Ring Neck Duck - 25/10/2015

There's been a bit of wave of great stuff turning up locally of late, only I've been quite slow on the uptake so I decided today to at least get the ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)  that turned up in Cardiff Bay Wetlands, often frequenting the area off the board walk with the long-returning lesser scaup. This autumn has seen a big fall of yellow browed warblers, including individuals at Roath Rec, and Cardiff Bay. Geth also found a firecrest last weekend on the floodplain.  Goldcrest have also been seen in large numbers coming over from the continent, and also a rumoured Dusky Warbler at Cosmeston...

I took a very eco-friendly trip down the Bay on the train, (more money saving than anything!) and funnily enough Geth and Dan were down on the board walk with a group of other birders. Turns out that it was Geth who reported the Dusky from Cosmeston! The scaup wasn't in attendance, but I was soon on to the RNG, though it kept it's distance most of the time, diving and feeding.

Radyr Redstarts and others - 08/09/2015

After a few weeks (probably months!) of not really having been out and about birding, and the nice fact that I had a day off between enrolment and the course starting again, I went off down to Radyr floodplain on an early start. Shortly after arriving I was on to a kingfisher on the Taff, and could hear a GS woodie in the trees not far from the bridge. It was a misty start but there was plenty of activity, with big flocks of goldfinch doing the rounds.

After bumping into Geth we were on to redstart and tipit, both my first for the site.

Last Friday I also took a day course on coastal plant ID with SEWBREC, and to put it mildly I was out of my depth. However, it's inspired me to make sure I'm taking a more well-rounded approach to wildlife. It was also great getting to see Kenfig in a different light, expertly guided by County Plant Recorder Julian.

The star of the day by far was some Field Gentian, found out near Sker Rocks.

The only other birds of note in recent months was the Cory's shearwater that I saw on a stag do in Croatia and the little stint at Goldcliff, the latter a happy consolation prize from dipping on the temmincks (dodgy scope shot here via phone)-

Skomer, College Trip - June 26th 2015

Catalonian adventure - Barcelona May 2015 Holiday

Osprey!! Easter Sunday - 05/04/2015

Yesterday's quick afternoon trip to BG Marsh added Spotted Redshank and Sand Martin to the year list. Today, an Easter Sunday lie-in and bacon and egg sarnie was enjoyed before I decided to chance a quick trip back down to Bowling Green Marsh where I had been yesterday to see if by chance the Osprey that had been reported in the early morning was still around. I was seriously glad I did because upon coming down the hill, I could see a silhouette of a bird on the perch that I had been told the osprey's favour when they pass through, and my pace quickened. From the hide I could see that it was indeed an osprey and the resident birders were showing some kids through their scopes. The Osprey was sat eating a big fish, but soon took off, catching a thermal that took it soaring above the hide before finally going out of sight.

I met Steve the SW RSPB Visitor Experience Officer, who kindly caught up with me as I left to make sure I didn't leave without the camera! There were 3 grey plovers huddled on the island, and plenty of waders still there after high tide, but with the sun against me I decided to head back up to pick up Jess, and we made our way to Berry head via Starcross, and Labrador Bay. At Labrador, I could see two distant cirl buntings through the scope, and at Berry head the sun had come out and we ate lunch watching rafts of guillemot out on the sea. There were no dolphins to be seen, but there were fulmar, shags and great black backed gull also in the area, along with a resident peregrine which we could see from the visitor centre camera.

They're still there! Easter - Darts Farm - 03/04/2015

Realising I needed to burn some energy I took myself off for a stroll down to Darts Farm, and I'm glad I did because there was a Penduline Tit only a few metres away in the reed mace at the conservation area. It was soon joined by a second, and I was a bit gutted I hadn't brought my 500mm, although the light was pretty bad so it might not have been all that much better.

That's why mums go to Iceland - 01/04/2015

It wasn't even some kind of April fools joke, there really was an Iceland Gull at Taff Mead Embankment. An individual that had been down the Bay had made it's way up river, so on a quick detour on my normal route to work I popped by to see it for myself. Knowing it had been  there for a couple of days at the same time in the morning from the Glam forum, I took my chances. It almost instantly stood out to me in flight, the sun of the morning shining through it's wings in flight which made it look even whiter than it was, before it alighted on the railway bridge, not bothered at all by the industry going on behind it, with the erection of the new BBC building in the back ground. That makes 203 British Life List, and a new all-round tick before work set the day up nicely.

Spot the difference?? Forest Farm - 07/02/2015

The news went out on Thursday in the office that a little bunting was visiting the feeders at Forest Farm after some local birders found it having had heard that some lesser spotted woodpeckers are coming to the feeders (the latter remains to be proven). However, my initial scepticism was misplaced because it was soon confirmed so I took my Saturday morning opportunity to go and visit, and was straight on to it feeding on the ground in front of the hide only a few feet away. Hats off to the finders, a very impressive ID, and one that was very difficult given that it seems to be quite asymmetrical in the defining facial features, the supercilium being brighter on the bird's left side.

There was a similar level of bad light as the recent trip to Ogmore for the firecrest, but an enjoyable quick trip out in the morning all the same. The year is shaping up nicely with two lifer's in as many weeks, and an office trip to Norfolk on the cards.  

Firecrest! 25/01/2015

It had been a while since my last real outing in the new year down Exeter, but with a firecrest still hanging around near the water treatment works  in Ogmore, I decided to voyage out while Jess completed the Big Garden Birdwatch. It was my first outing to Merthyr Mawr, but found my way easily enough to the Candleston carpark. After a quick walk through the dunes, where I disturbed two green woodpeckers, and saw a big flock of fieldfare, I was soon found myself on the opposite side of the river to usual, and met up with a couple of birders who were already on site. There were several goldcrest flitting around which made the task of pinpointing the firecrest a bit more difficult, and also this overwintering chiffy -

I soon got on to the firecrest briefly, however, a passing party of riders disturbed him and he stayed down for some time. Just as I was about to leave another visiting birder from Pencoed caught a glimpse, and we had him in the bins for a few minutes, with this being the best shot I could muster -

He was very mobile, and the light was terrible with the rain coming in, but that was a World, a 2015, Glamorgan and British tick in the bag. Top bird!