A quiet morning at home was disrupted by the news on BirdGuides that the rose-coloured starling was still showing at Kidwelly. Quick negotions saw me heading west down the M4 by late morning. I arrived in Kidwelly in torrential rain and spent the first half-an-hour listening to Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers on Five Live.
The rain eased a little and I entered the war memorial gardens. The rather bedraggled target bird obliged immediately, no more than 30 metres away in the first bare tree in the back gardens of the small cottages. It was soaked through and was busy shaking the rain out of its plumage. Despite BirdGuides having it down as a first-winter (and indeed it is), the bird is still predominantly in juvenile plumage - pale legs and bill and pale brown plumage. I watched it for a minute or so before it flew off. A flock of around 30 or so starlings is in the area, feeding in the rough ground behind the gardens. I could not pick out the bird with these before the heavens opened once again. After another football interlude, I ventured out again, but the bird did not show and with another downpour I left satisfied with a life-tick.
I called in at the WWT on the way back and jostled for position in the British Steel hide. Little gull was the highlight with most birds being out on the estuary, including the reported 5 spotted redshanks. Apparently, some pink-footed geese are in the area.
Monday, January 01, 2007
In the Pink?
A quiet morning at home was disrupted by the news on BirdGuides that the rose-coloured starling was still showing at Kidwelly. Quick negotions saw me heading west down the M4 by late morning. I arrived in Kidwelly in torrential rain and spent the first half-an-hour listening to Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers on Five Live.
The rain eased a little and I entered the war memorial gardens. The rather bedraggled target bird obliged immediately, no more than 30 metres away in the first bare tree in the back gardens of the small cottages. It was soaked through and was busy shaking the rain out of its plumage. Despite BirdGuides having it down as a first-winter (and indeed it is), the bird is still predominantly in juvenile plumage - pale legs and bill and pale brown plumage. I watched it for a minute or so before it flew off. A flock of around 30 or so starlings is in the area, feeding in the rough ground behind the gardens. I could not pick out the bird with these before the heavens opened once again. After another football interlude, I ventured out again, but the bird did not show and with another downpour I left satisfied with a life-tick.
I called in at the WWT on the way back and jostled for position in the British Steel hide. Little gull was the highlight with most birds being out on the estuary, including the reported 5 spotted redshanks. Apparently, some pink-footed geese are in the area.
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2 comments:
May persuade Gill that she wants to see it when we go to Pembs for our Wedding anniversery at the end of the month. Won't be a lifer for her, she saw the adult in Port Talbot a couple of years ago.
If it hangs around until it adopts some pink plumage, I'll go again.
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