April 2021

Me & Dad had a walk around Iron Acton. We saw a couple of Stock Doves, Green Woodpecker, 5 Common Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, Treecreeper, Bullfinch, loads of Linnets & Goldfinches around the area. We even saw a Muntjac running across the field & down the track into a bramble bush.

Green Woodpecker [Male]

Treecreeper [Adult]

Frampton Cotterell/Chew Valley Lake 4th April 2021

We went to Frampton Cotterell to see the Male Pied Flycatcher, which had been present for a few days at Hoover's Lane. In the morning, we only had fairly distant views of the bird in the bushes.

Pied Flycatcher [Male]

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

We continued on to Chew Valley Lake to look for the Osprey. In Herriott's Channel, a Great Cormorant was diving for fish, as was the Great Crested Grebe. The Osprey then made an appearance flying over the lake with a fish in it's talons. It eventually landed in the tree on the far side of the lake. A Red Kite flew overhead & also a Great White Egret.

Osprey [Adult]

Great Cormorant [Summer]

Great Cormorant [Summer]

Osprey [Adult]

Red Kite [Adult]

Later me & Dad went back to Frampton Cotterell to see the Male Pied Flycatcher. It showed very well for the rest of the afternoon. Also saw another Treecreeper.

Great Crested Grebe [Summer]

Great White Egret [Summer]

Treecreeper [Adult]

Pied Flycatcher [Male]

Yate 5th April 2021

Me & Dad walk along the Frome behind the industral estate & saw a Grey Wagtail.

Yate & Latteridge
6th April 2021

The Juvenile Wood Pigeon returned to our garden early that morning. While I was working at Organic Blooms, I photographed another Common Chiffchaff.

Chiffchaff [Male]

Wood Pigeon [Juvenile]

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

Chew Valley & Blagdon Lake 7th April 2021

We went back to Chew Valley Lake & at Herriott's Bridge to look for the Osprey. We saw Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Mute Swans, Canada Geese & Garganey [on the far side of the pool]. No Osprey for us on this visit. We had a quick look at Blagdon Lake & saw a Grey Heron perched in a dead tree near the pumping station. A couple of Common Sandpipers were seen near the dam.

Grey Heron [Adult]

Lesser Black-backed Gull [Adult Summer]

Canada Geese

Mute Swan [Adult]

Common Sandpiper & Tufted Duck

Herring Gull [1st Summer]

Black-headed Gull [1st Summer]

Winterbourne/Frampton Cotterell 8th April 2021

We went to look for the Dipper in Winterbourne again, this time Mum came for the ride. We only saw the Dipper during this visit flying up & down the river, also a Kingfisher flew over as well. We went back to see the Male Pied Flycatcher in the late afternoon, but the bird was much more elusive & didn't show at times. Managed to see a Song Thrush perched in the tree.

Song Thrush [Adult]

Yate 11th April 2021

Me & Dad walked along another stretch of the River Frome in the Yate area. We saw another pair of Grey Wagtails, Grey Squirrel, Great Tits, Moorhen & a Wood Pigeon bathing.

We popped into Kingsgate Park, for another look around. A small flock of Herring Gulls with a Lesser Black-backed Gull on the main pond. Also around the park were Mute Swans, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe & Common Chiffchaff. Also a disant Willow Warbler.

Grey Wagtail [Female]

Grey Wagtail [Male]

Grey Squirrel [Adult]

Wood Pigeon [Adult]

Great Tit [Male]

Herring Gull [2nd Summer]

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

Latteridge 12th April 2021

While I was working at Organic Blooms, I managed to get a better photo of one of our local Common Chiffchaffs. I only take my small bridge camera to work, so I was pleased how the pictures turned out. Also a Sawfly was in one of our polytunnels.

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

Sawfly

Chipping Sodbury
12th April 2021

Me & Dad went to Chipping Sodbury Common after work to see the Black Redstart. We saw a Common Redstart & a couple of Northern Wheatears, with one of the birds showing characteristics of 'leucorhoa'. Which is often referred to as a Greenland Wheatear & has a browner back & brown on ear coverts than nominate birds. We had good views of the Black Redstart perched in various bushes around the common. This bird is either an Adult Female/1st Winter type. Most of the birds seen in South Gloucestershire in the Winter are around Oldbury Power Station.

Common Redstart [Male]

Northern Wheatear [Male]

Black Redstart [1st Winter]

Chipping Sodbury
14th April 2021

Me & Dad went back to Chipping Sodbury Common a couple of days later. We managed to get a better view of a Male Common Redstart. A few Northern Wheatears were still present on the common during the morning. A small flock of Linnets flew over the common & a Adult Female perched on a small bush.

Common Redstart [Male]

Northern Wheatear [Male]

Linnet [Female]

Weston-super-Mare
15th April 2021

We went down to Weston-super-Mare disused airfield to look for the Penduline Tit. Despite a thorough search around the site, we didn't see any. It was nice to see Reed Buntings, Little Egret & Stonechats.

Reed Bunting [Male]

Little Egret [Summer]

Stonechat [Male]

Horton
16th April 2021

Me & Dad had a walk in the Horton area. We saw a Peacock. Loads of White Dead Nettle were out in flower. Finally saw a couple of Dark-edged Bee-flies.

Peacock

Dark-edged Bee-fly

Devon
17th April 2021

We went for a day out in Devon for the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Pied Flycatchers. We only saw a Song Thrush feeding on a snail & very brief views of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in the woods. Also around the county, we had a few Cirl Bunting on the coastline. We finished the day looking for the Dartford Warbler on heath, but sadly no sign.

Cirl Bunting [Male]

Song Thrush [Adult]

Cirl Bunting [Male]

Stonechat [Female]

Common Chiffchaff [Male]

Codrington
18th April 2021

Me & Dad had a walk around Codrington. We had a couple of Collared Doves on the wire, Common Buzzard, Brimstones, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell & Peacocks and a female Orange Tip.

Common Buzzard [Adult]

Collared Dove [Pair]

Chipping Sodbury Common 21st April 2021

Me & Dad made another visit to Chipping Sodbury Common in mid April. We saw mainly Northern Wheatears, Common Redstart briefly and a very distant Whinchat.

Northern Wheatear [Male]

Chipping Sodbury
22nd April 2021

Me & Dad popped back to Chipping Sodbury Common the following morning. We saw a Female Common Kestrel, Common Whitehroat, Skylarks, Whinchat, Northern Wheatears & unexpectantly a Roe Deer Buck running across the common.

Skylark [Adult]

Common Kestrel [Female]

Common Whitethroat [Male]

Whinchat [Male]

Roe Deer [Male]

Whinchat [Male]

Tenby
25th April 2021

We went to Tenby to see Wally the Walrus. Our first sightings of the day were a Carrion Crow & a Wren singing along the coastline. A Fulmar cruised past the cliffs. A few Gannets flew past & plunge dived to catch fish. We first spotted Wally out in the middle of the water swimming around. As we waited for much of the day, we eventually had a good view of this magnificent mammal. This species normally should be way up in the Arctic circle in Greenland. This Immature Male was first sighted in Ireland, before moving to Pembrokeshire. This is a very rare sighting have one this far south.

Wren [Male]

Carrion Crow [Adult]

Wren [Male]

Fulmar

Gannet [Adult]

Great Cormorant [Summer]

Rock Pipit [Summer]

Walrus [Immature Male]

April 2021