A tourist trip to Berkeley Castle, just 15 miles north from my home, gave me a surprise opportunity to get up close to some birds of prey. There was due to be a private falconry display at the castle later that day but we were able to see the birds waiting for their display before visiting the castle and grounds.
Berkeley CastlePeregrine falconKestrelBerkeley Castle from the gardensComma butterflyMeadow brown butterflyBerkeley CastleBerkeley CastleKestrelThe Great Hall – the magnificent centrepiece of the Castle where kings and queens throughout the centuries have been wined and dined. Measuring 32 feet high and 62 feet long, this magnificent hall dates from the fourteenth century, built on the site of the original hall in the reign of King Edward III. The walls are hung with a fine series of Oudenarde tapestries illustrating the History of Queen Esther, and stained glass in the windows depicts the various alliances of the family. The Great Hall
It’s the first time for many years that we have visited the castle (the last time was for the wedding reception of a friend in this magnificent castle) and we would very much recommend a visit (with or without the falconry display) – Berkeley Castle website
We have been on holiday in south Devon and, although not a birding holiday, there were a few opportunities to photograph some of the delights of nature at this time of the year.
I suppose the most exciting moment was seeing a bird that I had never seen before – a cirl bunting.
The cirl (pronounced sirl) bunting is a small finch-like bird which is a close relative of the yellowhammer.
Cirl buntings were once widespread and common across much of southern England, but in recent years, they have become rare and only found in south Devon, mostly confined to coastal farmland between Plymouth and Exeter.
We saw the cirl bunting on a visit to Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve and, although we saw three of them, it was such a fleeting moment which might explain why I have published an out-of-focus photo of the male as my headline photo.
Cirl bunting
The Dawlish Warren website has this to say about the reserve:
“Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve is an area of grassland, sand dunes, mudflats and centres on a 1½ mile long sandspit/beach across the mouth of the Exe Estuary. Dawlish Warren is an important holiday resort and is visited by thousands of people each year.
As part of the Exe Estuary it is one of the most important places for wildfowl and wading birds in the whole of the South West. Thousands of birds come to feed, on migration, or to spend the winter here.
The dunes and grassland have a host of special plants. Over 600 different types of flowering plants have been recorded on the Warren. This varied Reserve has many different habitats including salt marsh, fresh water ponds, wet meadows and woodland.
The Warren is so important that it is protected for its wildlife by both national and international law.”
In Devon we were staying in a converted Wesleyan Chapel on the edge of Dartmoor which was well situated to visit Dartmoor, other nature reserves (Stover Country Park and Slapton Ley) and visit a few National Trust properties (Coleton Fishacre, Compton Castle and Castle Drago) with magnificent gardens which were at their very best at this time of the year.
The Wesleyan Chapel with views across the rolling hills of DevonGreat Crested Grebe surrounded by flies at Stover Country ParkCommon spotted orchid at Stover Country ParkPurple loosestrife at Stover Country ParkThere was always a robin to greet us at every venue we visited but this one (at Stover Country Park) had its mind on other mattersThe squirrels at Stover Country Park were amazingly tameThere was an interesting Ted Hughes (the poet) trail at Stover Country ParkDriftwood sculpture at Stover Country ParkA dull morning at Slapton LeyTufted ducks at Slaton Ley
We had really nice weather all week except one morning when we visited Slapton Ley. We did get good views of reed warblers, bullfinches and a few tufted ducks but it should have been a great place to see dragonflies and butterflies. However, it was too early on a grey day to have any joy.
We were luckier with dragonflies and damselflies when visiting Two Bridges on Dartmoor.
Beautiful demoiselleGolden-ringed dragonfly on DartmoorWidecombe-in-the-MoorThe birds were very elusive on Dartmoor although skylarks and meadow pipits were easy to hear.Speckled Wood butterfly at Coleton Fishacre (NT)Wild meadows at Coleton Fishacre encourage wildlife – the 1920s country retreat of the D’Oyly Carte family complete with tropical garden by the sea1920s country retreat of the D’Oyly Carte family. Arts and Crafts exterior, Art Deco interiors, servants quarters, sea views.Coleton Fishacre – RHS-accredited coastal valley garden. Exotic plants, herbaceous borders and sea views. Bordered by woodland and wildflowers.Lampranthus roseus have no problems with the mild south Devon climate at Coleton FishacreThe roses at Compton Castle were at their best Compton CastleThe medieval barn at Compton CastleCastle Drogo – the last castle to be built in England in the 1920sFormal terraces at Castle DrogoThe formal gardens at Castle DrogoThe rhododendron gardens at Castle Drogo Fantastic views from every aspect at Castle DrogoWe seemed to spend a lot of our holiday driving along the amazing high hedged Devon lanes with small birds constantly flying out in front of us
The contenders for the most cheerful song birds of our holiday :
We have had wall to wall sunshine for the last few weeks and we are promised a “plume” of hot weather from Spain later this week. So, how did I manage to pick today to go birding on the Somerset Levels when it was so grey and cold?
I started at Catcott but soon gave in as the hide was so draughty and there was very little to see (and what I could see was certainly impossible to photograph). I moved on to Ham Wall where at leat there was the relief of toilets.
I was hoping to see hobbies but as it was too cold and dull to encourage the dragonflies to offer themselves up so I had no luck on that score. Great white egrets were my best bet as they were easy to see. There were lots of viewings of marsh harriers too but I must apologise for the heavily edited photos. The highlight of my day was a glimpse of a bittern in flight and some cute pochard chicks.
My shot of a swift will give you an idea of the light conditions.Very white and very close was what I needed and this great white egret obligedI only managed 2 frames of this bittern before it disappeared into the reedsMale marsh harrierFemale marsh harrierCute pochard chicks
We have had very limited opportunity to get out and about recently so it was a real treat to spend a few days last week at some friends who live in Pembrokeshire.
Although not a birding visit our friends were sympathetic enough to afford me plenty of opportunity to get some nature photos.
Our first evening we visited the Stack Rocks and The Green Bridge of Wales where we had great views of guillemots. There were also a few razorbills but they were mainly in the shade and difficult to photograph.
The Green Bridge of Wales on the Pembrokeshire CoastThe guillemot’s blue egg can just be seenThere’s always a scramble to be top bird on the stackThe sea was teeming with guillemots and razorbillsSafety in numbers?
Another day we visited The Gann near Dale and had more opportunity for sea birds.
Whimbrel on the mudflates near DaleThe GannSanderling below the rocks at The GannA ruddy turnstone well camoflaged amongst the rocks
Back in the countryside there were lots more opportunities:
Thrush on the quay at LawrennyBarn swallow on the wire – a recent arrival from South AfricaBarn swallow in flight with fan tailBarn swallow in flight taking a direct lineGreat spotted woodpecker in the gardenNuthatch in the gardenChafffinch in the gardenThe fox was happy to share the spoils with the birdsGrey wagtail at Stackpole
The only dismal day we had we still got to the coast. At St Martin’s, where you take the short boat trip to Skomer, the highlight was a gannet but the spring flowers were still quite stunning in the rain.
GannetSkomer beyond the headlandColby Woodland Gardens NT looked beautiful in the sunshineThe nearby hedgerows were full of cow parsley
I was very pleased to spot the Great Reed Warbler which has been resident at Ham Wall for the last few weeks. I thought I might have difficulty in finding it but its very loud song (and some helpful birders) helped me find it easily.
The Great Reed Warbler is a rare passage migrant in the UK and so it has generated quite a bit of interest. It’s a hulking warbler that resembles the Eurasian Reed-Warbler in coloration but is far larger with a proportionately more massive head, heavy bill with a dark tip, and a broad, pale eyebrow.
Great Reed WarblerGreat Reed WarblerGreat Reed Warbler
It had rained all the way down on my journey to Ham Wall but fortunately I didn’t have to wait long before I could get out and about to explore the reserve. There were a few showers but I managed to stay dry before setting off back early afternoon on another wet journey home.
The highlight was clearly the great reed warbler but there was plenty to enjoy with bitterns booming (and a quick glimpse of one in flight), marsh harriers, a hobby, great white egrets and grey herons, great crested grebes, pochards, gadwall, coots with chick and a decent sized flock of black-tailed godwits.
Great white egretMarsh harrierGrey heronGreat crested grebeGreat crested grebeGadwallPochardCoot with chickBlack-tailed godwitsOrange-tip butterfly
I had subscribed to a an afternoon birding walk in the Forest of Dean organised jointly by local retailer “Clifton Cameras” and “Zeiss Optics”. The walk was billed as an opportunity to view and experience Zeiss’s new SLF binoculars and Digital Thermal Imaging (DTI) cameras as well as other optics.
The Forest of Dean is a 50 minute drive from my home in Bristol and, especially as I have had limited opportunities of late, I set off early to spend an hour or two on my own in this beautiful ancient forest.
I headed for the RSPB reserve of Nagshead which I know quite well and where I hoped to see pied flycatchers. I had barely settled into the Lower Hide when a litter of boarlets passed in front of me near to the pool in front of the hide. I have seen wild boar in the forest before from the roadside, and often seen the large areas of uprooted and disturbed soil caused by their powerful necks and snout as they search for food, but I had never encountered them close up in the forest.
Wild boar piglets or boarlets affectionately known as humbugs
The piglets (or boarlets) are a lighter ginger-brown than the adult boars with stripes on their coat for camouflage and are affectionally known as ‘humbugs’. They disappeared in a flash, I presume, to their farrowing nest.
Unfortunately I didn’t manage to see any pied flycatchers, although I was assured they had already built nests in the area but I did see a female and a male redstart (thanks mainly to the very friendly birders Don and Mike Smith from Corsham who I seem to bump into regularly at various birding sites around the south west”.
Male redstartRedstart preeningGreat tit
I then needed to set off for Speech House Woodland Car Park to meet up for the afternoon walk.
Martin Drew (from Clifton Cameras) and Toby Carter (from Zeiss Optics) were there to greet us and were buzzing with excitement with what they had seen seen on their morning walk: close ups of goshawks and firecrests and redstarts in numbers.
I thought this was a bad omen as it’s always the way when you meet a group of birders that they have just seen all sorts of birds that never re-appear.
And so we didn’t even get a glimpse of the goshawks but only a few distant views of ravens and buzzards. On our walk we heard goldcrests (but not firecrests), woodpeckers, chiffchaffs, willow warblers and chaffinches and saw a number of stonechats, tree pipits, linnets, tree creepers and mistle thrushes.
Mistle thrushLinnetTree pipitMale stonechatFemale stonechatMistle thrushThere were other opportunities on the walk – green tiger beetle
However, we did get to see and use a whole range of very impressive Zeiss Optics in the field. It certainly made a change from testing optics by looking at signs through a shop window. I would like to thank Martin and Toby who were great hosts on this walk and the four other birders on the trip who made it a very convivial afternoon.
It was wonderful to get out and about again and I can’t wait to take my wife (who is recovering from a hip replacement operation) back to the same spots to soak in the joys of nature.
From the Forest of Dean website:
“This ancient forest has changed many times over the centuries. In medieval times it was a royal hunting forest, before becoming a source of timber for the navy’s Tudor warships. By Victorian times it was a major site of industry, with coal mining and tramways punctuating the landscape.
In 1938 the Forest was designated the first National Forest Park and today the Forest of Dean is a popular destination for tourists.
Today the forest is still a working forest, producing sustainable timber for the UK market.
The Forest is also a stronghold for nature with larges areas of woodland and open space providing a mosaic of habitats for a wide variety of wildlife,
It is a great place to explore. See if you can find the hidden remains of industry as you enjoy this wild and beautiful forest.”
I seem to be missing the excitement of spring as I have had very limited opportunity to get out and about in recent weeks. So, it was quite comforting to see a few birds through the window from my lounge this morning, in particular two jays that were gathering nest making materials.
Jay (from my lounge window) collecting nesting materialI wish I had invested in better double-glazing (or was it my lack of skill to not capture this shot any sharper?)I’m glad I spotted this robin which I’ve been hearing both day and nightCheeky blue tit on the feederGoldfinchNice to see the greenfinches back in decent numbersBuzzard over my suburban gardenAlthough it was not left in peace for long
In addition from my window I’ve seen herring gulls, lesser black-backed gulls, house sparrows, dunnocks, coal tits, great tits, blackbirds, starlings, carrion crows, jackdaws, wood pigeons, collared doves, magpies and even a peregrine on the church spire.
Hopefully, I shall soon be able to see the real joys of spring now that chiffchaffs, willow warblers, sand martins, swallows (and soon swifts) are all arriving at this exciting time of the year.
A walk through my local park in the rain showers this afternoon was rewarded with a view of a tawny owl in an owl box on the island in the middle of the lake.
Tawny owlA dynamic grey wagtail in the gloom of the brookGrey heron catching the brief rays of sunshineGreat cormorant overlooking the lakeDid these pike feel safe from the cormorants? There were plenty of them in the lake.The light was failing on the way home but a robin provided a ray of brightness
The weather was kinder today and, although there was a fresh breeze throughout, it was sunny for most of the day. I visited 3 nature reserves on the Somerset Levels, about an hour and a half south from my home in Bristol.
At RSPB Catcott Lows a couple of wardens had just disturbed most of the birds as they made their way out to a pumping station to lower the water levels. I didn’t hang around but made may way to RSPB Greylake instead, only a further 6 miles on.
There was lots to see but most of the huge numbers of ducks were fairly inactive and not too bothered even by a couple of marsh harriers and a kestrel.
RSPB GreylakeA teal not taking a nap
The most interesting activity was a close-up little grebe and a small flock of curlew flying over.
Little grebeCurlew
I moved on to RSPB Ham Wall, about half a dozen miles back towards home.
It was relatively quiet here too. But its always a joy to be at Ham Wall (with booming bitterns and frequent sightings of marsh harriers) and eventually a couple of great crested grebe made my day as they became better acquainted.
View from the hide with Glastonbury Tor in the backgroundThe squalls of wind were evident on the waterGrey heron breaks cover from the reed bedsTufted duckShovelerNice to see a great tit other than on the garden feeders
I have created a new “Galleries” section on my blog to highlight some of my bird photos.
GALLERIES
I have purposely not labelled the birds in the mixed galleries as I thought it might be fun (for me too) to try our luck at identifying them. They are labelled elsewhere on the site.
So far I have added the following galleries:
Miscellaneous
Waders
Birds in Flight
Large Waterbirds
Kingfishers
Red Kites
Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Greater Kruger South Africa:
I hope to add further galleries as time permits.
These galleries can also be found under the “Additional Blogs” tab.
We are regular visitors to Slimbridge but we generally avoid going there during school holidays. However, with a rarity, a White-rumped Sandpiper (an annual visitor to the UK from North America in small numbers), reported there the temptation was too great.
On arriving at the Rushy Pen hide (where it has been reported in recent days) we were quite disappointed that it was nowhere to be seen. Nonetheless, it was a lovely morning and we still enjoyed visiting all the hides on the north side of the reserve. There was plenty to see and a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Redshank, Northern Pintails and Wigeon all came close. There were also plenty of geese and swans (both Mute and Bewick) flying around to keep me happy snapping away.
A Water Rail was just a bit too secretive for me to get a good shot.
Water Rail
However, there were a couple of Oystercatcher very close up.
OystercatcherOystercatcher with worm
From the Tower hide, as well as lots of waterfowl, geese and swans, we could see Common Cranes. There was also a Sparrowhawk perched in the hedge in front of the hide and Blue Tits and Great Tits were very pluckily trying to mob it.
Sparrowhawk
There was a Snow Goose amongst the Barnacle Geese and I presume what I thought was a Ross’s Goose on our last visit probably was the same Snow Goose.
There was another white goose in the distance with some White fronted Geese but I couldn’t see it clearly.
Snow Goose amongst Barnacle GeeseWigeon (with Snow Goose top right)
As we were making our way back to the car park we had to pass the Rushy Pen hide and from all the commotion it was clear that there was something special there. I could hardly get into the hide but from about the third row back I could still see the White-rumped Sandpiper, in all its glory right in front of the hide.
Gallery of White-rumped Sandpiper:
Stepping in fox poo on my way out this morning was clearly a lucky omen!
A beautiful day to visit Chew Valley Lake just south of Bristol. The water level was very high and it didn’t look very inspiring when we looked out from the Stratford hide.
Until, that is, a group of 8 Goldeneye came into view.
Male GoldeneyeFemale Goldeneye
One of the males was displaying regularly by raising its head to the sky. It looked pretty good to me without even doing that.
Just one Great Crested Grebe was to be seen. It spent more time diving than being on the surface but it did get its reward.
Great Crested GrebeThe Great Crested Grebe with French cuisine
The other highlight of our visit was the spectacular fly past by a Great White Egret. There was also a Marsh Harrier surveying the reed beds.
Marsh Harrier
The Tufted Ducks looked splendid too in the glorious sunshine.
Male Tufted Duck
Slideshow of photos from today:
Female Tufted Duck
It all looked pretty romantic. Just the job for St Valentine’s Day.
Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos 