"Catching up with Spring"...........

Not "blogged" much during the last few weeks so I thought I'd catch up with a few images :-

Reed Warbler : Llangors Lake near crannog.
Common Redstart (M) : Llangasty
Lesser Redpoll (M) : Llwyn y Celyn Wood,Craig Cerrig Glaisiad
Siskin (M) : Llwyn y celyn Wood,Craig Cerrig Glaisiad
Pied Flycatcher (M) : Llwyn y celyn Wood,Craig Cerrig Glaisiad
Marsh Tit : Llwyn y celyn Wood,Craig Cerrig Glaisiad
Common Whitethroat : Llangors Common
Garden Warbler : Llangors Common
Blackcap (M) : Llangors Common
Wood Warbler : Darren Woods,Llangynwyd,Maesteg

Otters : Llangors Lake

Thought I'd check out Llangasty Point this morning and then take a stroll across the fields to the new hide,there were hirundines everywhere and 200+ Swifts wizzed above me as I crossed the first field.
I was hoping to pick up a few woodland species on my stroll but it was generally quiet,lots of birdsong but with a stiff breeze most stuff was staying well concealed.
I decided I'd try and photograph a few Sedge Warblers from the "ride" in the reeds in front of the hide and heard a large splash in the shallows followed by a brief sighting of an otter tail snaking under the water amongst the lily pads.
There was a fair commotion under the timber boat landing at the end of the "ride" and next thing a pair of otters surfaced side by side from under the timber structure not 25' from me !!
I must admit I was spellbound and for the 20 or so secs they stayed I blasted away getting some shots,they were too close but I daren't move for fear of disturbing them as they both looked at me !!
All I could manage was head shots before they slinked back into the water and disappeared,I've always known there are otters using the lake but they are only reported very infrequently and this was my first ever sighting and at 25' at that.
What a thrill !!!!.........

Arctic Terns : Loughor Bridge

Had a look around locally for Grasshopper Warbler first thing today and found four on territory but didn't get any photographs.
Met up with Peter mid morning and dashed down to Loughor Bridge and caught up with the few remaining Arctic Terns of the huge number that were there last Thursday,managed a few shots that I was quite pleased with.

And finally,one in Wales at last...........

I noted with interest the Hoopoe reported yesterday from Middleton,Gower but the awful weather in the afternoon and an evening out at a party mean't that a visit was impossible.
Hoopoe has been something of a "bogey" bird for me over the years and before today I hadn't seen one in Wales let alone Glamorgan,I've seen dozens in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands but my only UK sighting was a bird in Somerset several years ago.
I had no real plans for today and a text from Peter "Pedro" Morgan asking if I fancied going out was followed minutes later by a "grapevine" text informing me that the bird was still there this morning,mind made up !!
We met up at Sarn and the heavy rain encountered on the way down had me thinking that we'd be sat in Peter's car for an hour after arriving waiting for the rain to stop.
The rain eased as we neared our destination and after wasting 10 minutes looking in the wrong place came across Adam Tilt walking back to his car for his camera,he informed us that the bird was in the lane leading down to the "Nitten Field" but on arrival the bird took off and flew east towards the car park for Mewslade Bay.

We set off in search with Adam and his girlfriend and depite a brief sighting by Adam we returned to the car for a quick bite to eat with Adam and his girlfriend deciding to call it a day.
We ventured back down the lane and came across Alun John from Mumbles who had luckily come across the bird feeding on the grass verge near the gate to the "Nitten Field" and he had manged a few shots.
Barry and Sandra Stewart arrived and decided to have a search further down towards the valley and as they returned we saw the bird fly into the "Nitten Field" where myself,Peter and Alun manged a few distant record shots.

After a little more wandering about we decided to "park" ourselves near the gate to the "Nitten Field" and after a few more frustrating flight views the bird appeared in the field to the left of the lane about 30yds from the gate and we both managed to get some reasonable "record" shots at last.

The bird having allowed us to get some shots then once again decided to disappear and after agreeing that we were unlikely to get any closer opportunities decided to head for Ogmore-by-Sea for the Bonaparte's Gull which had decided to reappear this morning after a month's absence.
We had hoped the bird had gone into summer plumage but upon reading the sighting report en route that the bird was only showing some signs of change and with darkening skys and poor light we decided to head for home.
Not a bad day out,I had finally caught up with a local Hoopoe,a county and Welsh "tick" for me and after giving us the runaround for four hours the bird finally gave itself up for a few shots.

Catching up,the past few weeks........

Not blogged for a few weeks as there's not been an awful lot about to photograph so thought I'd catch up with a few "images" :-
Turnstone,Purple Sandpiper and Sand Martin at Ogmore-by-Sea on Sun 24.March.
Ring Ouzels (M+F) at Ogmore-by-Sea on Easter weekend.
Osprey and Common Buzzard at Cantref Reservoir on Easter Sunday.
Lesser Scaup at Parc Bryn Bach,Tredegar on Easter Sunday.
Greater Scaup (7 in total) at Llangors Lake on Easter Monday,a grey,cold day.
Skylark at Mynydd Illtyd,Brecon on Sun 7.April.
Osprey at Beacons Reservoir on Sun 7.April.
Golden Plovers at Mynydd ty Talwyn,Maesteg on Sun 7.April.

Lets hope the end of the cold weather sees a fresh influx of spring migrants.