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......

Ring-necked Ducks : Former Margam opencast site Nr Kenfig Hill

Fellow birder Paul Roberts from Bridgend made the brilliant discovery of a group of American Ring-necked Ducks on the lake at the former Margam opencast site near Kenfig Hill just over a week ago. 

I have only ever seen singles of the species and with work going on at home (new kitchen) last Thursday 10th February was the first time that I was able to make a visit.

It is at least 10 years since my last visit and major works have been undertaken in restoring the site, what was a very steep sided pool has now been extended and graded to form a large lake which is probably half the size of Kenfig Pool.

I never used to like the site due to the dangers it presented but the work that has been carried out in recent years has turned it into a very nice unofficial nature reserve.

It will certainly encourage some visits in Spring in the hope of picking up possible passage Osprey and Terns.

My visit on Thursday was in cold and windy weather which resulted in the water being choppy but the light was great, it was nice to meet and chat with other visiting birders Hugh Williams, Stuart Morgan and Sam Viles.

I managed some nice shots of the birds that were sheltering in the south-west corner and they showed to about 12-15m.

My friend Dave Gilbert managed to finish work early on Friday 11th February and so I made a return visit with him in more favourable weather which was milder and with no breeze which resulted in the lake being flat calm.

There was no need that day for the birds to be sheltering and we found them half way along the western shore staying the same distance from the edge that they had done on my first visit.

We both came away with some nice images although my photos from Thursday in good light were better as the light showed the brown/purple neck ring which gives the species it's name.

'First Shag of the year'

 A couple of weeks ago myself and good friend Dave Gilbert made a visit to Bracelet Bay, Mumbles in the hope of finding a Dartford Warbler in the gorse along the coastal path, unfortunately the weather closed in on us and we abandoned our search with heavy rain starting to fall.

We did however find a juvenile Shag feeding off the rocks below the Castellmare Restaurant and there were the usual Mediterranean Gulls around the car park area which allowed for a few photos so not a totally wasted visit.

Here are a few images from the visit......