Our combined tour in South Wales with Oriole Adventures from 24th - 27th January 2008 had far better conditions than previous tours this year, and we were able to capitalise fully. We began the first afternoon by enjoying at least 100 Brambling at Castell Coch, many of which were adult males approaching full breeding plumage. A Eurasian Jay and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were also present there. At nearby Tair Onnen, we just caught five Hawfinch as they flew out of the wood, but not everyone was able to see them as they flew really quickly away from us and we had to make do with Common Nuthatches and Common Treecreeper. At Lisvane Reservoir, the Spotted Sandpiper showed superbly in the afternoon sun and an amazing record in the form of a Dipper arrived as we watched before flying off high west – this was the first record at the site for 78 years and only the second ever!! On avery cold and dull Day Two, Kenfig Pool produced small numbers of common wildfowl, as well as five Common Snipe, a Northern Lapwing, a Common Chiffchaff and a Fieldfare, Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir provided excellent views of Goosander, Common Goldeneye and displaying Great Crested Grebes. Swansea Docks had two Great Northern Divers and several European Shag, while Hafod Woods produced fifteen Common Crossbill, three Mistle Thrush, a few Eurasian Siskin and good numbers of Common Buzzards and displaying Common Raven. Day Three was spent in the environs of the Ogmore Estuary. The sea front provided us with cracking views of seventeen Purple Sandpipers and nine Red-billed Chough while the estuary produced two adult Mediterranean Gulls, fifteen Gadwall, a Green Sandpiper and good numbers of Common Goldeneye, Common Teal, Eurasian Curlew and Northern Lapwing as well as a stunning drake Goosander. Nearby, a pair of Dartford Warblers showed well despite the breezy conditions and a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a small flock of Bullfinches rounded off an excellent day. The Final Day was spent on North Gower and as ever this produced a stunning array of birds for us. At Whitford NNR the wonderful spectacle of vast numbers of Northern Pintail, Common Shelduck, Northern Lapwing, Common Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Curlew and European Oystercatchers kept everyone spellbound, but with a supporting cast of five Slavonian Grebes, four Red-breasted Mergansers, fifty Bar-tailed Godwit, five thousand or so Red Knot, thirty Common Eider, a few hundred Dark-bellied Brent Geese, a Jack Snipe, two very showy Peregrines and a scope filling female Merlin its easy to see why it is so popular. Grey and Ringed Plovers, Great Crested Grebes and a few Reed Buntings, Little Egrets and a large mixed tit flock were also noted. Lunch at Penclawdd Pill produced another superb Merlin, as well as wintering Common Sandpiper and Common Greenshank, as well as more Little Egrets and Common Teal, while the finale at Llanrhidian Marsh consisted of a Green Sandpiper, two Common Kingfishers seen hovering over the creeks, a flock of Goldfinch and vast numbers of European Golden Plover and other shorebirds that were put up by a majestic male Hen Harrier that quartered the marsh at close range – superb! We finished with a very respectable total of 106 species.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
SOUTH WALES 24TH - 27TH JANUARY 2008
Our combined tour in South Wales with Oriole Adventures from 24th - 27th January 2008 had far better conditions than previous tours this year, and we were able to capitalise fully. We began the first afternoon by enjoying at least 100 Brambling at Castell Coch, many of which were adult males approaching full breeding plumage. A Eurasian Jay and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were also present there. At nearby Tair Onnen, we just caught five Hawfinch as they flew out of the wood, but not everyone was able to see them as they flew really quickly away from us and we had to make do with Common Nuthatches and Common Treecreeper. At Lisvane Reservoir, the Spotted Sandpiper showed superbly in the afternoon sun and an amazing record in the form of a Dipper arrived as we watched before flying off high west – this was the first record at the site for 78 years and only the second ever!! On avery cold and dull Day Two, Kenfig Pool produced small numbers of common wildfowl, as well as five Common Snipe, a Northern Lapwing, a Common Chiffchaff and a Fieldfare, Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir provided excellent views of Goosander, Common Goldeneye and displaying Great Crested Grebes. Swansea Docks had two Great Northern Divers and several European Shag, while Hafod Woods produced fifteen Common Crossbill, three Mistle Thrush, a few Eurasian Siskin and good numbers of Common Buzzards and displaying Common Raven. Day Three was spent in the environs of the Ogmore Estuary. The sea front provided us with cracking views of seventeen Purple Sandpipers and nine Red-billed Chough while the estuary produced two adult Mediterranean Gulls, fifteen Gadwall, a Green Sandpiper and good numbers of Common Goldeneye, Common Teal, Eurasian Curlew and Northern Lapwing as well as a stunning drake Goosander. Nearby, a pair of Dartford Warblers showed well despite the breezy conditions and a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a small flock of Bullfinches rounded off an excellent day. The Final Day was spent on North Gower and as ever this produced a stunning array of birds for us. At Whitford NNR the wonderful spectacle of vast numbers of Northern Pintail, Common Shelduck, Northern Lapwing, Common Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Curlew and European Oystercatchers kept everyone spellbound, but with a supporting cast of five Slavonian Grebes, four Red-breasted Mergansers, fifty Bar-tailed Godwit, five thousand or so Red Knot, thirty Common Eider, a few hundred Dark-bellied Brent Geese, a Jack Snipe, two very showy Peregrines and a scope filling female Merlin its easy to see why it is so popular. Grey and Ringed Plovers, Great Crested Grebes and a few Reed Buntings, Little Egrets and a large mixed tit flock were also noted. Lunch at Penclawdd Pill produced another superb Merlin, as well as wintering Common Sandpiper and Common Greenshank, as well as more Little Egrets and Common Teal, while the finale at Llanrhidian Marsh consisted of a Green Sandpiper, two Common Kingfishers seen hovering over the creeks, a flock of Goldfinch and vast numbers of European Golden Plover and other shorebirds that were put up by a majestic male Hen Harrier that quartered the marsh at close range – superb! We finished with a very respectable total of 106 species.
