March 2023

Me & Dad went for a walk beside the River Frome in Frampton Cotterell & saw a Grey Wagtail & Dipper. A few Redwings were still feeding in the area with the local Song Thrushes.

Common Dipper [Adult]

Redwing [Adult]

Yate 8th March 2023

An early morning visit in very snowy conditons to Brimsham Park Lake, Yate to see 8 Goosanders that were still wintering in the area, before they flew off to Cooper's/Stanshaws Lake.

Little Avon
9th March 2023

We went back to Little Avon to have another look for the Dipper. We saw a pair of Grey Wagtails, Song Thrush and a few other common species. The Dipper showed very well by the M5 bridge during the midday period, before flying upriver.

Grey Wagtail [Female]

Song Thrush [Adult]

Common Dipper [Adult]

Yate & Slimbridge WWT 12th March 2023

A couple of Greenfinches were singing & calling in Kingsgate Park, Yate early morning. The Goosanders were still present on Brimsham Park Lake, Yate. This time in better weather. As usual the birds remained in the area until at least 9:00 roughly when they all flew off back to Cooper's Lake.

We went to Slimbridge WWT for a couple of hours to see what was about. The returning Hybrid Wigeon showed well all day in the Rushy Pen with a couple of Eurasian Wigeon.
A few remaining Bewick's Swan were on site both on the Rushy & Tack Piece from the Robbie Garnett & Stephen Kirk Hides. More Eurasian Wigeons showed well in front of the Martin Smith Hide. Eurasian White-fronted Geese also remained on site until the end of the month.

From the Willow Hide there was a Male Common Teal & Long-tailed Tit. Pairs of Oystercatchers were from the Estuary Tower, Rushy Pen & South Lake.

Adult Common Gull was seen on the South Lake late afternoon.

Goosander [Flock]

Goosander [Males]

Goosander [Females]

Goosander [Pair]

Goosander [Male]

Goosander [Female]

Greenfinch [Female]

Goosander [Male]

Goosander

Wigeon Hybrid

Bewick’s Swans

Eurasian Wigeon [Male]

Eurasian Wigeon [Female]

European White-fronted Geese

Long-tailed Tit [Adult]

Eurasian Oystercatcher [Summer]

European Herring Gull [3rd Summer]

15/03/23

We started our Devon holiday on a very wet day at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham. The Wildfowl included Shovelers, Pintails, Mallards, Tufted Ducks & Eurasian Wigeons. A flock of Black-tailed Godwits and Cormorants were also of note. The highlight of our visit were a pair of Juvenile Spoonbills which showed very well from the hide.

We had a quick look around Exminster Marshes RSPB, which produced 2 Marsh Harriers & some Curlews.

At Powderham there was the usual herd of Fallow Deer & 2 Egyptian Geese.

Devon
15th-19th March 2023

European Spoonbill [1st Winters]

European Spoonbill ][1st Winter]

Northern Shoveler [Male]

Northern Shoveler [Female]

Cormorants

Marsh Harrier [Female]

Egyptian Goose [Adult]

16/03/23

We went to Broadsands to look for Cirl Buntings in the old car park, but sadly there weren't any. On the beach was a bonus sighting in the form of a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, a rarity in this part of Britain. Also with Herring & Black-headed Gulls was a single 1st Winter Mediterranean Gull. The green leg ring indicates that it was ringed in France.
From the cliffs of Berry Head, we saw Razorbills & Common Guillemots on the water & a Fulmar flying around. A gannet flew past too. At Brixham, the heavens opened up yet again & no birds were in the harbour except for a European Shag seen from the breakwater. On the way back, stabled at Churston on the Dartmouth Steam Railway was S160 Loco 2253 Omaha.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose [Adult]

Mediterranean Gull [1st Winter]

Mediterranean Gull [1st Winter]

Black-headed Gull [Adult Summer]

Northern Fulmar [Adult]

Common Guillemots & Razorbills

European Shag [Adult Summer]

European Shag [Adult Summer]

17/03/23

We had a look for the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers early in the woods, but unfortunatley they didn't show at all for us this year. We had a drive over Dartmoor and spotted a herd of Red Deer, which was nice to see. A Female Roe Deer was in a field near Postbridge. We found a pair of Mandarin on the river at Dartmeet. The feeders there attracted Blue Tits, Yellowhammers, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Marsh Tit, Chaffinches & Siskin.

Red Deer

Red Deer [Female]

Roe Deer [Female]

Mandarin [Male]

Mandarin [Female]

Siskin [Male]

Yellowhammer [Male]

Yellowhammer [Female]

Post Bridge

18/03/23

We went back to look for some Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Apart from a brief view of a Female that only Dad saw, we again didn't have any luck this time around despite a few calls & drumming down in the valley. Some Mandarins were swimming on a small pond. We headed to Glampton on Dartmouth Steam Railway, where a Male Sparrowhawk was seen briefly perched on the line and a Male Bullfinch was feeding on buds. The loco in service that day was 4277 Hercules, another resident engine based on the line heading down to Kingswear. We then caught the ferry over the river Dart to go to Beesands Ley for the Male Ring-necked Duck that had been present most of the winter. The viewing was very limited, due to the long reeds. We finished the day at Bolberry Down with a Male Stonechat seen along the coast path.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [Female]

Mandarins

4277 Hercules

Stonechat [Male]

Eurasian Sparrowhawk [Male]

Ring-necked Duck [Male]

19/03/23

We had a quick stop at Haytor on our way down to the South Devon Railway for Mothering Sunday during the morning. 5526 was the operational loco for the day & we managed to see it Staverton with the first train of the day. We very nearly missed it, due to the fact that we were trying to find the Bowerman’s Nose rock formation. On the shed at Buckfastleigh were D2246, D2271, D3721, W55000, 2745 Yorkie, Lee Moor No 2 [in seperate building] & 5786. 5526 arrived back from Totnes. We watched it running around, before departing back up to Totnes.

Our final port of call was Labrador Bay RSPB, where had excellent views of Cirl Buntings. A good few days despite the weather and no show LS Woodpeckers.

Haytor

Bowermans’ Nose

5526, Staverton

5526, Buckfastleigh

Cirl Bunting [Male]

Cirl Bunting [Female]

Cirl Bunting [Male]

Britannia, Lockleaze, Bristol 22nd March 2023

Me & Dad headed down to Lockleaze in Bristol to see 70000 Britannia heading from Crewe-Swanage ahead of their Spring Steam Gala, which was held from 24th-26th March 2023.

Jay [Adult]

Yate 23rd March 2023

Me & Dad walked along the River Frome from Yate-Chipping Sodbury, but after all the rain we had. The river was high, so we didn't see much.

We saw a Jay bathing in the River Frome & Common Chiffchaff.

Jay [Adult]

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

Kingsgate Park, Yate 24th March 2023

Me & Dad had a walk around Kingsgate Park, Yate that morning. A Male Greenfinch was singing. A couple of Magpies were foraging on the ground. A few Common Chiffchaffs were still present. The Willow Warbler was sub singing & was very elusive during our visit. A Small Tortoisehell briefly landed on some blossom flower, before being flushed by a Wood Pigeon.

Greenfinch [Male]

Magpie [Adult]

Small Tortoiseshell

Common Chiffchaff [Adult]

Slimbridge WWT 25th March 2023

We went to Slimbridge WWT for a couple of hours last Saturday. A Magpie perched in the tree near the Estuary Tower Hide. Mediterranean Gulls were feeding on the Dumbles & frequently on Middle Ground Pool. A Common Snipe showed well below in the reeds. A Male Eurasian Wigeon & Water Rail seen from the Willow Hide. A couple of Tufted Ducks were from the Martin Smith Hide with more Eurasian Wigeon. Also a couple of Common Shelducks. The White Snow Goose was still present with Eurasian White-fronted Geese. The Kingfishers were busy nest building down at the South Finger [Kingfisher Hide]. A Bar-headed Goose was present with Greylag Geese. These are mostly seen in captive, but sometimes escapees occur regularly. A few birds such as this one don't have leg rings. A pair of Oystercatchers were still on South Lake, along with some Avocets.