JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
November 26th
Thought you might have had one of those when I saw the news from Avoch. Glad you all connected.
Our two target birds today would be pretty bread and butter up your way, but for the boys have recently acquired highly desirable status. The day began with a long standing commitment that delayed birding till lunchtime but we were pulling up at Ellesmere (always closer than I think) in glorious weather early afternoon to be treated to distant views of the Long-tailed Duck (200 for the year for Arch). A short walk halved the distance, but it was still only ever scope views and, this being a first winter drake, adult winter still sits firmly on the desirable list. A fifteen minute hiatus in proceedings then followed while the boys let off steam in the playground there, before we headed back to the car, picking up good views of Goldcrest en route, as well as a flock of fifty or so Pintail flying round overhead.
Next was a skip up the Welsh coast to lay Waxwing to rest. I'm pretty sure we'll have closer, better opportunities as the winter progresses, but at least I should now be spared the daily quizzing on how close the nearest ones are! On arriving at the Tal Goed Nursery just south of Llansanffraid Glan Conwy we had a bowl about to see what we could find before hitting the cafe for a nourishing bowl of soup and to pick up some on site gen. Down by the field apparently, so we staked out the field. Plenty of berries on show, and berry eaters in the shape of Mistle Thrushes and Blackbirds, but no Waxwings. After almost an hour of waiting, scanning and occasionally wandering it was Arch who finally spotted a couple way up in the top of one of the trees we were parked right next to! (200 for Sam now too) They were pretty mobile, never sitting in one place for long, and after some re-positioning it became clear they were dropping down to feed on an adjacent property on some berry trees couldn't quite draw a bead on. We could pretty much follow their progress though, by the hysterically angry rattling of a Mistle Thrush which clearly felt it had dibs on the berries the Waxwings were scoffing. After a while the views dried up and the Thrush quietened down so we figured the Waxwings had moved on, and so we decided to do likewise. On the way back home I decided there was just enough light to scan through any Scoters that might be loitering off Wern Road, so we pulled off the A55 to have alook. A quick scan with the bins revealed plenty of Scoters, albeit distant, so I popped open the boot... which was empty! Well, full of the usual crap in fact, but it looked pretty damn empty without a scope in it. It rushed in on me as I stared in disbelief that my scope was still set up in the Conwy valley, aimed at an empty poplar twig that had at one time this afternoon sported a Waxwing. My good God I was nervous as we retraced our steps west and then south and I'm sure you can imagine my relief when I pulled off the road and there it was, just where I'd left it. Idiot. We came straight home after that.
Thought you might have had one of those when I saw the news from Avoch. Glad you all connected.
Our two target birds today would be pretty bread and butter up your way, but for the boys have recently acquired highly desirable status. The day began with a long standing commitment that delayed birding till lunchtime but we were pulling up at Ellesmere (always closer than I think) in glorious weather early afternoon to be treated to distant views of the Long-tailed Duck (200 for the year for Arch). A short walk halved the distance, but it was still only ever scope views and, this being a first winter drake, adult winter still sits firmly on the desirable list. A fifteen minute hiatus in proceedings then followed while the boys let off steam in the playground there, before we headed back to the car, picking up good views of Goldcrest en route, as well as a flock of fifty or so Pintail flying round overhead.
Next was a skip up the Welsh coast to lay Waxwing to rest. I'm pretty sure we'll have closer, better opportunities as the winter progresses, but at least I should now be spared the daily quizzing on how close the nearest ones are! On arriving at the Tal Goed Nursery just south of Llansanffraid Glan Conwy we had a bowl about to see what we could find before hitting the cafe for a nourishing bowl of soup and to pick up some on site gen. Down by the field apparently, so we staked out the field. Plenty of berries on show, and berry eaters in the shape of Mistle Thrushes and Blackbirds, but no Waxwings. After almost an hour of waiting, scanning and occasionally wandering it was Arch who finally spotted a couple way up in the top of one of the trees we were parked right next to! (200 for Sam now too) They were pretty mobile, never sitting in one place for long, and after some re-positioning it became clear they were dropping down to feed on an adjacent property on some berry trees couldn't quite draw a bead on. We could pretty much follow their progress though, by the hysterically angry rattling of a Mistle Thrush which clearly felt it had dibs on the berries the Waxwings were scoffing. After a while the views dried up and the Thrush quietened down so we figured the Waxwings had moved on, and so we decided to do likewise. On the way back home I decided there was just enough light to scan through any Scoters that might be loitering off Wern Road, so we pulled off the A55 to have alook. A quick scan with the bins revealed plenty of Scoters, albeit distant, so I popped open the boot... which was empty! Well, full of the usual crap in fact, but it looked pretty damn empty without a scope in it. It rushed in on me as I stared in disbelief that my scope was still set up in the Conwy valley, aimed at an empty poplar twig that had at one time this afternoon sported a Waxwing. My good God I was nervous as we retraced our steps west and then south and I'm sure you can imagine my relief when I pulled off the road and there it was, just where I'd left it. Idiot. We came straight home after that.
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