Napoleon Blownapart?

On the dreary afternoon of Tuesday 22nd Jan, I popped down to Ogmore in the forlorn hope that the rare gull named after a Military leader might still be present ( Eisenhower Gull?). The Watermill was DULL. Portobello was a little better, with an adult Med Gull on the island, and a few Goldeneye. A Black Headed Gull had a pink tinge to its front, and needed checking. Ogmore Beach and rivermouth produced lots of Common Gulls amongst the common gulls, and another adult Med Gull. No Purple Sands (tide was very low). Walking back to the car, I found these feathers on the path: An ex-rarity? More likely a common gull or even a Common Gull. We will probably never know. Off to Kenfig for an hour in the hide. About 10 Fieldfares were in the trees behind the hide. That, however proved to be the highlight, and I nearly fell asleep in one of the dullest hours birding I've ever had. So I went home....

Eastern Glamorgan Bird Report 2006

Excellent new Bird Report I think. Good photographs well reproduced and fantastic drawings by Paul Parsons, Colin Richards and Bob Mitchell. Jake's list of Principal Documents and Dates in the History of Glamorgan Avifauna was very interesting.

The Report itself could do with a few more initials though e.g. for 'scarce birds' like Firecrest, Black Redstart, Lesser Pecker, Hawfinch, Willow and Marsh Tit etc - it might encourage people to go out looking for new sites for these species? Also earliest and latest migrants and any birder who goes to the effort to do monthly counts.

I was glad to see in the Report that two members of Birders in Boxers now jointly hold the highest count for Velvet Scoter in the recording area! 7 at Ogmore-by-Sea. Good man Tim for finding them and putting me on to them!

One thing I didn't expect was that the WRP accepted the American Wigeon found at Cardiff Bay in the summer of 2006. It was so poo-pooed at the time as a 'plastic duck' that I didn't bother counting it in my Glamorgan/East Glamorgan year lists. But, that's all changed now! So wait for it. I hope you're sitting down. Here are my new totals for 2006:

Glamorgan: 187 East Glamorgan: 178

Both personal year list bests for the two recording areas, but both definitely Vauxhall Conference standard compared to the Premier League totals set by other birders in Glamorgan!

Tabloid Twitchmeister

Read all about it! Read all about it!

The Twitchmeister in today's

Western Mail

Yes, a photo of the Boy Birder appeared in today's "National Paper of Wales" (LOL). No he hasn't breached his ASBO again (that's ASBO as in Anti-Social Birding Order which I issued him with after his constant habit of gripping people off). No, there's a photo of him holding a Long-tailed Tit - not a real one I hasten to add, but a furry toy one - after an officer from the RSPB called at his school yesterday to promote The Big Garden Birdwatch.

Sadly, there were no lifers for the Little Lister on the school bird table.

No Bittern for Boy Birder

Took the JJ jnr to Kenfig today in the hope of seeing one of the four Bitterns that have been seen there this winter - not a sausage today though (and before anybody adds a comment, there were no Bitterns either).

The Pool itself was very quiet too. Mallards, Tufties, Teal, Shoveller, Pochard, G C Grebes, Coot a fly over Common Snipe etc , but a Turnstone on the East Pool shore was a surprise. After about hour in the Arthur Morgan Hide a large crowd of birders came in on an RSPB Gloucester field trip. Judging by the look of them, their average age and the array of expensive optics on show they looked like a completely separate species from our local Cardiff RSPB group.

On their arrival Geth and I left the hide for a walk down to the beach. The only birds we saw on the way down were Stonechats and amongst the usual Oycs on the beach there was a solitary Bar-tailed Godwit.

Geth was itching to go back to the hide - he was convinced a Bittern would have showed itself in his absence. Back we went and after an hour and a half Geth, who was so desperate to see a Bittern, started hallucinating. Twice he was convinced he'd seen one in the reeds. But, sadly he was mistaken.

We left at about 1.30pm - me with a 'scope on my shoulder, Geth with a big chip on his. He was thoroughly miffed and wants me to take him back there tomorrow with a packed lunch and a flask so we can stay there all day. "I want to come here tomorrow and I'm not leaving until I've seen one!" he said.

You've got to hand it to the Twitchmeister - even as a nine year old he's got the persistence to become a top lister!!

Twitchmeister's 2007

I was very lucky in 2007. I got the following 18 lifers:

Glossy Ibis, Whinchat and Marbled Duck at Frampton; Slavonian Grebe, Eider, Brent Goose, Hen Harrier, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Red-breasted Merganser, Knot and Grey Plover at Whiteford; Osprey and Wood Warbler at Porthmadog; Spotted Sandpiper, Roller, Ring-necked Duck and Pacific Diver. Even if the Pacific Diver wasn't one I'll still get a tick 'cos I haven't seen a Black-throated Diver! It was a really exciting day out with Wayne and Dad anyway. I did better than Dad and only dipped on the Common Rosefinch.

In 2008 I would like to see a Barn Owl, Cattle Egret, Kentish Plover (I'd like to see one of them too!! - Dad), Merlin, Hobby and Storm Petrel.

I think it's really mean that you're not taking me on the Scottish Trip. But, I will come with you when I'm in Year 6!!

Hope to see plenty of you in 2008

The Twitchmeister