominence on my blog.
Reed warbler 
Reed warbler 
Reed warbler 
Reed warbler 
Yellow brimstone butterfly 
Hairy dragonfly 
Great crested grebe 
Hobby 
Hobby about to take a dragonfly -
22nd April 2025 – RSPB Ham Wall, Avalon Marshes, Somerset
One of the great things about Ham Wall is that, right from the car park, you hear lots of birds at close quarters. The loudest were the blackcaps and the garden warblers but, although I had fleeting views of them, I couldn’t for the life of me get a photograph of therm. I had to settle for robins and dunnocks.
European robin 
Dunnock It was nice to feel the sun too, although it was tempered by a cool breeze. I was also very heartened to hear my first cuckoo of the spring.
I spent a while trying for photos of a glossy ibis. I thought I had missed it when it flew over me early on but I managed to catch up with it feeding in the reeds close to a hide.
Glossy ibis 
The iridescent feathers of the glossy ibis were very attractive in the sun 
Occasionally the glossy ibis ventured out from the reeds 
Great white egret, which not very long ago would have been as rare as the glossy ibis in this area 
Great crested grebe looking quite glorious 
Great crested grebe 
Moorhen 
Grey heron on the nest with its young The sun also brought out the butterflies. I saw a few distant orange tipped butterflies and some peacocks at closer range.
Peacock butterfly 
Peacock butterfly The very best thing about Ham Wall at this time of the year is the booming of bitterns which you hear all around. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to see one. They are very secretive birds but it is amazing how many times I have managed to see them here.
However, I was compensated, at the Avalon Hide, by close up views of marsh harriers.
Marsh harrier 
Marsh harrier 
Marsh harrier Marsh harrier 
Marsh harrier From the Avalon Hide I could see the weather was deteriorating and so headed back to the car park where I arrived just as the rain started.
On my way back I had a short stop to watch 3 hobbies hunting dragonfly. By then it felt too cold for dragonflies but the hobbies proved me wrong.
Hobby catching a dragonfly 
Hobby eating a dragonfly “on the wing” 
Hobby 
Hobby 
Hobby
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