April 2023

Me & Dad went to Yate to see 43046 Geoff Drury 1930-1999 & 43055 pass through with the 1st day of the Lord of the Isles Pullman from Paignton-Inverness via Penrith.

Yate 2nd April 2023

Me & Dad had a quick walk around Kingsgate Park this morning. A few Grey Squirrels, Common Chiffchaffs & a Jay were of note.

Common Chiffchaff [Adult]

Jay [Adult]

Yate 6th April 2023

First Speckled Wood of the year in our garden.

Yate 7th April 2023

I did a bit of Insect photography during the day. The species included are Bluebottles, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Common Carder Bee, Pea Weevil & Early Mining Bee.

Dark-edged Bee-fly

Bluebottle

Pea Weevil

Bluebottle

Common Carder Bee

Early Mining Bee

Stroud & Mayflower, Standish Junction 8th April 2023

We had a drive through the Cotswolds, but was mainly very quiet for Wildlife. A few Brown Hares were seen semi boxing & chasing each other around the fields. Me & Dad went to Fromebank in Stroud, where we had another encounter with a Dipper briefly. In the early evening, we saw 61306 Mayflower passing Standish Junction with late returning Cotswold Venturer back as far as Hanwell, where D1924 Crewe Diesel Depot took over for the remainder of the journey back to Norwich.

Common Dipper [Adult]

61306 Mayflower

Chew Valley Lake
9th April 2023

We went down to Chew Valley Lake to look for the Male Garganey. The Drake showed very well on Heron's Green pool. Afterwards we had a quick look at Cheddar Reservoir for the Kittiwake, but no sign. We continued down to Ham Wall RSPB. A Female Greenfinch was by the feeding station. A Great White Egret in full Summer Plumage was showing well by viewing platform 1. A Male Common Whitethroat flitted in the brambles. One of the 4 Glossy Ibises showed well to the left beyond the 1st viewing platform. A quick visit was made to Catcott Lows, where 2 more Great White Egrets were seen. They are certainly now a commoner sight on the levels. A Great Cormorant perched on a post near the hide. Back at Chew Valley Lake, Herriott's Bridge was a Male Mallard Hybrid.

Garganey [Male]

Gargney [Male]

Greenfinch [Female]

Great White Egret [Adult Summer]

Cormorant [Adult Summer]

Glossy Ibis [Adult Summer]

Winterbourne Downs RSPB, Salisbury & Marshfield
13th April 2023
We went to Winterbourne Downs RSPB in Wiltshire to see the Stone-curlews. As well as the Stone-curlews, which were seen distantly through a light heat haze there were also Brown Hares & a couple of Northern Wheatears. We headed on to Salisbury Plain to look for Great Bustards. A Female Pied Wagtail, Stock Doves & Corn Buntings were the birds we encountered on the plain. The Great Bustards were seen again very distantly & through the afternoon heat haze. The Males displayed to impress the Females by roughing up their white wing feathers in a spectacular fashion. A Corn Bunting showed well singing on a nearby post. A Brown Hare ran across the plain past the Bustards. Some Red Deer were also seen, which was unexpected. We went back via Marshfield, but as usual was very quiet for Wildlife. All we saw were Common Pheasants & Red-legged Partridges.

Stone-curlew [Pair]

Northern Wheatear

Great Bustards

Great Bustard [Male]

Great Bustard [Male]

Corn Bunting [Male]

Brown Hare [Adult]

Red Deer

Brown Hare [Adult]

Corn Bunting [Male]

Red-legged Partridges

Severn Valley Railway 15th April 2023

We went to the Severn Valley Railway Spring Steam Gala held from 14th-16th April. The full line up was from the resident fleet: 43106, 7714, 7812 Erlestoke Manor, 4930 Hagley Hall & 34027 now in Southern Wartime Black as 21C127 Taw Valley. Three 3 visiting engines for the event were 4555 from Dartmouth Steam Railway, 78018 Borough of Darlington from Great Central Railway in Loughborough & 4079 Pendennis Castle from Didcot.

44932, Horfield 16th April 2023

Me & Dad went back down to Lockleaze to see 44932 heading back up north through Filton to her base at Carnforth WCRC in Lancashire, after operating the first day of the Great Britain XV from London-Plymouth & Plymouth-Bristol.

Chipping Sodbury, Horton & Dunkirk 20th April 2023

Me & Dad had a walk around Chipping Sodbury Common. A Male Northern Wheatear was present with a brief view of a Male Whinchat. Also good views of Skylarks, A Male Linnet & a Brown Hare. In Horton, the Little Owl was still in it's usual tree. At Dunkirk, we only saw a Common Chiffchaff & Song Thrush.

Barrow Gurney Reservoirs, Chew Valley & Blagdon Lakes 22nd April 2023

We went to Barrow Gurney Reservoirs to see the Male Long-tailed Duck before he heads back up to Iceland for the Summer. Having already partly moulted into Summer Plumage, he eventually showed very well during the morning on Tank no 1. A quick visit to Chew Valley Lake was next & to the Stratford Hide. A Hobby flew over briefly. The Female Greater Scaup were still present with the Tufted Ducks. There was also quite a few Common Coots. We headed to Blagdon Lake to have a look there. The only birds of note were a Grey Heron, Great White Egrets, Green Sandpiper & a stunning Great Crested Grebe. We headed back to Herriott's Bridge, Chew Valley Lake but there wasn't a lot of birds in the channel.

Kingsgate Park, Yate 23rd April 2023

Another visit to Kingsgate Park was made. A Little Grebe was present on the main Duck pond. A rathering surprising sighting of the day was a Sedge Warbler. Also there were still plenty of Common Chiffchaffs & Willow Warblers in the park.

In our garden, I spent time of photographing more Insects. These included a Female Tawny Mining Bee, Oak Eggar Caterpillar, Hairy-footed Flower Bees & a Female Solitary Wasp nest building in our shed.

Old Sodbury 24th April 2023

While working at Landcare in Old Sodbury, Dad photographed this pair of Roe Deer.

Chipping Sodbury Common 25th April 2023

After work, me & Dad went up to Chipping Sodbury Common to look for the Ring Ouzel.

A Female Northern Wheatear was also present & showed well in the evening light. The Male Ring Ouzel showed distantly and was very flighty.

Chipping Sodbury Common 26th April 2023

Me & Dad returned to Chipping Sodbury Common to look for the Ring Ouzel. This time, the Male was joined by a Female. Both birds were still very flighty & I only had very distant views. The Skylarks, Linnets and Common Whitethroat were still present on the common. The Male Whinchat showed much better for us than the other day.

We headed down to Cheddar Reservoir to see the Slavonian Grebe. This bird was in stunning Breeding Plumage, although it showed very well, the light at times was apalling for photography, but still lovely to see nevertheless. On the Axebridge side of the reservoir, was another Mallard Hybrid. The Grebe reamained in the area until at least 28th April 2023. We went back via the Cheddar Gorge, where the Soay Sheep were seen on this occasion by the road, which is unsafe. Some were up on the rock ledges. At Chew Valley Lake, we popped along to Heron's Green Bay where a Common Sandpiper gave excellent views.

Chipping Sodbury Common 28th April 2023

A Male Orange Tip was nectaring on Cuckoo Flower on Chipping Sodbury.

West Somerset Railway & Exmoor 29th April 2023

We went to the West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Spectacular Gala held from 28th April-1st May. The full line up feature the resident engines: 7828 Odney Manor, 9351, 5199 & 9466. Three visiting engines for the gala were 7812 Erlestoke Manor & 21C127 Taw Valley from Severn Valley Railway [which replaced planned loco 4953 Pitchford which was unavailable due to shortage of motive power at Eipping Ongar Railway in Essex] & 2999 Lady of Legend from Didcot.

We also explored a bit of Exmoor, starting with a brief visit to Horner Wood & only saw 2 Rooks. On the moor itself, we saw Meadow Pipits, Stonechat, Exmoor Ponies & Red Deer.