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

Griswold's Birding Year 2018 (1 Viewer)

Got up early and headed up to Dinas. Must say it was absolutely stunning wandering around and picking out birds by their call. Much easier when you haven't got the children o:D

Also drove up the road a little to check an area I know is good for Whinchat. Right on cue he appeared:t:

171. Pied Flycatcher
172. Garden Warbler
173. Wood Warbler
174. Whinchat
 

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Nipped in to Penclacwydd after works. Thanks to Wendell for the advice. Had great views of a male Garganey.

175. Garganey

As an aside, I had a look through a fellow birders Opticron Verano Bga 8x32's. Was very impressed. Very lightweight and a crisp, very bright image. Easy eye placement too. Cheers Bob:t:

Rich
 

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Had a brilliant day with my youngest yesterday. Alarm set for 04:00 we headed off for Gloucs/Somerset.

Arriving nice and early at Highnam Woods there were Warblers everywhere. The boy wanted a walk to stretch his legs and very quickly he was on to a Chiffchaff. He was able to pick this out with naked eye whilst I was struggling with my bins:-O Blackcaps, Song Thrushes, and Willow Warblers were all around us but then we heard the unmistakable notes of the Nightingale. Again, I struggle to pick these out in the undergrowth but he came up trumps again:t:

177. Nightingale

Next we were off to Ham Wall. A Great White Egret flew over us in the car park and along the track Garden Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers were singing away. But then we heard what we had really come for - a booming Bittern. To say my youngest was happy would be an understatement! With Cuckoos also in the background he was very happy. The RSPB volunteers we met were really friendly and chatty. Woody the Cocker Spaniel was a big favourite. At VP1 we had a flyover Hobby which was another year tick :t:

178. Hobby

Now my original plan was to wander around Shapwick Heath and then over to Westhay. Given that we were both up at 04:00 I decided that this was going to be too much. I really wanted to keep this enjoyable for both of us. Now, looking at RBA, I hatched up a cunning daddy plan - there should be a handbook for birding parentso:D

"Oh look - there's a KFC in Taunton. Shall we go there for a change?" With both agreed we set off. And lo and behold the sat-nav took us past Isle Brewerso:D

A quick walk to stretch our legs and just before we were about to leave, the girl turned up. A stunning female Red-footed Falcon. A great bird and some very friendly birders to boot.

179. Red-footed Falcon

So we headed home via Taunton and Rich's Cider MillB :). We ended up having a KFC at Cardiff services where the young fella on the drive through commented on much he liked the seats in the Skoda:t:

The day had turned out to be one of my most enjoyable birding sessions ever. It was great to hear my boy excitedly ringing his grandfather (a keen birder) to tell him about all the birds we had seen. I think the two of us will be heading to Skomer next for the Puffins. We also discussed looking for Golden Eagles next year in Scotland. :t:

Rich
 

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Went with the boys down to the Mumbles today. Nice to have an easy year tick as the Kittiwakes nest on the pier.

180! Kittiwake
 
Had a fantastic evening out with the Glamorgan Bird Club yesterday evening. All met up at the Brynffynon Hotel for 20:30 and headed off. A gazillion midges around but the repellent worked perfectly. Redpolls and Tree Pipits were quickly followed by the stars of the show. As it got darker you could hear the trilling. We were then treated to point blank views of 6 or 7 Nightjars. Superb birds and a brilliant birding experience. Many thanks to all the members of the GBC. :t:

181. Nightjar
 
Had a brilliant day with the boys today. Started off at Kenfig Pool and then headed in to the Beacons. The Pool was fairly quiet but the Pink-footed Goose that's been around for a few days was still there. Not an easy bird in South Wales. The boys enjoyed looking at the abundance of young frogs, Damselflies and Dragonflies.

In the Beacons we had great views of Kites, Ravens, Wheatear and Common Buzzards.

182. Pink-footed Goose
 
Stopped off on my way home from work today and had great views of a Little Ringed Plover and it's chick:t:

183. Little Ringed Plover
 
Haven't managed any birding sessions since Buddy arrived. Haven't minded one bit:t:

Did manage to add a year tick today though whilst out and about in Carmarthenshire:

184. Spotted Flycatcher
 

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Still haven't had a birding trip since the middle of June but did pick up a year tick on my lunch break today. There were c20 Sandwich Terns (including juvs) at Pembrey Harbour.

185. Sandwich Tern

The boy is growing too:-O
 

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First 'proper' birding session in 2 months and it was well worth the wait. I've posted the details over on the information wanted Forum but here are the year ticks:

186. Bonxie
187. Arctic Tern
188. Corys Shearwater Lifer #6
189. Storm Petrel Lifer #7 B :)
190. Wilsons Petrel Lifer #8 B :)
191. Sooty Shearwater Lifer #9 B :)
192. Balearic Shearwater Lifer #10

And then on the way home:
193. Glossy Ibis

A really enjoyable, if tiring day out.

Rich
 
Took the boy out after work today for the first time birding. To be fair, considering he's only 4 months old, he was brilliant. He quickly calmed and sat quietly whilst I had great scope views of a cracking Gull.

At Rhaslas pond was my 6th Lifer in 2 days:t:

194. Sabines Gull Lifer #11B :)B :)
 

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Stopped off at Llanrhidian on my way home from work today. Had a decent if distant view of an Osprey. Fantastic bird:t:

195. Osprey
 
Had a cracking day out with Kev today. Initially we were heading to Pant Norton to walk the dog and look for Yellowhammers etc. Then a message came through that a Golden Oriole had been seen in Somerset. Off we went. Unfortunately by the bridge another message came through to say it was now nowhere to be found. :-C Having birded Severnside before we went there.

The boy thoroughly enjoyed his walk and being fussed by the majority of walkers he came across. Along the sea wall were plenty of Turnstones, Dunlin and Ringed plovers. In amongst them was a cracking Curlew Sandpiper :t:

196. Curlew Sandpiper

From here we headed to Goldcliff stopping off for very decent coffee and cake at the Seawalls Tearoom. Dog friendly which was a bonus. At Goldcliff, from the sea wall hide were at least a dozen Yellow Wagtails. This is a great little reserve for them at certain times of the year. The boy was well behaved again.

197. Yellow Wagtail

That was the end of the year ticks but we did bump into a couple of people I follow on Twitter at Ogmore and Red Barn, Goldcliff. Great to meet you Tom and good to meet you again Graham :t:

A brilliant day and the boy was amazing for such a young pup.

Rich
 
Had a cracking day out with Kev in Pembs today. Spent a couple of hours looking for the recently reported Red-backed Shrike but to no avail. In a place such as this though it almost didn't matter. Bud was impeccably behaved and thoroughly enjoyed his fuss off two other birders looking for the Shrike.

The main reason we were in the area was at the Gann though. A couple of photographers and birders were on their way back and gave us spot on directions. Cheers ladies and gents:t: A superb pair of Baird's Sandpipers were knocking around with the Dunlins on the shoreline. A lifer for both of us.

198. Baird's Sandpiper Lifer #12 B :)B :)B :)

It's been a good year for Sandpipers this having picked up Common, Green, Purple, Spotted and Bairds.
 

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Stopped off at Kidwelly Quay on my way home from work. Had decent views of a Kingfisher and Water Rail plus species number 199. Great to see these birds and really glad I picked one up as I thought I was going to miss out on the recent mini influx.

199. Grey Phalarope
 
Just got to 200:-C with a heard only. Wasn't going to include it but I thought if it was anything other than 200 I would have. So in it goes.

200. Common Crossbill

Will head back up to Garwnant soon to nail a sighting. Also saw a Spotted Flycatcher which is a first for me at this site.

Rich
 
Had the day off with Sars today. I love it when I suggest we go somewhere and she immediately asks "what's been seen?". Can't get anything past her:-O

Anyway, there was obviously a good reason for me suggesting our first visit to Roath Park in Cardiff. The bird showed well, but too distant for decent photos. The weather was very changeable as well.

201. Red-necked Grebe Lifer#13B :)B :)B :)
 

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Cracking evening down at Llanrhidian with Kev. Several Great White Egrets and a hunting Barn Owl. Also got chatting to a very pleasant researcher looking into the Little Egret roost there. It'll be for a Iolo Williams series early next year.

202. Barn Owl

PS forgot to add that I went back up to Garwnant with the boys and the pup today, and had decent views of a flock of Common Crossbills.
 
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So me and the pup went birding to Kidwelly Quay today. Some great birds around including c20 Great Crested Grebes, Dabchicks, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Kites, Buzzards, Water Rail, Greenshanks etc. Etc.

Added the following:

203. Little Stint

The boy was impeccably behaved which was a real bonus.
 

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