Sunday 28 January 2018
Red Breasted Goose
Friday 26 January 2018
A morning in the sun
A dry morning saw me head off to Llangorse Lake, for only my third ever visit to the site. The target, a drake Ring-necked Duck that has turned up a couple of days ago, as well as a drake Red-crested Pochard and a female Scaup.
Ceri Jones was already on site when I arrived and he quickly filled me in on the whereabouts of the the Ring-neck' and R-c Pochard. Both fell fairly quickly with a bonus Great White Egret - not sure why Phil and Martin have difficulty with these here as it was very easy to pick up!
By the time I made it to the hide, the Ring-neck' decided to play hard ball and it took almost an hour to relocate it. The female Scaup, however, was quickly located, though as it spent a lot of time diving it was easy to miss.
The three ducks were all year ticks and they were joined on the year list by a Cetti's Warbler that sang from the reeds whilst I was trying to relocate the RnD.
Ceri Jones was already on site when I arrived and he quickly filled me in on the whereabouts of the the Ring-neck' and R-c Pochard. Both fell fairly quickly with a bonus Great White Egret - not sure why Phil and Martin have difficulty with these here as it was very easy to pick up!
By the time I made it to the hide, the Ring-neck' decided to play hard ball and it took almost an hour to relocate it. The female Scaup, however, was quickly located, though as it spent a lot of time diving it was easy to miss.
The three ducks were all year ticks and they were joined on the year list by a Cetti's Warbler that sang from the reeds whilst I was trying to relocate the RnD.
Tuesday 23 January 2018
Work Rained Off
Due to Martin Bevan being rained off today we decided to nip down to Llanelli for a few hours. Unusually we did not leave until 10.10am, must be getting old.
When we got to Llanelli Martin had to renew his membership so I wandered over to have a look at the feeders and was rewarded with my first year tick a lovely plumaged Brambling which done the decent thing and hung around for Martin to see.
Next was down to the British Steel hide where straight away we found a sleeping Spoonbill (no other kind Mr Bell) and Martin found a sleeping Spotted Redshank, year ticks for both of us. We then wandered over to the Welsh Water and Peter Scott hides but did not stay long has it was very quiet.
As we did not have much time we then drove over to Cilsan Bridge where Martin had a year tick in Whooper Swan (35 in total). The next port of call was Dryslwyn where we dipped the Tree Sparrows in atrocious weather but I managed Great Spotted Woodpecker for the year. From the car park we did find 4 Pink Footed Geese in amongst hundreds of geese another year tick for the both of us. Also thousands of Starlings feeding in the fields and Martin found two Stock Doves.
When we got to Llanelli Martin had to renew his membership so I wandered over to have a look at the feeders and was rewarded with my first year tick a lovely plumaged Brambling which done the decent thing and hung around for Martin to see.
Next was down to the British Steel hide where straight away we found a sleeping Spoonbill (no other kind Mr Bell) and Martin found a sleeping Spotted Redshank, year ticks for both of us. We then wandered over to the Welsh Water and Peter Scott hides but did not stay long has it was very quiet.
As we did not have much time we then drove over to Cilsan Bridge where Martin had a year tick in Whooper Swan (35 in total). The next port of call was Dryslwyn where we dipped the Tree Sparrows in atrocious weather but I managed Great Spotted Woodpecker for the year. From the car park we did find 4 Pink Footed Geese in amongst hundreds of geese another year tick for the both of us. Also thousands of Starlings feeding in the fields and Martin found two Stock Doves.
Sunday 21 January 2018
Ringing news or is it stringing news
The adult winter plumage Black Headed Gull that me, Phil Hill and Martin Bell saw in Slimbridge on 7 Jan 2018 was from Cotswold Waterpark and rung as a chick in 2010 and cheers Martin for getting number.
Saturday 13 January 2018
Water Pipit
Water Pipit still on the slipway of Llywn Onn reservoir this afternoon. Last seen going down towards the feeding ponds with Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail.
Wednesday 10 January 2018
Ogmore and Dunraven
Pretty much the same birds at the Watermill and Portobello today, the Wigeon flock has doubled to two birds and a female Kingfisher was at Portobello. No sign of any Purple Sands at Ogmore a Med gull ,Oystercatchers and a few Turnstone being the highlights. Dunraven got the gold star today with a flyover Chough and a male Black Redstart on the cliff face.
Sunday 7 January 2018
I won't boar you with the details but ...
After many years and multiple trips to the Forest of Dean Martin Bevan, Martin Bell and myself finally came across some wild boar this morning.
Parking at the Crabtree Hill car park we walked back down towards Speech House where we met a local woman who told us that in the morning the car park at the other side of Speech House would probable be better for the boar. We thanked her and walked over there but there were no boar present. A car then pulled into the car park and the same woman wound her window down and told us that the boar were next to my car !!!. Where have I heard that before. She then offered us a lift as long as we took our wellies off. Needless to say our footwear came off very quickly and soon 5 boar were in sight and photographed. A very big thank you to the lady.
Parking at the Crabtree Hill car park we walked back down towards Speech House where we met a local woman who told us that in the morning the car park at the other side of Speech House would probable be better for the boar. We thanked her and walked over there but there were no boar present. A car then pulled into the car park and the same woman wound her window down and told us that the boar were next to my car !!!. Where have I heard that before. She then offered us a lift as long as we took our wellies off. Needless to say our footwear came off very quickly and soon 5 boar were in sight and photographed. A very big thank you to the lady.
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| Penduline Tit |
Friday 5 January 2018
Forest Ganol/Forest Farm/Forest Gump.
Between 15 -20 Hawfinch at Forest Ganol this morning decent views but very flighty. Forest Farm - Kingfisher,Snipe,Green Woodpecker,Sparrowhawk and a male Bullfinch. Forest Gump because it reminds me of Mike Hogan.
Tuesday 2 January 2018
New Year in Devon
It had been three years since we last spent a New Years Day birding in Devon, so Mr Hill, Bevan and myself made the journey down to start 2018 with a good day out. The last time we birded that area there were 5 of us as Mr Hogan and Mr Gaze (remember him? small chap, big smile, bad puns.) came along for a jolly.
Approaching our first stop at Broadsands, the rain started. pulling into the car park, we opted for coffee in the car, before wandering round to pick up the main target here - the Cirl Buntings, feeding in the car park. A quick sea watch in the rain didn't produce much, but with the rain easing and visibility improving, we got the scopes out and set up under a shelter, that also gave a slightly elevated position. We quickly found the our first Great northern Diver, before Martin found one closer in the bay. Several Great Crested Grebes, Razorbills and Guillemots were quickly found along with Gannets Fulmars and Kittiwakes. I briefly got onto a Black-throated Diver, but it dived and I couldn't relocate, never mind get anyone else on to it. A single Black-necked Grebe was found, albeit distantly.
With the rain having ceased, we took a walk round the car park but failed to locate the wintering Firecrest, before we set of to Dawlish Warren.
We stopped at Starcross for a quick look for the resident Slav' Grebe. The tide was well out and the steps down from the railway crossing were rather slippy, as Phil found out to his cost as ended up sat on his arse at the foot of the steps. Fortunately, no permanent damage. The Slav' was found along with a few commoner waders and lots of Brent's.
At Dawlish we had a couple of showers, but most of the time it was dry with some periods of bright sunshine. Sea watching wasn't great but Martin found a Pom Skua, with Phil relocating it, or another later on, whilst I found a small group of Common Scoter and 3 Eider. A walk round the wood/ponds produced a Chiffy, but little else of note.
Next up was Matford Marsh to look for the American Wigeon that was wintering in the area. The yank, however couldn't be located - even when a fox flushed the feeding flock onto the pool. 3 Green Sands were reasonable compensation.
Final stop was Bowling Green Marsh, where Black 'wits were harder work than expected and a single Ruff showed briefly.
Overall a good start to the birding year with over 80 species logged.
Approaching our first stop at Broadsands, the rain started. pulling into the car park, we opted for coffee in the car, before wandering round to pick up the main target here - the Cirl Buntings, feeding in the car park. A quick sea watch in the rain didn't produce much, but with the rain easing and visibility improving, we got the scopes out and set up under a shelter, that also gave a slightly elevated position. We quickly found the our first Great northern Diver, before Martin found one closer in the bay. Several Great Crested Grebes, Razorbills and Guillemots were quickly found along with Gannets Fulmars and Kittiwakes. I briefly got onto a Black-throated Diver, but it dived and I couldn't relocate, never mind get anyone else on to it. A single Black-necked Grebe was found, albeit distantly.
With the rain having ceased, we took a walk round the car park but failed to locate the wintering Firecrest, before we set of to Dawlish Warren.
We stopped at Starcross for a quick look for the resident Slav' Grebe. The tide was well out and the steps down from the railway crossing were rather slippy, as Phil found out to his cost as ended up sat on his arse at the foot of the steps. Fortunately, no permanent damage. The Slav' was found along with a few commoner waders and lots of Brent's.
At Dawlish we had a couple of showers, but most of the time it was dry with some periods of bright sunshine. Sea watching wasn't great but Martin found a Pom Skua, with Phil relocating it, or another later on, whilst I found a small group of Common Scoter and 3 Eider. A walk round the wood/ponds produced a Chiffy, but little else of note.
Next up was Matford Marsh to look for the American Wigeon that was wintering in the area. The yank, however couldn't be located - even when a fox flushed the feeding flock onto the pool. 3 Green Sands were reasonable compensation.
Final stop was Bowling Green Marsh, where Black 'wits were harder work than expected and a single Ruff showed briefly.
Overall a good start to the birding year with over 80 species logged.
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