Gwent birding (6 Viewers)

[luke]

Havn't really done much birding recently but see 12 Common Scoter at Llandegfeth last friday evening, apparently been there all day.

There are also 2 Ruddy Shelduck at NWR but i really cant be bothered to go. But i'll regret that if they get accepted but what ever committee deals with these pesky things.

 

[luke]

I caved in not long after my last post as the weather improved and there was a strong West-ish wind, so i popped down to the wetlands in the hope of a seabird of two and ofcourse the ruddy shelducks. Got the ducks but sadly no seabirds. There was also very few migrant waders at the pools except for a Little ringed Plover.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Luke,

Always meant to ask...have you a preference to the bird types you enjoy most?

Alan

 

[The Valley Walker]

Just to keep the thread alive.....

Last 7 days praps?

As and what I can recall....yesterday Kestrel flew over the house quite low - for a moment I thought it was a sprawk looking for a meal...reminds me - on the weekend Deb found a dead siskin juvenile on the patio - no signs of injury although I saw one being pestered by a sparrow yesterday, might something like that have happened? I have discounted a cat in ther garden as the dog is in charge out there! Don't think it is the dog either as I am sure he would have at least had it in in hos mouth and no sign of bite marks - anyways he is too slow for the birds. Cardi ponds and surroundsing areas....have started to see long tailed tits again in the last few days after about 4 months of not seeing one - where did they go? Heron on the Cardi most morning when I am out walking the dog earlyish. Saw a woodie over there a few days ago too. Also stopped and watched a couple of juvenile warblers in a tree but don't ask me what they was I haven't got a clue ! |:S|

Garden birds...been fairly busy most of the the last week on n off. Highlights being 3 male bullies on the feeders weds/thrusday last week - well, 1 on the feeder, 1 on the perch and one up in the tree. Greenfinch have been plentiful and yesterday (or was it the day before?) watched a pair of them scrapping mid air in the garden, they didn't half make a racket. Have had juvenile goldies in now for a good while - today I was just getting out of the shower when I could hear a commotion going on outside - there were 5, yes FIVE juvs twittering away on feeders and perches. Juvenile tits, and today had a lovely scruffy Robin who is halfway between juv n adult (he had the breast but his head was still mottled)

Might go down the Gower next week Luke, what's there like to be birdwise?

 

[The Valley Walker]

Daily / Occasional Redpoll report

Have made it a mission where I can to tick off if I see these on a daily basis through July. July 1st was a blank but otherwise everyday - today there were two on the feeders, as they differ in size n stuff anyone know what a juvemile looks like?

 

[mike from ebbw]

Love that juve Goldie shot Al.

A walk over Newtown this evening proved loads of breeding success in the form of fledged juveniles.They were -Common Whitethroat,Blue and Great Tit, Dunnock,Wren,Chaffinch,Goldfinch,Linnet,Stonechat,Whinchat,Carrion Crow,Green Woodpecker,Pied Wagtail,Meadow Pipit,Wheatear and Willow Warbler.

 

[luke]

Had a wander around the blue lakes 'country park' lunchtime whilst the sun was still shining. Was hoping for Brown Hawker on the pools but that didn't happen but did get Common Blue Damsel, Azure Blue Damsel, Emerald Damsel, Large Red Damsel, Blue tailed Damsel, Black tailed Skimmer, Black Darter, Common Darter and four spot Chaser. Did get a hawker sp. but it wasn't a Brown, probably common or Southern.

Butterflies and moths were in short supply but did get good numbers of small argent and sable. A bit of a bryn serth special.

Birds were pretty much non-exsistant exept for some meadow pipit which have probably had their nest dug up by the JCBs over the other side near Rhyd y blew.

 

[The Valley Walker]

End of an era - the magic garden disappears

Well, as you know I have been building up the feeders in my garden for the last few years and this Winter it started to pay dividends - what a fanatsic 6/7 months I have had with the birds flocking in. Now though, that is about to end for a while and with the plans I can't see quite how I am going to get it back to that state - BUT WE WILL HAVE A GO INNIT !!

With the amount of grass in there and my bad back I have decided I wanted something with less maintenance - so my patio is being extended about 20+ft with concrete printing. My apple blossom tree will be one of the victims too and so the birds won't have anywhere to perch/hide before dropping on to the feeders. I do plan to plant another tree in the corner of the garden but this will take time to grow and mature for the birds. My current set up allows me to sit in the kitchen and photography in the comfort of the warm n dry, even when it's been p*issing down outside! If the birds keep coming after the work is done I am gonna have to rethink this. Didn't think it was gonna happen for a month or so but tonight the paving people have informed me thay can start tomorrow morning !! aaaaargh.

Had some great highlights in there and yesterday even had a new bird land on my feeder - a collared dove. He came back again today n'all. One sad point in the last week. Another possible theory on the dead juv siskin...Deb said a bird flew into the kitchen window a few days ago..it was ok and flew off but I wonder if that poor little chappie didn't do himself some damage the other day?

This week we have seen quite a few birds being fe in the garden, today I saw a blue tit feeding 2 chicks on the feeder, great sight...then Jack noticed a Starling juv being fed up in the tree...managed to get a record shot of this. Repolls are still coming and today had 3 on the feeder and quite a few siskins...Jack said he was almost stroking one of the siskins, he said he got close enough to actually touch it so would love to see if I can get one feeding out of my hand?

 

[The Valley Walker]

...and a partridge in a pear tree

...well not quite as the song goes but you catch my drift hopefully...

workmen went home at 4.30am and left a mess so stuck the feeder up in the corner of the garden and abt 2 minutes ago looked out of the bedroom window and not one but TWO collared doves were happily nibbling away...seem another bird who once they find food they return eh?

Couple of goldfinch, no siskin, no repoll (boo,hiss) but loads of chaffinch and a couple of juvenile blue tits all came in for some nibbles. The bullfinch did turn up but sat in the tree and in the end gave up, fussy bugger just coz it was in a strange place eh?

Thinking now that the trampoline looks like it will be going of putting a shed/hide on a flat area behind the garage and putting the feeders near the fence where the birds will still be able to perch in a tree (just outside the garden) and come in for food - sorted!!

Been a bit miserable all day today for seom reason but feeling a bit happier now...tis the birds me thinks

 

[The Valley Walker]

Had a song thrush in the back garden this morning - have seen one on the grass in the front of the house but not out the back. Watched him afterwards in a tree for a while. Collared Doves have returned too. That apart have had a redpoll on the feeder which means I have only missed 3 ticks in this month - not bad for July. Chaffinch seem to have had a good breeding season there are loads about. Jack and I at differet times of the day both counted 7/8 Greenfinch so they look like they did ok too.

Meant to ask how did Nicks BBQ quiz go last Saturday?- Fr om recollection it was a wet one so was it postponed? I spent most of the day laying on the settee recovering from my retirement/finishing doo the night before at Chepstow races.

 

[luke]

Nicks BBQ was OK but i was held indoors rather than out in the pouring rain. Pipe dream were great down at the parc. The place was packed! They've cancelled their september gig their so they are not there until 18 Dec! But they are in tredegar on the 10(?) September.

 

[mike from ebbw]

Just came back from a local site with a resident female Goshawk.Some of you will remember me mentioning watching her eating a Grey Squirrel a while back well she has been busy again.Found both the pluckings of a Tawny Owl and a Common Buzzard.OOERRR!

 

[The Valley Walker]

Return of the woodie

Wife reports that the woodie was back this morning (she let me carry on sleeping coz I was up through the night) having a go at the nuts for ages....says didn't notice the red on back of head so...female - would this likely to have been the juvenile from earlier in the year?

 

[The Valley Walker]

Just seen the woodpecker and there was no red on it all...juvenile?

 

[luke]

juvs have red heads, which is why they are often confused with Lesser spotted woodpecker.

Whilst we are on about gardens, i had three Crossbills over the garden at about 18:50 yesturday evening.

 

[mike from ebbw]

juvs have red heads, which is why they are often confused with Lesser spotted woodpecker.

Whilst we are on about gardens, i had three Crossbills over the garden at about 18:50 yesturday evening.

Looking for a new home no doubt.Have you seen the Garnlydan forest lately?

 

[luke]

Theres is UK wide influx of crossbills at the moment so they could turn up anywhere. I've been getting them almost daily in work so i'd guess theres some at Garnlydan. I dont think there are many cones about at the moment though so they ain't going to be hanging around!

 

[luke]

Have you seen the Garnlydan forest lately?

Whats happening up there??

 

[The Valley Walker]

juvs have red heads, which is why they are often confused with Lesser spotted woodpecker.

That's what i thought to be honest but it seemed quite young looking at it...even perched on the fence for a little while - wish I had got a shot of it now. Deb said it hung around ages early in the morning...I shall tell her to wake me tomorrow !!

So we are guessing a female then?

 

[mike from ebbw]

Whats happening up there??

Have a drive up onto the moors Luke.As you go over the cattle grid you can see down into the Carno res.They have started harvesting the trees up there.