Peeping at a peep

A quick visit to Kenfig this Wednesday afternoon brought good views of several birds, including a rare "peep", and a Mr Slocombe, the latter resplendent in "skiving off work" plumage, and fetching wellies. The White Rumped Sandpiper, for that is what it was (oh, you guessed) showed to a few yards. From the South Hide, a Water Rail showed well, and the enigmatic birder known only as "GP" asked if we'd seen the Med Gull, we hadn't, but I did, distantly, and whilst I was watching it through the scope, back over near the peep, a Dartford Warbler popped up out of the gorse, briefly. Nine commas in one sentence, wow! Some people don't see that many butterflies in a summer. Enough nonsense, another picture: And this one, without the scope, the old fashioned way, just point the camera at the bird: No it's not shy, but it did crouch down low when a Carrion Crow flew nearby, a defence mechanism against predators? Will the Spotted Sandpiper winter in Lisvane? Possibly, and then leave just before getting interesting and spotty.

No Bins Required

Its half-term. A day off with the kids. Lets go and see another American wader in Glamorgan!

I dragged the family and dog to Kenfig this morning to see the white-rumped sandpiper and without any effort at all saw it immediately showing off to the small crowd on the south beach.

I've heard plenty of stories of north American birds being tame, but this was the first time I'd seen it. The bird completely ignored a dozen or so birders staring at it, within just a few metres. At one point a dog walker walked within a couple metres in front of it while her border collie leapt into the water behind the bird. It barely batted an eyelid. Amazing!

There'll be plenty of cracking photos out soon, and one of them would have been mine if I'd bothered taking my camera! I'm sure I could have walked right up to it ... "Say cheese!"

Avebury Adventures

On a mild, sunny Sunday 21st October, we took Rosie to visit my aunty and uncle in Avebury. My mother was also staying there. After a large lunch, we decided to get some exercise, and walked through the village towards Windmill Hill (no windmills!). A few Redwings flew around the churchyard, and further on a couple of flypast Yellowhammers were a nice sight. A flock of Linnets roamed around, with Meadow Pipits and a Stonechat also present. A male Kestrel with a very pale rump could have caused confusion, if he hadn't showed well. On our return journey, a large flock (80+) of Fieldfares were noisy, and flighty, with a few more Redwings amongst them. A Stock Dove flew through, and Gill saw a Stoat, whilst pausing to take Rosie out of the sling for a kick. As Gill drove us home in the dark, she saw a Barn Owl fly across the road near J16 of the M4. Rosie (asleep) and myself (watching her) missed it....

Glamorgan Rarities

Back on 6th August 0n a Monday mid-afternoon I received a text from Dan which said "Are you going for the Roller",having not logged on to any of the birding websites that day my initial reaction was "where"!!

A Roller had been seen previously at Usk reservoir,initially found by Mike Hogan but had prooved very ellusive and had only been seen by a handful of birders.

Dan's reaction was "on the Gower near Llanrhidian",surely it was the same bird and was apparently showing well.

A quick scan of Birdguides and a link on to Multi-Map gave me the exact location and with Tim working and Wayne on holiday in France the two remaining 'Boxers agreed to meet at Sainsburys in Sarn after work for a quick dash west and hopefully a lifer for both of us.

We were joined by Gethin the young "Twitchmeister" and soon arrived at the location,tumbling out of the car we all got quickly on to the bird which as Rollers have a habit of doing was perched on nearby telegraph wires,another lifer "in the bag" !!

Tim soon made it 3 out of 4 with a quick dash down the Gower the following day before the bird disappeared never to be seen again.

During a trip into Cardiff to visit bathroom and tile centres (there's a new bathroom being planned by "her indoors") on Sat 20.Oct I received a text from Tim confirming that a juv Spotted Sandpiper had been found that morning at Lisvane Reservoir in the outskirts of the city.

Finishing our browsing I persuaded Teresa that we should call in on the way home and although "binless and 'scopeless" as we were in her car I'd still be able to see the bird through other birder's scopes.

Colin Gittins,"Sid",Dave and Brian were already there and a phone call from Colin confirmed that the bird although still present was quite distant as it had flown over on to the adjacent Llanishen Reservoir.

Colin quickly got me on to the bird through his scope and althogh distant you could make out the quite bold supercillium and pale legs.

The bird didn't look as if it was going to come back "over the fence" so we headed for home.

I wasn't satisfied with my distant views and after responding to a text from Dan and although having planned a visit to my aunt and uncle's in Westest Wales decided to make an early return on Sunday morning in the hope of getting a couple of "snaps".Dan was still in bed when I phoned him at 07.30 (lazy sod) and so we agreed to meet up at the reservoir,Dan had contacted Wayne and he would be along as well.

There were a couple of birders there when I arrived and although the bird had been on the Llanishen side as luck would have it it came back over to Lisvane and gave "crippling" close views down to 20ft or so.

Phil Bristow the finder of the bird was there and we chatted for a while and I managed quite a few photos although never quite getting the "one" as the peep was always on the move.

Dan and Wayne arrived with Gethin,Alex and Non "in tow",it was like a GBC "junior section" outing with the young "Twitchmeister" chalking up yet another "lifer".

Myself and Wayne had seen the long staying Hayle bird last October on the way to Portland with Geri Thomas (work that one out-ahh the joys of twitching !!...) which was a U.K first so this bird was a Glamorgan "tick" and I believe the first in the county since 1974.

Unfortunately I had to beat a hasty retreat to get down to West Wales and my day was capped by a cracking pair of Red Kite hunting over farmland on the outskirts of Carmarthen.

We needn't have panicked as the bird continued to show really well to the assembled crowd which included a lot of club members amongst them John Wilson,Alan Rosney,Brian Thomas and it was good to bump into Christian Jenkins having not seen him for some time.

A quick text to Tim to "grip him off" and we all piled back into Dan's car happy and content that another "lifer" had been added to the list.

The Drought Ends

Finally, a successful twitch - and a local one too! As Wayne has already said, it was nice to know that all the Boxer Boys got onto this bird - including the young Twitchmeister. And it was lovely to finally meet Non - another lifer for me! That's two 'daughter ticks' within a couple of weeks.

Thanks Tim for the text on Saturday morning just as I was about to start work . . . miles away in deepest, darkest Ceredigion. I was on edge all day . And thanks Jeff for Sunday's early morning call and staking the bird out for me.

A fine October day

The news of a juv Spotted Sandpiper at Lisvane caused a diversion from shopping etc.

The bird was quite confiding, and doubtless some far better pictures than this will appear elsewhere.

In the afternoon we took Rosie to Forest Farm, which was fairly birdless, but good views of Bullfinch and Nuthatch at one of the feeding stations were obtained. A couple of Redwings flew over, and Kingfisher and Siskin were heard.

Later on, having arranged for Aunty Pam to put Rosie to bed, a dusk visit to Goldcliff was profitable.

A Little Owl was visible in it's usual tree, and a Short Eared Owl hunted on and off until dusk. Wildfowl numbers are increasing, but due to a low tide, waders were distant on the shoreline. Avocets numbered 30+ (I'd counted 41 last Sunday) and could well now winter here.

A Snipe was trying not to be seen, and Water Rail squealed, and Cettis sang from the small reedbed near the seawall. Very pleasant!

I Thought We Were Supposed to be Birdwatching

They say "good things come to those who wait". Boll . . .derdash! Wayne and I set out this morning ready for an orgy of Yellow-browed Warblers and high expectations of finding some other goodies. First stop Aberthaw. 2 Y-b W's had been reported in Sea Buckthorn near the rivermouth. On the way there were loads of Blackbirds in the bushes and our first Fieldfare of the winter. A Water Rail squealed near the pools and a S'prawk flew over. On the shoreline there were Oycs and Curlew, the odd Turnstone (well not that odd really) and Wayne found a Common Sand on the beach. We found the Buckthorn bushes and waited. While we waited we grilled a pipit on the shoreline. Could it be a Buff-bellied Pipit? "Tell my why it isn't a Buff-bellied Pipit, Wayne?" I asked. "Cos it's at Aberthaw" came Wayne's no nonsense reply. He was right - it was a Rock Pipit. And we waited . . . .

Yet another birdless bush.

I'm sure you'll agree that this bush isn't anywhere as pretty

as the one we stared at at Uskmouth.

No sign of any Y-b W's - or any other bird for that matter. Cheesed off we made our way back to the car accompanied by some Skylarks overhead.

Next stop Cwm Nash. As we arrived we met Paul Roberts who had walked along the coast from St Donat's. He confirmed that he'd seen "bugger all" on his walk while we reciprocated by saying that there was "bugger all" at Aberthaw. The three of us walked down to the little 'Cwm' at Nash Point just to satisfy ourselves that there was bugger all down there too.

Apart from the odd Chiffchaff we were right. That is until Paul left us and Martin Bevan and Mike Hogan arrived. Out of the blue Martin magicked a 1st winter Ring Ouzel. How does he do it? It was soon joined in a tree by a Fieldfare, 4 male and 2 female Blackbirds. A positive thrush-fest.

A brief stop at Ty'n-y-Caeau Farm only provided us with Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, a distant Buzzard and two builders listening to Radio 2.

Stop number four was at Cwm Nash where two Y-b W's had been seen yesterday. Nothing here either - apart from one or two Goldcrests and another sighting of Martin and Mike. To add to his disappoinment, Wayne dipped on Treecreeper which he has yet to add to his 2007 year list.

Bypassing Ogmore ("there'll be bugger all there") we went straight to Kenfig. Bugger all there too - although good numbers of Pochard have already returned. Forgot - or to be more honest - couldn't be bothered to go through them all looking for the Redhead though.

Losing our will to live Wayne rescued the day by having a brainwave. "A pint of Bass and a pint of Cwrw Haf, please". Yes - we finished the day in style at the Prince of Wales. And to a toast of "absent friends and better luck next time" we agreed that a bad day's birdin' is better than a good day at the office.