MEGA PEAR!

MEGA News Broke of a juicy pear showing well in a Cornish valley.Two of us decided to go straight away seeing how rare it was.Three Hours later we were watching this little beauty.Cant understand why every one else at the twitch had such sad faces.It was a peach of a pear.With it behaving so well over 500 photos were taken.With the pear in the bag we shot off home.

More MEGA news!Another or could it be the same one has turned up on the Scillies.

Who Said Scilly Was Quiet!

An excellent few days on Scilly.Other Highlights were Least Sandpider,Red Throated Pipit,Bluethroat,Yellow Browed Warbler and Loads of Wrynecks.Oh and speaking with Iolo off the telly.



Suffolk SANDHILL

Just had to go a see it as it was in day tripping distance.

And a Photographer that didn't want to view from the two main groups.

You Could See The Severn Bridge.

Seeing as the best time to see this bird was late afternoon early evening we set off at 3ish and was on the down at 4ish.Just at the top of the track the Pallid made a quick flyby over the farm and around the ridge towards the Ariel's.We carried on up to the trigg point were we had a brief view half way along the track.At the trigg we had nothing fo about an hour.We decided to change position further along the track where the sun would be behind us.The Pallid then after a while put on a spectacular performance hunting back and for in front of us. However we had just about lost the light for any 

photographs.Cracking bird and so close to home.

What A Beach

I was just pulling up to Goldcliff pools to see what was about when the phone rang.Darryl was on the other end saying he had an interesting plover when suddenly as we were talking it flapped a little and showed the briefest glimpse of dusky auxiliaries.15 minutes later i managed to get a pic showing  an attenuated rear and black on the underparts extending way back towards the tail.Crept down towards where Darryl was positioned.Showed Darryl the photograph and news was put out as a probable.We waited for Chris and then positioned ourselves for a better look.Happy days AGP on the West Usk Beach(County First).Watched it for a while until a few fishermen flushed it further out onto the mud where we we able to get the Grey-Brown inner underwing in flight.See www.gwentbirding.blogspot.com for the finders story.

Scilly Daytrip

Black And White Warbler and Northern Waterthrush was just to much to bear.Four Am Monday morning saw two of us heading down the M4 to connect with the scillonian for 9:15.Leach's Petrel was seen from the boat plus usual seabirds.Black And White Warbler,Red Eyed,Vireo,Solitary Sandpiper,Blue Winged Teal and Woodchat Shrike showed exceptionaly well.Dipped Northern Waterthrush and heard Bee eater only.The Helicopter was running late so another look for Waterthrush had us missing it by seconds.Straight forward dive home and back in bed by 11:30.

Black And White Warbler And Waterthrush Pics kindly Supplied By Ashley Howe.



The Greatest hide you will ever see.Full of fleas,lice,rats and shit!

Down And Dirty With A Phal

A nice Surprise greeted me at West Usk Beach Sunday morning.Had to get down and dirty with it to get some pics.Well worth smelling like a farm yard for tho.Best of the rest were 2 Curlew Sands 1 Sanderling and 10 Barwits.

Click Big You Know You Want To!

All Gone

Had some great pictures of this evenings Wryneck from Uskmouth but all were lost whilst transferring them to my computer.Major problems with error signs saying cannot create folder.Cf card full when it wasn't.~And I'm not even going to mention yesterdays trip to Cornwall.

Two Good Bids In A Day

A walk around Green Pool At Llandegfedd produced this Osprey,lost it as it flew around the corner and couldn't relocate it.Nothing else of note here.In the afternoon news of a Wryneck at Garnlydan Reservoir came through and hour later a big twitch assembled comprising of two watching it sat on a post before flying into he only bush on the reservoir  bank.It must of new that the rain was coming.Got absolutely drenched walking back to the van.Haven't seen rain like it for years.Non stop bouncing off the road rain with lightening all the way to Pontypool. 

WRYNECK BUSH



West Usk Lighthouse

 

The New Hide At Goldcliff



Gwents Third

Tick tick hooray!A gwent tick today.Dropped everything in work and rushed down to the pools where the Cattle Egret preformed superbly for the next hour or so.It was reported early afternoon on the pager but no sign this evening from a brief visit but could well be still in the area.

The Mighty Llandegfedd

Decided to have a nice quiet relaxed stroll around the North End and Green Pool area of Llandegfedd Reservoir at the weekend.Started off well until i got to Green Pool hide when on opening the hide slats i was greeted by reeds,reeds and more reeds.Excellent start.Next i thought i would walk around green pool and back along the north shore.First i had to pass through the small wooded area across the board walk.This is what i was greeted with.

Finally made it through the entrance with just a few cuts to show.

 

Next was how to get through the 5ft jungle of nettles.

After being stung 30- 40 times it was a quick look back to see how i ever managed it.

I did carry on around the North shore where the highlights were 2 Common Sands and a wigeon.

Terns Terns And More Terns

Spent a few days down on the English Riviera.Popped out birding a couple of times with the best bird being a Roseate Tern showing well from the hide at Dawlish Warren(Cheers Lee)

Fresh In Fresh Out

A call off CJ had me dashing down the pools late yesterday afternoon for a nice Pec Sand.The bird didn't stay long as it was seen to fly off high with a small group of Dunlin.

Fresh In

Wood Sand,Marsh Harrier,5 Lrps and 2 Greenshanks were new in at the pools this evening.

Simply Stunning!

A quick dash down to Weymouth and back late Sunday afternoon for one of the best looking waders about.The celebratory Maltessers were also most enjoyable.Always a bit distant but excellent scope views in near perfect light.Spur of the moment twitching at its best.