After a bit of back and forth about how
best to proceed with the second main trip of the year, we decided against
Slimbridge, and concentrated our efforts on the Forest of Dean. Tara and Ai-lin
turned up at mine early doors, and we swapped cars into mine. After a quick
hour’s drive, we arrived at the junction before Cannop ponds and happened to
bump into Heather and Carys. Luckily our destination was just down the way, and
we got out to found Carolyn near the carpark with her dog Zeus.
After a quick scan of the main pond for
Mandarin, we had little grebe and cormorant, and then Tara spotted a flock of
Siskins across the way which we dutifully walked over to go and see. The little
grebes were ‘laughing’ out on the water, first time I think I’ve heard them! We
backtracked on ourselves slightly and took the path away from the main pool,
and Carys soon spotted a couple of pairs of Mandarin in amongst the waterlogged
woodland. After a short recap on telling apart Marsh and Willow tits (just in
case!) we decided to try for the GGS, reasoning that an early morning would be
best so as to have less people around.
We made our way up to Crabtree Hill,
keeping an eye out for crossbill and redpoll, and emerged out into the clearing
with baited breath. After camping out with the scopes and some very distant
false starts we decided to do a lap of the area, and also went through to the
nearby clearfell area, all to no avail. After an hour and a half or so, and not
a lot else happening, we decided to cut our losses and head to New Fancy View.
At New Fancy the boars had turfed the place
up good and proper. The view from the top had changed since I had last been in
that a lot of the trees were more mature, and so slightly blocking the view,
and the view of the area immediately in front where we had seen boarlets
previously were a lot more grown. We soon picked out various birds of prey,
including a false start buzzard which made straight for us in a very un-buzzard
like way (ohotos showed clearly buzzard – but in the moment you can see what
you want to see). We had peregrines, and a very very distant bird that was a
probably gossie, fitting the flight display bill with some serious aerial
acrobatics. No crossbills here either, and it’s a site I’ve had them twice in
the past.
On to the last stop, we pulled up at Park
End to find a car of ‘toggers already pointing their lenses at the spot the
hawfinch feed is being put down. We decided to park opposite the junction, and
could soon see them flitting in the trees opposite us, but poor views in the
winter gloom. After a spot of lunch, and failing to have signal enough to check
on the GGS, we decided to try for the Bettws bittern. Upon arrival we walked
around the wrong side of the island, and a young lady kindly let us know that the
bittern was out on the opposite side. As we walked around I could see it clear
as day, and we had some brilliant views in the binoculars and the scope as it
sat out happy as larry, in the most un-bittern like terrain I’ve seen hosting
one. A kingfisher also rocked up, and we had a great time as the sun went down
watching this most accommodating of bitterns – it even posed for a selfie!
The following week, news broke of the glaucous gull being seen at Taff's Mead Embankment. So it was, that with a sense of deja vu, I made a quick trip on the way to work. Sure enough, there it was sat proudly on the roof opposite, and after alerting the group on whatsapp I was soon joined by Jon Cryer. I made another trip over at lunchtime en route to cleaning out mouse poo at Big Yellow and got a couple more shots.
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