Gwent birding (6 Viewers)

[luke]

i think they are just at their usual numbers. Those huge numbers the other winter were certainly an exception. Though we've been getting a few passage birds here in dorset so there might be more to come.
Nick led a GOS walk at Silent Valley last weekend and they didn't see any.

 

[TomSmith]

Hi all,

Can anybody tell me what's a good source of birding news for Monmouthshire and the Wye Valley in particular? My parents have a house near Monmouth so I'm out that way fairly regularly - it would be useful to know where to find up-to-date information.

Thanks,


Tom

 

[luke]

i think the Gwent Ornithological Societies website would be best, the address is www.gwentbirds.org.uk This should give you all the info you will need.

 

[luke]

Had a few hours out around some old haunts and they were all pretty much birdless, except for a Red Kite up at Garnlydan Res. Might have more success this afternoon.

 

[luke]

Looks like we wont be able to access Waunafon bog this winter in our cars as theres a metal gate across the cattle grid along with a sign saying that the gate will be locked from 2pm everyday.

It aint going to be very fun standing around in the cold up there, waiting for the shorties to appear. Maybe we should write to Torfean council and complain!

 

[mike from ebbw]

Just buy an off roader and come over the top!

Joking of course.That is bad but you do get a good view from the lay by and when they appear just have a little wander on foot up the road.Could be a blessing Luke with them having less disturbance.Lets be honest every Tom Dick and Harry was up there ripping the mountain up.We may even get more and dare I say it hang around for a bit longer.

 

[The Valley Walker]

November 21st 2009

Just washing the dishes about 5 mins ago and saw a male siskin on the tree outside the garden...he flew in to the feeders, did a quick reccy and was off - they will be back soon...whoopee !!

:t:

 

[The Valley Walker]

...so what's been happening in abergavenny today then ?

watch this space...... :t:

 

[mike from ebbw]

...so what's been happening in abergavenny today then ?

watch this space...... :t:

I`m watchin` Al but I aint seein`!

 

[The Valley Walker]

Well Mike, our Gazza was visiting a house and he came face to face with the Black Redstart...thought he might have told us but I suppose he is gonna leave it to me.

 

[luke]

just in case anyone hasn't seen the brecknock website, theres a Great Northern Diver on Talybont res, been there since yesturday.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Tuesday 1st Dec 2009

Went for a drive this morning to llangorse lake but conditions not great so didn't hang around...lots of bird life on the lake though.

On my return was making a cuppa n some toast and saw mrs bully fly in for breakkie...followed by 4, yes FOUR males (she has her own little entourage by the looks!!) Grabbed the camera out of the bag which had my 55-250 IS lens attached and fired a few shots through the window...unfortunately could only get two in the frame as they were spread about on the feeders.

 

[mike from ebbw]

Al your garden is a cracker mate fair play.And a shot of two males at once,nice one!

Had an hour or two along with Al down the Silent Valley hide this afternoon.Things down there were manic to say the least!Anything and everything was coming back and forth including some newcomers.Two Jays and three female Bullfinch.The highlight was a male Sparrowhawk giving some great views in front of the hide hunting the Jays.Superb display of agility.
Some shots from today.

 

[mike from ebbw]

just in case anyone hasn't seen the brecknock website, theres a Great Northern Diver on Talybont res, been there since yesturday.

I popped in there this morning but only saw Coot,Goldeneye,Cormorant,Mallard,Mute Swan,Little Grebe and a few Goosander.It is still there though according to the Brecknock site today.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Dec 2nd 2009

Just spent a few hours in the company of new birdforum member "deerhound" (welcome Lee) around Croespenmaen inc a circuit of Pen y Fan Pond.

Down on the Sirhowy river we saw Grey Wagtail and on the way back to the car a small flock pf goldfinch along with a couple of song thrush, blackbird n redwing.

The pond was quite busy with birdlife....11 cormorants stood on the fence poles along with a black backed gull. On the pond some small diver type birds which I think were little grebes? Couple of mallards too. On the walk around the edge of the pond saw quite a few male n female stonechats and on the hedgerow at the far end about 1/2 dozen reed buntings.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Al your garden is a cracker mate fair play.And a shot of two males at once,nice one!

Had an hour or two along with Al down the Silent Valley hide this afternoon.Things down there were manic to say the least!Anything and everything was coming back and forth including some newcomers.Two Jays and three female Bullfinch.The highlight was a male Sparrowhawk giving some great views in front of the hide hunting the Jays.Superb display of agility.
Some shots from today.

Top shots Mike....think without doubt yesterday's time down SV was one of the best.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Weds 9th Dec 2009

Quick write up whilst I am in between jobs...(got 10 mins before I fetch JC from school)

Walk over the Cardi n woods this morning.

Couple of BH Gulls on the pond , a heron and gorgeous pair of Goosanders which promptly flew off and I lost sight of them in the bins just before the Beaufort ponds.

When I got back to the house I continued my chores and whilst looking out of the back window I noticed a large flock of birds in the trees a few doors up. I could make out some goldies but wondered if anything else was there so dashed down to the kitchen to grab the bins. The tree was full of goldies (abt 40+) and then I noticed my feeders...must have been 15-20 scattered about there ! Such a large flock - been to collect some more nijer seed since. Unfortunately I just come back from town and had a look on the feeders and there was a couple on there inc a large one...went upstairs for a moment and on my return I noticed a dead one under the feeder. Nothing physically wrong looking at him so not sure what happened?

Have put the bird in a bag in a bin for the moment...any ideas if I should do owt?

 

[oldgiteggy]

Alan,

Could have been an attack?

How often do you clean your feeders, because I've seen a chaffinch with a weird growth on its foot, on my feeders in the last week. This prompted me to bin old food, wash the feeders and tidy things up.

 

[The Valley Walker]

Alan,

Could have been an attack?

How often do you clean your feeders, because I've seen a chaffinch with a weird growth on its foot, on my feeders in the last week. This prompted me to bin old food, wash the feeders and tidy things up.

Hi Steve,

There is a kestrel out the back these days but wouldn't she have taken the bird with her?

Took them down about 10 days ago and washed them out, actually bought new feeders for two. Stopped feeding about a month ago for a week too and gave them a real good clean and disanfectant then as I had seen a few finches (goldies/greenfinch and female bully) that looked overly large and the goldie was a bit lethargic too. I wondered if it was the finch disease so left off feeding for a bit. I have also gone out and got new perches whilst out walking just in case it was that? Things have looked ok and apart from the very fat bully that comes here all others seem ok...the chaffs are normally the ones that develop the foot mange but not seen any evidence of that lately.

 

[oldgiteggy]

The chaff looked like it had 20 toes on one foot!

The snow's got everything going crazy. Coal tits, blue tits, great tits, longtailed tits, goldfinches, chaffinches, bullfinches, robins, dunnocks, siskin, wren, song thrush, blackbirds and a male greater spotted woodpecker all came into the garden for food, with 15mins. Watched a gold crest working through the pine trees.