Catching up with trips and some local goodness! 18/03/2017

A few runs of bad weather on the weekends of late has meant that the 200 year list has stalled a bit. I've been up to Wern Ddu again and had the crossbill there, calling in a group, as well as having gone to Gwaelod y Garth on what I thought would be a long shot for woodcock, and flushing an individual from the undergrowth (near a strange nestbox - which amazingly Dan recognised!)

Jess and I also made a trip to Gloucestershire last weekend, initially to Frampton on Severn, where I picked up fieldfare (finally!), genuine barnacle geese which flew over in a big flock, and also a new lifer in the form of red-crested pochard. The day started well, but then we had some bad luck at Arlington, with no cattle egret on show, and a failed attempt for the Richard's Pipit.

The following day I popped to Goldcliff, and after what felt like ages scanning through the redshank, only managed to add greenshank to the year list. At Gregynog for the DOT conference, I added stock dove - and I could have sworn I could hear an early willow warbler whilst I was in bed, but nothing after that so couldn't track it down.  

After dipping on the Arlington area cattle egrets, I fancied a go at trying to see Mat Meehan's recent find in St Athans. So it was that, not entirely hungover after Rich's leaving do, (could have been worse!) I headed out with Olive. Upon arrival I met Amy, and she informed me that it wasn't there, so I wasn't best pleased after a 40 minute drive on a gloomy drizzly morning. Graham P was there, and I decided to try and head over to Aberthaw, only I didn't get far because I wasn't sure where to go or where to park. So I took the decision to refuel with grub at the petrol station and head back, and I'm glad I did! I could see that there was more in the field, and the cattle egret was there too. Heather came around from her initial spot by the bus shelter, and we had good views with other birders. Olive wasn't happy, and she peeked over the road to see where I had gone. 

These two took a bit of Photoshop work to get looking half passable. 

This one which Heather phone scoped also cleaned up a bit more on photoshop - 

Credit: Heather!! 

Heather and I then went to the Barrage to try and see the little gull. We bumped into a birder on the way over the Barrage and he said that it was there and to watch for a dark  underside. After looking for a while, I googled for some more help, and realised that the 'underside' meant the underside of the wings! We just about managed it in the end, but it was completely a hats off situation to Heather for persevering. Very difficult in the conditions. No sand martin, or wheatear. Yet.