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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Griswold' Birding Year 2017 (1 Viewer)

Spent a couple of hours looking for Goshawk yesterday in the Beacons but unfortunately didn't connect. Enjoyed listening to Mistle Thrush though singing from the tree tops. Also dipped on the Iceland Gull in Bridgend.

Stopped at the jetty at Aberavon and picked up a year tick in the form of a few Turnstones. Managed to grab a few pics. And the female Reed Bunting was taken earlier in the week during my lunch break.

114. Turnstone
 

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Took the boys to see Lego Batman Movie earlier today, which, unlike James on a different thread, I enjoyed. Fell asleep for 20 minutes or so but then I often do that - must be an age thing:-O

From here, keen for the boys to spend some time away from the iPad/ PS4/ WiiU etc. we headed down to Kenfig Pool. Unfortunately it was misty as hell plus I spent most of the time looking down and making sure the boys didn't stand in any dog shit. It annoys the hell out of me that there seems to be a large number of totally inconsiderate owners using this place.

Down at the hide I could see no more than 50 yards in the mist. Fortunately a year tick drifted into view along with some Tufties and Pochard.

115. Greater Scaup - a handsome male.

One thing I forgot to mention was that I stopped off at the Gwendraeth Valley Butchers in Crosshands last week. I can totally recommend the bacon which they cure themselves but the sausages lacked seasoning in my opinion. The boys just polished off a couple Sirloins for tea so I think they must have been alright as well. :eat::t:

Rich
 
Trying to remember these from recent few days in Scotland.

117. Red Grouse
118. Velvet Scoter
119. Northern Gannet
120. Brambling
121. Lesser Redpoll
122. Hooded Crow

I'll add some more after work.
 
123. Black Guillemot
124. White-Tailed Eagle
125. Golden Eagle
126. Shag
127. Great Northern Diver
128. Black Throated Diver
129. Slavonian Grebe
 
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130. Black Grouse
131. Crested Tit
132. Short-eared Owl
I'm sure I've forgotten some though:smoke:

Rich
 
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Went with my youngest up to the Beacons at lunch-time. His ankle is really healing well - he even wanted to go for a short walk:t:

Saw a few Ravens, the odd Common Buzzard and a couple of Red Kite before what we were really waiting for appeared.

133. Goshawk
 

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Spent approx. 3 hours around Penclacwydd yesterday whilst OH went shopping in Trostre. Not a huge amount around but nice to be able to wander around at my own pace. Chiffchaffs appeared to be returning in decent numbers the Long Tailed Duck was showing well at the back of the British Steel Hide. Thanks to the visiting birders from Usk as I'd overlooked the Peregrine sitting on the floor under the new Osprey nest platform.

A walk around the grounds and around the back of the centre gave Bullfinch, more Chiffchaffs, Pintail etc. I was also told by a member of staff that 5 mins earlier a female Hen Harrier had flown over.

134. Peregrine
 
Headed to Cardiff Bay on Sunday stopping off on the way at St Athan. For once the bird was exactly where it had been reported. In the field by the monument/ bus stop with the cows:t:

135. Cattle Egret

Try as we might at Cardiff Bay but we couldn't find the reported Little Gull. The high winds really didn't help. In amongst the gulls though we did pick out some Meds. And the first Sand Martin of the year was seen on the short drive from St Athan to the Bay.

136. Mediterranean Gull
137. Sand Martin

Stopped off at Kenfig Pool for a look on the way back. No new year ticks but heaps of Sand Martins, 3 Scaup still lingering, Goldeneye, GCG etc. were out on the pond.

Rich
 
Had decent views of Spotted Redshank yesterday during my lunch break and picked up a year tick in the form of a Water Rail.

138. Water Rail
 
Glanced out of the office window the office and saw my first Swallow of the year. Appears to have a nest site under the building.

140. Swallow.
 
Drove over the Black Mountain to work this morning and picked up the first Wheatear of the year.

142. Wheatear

Rich
 
Went out with the family to Penclacwydd today. Nice to see Med Gull in full breeding plumage from the Herons Wing hide. In amongst the 700+ of Blackwits were a handful of Knot. No hirrundines but a few Pintail are still present.

Walking around the back of the pond there were heaps of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. Cettis were also present.

Prior to going to Penclacwydd the garden had some pretty decent birds - Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Siskin and GSW etc.

143. Knot
144. Cettis Warbler
 
Managed a quick hour at Kenfig Pool this morning. Couldn't find the Garganey but there seemed to be a mass influx of Willow Warblers. Blackcaps and Cettis were also present. Big thanks to the birder who pointed me in the direction of my first Whitethroat of the year as well.:t:

145. Willow Warbler
146. Common Whitethroat
 
Well I've had worse days birding. For once, everything was where it should be:eek!: The alarm went off at 05:00 and I was at Newport Wetlands Centre at about 06:45. The first bird singing away from the top of a tree was a cracking male Blackcap - a good omen. Next was a year tick in the form of a Green Woodpecker.

148. Green Woodpecker.

Cettis were all over the place giving much better views than the usual brown blur. Next along the track was a Lesser Whitethroat. Wasn't expecting one of these today.

149. Lesser Whitethroat.

From the reed beds came the song of many Reed Warblers and the odd Sedge Warbler. Chiffchaffs here and there and surprisingly few Willow Warblers.

150. Sedge Warbler
151. Reed Warbler

Walked over the first pontoon bridge by the lighthouse and decided to do a small loop to the right for a change. I was getting good views of Reed Buntings but a couple of smaller birds were just too fast to positively ID. Back on the pontoon bridge and the only other birder on site that I saw said he'd seen what I was after. Sure enough, a minute or two later and a Beardie flew over.

152. Bearded Tit

Had a quick chat about his camera. He was using a Panasonic FZ (72 I think) and was more than happy with it though was thinking of trading up to a FZ1000.

Wandered round the rest of the site enjoying watching the Reed Buntings, Pochards, Little Grebes etc. Next it was off to Goldcliff.

Rich
 
Over at Goldcliff a couple of birders leaving hide 1 said that Little Ringed Plovers had been reported but that they hadn't been able to locate them.

I scanned where I normally see them but could only find Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. A fella who worked for the RSPB (who arrived just after myself) then said that he normally saw them on the island. We both scanned a very soon after I picked one out on the shore.

153. Little Ringed Plover.

Whilst looking it was good to see healthy numbers of Avocet and the odd White Wagtail. Black-Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Oycs, Lapwings etc. were also present. I didn't catch his name but the young RSPB worker also picked out a decent looking Ruff. He was telling me he was doing the 200 challenge this year so good luck with that:t:

154. Avocet
155. White Wagtail

Down on the sea wall a birder already present was on a Peregrine and a couple of Wheatear.

Next it was off to Cardiff.

Rich
 
Managed not to get lost and ended up at Taff Mead Embankment. My quarry was not with the Herring Gulls or what I took to be a young GBBG. A Goosander drifted past along the Taff which was good to see. I then had a tweet from fellow BFer Mr O Sullivan wishing me good luck and describing it as a monster. With this positive boost I checked out the Brains Brewery roof. I should have seen it straight away as even with the naked eye I could see a whumper of a Gull. Sure enough it was the Glauc Gull that's been ganging around a while. Cheers John:t:

156. Glaucous Gull

From here it was off to Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve. Viewing East from the boardwalk by the yacht club there it was. A distant, but very handsome, male Ring-necked Duck. A great bird but still not as satisfying as the self found bird on Loch Meodal last year. Heaps of Swallows over the bay as well though I'm still yet to see a House Martin this year:eek!:

157. Ring-necked Duck

Rich
 
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