Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Wipit

Inspired by Wayne's cracking photograph of the Llwyn-on's wintering Water Pipit (see 'Weekend Ticks' below) I decided to don my oxygen mask on Tuesday and leave my lowland comfort zone and head for the hills.

I've never visited Llwyn-on before but it wasn't difficult at all to locate the slipway where the Wipit has spent the last few winters. But, when I arrived there was nothing there but a pair of Pied Wagtails and a Carrion Crow. I walked up and down the dam a couple of times looking for the blighter but only managed to find 4 Meadow Pipits and a bus full of French teenagers.

Back at the slipway there was no sign of the Wipit and so I decided to call it a day. I got in to the car and drove off to turn round. But, something told me to park at the slipway and try one more time. And guess what . . . ?
Can you see it?!

I ran back to the car and got the 'scope out and I managed this slightly better shot.

Can you see it?!

A cracking little bird which allowed me to watch it for a good quarter of an hour. The best views of a Water Pipit I've ever had. Thanks Wayne for the inspiration!!

Earlier in the day I'd visited Ogmore-by-Sea where there were 8 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones, a Grey Plover and 3 cracking Wheatears. At the estuary there were 11 White Wagtails and some distant Rock Pipits which may or may not have been littoralis - I didn't look that hard!! Disappointingly there was little else there.

Next stop Miskin in search of Willow Tit. I dipped but I did manage to find a Dipper and 4 Grey Wagtails on the River Ely.

And then today (Wednesday) found me down in Cardiff Bay for a flying visit before I had to do a bit of work. Finally, at my third attempt, I managed to get onto the adult winter Little Gull. There were shedloads of Sand Martin and even more B-h Gulls there too. Roll on some decent weather.

1 comment:

Wayne said...

Wipit it is then! I had Alec in tow on Sunday and given it was a passerine, I didn't bother with scope and camera. Naturally, the bird showed off down to a few feet and I could have digiscoped it no bother. My cracking photo of what I though was a wapit was taken through my phone at x2.2.