Saturn #2

A proper photo of Saturn digiscoped through Geri Thomas' telescope (Optolyth 100 HD)!!!

A Roving Eye

It's sunny, I've got a day off and . . . it's half term and I've got the kids. There's only one thing for it: a picnic (with a bit of birding thrown in too of course).

One of the tetrads I've asked for as part of the Atlas is ST17L (Michaelstone-le-Pit) and so I thought I'd recce the area today in readiness for a future visit, and also to start adding some Roving Records as very few have been submitted for this tetrad so far. One of the woods in this tetrad by the way is Coed y Dylluan in which Tim has been erecting a few nestboxes (do you want anymore Tim?).

Highlights of the walk were a Peregrine, several Buzzards, a yaffling Green Woodpecker, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, and 4 Little Grebes, 2 Common Teal, 13 Moorhen and 2 Grey Wagtails on the 'salmon leaps'. And of course, birds singing everywhere.

But it was when we crossed over into the neighbouring tetrad (ST17G - Wenvoe) that we had the real highlight of the walk. I'd just mumbled under my breath that this area of the woods was normally devoid of any birdlife when the sharp-eyed Little Lister called me over to say "What's that up there Dad? Looks like a Marsh Tit to me". I've learnt by now that it always pays to look at any birds pointed out by the Twichmeister. I raised my 'bins and right at the very top of a tall tree was a small bird skulking around some ivy. A Marsh Tit! How the hell did he spot that up there?! It was soon joined by another one and they even had the decency to utter a couple of Pitch-oo's to confirm that they were Marsh rather than Willow Tits. Another lifer for Geth and Gwenni.

Needless to say the Boy Birder was on top of the world. I think we may have a 'Martin Bevan/Neil Donaghy' in the making here guys!! I might start hiring him out.

Uskmouth wanderings

As Saturday 9th February was such a warm and glorious day, we set off after lunch to Uskmouth, to look for birds and to test the "rucksack" style carrier that Rosie is now big enough to use. There were surprisingly few,birds, and Reed Buntings and Blue Tits were the only things visible in the reeds. Cetti's sang occasionally. The most interesting ducks were Gadwall. A large area of the reserve is now out of bounds (RSPB decision, they take over very soon), so we couldn't explore the reedbeds as much as we would have liked. However, on the western edge of the reserve, large numbers of Fieldfare were seen, A couple of other beasties also posed nearby: Rosie was now getting a bit restless, so we headed home. During the evening, I managed to digiscope the planet Saturn. I'll have a go at Jupiter next time I see it.

TTV 2

Just finished my 2nd winter visit to ST18K. A lovely walk in the sun with birds singing everywhere but no particularly unusual birds seen.

Incredibly I did manage to find another Blackcap at a completely different location to the 3 I found on my 1st TTV back on Boxing Day. A lone female this time on the road up to Pantmawr Cemetry. The other 'highlight' was the sheer number of Magpies recorded: 51 of them, with 41 in the first hour. Sadly, no Lesser Pecker again at Forest Farm.

After finishing I had a very pleasant 20 minutes in the Llyn Brwynog Hide (which lies just outside ST18K). The female Brambling was still amongst the flock of c.35 Chaffinches, and Reed Buntings, Grey Heron (fishing) and Little Grebe made up a nice supporting cast. Unusually, I also saw a Common Snipe there - my first from this hide. I normally see them from the other hide but they appear to have been absent from there this winter. Well, they've avoided me anyway.

Peterstone Peregrine

Just trying out our new Canon A640 on Wednesday 6th February. The bird was over 200 yards away. These more common creatures were a bit closer: A bit more work is needed on camera settings, I think.