Viewing entries tagged
Swallow

A Rare Day

Today was meant to be my start day at my new Job at Llandegfedd but for unforeseen reasons it has been delayed. This did however give me the opportunity to catch up on a bit of birding on my local patch and it really did deliver today. Beautiful weather and some pretty rare birds. The day started with a Sparrowhawk hunting through peoples gardens on my street, followed by a displaying Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon and then stumbling onto a Firecrest that had been ringed! It's always nice finding a rare bird with a ring on its leg, hopefully I can find out where it came from. To top it off, I get two Garganey at Llandeg Reservoir and upon trying to relocate them with birding friend Craig Constance, he spots a stunning male summer plumage Black-necked Grebe! Other notables, two Female Oil Beetles, plenty of Green Tiger Beetles along with some more Spring migrants - Swallows, Sand Martins, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. If I get the time this week I'll try get some sound recordings also, just need more hands! Difficult to do it all at the same time.. 

Have you seen a Swallow yet? If not, keep looking out for them. For some reason, every one I've seen so far has been flying south.. It would appear that some have overshot their mark and are having to make their way back down the Uk to more southern tempratures. 

Easter Migration

Despite the bad weather this easter weekend, spring migrants have still been turning up. Chiffchaff being my first this year followed by a Swallow and Sand Martin. Llandegfedd is yet to pull up an Osprey though and with some already arriving in their breeding grounds up North, we may not get one at all this spring. I hardly took any photographs today as I spent most of my time at Llandegfedd helping general public navigate their way around the Res. Till this day, I really don't condone the actions of Welsh Water to open the site to Public. I feel that a lot has been rushed and therefor neglected since the opening of the new visitors centre. Our wildlife conservation has since been forgotten. The only comfort I have at the moment about securing the future of Llandegfedds Wildlife is the fact that I'm well connected with staff onsite. I hope that my contacts and influence will have an effect on decisions made for this SSSI site. My patience is wearing thin however so alternative solutions are being considered. 

Spring Movement

Eagerly awaiting the first spring arrivals! Spring hasn't truly began for me until the Swallows have returned. Not only do we get birds arriving in the Uk but we also have a lot of birds leaving the country to return to their breeding grounds. With so much movement going on, this is by far my favourite time of year as you're likely to see anything from early arrivals to late departures. This is why I generally I turn my focus to upland. Our upland habitat is vitally important and greatly un-appreciated by most. Our mountains create updrafts that birds use to migrate and navigate the land so you're likely to see migration fairly high up. Our coastline is another great place to witness this migration and if you wait long enough, you may just be able to get a close encounter with a bird that will appear very tired after the long flight. This happened to me last year as a Wheatear pair landed on the coastal wall and was so exhausted they couldn't even fly away from me. Good photo opportunity but not so great for the bird if predators are lurking. 
 

South Sebastopol Patch produces!

Not for lack of trying! But I failed to get a photograph of a Grasshopper warbler on my patch! It's probably just passing thru so not confirmed breeding record but this general area has been untouched by birders including myself since I've moved here, so you never know! The habitat looked really good for Grasshopper Warbler with the Canal pretty close for water and plenty of scrubland. This so happens to be the only meadow in the area that hasn't been cut yet this year and clearly it is producing the goods. Also had Common Blue, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood and a couple 5 Spot Burnet Moths. A lot of movement today from the Swifts and House Martins and Swallows which are already starting to move south. I've heard that a few Swallows are already starting their second brood though so I'm sure we'll have a few sticking around right into August, maybe even September for a select late few.