Local Wood Warblers

Spring has well and truly arrived and one of my favourite species the Wood Warbler has returned to our local oak woods. On 23rd April I made a visit to Darren Wood, Llangynwyd and Pennsylvania Wood in Aberkenfig where I found two birds at each location.

It took me a little while and plenty of patience but I came away some pleasing images of these beautiful bright little warblers........

Black-winged Stilt : WWT Llanelli

 Black-winged Stilt is a bird that I have seen a few times in the UK and it is even on my Glamorgan County List having seen one at Kenfig Pool several years ago. I have some photos of the species in my collection but they were all taken at some distance so are only 'record shots'.

One at turned up at WWT Llanelli in the second week of April and although a bit of a hike from our caravan at Poppit Sands, Cardigan I decided to give it a go on 16th April.

Some nice photos of the bird had been published on social media and this appeared to be an ideal opportunity of getting some better photos.

I coupled this visit by buying a Canon 2x Mklll extender for my big lens from a chap who had advertised it on Facebook Marketplace and who worked at Pembrey Country Park.

En route to Llanelli we called in and I made the purchase, as advertised it was in 'as new' condition and I picked it up for just less than half the current retail price, result !!

Teresa accompanied me and I dropped her at Parc Trostre Retail Park as she wanted to do some shopping as all women like to do.

I pressed on to WWT Llanelli which was only a few minutes up the road and was informed that the bird was still on the Dafen Scrapes at the rear of the British Steel hide.

I next bumped into Rob Taylor who had already seen the bird and he suggested that I go straight to the Goodall's Hide halfway along the scrape where I would get closer views.

Upon arrival the hide was pretty congested but I managed to elbow my way in, the bird was on the opposite side of the scrape but as Rob had intimated it proceeded to do a circuit of the perimeter of the scrape and passed by the hide at no more than 25' distance.

I certainly got the images that I wanted and that coupled with the new 2x extender made for an unforgettable day.

BTW I did remember to pick Teresa up on the way back and after a quick bite and a cuppa at the local Greggs we made our way home to the caravan.

Golden Plovers : Sker, Porthcawl

 Back on 25th March myself and good friend Dave Gilbert made a visit to Sker Point hoping to get some nice images of some of the Golden Plover flock moving into summer breeding plumage, we were in luck with c200 present plus a solitary Grey Plover and we both came away with some nice images......