Shortly after I saw a male beardie very briefly after a couple of false starts with reed and sedge warblers. John Lawton arrived behind me and we chatted for a bit while a cetti’s was busy skulking behind us on the bridge. Fromthe pontoon I made the short loop down to the other screen across that channel around just in case there was something like a wryneck around, or the beardies were down that end, but no such luck (though I heard a few 'pings', so with two ticks in the bag I went for an adventure breakfast at Maccy’s.
Whilst shovelling down a Sausage and Egg Mcmuffin I clocked that a juv. black tern was at Durleigh reservoir which could have been an option on the way south. However first stop was Ham Wall where I picked up glossy ibis from the first platform. Traffic was bad on the way down and even though I mistakenly ended up heading to Bridgewater i figured it wasn’t worth the risk to see if the tern was still there. That was also a mistake as it was in fact reported there later that day. Welazed in the garden in the afternoon, and Jess's mum pointed out a butterfly she didn't recognise, and to my surprise, it was a silver-washed fritillary!
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| Managed to get quite close to this red admiral with my phone cam! |
The next day I headed down to Bowling Green Marsh to try for the curlew sandpiper at high tide. Upon arrival the usual local birders spilled out of the hide and duly told us that the curlew sand was in, and also a wood sandpiper (typical after my specific Goldcliff trip!). After some searching through the waders on the point, I could see the curlew sandpiper. A nudge bigger than the surrounding dunlin and given away by the orangey moult on its breast and belly. Also a greyish back with notably different patterning from some angles. There was no sign of the wood sandpiper however.
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| Shoddy record shot at distance! |
After a while the wood sandpiper reappeared and flew across to the left of the hide and allowed for some digiscope shots, not being quite close enough for my 300mm. Then it was off down to Thurlestone beach for some time with the fam. Four ticks over two days was great going, taking me up 194 (193 with the now deemed sketchy night heron at Shrewsbury).
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| Stonker |
Bank Holiday Monday morning saw me agreeing to try a trip to the Gower for the male woodchat shrike. Nick picked me up at 6.20, and we set off. We found the place after a quick wrong turn, and arrived on the common in the morning mist. We could see some guys heading down to the area, quite obviously on something already. Sure enough, it was the woodchat shrike - and only my second, the first having been from the saltmarsh at Kenfig several years ago now! Stunning bird. Nick picked up another tick in the form of a dartford warbler which I spotted near the cars after a heads-up from Andy and the other birders.
A great weekend, and it leaves me within spitting distance of completing the 200 year challenge!
