My Life Outside

Foggy Glamorgan Heritage Coast

2012-01-13T18:47:00.002Z

Last Sunday a thick sea fog was just starting to creep its way into our valley as we got up and ready for the day. By the time we'd set off from the mouth of the River Ogmore, on what was to be a brand new walk for us, the fog had been joined by a fine drizzle and visibility was poor at best. Following the coastal footpath the occasional Oystercatcher could be glimpsed down on the beach whilst out on the mill pond like waters of the sea Herring and Black Headed Gulls were about the only inhabitants. Through the murk it was just about possible to make out the impressive shape of the towering cliffs that make up this part of the Heritage Coast. Though they may look stable they are anything but, a fact that one static caravan park a couple of miles further south found out to its cost recently. Fortunately no one was hurt during that collapse but the owners have found their real estate significantly reduced.

After three miles or so we arrived at Dunraven, once the location of a palatial stately home that was, like many such properties locally, blown up in the 1960's due to a lack of funds to maintain them. I find it a crying shame that all that is left to see of that history and architecture are a few courses of bricks and the walled gardens, even those having lost their once grand majesty. In my mind even leaving the building to fall into ruin would have been a more fitting end, no doubt eventually allowing it to become as integral a part of our landscape as the numerous Welsh castles now are. The feel of the place is captured perfectly in a poem originally written by two visiting solicitors in 1875 and now displayed in the walled gardens.

Dearly I love Dunraven Bay,
Under its cliffs by night or by day,
Near me the waves on the golden sand,
Roll widely in foam as they dash to the land.
At times it's so still, I fancy I hear,
Voices of lost ones, melodious and dear.
Even the drift wood seems to say,
Never forget life is ebbing away.

From Dunraven we headed inland and crossed the extensive common lands behind the village of Southerndown before dropping back into the Ogmore valley.

The stretch of river from here to the coast contains a curious blend of traditional river and coastal birds, and can almost be guaranteed to throw up the odd surprise or two. This visit was no exception with a tame Dunlin on the near bank as well as four female Goosanders. Three Grey Wagtails were a very nice find after a pretty barren 2011 for the species which totalled just two birds, one of which was seen half way up Cadair Idris of all places. The highlight as always at this time of year though were the Goldeneye, with thirty two birds seen split between two separate flocks. As I have come to expect they were very wary of people walking past but we still got to witness some classic courtship behaviour including the ever impressive act whereby the males violently throw their heads backwards. I tried to take a few photos and video clips but it was way too dark to get anything usable. The fog that had once hinted at lifting had descended like a heavy quilt and the wind was starting to pick up, so we took our cue and headed back to the car. Despite the weather it had been a very enjoyable walk and we shall have to return one sunny day to fully appreciate the cliffs in all their glory, and to photograph those Goldeneye of course.

Let's Go Fly a (Red) Kite

2012-01-07T22:31:00.001Z

I was stuck running errands this morning (yay haircut) but managed to get some good birding in with a Raven flying over the back lane as soon as I got up accompanied by the haunting calls of an unseen Buzzard. Even just driving through Pontlliw I spotted a trio of Red Kites circling above their usual fields on the village outskirts. Eventually though I was free and headed up to my local patch for the first time this year. Unsurprisingly conditions were somewhat muddy given our recent run of weather but between picking my footings I looked up to see one of the local Jays flitting through the trees. Interestingly this area used to be a real stronghold for Green Woodpeckers with Jays being something of a scarcity, but over the last twelve months or so their roles have been completely reversed to such an extent that I can't remember the last time I saw a Green Woodpecker on patch. Whether it's just a coincidence or there is some sort of competition going on I have no idea.

Up on Bryn-bach-Common much of the old bracken has now been mown flat to help improve grazing conditions but I was still able to find a few colonies of Yellow Brain Fungus (above) dotted around. On the bird front things were pretty quiet apart from a solitary Meadow Pipit and a large flock of Starlings until three Ravens turned up harassing a Red Kite. They were only in the area for a few minutes before going their separate ways and once more I was alone. It was only as I was nearing home that the Red Kite reappeared, this time accompanied by five of its nearest and dearest! We've been treated to four Kites in the same place previously but this was something really extra special as I watched them soaring upwards on the thermals.

Late afternoon we headed over to Kidwelly Quay where we hoped to connect with a Firecrest that has been hanging about near the sewage works for the last week or so. After much peering into bushes we had to admit defeat but the hunt did turn up a Green Sandpiper in the nearby flooded field as well as a male and female Reed Bunting. It was also great fun watching the Magpies leap the rotating arms of the sewage tanks each time they passed by, never taking their eyes of the flies that were to be their dinner. On the tidal river itself a few more species made it onto the year list including Greenshank and Common Gull, but the real treat was simply watching the large flocks of Lapwing, Teal, Curlew and Redshank move past on the rising tide.

Sunny Slimbridge

2012-01-06T20:51:00.000Z

On Tuesday we made the trip across the border to the WWT's flagship Slimbridge reserve. After driving through biblical hail storms it was a welcome relief to arrive in glorious sunshine, accompanied of course by the usual drop in temperature that seems to plague every one of our visits there. We clearly weren't the only ones hoping to make the most of the last days holiday as despite arriving well before opening time there was already a queue forming at the entrance doors. We kitted ourselves out and joined what turned into a short but productive wait, picking out a couple of Redpoll in nearby shrubs and a trio of overflying Bewicks Swans as we did so.

Once inside we had an hour or so to spend exploring before my parents arrived to join us for the day. For me there was only one clear target that I had in mind; a female Lesser Scaup who had given us the slip on the same date last year and which had recently returned to the exact same pool. To the delight of my chilled fingers the hide overlooking said pool is heated and had already attracted quite a few birders, a couple of which clearly had the same quarry in mind as ourselves. After a few minutes of scanning through the very similar looking Tufted Ducks we both spotted a likely looking candidate at the same time, though a turn of the head quickly revealed a prominent head tuft that emphatically ruled it out of the reckoning. Fortunately a warden chose that moment to pop his head in and mention that the Lesser Scaup had been seen a little further into the reserve, so off we went before it had chance to relocate. The view that greeted us was the one above; green grass, crystal clear blue skies and thousands upon thousands of feeding birds. In the foreground more Tufted Ducks as well as several Pochards were busy feeding around a sleeping bird that after a great deal of interrogation turned out to be the Lesser Scaup herself (I freely admit to being a bit of a novice when it comes to the identification of female Scaup). Although her beak was hidden under her wing there was just enough on show to allow the white patch around it to be seen, which when combined with the lack of tuft and brown colouration sealed the deal for us. It may have taken exactly twelve months but we finally had our bird.

Moorhen

By now my parents had arrived and during the brief time that we stepped out of the hide to meet them the Scaup did another of its great disappearing acts. Equally annoying was the fact that the White Fronted Geese which had been feeding on the grass had also debunked. Fortunately we relocated them from the Holden Tower along with a hundred of so Barnacle Geese and the resident Greylags. Of all the Geese species White Fronted have always tried to evade me with only sporadic sightings across the years I've been in the hobby, which is such a shame as they are cracking birds. To my surprise it turned out to be a new life tick for my Dad, and we almost manged to add a Greenland White Fronted Goose as well but I just couldn't decide after looking at one particularly streaky individual for a while. From the same vantage point we had commanding views over the huge gatherings of Golden Plover, Dunlin and Lapwing which were being particularly mobile during the morning hours. Each time the massive flocks took to the air we scanned around for a predator but drew a blank, the only candidate being a Peregrine Falcon who seemed happy to watch the day go by from its perch on a sand bank in the middle of the River Severn.

Greylag Goose

Away from the grazing fields the formal pools that hold the reserves captive collection of world wildfowl were also brimming with wild birds that were taking advantage of the easy supply of food. Shelducks in particular were present in large numbers and were filling the air with their distinctive whistling call.

Shelduck

Pochard

Black Headed Gulls were similarly making the most of visitors generosity, with each handful of thrown seed resulting in a riot of noise and flapping wings. Whilst awaiting their next free meal the gulls have become so tame that it's hard not to get in close for some nice portraits.

Similarly tame are the Wood Pigeons which I'm sure look plumper than those we get locally. Perhaps the symptoms of an easy life? Whatever the cause of their expanding waistlines it seemed like every post or tree had at least one perched upon it, but a few couldn't even be bothered with that and were just sat at random on the ground. Believe me when I say the onus is definitely on the humans to walk around them, not the other way around.

The day delivered several other quality birds throughout including a distant Ruff, male and female Reed Buntings and an always welcome male Pheasant. We did spend twenty minutes or so waiting for the appearance of a Bittern but decided not to wait any longer due to the limited number of daylight hours we had available but mainly because of the bitingly cold wind that was blasting through the hide. Our effort was not in vain however as we were treated to a Water Rail running in and out of cover along a flooded ditch. All in all a very good start to 2012.

A Buggy Start to the New Year

2012-01-01T23:56:00.003Z

2012 got off to a bug filled start this morning. First my iPhone alarm clock failed to wake us due to yet another software issue, then we discovered an unexpected visitor in the kitchen. I shall leave the failings of Apple's development team aside and instead concentrate on our new companion which after a bit of research turned out to be a Hawthorn Shield Bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale).

The Hawthorn Shield Bug is the largest of the UK shield bugs and can grow up to 17mm long. As its name and colouration suggests it is particularly fond of Hawthorn but can also be found widely on other shrubs such as Rowan and Cotoneaster. As we have planted examples of all three species in our garden over the last couple of years I'd like to think that our actions have helped to attract this little beauty in. Interestingly all of the literature that I have read suggests that from late autumn onwards the Hawthorn Shield Bug should be in hibernation to help it survive the winter. Now quite clearly we are well past autumn at this point in time which makes me wonder if this individuals appearance is just another example of how the mild winter is effecting our wildlife. After seeing a Crow carrying nesting material today it certainly wouldn't be the first.

*****

It has become something of a tradition for us in recent years to spend new years day at the local WWT reserve taking part in their annual tick and twitch event. Put simply it is a great way to kick start a new birding year whilst throwing in a bit of friendly competition as to who can spot the highest number of species. In the past cold conditions have generally produced the best results but the entrance feeders were still packed upon our arrival despite double digit temperatures. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Bullfinches, Chaffinches and even the occasional Moorhen were taking their fill whilst out towards the estuary there seemed to be an almost constant movement of Cormorants downstream. With it being high tide the lagoon in front of the British Steel Hide was packed with birds including 180 Wigeon and 750 Lapwing along with a smattering of Redshank, Little Egret, Teal, Gadwall, yet more Cormorants and the four common Gull species. In the background the Burry Inlet delivered my personal bird of the day in the shape of a Slavonian Grebe, a species that I'd normally expect to have to work a lot harder to see.

Behind the hide a Sparrowhawk was showing very well as it first alighted on a fence post and then set about disturbing the assembled flocks. We saw what I assume was the same bird later in the day causing yet more havoc as it shot through the feeder area though on that occasion its efforts were unsuccessful. Black Tailed Godwit and Curlew were added in quick succession before we embarked on a run of good fortune with birds that you may not necessarily associate with a wetland reserve. Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Wood Pigeon, Redwing, Song Thrush, Wren, Dunnock and Collared Dove were all found around the ornamental pools before it was time to move over to the Millennium Wetlands.

From the Heron Wing Hide I was very pleased to see that a couple of Pintail were back after their complete absence during my last visit, as was a Little Grebe that had been proving elusive across the rest of the reserve. The arrival of a particularly noisy party signalled that we should take our leave so we headed round to the Peter Scott Hide from which you get great views over several small islands that come the summer will be packed with breeding Black Headed Gulls. Today they were altogether quieter which probably explained the presence of seven Common Snipe amongst the roosting Mallards. I would have attempted a few photographs but the heavens chose that moment to deliver a prolonged and heavy downpour that made us glad to be undercover. Ironically the rain seemed to perk the Snipe up as they first started to preen and then hunt for food. One of the birds even swam across a section of open water which is the first time I have seen a Snipe exhibit such behaviour.

After the storm had passed we were back out in the open and looking for Redpoll amongst the willows. Unfortunately we drew a blank but did find a small group of Goldfinch closely followed by a much larger group of Siskins, a bird I seemed to see very little of during the latter half of 2011. After that triumph it seemed that we really were exhausting what the reserve had to offer with only the calls of Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler creeping onto our list due to a relaxation in my strict must be seen to be counted rule. The day still had one last treat in store though with a single Chiffchaff bringing our final total up to a very respectable 58. With that good start in the bag let's see what the rest of the year can deliver.

Whooper, Scaup and 2011

2011-12-31T20:59:00.000Z

After the indulgences of Christmas and a few days back at work I was really looking forward to getting back into the great outdoors today. Imagine my disappointment therefore upon opening the curtains this morning to find thick fog and wave upon wave of rain being driven up the valley from the west. These past few weeks have seen some of the direst weather I have yet experienced since moving to Wales and to be frank I've had enough of it. I was determined to get out so consulted the weather forecasts and spotted what looked to be a few hours of promising weather over Cardiff around midday. Realising that we had yet to visit Cosmeston Lakes this year it seemed like the perfect opportunity to put that little oversight right. We were soon on our way down the M4 and by some miracle arrived just as the sun broke through the clouds. I jumped straight out of the car and headed over to the waters edge before conditions could change back as I really wanted to connect with the lakes current celebrity; an incredibly tame Whooper Swan.

As had been reported the Whooper was associating with the resident Mute Swans and was very happy to feed on bread thrown into the water by visitors. It has a very prominent orange ring on its left leg reading Y59, which marks this out as a bird ringed in Worcestershire during January of this year. Whooper Swans are by no means a common visitor to the area and it is even more unusual to find one that is quite so approachable.

The Mute Swans on the other hand were as in your face as ever. Woe betide anyone who arrives not bearing gifts (or at least some stale bread).

On the opposite side of the lake another winter visitor, this time a Greater Scaup, could be found snoozing the day away amongst a flock of Tufted Ducks. As usual with this species it was asleep and had managed to pick a patch of water that was just out of reach of my camera. It's as if they do it on purpose I swear.

Water levels at the lake were the highest I have ever seen them which was causing small waves (it was quite windy) to lap over the board-walk edges in places. This Black Headed Gull didn't seem to mind though.

Other birds seen during the trip included a couple of Redwing, three Bullfinch and a smattering of Pochard and Great Crested Grebes. As with Sandy Water Park last week waterfowl numbers are way down on what were they last year, no doubt due to the incredibly mild temperatures. Today for instance the car was reading 11 celcius which hardly seems fitting for the last day of the year.

Speaking of which I had intended to do an end of year post but I decided against it as I just couldn't choose what to include. 2011 has found us in some fantastic locations with wildlife to match, all of which is available here for those who wish to read back through it. For me this year has been one of learning, both in terms of increasing my birding knowledge but also in branching out into new areas including Butterflies, Moths and insects. With those latter categories in particular I have barely touched the tip of the iceberg and will be concentrating on them more fully during the next twelve months.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have stopped by this year to read my blog, leave a comment and encourage me along. It really has been a pleasure and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Barring the end of the world I shall be doing the same throughout 2012 and look forward to sharing more of my experiences from the great outdoors with you all. Happy new year!

Nadolig Llawen

2011-12-24T16:16:00.000Z

Once more we find Christmas Eve upon us, but it's hard to imagine a greater contrast with what we were experiencing twelve months ago. Where last year there was snow on the ground and temperatures were struggling to get above freezing we now have extremely mild conditions and almost torrential rain. Nevertheless we tried to get out for a bit today and started off by heading over to Kidwelly Quay. On the way we got superb views of a Merlin in Llanelli. It first shot across the road ahead of us and then proceeded to fly through the hedge that borders Tesco as we drove parallel. Not what you'd typically expect to see at the local supermarket!

At Kidwelly the rain was very persistent at times but we still managed to pick out a Peregrine Falcon and a Kestrel on the marsh. Closer in and Lapwings were the most numerous species present along with thirty Teal, seven Greenshank, several Redshank and a Little Egret that was having quite a bit of success in its hunting. We walked a short distance along Kymer's Canal in the hope of spotting a Water Rail but had to make do with some very loud vocalisations from one instead.

Next up was Sandy Water park which to my surprise was almost devoid of waterfowl with the exception of a few Pochard and Tufted Duck. A Little Grebe was fishing very close to shore but it was so overcast that it wasn't worth getting the camera out. The assembled Gulls were split roughly fifty fifty between Black Headed and Herring, but it was nice to see at least ten Common Gulls in amongst them. It seems like only yesterday that the lake was completely frozen over and we were watching a Bittern at close range.

Sandy Water park exactly one year ago

I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas (Nadolig Llawen).

Radiant Rainbows

2011-12-22T22:11:00.000Z

We still seem to be having an incredibly high number of rainbows this week, more than I can ever remember seeing in fact (that's probably an exaggeration but you get the picture). As I have mentioned previously most of these, including the occasional double, have been witnessed whilst stuck inside the camera barren confines of my workplace. Fortunately a real cracker popped up during my wander around the Llanelli WWT reserve on Sunday when a fast moving shower appeared almost out of nowhere. With the sun catching the tops of the trees and a menacing sky behind it turned out to be the most striking rainbow of them all.

From my vantage point I was somewhat hemmed in by trees with just a small opening to look through. As a result I couldn't take any alternative landscapes so instead focused in on an area where the rainbow passed behind one of the skeletal trees. This is a shot I've tried a couple of times before, but somehow the colours always seem to lose their vibrancy when committed to film (or in this case memory card). To my relief there was no such issue this time around.

Within a few minutes the storm had passed by and blue sky had been restored. As I continued to wander around the reserve I found my eye being constantly drawn to the trees whose varied colours and shapes bettered most of what passes as so called art these days. This one in particular could only have been more spectacular if the very branches themselves had been on fire.

In other news one of the Peregrine Falcons was back at work today, circling my office block in the moments before we were completely enveloped by mist. Although I can't be certain how many of this years family members are in the area it's good to see that at least one of them is making regular return visits.

Feeder Frenzy

2011-12-20T22:41:00.000Z

After the wind of Saturday it was nice to be in the slightly more sheltered location of Llanelli's WWT reserve on Sunday. As I pulled into the car park I noticed that the feeders featured in one of my posts a couple of weeks ago had been restocked and added to. It was clear that the drop in temperature was starting to bring in a greater variety of birds so I pulled the car into position and got the camera ready. Almost immediately a small group of Long Tailed Tits appeared on the scene and I grabbed what photos I could in the twenty seconds or so before they moved onto their next feeding location. In my experience they are the birds least likely to stay in one place for any amount of time so I am very happy with the results below.

The Blue Tits were again out in force and seemed particularly fond of a wicker bell shaped feeder that was stuffed with fat and seeds. Trying to capture one of the birds with its head out of the shadow cast by the feeder was a bit of a challenge but I managed it in the end.

Other visitors included Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Bullfinch, Jay, Great Tit, Coal Tit and of course Chaffinches, although Greenfinches were notable by their absence. I hope that the local population hasn't been hit by trichomonosis again. This male Chaffinch was one of the few that posed out in the sun for me, the rest choosing to feed on the grass which I really don't like photographing against.

The most surprising arrival was a pair of Pied Wagtails which although not in the least bit rare are a species that I don't see very often at the reserve.

Away from the feeders the colder temperatures and the onset of winter are starting to have an effect judging by the large increase in waterfowl since my last count. Wigeon numbers still seem a bit low at around 140 but Lapwings are now well over 200 with Shellducks at around 65. The large flock of Pintails that had been visible from the Heron Wing Hide seem to have departed but Tufted Duck, Pochard and Gadwall numbers have increased to take their place. I was particularly pleased to see one of the Kingfishers back on its post at the Michael Powell hide, something which I'm hoping will be a regular occurrence over the next couple of months. In terms of other winter arrivals the reserve is still very low on Redwing numbers with just five seen in the Millennium Wetlands, but that was more than made up for by the small flock of Redpoll I found feeding on old seed heads towards the end of the day. I still want an opportunity to photograph a Redwing though.

Wind and Waves in Wales

2011-12-18T22:41:00.000Z

The past week has certainly been a pretty extraordinary one for those of us who have an unhealthy obsession with watching the weather and then telling random people on various social media sites about it in real-time. You name it we've had it from bog standard rain through to sleet, snow and hail mixed in with a smattering of rainbows, the occasional double rainbow, thunder, lightning and lashings of gales. I'd love to have some photos to share with you but most of it has taken place while I've been at work where sadly cameras are banned. Without such restrictions you could have been watching a video of our office windows flexing violently and quite alarmingly in and out during a particularly vicious storm, but alas it is not to be. Fortunately for you the wind was still pretty strong on Saturday and thankfully the National Trust hasn't yet banned cameras on land they own. Therefore feel free to enjoy the sight of pounding waves smashing right over the top of Worms Head on Gower. I can only imagine what it must have been like when the wind was at its strongest.

Around the corner from the exposed northern flanks of Worms Head lies Fall Bay which to the relief of my incessantly flapping coat was sheltered from the worst of the wind. With the sun shining down on us and white puffy clouds in the sky it was very pleasant indeed, although I still wouldn't have contemplated surfing as one hardy couple were doing.

However, all illusions of calmness were shattered as soon as we turned to face Tears Point where huge rollers were being driven hard onto the rocks. They were by far the biggest waves I've ever seen on Gower and although heights were difficult to estimate I'd guess at somewhere in the region of five metres plus. We got as close as we dared but somehow the photos just don't do justice to what we were witnessing.

Unsurprisingly much of the bird life was keeping itself well hidden with the exception of the usual Gulls and Oystercatchers. It was however very nice to see several flocks of Linnets moving between Gorse bushes near the coastguard hut as well as a Kestrel sheltering on top of one of the stone walls. Cormorants were out in good numbers including a pair that got spectacularly wiped out by a wave near Tears Point. Over at Mewslade another Kestrel and a Buzzard were being harried by the Jackdaws but it was the Nitten field that really produced the goods. Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits were the most numerous inhabitants but the day was stolen by a magnificent pair of Yellowhammers which are always a treat to see. Unfortunately they were a bit camera shy as was a nearby pair of Song Thrushes. The following Mistle Thrush posed beautifully however, and if my memory serves me correctly this is the first photo I have ever taken of one.

It was very noticeable just how quiet the coastal path was during our walk now that the summer tourists are a dim and distant memory. They are a vital source of income for the local economy and very welcome but it is nice occasionally to feel like you have the place to yourself. With their departure has come the arrival of the sheep including several rams, one of which was particularly stubborn and looked less than pleased at our presence.

After some reassuring words (to Emma not the sheep) we won the stand-off and sent the ram on its way. To be fair I'd probably have been a bit grouchy as well if my undercarriage had been so exposed on such a cold day.

Biological Seed Dispersal Agents

2011-12-15T23:06:00.002Z

Biological seed dispersal agents, or Jackdaws as I prefer to call ours, turned late morning lie-ins into a distant memory for us this past autumn. Where once upon a time we took for granted the peace and quiet of our semi-rural location we now found ourselves under attack from a barrage of hammering. To make matters worse this wasn't any eager beaver DIY enthusiast at the other end of the street either but instead something that sounded a bit like a pneumatic drill on our very own roof. At first we were a bit baffled as to who or what the culprits could be until we started stepping on these all over our garden paths.

You may think that finding an acorn is not that unusual but we were quite surprised considering that our nearest Oak tree is a good distance away from the house. Closer inspection revealed that most of the acorns had been pecked at by a large beaked bird, and with no visiting Jays our suspicions immediately fell on the ever hungry Jackdaws. Eventually we caught one red handed (footed?) as it arrived with an acorn and proceeded to use our roof as a rather expansive nut cracker.

Despite the disturbance it was great to see one of natures processes in action. Oak trees, like many other plants, rely on birds and animals to carry their seeds away to a location that will hopefully be suitable for germination whilst providing no direct competition to the parent. The most common 'biological dispersal agents' of acorns in this country are Squirrels and Jays, both of which bury huge numbers each year to provide them with a food supply during the cold winter months. Even though Jays in particular have an incredibly high retrieval rate there is always a certain percentage that will remain undiscovered of which a few will eventually grow into new trees. Through this method a single tree can bring new growth to areas many kilometres away from its location, and that's exactly what has happened in our front garden.

The young sapling above burst out of the soil this year but I imagine the acorn that generated it was probably dropped the previous autumn. It has grown an impressive amount during the intervening months but unfortunately the patch of soil it calls home is right next to the house. As much as I would like an Oak tree to look out at I don't think the buildings foundations would welcome the roots as they start to spread. Instead I shall be transplanting it to the back garden where it can join what I am hoping will eventually turn into a small wooded area.

Fungi and Natural Navigation

2011-12-14T21:33:00.000Z

I watched a very interesting series on TV recently called "All Roads Lead Home" that introduced three celebrities to the art of natural navigation. For those unfamiliar with the term it describes the way in which it is possible to use our surroundings to determine which way is north and thus hopefully arrive at the intended destination without need for maps or the harassing of passers-by. I'm sure most of us are familiar with some of the basics such as working out the prevailing wind direction based on the shape of nearby trees, but other subtler techniques such as observing on which side of a wall certain lichens grow had never previously occurred to me. Ever since I have been subconsciously looking out for these natural way-pointers when out walking, and in doing so have for example become far more aware of the selective nature of fungi when it comes to choosing a habitat.

During our trip to Leeds we stumbled across a perfect example of what I am rambling on about in an area known as Clayton Woods. On the way back from partaking in some geocaching we stepped over a long ago fallen tree and noticed the following two species of fungi growing upon it.

While both were very fine to look at in their own right it was the positioning of the two species on the log that really caught me eye. They were growing completely apart from each other and on opposite sides of the log as shown below.

This top down view shows that the bracket type fungi is growing on what appears to be the dryer side of the log (left) whereas the other is in a far damper climate as indicated by the darker colour of the wood and increased moss growth. As an example of species specialisation it is almost perfect, but if I can bring it back to how I started this post it is also a fine aide to the followers of natural navigation. Being in the UK and hence the northern hemisphere our sun rises in the east and sets in the west after taking in the south. As a result the southern surface of objects tend to dry quicker. By contrast those facing north are usually in the shade for much of the time and hence are cooler and damper. With this in mind it is quite clear to see from our log which way is north and which way is south, and also which species of fungi prefers which habitat. Fascinating stuff I think.

Michael Powell Delivers

2011-12-12T20:25:00.000Z

I only managed to get out for a couple of hours this weekend and spent it all at the local WWT reserve. As my parents were down visiting (and more importantly dropping off Christmas presents) it seemed like the ideal opportunity to once again take in the centres huge Starling murmuration, a spectacle that neither of them had ever seen. Before that though it was the turn of the Michael Powell Hide to deliver with one of the best viewing sessions I have ever had from its draughty confines.

My Mom had barely been hauled up onto one of the hide's benches (they are very high and she is very short) before the first of three Common Snipe was spotted on the far side of the pond. Scanning along the bank a second was soon in view before our attention was taken by the arrival of a Kingfisher. Its iridescent blue plumage cut through the gloom like a knife through butter as it moved from perch to perch before finally settling on a fence post. It was then the turn of a pair of Greenshank, three Little Egrets, numerous whistling Wigeon and a grooming Grey Heron to keep us occupied until I picked out a distant Sparrowhawk being harried across the marsh by a couple of Crows. When that battle was lost from view we completed the trilogy of Common Snipe, promptly followed by their disappearance over the top of a grassy bank. Above where they had been sat was what I at first thought was the Kingfisher again, only to realise that our bird hadn't moved from its aforementioned post. We had a pair! The question of whether or not they would be tolerant of each other was soon answered with the new arrival promptly chased away. Throughout all of these antics a Water Rail was discreetly swimming back and forth between one of the small islands and the pond edge, the first time I have ever seen one out in open water. As if that wasn't enough we rounded off proceedings with another distant bird of prey in the shape of a Peregrine Falcon perched out towards the estuary.

By now the sun was very low in the sky so we headed over to the Millennium Wetlands to take up position in preparation for the Starlings arrival. Once again Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers were calling from all directions and once again they were impossible to locate. Right on cue the first small groups of Starlings started to appear over the reserve and in no time at all the murmuration was in full swing.

That's where things started to go a bit wrong however. For some reason, possibly due to climatic conditions, the birds went down into the reeds far quicker than we had expected and in a location that we couldn't see clearly. We tried to move closer but by then the show was pretty much over. Nevertheless it was still an impressive if somewhat curtailed display and my parents were more than happy.

As an aside I shall take this opportunity to mourn the passing of one of my oldest and most faithful walking companions, my boots. Originally bought way back in 1999 they have since covered hundreds if not thousands of miles. Not once during that time have I had to waterproof them and not once have they leaked as they took me faultlessly to almost every part of the UK.

Despite their somewhat dilapidated appearance they are still going strong with just a small split to the leather in one side and a loss of the original green colouration. The reason for their replacement lies with the soles which have been worn away to such an extent that they are now almost slick. This not only makes walking harder on the feet but has also significantly reduced grip. Therefore it is with a heavy heart that I relegate them to gardening duty and welcome in a new pair of Mammut Mt Trail GTX's (cool name). Like the old ones they have Gore-Tex technology to aid waterproofing and breathability whilst the memory foam soles and reinforced foot arch should make them very comfortable. All that's left now is to try them out and cover some of that shine in Welsh mud. There's plenty of it around at the moment as well with all this rain we're having.

Return of the WWT Feeders

2011-12-08T20:52:00.001Z

Our return from Aberystwyth on Monday heralded the arrival of something that had been notable by its absence over the previous few days. With an unfamiliar orange orb shining in the sky our shopping plans were abandoned and instead we headed over to the Llanelli WWT reserve. Our targets were the bird feeders that hang in the car park and allow you to park so close that you basically have your own private hide. Since my last visit this practise has clearly become more popular as I had to wait for another two cars to leave before I could take my place. That delay meant that the sun was already low in the sky by the time I started shooting but the light still had a very nice quality to it.

As you can see from this selection of photos, Blue Tits and Great Tits were by far the most numerous visitors. The mild conditions have yet to force many birds to the feeders but there was still a decent variety including Coal Tit, Robin, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Wren and Magpie. I was hoping for the appearance of a Woodpecker but with none on offer I have an excellent excuse to pop back again soon.

A Bit Of Purple But Mostly Grey

2011-12-06T21:37:00.001Z

Considering the fact that I live in Wales this blog has been sorely lacking in castles over the last couple of years. Thankfully I am able to rectify this frankly obscene oversight with the inclusion of a photo of Dryslwyn Castle, built in the 1220's by the princes of Deheubarth and captured by the English in 1287. It was ultimately burnt to the ground in the 15th century to stop it falling back into Welsh hands and has sat watch over the Towy valley ever since.

History aside (although I am a big fan of castles) we were at Dryslwyn not to relive ancient battles but to have a look at the river Towy in the hope of spotting a Whooper Swan or two. Anyone that reads the Carmarthenshire Birds sightings page will probably have noticed that together with Cilsan Bridge this is the best location locally to see these overwintering birds. Sadly we were out of luck on this occasion but made up for it with superb views of a Sparrowhawk circling the castle along with a pair of Ravens and a Red Kite. Out in the flooded fields Curlews, Wigeon, Canada Geese, Lapwings and Mute Swans (of which there were 69 at Cilsan!) could be seen feeding whilst the surrounding bushes were packed with Blackbirds as well as the occasional Redwing and Mistle Thrush. The view wasn't bad either.

This tree also grabbed my attention, not because it contained the mega that I am sure I will discover one day but simply because I liked its shape and the dark clouds behind.

Having taken our fill we headed on up the coast to Aberystwyth, my old university town and our base for a relaxing couple of days away from it all that was to include a fantastic evening talk by Chris Packham. The weather upon arrival rather set the scene for the whole weekend with very strong onshore winds and a menacing sky. It was a shame that the high tides weren't at their maximum as even with reduced height the waves were crashing over the promenade.

In such harsh conditions and with all the main feeding areas covered the beach was dotted with small gatherings of Turnstones and Ringed Plovers waiting it out. The best roosting site though has to go to the seven Purple Sandpipers that were tucked away on the sea wall itself where the large facing stones offered a couple of tiny ledges. If you look closely at the picture below you can just about see two of the birds (the white dots) where the walls intersect.

Photographically they couldn't have picked a worse place to be. The lighting was already terrible out in the open and they were in the shade, the wind was so strong that it was an effort to walk in a straight line and every so often a plume of spray would come shooting over any unsuspecting person who was daft enough to be in the way i.e. me. Nevertheless I persevered and despite pushing my bridge camera to the definitely not recommended heights of ISO400 and hand holding the equivalent of a 400mm lens at 1/30 of a second, I came away with some pleasing results.

That was about it for bird photography though there are a couple of sightings that I must mention before I go. The first was a Raven that we spotted carrying an egg in its beak at Clarach Bay, which if you want a clear example of how warm our autumn has been you wont find one much better. The second involves the famous Aberystwyth Starling murmuration at which I finally saw a Peregrine Falcon make a successful catch. The Peregrine is a regular visitor but always seems to be outmanoeuvred, a tradition that looked as if it was to continue on this occasion. That was until it tried a different tact of retreating and then coming in after one of the much smaller straggler groups. The result was one dead Starling and a rather chuffed looking Peregrine. A fantastic town and fantastic birds. What more could you ask for?

Starling Murmuration at Llanelli WWT

2011-12-04T13:00:00.000Z

Last Sunday we were at the WWT's Llanelli reserve for a wildlife encounter that sums up this time of year like no other; a huge Starling murmuration featuring in excess of 100,000 birds. Despite visiting regularly for the last couple of years this is the first time that I have heard of there being a murmuration on site, and by all accounts it was not to be missed. Therefore as the sun started to set we headed over to the Millennium Wetlands to take up position and wait for the arrival of the first Starlings, all the while being serenaded by calling Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers.

After half an hour the first few birds started to appear over the distant tree-line and in no time at all they were circling overhead.

From that moment on birds were flying in from every direction in ever bigger flocks until the sky was one swirling mass. Their numbers were impossible to estimate but the sound of flapping wings was incredibly loud, only interrupted by the pitter-patter of falling droppings. Needless to say I was trying to shelter under a small tree.

With the flock seemingly as big as it was going to get the first birds started to spiral down into the reeds. What started as a trickle soon turned into a torrent as thousands upon thousands of Starlings joined the descent. How the reeds were able to hold so many is still a mystery to me, even more so considering that they were almost impossible to see once inside.

After seeing all of the birds down we turned around to see another huge murmuration of at least the same size again gathering behind us. Amazingly these new arrivals made their way over to us and landed in exactly the same small area of reedbed before the whole lot once more took to the air. They soon settled down again in an area that was a little more out of reach from the footpath.

There were an amazing number of people present to witness the show, probably more than I have ever seen at the reserve in fact. As it turns out the BBC news website had featured the spectacle quite prominently the day before which has given some great exposure not just for the WWT but also for this most fantastic of spectacles. If you are in the area it is well worth the visit.

Yorkshire Red Grouse

2011-12-02T20:36:00.001Z

I find Red Grouse to be fascinating creatures. I saw my first one last year and spent the rest of that day running around the moors in what seemed like increasingly futile attempts at getting a decent photograph. Being a game bird they are incredibly wary of people which meant that any approach in the open was met with furious flapping and the view of a plump backside. I deployed various tactics including crawling along behind stone walls and using the lie of the land to hide my presence, but ultimately got my first and up to that point only Grouse photo by dropping to the floor and waiting for a female bird to wander in my direction. I was very pleased with the results but didn't half get some funny looks off passing walkers.

On only the second day of our Leeds trip I was back up on the Yorkshire Moors near Grassington hoping to better my previous efforts. The sun was out and after only a few minutes of walking we had already spotted the distinctive markings of Red Grouse in the soft ground. Soon after came their distinctive call followed by a group of three birds which erupted from very near our feet. Talk about good camouflage! As I watched them disappear over the horizon I began to wonder if I had just squandered what was probably going to be my best chance of the day. Fortunately I was to be proved wrong just a little further up the valley when I spied a male and female pair skulking through an area of burned Heather. I crept as close as I dared and was rewarded with a nice composition and pose, even though I was looking into the sun.

Just around the corner another Grouse was in a much better position and showing off its pale fluffy legs brilliantly. I'd not noticed these before and they are presumably a godsend when winter really starts to bite.

I was already very happy with the photos above when I spotted yet another Grouse sat on top of one of the ancient stone walls that criss-cross this landscape. At first I used another wall for cover but for some reason this individual was so tame that I was able to come out into the open and approach to within a few metres. The results speak for themselves.

Looking at this series of photos it's hard to imagine that this particular valley was once a hive of activity with mining for lead ore being the primary employer. As a result the whole area resembles something like swiss cheese beneath the surface. While taking the photos above the unstable nature of these old workings was perfectly demonstrated as the sound of falling rocks drifted up from a location that seemed to be directly under my feet. Not being something you expect to encounter I looked around but could see no visible sign of anything untoward. Slightly unnerving but definitely a moment that will stick in my memory for a long time to come.

Bird Feeders at RSPB Fairburn Ings

2011-11-24T21:48:00.000Z

With the Christmas season fast approaching (already!!) we made a long overdue visit to Leeds last week to stay with Emma's family. A great time was had by all and I got the opportunity to indulge in two of my favourite Yorkshire activities; searching the moors in the vague hope of photographing some Red Grouse and enjoying a walk around the RSPB's fantastic Fairburn Ings reserve.

My first visit to Fairburn Ings last year was memorable for the dense fog that shrouded the whole reserve in semi-darkness. Visibility was such that walking along the raised embankment between the two lakes I was only aware of their presence from the sound of the ducks. Obviously this had somewhat of an impact on what we could see but it was also incredibly frustrating when we reached the visitor centre feeders and I was unable to take any photographs. Tree Sparrows and Willow Tits, both species I see very rarely, were feeding only a few meters away but there just wasn't enough light to get anything usable.

This time round things were looking up as we set off under clear blue skies. The closer we got though the duller it became until once again we arrived at Fairburn in the fog. In an effort to at least record something I was forced to resort to video.

The big surprise was a pair of Red-legged Partridges which were remarkably tame, especially considering the sound of gunshots that were filtering across from nearby fields. They were accompanied by the usual Pheasants (the tail of one can be seen behind the Partridges in the video above) as well as numerous Goldfinches, Tree Sparrows, Dunnocks, Greenfinches, Chaffinches and a couple of Willow Tits. The surrounding trees held several Redwings and a small flock of seven Collared Doves.

Out on the lakes themselves we could at least see the water this time and spotted several Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebes and four Pintail as well as the expected winter waterfowl species. Two Black Swans present were presumably escapees but given that they can fly and have survived at least one harsh winter already (we saw presumably the same birds there last year) they count as wild in my book. All in all a great day, although I do wonder if Fairburn ever sees the sun!

Wittezee Shipwreck - The Return

2011-11-17T22:28:00.001Z

Way back in 2009 I stumbled across the impressive remains of the shipwrecked Wittezee, a Rotterdam registered tug which came to grief along the Gower coastline in 1940. That chance find amongst the rocks of Overton Mere opened up a whole new area of interest for me and spawned the website Gower Shipwrecks. Slowly but surely I have been researching other wrecks around the peninsula and visiting each location to hunt out and catalogue any remains or artefacts linked to their stories. It was therefore no surprise that on returning to Overton last weekend one of my key aims was to check on the wreck that I had last photographed over two years ago.

At first all looked well but then I spotted the brand new outfall pipe that had been installed by Welsh Water and which cut right through the heart of the bay. Although relatively small and well disguised in itself, the machinery used to install it had necessitated the building of a temporary road across the rocks. In doing so it would appear that all of the remains I had originally photographed, some of which are show above, had been removed, no doubt to a fate that does not befit the history associated with them. Clearly I was less than impressed with this turn of events and started a search along the coastline in the hope that some evidence of the Wittezee still remained. To begin with all we found were small sections of steel which had no doubt been ripped from her hull as she broke up, but then we stumbled across a tangled mass of steel cable that must presumably have been part of her pulling gear.

Moving on we were fortunate that our visit had coincided with a low tide as it meant that we were able to walk much further out onto the rocks than previously. As we stepped down into one particularly deep ravine we could not have imagined what we would find. Spread before us was the actual hull of the Wittezee lying on its side, battered and with large sections removed for scrap but largely present from stern to bow.

The power of the sea has in places moulded the sheet steel to perfectly match the underlying rock formations, a testament to the power that once tore this ship apart. Elsewhere it almost appears as if the metal has itself been turned to rock given how every surface is encrusted with the same marine life. Those areas that remain clear reveal surprising details such as the makers stamp on one of the hull ribs.

To find that those first remains are now gone is sad, but to have discovered the hull is enough compensation to lessen the disappointment. Given their size and position it is likely that the Wittezee will have a presence on the Gower coastline for many years to come, and I for one am very happy about that.

Snail Trail

2011-11-16T23:44:00.001Z

In nature, as in life, it's often possible to overlook the smaller moments and events that make up the fabric of our environment. While a hunting Eagle or rutting Deer will grab the attention of most of us, have you ever stopped to watch Aphids feeding or a trail of Ants patrolling down a forest track? It's a pastime worth pursuing as those smaller creatures are usually to be found playing out the same life stories as almost every other living inhabitant of this planet.

Rhossili Rambling

2011-11-13T22:43:00.001Z

I was suffering from Chough withdrawal symptoms yesterday so headed over to Rhossili Down for a mooch around. After a rather warm climb to the top it wasn't long before I caught the first snippet of call drifting across the landscape, closely followed by the birds themselves. What I had originally thought was a single individual soon turned out to be a pair, not that surprising really as they seem to rarely forage alone. An attempt to move in closer was quickly aborted as they seemed easily spooked, perhaps unsettled by the Crow that was standing watch over their every move.

Patience turned out to be the best approach as a few minutes later one of the Choughs flew right past me on the way to its next feeding area. Even better was the fact that in a miraculous stroke of good fortune my camera actually managed to focus on a flying bird for only the second time in its long history of trying. Result!

Being the day before Remembrance Sunday it seemed appropriate to take a small diversion to visit the old WW2 radar station on the western flanks of Rhossili Down. First operational in 1942 it was one of a group of stations commanded from Milford Haven whose purpose was to monitor the Bristol Channel. Originally designed to monitor shipping and low level aircraft it was soon upgraded to form part of the Chain Home Low radar network until its closure in 1945. Now all that remains are extensive concrete foundations and broken walls that help us remember our coast was not always so tranquil.

After dropping back down to sea level I decided to explore Llangennith Burrows. Despite popping by earlier in the year to see a Woodchat Shrike it's not a place that I have walked extensively, and after an hour spent amongst the dunes I found myself wondering why. Although on a smaller scale then Kenfig it's still very easy to find yourself in almost complete isolation in a sand valley that likely no one has been for a very long time. Stonechats, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Starlings, Meadow Pipits, Buzzards and the occasional Rabbit were my only companions, unless of course you count the extensive population of fungi that seemed to be growing wherever I looked.

By now the sun had started its all too rapid descent towards the horizon and with three miles of beach between me and my car it was time to turn for home. On the walk back I was treated to a large flock of Golden Plovers flying overhead in the direction of the Burry, whilst Oystercatchers and Gulls of Common, Black Headed, Black Backed and Herring varieties went about their business on the ground.

With such beautiful evening light it would have been remiss of me not to take the requisite shot of the Helvetia shipwreck with Worms Head in the background. It may be the most photographed view on Gower but it's not hard to see way.

Owltastic Gower

2011-11-11T22:42:00.001Z

I've just got back from a very productive evening drive around Gower, one of my favourite pastimes at this time of the year when the early nights make any after work walking difficult. I've been doing it for a couple of years now and always keep an eye out for any Owls caught in the cars headlights. Tonight I finally hit pay dirt with a superb Barn Owl sat on a fence post along the Llanrhidian marsh road. I'd heard rumours that one had been seen occasionally in that area but truthfully never believed that we would find it for ourselves. It sat bolt upright for a minute or so before disappearing over the hedgerow with a few strong beats of its wings. Brief but brilliant.

Tawny Owls were also on the agenda with a couple heard calling at Parc le Breos and another spotted flying across the road on the way down from Cefn Bryn. While we are on the subject I have heard Tawny's calling around the house on at least a couple of occasions over the last fortnight and Emma saw one fly across the back lane yesterday morning. After years of thinking that Owls were one of those unattainable birds its brilliant to be getting regular views, and even better to have some literally on my doorstep.

Keeping It Local With Some Brain Fungus

2011-11-10T21:05:00.001Z

We kept it local last Sunday with an afternoon walk around the patch. On our way out we took the opportunity to top up the garden feeders that are really taking a battering now that winter is on its way. Bird numbers are starting to build up once again and it's only a couple of days before they empty. I dread to think what it will be like when the Starlings return and the temperatures properly drop. One of our most regular visitors are the Blue Tits which are becoming increasingly tame. This one was hopping around in the bush next to me as soon as the feeders were back in place.

Up on Goppa Hill the usual Bullfinches and Jays were present but I was over the moon to spot four magnificent Red Kites soaring overhead. This is the first time in a good few months that I have seen these birds back together (assuming they are the same four that I have seen here in the past).

The Kites were ranging widely over the valley but every now and again one would approach within a few meters. Truly a great sight and one that I will never tire of. It was also nice to see a pair of Ravens, the first since our return from Norfolk.

Next it was over to Bryn-bach-Common where three Skylarks and several hundred Starlings were feeding. I suspect that there were also a few Redwing in attendance but we never got views clear enough to be absolutely sure. What we couldn't miss were two species of bright yellow Fungi, both of which are new finds for me. The first is known as Golden Spindles (Clavulinopsis fusiformis) and is a lover of short grassland.

The second has the frankly brilliant name of Yellow Brain Fungus (Tremella mesenterica) and was found on a piece of rotting Gorse.

We eventually finished up with a climb to the top of Cefn Drum and its summit cairn. With the Bracken dying back and browns replacing the luscious greens its not hard to tell what time of year it is. The only things out of place were our sweating brows. Is this really November?

Pembrokeshire Pup

2011-11-08T22:46:00.000Z

Porth Clais is a 12th century harbour nestled in a small inlet on the Pembrokeshire coast. It was originally built to allow imported coal and timber to be brought to Saint David's, officially the UK's smallest city both in terms of physical size and population which barely exceeds 1,700 people. Porth Clais is notable for being lined with several superbly preserved lime kilns and is still used by a small band of fishermen and local tourists. On top of all that it's also one of the most attractive ports that I have ever had the pleasure to visit.

After failing to find the long staying Isabelline Shrike (see previous post) we set off from the port to take in an area of Pembrokeshire's coastal path that we had yet to walk. Only a few minutes had passed before we spotted a Great Northern Diver fishing just outside the sea wall, the first of several sea bird species seen on the day which included Gannets, Cormorants and winter plumaged Guillemots. It was also nice to find a couple of flocks of Long Tailed Tits feeding on gorse near the cliff tops, as well as a pair of Mute Swans on a large farm pond which was again very near to the cliff edge. Surprise of the day though has to go to the fantastic male Hen Harrier that came soaring into view just in front of us before proceeding to quarter the footpath for a good distance ahead. Perhaps it was enjoying the views from this spectacular part of the coast, something that if I hadn't been doing may have resulted in me being able to get my camera out in time to photograph him.

With an incoming tide we popped down to the beach at Porthlysgi Bay to watch the waters approach in what turned out to be an inspired move. We spent a good while exploring the rapidly vanishing rock pools and trying to identify the various bird footprints in the sand before moving to the top of the beach to check the map for our onward journey. In doing so I caught a small movement from the corner of my eye between two large rocks above the strand-line. At first all looked normal until one of the rocks moved again and then produced a head! It quickly became apparent that we had found a small Grey Seal pup dozing in the warm sunshine.

The pup was completely disinterested in our presence and just seemed to be trying to get comfortable on the rocks. It would occasionally have a fidget before settling down, closing its eyes and dropping back off to sleep. The temptation when finding a seal pup alone like this is to assume that it has been abandoned or is in trouble. In most situations this is simply not the case as parents often leave their pups hidden on beaches while they go off hunting. Interfering in any way could actually result in the parents rejecting the pup if they detect any human scent on it. I did however make a quick visual check and after satisfying myself that the pup was not in any distress we left it to snooze away the afternoon. Seeing a fully grown Grey Seal a little further along the coast made me all the more certain that we had taken the right course of action.

The Seals hiding place truly was a piece of art as from almost all vantage points it was completely hidden, even when we were back up on the cliffs and looking down. As an example I had been trying to photograph some of the Rock Pipits on the beach and must have come within a couple of meters on a number of occasions and had been none the wiser.

We looped back to our starting point via an inland route and with our final glimpse of the sea were treated to two Choughs flying past. The perfect way to round off a very memorable day.

Isabelline Duology

2011-11-06T20:31:00.000Z

It's been a great weekend here in South Wales with blue skies and temperatures so warm that on occasion t-shirts were more than adequate. Saturday started at dawn with the short drive to Porth Clais in Pembrokeshire where we were hoping to catch up with a very showy Isabelline Shrike. Finding the location was no problem at all but finding the Shrike was a whole other story. We checked out the fabled 'five bar orange gate' where the bird had been showing down to a couple of foot in the days previous, but it seemed we were not going to be so lucky. With so much suitable habitat in the area I wasn't that surprised and after a search of the surrounding area yielded no further sign we had to take the dip on the chin. Not to fear as with a coastline recently voted as "the worlds greatest region for 2012" by Lonely Planet at our disposal, we were spoilt for choice as to how to spend the day. Walking around to Saint David's soon had any thoughts of elusive Shrike's banished, but I'll save that for another post.

Later that evening we were back at home and with the darkness drawing in I resorted to the internet for some amusement. To my great surprise I found that an Isabelline Wheatear had just been reported on North Gower at Wernffrwd. The coincidence in name did not escape me but it was not until today that I was able to find out if our earlier luck was to continue. Fortunately it was not and we were treated to superb views of the Wheatear feeding in relatively close proximity to the gathered throngs early morning and again late evening.

The photo above was the best I could manage given the birds small size and my similarly diminutive camera, but for all its over sharpening and cropping it serves as an adequate record shot. In beautiful lighting it was a treat to watch a bird that in all honesty I would never have picked out as something notable if I had stumbled across it myself. I can only echo the local birding communities gratitude to Rob Taylor for a superb find and for those who got the word out so quickly. I'll leave you with the prerequisite group shot of everyone enjoying another of Gower's red letter days. The Isabelline Wheatear is in there somewhere no doubt sat on one of it's favourite hunting tools - a pile of horse manure!

Late Red Admirals

2011-11-03T21:58:00.000Z

On my various walks over the last couple of weeks it has been very noticeable just how many Red Admirals are still on the wing. They are a frequent sight across the whole of the UK and one of our most recognisable butterflies, but until researching this post I hadn't realised that they are in fact a migrant species. Despite their ubiquitousness for much of the year it is our cold winters that mean that most do not survive to see another spring. This one was seen last weekend at WWT Llanelli where it was soaking up some autumn rays.

It's not all doom and gloom however as with warming climates the south of England has been able to record individuals flying throughout January and February, leading to the declaration of a resident population. Although small this population is expected to spread to other areas of the UK if temperatures continue to rise, but for now we are largely reliant on influxes from Europe to top our numbers up.

Robins, Redwings and Rain

2011-11-01T20:37:00.000Z

Robins, Redwings and rain - three words that sum up this past weekend perfectly.

I spent both Saturday and Sunday at the local WWT reserve near Llanelli, partly due to the fact that I needed to be in range of home for work commitments but mostly because it's been such a long time since I have properly explored its pools and marshes. To my surprise it was remarkably warm for the time of year with temperatures peaking at sixteen Celsius, but even that couldn't make up for the sheets of rain that kept blowing in off the Burry. Fortunately the sun battled its way through the clouds on Sunday just long enough to illuminate this friendly Robin.

With most of the trees now bereft of their leaves it is once again easier to find and observe many of our woodland birds. The reserves plantations were crawling with Goldcrests who appear to have had a particularly good year as well as passing flocks of Long Tailed Tits and the occasional Bullfinch. A Treecreeper was also a nice find given that we haven't seen one there for some time. I was pleased to see that the autumn migrants have started to arrive with at least eight Redwings spotted across both days. Relatively tame in the depths of winter they are currently very skittish and fled at the merest hint of a human approach. They are definitely my target species over the next couple of months as I have yet to get a decent photograph of one despite trying for the past two years. Wish me luck.

Out on the pools waterfowl numbers are really starting to build with at least 215 Wigeon and 25 Shoveller present. Shellduck numbers were also pretty good as were Teal, but surprisingly there were very few Gadwall. They are normally a mainstay at the reserve so it was slightly bemusing to see so few. What was impressive though was the number of Pintails in front of the Heron Wing Hide. I normally count one or two as a good effort but on both days there were upwards of 72, a personal record for me which has been eclipsed today be a warden count of 124. Very nice indeed.

Bad weather and high tides meant that water levels were high across the site, somewhat limiting feeding opportunities for waders. 51 Black Tailed Godwits and a Greenshank from the British Steel Hide were as good as things got, not forgetting the single Dunlin which is a species I haven't recorded there all that often. If the promised cold weather ever gets here this great start should get even better.

Brent Geese in Broughton Bay

2011-10-29T23:52:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday we were back in Wales but it seemed that we weren't quite yet done with the goose species that had so dominated our Norfolk trip. Whilst walking from Llanmadoc to Burry Holms we came across a small flock of eleven Brent Geese feeding on an exposed area of rocks in Broughton Bay. These are regular visitors to the Burry Inlet but with the exception of a pair earlier this year at Port Eynon they are usually difficult to get close to.

With a rapidly incoming tide their feeding area was soon under water, forcing the birds back into the relatively rough sea. In a feeling that I can completely relate to certain members of the group seemed particularly unwilling to renter the water, but another approaching group of walkers seemed to be the extra incentive needed.

Fortunately the Brent Geese chose to swim right past us just a few meters out, resulting in some cracking views.

Each incoming wave was taken head on by the birds in either a graceful surfing motion or by simply crashing through the foaming water. This isn't behaviour I have seen before but it makes perfect sense for a seagoing bird.

As you can see from the photos above the weather was less than brilliant. Although warm a very strong wind was blowing and the promised sun completely failed to materialise. Given the conditions it wasn't surprising that other bird life was at a minimum, but three Mistle Thrushes at Cwm Ivy, a pair of Ringed Plovers on Broughton beach and two Stonechats on Broughton Burrows were all welcome additions. There were also at least forty Gannets fishing off Burry Holms and a good passage of Razorbills and Guillemots. The view, as always, was spectacular.

Seals seemed to be out in force as well with at least three seen during the day. Most of the time they were just loafing around but one in particular really caught my attention. There is a small channel between Burry Holms and the mainland which the water races through as the tide comes in, and this Seal had decided to swim through it. The speeds it achieved were mightily impressive during the brief passage, after which it popped its head out of the water and looked back as if to say "that was fun, let's do it again!". Did he swim around for another go? I'd like to think he did.

Holkham Hall Fallow Deer

2011-10-27T23:11:00.000+01:00

Amongst the coastal footpaths and nature reserves of Norfolk we spent a very enjoyable day walking around Holkham Hall and its three thousand acre park. To my surprise we found a nine mile walk ranging across the entire estate taking in its huge pond, mature woodland, farmland and of course the Deer Park. Holkham's Deer Park was first established in the 1850's from a small herd of Fallow Deer which were moved to the site from elsewhere in Norfolk. Since then the herds numbers have swelled to well over eight hundred, and what a spectacle they are. We arrived at just after nine on a sunny but bitterly cold morning to find most of the animals grazing on the edges of one of the wooded areas. Their grunting and bellowing carried across the still air with incredible clarity, and it was hard not to be impressed by the sight of one of the stags in the early morning light.

The estate also has a small herd of eight Red Deer but they were far too timid during our visit for any photography. The size difference between the two species is clear, and whereas I was perfectly comfortable walking around in close proximity to the Fallows, I would certainly have had to think carefully about being a similar distance away from their larger relatives.

More from North Norfolk

2011-10-27T00:12:00.000+01:00

Readers of my last post will probably have realised that quite a lot of our time in Norfolk was spent on the RSPB's fantastic reserve at Titchwell. It wasn't just the birds that kept drawing us back but rather the whole atmosphere of the place. I have never known anywhere quite so relaxing and rewarding to while away the last few hours of daylight. One of the revelations of the reserve were the new hides that have been built in such a way as to make you feel part of the landscape instead of giving the impression that you are sat in a garden shed. Much of these improvements have come about as a result of the extensive modifications that the RSPB have undertaken over the last couple of years to secure the reserves future in the face of rising sea levels. More information on the work can be found here and is well worth a read for those interested in how we can manage our eroding coastline.

One of the best features of Titchwell is the embankment that leads straight out to the beach. Unlike a lot of nature reserves you are completely exposed while walking along it and have wide ranging views across the various pools and marshes. As a result of constant exposure many of the birds are now perfectly at home with the presence of humans and venture right up to the path allowing for some excellent close-up views. Dabbling Teals were by far the most numerous but Redshank, Little Grebe, Jack Snipe, Water Rail, Common Snipe and this Black Tailed Godwit were all seen at just a few meters distance.

My main reason for wanting to visit Norfolk was to see the huge wader flocks for which it is famous. Titchwell has its fair share of these and during our time there it was the turn of the Golden Plovers to put on a show. Every now and then, and for no discernible reason, the whole flock would take to the air and make some fantastic shapes in the air before returning to ground.

Titchwell's sandy beach sits at the end of the main path and is for many the highlight of the reserve. It stretches for miles in each direction and is largely deserted apart from the birds. Out on the sea we spotted Red Throated Divers and Great Crested Grebes whilst on the sand a still summer plumaged Grey Plover and various Turnstones and Ringed Plovers were present. It was the Sanderlings that really caught my eye though so I moved closer to the water and crouched down. I fully expected them to run away but they were completely oblivious to my presence and continued to feed all around me. Photographing them was difficult as they were constantly on the move, and with so many in range I would often find myself following one only to look up and see another right next to me. Definitely a memorable experience.

During our last evening at Titchwell we were treated to a pair of beautiful Barn Owls hunting over the reeds, but it was a couple of days earlier that I finally got to see this enigmatic species for the first time. We had just driven through Marston and I was accelerating away when Emma shouted out that she could see a Barn Owl sat on a fence post in one of the fields. In complete contravention of the highway code I instinctively braked sharply and glanced across just in time to see that she was right! Back on the throttle we found a farmers gate to turn round in and were soon parked up on the verge watching our first ever Barn Owl. It was clearly eyeing up the vegetation beneath it and on a couple of occasions dropped down as if to catch something. The light was failing badly but I took a record shot anyway as I could scarcely believe we had finally found ourselves in the right place at the right time.

Eventually the owl moved further along the fence and out of sight behind a stable building, so we got back in the car and continued our journey. A few miles further on and we had just reached the outskirts of Cley when to my disbelief I spotted another Barn Owl flying across the road. In a flurry of ABS I stopped in a gravel pull-off and was able to watch the owl fly on across the farmland before vanishing behind some trees. After such an unbelievable couple of sightings we weren't surprised to find the original individual back on its post as we returned to our cottage.

The final bird to share from our trip is the rather strange looking Egyptian Goose, an escaped collection species that now has a healthy feral population in the UK. On my last visit to Norfolk we saw just one compared to the several flocks witnessed this time around. Titchwell and Cley both held good numbers but it was on the Holkham estate that their numbers were really booming. It was there that I was finally able to get close enough to one for a couple of photos.

Although not a true native to these shores they definitely add something a little bit exotic to our normal wildfowl species.

Long Awaited Return to Norfolk

2011-10-25T22:00:00.000+01:00

We spent last week about as far east as it's possible to get from our home in South Wales without leaving the UK. Our destination was the north Norfolk coast, somewhere I used to holiday regularly as a child but a place I haven't been to for at least fifteen years. From those early days I can still clearly remember walking out to the beach through the RSPB reserve at Titchwell, watching the huge wader roost at Snettisham and marvelling at the towering trees on the Sandringham estate. People always say that memories can be rose tinted and it is true that those holidays had their fair share of wind and rain, conditions that seem to be exasperated by the flat nature of the East Anglian landscape.

Fortunately for us our holiday bettered every single one of my memories. Despite not really trying we managed to see 106 species of bird as well as Seals, a Porpoise and Brown Hares. The headline figures disguise a wealth of special moments though that are far too numerous to put down in writing here without churning out something approaching novel length proportions. We had the obvious highs of seeing rarities including Jack Snipe, Yellow-Browed Warbler, Great Grey Shrike, Spoonbill and Slavonian Grebe, but for me it was the more common wildlife that really brought a smile to my face. Finding a field full of Red-legged Partridge on the first evening sticks out in particular, as although locally common in Norfolk they are almost non-existent back home. Watching them run around could have kept me amused for hours. I also managed to finally see a Barn Owl (four in fact!) and Marsh Harriers, six of which were hunting together late one evening at Titchwell. Sticking with birds of prey I have to mention the male Hen Harrier that we watched making idle attempts at catching a Starling during their evening murmurations. Then of course there were the huge flocks of Golden Plover and Geese, Bearded Tits, dabbling Teal, the overhead migration of Redwings and Fieldfares, the night we stumbled across a couple of Grey Partridges and being surrounded by feeding Sanderlings. And that's not even scratching the surface.

We knew we were in for some good times as soon as we stepped out of the car at Wells just after arrival. Walking to the edge of the estuary we were immediately treated to hundreds of Brent Geese, Bar and Black Tailed Godwits, Turnstones, Grey and Golden Plovers, Redshanks and Ringed Plovers. The Brent Geese were a particular treat and were a daily feature either in the air above us or feeding in fields alongside the roads and paths. They were relatively wary of people and the bright sunshine (yes we had a remarkable week of sun) was not particularly conducive to photographing black birds but I got a few photos that I am relatively happy with.

Wells itself is a pretty remarkable place and well worth a visit. The combination of restored warehouses and historic high street lend the place a charm that is often missing from seaside developments. The large masted ship in the photo below is actually operated as a cafe, a great idea that means the quay remains an essence of what it must have looked like in its trading heyday.

The local gulls were very friendly as well with the Black Headed's having learned to beg for food whenever they sensed that a sandwich was in the offing.

One of our favourite evening locations was Lady Anne's Drive on the Holkham estate, the location of the fantastic Grey Partridges that I mentioned above. On reflection I think that they rank as my highlight of the holiday, mainly because they were such an unexpected sight. In truth I had actually forgotten that they even existed it had been so long since I had seen any sort of Partridge species. Our first time there fortunately coincided with a two hundred strong flock of Pink Footed Geese feeding on just the other side of a wire fence. A banging door (not mine I might add) briefly startled them into the air allowing me to get a cracking flight shot lit by the setting sun.

Talking of a setting sun we were treated to one of the best 'land' sunsets I have ever witnessed that same evening.

Another great place to watch the sun go down was at RSPB Titchwell, easily the best nature reserve I have ever visited. We spent three evenings there, the highlight of which was watching six Marsh Harriers and a pair of Barn Owls hunting over the reeds. A dusk visit to Cley also comes close with a Bittern flying along the path in front of us, a Slavonian Grebe out on the sea and a single Avocet snoozing in one of the brackish pools. A Grey Heron fishing in the failing light captures the atmosphere of those evenings pefectly.

I'll leave you with the only photo I managed to get of the Red-legged Partridges. As a consequence of being regularly hunted they are particularly skittish when approached so this is as close as I was able to get. Pulling back does have its advantages though as it meant I was really able to capture them in their natural environment.

Stay tuned for the second part of our Norfolk adventure.

Strandline Oystercatcher Skull

2011-10-13T20:50:00.000+01:00

I have always been a great fan of walking the strandline of whatever beach I am on as you never quite know what you are going to find. It is often the best way of seeing creatures of the deep that one would not normally get to witness in their natural environment. Just locally I have been treated to washed up jellyfish of various species, a Sea Mouse, Starfish, all sorts of shells and even the odd marine mammal. My house is testament to these exploits as although living things are obviously left in place, I have collected the odd buoy and interesting piece of drift wood as well as relics of ancient shipwrecks and even small parts from a world war two tank.

My best find by far though happened last week during one of our walks around the Machynys peninsula. On my way across the beach to photograph the sunset I spotted something white in the sand and stopped to investigate further. On closer inspection it quickly became apparent that I had found the skull of an Oystercatcher, my favourite bird and one of the most common residents on the Burry. It was complete with the exception of its lower mandible which amazingly I found about twenty metres further along the beach, again in perfect condition. They were far too beautiful and intricate to leave to an uncertain fate so I took them home, cleaned them up and added them to my growing collection of beach paraphernalia.

Having examined the skull closely I'm surprised at just how large the eye sockets are and how small the area for the brain is. I guess the phrase "bird brained" really is founded in reality.

Catching Up On Moth Catching

2011-10-10T22:54:00.000+01:00

Despite continually promising myself that I would get a proper moth trap together before the end of the summer, I have to admit that I have sadly failed. Never fear though as the tried and tested method of chasing moths around the garden and scooping them off windows at night has been relatively successful. If anything the smaller numbers have helped me to get my eye in on identification amongst a sea of similar species.

First up is a pair of Garden Dart's caught on consecutive nights at the beginning of September. I believe that the first is more worn than the second, hence the reason for the more prominent black veins on its wings.

Next a Vapourer caught feeding on Honeysuckle a couple of nights ago. This is a male of the species and typically a day flyer, easily identified from the female as it actually has wings.

Another garden beauty was this Willow Beauty which was attracted to my study window late one night in August.

The smallest moth in my collection so far is the following Mint Moth, unfortunately photographed on the plant just next to my Mint. Maybe next time.

Moving away from home this Lesser Yellow Underwing was making the most of flowering Heather along the coast at Oxwich Point, again in August.

My final inclusion is not a moth but actually a large fly measuring between fifteen and nineteen millimetres in length and known as Tachina Grossa. You can probably see why my attention was drawn to it as the colouration was something that I had never seen before. Definitely one to look out for in the future.

As for that fabled moth trap it will definitely be getting built over the winter in preparation for a new project that I will be launching in the new year, on January first to be precise. For its inaugural switch on I promise to get some better trapping pots as well, preferably ones that you can't read a list of ingredients on behind the moths!

Damp Weekend

2011-10-09T23:16:00.000+01:00

I think it's fair to say that this weekend has been a bit of a washout given that I have been stuck in the house for most of the day looking out at a wall of fog. At least Saturday was relatively dry so I decided to head out and have a look around my local patch. It had obviously been a longer gap between visits than I had intended as the view from Gopa Hill revealed a completely new Tesco store that hadn't been there previously. Mind you they do build them quickly these days! On the bird front a Jay was a good start, one of several seen along the Cwm Dulais valley including a pair having a disagreement with a Crow on the lower flanks of Cefn Drum. There numbers really seem to have boomed over the last eighteen months or so, not only on patch but elsewhere in the local area. Only today I saw a pair on the way into Llanelli and another is a regular near work.

The most obvious birds of the day though were the Meadow Pipits. A flock of eleven by the old ruined farmhouse and twenty or thirty more in the fields along Gopa Hill were just the tip of a considerable iceberg. Continued movements overhead must have taken their numbers well into the hundreds, presumably the result of autumnal migrations as I have never seen so many there before. As I entered Bryn-bach-Common a calling Yellowhammer from the Rhododendrons below was a very welcome sound, followed soon after by the call of a Pheasant. My attention was somewhat taken though by the large number of 4x4's that were arriving and parking up along the sides of what is normally a very quiet single track road. As I walked through the dying bracken I could hear a couple of dogs barking, and then it finally clicked. Only I could inadvertently find myself in the middle of a hunt.

I retreated to a safe distance just in time as the horses and hounds came bounding up the road and across the common. Now I don't think this is the place to discuss the merits of Fox hunting but it's not something I will ever endorse or condone. Fortunately there were no Foxes involved during my time watching and I can't deny that it was an impressive sight seeing so many horses and riders galloping across the grassland.

My time dawdling whilst the hunt departed was worthwhile as the fields to the west of the common held a huge flock of at least five hundred feeding Linnets. In amongst them were a couple of Mistle Thrushes as well as several Chaffinches, House Sparrows and Skylarks. A Red Kite over the same field and a Stonechat on Cefn Drum were best of the rest.

The afternoon was spent at Sandy Water Park in the hope of some Redwings, but as I suspected it's a little too early for them yet. It shouldn't be too long now though. The lake is still pretty quiet given the mild conditions but a small amount of bread soon got the residents into a frenzy.

In the midst of the whirling Black Headed Gulls I caught sight of at least two Mediterranean Gulls, one of which landed on the grass just long enough for me to get a picture.

At the far end of the lake another four Med's were sat on the grass, one of which was ringed but just too far away for me to make out its number. An adult and juvenile Little Grebe in a brief shaft of sunlight finished the day off nicely.

Machynys Sunsets

2011-10-08T23:36:00.000+01:00

I've manged to make it down to the Machynys peninsular a couple of nights this week and have been treated to some spectacular sunsets. The wide horizons and big skies are one of the reasons why I love living in this area, and who wouldn't with views like these. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Long Billed Dowitcher and more at Kidwelly Quay

2011-10-07T23:22:00.000+01:00

My curiosity finally got the better of me on Sunday and we headed off to Kidwelly Quay to look for the Long Billed Dowitcher. I'd had a glimpse of what I thought was the bird a few days previously but I was nowhere near certain enough to add it to the year list and was hoping for some better views. Its local celebrity status was clearly drawing in the crowds as upon arrival the small car park was nearly full and a barrage of telescopes was pointed in the direction of the the railway bridge. Their focus was the high tide Redshank roost which a friendly couple were convinced held the sleeping Dowitcher. I had a quick look through their scope but to be honest I couldn't pick it out. Willing to give them the benefit of the doubt I kept my attention on the same bird for a good half an hour and was eventually rewarded with a couple of seconds of definitive identification. The Dowitcher lifted its head just long enough to allow me to see its prominent white eye stripe before it was once more lost in the long grass. Unfortunately the roost was too far away for any pictures so I resorted to the age old technique of photographing the people looking at the bird instead.

In truth I thought that was all we were going to get, but with a rapidly falling tide we decided to wait it out a little longer. For a while a passing Kingfisher (a welcome sight after what seems to have been a tough year for them) and a single Dunlin were our only rewards along with several tantalising calls as the gathered birders alternately caught brief glimpses of the Dowitcher. It was only with the arrival of another couple of the regulars that everything started to kick off. First blood went to a possible Pectoral Sandpiper that I caught running through the middle of the roost, but alas it was just too quick for a definitive ID. Whilst everyone was trying to relocate it I scanned along the river channel and was amazed to find the Dowitcher stood out in plain sight just as it started feeding in earnest along the newly exposed mud. Never in a million years had I expected to get such good views, a spectacle that was to continue for at least the next twenty minutes.

We were still taking our fill when a Common Sandpiper was spotted in exactly the same area, closely followed by a Curlew Sandpiper which was soon joined by a second. A few minutes later and I spotted a third just under the railway bridge closely followed by a fourth next to the original pair. I could barely believe my luck considering that this was a species that I have historically had such bad luck with. Dare I say it but I think I was actually more excited about them than I was the Long Billed Dowitcher! The treats didn't end their either as from the same vantage point I was able to pick out three Pintails, numerous Teal, Shellducks, Oysterctacher, Little Egret, hundreds of Curlew as well as my first returning Wigeon of the autumn. What a morning.

Eventually we had to drag ourselves away and after seeing my parents off home we headed into Swansea. Walking around the docks a juvenile Herring Gull caught my eye as it flew down from a lamppost and attempted to land on the sloping roof of a nearby car. The polished metal must have been a lot more slippery than it had been expecting as amid a mass of fluttering wings it slowly slid down until its feet finally got purchase. It was a ridiculous sight that I just couldn't help laughing out loud at. I dread to think what passers-by must have thought.

Those of you who have read my previous entries will know that the real reason for our visit to the city centre was to see the very tame Great Skua that had turned up on West Pier. I know that I have already shared a few photos of this bird on here but it was just so spectacular that I couldn't resist squeezing in another one here to finish things off. Hope you don't mind.

Samson's Jack, Packhorse Bridge Over Burry Pill and more

2011-10-06T23:14:00.000+01:00

Not only did October 1st herald the arrival of two of the hottest days of the year (28.3 Celsius if anyone's counting!), it was also the first day of my parents brief stay with us here in South Wales. Normally they drag some horrible wet and grey weather over with them from the Midlands, so to be discussing sun cream and hats of the none woolly variety was something of a novelty. In the hope of avoiding the crowds I took them back to Landimore, scene of the American wader invasion a couple of weeks ago. Walking across the farmland to Weobley castle we were buzzed by what I presume are the resident pair of Buzzards, but it was the abundance of Butterflies and moths that really grabbed my attention. Red Admirals were on the wing and seemingly hunting in packs, whilst the brambles held a Silver Y and a couple of Comma's. It was only after taking this picture that I realised the origin of the Comma name, so called because of the shape of the only white mark on its underwing.

With a retreating tide we walked out along the length of the causeway to the old watchtower, once again marvelling at the number of Wheatear's still feeding across the marsh. I was pleased to see that my Dad with his superior photography equipment also had trouble with their flighty nature. The real highlight though was a pair of Whinchats associating with the regular Reed Buntings, a Gower first for me and a couple of cracking birds. They even managed to eclipse the four Green Sandpipers and the hundreds of Ringed Plover and Dunlin, not to mention the thousand strong flock of Starlings. The local ponies were also out in force, clearly enjoying the balmy weather.

Heading back inland and it wasn't long before we were passing Samson's Jack, a standing stone of Quartz conglomerate measuring some 3.2 meters in height. Although now mostly hidden behind a hedge it is clear that at one time this ancient marker would have been seen from a good distance in all directions. As far as I can tell the exact origins and purpose of the stone are unclear, but that it is prehistoric is almost certain.

A few feet away from Samson's Jack was a perfect example of how crazy our weather has been lately. I had read on the BBC news website that the unexpected warm patch had caused a second outbreak of flowers on certain species, with Foxgloves being a particularly visible example. I had hoped to find this behaviour on our travels and was therefore particularly happy to find a Foxglove coming into bloom next to the hedgerow shown above. I imagine that it is looking a little worse for wear after the last few days of wind and rain.

Our return route took us along Burry Pill to Cheriton, a hidden valley containing more than a few secrets. I last passed this way back in 2009 and it was on that walk that I first stumbled across the old packhorse bridge that sits almost hidden from view. Looking almost organic, this grade two listed structure in unique in being the only three arched bridge on Gower.

I have a fascination with all things old, especially those which appear to have been abandoned and which others may often overlook. I can't help thinking about the history that such places hold, the things they must have seen and the stories that they could tell. Burry Pill fits these sentiments perfectly as nestled in the undergrowth not far from the bridge is evidence that this tranquil valley was once much more industrious that it appears today. I spotted the remains of an old mill and its associated leat on our way past and a bit of internet research has revealed that this was just one of many. Excuse me while I plagiarise:

The use of the area for milling dates back to the medieval period, when Stonemill, or 'Stomille' (24974, SS 457928), is recorded in the Minister's Accounts of 1300-1400, then tenanted by John Colyn. This mill is well documented between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries and appears to have ceased operation by the mid-19th century, in ruins by 1879; surviving remains include the mill with millstone, weir and leat. Cheriton Mill (SS 45129313), documented in 1598 as belonging to Thomas Aubry, remained in use until the late 18th/ early 19th century, the mill's race depicted on the tithe of 1840, is named as old on the 1st edition of 1878. The area had two corn mills still in operation by the survey of 1st edition OS map of 1878: Western Mill (02128w; 24977), a 17th century mill referred to in a lease dated 1669, naming Henrie Else as tenant. Between 1719 and the nineteenth century Edward Clement and his family held Western Mill jointly with Henllys Mill, further upstream. During the nineteenth century George Thomas and the Jenkins family occupied the mill until milling ceased at the end of the century. Its substantial ruins remain. The mill at Stembridge (02123w; 24973), probably seventeenth century in date, was mentioned in the Cheriton Parish Terrier of 1720; though it ceased grinding corn around 1890, Stembridge received a new lease of life until 1925, as a woollen mill (40904), with the addition of a factory building in 1899 by Isaac Tanner of Whitemoor Mill. An additional woollen factory, the Cheriton Factory (40896), known to have been occupied by Thomas Tanner in 1844 (tithe) was run as a family cottage industry, his son, William continued weaving here until his death in 1932 (Taylor 1991, 15-18). - link.

The vegetation is far too extensive at present for any meaningful exploration of what remains, so I plan to return later in the year to see just what evidence is visible of this part of Gower's history. I have heard rumours of millstones and other goodies so I'm expecting good things.

Great Skua on Swansea Pier

2011-10-02T21:53:00.000+01:00

What a weekend it's been. Long Billed Dowitcher, Curlew Sandpipers, incredible weather, and that's just for starters. I'll begin at the end however with a brilliant encounter this evening involving a Great Skua and Swansea Pier. The Skuas presence was first spotted yesterday and it was still around this morning, so with a couple of hours spare late afternoon it seemed like a match made in heaven. Initial reports had indicated that the bird was confiding but believe me when I say the word really doesn't do its behaviour justice. We found it sat at the far end of the pier being passed by walkers and fishermen only a few feet away. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

For a species normally seen at distance during sea watches this level of access is almost unheard of. Personally my only views of Great Skuas have been on the Isle of Mull so this was something rather special and to be savoured. Even a drunken Ukrainian sailor couldn't disturb the bird for long. If you are in the Swansea area I highly recommend a visit as chances are the Skua will still be around tomorrow. It seems particularly fond of the fish scraps that are to be found on the pier, and I imagine that the smell there is pretty enticing as well!

Llangennech Shore Crabs

2011-10-02T01:23:00.000+01:00

A spare hour on Friday evening found me walking out from Llangennech onto the marsh. Thirty six Little Egrets were dotted around the numerous channels whilst a similar number of Cormorants were gathering on the power cables above the Loughor foreshore. It was to my feet however that my attention was mainly being drawn. Every now and again I would hear something drop off an edge or splash into the water, but each time that I looked for the culprit I would find nothing. Fearing madness I was relieved when I eventually spotted a pair of Shore Crabs scuttling off the path and into the mud.

These are by far the largest crabs that I have seen in the Burry to date and measured at least three inches across the shell. Although one of the pair disappeared before I could photograph it the other stayed in situ where using the flash has really helped to bring out their vibrant colours.

Glossy Ibis at Kidwelly Quay

2011-09-30T23:59:00.000+01:00

A Glossy Ibis was found at Kidwelly Quay yesterday morning and fortunately it was still there when we rolled up just after six that evening. In fact we managed to time our arrival to perfection as we parked, walked the short distance to the appropriate flooded field, found the bird and watched it for a couple of minutes before it flew off in the direction of Kidwelly Marsh where I presume it is roosting. The brevity of our encounter resulted in nothing more than a couple of seconds of video, but it serves as a good record of this spectacular bird.

The discovery of this individual means that Glossy Ibis has now been recorded in Carmarthenshire during September for the last three years running, a trend started by the amazing flock that spent a couple of days feeding at Burry Port back in 2009. Although I missed out on the 2010 birds I did see one that year flying over Kenfig NNR. Having such an exotic bird as an almost regular visitor to the area is very exciting and something that I hope will continue.

After the Ibis had departed we used the last of the remaining light to have a quick scan over the estuary. The Redshanks were out in force again and had been joined by a single Lapwing and two Common Sandpipers. Just out of range from my telescope was another wader, asleep and with a prominent white line above its eye being the only discernible feature other than its comparable size to a Redshank. I didn't think much more of it until I got home to find that a Long Billed Dowitcher had been seen that evening in exactly the same location. Had I possibly seen it but not realised what I was looking at, or was it just another Redshank in failing light? If only I'd had a little more time to wait and see if the bird showed its beak. Another of those great birding what ifs.

What isn't in doubt is that we were treated to another spectacular sunset as this tropical (for us at least) weather continues. Enjoy.

An Indian Autumn?

2011-09-29T23:04:00.000+01:00

After being promised Indian summers for the last two years that have then completely failed to materialise it would appear that we are instead to be treated to an Indian autumn. In a move completely out of character for the last week of September, temperatures have been soaring into the mid twenties and clear blue skies are the norm. Even the plants seem to have been taken aback if the new blooms on my herbs are anything to go by. I dread to think what effect this unseasonal weather will have when we crash back into winter as expected in a couple of weeks time.

We have been making the most of the mild evenings with a combination of painting the exterior of the house (I wont bore you with those details here) and excursions down to the coast whenever possible. Tuesday evening found us back at Llanelli in scenes that can only be described as jubilant. Give the British a hint of sunshine and they'll be paddling in the sea and eating ice cream before you can say "desperate". Walking along the dunes I noticed that the area now holds a sizable population of Sea Holly, a coastal plant that has declined over recent years due to habitat loss and removal for use in peoples gardens. Though not at its best at this time of year it looks to be well established.

The number of people on the beach meant that roosting bird numbers were nowhere near as impressive as those from a week or so ago, but seventy Turnstones, a couple of hundred Redshank and three Ringed Plovers were certainly not to be sniffed out. Out on the breakwater a pair of Grey Herons were bravely standing against the incoming tide whilst the channel markers were home to a couple of Cormorants. In the river off Copperhouse a Little Grebe and a flock of seventeen Teal were to be found. Back on the beach and the single Wheatear from our previous visit had been joined by five more of its comrades, all of which were busily feeding on the insects that swarmed through the Marram Grass and across the sand. As usual they were incredibly flighty but using one of the dunes as cover I was able to capture one of the birds in the lovely evening light.

As the sun set deeper and deeper into the Bristol Channel the sky began to light up and we were treated to our best sunset for a very long time. The aforementioned Marram Grass proved to be an excellent foreground, and Emma wasn't bad either.

American Invasion on Gower

2011-09-27T23:02:00.000+01:00

Last week was something of a red letter day for the birding scene on Gower with an invasion of American waders. Following up on reports concerning a couple of suspicious looking birds, Barry Stewart and Mark Hipkin were amazed to find both a Pectoral Sandpiper and a White Rumped Sandpiper feeding in the same small area of Llanrhidian Marsh. Next day a Buff Breasted Sandpiper had joined the party to complete the hat trick, which when combined with the nearby Curlew Sandpipers, Great White Egret and Little Stint made for a spectacle the likes of which have rarely been seen locally.

Unfortunately for me work commitments and a seemingly insatiable desire for water to enter my house in places where it was not welcome meant that I was forced to watch events unfold from the sidelines. It wasn't until Sunday that I was finally able to venture out to look for our new celebrities myself. On the way I stopped off at Penclawdd on the off chance that something interesting may have been overlooked. A good count of twenty five Redshank and singles of Lapwing and Little Egret were my rewards, along with the resident Black Headed Gulls.

Moving on I chose to park at Landimore and walked across the fields to Weobley Castle instead of taking the direct route out to the marsh. This proved an inspired move with Red Kite, Buzzard, Blackcap, Mistle Thrush and Goldfinch all making it onto my list. From the castle I set out along the arrow straight causeway that stretches from Terra firma to the main channel of the Burry Inlet, a route that was absolutely inundated with Wheatears. A couple of Linnet flocks with at least a hundred birds in each as well as a pair of Reed Buntings were very nice to see but they couldn't make up for the news from a returning birder that the only wader that had been seen all day was the Buff Breasted, and even that had gone missing about an hour previously. I still spent a good couple of hours searching the area but apart from a mixed flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, as well as a passing Peregrine Falcon, I was out of luck.

Finding myself already so far out onto the marsh and with a very low tide it seemed like an ideal opportunity to push on even further to satisfy one of my ambitions for the area. Sitting almost in the middle of the Burry Inlet is an old watchtower, a legacy of the world war two defences that once littered this coast and somewhere that I have longed to reach. Now little more than a shell it serves as a stark reminder of the very real invasion threat that hung over Britain during the war years.

The signs warning of unexploded bombs, both old and new, are not to be taken lightly. I found an old artillery shell at nearby Whitford Point a couple of years ago whilst the discovery of Mustard Gas on the same beach in 2009 made national news.

Back to the birds and it would appear that our American invasion is, for now at least, over.

Wryneck at Newport Wetlands

2011-09-21T21:42:00.000+01:00

There are a few species of birds that have yet to make it onto my UK life list that I really think ought be there. One of these is the Wryneck, an autumn migrant that occasionally pops up around the Welsh coast and has probably the most cryptic plumage of any of our feathered friends. Last week a particularly accommodating individual was found at the Newport Wetlands reserve and to my delight it was still around come the weekend. As a result a very wet Sunday morning found us driving along the M4 heading east, probably with far too much enthusiasm considering the conditions.

Upon arrival we headed over to the Wryneck's last known position and started the search. A couple of other birders were also present but it wasn't looking promising as the latest band of rain was driven in from the Bristol Channel. After about half an hour a friendly gentleman informed us that he had last seen the bird flying out towards the coast and hadn't had any further sightings. Not too disheartened we decided to walk around the rest of the reserve in the hope of stumbling across it. The Wryneck was soon forgotten however with a Whinchat, Stonechats, Reed Buntings and even a pair of Bearded Tits more than making the trip worthwhile. It was only as we were walking back towards our original location that our primary purpose came flooding back to me. I suddenly became aware of a flapping bird on the path just in front of me and looked down to see the Wryneck staring back at me. I had very nearly stepped on it! Needless to say it was less than impressed and shot off into the edge of some nearby reeds where I snatched a record shot.

It only sat still for a minute or so before flying further back into the reeds where it was lost from sight. By now we had attracted the attention of the other birders and were all busy watching the area of reeds that the Wryneck had disappeared into, hopeful that it would show itself again. You can therefore probably imagine our surprise when a lady beckoned us further down the path to one of the screens that serves as a bird hide. Sat on the end post was none other than our Wryneck. Somehow it had given us the slip and had probably been laughing at us looking in the wrong direction.

The views were beyond spectacular and have to rank as some of the best I've ever had whilst getting a new life tick. Even when it was disturbed the Wryneck didn't move far and seemed intent to feed along the edges of one of the main footpaths. This presented a stream of photographic opportunities that even the damp and dull weather couldn't spoil.

In the end we had to leave the Wryneck to its feeding before I ended up with more photos than I cared to process. A great encounter to round off a great weekend.

Owl Telescopes and Ynys-hir

2011-09-20T23:43:00.000+01:00

We took a trip north on Saturday to the wonderful RSPB reserve at Ynys-hir. It's new found fame after featuring on the BBC's Springwatch series was much in evidence with a tripling of staff in the shop (to three) and the highest visitor numbers that I have ever seen. I may have complained at the lack of space in the hides but in reality it's a great indictment on the British public that a wet and windy day had managed to draw so many out into the great outdoors.

As if to reward the efforts of those hardy souls the birds put on a great show. The feeders at the entrance were engulfed with Chaffinches whilst Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and a pair of Nuthatches added to the spectacle. A visit from a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was the highlight for me although a Squirrel trying to outwit the Squirrel proof feeders and failing spectacularly ran it a close second.

Walking down to the Marian Mawr Hide we kept our eyes peeled and scanned through the treetops, but as with every visit over the last five years we failed to spot one of the elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. I know that they are there as sightings are reported every so often but we have yet to find ourselves in the right place at the right time. We did however see a small group of Goldcrests as well as a passing Song Thrush. From the hide itself two Red Breasted Mergansers were swimming along the Dyfi on the incoming tide and seemed oblivious to the arrival of a juvenile Peregrine Falcon. The Peregrine didn't seem to have hunting on its mind though and spent at least an hour just sat out on the grass. A recently arrived flock of over two hundred Barnacle Geese could be seen at distance out on the edge of the estuary and were another sure sign that autumn is definitely with us. I had also expected to find a collection of waders but apart from a few Curlew and Oystercatcher we were pretty much out of luck.

On our way over to the heronry we were surprised to find a young Newt in one of the shallow puddles that dominates the muddy path, and had to step a lot more carefully from then on as a result. The hide there was occupied by three couples who were relative newcomers to the hobby which made it all the more satisfying that I was able to get them onto a female Hen Harrier quartering the reeds on the opposite side of the river. This was my first individual of the autumn and it put on a prolonged display as it regularly dropped to the ground before reappearing to continue its hunt. Similarly enjoyable was the pair of Little Grebes who popped up in front of the hide just as the sun broke through the clouds. A Wheatear and a Treecreeper were also in the vicinity.

A stunning male Redstart was at the farm and showing well from its perch on a nearby fence, whilst a Cormorant swimming in one of the field drainage ditches was certainly unusual. Other woodland birds seen included Long Tailed Tit, more Treecreepers, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. Out on the estuary seven Black Tailed Godwits and the usual Gull species were as far as things went.

By now it was late afternoon so we headed into Aberystwyth for a walk along the promenade. A couple of Mediterranean Gulls were roosting on Castle Rocks and a Rock Pipit was in the harbour along with several more Cormorants. An amusing photo opportunity arose (a scarce event for the day as you have probably gathered) when I came across a Herring Gull sat atop one of the ubiquitous "Owl Telescopes" that are a feature of so many UK seafronts. Clearly Gulls aren't the best when it comes to reading signs.

Conditions throughout the day had led to a number of rainbows, none of which were better than the one that appeared over the town during our walk along the outer breakwater

Definitely a nice way to round off the day I'm sure you'll agree.

Mumbles Turnstones

2011-09-16T23:34:00.000+01:00

Having spent some time with the Mediterranean Gulls at Bracelet Bay it would have been rude not to make the short walk down to Mumbles Head and its ever accommodating Turnstones. The flock there is by far and away the tamest that I have ever found which makes it a perfect place for a spot of photography. On this occasion though I was amazed to find their numbers swelled to well over a couple of hundred. Wherever you looked, from beneath the pier (which still held a few Kittiwakes from this years breeding season) right out to the head itself, groups of Turnstones were busy feeding ahead of the incoming tide. Whilst this made for a great spectacle it did make a silent approach difficult as with so many eyes even the stealthiest of movements did not go undetected. In the end I resorted to crawling behind taller rocks and sticking the camera over the top so as to avoid any disturbance, and managed to come away with a couple of keepers.

With constantly shifting clouds and brief but sharp showers lighting conditions were far from perfect. The gloomy weather did however provide an excellent backdrop against which a sunlit Mumbles lighthouse stood out brilliantly.

Bringing things into the present we spent an hour or so this evening walking around the Machynys Peninsular, an area of coastline south of Llanelli that was once home to the steel industry. Now reclaimed it offers a fantastic way to take in the Burry Inlet. Being close to Copperhouse I was hopeful that we would again find the Grey Phalarope from earlier in the week, and indeed we did see what I presume was the same bird flying along the coast before it was lost to sight towards the WWT reserve. On the beach several Wheatears were hopping around, no doubt waiting for the wind to subside before starting their migration. Out on the mud a sizeable flock of Dunlin was feeding whilst the odd Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Magpie made the most of the grassy areas. A large pond on the nearby golf course briefly caused raised heartbeats as we mistook a juvenile Coot for a Slavonian Grebe. In our defence it was distant and the light was failing. Easier to identify were four Pochard, six Tufted Duck and at least eight Gadwall, whilst a brief outburst belayed the presence of at least one Cetti's Warbler in bushes along the waters edge. Little Egret, Grey Heron and hundreds of Redshank made for a very satisfying evening.

I should also mention that on the way out we spotted a Harris Hawk in a tree near home. Harris Hawks are definitely not a native species to the UK but they are a very popular bird amongst falconers. As a result I imagine that this was another escapee although I could see no sign of tethers on its legs. After the Peregrine a few weeks ago it seems I have become a magnet for missing birds. If you've lost a bird of prey, if no one else can help, and if you can find me, maybe you can hire.....the A(dam) team!

Mediterranean Gulls at Bracelet Bay

2011-09-15T20:51:00.000+01:00

A look around Bracelet Bay on Sunday turned up at least twenty Mediterranean Gulls split between their usual piece of roadside grass and the beach below. As always I studied each one to see if any were ringed and found three that were. The first was a juvenile bird (Green 3T9) which was ringed as a chick this year at Barbâtre in Western France.

Next up was White 3K80, hatched in Belgium in 2006. The second photo of this bird gives an excellent comparison with the similar but far more numerous Black Headed Gull. Key identifying features are a thicker blood red beak on the Mediterranean as well as white tail feathers.

The final ringed bird was Red YHE8, a Serbian breeder.

The three birds above were also present on the 4th September when Barry Stewart recorded them. I have borrowed their family histories from his blog but will be sending my sightings off as well to help build the migratory knowledge of this species. I also took photographs of a couple of unringed birds which probably hail from similar localities as those above.

Cave Spider and Hornet on Gower

2011-09-14T20:44:00.000+01:00

I warn you now that if you are at all adverse to anything with many legs or a vicious sting then this post is definitely not for you. The creatures of which I speak were all discovered last Saturday, another typically wet day that led us to Parc le Breos and the impressive Cat Hole Cave. It's a location that I have visited on a number of occasions but never fully explored, so armed with a torch we headed into the caves deepest recesses to see what was what. To my surprise the cavern was much larger than I had anticipated and replete with many Stalactites and Stalagmites that were glistening in the moist air. You may imagine that geology was all we would find in somewhere starved of all natural light, but a passing Bat was a mere hint of what might have been hiding in the numerous nooks and crannies. On a smaller scale, but equally unnerving to see illuminated in a torch beam, were the Cave Spiders that hung from almost every surface. Despite initial impressions they are surprisingly beautiful up close, especially with their bodies covered in tiny water droplets as a result of the almost one hundred per cent humidity within the cave.

Reading up on Cave Spiders I wasn't surprised to find out that they are strongly repelled by light, but I didn't realise that their offspring are actively attracted to it as a way of forcing them to seek out new areas to colonise. I can definitely vouch for them being the UK's largest spider though, and I must admit I wasn't too disappointed when we were back out in the open.

While we had been ensconced in the very fabric of Gower the clouds had cleared and the sun was finally shining. We decided that this would be the ideal opportunity to try out a new walk so mapped a route right around Parc le Breos and out to Broad Pool beneath Cefn Bryn. Apart from some rather damp conditions underfoot it was a great success with sightings of hundreds of Swallows, the odd House Martin (despite me saying I thought they had all gone), Linnets and a fantastic area of woodland that held Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Siskin, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler all in the same mixed flock. The most unusual find though was a hollow tree that I originally thought had a wasp nest built inside it.

After a couple of minutes observing it soon became clear that the inhabitants of this particular nest were in fact Hornets, the UK's largest wasp and a nice partner to the UK's largest spider above.

There was a constant stream of arriving and departing individuals during our stay but thankfully they completely ignored our presence. Hornets are definitely a new species for me in this country, and I think the nest may be a significant find for Gower itself. The local wildlife blog mentions that the first ever Hornet sighting on the peninsular only occurred back in May this year, so a nest shows just how quickly they are colonising the area.

Grey Phalarope at Copperhouse, Llanelli

2011-09-13T23:20:00.001+01:00

The remnants of Hurricane Katia have been battering the Welsh coast over the last couple of days resulting in a relatively high number of Grey Phalarope making landfall. At least two individuals have been present at Kenfig today along with another at Ogmore and a possible sighting in Cardiff Bay. Llanelli's addition to the roster was found on Sunday by Wendell Thomas whose rapid dissemination of information allowed us to get distant views that afternoon in conditions which made holding binoculars steady almost impossible.

Phalaropes are such great little characters that we thought we would try our luck again this evening and headed back to Copperhouse on the Llanelli coastline. With strong winds whipping up the sea the most likely place for the bird to be feeding was once again along the river channel, protected as it is from the worst of the weather. To my joy we were spot on and soon had the Phalarope relocated, and boy did it deliver.

For the next quarter of an hour we enjoyed views down to a couple of feet as the bird swam and fed with a sense of urgency that only a Phalarope can muster. As the sun had just set behind the nearby dunes any decent photography was impossible, so out came the video mode which I think captures the behaviour of these birds far better than a still shot ever can. Once again I am simply staggered by this species lack of fear when it comes to humans. (I recommend watching the video below in HD).

What little was left of the beach proved equally rewarding, packed as it was with waders trying to find a safe roost for the night. Exact numbers were difficult to ascertain but I estimate there were at least 150 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 4 Dunlin, 170 Ringed Plover, 80 Turnstone and 2 Knot, not to mention hordes of Black Headed Gulls intermingled with the odd Lesser and Great Black Backed Gull. A single Wheatear looked to be contemplating the start of its migration, but a drenching from a breaking wave must surely have dampened its enthusiasm.

I'll leave you with a couple of shots taken slightly earlier in the day of the sea conditions out in the Burry Inlet. This is probably the roughest I have ever seen the water this far up the channel and it was certainly spectacular to watch.

Wet Times on Gower

2011-09-08T23:51:00.000+01:00

If your weather has been anything like ours this past week then I think you'll be able to relate to the photo above. We have had four days of heavy rain and wind broken only by light rain and stronger wind. The Mint in the garden that had been standing tall all summer has been battered to the ground and the untraceable leak around my bedroom window has returned after six months of absence. Yes my friends autumn is definitely upon us.

What we lose in blue skies however we gain in birds so I have been out doing a bit of birdwatching from that most useful of mobile hides, my car. Yesterday evening I spent a couple of hours at Penclawdd (the boats of which can be seen through the rain above) hoping for something unusual to turn up in the gull roost. There were plenty of Black Headed Gulls spanning a wide range of ages as well as good numbers of Lesser Black Blacked Gulls, but a couple of Common Gulls were as rare as things got. A small flock of nine Lapwing were another sign of the changing seasons, the first I have seen on the Burry since early in 2011. The usual Redshanks were making their presence heard whilst a pair of Greenshanks were a very nice surprise indeed. As I watched them they walked closer and closer until they were feeding right in front of my open window. Their rapid forward movements with beak under water contrasted nicely with the more sedate methods of a nearby Little Egret whose feet were busy shuffling through the mud in the hope of disturbing a few tasty morsels.

Today I was a couple of miles further along the coast at Llanrhidian Marsh where I picked up my first passing Osprey of the season. Ospreys are a fairly regular visitor to our area at this time of the year as they pause to rest on their long journeys south. A series of wooden posts serve as excellent perches, upon one of which my bird was sat. Other birds preparing to start long migrations of their own are the Swallows, several of which were hunting low over the damp grasslands. As far as I can tell they are the last of the hirundines left here now and it will be a sad day when they finally leave for the year. One thing I miss about winter is their incessant chatter overhead so I will definitely be savouring their presence for as long as I can.

Work Peregrine Falcons

2011-09-06T20:11:00.000+01:00

Over the last couple of years I have been very fortunate to share an office with a pair of Peregrine Falcons. Most people at their place of work have nothing more interesting to stare at than their PC monitor but our concrete tower block offers panoramic views of Peregrines both at play and on the hunt. We have witnessed courtship rituals including food passes between the two adults in mid air as well as chases involving the resident flock of Feral Pigeons. As the birds fly up to perch on the window ledges they are often only a few inches away giving us unprecedented views of these killers in action, not to mention a great opportunity to see what sort of prey they are catching. The best of these kills by far has to be the Grass Snake which was carried in a couple of months ago, with possibly the most gruesome being a Mallard whose severed head graced the campus for almost a year before finally being cleared away. The remains of Woodcock have also been discovered along with the usual array of small birds that you would expect from our location on the divide between city and countryside.

You'll have noticed that I referred to adults above, and with good reason. The mainstay of our population has been a pair of fully grown birds who each year have produced a pair of offspring. I originally presumed that the Peregrines were actually breeding on our building but as of yet there has been no proof found to support this theory. I now believe that the nest is elsewhere and that their presence here is purely for its excellent location as a hunting base.

The past two or three months have been absolutely brilliant with all four birds visible at times. This years youngsters have been particularly playful, often partaking in practice hunts or just simply messing around. They have also been incredibly vocal to the extent that we have been able to hear them clearly through double glazed and sealed windows. As I left the office today they were circling the building and I managed to record a short clip of their calls on my phone. (The volume may be a bit low so it's worth turning your speakers up).

Hopefully the family group will stay together for a good while to come but it is inevitable that the youngsters will eventually move on. They have been such great entertainment that I will be very sad to see them go. Until then I will continue to enjoy their antics and of course curse the ban on cameras that prevents me from getting what would be some fantastic photos.

Upper Loughor Knot

2011-09-05T21:42:00.000+01:00

I spent a couple of hours walking along the Upper Loughor estuary late yesterday afternoon. It's a location that I should really have visited a lot more frequently than I have done, but as ever time is always a factor. The first birds we saw were a couple of Reed Buntings flitting through, as their name might suggest, the reeds. With strong wind and an increasing drizzle they were keeping themselves well hidden so we moved on. A trio of Common Sandpipers erupted from the river bank before a scan of one of the many shallow pools that cover this low lying area revealed a cracking Knot, amazingly my first one of the year. That is not a comment on the relative abundance of this species in the local area but instead the effect of my spending far too little time around mudflats since Christmas. Amazingly the Knot was incredibly approachable allowing me to get a couple of photos in the increasing gloom.

I popped down to the Loughor again this evening in the hope of reconnecting with the Knot, but alas it was not to be. Instead my efforts in often torrential rain resulted in four Green Sandpipers, a new tick for me at this site. There were also plenty of Pied Wagtails present with mixed family groups feeding around the deepening puddles. With failing light there wasn't much chance of spotting much else but a flock of twelve Mistle Thrush in a nearby field finished the day off nicely.

Friendly Kestrel and Escaped Peregrine Falcon

2011-09-04T18:24:00.000+01:00

My best wildlife encounter by far last weekend involved a very friendly Kestrel. And when I say very I do mean very. We were having a spot of lunch sat on the rocks just around from Oxwich Point when Emma indicated that I should turn around pretty sharpish. I duly did and found that a Kestrel had landed on the adjacent rock outcrop, a position from which it was now studying us closely. It obviously liked what it saw as it allowed me to approach to within a couple of meters, something that is almost unheard of with any bird species let alone Kestrels.

Only on two occasions did it take to the wing while we were present. The first was to snatch a passing butterfly straight out of the air, and the second was to catch a Lizard that had been sunning itself on a nearby rock. The Lizard in particular was very impressive partly because I hadn't even realised that it was there and secondly because I caught the whole thing on camera. Those of you who don't wish to see a reptile being torn in two may want to look away now.

Simply amazing and definitely up there with my all time best nature moments. Eventually though all good things must come to an end and in this case we were the ones to end the spectacle as we needed to get a move on. One of our party was keen to get some fishing in so we moved about a mile further along the coast and set up at a likely looking spot. Barely ten minutes later and who should pop up again but the Kestrel! This time it had landed just next to our bags and if anything was even closer than previously. I'd like to think that it had followed us out of curiosity but we will never know for certain. Whatever the reason I consider myself incredibly fortunate.

Along with the usual Curlews, Oystercatchers, Cormorants and Grey Herons, Oxwich Point had one last surprise to throw at us. Whilst watching the wreck of the Solar emerge from its watery grave on a lowering tide the following immature Peregrine Falcon landed up on a nearby cliff.

Though not as tame as our fantastic Kestrel it was still way more accommodating than I have ever known another Peregrine to be. The reason for this soon became clear as with every step the bird took an accompanying bell would ring. A clear view of its feet explained everything. Unless evolution has taken an extremely strange twist then this is an escaped falconry bird, most likely from the nearby Perriswood Falconry Centre. So not truly wild but great to see nonetheless.

Swansea Seals

2011-09-02T23:48:00.000+01:00

Swansea barrage (shown above) was built in 1992 with the aim of creating a new marina to extend the leisure facilities already offered by the old industrial docks. One of the main environmental considerations during the project was to ensure that fish could still move freely both up and down the river even at times of low tide. The solution was to construct an impressive fish ladder to the left of the main weir, but it isn't just fish that are making use of it. A couple of the local Seals have caught on to the fact that the ladder concentrates fish into a very small area, and have basically been pigging out ever since. Last weekend two of these intelligent mammals were hunting there at low tide, often diving right into the lowest "step" itself. Although I didn't see them catch anything while I was present a passing walker did mention that she had seen one devour a huge Salmon the previous day. How many other cities can boast this sort of spectacle right in their centre?

Overall the weekend was a great success for Seals in general with us spotting individuals off Oxwich Point, Fall Bay, Bracelet Bay and at least twelve lounging around on the rocks and in the sea off Worms Head. For once the lighting was actually favourable and I was able to get my best ever Seal photos. These are some of my favourites.

Otter and Cubs at Bosherston Lily Ponds

2011-09-01T00:19:00.000+01:00

Following our visit to Manorbier and St Govans we headed over to Bosherston Lily Ponds in the hope of finding some Otters. Our previous two visits here have both been later on in the year, and on one of those occasions we had a superb encounter with a very inquisitive Otter that swam right beneath us at the eight arches bridge. As a result hopes were high for another success as we started the mile and a half walk around the lakes to our chosen spot. Being summer it made a nice change to see the valleys lush with greenery and the ponds filled with lily's, but it was hard not to miss the incredibly low levels of water that currently exist.

The water levels are so low in fact that landowners the National Trust have banned all fishing on the lakes until they have had chance to recover. A drier winter followed by an exceptionally dry spring and early summer are to blame, and things don't look like improving any time soon as we are still yet to get any decent sustained rainfall. One advantage to these conditions is that the fish are now very easy to see as they swim around just beneath the surface. We spotted this Pike from the first bridge and it must have measured at least seventy centimetres in length. A real whopper.

There was plenty of life in the trees along the lake edges as well, with one small area holding a mixed flock of Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Willow Warbler. As we stood still it was impossible to get an accurate count as to how many birds were really present. It just seemed like we were completely immersed in the middle of the flock, which I suppose in a way we were. The sun was by now setting behind the trees but a brief chink of light lit up one of the Long Tailed Tits nicely. Although it's not a particularly brilliant photo of the bird it does show that the leaves are starting to change colour, which seems rather appropriate given that today is officially the start of autumn.

When we finally made it to the eight arch bridge, after first picking out a juvenile Garganey amongst the Mallards (!), a Grey Heron had already taken up a watch on the parapets. He didn't seem particularly keen on our company however and quickly moved on up the lake. As it turned out we could have left him to his own devices as a cold wind was whipping down the valley and a wait of twenty minutes failed to deliver any Otters. Thinking that the lack of water may have forced them elsewhere we started to head back to the car. At the "grassy bridge" we came across a family that were getting very excited about something. We joined them, looked down into the water, and to our amazement came face to face to with an Otter and her cub literally a meter away from us. They had apparently just swum through the overflow under the bridge and were now swimming around seemingly without a care in the world. As they started to move up the lake I quickly walked along its edge and took up a position that I hoped would coincide with their plans. As the following video shows I think I judged it to perfection.

Watching that back I still can't believe how lucky we were to bare witness to these magnificent yet secretive creatures once again. Even better was the fact that the single cub actually turned out to be two, another wildlife first for me. Every time I see Otters I can't help but be captivated by the unique character that each individual has, and I only wish that we could watch them for longer to get a better glimpse into their world. With a success rate of two out of three maybe I will get that insight that I crave over the coming years. I certainly hope so.

Magnificent Manorbier (and St Govans)

2011-08-31T22:04:00.000+01:00

We have just had an extended weekend here in the UK which fortunately coincided with some excellent weather. My girlfriends family were staying with us for the duration which meant that we got to visit some of my favourite locations on Gower, but often from a different viewpoint to our usual. For instance we are not really beach people but Emma's parents definitely are resulting in visits to Pobbles Bay and Fall Bay, both of which were very enjoyable. A fishing sojourn out to Oxwixh Head also led to us stumbling across two new shipwrecks that I will be adding to my Gower Shipwreck website in due course, as well as an incredible encounter with a Kestrel which had to be seen to be believed.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First let me take you back to last Thursday when we both had a day off work and took a trip out to Pembrokeshire. Our destination was the small coastal village of Manorbier, not very Welsh sounding I know but dominated by a large 12th century castle in true Welsh fashion. We set off west along the coast and almost immediately found a small group of Swallows sat on the overhead wires. Most of them left their perch as we walked past but two young birds from this years breeding season stood their ground. With their fluffy feathers and short tails they made a very nice sight.

The other Swallows were still in the area, and every now and again one of the adults would issue a couple of high pitched squeaks before swooping in to feed one of the juveniles shown above. This was definitely a case of fast food as each feeding unfolded before our eyes in just a couple of seconds. After a while I got the feel for when one of the adults was about to arrive and was able to get a couple of decent photographs. From looking at them it would seem that the bird on the right was definitely the greediest of the pair.

Eventually we dragged ourselves away and carried on walking along what is a beautiful stretch of coastline. Unlike elsewhere in Pembrokeshire the underlying rocks here are old red sandstone which gives the cliffs a vibrant colour that can look almost purple at times. Don't be fooled by the seemingly gorgeous weather in the panorama below as it was incredibly windy and a brief but very heavy shower was barrelling in from the sea just out of shot. When it arrived the rain was absolutely horizontal meaning that we were able to stand downwind from a hedge and remain completely dry!

The cove above is known as Swanlake Bay and apart from a nudist on the beach it delivered a Chough feeding in one of the fields as well as a superb Sparrowhawk sat on a fence post. A pair of Kestrels were also hunting in the area while out of the Gorse popped the occasional Whitethroat or Stonechat. Other than that things were relatively quiet, probably due to the strong winds keeping most of the smaller birds well hidden. The wind wasn't helping the butterflies either who were being blown every which way as they attempted to feed. The female Common Blue below was a nice find as I think I've only ever photographed the males of this species before.

We looped back to Manorbier and then headed east along the coast where the cliffs got even more dramatic. The vertical nature of the strata here have led to some impressive shapes including stacks, caves and zawns. Making the most of this landscape was the following Kestrel. We saw this bird on a couple of occasions during our walk but it seemed to be having limited success in its hunting as far as we could see.

Our next port of call was a few miles along the coast at St Govan's Chapel, a fourteenth century construction over the cave where Saint Govan himself lived as a hermit until his death in the year 586. We visited the chapel itself last year and my blog entry from that day can be found here. This time however I was more interested in the area of land to its east, owned by the Ministry of Defence and used on occasion for military manoeuvres and target practice. Unlike at Manorbier the cliffs here are Limestone, lending the landscape a bulkier and cleaner cut look.

I was hoping to find some Choughs after an encounter with a particularly tame individual during our last visit. Their unmistakable call soon led me to a pair feeding behind the old WW2 bunkers, but due to some rather ominous looking signs I couldn't get any closer for photographs.

Unlike a lot of warning signs these ones are definitely worth obeying. It is highly likely that unexploded ordinance is present in the area, especially given that recently used targets were dotted around nearby. This military occupation is particularly evident behind the third of the bunkers that now provide ideal nesting habitat for Swallows. Here a relic of the Cold War still exists in the shape of a large target that used to be used for target practice by fixed wing aircraft in the 1960's.

By now it was past five in the evening but I still wanted to make a visit to Bosherston Lakes before we made our way home. Heading over we could hardly imagine the encounter that we were about to have. Tune in tomorrow to find out why.

Gulls at Llanelli Waterfront

2011-08-25T22:42:00.000+01:00

We spent a couple of hours walking along the Llanelli waterfront last night, and I have to say that I am very impressed with how the redevelopment of what was once an industrial wasteland has taken shape over the last few years. The tidal areas were packed with waders including hundreds of Redshank and several Little Egret, whilst Jackdaws, Rooks, Starlings and of course Gulls were doing their best to scavenge what they could find around the visitor centre. The late evening light had a very nice quality that really lit the Gulls well making it hard not to set about photographing these often overlooked birds.

Dartford Warblers on Gower

2011-08-25T00:09:00.000+01:00

You'll have to excuse the suitably vague location details in this post, but our prize finds from Sunday are a Schedule 1 protected species and I don't want to inadvertently jeopardise their breeding success. All I will say is that I was somewhere on the Gower coastline and to my great joy stumbled across two immature Dartford Warblers. They were hopping around the extensive gorse bushes and frequently paused out in the open giving superb, if somewhat distant views. In all we were able to watch them for at least a quarter of an hour before the arrival of several more walkers sent them scampering out of sight. Being immature birds they lacked much of their parents distinctive colouration but the long tails were unmistakable.

Prior to the 1990's Dartford Warblers were a very rare occurrence on Gower, but since then their numbers have been slowly increasing with evidence of breeding first recorded in 2000. They are however very susceptible to harsh winters such as the last one we experienced, and there were fears as to how many individuals would make it through. Therefore to find clear evidence of successful breeding is a great relief which should hopefully ensure the continued expansion of their small population.

Another success story on Gower is the Chough, two of which flew past us while we were watching the Dartfords. Sadly no pictures again as the birds have been playing very hard to get these last couple of weeks.

More accommodating, as usual, were the local insects with plenty of Butterflies once more on the wing. Common Blues in various states of disintegration were numerous, whilst Green Veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and Speckled Woods all added to the spectacle. A couple that really caught my eye were the following Wall Brown and Small Tortoiseshell, both species that I have only seen a couple of times so far this year.

Wall Brown

Small Tortoiseshell

Several day flying moths were also out and about, one of which was this Burnet Moth exploring the cliff tops.

Back to the birds and another couple of notable sightings were a juvenile Stonechat (mainly because I like them so much) and a Red Kite flying over Scurlage. I think the Red Kite was our first one since heading off to Mull way back in June!

Kidwelly Quay and Mynydd Du

2011-08-22T23:16:00.000+01:00

Saturday was pretty much a wash out when it comes to photography, mainly as a result of the appalling weather. I did however manage to explore a couple of new walks that will definitely be making it onto my regular itinerary. We started the day off by driving into the Black Mountains where we hoped to scale Garreg Lywd, one of the peaks of Mynydd Du. Upon arrival it was clear that we were going to have to change our plans as the cloud base was well below us and visibility was down to less than a couple of metres. Even though we had a map and compass we decided that to set out onto a mountain that we had never seen previously was more than foolhardy, so instead we retreated to the coast and Kidwelly Quay. By a stroke of luck we arrived just after high tide meaning that the majority of birds were still feeding on the upper part of the estuary that the quay overlooks. Almost one hundred and fifty Redshanks made for a fine sight as they probed the newly exposed mud, running one after the other to the waters edge every time a wriggling worm was pulled free. A lone Greenshank flying past was the only other wader of note, but a Curlew Sandpiper was reported from the same place a few hours later. Another fine example of why that species is my nemesis.

Leading away from Kidwelly Quay is Kymer's Canal (shown above), the oldest canal in Wales and originally built in 1766 to carry coal from Thomas Kymer's pits to the banks of the Gwendreath Fach for onward travel by sea. It served the mines well for over thirty years before chronic silting made the waterways too dangerous to navigate. In recent years the area has been restored and it is once more possible to walk along the canal, which is what we duly did. To my surprise the area was packed with birds, the highlight of which was a flock of at least seventy Goldfinch feeding in a field full of Teasels. Further along we bumped into a couple of Chiffchaffs as well as a female Reed Bunting and a Little Egret hunting, whilst over the marsh that borders the canal a Peregrine Falcon was half heartedly chasing a small flock of Feral Pigeons.

By now the weather, though still damp and dreary, had improved slightly and it looked like the Black Mountains could again be an option. We headed back up and were amazed to see the view from the car park where we had originally turned around earlier in the day. What had been a wall of mist had been replaced with impressive peaks and valleys as well as long abandoned Limestone quarries. We quickly kitted up and set off for the peak of Garreg Lwyd, mindful that the weather could break again at any time. To our relief we made it to the huge cairns that mark the summit still able to see our way, though as the photo of the OS trig point below shows we weren't far from being enveloped by the clouds.

The reason for being up there was to look for migrating Dotterel on the way back from their breeding grounds in Scotland. A pair had been seen on the mountain the day before and it seemed rude to not at least attempt to relocate them ourselves. We spent a good hour or so criss-crossing the terrain but the odds were always against us and we drew a blank. We did however find plenty of Wheatears as well as a couple of Skylarks, and I can't deny that it is ideal habitat for Dotterel.

One of our nicest finds was not a bird or anything else alive for that matter, but was in fact a fresh spring pumping directly out from the mountainside. I can't remember the last time I saw a genuine spring such as this, which Emma can confirm was cold and flowing with some force.

As this post had been rather bereft of any wildlife pictures I'll leave you with a photo of my only successful Dotterel sighting to date. This occurred just last year when a male and female pair spent a couple of days on Cefn Cadlan and were incredibly accommodating, much to the delight of local birders. My full account of that trip can be found here.

We are still early in the migration season so I am hopeful that we will be able to see some more Dotterel before the season is out. Fingers crossed.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth, Gower

2011-08-19T23:47:00.000+01:00

I've just got back from a very enjoyable late evening walk at Rhossili. The air was alive with the sound of calling Crickets, but the real star was to be found sat on one of the gate posts on the way down to the beach.

This is a Convolvulus Hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli), and is by the far the biggest moth that I have ever seen. It measures about five centimetres in length and is an immigrant to Britain, typically on the wing from August to November. The females are usually larger and plainer with smaller antennae than males of the species, which I think fits in rather well with our individual above. I have had a look at the local moth recording website and it seems that a couple of pre-2006 records exist in roughly the same vicinity as our sighting for this species, as shown on the distribution map below.

More information on moths in my area can be found at the Glamorgan Moth Recording Group.

Common Darter, Llanelli WWT

2011-08-18T23:37:00.002+01:00

You could say I'm pretty chuffed with the photo above. The very obliging subject is a female Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), one of several that were resting on shrubs around Llanelli WWT on Sunday. I have never had much luck getting close to these prehistoric insects in the past, but this one was an absolute star allowing me to photograph it from every angle conceivable. Being up this close and personal made me realise just how intricate these creatures are. The eyes alone are works of art whilst details such as the thin yellow stripe running down each leg just add to their beauty.

The males of the species are similarly impressive but are a darker red in comparison to the green/yellow of the females. There were only a couple of them visible and they were much more flighty than the females so I was fortunate to capture the individual below.

Elsewhere around the reserve the sun was bringing out the Butterflies in force. A new species for me and by far my favourite of the day was a stunning Brimstone over in the Millennium Wetlands. My photo really can't do justice to how vibrantly coloured this species is but hopefully it gets somewhere close.

After struggling with the "white" Butterflies all year it would now appear that I am on something of a role as another Green Veined White posed perfectly for me on what I believe is an Asteraceae.

A rather tatty Gatekeeper was also to be found, rather suitably I may add, on the grass near the entrance to the show ponds.

The bird life was rather muted with the exception of fifty eight Redshanks in front of the Heron Wing Hide, within which was hiding a superb Ruff. A Greenshank and a trio of Little Egrets rounded out the waders but I gather things have picked up a notch today with the appearance of a Curlew Sandpiper, one of my nemesis species that I finally caught up with in Devon earlier this year. I'm hoping that it sticks around for a while longer as it would be very nice to get one on my Welsh list. Most of the duck species now seem to be entering eclipse plumage with the Shoveller, Teal and Gadwall drakes all looking far from their best.

Gadwall

The most unexpected find was a brilliant male Pintail in eclipse plumage which was seen preening from the Boardwalk Hide. The Burry Inlet, which the reserve borders, holds nationally important numbers of Pintails during the winter but it is still not that common to have such close views of one in the site itself. Speaking of winter I don't want to be the bringer of bad news but I get the distinct impression that the seasons are a changing. Our Swifts seem to have started on their journey back to Africa and a few leaves are beginning to turn colour on the trees. All I can say is bring on the snow! What? Too soon?

Pembrey Harbour High Tide Roost

2011-08-17T00:00:00.002+01:00

I spent a couple of hours on Saturday evening watching the high tide roost in action at Pembrey Harbour. The weather was pretty awful with banks of mist and rain being driven up the Burry inlet from off the sea. Despite these adverse conditions the birds still assembled in excellent numbers, far better than during my brief visit the week before.

The photo above shows just part of the roost on what is one of the last sandbanks to disappear under the water at high tide. Sandwich Tern numbers were very impressive with 91 individuals present, many of which were juveniles from this years breeding season (foreground above). The Oystercatchers were even better with at least 1,500 birds gathered although more were arriving every few minutes. Other species seen included 640 Black Headed Gull, 29 Turnstone, 1 Great Black Backed Gull, 6 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 41 Herring Gull, 1 Common Gull, 8 Mediterranean Gull, 41 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Egret and at least 10 Dunlin, many still in their summer plumage. Top marks to anyone that can spot the Mediterranean Gull hiding in the photo above.

Llangorse Lake and Some Oddities

2011-08-16T23:38:00.000+01:00

We spent last Saturday at Llangorse Lake, a new location for us in the north of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is apparently the largest natural lake in South Wales covering some 327 acres, and was formed by retreating glaciers at the end of the last ice age. At this point I would normally include a photograph of the lake itself to help set the scene but due to a slight oversight I forgot to take any! Instead I will get stuck into the wildlife which starts with a flock of at least thirty House Sparrows that were feeding on reeds near the entrance. The group was made up from a mixture of adult and juvenile birds, most of which were very tame. The young male below is almost fully grown but still retains a hint of the yellow gape at the base of its beak that would once have been used as a guide to its parents during feeding.

One of the House Sparrows stood out like no other in that it was so pale as to be almost white.

I believe that this individual is probably classed as leucistic, a condition caused by malfunctioning pigment cells within its feathers. Despite its colour, or lack of, it seemed to fit in just fine with its peers and was a nice find so early on in the day.

From the main centre of activity a path stretches through fields along the lakes western shore for a couple of miles. Much of the bird life was centred in the air where large flocks of Swallows were making the most of the perfect hunting conditions, mixed in with the occasional House Martin. Swifts were nowhere to be seen but the hirundine set was completed with a large colony of Sand Martins at the paths terminus. The lake itself was relatively quiet with the exception of 126 Mute Swans and a small flock of Canada Geese. The fields were a bit more productive with four White Wagtails and only the second Whinchat that I have ever seen outside of Scotland. Normally I have to travel to Mull to find this species so to see one so close to home was very nice indeed.

On the odd occasion that the sun managed to break through the clouds it was clear that the meadows which border the lake would have been alive with Butterflies a little earlier on in the season. Although they were past their best there were still several species on offer starting with my favourite, the Common Blue.

I was also very happy to photograph my first "white" species of the year in the shape of a Green Veined White. Check out the detail in its eyes!

Sticking with the theme of unusual variants that this post began with, we also found a rarer form of the Meadow Brown that has two white spots in the black dot instead of just one.

Apparently this is a not uncommon variation in this species but it certainly threw my identification skills which had one white spot as a key feature to look for.

Although this was our first visit to Llangorse Lake I have a feeling that it definitely wont be our last, especially now that we are getting into the season where waterfowl numbers should be starting to build up on areas of water such as this. The chance of something rare stopping off there before the year is out is a distinct possibility.

Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)

2011-08-15T23:20:00.000+01:00

I am happy to report that my missing moth that I had planned to photograph last Friday reappeared safe and well late last night. Somehow it had managed to travel from upstairs to downstairs and from the front to the back of the house without either of us seeing it. With it back under our watchful gaze I was able to reconfirm my original identification that this was a male Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba), the biggest moth yet to grace my fledgling list. The windowsill provided a perfect backdrop for photography, especially when dealing with what is on the outside at least a somewhat dark species.

As with many butterflies and moths, the rather drab exterior seen above conceals something far more exciting within. The Large Yellow Underwing gets its name from the brightly coloured hindwings that become visible once in flight, or as seen below when a human lifts up one of the forewings with a finger.

Over the weekend I picked up my first moth guide to aid in identification as I was finding trawling through photographs on the internet less than productive. I've gone with the "Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland" by Martin Townsend, Paul Waring and Richard Lewington, and let me tell you that it has been a revelation. The quality of the drawings, the brief but informative descriptions, the layout, the ring binding, heck even the thickness of the pages are all absolutely perfect. Not only is this the best moth guide I have seen but I think it has to be up there as one of, if not the best wildlife guide I have ever used. If you are interested in moths then this has to be a must buy.

Horse Fly and Pink Grasshopper, Gower

2011-08-12T22:37:00.000+01:00

I was originally planning on bringing you a couple of photographs of a Yellow Underwing in this post, the latest moth species to pay a visit to my house after dark. Unfortunately it has escaped my clutches and is now hiding somewhere in the spare bedroom so that one will have to wait. Instead I thought I would stick with the insect theme and return to our Gower walk from the end of July where we had a couple of nice new finds. The first of these was a Horse Fly that we spotted on the way into Millwood near the Penrice Estate

I believe that this is a female given that it appeared to be looking for a suitable place to lay eggs, and also due to the fact that the eyes are separated from each other whereas they are joined on the male. In terms of size I would estimate that the body was at least twenty millimeters long which made for a formidable approach when combined with the low but loud drone from its wings. I'm glad that I kept my distance as it is the female of the species that feeds on blood and can give a very nasty bite.

The second interesting insect was found just behind the sand dunes at Oxwich Beach. It was a grasshopper and not hard to miss given that it was bright pink and stood out like a sore thumb.

Depending on which source you read this unusual pink colouration is either down to a genetic mutation or simply the colour of young grasshoppers. Either way it seems to be a rare occurrence to actually see one in the flesh which makes this find doubly exciting. Unfortunately it didn't stick around for long as I would have liked to get some better photographs for identification purposes, but from this angle I think it is most likely a Common Field Grasshopper.

The Manorial Waste of The Seigniory of Gower

2011-08-10T22:58:00.003+01:00

On my walk last night I noticed that a couple of new signs have gone up at various entrances to the common land that makes up my local patch. Most of these were the normal ones that you would expect to see including no camping and no fires, but it was this large typed notice that caught my attention.

As you can see the title of this document is "The Manorial Waste of The Seigniory of Gower". I read it and the proceeding paragraphs several times and was still none the wiser about their meaning, mainly as a result of not being fluent in legal jargon. As a result I have just spent the last hour or so researching and think I have finally worked out what the notice is trying to say. First a few definitions:

seigniory - position, authority or domain of a feudal lord. In this case we are referring to the domain of Gower, whose past lords have included Oliver Cromwell himself and whose current owner is the Lord of Beauforts estate.
manorial waste - the land associated with a Manor that was neither the Demesne land of the lord of the manor, nor granted out to tenants. It often comprised hedgerows, verges, and scrubland of little agricultural value.
demesne - in general land retained by the estate owner and not granted out to tenants. The term usually referred to the land of a feudal overlord which he retained for his own personal use.

What we end up with is a simple, if less elegant, title "The Common Land of the Gower Estate". In the UK common land is typically owned by a single person, but everyone has the right to at least access it. Often traditional rights such as grazing cattle, collecting firewood or cutting turf for fuel also apply. Bryn-bach Common of which I write regularly is one such area where people are free to let their animals graze or to simply enjoy the land for their own pleasure.

Section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925 covers these rights but also includes provision for restrictions to be put in place to protect the land for those that use it and to conserve flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features and any object of historical interest. It is the addition of new restrictions (listed from a to j) to the areas detailed at the start of the document that I believe has prompted the appearance of these notices. Item (j) is particularly curious as it prohibits the molesting of cattle. Is that something that people really need to be told not to do?

Whilst trying to decipher various legal documents in the course of writing this post I stumbled across a news item concerning a biodiversity project that is being implemented across part of my patch. This is to be a three year effort whose main aims are to reduce invasive natives such as bracken and soft rush, reduce invasive non-natives including rhododendron, rebalance grazing, reduce illegal off-road use, reduce illegal fly tipping and deliver appropriate conservation management. This is great news but something that does not appear to have been publicised locally. I for one would be very interested to hear what the plans are and to get involved if possible. The project information, limited though it currently is, can be found here.

Oak Mildew, 22-Spot Ladybird and Burnet Moth Caterpillar

2011-08-09T00:08:00.000+01:00

I've just got back from a walk around my local patch which would have delivered a nice sunset if it wasn't for a large bank of cloud that rolled in at the most inopportune moment. There was still plenty to look at though including the largest gathering of Swallows that I have yet seen there. At least thirty individuals were hunting over the freshly mown fields which may not sound that many to some, but for here it represents a significant increase over the norm. Up on Bryn-bach-Common things were very quiet with just a few Meadow Pipits and a large flock of Carrion Crows on their way to the evening roost.

On the road from the common down towards Pontlliw we noticed that certain areas of the hedgerows were covered in a white substance. At first glance I assumed that a passing vehicle has perhaps splashed mud up from the road which had since dried, but closer inspection revealed that we were in fact looking at some sort of fungal growth.

As can be seen in the photo above the main species to be infected were the young Oak trees, which has led me to the diagnosis of a significant infestation of Oak Mildew. This is a white powdery fungus that usually appears in late summer and can retard the growth of young plants or even kill tree seedlings. Up until 1907 much of Europe was free from Oak Mildew epidemics but it became much more widespread after introduction from North America. An interesting article regarding this pathogen and its life cycle can be found here. Those with eagle eyes will have noticed a Burnet Moth caterpillar hanging on to the bottom edge of the leaf, one of many in this area.

Literally on the next leaf across from the one shown above there was sat a bright yellow Ladybird, something I have never seen before.

It is called the 22-Spot Ladybird and usually has, as you can probably guess, about 22 black spots. Interestingly this species is particularly fond of feeding on mildew which I imagine explains its proximity to the Oak Mildew infestation.

New Garden Arrivals

2011-08-08T22:59:00.002+01:00

I've been doing a lot of work to our garden recently to improve it both for our own enjoyment and to enhance its suitability for all sorts of wildlife. We are now starting to reap the rewards with a large increase in moths, butterflies and other insects, not to mention the variety and numbers of birds that are visiting our collection of feeders. It has been very pleasing to see that several avian species have decided that our little patch is just the kind of place that they want to bring up their families, as the numbers of juveniles seen so far this year is way ahead of the last. My favourites have been the Blue Tits that have such great little characters that its hard not to love them.

We have also had several young Great Tits though they seem far more wary of people that their Blue cousins.

Our pair of Dunnocks look to have had a successful year as we have two juveniles visiting on a regular basis. I just about managed to photograph one of the adults (below) before it once more disappeared into the undergrowth.

Our most colourful, and incidentally the noisiest, visitors are the Goldfinches. I have never had much luck photographing this species in the past but remarkably a pair arrived whilst I was laying on the grass just beneath the feeders. I was able to prop myself up on one elbow without disturbing them to get what are by far my best pictures of these brilliant birds. What makes them doubly special is that they were in my own garden.

Away from our regular birds we have also been treated to a brand new garden species in the form of a young Nuthatch. We only saw it briefly on a couple of occasions but I'm hopeful that it may make a return. A male Bullfinch has also been visiting more frequently and he does a fine job of hoovering up seed that has been spilt on the ground by the other birds. For this I am eternally grateful as I currently have bird seed germinating all over the place! If only the others were as thorough in cleaning up after themselves.

Wainscot and Footman

2011-08-06T23:56:00.003+01:00

Thursday night was once again pretty successful when it comes to capturing moths without a proper trap. My open study window delivered the goods with another two species to add to my burgeoning garden moth list. Unlike the Ruby Tiger Moth from earlier in the week these new arrivals are a bit harder to pin down to a particular species, hence my rather vague title. The first I am almost sure is a Dingy Footman going by wing shape and colouring. The individual below is the yellow form of this species, E. griseola f. stramineola. Interstingly I also spotted one of the standard forms in the house but it expired before I could free it.

The second moth is a little bit more tricky. I believe it to be one of the Wainscot's but have thus far been unable to tie it down to an exact spices. Has anyone got any ideas?

I am rapidly realising that moth identification is far from easy given the sheer number of species and minimal variations between many of them. As a result it is highly likely that I am going to get the namings wrong from time to time and for that apologise. I sense that a couple of new books will soon be on order.

Mythical Birds

2011-08-03T12:08:00.000+01:00

Emma and I have had a running joke for the last few years which involves a list of so called mythical birds which we maintained just did not exist. Celebrities such as Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier, Smew and Curlew Sandpiper have all graced the list in the past, often down to our inability to connect with them despite visiting sure fire sites on a number of occasions. Over the last two years we have slowly been whittling the offenders down partly due to luck and partly due to increased experience and field craft. One offender though has earned its title of "mythical" like no other and goes by the name of Yellow Wagtail. I have lost count of the number of times I have traipsed through the sand dunes to Sker Point with the knowledge that a flock of them had been seen there a few hours earlier, only to come back with nothing more than a crick in the neck from scanning through empty fields. Even visits to other popular haunts drew a blank.

I mention this history not to reinforce the impression that we might be slightly mad but to set the scene for the events that took place this afternoon. Sightings of Yellow Wagtails had again started to filter in from Kenfig NNR where several birds had been seen regularly across the last week. With a couple of hours to kill this afternoon I thought I might as well have another attempt, if only to reinforce their status on our list. The weather was fantastic and it wasn't long before we were next to Kenfig pool, eagerly examining every Pied Wagtail that passed by. At the old boat house conditions looked perfect for the appearance of a Yellow one with cattle grazing along the waters edge and suitable feeding habitat everywhere. As if on cue, and presumably as a result of some glitch in the space time continuum, a Yellow Wagtail chose that exact moment to emerge out of the reeds and land on the partially submerged fence nearby. I could scarcely believe my eyes. A few moments later and it was flying right towards us, hunting flies on the wing and showing off its yellow underside and olive-green upper brilliantly. It then landed back on the fence, gave us one last good look and then shot off along the shore where it was lost from view.

Without a doubt that encounter was one of my top wildlife moments of the year, if not the past several, but I can't help also feeling a slight twinge of disappointment. In truth I had kind of enjoyed having Yellow Wagtail at the top of our mythical list and the various adventures we'd had in trying to track one down. The challenge of getting a photograph of one definitely still remains though as this wordy entry will surely testify to.

Before I go I will briefly mention the numerous Linnets that were using the shallows around the pool both to hunt flies and to simply cool down.

The individual above looked to be in a trance as it was sat motionless in the water. I can certainly sympathise as out of the breeze today it was baking hot and I was very tempted to hop right in myself.

Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) and a Starling

2011-08-02T22:52:00.001+01:00

Last night a knocking noise from the window heralded the arrival of one of the many moths that try and gain access to my office after dark, no doubt attracted by the light in this predominantly rural location. I have been promising myself for months now that I would build myself a moth trap and start the process of getting accustomed with these fascinating creatures, but as with many things I just haven't had the time and these moths have been left unidentified. This time things were different though as a quick look through the glass revealed that tonight's visitor was far more brightly coloured than usual. Not wanting to let it slip through the net I hatched a cunning plan that in reality just involved opening the window and catching the moth in a glass before it had chance to escape. A few minutes in a darkened room and it was suitably subdued for the following photo.

The power of the internet soon had this little beauty pinned down as a Ruby Tiger Moth, or Phragmatobia fuliginosa for those of a Latin persuasion. Consider my appetite duly whetted and the building of a moth trap moved significantly higher in my list of priorities.

This evening I was able to spend an hour or so at Pembrey Harbour where the Sandwich Terns have once again started to amass in great numbers. I couldn't stay for high tide when their numbers peak but there were already at least twenty five individuals mixed in amongst the various gull species, as well as a couple of Common Terns and a superb summer plumaged Dunlin. One of my favourite ways to unwind at this time of year is to watch the tide rush in past the old harbour walls with the Terns providing the background orchestra, and I hope to make many more visits there over the coming weeks.

Although the Terns were at too great a distance for photography the following juvenile Starling certainly wasn't.

I have never seen a bird so tame as this one where I actually had to step back to allow the camera to focus successfully. Initially I put this behaviour down to youthful inexperience but looking at the photos in more detail it would seem that the bird has some sort of affliction affecting the base of its beak and the area around its eye. I have asked my twitter followers and the best guesses so far are a possible infection as a result of a Tick or a scab covering a previous injury. Whatever the cause the Starling was still very alert and soon shot off when a dog walked past giving me hope that there will be no long term damage. I love the way that the adult plumage is just starting to show through the dull brown feathers of immaturity and it surely wont be long before this bird is just as stunning as its parents.

Great White Egret on Loughor Estuary, Probably

2011-08-01T23:42:00.002+01:00

The week leading up to last Sunday was a frustrating one as it felt like I was being led on a merry chase the length and breadth of the Loughor estuary. Reports kept filtering through across the various local channels that a Great White Egret had been found first at the local WWT site at Llanelli, and subsequently much closer to home on the mud flats near Llangennech. I can just about see both of these locations from my bedroom window but at that distance no amount of optimistic scanning was ever going to reveal anything. As a result I started to make the first of what was to be several trips down to the estuary across the next seven days.

My first challenge was that apart from the car park on the Loughor foreshore I had no idea how to view the target area from the Llangennech side. After pouring over the OS maps and scanning through various Flickr photographs I realised that a concrete track leads from the railway station at Llangennech down to a sewage works from which it is possible to get superb views across the water. This was an absolute revelation as for the first time I was able to see feeding habitat that had previously been obscured and the numbers of birds, in particular Little Egrets, was quite staggering. On one evening visit I also saw the beginnings of what will develop into an impressive roosting flock of Starlings come the autumn, but the Great White Egret remained elusive.

As Sunday dawned we decided to do a comprehensive sweep of the estuary after news that the bird had again been seen. We started off at Llangennech where we counted an impressive seventeen Little Egrets and fourteen Grey Herons. The local Gulls were also assembled in good numbers with 546 Black Headed Gulls, 22 Herring Gulls, 63 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and a solitary Great Black Backed Gull. Cormorants, Buzzards, Common Sandpipers, Swifts, Oystercatchers, Goldfinches and even Mallards all put in an appearance but still there was no Great White. We moved around to the Loughor foreshore where a flock of twelve Greylag Geese was an usual find for the location whilst an overflying Whimbrel was a welcome sight. We briefly got excited by a large white bird but it turned out to be a rather impressive sculpture of a Little Egret that has recently been added by the local council.

We returned home feeling a bit deflated that after several hours of searching we had still been unsuccessful in our quest, a feeling not exactly enhanced when I checked the Carmarthenshire sightings page to see that the Great White Egret had been seen barely half an hour ago back at Llangennech. Needless to say we were straight back in the car and soon feverishly scanning the Egrets once more. It was Emma that finally struck gold with an individual just south of the railway station. It was a bit too distant to see its features clearly but a group of four Little Egrets did an obliging walk past and were positively dwarfed by their much larger cousin. Result! We retraced our steps to try and get a better vantage point, but in the process the bird must have moved on as when we tried to relocate it we were once again out of luck. Inevitably at this point the doubts started to set in. Could we have been mistaken? In my opinion I think not as the large size difference that we had just witnessed could only have been as a result of a Great White Egret standing next to a Little Egret. Therefore I am happy to say that after a week of searching we finally got the blighter. Probably.

Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars

2011-07-27T23:04:00.000+01:00

Regular readers may remember my entry back in May showing some of the Cinnabar Moths that were just starting to emerge in our back garden. This was a great progression of a story that started back in July last year when we first discovered Cinnabar Moth caterpillars feeding on plants in our lawn. In the hope of encouraging an increase in their numbers this year we let several areas of Ragwort, their favourite food source, grow whereas normally we would have cleared them away. The experiment certainly seems to have worked as over the last couple of weeks we have seen the caterpillars devour almost our entire supply of what most gardeners would consider a weed.

Our walk last Saturday revealed another booming population along the coastal footpath above Three Cliffs Bay. Here the Ragwort was absolutely teeming with hundreds of caterpillars of all different sizes.

Back to the garden and the challenge for the rest of the year is to try and find out where the caterpillars hide to pupate through the winter months. Given that many of them have already disappeared I think that some detailed detective work is going to be required. The neighbours really are going to think I've gone mad when they see me crawling around the flower beds on all fours!

Gower Goodies

2011-07-26T23:43:00.000+01:00

On Saturday we made a long overdue return to the Gower peninsula to take on one of our favourite walks.

We set off from the small car park on Cefn Bryn, known locally as the backbone of Gower due to the way that the large sandstone ridge dominates the landscape, and were almost immediately surrounded by the calls of numerous Willow Warblers. As we waited and watched we began to pick out what looked to be a family group moving through the gorse though they never stopped still long enough for any photos. Equally uncooperative were a nearby pair of Skylarks whilst overhead the sky was alive with a mixture of House Martins, Swallows and the occasional Swift as well as a pair of Kestrels and a Buzzard. It was equally busy closer to the ground with what seemed like an endless supply of Butterflies. I think I have mentioned previously that this year seems to have been particularly successful for them and the sheer variety of species on offer certainly bares that out. From the same spot we were able to see Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Large White and numerous Gatekeepers, one of which is shown below.

At Little Reynoldston there were several free roaming Gower ponies with relatively young foals in tow. With so many tourists in the area they were causing a bit of traffic chaos as everyone stopped to get out and take photographs, but that's hardly surprising when they look this cute.

From here our route dropped down into the ancient woodland of Millwood, once part of the expansive Penrice Estate. Yet more species of Butterfly greeted us on our approach including Comma and Ringlet, both new finds for me this year.

We hadn't ventured far into the cool shade afforded by the trees before a distinctive bird call caught our attention. We looked up to see a Marsh Tit sat on the end of a branch above us just before it flew off out of sight. Distinguishing Marsh from Willow Tit is always a bit tricky but having heard the call I consulted my iPod which handily includes a collection of bird songs for just such an occasion. As if on cue a second Marsh Tit piped up from a little further along the path which matched my iPod perfectly and confirmed our initial identification. I can't remember the last time I saw a Marsh Tit it was that long ago so this was a really brilliant find.

Having picked up more woodland species including Treecreeper and surprisingly several Southern Hawker Dragonflies, we emerged onto the landscaped valley in front of Penrice house itself. The view that you see above was packed with birds including a flock of at least eight Mistle Thrushes, an adult and juvenile Green Woodpecker and a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker. More treats were to be had in Nicholaston Woods where a loud screeching heralded the arrival of a Buzzard. This was not unexpected as we often see them flying through the trees here, but this one turned out to be a bit special. Clutched between its talons was a large snake, clearly still alive as it wiggled in an attempt to get free! Judging by the myriad of calls from our left I think the Buzzard was probably on its way to a nest with its kill. Having never seen Snakes taken as prey before I had now seen both Peregrine Falcon and Buzzard do just that in the space of two days. Never let it be said that nature is predictable.

The rest of our walk took us across Oxwich Bay and up through Penmaen before we were once again at Cefn Bryn, though the opposite end from which we had originally started. From here the view back towards the sea across Three Cliffs Bay is spectacular.

Also enjoying the view was this male Linnet which, unlike almost all other Linnets I have ever tried to photograph, didn't fly off.

The final stretch back to the car across the top of Cefn Bryn coincided with some of the clearest skies I have ever had the pleasure to walk beneath on Gower. To the north we could see right across to our own house whilst to the south Devon looked within spitting distance across the Bristol Channel. All in all a great day out.

Back in the groove in South Wales

2011-07-24T23:25:00.001+01:00

After a fortnight on a remote Scottish island its surprising how what would have been considered run of the mill prior to departure now grabs the attention far more readily. How can that be I hear you ask? Well let me elaborate. As my last few entries on this blog have shown Mull is an absolute paradise for any wildlife lover, but there are some bird species that I take for granted here in South Wales that are as rare as hens teeth on the island. Our local Jackdaws for instance are always a bit of a nuisance as they steal the fat balls meant for the smaller birds and throw moss from the house roof all over the paths and my car. On Mull however they are almost none existent apart from small populations around Iona. Therefore returning home to find several of them enjoying the garden was somewhat like getting reacquainted with old friends. We had all forgotten each others bad habits and were happy to revel in one another's company once again. Clearly a lack of readily available food provided by yours truly had sharpened their hunting instincts as the individual below was actually catching flies straight out of the air as they zipped past its head, hence the rather concentrated look in its eyes.

Its companion on the other hand was more than happy just to sit sunbathing on the neighbours slate roofed bird table. I'm not sure if its possible for a bird to look contended but this Jackdaw was giving it a damn good try.

During our absence the plants in the garden had experienced a growth spurt due to a perfect combination of sun and rain. Whereas this was bad news for me as the lawns were in dire need of a cut, it was very good news for things such as our herb garden which has really started to blossom. The Thyme was a particular hit with its flowers covered in visiting Bees and Hoverflies, but it was a new visitor to the garden that really caught my attention.

Like many butterflies the rather drab underwings of a Small Tortoiseshell belie the beauty that is contained within.

Having restocked the garden feeders it wasn't long before the local bird population had us back on their map (less than an hour in fact) and were once again eating us out of house and home. It has clearly been quite a successful breeding season as we were inundated with groups of young House Sparrows as well as fledgling Blue Tits, Great Tits and a single Dunnock. Acting as if they hadn't eaten anything for the last fourteen days, though they surely had, were our pair of Collared Doves. They were straight on to the bird table and started putting the seed away at an astonishing rate. The only way they could have eaten more would have been if they hadn't knocked so much of it to the ground every time that they flapped their wings.

Even returning to work has its upsides as these past few days have given me some extraordinary views of the local Peregrine Falcons. There have been a couple hunting from our building for over a year now, though I believe that my initial assessment of a male and female was probably a bit wayward and an adult and immature bird is more likely. What I assume to be the same birds have now been joined by a pair of fledglings that have been giving breathtaking aerial displays as they chase each other around and occasionally lock talons. Through our double glazing these antics have all been silent but on leaving the office last week one of the juveniles was sat on a window ledge on the thirteenth floor screeching its lungs out. It was like nothing I have ever heard and caused even the most oblivious of people to cast their eyes skyward. Talking to others in the office these antics went on throughout the day but have not been repeated since. The highlight so far though happened late on Friday afternoon as we watched one of the birds return to the building with a Snake dangling from its talons! I have never seen a bird of prey take a Snake before let alone seen one being carried just the other side of a window from my face. All I can say is I hope they ate it otherwise I'm not sitting underneath the air conditioning ducts tomorrow.

Isle of Mull Part 9 - Everything Else

2011-07-23T23:59:00.000+01:00

These last few posts have been packed with birds, insects and even the odd Otter or two, but there are still a few things to share that I didn't manage to fit in elsewhere. Perhaps our most surprising find on the island was the following Hedgehog that we encountered on our early morning drive to Iona. It was waddling along the road quite happily and seemed completely unconcerned by my taking its photo.

The most nerve jangling discovery was an Adder not far from the house, a creature that I have wanted to see for a very long time. We were so close to stepping on it that the alternative outcomes don’t bear thinking about, but thankfully all was well in the end. The Adder looked less than pleased and after staring at us for a few moments it shot off into the undergrowth, hissing loudly as it went.

Elsewhere in the valley we saw a couple of Common Lizards basking in the sun. The one below tried valiantly to escape but found itself running into the ground, hence the reason for its body being twisted upwards behind it in the photo.

Frogs were also much in abundance meaning that careful footsteps were needed around any areas of water. This one was seen in a small pool less than a meter across where the old water tank for the house once sat.

A spot of pond dipping in this pool revealed a wealth of creatures that I just would not have imagined living there. The first was a Newt (exact species unknown) of which we caught several youngsters at various stages of development. The one below was the largest measuring about five centimetres in length and still with external gills.

We also caught the following Cadisfly larva, a species that’s quite topical having recently being featured on Springwatch. This individual had adorned its protective casing with short sections of reed making for an excellent piece of camouflage.

Other species seen but not photographed included numerous Rabbits, a Hare near Fidden on the south of the island and Voles galore. The Voles never stayed out in the open long enough for a positive identification, but other visitors have recorded Water Shrew and Field Voles in the vicinity. Their abundance probably explains the reason for the valley being able to support so many raptors. These two weeks alone we recorded two pairs of Kestrel, a male Hen Harrier, a Buzzard and two Golden Eagles. Even on the ferry trip home we were still being treated to new species of wildlife with a pod of Porpoise feeding in an area of water where several different strong currents met. An excellent parting gift.

Isle of Mull Part 8 - All good things must come to an end

2011-07-23T01:02:00.000+01:00

With just two days left on Mull we decided to stay around the house in the hope of getting some more sightings of the Golden Eagles. We weren’t disappointed as on a walk down to the beach we rounded a corner to find one of the Eagles sat just above us on the hillside. I quickly fired off a couple of frames on the camera before retreating and finding another route before we were spotted.

Being so close to these massive predators is always a buzz but I have no wish to disturb them so always make sure that we steer clear and never go deliberately looking for them. All of our sightings are just incidental to being in the valley and it’s an approach that clearly works for they are here year after year.

Our time on the beach was spent collecting driftwood for use at home but it wasn’t hard to spot where the Eagle was sitting as it came under a constant barrage of attacks from the local Hooded Crows and a pair of Kestrels. It’s a wonder that they get any peace at all with that racket following them wherever they go. The bird certainly had good taste though when it comes to resting spots as the view in this part of the world is simply spectacular.

A trip to Croig to see the Seals also found us looking at our second Diver species of the trip in the form of a first summer Great Northern Diver. The bird was preening way out on the loch but there was no mistaking its size and shape over the smaller Red Throated Divers that had been far more numerous throughout the rest of our trip. Along the shore seventy Greylag Geese including many of this year’s fledglings were floating about in a single raft, just one of the many that we had seen around the island. It certainly seems to have been a good year for them. At least forty Oystercatchers and five Ringed Plovers were also present, the whole lot taking to the sky as a male Peregrine Falcon glided across the scene.

At Croig I also managed to get my best shots for the trip of a Wheatear. This species is so numerous here that to not have come away with a decent photo would have been a disappointment. Unfortunately their flighty nature and my cameras limited range are not a good combination.

On our final day we once again spotted a Golden Eagle, this time sat on a rock on the far side of the valley. If it wasn’t for the constant bombardment being unleashed by the Hooded Crows and Kestrels it likely would have gone unnoticed, but as it was we were treated to prolonged views which made an unusual distraction from our kite flying. It would seem that even Eagles have their tolerance levels as after taking as much of its unwelcome company as it could tolerate it took to the air in a few down strokes of its massive wings. It gradually climbed higher and higher until its entourage was no more before flying out of sight.

The island had one final treat in store for us as the sun started to set. We climbed the hill at the back of the house from whose top it is possible to watch across a favourite hunting area for the local Short Eared Owls. It can be a bit hit or miss whether they turn up or not but on this occasion we were lucky. A single bird was flying along the deer fence, seeming to move so slowly through the air that I half expected to see it drop out of the sky. It was only visible for a few moments before the next hill blocked our view. We took the opportunity to look out to sea where the Treshnish Isles were catching the last of the suns rays before moving down the hill to see if we could relocate the Owl. The third island from the left in the photo below is Lunga, home to the Puffins from my last two posts.

Once down the hill we once again spotted the Short Eared Owl which promptly landed on the ground where it stayed for the following thirty minutes. We waited to see if there would be any further action but it was not to be.

As we walked back to the house with the sun setting behind us, I reflected on an amazing couple of weeks. Every time I visit Mull it seems to throw up yet more surprises and stunning wildlife which through these posts and photos I have been able to relive all over again. Judging by the comments I have received it sounds as if you have all been enjoying them as well, and that makes it all the better.

Isle of Mull Part 7 - More from Amazing Lunga

2011-07-20T23:26:00.000+01:00

One post really wasn’t enough to even scratch the surface of the photos that I took on Lunga, so please enjoy another. Apologies if you've had your fill of Puffins but I don't think you can ever have enough of them.

Isle of Mull Part 6 - Puffin Therapy on Lunga

2011-07-18T23:42:00.002+01:00

By Wednesday the rain looked like it was set in for the long run with banks of cloud barely clearing the cliffs, covering the landscape like a quilt. Normally I’d have called the whole thing off and stayed in bed but we had a boat trip booked with Turus Mara out to Lunga (one of the Treshnish islands) and Staffa (of Fingals cave and basalt column fame). This is a trip not to be missed as you will soon see.

I began to get a feeling that it was going to be a good day when while eating breakfast a rather strange looking Wheatear hopped into view. It was clearly a male bird but in addition to the usual black eye stripe it also sported a large black bib. It was only visible for a few moments before one of the local Wheatears chased it off, but consulting the bird book leads me to believe that the individual in question could belong to the seebohmi race from NW Africa. I have no idea how likely this is but we did see another bird that exhibited similar characteristics a few years ago at Crackaig. Answers on a postcard please if you have any further information regarding this sub-species.

At our departure point we were surprised to see that the trip was as fully booked as normal despite the conditions, so we made sure we were in prime position to get the best seats on the boat. We needn’t have worried as we were the only ones brave enough, or should that be stupid enough, to sit out in the open. The trip to Staffa was very wet but we still managed to see good numbers of Black Guillemots as well as the occasional Manx Shearwater and Gannet. At Staffa itself the sea had a big swell on the go and it was only thanks to some expert seamanship that we were able to dock and disembark.

Back on the boat we headed out into open water and got stuck into the good stuff with a Cory’s Shearwater seen through the driving rain. Despite being at some distance the sheer size of the bird compared to the nearby Manx’s was unmistakeable, as was the lighter brown colouring on its back. It’s funny as I always considered identifying a different species of Shearwater as an almost impossible task, but when you see one there really is no doubt. With one lifer in the bag the second was upon us moments later as a Storm-Petrel flew parallel to us past the boat. If I was to describe it as a House Martin of the sea you wouldn’t be far off imagining what we could see. In my excitement I very nearly ended up flat on my back due to the slippery deck, but as I've said there fortunately wasn't anyone up there with us to witness my mad flailing.

By some miracle our arrival at Lunga brought with it a break in the weather and even some sun. Lunga holds large colonies of Puffin, Guillemot and Razorbill amongst others, but unlike elsewhere the island is visited by so few people that the birds have almost no fear of humans. As a result the Puffins will often walk right up to you giving an encounter that is unparalleled anywhere in the UK.

Away from the main concentration of Puffins a large outcrop of rock holds the noisy Guillemots. Here thousands of birds vie for space along the ledges and bicker amongst themselves as they try to get the best patch upon which to lay their single eggs.

Many of the birds already had chicks at various stages of growth. It was somewhat nerve wracking to watch the youngling’s career around the place only inches from a tremendous fall, but the parents would soon get them under control and safely tucked away under a wing.

Bridled Guillemot

Mixed in with the Guillemots you can often find Razorbills. When seen on water the two species can look remarkably similar but up close the massive beak of the Razorbill is unmistakeable. You'll have to excuse the Puffin in the second picture as every time I tried to photograph the Razorbill stretching its wings the Puffin would pop up into shot to see what I was doing. It was incredibly endearing if a little frustrating.

Other inhabitants of the island include the ever aggressive Shags that are willing to hiss and spit just as soon as they think you are getting a little too close. Trust me when I say they are not birds that you want to mess with.

Check out the midges in the top left - they bite!

Kittiwakes also use the cliffs to breed. Seeing them here in a natural environment certainly contrasts with the colony that we have at home on Mumbles pier.

It’s impossible to portray through a few photos just how amazing a place Lunga really is. The sheer quantity of birds and the behaviour between them that one can witness is beyond imagination. It is something that just has to be experienced to be believed. To finish things off nicely we were treated to the sight of a White Tailed Sea Eagle sat on a small island in Loch Tuath as we approached Ulva ferry on the return leg of the trip.

Isle of Mull Part 5 - Birds in Unexpected Places

2011-07-17T00:22:00.000+01:00

Conscious of our rapidly depleting petrol supply and the vastly inflated fuel prices on the island we spent the next few days visiting places closer to home. First port of call was Eas Fors, a waterfall that tumbles straight off the cliffs and into the sea.

Having taken the usual tourist photos we decided to head off the beaten track and started to climb the steep ravine that carries the Burn to its dramatic climax from its source high up in the mountains. The land rises steeply at first but after a climb of two hundred meters it levels off to a plateau. From here we could see a Golden Eagle soaring high over the distant peaks which we watched until it was finally lost from view. On our way back down we spotted a Dipper flying along the stream. I always imagined that the environment on Mull would be too harsh for Dipper’s to survive but they absolutely thrive on the many mountain streams that traverse the island.

With half of the day still to go we looked at the OS map and picked an arbitrary point to go and explore. The joy of the Scottish countryside is that walkers have the right to roam over almost the entire country, making for an unlimited number of possibilities when it comes to picking routes. Our chosen location once again involved a steep climb up from almost sea level to the high moorlands above that so typify this part of the island. The birds we saw were mostly Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Wheatears and the occasional Raven but that was about to change. After cresting a rise in the landscape we came across a Lochan (a small body of water to those not of a Scottish persuasion) which we duly skirted around. It was only as we looked back down on to it that we realised we were not alone. Floating on the water were two adult Red Throated Divers and a small chick, though one not too young that it wasn’t already practising to dive for food. Red Throated Divers (Loons to my American readers) tend to breed on these high bodies of water for protection and solitude and travel down to the sea only to hunt for fish. Once the chick has reached a suitable age the whole family will move down to sea level but for now they are as isolated as it’s possible to get, ignoring the odd wayward walker of course. This is an aspect of nature that I have never seen before and it was absolutely brilliant, especially given its complete unexpectedness.

The above shot was taken at distance and cropped so please excuse its quality but I did not want to approach the birds for fear of disturbing them. We quickly moved away and out of sight, snatching a glance backwards to check that the birds were still happily going about their business which they were.

I read a lot of Stephen King books and he always finds a way to mention the call of a Loon at least once in every story. I had only been able to imagine what that must sound like previously but no more as we were fortunate to hear one of the Divers utter a call as we continued on our way. I can see why King, a master of horror, should have chosen to include this bird over all others as it certainly has a very haunting quality when heard out in the wilderness.

By now we had been on the island for well over a week and as we often find on Mull, time had completely ceased to be of any consequence. In truth we only had five days left but there was still so much that we wanted to see and so many places that we wanted to visit. Our second Monday on the island was spent walking from Calgary to Caliach Point. This is one of our favourite routes as the scenery is stunning and there is always the chance of spotting an Otter or two along the way.

On this occasion the Otters were keeping themselves well hidden but at Caliach we were treated to a Great Skua soaring past. There has been successful breeding by this species on the point for the last couple of years and we were fortunate to see a family group here just over twelve months ago. With just a single bird present this time around I'm not sure if that recent success has continued, but I certainly hope that it has. The point was also packed with Wheatears, many of which were juveniles from this year’s breeding.

Back at the house a late evening walk unearthed a pile of fresh Red Grouse droppings just the other side of the Deer fence that circles the moorland inland from us. Once upon a time this species was apparently plentiful around the house with regular sightings by visitors, but in recent years their numbers have fallen and I have yet to see one for myself. Emma’s parents were lucky and saw a couple at Easter roughly in the same area as the droppings we found, so there is hope that whatever remnant population exists is still holding on.

I barely think that Tuesday is worthy of a mention here, but I shall for completeness sake. The weather was wet and wild so we headed to the Ardmore estate to walk through the forestry. What we hadn’t realised was that large swathes have now been felled leaving the path just as exposed as if we had been out on the hills. There were still good numbers of woodland species present such as Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goldcrest, but the rain didn’t give much opportunity to enjoy them. I shouldn’t complain really as after visiting Mull for the past six years, this trip has been the first one where we have had any rain to speak of! How many other people can say that of their time in Scotland?