Short Eared Owl Again

I went back down this evening to goldcliff pools to see if the Short Eared Owl was still about.It showed well from about 5:15 until dark.

Short Eared Owl

Visited Goldcliff lagoons this evening just before dusk.The tide was right out but i thought you never no something might still be lingering.Two Spotted Redshanks and 40 Avocet still on the first lagoon.Thirty plus Lapwing and two Pintail from the third platform overlooking the second lagoon.I wasn't going to bother walking around to the sea wall but decided to as i had thirty minutes of light left.Just as i started walking around a Short Eared Owl flew up from the grass bank and landed thirty or so feet further along.It flew up once again before i could get my camera to my scope.In the end i just took a few long range pics as it carried on down the bank.

Goldcliff Pools And Llandegfedd Res

Visited Goldcliff Pools this morning.Highlights being 1 Little Stint,1 Curlew Sand,2 Spotted reds a few Grey Plover and the Leucistic Lapwing. Looks like the farmer is still zooming around the reserve on his quad bike putting everything up.

Dropped the lovely wife and children at Cwmbran this afternoon so a quick visit to llandegfedd was had before I picked them back up.
Pretty quiet except for this Goldeneye and loads of redwings.

Cattle Egret at Chew Valley Lake

Nipped over to Chew Valley Lake this morning for the cattle egret that was seen yesterday.It showed as soon as I got there but at a great distance.All pictures taken in poor light and heavily cropped and sharpened.On the way home i popped down to Gwents rarity hot spot Farmfield Lane at Uskmouth for the firecrest.No joy after a brief search.

Long Tailed Tit

Just a couple of pictures from the weekend.If you look closely at the birds left leg you should be able to see a small silver ring.

After dipping the YBW in the morning i paid another visit early evening on the off chance.No joy but the starlings had started to gather at the end of nash on the pylons before heading off down to uskmouth.

Yellow Browed Dip

Had plans to visit Llandegfedd res mid morning.Heard the phone ringing but thought it was just the alarm.When i realised it was to late for the alarm to go off i got up made a cup off coffee.After my caffeine fix i came round and checked my phone and realised shit i missing something good here.Rang the caller back and he said he had a YB WARBLER up his jumper and it was being released in about 5 minutes.Got down to uskmouth in record time but was about 15 minutes to late.Scoured the hedgerows and zoomed in on anything that moved.Did see a mega on the reserve in the form of a black swan but no comparison in the dipping of the YBW.

This is the tree that it vanished into after it release.

And here is a picture of the little blighter kindly supplied by the Goldcliff Ringing Group.

Last Week Or So

A Few pics from the last week or so.To much work is a right pain.I did get out a few times and places visited were Llandegfedd Res , Lisvane Res and Goldcliff Pools.

Lonely Birds

One lonely med gull on the flooded field at caerleon.Also 130+ Bh Gulls 6 Lbb Gulls 2 Herring Gull 36 Teal and 1 lonely wigeon and 1 lonely lapwing.Forgot to mention 1 lonely fox as well.

Long List At Goldcliff Point

Highlights this evening were 1 floating barrel 1 plastic Bag(tescos i think)it seemed to have a few blue stripes running down its flanks and a steady flow of different size waves.Apart from those highlights a few dunlin a few curlew sands and a few turnstones on the small beach by house.