BobProctor
@rproctorbirds.bsky.social
Birds around Bristol, sometimes a bit further.
Got a good look at the white tailed eagle at Chew Valley Lake today. Lots of greenshank; peregrine on the ground; marsh harrier flypast.
August 26, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Got a good look at the white tailed eagle at Chew Valley Lake today. Lots of greenshank; peregrine on the ground; marsh harrier flypast.
At Slimbridge. Wood sandpiper, c. 10 green sandpipers, 2 spoonbills, influx of yellow wagtails (mainly at middle point with cattle). Nice.
August 12, 2025 at 12:43 PM
At Slimbridge. Wood sandpiper, c. 10 green sandpipers, 2 spoonbills, influx of yellow wagtails (mainly at middle point with cattle). Nice.
Rhododendron resurgence as Blaise, Bristol. Has the National Trust given up on it?
June 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Rhododendron resurgence as Blaise, Bristol. Has the National Trust given up on it?
Circuit walk at Chepstow Park Wood again to see if spring would be productive. No wood warbler this time but tree pipit (short display flight), spotted flycatcher and siskin were nice year ticks. Lots of willow warbler too.
May 4, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Circuit walk at Chepstow Park Wood again to see if spring would be productive. No wood warbler this time but tree pipit (short display flight), spotted flycatcher and siskin were nice year ticks. Lots of willow warbler too.
Good if chilly day at Slimbridge. 53 species inc Bewick's and one Whooper swan, spoonbill, great white egret, water rail, many many golden plover, avocet, snipe, and all the usual suspects.
December 23, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Good if chilly day at Slimbridge. 53 species inc Bewick's and one Whooper swan, spoonbill, great white egret, water rail, many many golden plover, avocet, snipe, and all the usual suspects.
Several firecrests taunted me but saw only goldcrests at Blaise today, until just as I was leaving I found one close up deep inside a garden hedge! Gorgeous colours everywhere.
October 27, 2024 at 4:39 PM
Several firecrests taunted me but saw only goldcrests at Blaise today, until just as I was leaving I found one close up deep inside a garden hedge! Gorgeous colours everywhere.
Blaise right now.
October 13, 2024 at 1:28 PM
Blaise right now.
Great light but birds silhouetted.
October 5, 2024 at 7:39 AM
Great light but birds silhouetted.
Got a permit and went early to Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. Superb close views of osprey fishing from Stratford hide; second one later at Herriot's. 2 hobby at Moreton. 60-70 common tern: most spiralled up and flew W; a few stayed around. A dozen black tern very distant flitting low over the water.
August 28, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Got a permit and went early to Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. Superb close views of osprey fishing from Stratford hide; second one later at Herriot's. 2 hobby at Moreton. 60-70 common tern: most spiralled up and flew W; a few stayed around. A dozen black tern very distant flitting low over the water.
Classic bank holiday Monday at Tintern; woods along Offa's Dyke. Reliable spot for marsh tits, and plenty around.
August 27, 2024 at 10:47 AM
Classic bank holiday Monday at Tintern; woods along Offa's Dyke. Reliable spot for marsh tits, and plenty around.
Spotted flycatcher in the scrubby garden at New Passage. Wader roost pools seem to have been filled in and destroyed...
August 23, 2024 at 11:26 AM
Spotted flycatcher in the scrubby garden at New Passage. Wader roost pools seem to have been filled in and destroyed...
Severn Bridge looking smart in the sunshine.
August 23, 2024 at 6:28 AM
Severn Bridge looking smart in the sunshine.
Daytrip to WWT Slimbridge yesterday. Green sandpiper, spotted redshank and ruff; bittern flew over the reserve. Healthy numbers of black-tailed godwit going into winter plumage.
August 18, 2024 at 5:23 PM
Daytrip to WWT Slimbridge yesterday. Green sandpiper, spotted redshank and ruff; bittern flew over the reserve. Healthy numbers of black-tailed godwit going into winter plumage.
Black Forest, Germany, on trips out of Freiburg. Not the best time of year for birds. But lots of white storks in farm fields, memorable close views of red-backed shrike on scrub, crested tit and spotted flycatcher quite common, black kites among plentiful red kites, buzzard and kestrel.
August 11, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Black Forest, Germany, on trips out of Freiburg. Not the best time of year for birds. But lots of white storks in farm fields, memorable close views of red-backed shrike on scrub, crested tit and spotted flycatcher quite common, black kites among plentiful red kites, buzzard and kestrel.
Summer flowers looking great, full of goldfinch and linnet. @severnsidebirds.bsky.social @bristolbirding.bsky.social
July 21, 2024 at 7:00 PM
Summer flowers looking great, full of goldfinch and linnet. @severnsidebirds.bsky.social @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Last weekend, another quick trip to Chepstow, this time exploring St Pierre Wood. Mostly beech and oak, lots of open areas, meadowsweet and hogweed in the verges. Eerily quiet and not many birds apart from the odd chiffchaff and blackcap; nuthatch and likely treecreeper heard; stock dove on a wire.
July 10, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Last weekend, another quick trip to Chepstow, this time exploring St Pierre Wood. Mostly beech and oak, lots of open areas, meadowsweet and hogweed in the verges. Eerily quiet and not many birds apart from the odd chiffchaff and blackcap; nuthatch and likely treecreeper heard; stock dove on a wire.
Another trip to Chepstow Park Wood, this time the south side. More of the same, mostly dense pine plantation, some oak and beech, few open spaces; birds hard to see. Siskins in treetops, bullfinches, a firecrest, song thrush fledglings, lots of chiffchaffs and blackcaps.
June 30, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Another trip to Chepstow Park Wood, this time the south side. More of the same, mostly dense pine plantation, some oak and beech, few open spaces; birds hard to see. Siskins in treetops, bullfinches, a firecrest, song thrush fledglings, lots of chiffchaffs and blackcaps.
Investigated the Forestry Commission's Chepstow Park Wood plantation. Wood warbler heard but not seen; lots of siskin; a few willow warbler; swallows; sparrowhawk, buzzard. Few open areas, many species absent, but seems promising.
June 23, 2024 at 7:15 PM
Investigated the Forestry Commission's Chepstow Park Wood plantation. Wood warbler heard but not seen; lots of siskin; a few willow warbler; swallows; sparrowhawk, buzzard. Few open areas, many species absent, but seems promising.
House sparrows have been picking up gravel chips from the edge of the patio and neatly depositing them on our kitchen step, no doubt in search of spiders.
June 19, 2024 at 7:04 AM
House sparrows have been picking up gravel chips from the edge of the patio and neatly depositing them on our kitchen step, no doubt in search of spiders.
Popped down to Chew Valley Lake this morning. A couple of hobbies overhead, a kingfisher fishing, great white and little egrets, reed buntings and reed warblers very active. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
June 17, 2024 at 3:52 PM
Popped down to Chew Valley Lake this morning. A couple of hobbies overhead, a kingfisher fishing, great white and little egrets, reed buntings and reed warblers very active. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
At Fontainebleau, France. Two walks in the forest so far and 3 lifers: middle spotted woodpecker, western Bonelli's warbler and nightingale. + Cuckoos everywhere, short toed treecreeper, redstart, pied flycatcher, marsh tit, firecrest. Amazing patchwork habitats from scrub to mature woods.
May 17, 2024 at 11:15 AM
At Fontainebleau, France. Two walks in the forest so far and 3 lifers: middle spotted woodpecker, western Bonelli's warbler and nightingale. + Cuckoos everywhere, short toed treecreeper, redstart, pied flycatcher, marsh tit, firecrest. Amazing patchwork habitats from scrub to mature woods.
Some better of photos of this morning's showy short-eared owl at Severn Beach. @bristolbirding.bsky.social + 4 lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, 2 swift, c. 25 swallows, 1 sedge warbler, 2 reed warblers, 1 whimbrel, dunlin.
May 6, 2024 at 2:27 PM
Some better of photos of this morning's showy short-eared owl at Severn Beach. @bristolbirding.bsky.social + 4 lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, 2 swift, c. 25 swallows, 1 sedge warbler, 2 reed warblers, 1 whimbrel, dunlin.
Surprised to see not one but two little gulls zipping up and down at Cheddar Reservoir today. Also 13 scaup, pied and grey wagtails, passing raven.
March 3, 2024 at 6:10 PM
Surprised to see not one but two little gulls zipping up and down at Cheddar Reservoir today. Also 13 scaup, pied and grey wagtails, passing raven.
Magor Marsh, Gwent, yesterday. Heronry getting up and running. Teal and gadwall on the water. Chiffchaffs singing. Scarlet elf cup on drowned hazel. 17 little egrets in to roost. 2 ravens overhead.
February 19, 2024 at 9:06 AM
Magor Marsh, Gwent, yesterday. Heronry getting up and running. Teal and gadwall on the water. Chiffchaffs singing. Scarlet elf cup on drowned hazel. 17 little egrets in to roost. 2 ravens overhead.