Short Eared Owls

I Decided to stay local today as the van is well and truly out of working order.First stop was boat lane this morning.Highlights here were 3 Rock Pipits on the sea wall and thousands of Lapwings over the fields.Later on in the afternoon i payed a visit to Waunafon Bog to see the Short eared Owls.3 were on show most of the afternoon and two fly through Red kites put in an appearance.Two Gwent year ticks so I'm a little happier today.

Its Not Going Well

More misery today when the timing belt snapped on the way for the Pacific Diver.Stuck in Port Abraham Services for 3 hours.Did pick up 2 wing tagged Red Kites and done a bit of birding around the petrol forecourt.

After dropping the wife and children off shopping i nipped into West Usk Lighthouse.A few Hundred Gulls on the tip but nothing of real interest.60 Mute swans in the fields and the Black Swan has found a friend.

Dip Number 3

A Gwent yearlist is now not a good as the Great Grey Shrike was nowhere to be seen this morning and I'm 3 down already.Haven't started to well.Do i give up now or or just go with the flo and see what happens.I think i will just go with the flo.Anyway picked up Crossbill,Treecreeper and Brambling at the Forest of wentwood.

A Rubbish Tip

Lots of tipping activity today but no gulls anywhere.Perhaps they are all feeding out in the flooded fields somewhere.Other birds noted were 35 Mute Swans 1 Black Swan and 18 Little Egrets (but no Cattle's).

Birding by Van

Done a bit of birding by van.Dropped the front seat set up the scope and headed off up to the Celtic manor resort to check the lakes.This was still here despite being first seen on the 1st of Jan.Note to any van or car birders out there,always position your car or van or any other motor you are driving in such a way that the rain and wind don't come hammering in.

Three or four Canada's and a cormorant are out of bounds so will have to take one of these options below.
Two types of water hazards exist: "lateral" water hazards (marked with red stakes around the perimeter of the hazard) and "regular" water hazards (marked with yellow stakes). Lateral hazards are usually adjacent to the hole being played, while regular hazards generally cross the hole being played, forcing the player to hit over the water hazard.

When a ball is hit into either type of hazard, the player has the option of:
playing the ball as it lies (without grounding his or her club) in the hazard,
taking a stroke and distance penalty by playing a substitute ball from the spot at which they hit into the hazard,
dropping the ball on a line of sight between the hole and where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (no closer to the hole), at a penalty of one stroke,
extending the line-of-sight to the other side of the water hazard, allowing the player to traverse the water hazard and often obtain a decent lie on the other side of the water, at a penalty of one stroke (this is seldom used), or
when a ball is hit into a lateral water hazard, dropping a ball within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (no closer to the hole), at a penalty of one stroke.

Blackwit

Checked out the flooded field yesterday lunchtime and found this black tailed godwit.It spent much of its time roosting except for a few laps of the field when flushed.The picture is a bit pants to say the least but it was taken through a bush in the rain and in the dark.

Llandegfedd Roost

I had a spare hour this afternoon so i decided to watch distant white specks at Llandegfedd at dusk.Quite impressive were the numbers streaming in at dark.Couldn't pick out any white wingers amongst them or anything with a Kodak grey scale 5-7.Everything a bit distant but a trio of goosanders did fly in.And 4 GBB Gulls.It didn't really help watching from the dam.

Second Dip

No Joy at Llandegfedd Res this morning of the ferruginous duck.Checked out Bulmore lakes at dinner time but no joy there either.Had a problem viewing the lakes as the road is closed for resurfacing. I managed to sneak into the Celtic Manor Resort and drive through the golf course close to the lakes.

So after all that disappointment i had to go and buy its namesake to console myself.

And here it is after being consumed.

First Dip Of 2008

After a text this morning of a Slav grebe at Llandegfedd i nipped up and spent a couple of hours there until it started raining.Couldn't relocate it .Here's a picture of one off Google images.

Also if any staff of the RSPB or CCW read this blog can we have some of these at boat lane and goldcliff.With all the money spent on a new reserve centre one of these wouldn't cost that much would it.Are there any other reserves without a hide in the country.

You could buy one from here.http://www.thaxterswoodenbuildings.co.uk/Bird%20Hides.html

Caspo

Headed up to Throckmorton Tip and lagoons in Worcestershire for the couple of Glaucous Gulls and Caspian Gulls seen the last couple of days.Absolutely freezing cold biting wind but worth it in the end as 1 Adult Caspian Gull 2 2ND Winter YL Gulls and a Barn Owl. Also seen here was a summer plumaged BH Gull.On the way up i had the briefest of views of the Cattle Egret at Fretherne before it flew off and could not be relocated.

Took a detour through usk and found 14 Bewicks Swans between Usk and Llangybi.

Brent Goose

Checked out the fields just south at Llangibby for the bewicks but all i could find was 16 mute swans and 2 shelduck.With limited time i just about had time to check the bulmore lakes within the celtic manor resort.Here to my surprise was a brent goose a small flock of siskin 1 barnacle goose 2 great crested and two little grebe.Also here was 14 Tufted duck and 10 pochards.