Finally something worth blogging about

A Call off the real filthy one had me dashing down to Goldcliff Pools for this Gwent First.A Good 45 Minutes passed until it was picked back up.It did show really well flying along the sea wall and six feet above our heads.

If you look closely i think someone has spotted me taking this picture.

Another Mega for Gwent!

The Yellowthroat showed really well this morning in stunning sunshine.Despite a few moans of bad behaviour off some in my opinion everyone was well behaved.

MEGA !!!

Still to stunned to say much except for my apprentice didn't do to bad after a quick crash course in photography :-) Well done Chris

Grippback

Not a bad weekends birding was had.Started off in Calshot for the Spanish Sparrow had a second look at the Junco.Made our way back to Newport and re found the Glossy ibis.Round 3 of the Goosander Survey took place Sunday with poor results but 3 Cracking Iceland Gulls made up for that.

Long Time

Haven't been active on the blog for a while but managed to see a few good birds in the mean time.Finished last year on 273 Species with some  massive highlights.Also managed to see a good few birds since my last post.Highlights being Western Sand,Common Crane,Rough-Legged Buzzard,Black Brant,Richards Pipit,Humes Yellow Browed and Dark-Eyed Junco. 

Crazy Fools

Waited for news before shooting over to Chew Valley Lake for a Sharp Tailed Sand.Had to take the Van so it was a bit like a scene from the A Team.Mad Murdoc and faceman took it in turns in the back.After viewing the Sand a pair of Dowitchers and a Spotted Sand we headead back home.Somehow we manged to find our way past Blagdon Lake and towards the M5 at Bridgewater.Talk soon turned to how far the Desert Wheatear was in Devon.After a few phone calls back home and a nice steady drive we were watching the wheatear.The light had gone by then so not many pics taken.So all in all a longer day than expected but some cracking birds were seen.

A Few More from Today

Tricky Ricky

Visited boat lane again this morning in search of the Small Canada Goose that i saw yesterday distantly.Still present and associating with the Canada's.Now where has this bird come from?I would imaging a few would say its come from someones collection.I'm not so sure.It is the right time of year.

Three birds have turned up in  Ireland.Two in western Scotland.One in Somerset.

They are know as being  long distant migrants.Gwents 2nd ever Greenland Whitefront has also arrived at the same time.(which it might have arrived with)A Black Brant and a few Pale Bellied Brents in the Gower.

Apparently there has been a curious pattern of dispersion across North America at the moment with, amongst others, three in Ottawa the other day apparently mega-alerted.It is associating with the Canada flock but what other geese are there in Gwent to associate with.I Guess we will never know but its still an interesting bird and well worth a visit if possible.



Tiny Little Thing

The Slav grebe showed well at Uskmouth this morning.Other bits and pieces of interest were Blackcap Chiff Stonechat and quite a few more Redwing and fieldfare than of late.

This afternoons entertainment was at Boatlane where a Cackling Goose (B. h. minima) was with the Canada's on the tideline.Always distant so better views need to be obtained.Cracking little Goose whatever.

A Very IZZY Weekend

When i was deciding what to do for the weekend there was a few choices.A Marathon a triathlon a decathlon or a Shrikeathon,i choose the shrikeathon as it would be a lot less stressful and wouldn't involve any running. The Wall Farm Steppe Grey was a bit distant but good scope views were enjoyed. The Porth Clais Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike just couldn't show any better if it tried.An Isabelline Wheatear was found on the Gower late afternoon.Didn't think it would stay so i opted for a look around Collister Pill Sunday morning.Managed to get to the end of Fishouse Lane before legging back to the van and heading in the direction of the Gower.About an hour later i was watching it down to about 30ft.

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!