Sunday 26 October 2014

Autumn Phalarope - 26/10/2014

With it being a reading week at college, Jess and I took off the Monday so we had a long weekend on our hands. We visited Westonbirt Arboretum to see the autumnal colours in full display, and we were pleasantly surprised to see how popular it was - crowds of people, and queues to get in! If only RSPB reserves saw this much attention, and arguably (lovely though the sylvan spectacle) there would be more to see in general wildlife.

Jess took some stunning photos -

Japanese Maple




By lunchtime we were ravenous, and a quick roast pork bun gave us enough for one last burst of energy to see some more of the park, but the fresh air soon got to us and we were zonked.




With it being the weekend the clocks went back an hour, we were treated to an hour extra in bed that night, and I resisted the temptation of heading off down to Bowling Green Marsh at early doors. I'm glad that I did because after breakfast, Jess and I took a trip  down to Topsham Recreation Park for a walk along the estuary instead.

After an unexpected game of table tennis with the free new facilities in the park, we took a walk along the path, scanning the various waders and gulls gathered there. I kept my eye out for the reported water pipit, and saw a glimpse of what I think was the culprit, but couldn't pin him down. However, we got chatting to a fellow birder who was happily showing some passers by a group of six sandpipers amongst the gulls, and a peregrine which had perched up under the underpass of the bridge. We then saw a kingfisher across the way from us, perched up on the reeds, and after chatting with the gent about the location of the water pipit it sounded increasingly likely that I had indeed spied it where I thought I had. On the return route I got another glimpse, but again couldn't be sure. As a consolation there was a godwit close to the park benches and we spent a couple of minutes sat contentedly, watching it feed in the muddy vegetation.

On the way home for a lunch consisting of last nights excellent curry, we popped in for a quick drink at the Bridge Inn. Taking advantage of the mild weather, we sat outside with an excellent pint of Otter, and a glass of white. We were lucky enough to see another kingfisher from our perch by the river, but I was secretly nursing an itch to go and see the grey phalarope which was reported on the Otter estuary (the Otter beer proved far too temptingly auspicious to refuse a 'go') at Budleigh Salterton.

So after lunch we took off, and was pleasantly surprised that Budleigh is only fifteen minutes from Jess's parents house. When we arrived, I quickly realised that it was quite a large area, and that we could potentially walk straight past such a tiny wader. I checked with a birding couple and they pointed out kindly where the little guy was to be found. A short walk later, I couldn't believe our luck. It was just as the gent at Topsham had described from his visit yesterday, and the phalarope was feeding happily down to only a few metres away from a few visiting birders, and a steady trickle of interested passers-by.


'What type of bird is it', and 'where is it from', were a couple of the questions that were popping up, and I was glad to pay a small part in helping to answer the questions. It was great to see people interested, and good to see a young lad with his bridge camera getting some great shots. A cracking little bird, and a great way to round off a nice day. A Lifer, British and Year list tick all in one.



Needless to say I burned through a lot of photos taking advantage of his timidity, or perhaps blatant indifference to our presence. The godwit that was also feeding nearby had escaped my attention until we were leaving, and some great shots of her was the icing on the cake.




 


Sunday 29 June 2014

Ross's Gull, Bowling Green marsh - 27/06/2014

An all too easy, rock-up-and-see-it Ross's Gull was the highlight of yesterday's outing. It had been present for about six weeks at BGM, and I had been keeping my eye on the Devonshire forum to see if it was hanging around. I had an early start down to the hide and sure enough, there he was, quite obvious amongst the BGH's. I'd forgotten my bins, so it was birding via camera again.




Also present were two Spotted Redshanks, giving me the second lifer, Brit, and year tick of the day. They were both looking pretty dapper in the finest Summer black, and busy pruning between rain showers. They were tucked away at the back of the marsh amongst a herd of curlew, and I had to borrow a look through another chap's scope to see them. Funnily enough he had the Opticron 80 ED.. It gave me an itch to get a scope so bad that a few hours later I had more or less impulsively bought one at Darts Farm. I've gone for a much cheaper model than the Opticron that I had been fancying, using my staff discount and going for the RSPB AG80, with a 20-60 Zoom eye piece,tripod/cover bundle. It's not the same quality level as the Opticron admittedly, however, a test drive yesterday evening and this morning shows that it is adequate for what I need a scope for currently, and I've saved myself easily £600. It also revealed some Common Sand's for a tick for 2014 that I would not have realised were there, the first bobbing on a buoy on the Exe, and the others on the slowly emerging sandbank in the distance.   

Sunday 1 June 2014

Getting 'savvy'. See what I did there? Newport Wetlands - 01/06/2014

With the forecast for nice weather today I made an early start and set off the the Wetlands before opening time. Upon arrival there was already a small gathering for the Savi's Warbler, and the bird had been in the same spot for over a week. He was showing much better today, and even allowed for some half decent shots. Only the 5th for Wales apparently, and first for Gwent!

Giving it some beans


After seeing Beardie's for the first time in Radipole a couple of weeks back, the gods of birding saw fit to mock me with some near the pontoon briefly. There was also a showy (and sing-y for that matter) Sedge Warbler in a tree of all places. After a quick chat with Rob and Mat, there was also a very showy Lesser White Throat in the lane. The sun seemed to be bringing them all out.

At Goldcliff there was an avalanche of Avocet, with three young 'uns feeding out on the lagoon. From the back hide I thought I had found a rarity, seeing what I thought was a golden plover, but with odd markings more similar to Yankee.. Humbling though, turned out to be a grey plover in breeding plumage, but I'd never realised how similar they get, having never seen grey this time of year. Chalk up another learning point, but still, one for the 2014 list...

Sunday 25 May 2014

One good tern deserves another, Dorset holiday - 16-19/05/2014


We chose Dorset for our Sun holiday destination this year, and after carefully choosing the best time to go using the precedence of the weather these last few years, we still felt like we'd won a lottery with the weather. On day one we visited RSPB Arne, and we set out onto the reserve heading towards the coastal viewpoint. I was keeping my eyes and ears out for Dartford Warbler in particular, but we had no luck on that front. What we did see though was lots of Wood Ants in huge hives dotted about the heathland and the woods. They are much bigger than regular ants, and the swarms were very impressive.


Jess spotted this interesting shield bug, and took some good pictures.


After a great walk, we popped by the small visitor pod in the car park and were treated to seeing nestcams of nearby buzzard and barn owl, and also had close views of greater spotted woodpecker on the nearby feeder. 

The next day we visited Brownsea Island, eager to find a red squirrel. After spotting sandwich and common terns on the boat crossing from Poole  Harbour, we visited the Dorset Wildlife Trust section of the Island first. There were a few hides where you could gain access to the lagoon type enclosure, and these Black Tailed Godwit were roosting from the first - 


Next we visited the Sandwich Tern colony from the main hide, and the noise and hustle and bustle was a change of pace from the somnolent godwits. The terns were back and fore regularly, coming back with sand eels. There were also several pairs indulging their instincts shall we say!  

From there we set off towards the feeders near the visitor centre where apparently the squirrels frequent for food, but we had no luck. We found some stuffed squirrels in the centre, but were still without the real thing in sight. We walked right around the Dorset WT area, and marched on to see as much of the Island as possible. We walked to the far side of the island, seeing some amazing views of Poole Harbour and the other Islands, and on out way back, just when it seemed all hope was lost, Jess spotted our quarry, statuesque in a tree! 



The next day we visited RSPB Radipole Lake in Weymouth, where we see our first BEARDED TITS!! We rounded a corner and started out across a stone bridge, when I heard that familiar pinging call. A small flock flew out from the reeds, and we only had a glimpse on two occasions, but it was great to finally see some. There were reed warblers and cettis calling out from the reeds. Back at the centre we had time for a quick piece of cake, watching the gulls out over the water.

We then set off for the nearby RSPB Lodmoor Lake, where there wasn't too much on show, and we didn't hang around for long because it's basically a viewpoint over an area of reeds and water near the beach front. Some Sanderlings and an Arctic Tern had been seen earlier, but no luck by the time we had arrived.

Monday 5 May 2014

Gwenffrwd-Dinas - 04/05/14

A year to the day, Jess and I re-visited the Gwenffrwd-Dinas reserve in Mid Wales after popping home for a Sunday lunch. Upon arrival, the second bird I saw from the car park was a singing Garden Warbler, my first of the year, doing rounds in bushes near the car park. We took the long route around the reserve, keeping an eye for Pied Flycatchers, Redstart, and Wood Warbler. We even explored Twm Sion Cati's cave high up a steep valley side above the Tywi, but can't say that I rate his taste in hideouts!



These chaffinches were keen to share our biscuits!



We stopped off in Llandovery because I had a hankering for a pint, and from the car park I saw my first Swift of the year hawking above us. It was a very nice pint, if someone quickly drunk because it went slightly cooler, and then Jess drove us home to Cardiff.

 Bank-holiday Monday saw me getting a little stir crazy so I took a short visit back to Rudry Common where the wind was keeping most things fairly grounded, so I didn't stay long. 



Saturday 3 May 2014

Rudry Common - 03/05/2014




Being in the mood to explore somewhere new took me early morning up to Rudry Common. It was a bit of a chilly start, but there was plenty of birdsong in the air. Whitethroat, and willow warblers were in good numbers. At the top I stopped for a while watching this tree pipit displaying.


Whilst watching him a cuckoo started calling from down in the valley and it burst into sight only to be quickly sent packing by a pipit. On the way back there was a pair of stonechat and a bullfinch near the car park.  

Monday 21 April 2014

Goldcliff, Easter Monday - 21/04/2014

Another really nice day meant I was itching to get out and about and with nowhere else to go I decided on Goldcliff, and I'm really glad I did. The sun was shining and it was so warm I was quickly down to my t-shirt, no need for the warm weather clothes I'd had on only days before. There were a friendly bunch down there, including a knowledgeable chap called Dan.

There were a couple of hundred  dunlin in summer plumage flying around which could well have contained the reported curlew sandpiper. 3 stock doves flew in which was good to see, but also of note was a lesser whitethroat which I as glad to have identified first by song and then which I saw in flight briefly, a peregrine with a quick flyby, avocets, lots of lapwing, and an elusive spotted redshank of which I think I have pictures, but I can't be sure. Really need that scope! So, since my lists began, that's two lifers right there, and it could have been a third and even a fourth with the spotted shank and curlew sandpiper, but it was not to be today. I'm now also up to 111 on my British year list without doing anything intensively, so I'm happy to say it's going well so far! 



Greenshank

Friday 18 April 2014

Location, Location Location - 18/04/2014

An early start for the annual survey had me up at half past five this morning, though after having been up early twice in the week for the gym it wasn't all that bad oddly enough! The sunrise held the promise of nice weather, and I wasn't disappointed as it was a stunning day for it.

The first bird I saw upon arrival was a wheatear on a nearby post, which turned out to be one of three. A great start! There was still good numbers of skylarks and mippits, but my heart sank at the 5th 100m mark, because there seemed to be no sign of last year's GP's.

I geared up for the last transect, when low and behold suddenly there they were! A small flock had appeared to my right. I carefully moved forward, and realised there was another bigger flock directly ahead of me smack bang in the middle of the transect line.










The birds were soon airborne together and both groups merged into one, circling at first low, and then high above me, sparkling like glitter in the clear blue of the morning. At one point they seemed almost to hang in the air, no doubt being buffeted by the strong wind at that level, but it gave an amazing effect, like golden fire suspended in a deep blue. I'm only gutted the camera wasn't able to capture that effect in still frames, because it was sublime, and I'm not one to wax lyrical about things!






A count of 36 plover this year, in contrast to last year's handful!




A superb experience, and a morning I will never forget. 

Wednesday 16 April 2014

A Gargle inducing Gargantuan Garganey Fest, Ogmore - 16/04/2014

Seeing on Glam Birding forum this afternoon that unbelievable SEVEN garganeys turned up at Ogmore settled my mind into going down straight after work. On arrival at Portobello they were now up river as was pointed out kindly by a couple of other birders. From the bridge by the water works I could see them just land out of sight a fair way off on the left channel, but they were soon up again, and flying in loops.One loop came close enough for a couple of record shots.




They then settled again further up the estuary, but were soon off again up river towards the castle, and out of sight. There were five drakes and two females!

Amazing record for Glamorgan, and a lifer for me!  



Sunday 13 April 2014

Dunraven Bay - 13/04/2014

Sun poured in through the window this morning as had been promised in the weather forecast, in stark contrast to the grey cold of yesterday, and it seemed too nice a day to waste. Without a good idea of where to head, we decided to go to Southerndown.

When we arrived it was a little chilly in the wind so we abandoned to idea to sit on the beach and instead explored the cliffs. I was busy keeping an eye out for the kestrel that I had seen on a previous visit, hoping to get good clifftop eye-level shots like I would have had last time had I been camera ready, but there was no luck. We did however hear and then see two chough flying east overhead as we stopped above Dunraven Bay. We had a nice walk exploring the coastal path, and in typical fashion we saw the kestrel when we were leaving, the Micra struggling in first gear up the steep hill.

When we got home I noticed an angle shades moth on the drive way taking shelter in the nook of the pillar at the start of the drive.


Sunday 30 March 2014

Gulls and Grebes, Exeter - 30/03/2014



A trip to Exeter this weekend meant of course getting out to the surrounding areas. On the first day we took a walk up through Bowling Green Marsh to Topsham. At the hide it was nice to see about thirty or so sand  martins, my first of the year. We could also see some black tailed Godwit in the back. There were lots of singing passerine types in the hedges, with wrens being especially showy. 

We were sad to see the goatwalk had been destroyed by the storms last month. We had food at The Nelson and continued up to Topsham Rec to see the reported Slavonian Grebe, but it wasn't to be.  



 
I went back the next day in a brief holdup between rain and making a bed and saw the Slav, a first for me, and a great addition to my 2014 list challenge. 






The next day I got up early to try and find Dartford Warblers to the birds I've seen up at Aylesbeare common, but with no luck. I then took jess down to Exmouth for a walk in the afternoon, cunningly fitting in a trip to the quay to see a Glaucous Gull after we finished the bed. A comedy moment ensued when I arrived as I started scanning the sea over towards Dawlish and the sand banks and lo and  behold it was pointed out to be alongside me upon a storage container by some other visiting birders! It was quite intent on sitting however so I left it be, but another first for me all the same.

On the Sunday morning Jess and I took a walk down the canal to Turf Lock, and the highlights were a singing churchyard, and this showy wren.






Saturday 8 March 2014

Black throated Diver, Cosmeston - 08/03/2014

Having thought I would get away without visiting Cosmeston for a while after the debacle it was trying to see the Lesser Scaup, news of a BTD last night and some incredibly good shots online settled my mind into going down for it.




Couldn't find the Black Redstart on the barrage, but there were 5 Redshank on the far end, Rock Pipits and 3 Linnets present.

Friday 28 February 2014

Always more to learn - Nelson Wern 28/02/2014

I took a quick trip down to Nelson Wern this morning and racked up a good number of species from a fairly short visit, and all from being patient and staying in one spot. There was one bird singing which I could not see, and from the noises it made it put me in mind of a warbler at first, so I was thinking Blackcap initially, but I eventually spotted it (it was actually quite high above me) and realised it was a Siskin. Whilst according the BTO Siskins are on the rise, and are coming into gardens more than ever now, I must say it's not a species I've ever seen before in these parts myself, so it was a nice surprise. The BTO website also mentions that it also can sometime exhibit signs of mimicry, which is why perhaps my mind jumped to warbler, althought that could well be me trying to justify a bad ID guess...

No sightings of the resident Willow Tits this visit.


 

Monday 24 February 2014

Spring has sprung - 24/02/2014

Yet another day off using up annual leave today left me free to visit Parc Slip and Ogmore again to try for some target species. On arrival at Parc Slip the first things I saw were four Buzzards and a Red Kite circling above not far from the car park. On the feeders were Nuthatch, Blue Tits, Coal Tits and a few others, and from the hide were a few teal whistling noisily.

From the conservation fields where the highland cattle were grazing, there were 13 Lapwings in flight, which was great to see, evidently getting ready for the breeding season, fingers crossed they get a good one. A calling Reed Bunting was the first of 2014, and I popped to the hide a bit quickly, but there was no Bittern on show so I moved on and while my attention was caught by two bullfinch, both a female and a male, a few Lesser Redpoll came by, and luckily I took a few snaps because I had taken them to be Linnet -





 There was also a Goldfinch busy feeding on Teasel nearby -



At Ogmore the sea was surprisingly choppy, but I managed to find eight Purple Sandpipers which were trying to roost but were not having much luck, being constantly buffeted by the waves-




 On the river there was also plenty of Redshank and still 20+ Goldeneye that I could see. The Stonechat pair were also still present, presumably the same ones from a few weeks ago. That came to a total of seven new 2014 ticks, a great day's birding, and some top shots to go with it.  

 

Friday 21 February 2014

I do love a good bit of Hovis.. Barry Knapp - 21/02/2014

First up this morning was a trip to Forest Farm with the intention of getting Green Woodpecker and Water Rail on the 2014 list while waiting to see if the LTD was still present in order to spare myself the journey back down to Barry. Outside the first hide was a good selection, including 5 Bullfinch (3m, 2 f) a Goldcrest, Dunnock, Goldfinch, and the usual tits. From the hide there was a glimpse of a flyby Kingfisher heading over to the hide with a door, and brief views of a Water Rail feeding behind two Moorhens on the far left. I had squinted at a small shape scurrying across the open gap, which I might have thought was my eyes playing tricks had it not re-emerged shortly after. I could hear a Green Woodpecker yaffling somewhere not too far away, but no luck on that front.




A quick pit stop at home, and a quick and dirty fry-up later I was back out on the road down to Barry to try for the LTD once again. On arrival my heart sank because it didn't seem to be there, but luckily I went for a lap of the lake just in case and there it was happily going to bread thrown to the tufties and Mallards from a visiting family, who I assume where completely clueless as to the fact they were feeding a pretty scare type of duck. My initial shock was just how small it was, the tufties were much bigger alongside it, and I managed to get plenty of shots because it was quite tame. Luckily the light was onside, and a few have come out quite well.



Friday 14 February 2014

Valentines Duck - 14/02/2014

I braved the elements quite literally to take a chance on the Long Tailed Duck still being on the boating lake at the Knapp in Barry, to no avail, and similarly with the Black-throated Divers in Barry docks. There was however, finally a chance meeting with the Scaup at Cosmeston - third time lucky. The weather was really bad by this point and no sooner had I managed a couple of okay record shots the rain absolutely poured down and I had to make a sharp exit back to the car, thoroughly drenched, but happy enough to have finally seen the Scaup, a lifer, and a decent year tick too!


Thursday 13 February 2014

Turnstone - Jan 2014

The weather so far in 2014 has been horrendous, with the wettest winter in over 250 year! Climate Change deniers better get some better excuses sharpish, because if the climate scientists are right, winters like this are going to become increasingly common. Ands that is a depressing notion. Give me some honest frost and snow any day.

On the birding front, I'm doing my first year list this, via Bubo, and have racked up 61 species so far from only a few visits, mostly Forest Farm, Cosmeston in my quest for the elusive lesser scaup, and Bute Park on my lunch break walks.There are plenty of rarities about, with BT divers and LT duck at Barry, American Wigeon at the Wetlands, Ross's and Little Gull at Aberavon and Red-flanked Bluetail over the border in Gloucs.

This is the best shot so far of 2014, at Ogmore during one of the less weather adverse days of the year so far. Unfortunately no Purple Sandpipers to be seen, but the Turnstone were quite obliging.