Roesel's Bush Cricket

None of the Birds on my list showed today but luckily a short trip to Llandegfedd saved the day in the form of a Roesel's Bush Cricket. 2 in-fact!. You know you're getting good at your crickets when you can recognise a cricket by its sound and that's exactly what happened today. The sound of a Roesel's is so iconic, it's described as a 'Savy's Warbler' rather than a Grasshopper warbler because it sounds like electrical wires rather than a fast trill. I'm returning this weekend to Llandegfedd as the weather is meant to be nice and I'll get some recordings for you but for now, here is a quick snapshot of the cricket in subject on todays walk. 

I Won! Again!

Can't believe it! I wasn't expecting to win again this year, especially after seeing some of the other photograph entries on the wall as I went in. Some fantastic photographs this year. I particularly admired the Grassnake photograph! I'm still yet to see one on my patch. 

GWT Photography Competition winner 2015

GWT Photography Competition winner 2015

In other news, the AGM meeting was great this year. I actually took some notes from the presentation as there were some really useful Stats about trees. All useful knowledge that I'll certainly use in the future! 

Next years competition will certainly be tougher again I'm sure but that's a year away so I won't worry about that yet haha. 

Gwent Wildlife Trust 2015 Photography Competition

Tonight is GWT's Annual AGM meeting, at which they announce this years photography competition results. Last year was the first year I entered this competition and I was lucky enough to win! So the pressure is on this year! I have no idea what the outcome will be but it is nice to have been shortlisted again this year and invited along to the AGM. I'm really looking forward to it! The meeting starts at 7:00pm tonight so wish me luck!  

This years GWT Photography Competition Entry

Beavers Photography Talk

Well done Beavers! though next time you better bring some Camera's! Hint hint parents ;). 
Congrats to the few that did bring camera's and I really look forward to our trip next week to Pontypool Park. 

We should expect to see lots of Autumn signs like Grey Squirrels  burying their nuts in the ground and also Jays in the trees. We may end up seeing some Southern Hawkers on the Ponds along with Mallards and other common birds. Get those cameras ready!   

Below are some older pictures of those species mentioned 

Scouts Photography Talk

Scouts Photography Badge

Tomorrow I'll be meeting up with 1st Panteg (St Mary's) Scout Group in Newinn where they are awaiting being taught how to use a Camera! I'll be starting with the youngest group, showing them some of my photographs on this very website and hopefully teaching them what it takes to be able to get creative and take photographs that they are happy with. I'm really looking forward to meeting with them as the scouts will have to work really hard to earn their photography badge! (yes, they have a photography badge!). This week we'll be indoors but next week will be the tester as we venture out to Pontypool Park to put their skills to the test. 

Good luck Scouts!

Iolo's Great Welsh Parks

This Friday the Pontypool episode will be aired again on BBC 2 @ 7:00pm! If you haven't seen it yet, please watch it and let me know what you think?  

 

Slimbridge Sunday

There is never a dull day at Slimbridge! Even when you see the typical common stuff, you get such great views of them that you can really appreciate them for what they are. A Rook for instance is recognised by most people as 'just a crow' but they are really great birds! They are very different from their urban cousins and specialise on probing into the ground with their long bald bills to cache their food so that they can return later. They are more like Jay's than Jackdaws and Carrion Crows in that sense. 

New Website Almost Finished!

If you are reading this on my new website, welcome! I hope you find this Blog easier to navigate and find exactly what it is that you'd like to read. As a quick run through, down the right side of the page (or at the bottom if you're on a tablet or phone) you'll see a calendar and also a list of tags. You can navigate my blog by either date or through specific topics that I have set out for you. You can now 'like, comment or share' my blogs and I encourage you to do so as it will help me develop my blog according to my readers. 

Morning Wood Logo

While re-designing my website, I thought it would be a good time to give my bands logo a new lease of life and here is the design! You can few my bands live session via this link .

I will also be designing a new website for my band but that might take a while to get organised. Sorting payments out between 4 band members can be hard lol. 

South Sebastopol Insects

A single Migrant Hawker was the only large Dragonfly on the canal today along with plenty of Common Darters that like to sun themselves on the pathway. Despite them having vibrant colours, they are actually quite difficult to spot when they remain still. 

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Golden-ringed Dragonfly / South Sebastopol

September so far has been a little mixed, mainly down to how unpredictable the weather has been but overall, not bad at all! It's even been warm enough for the Hawkers, Club-tails and Darters to be on the wing and despite having the heat, I found this Golden-ringed perched up eating a wasp. It was so distracted and subdued that while still eating this wasp it allowed me to pick it up! You can really see the size on these beautifully striking dragonflies and I have to say, I think they may well be a personal favourite of mine.