After coaching in Swansea on Saturday morning, I decided to head over to Overton to see if I could catch up with the Wood Larks or Rosefinch that had been in the area recently. Neither the larks nor the Boringfinch were evident, but a Partridge was a bit of a surprise - unfortunately I couldn't get onto it to id to species level, but there was a report of four Grey's a few days ago, and given the scarcity of any Partridge spp in the area, it's prob a good bet it was a Grey.
Walking over to Port Enyon, there was little on the sea - no divers, no grebes. A few Guillemots (some already in breeding plumage) and a single Razorbill were founf flying back and fore. A drake Eider in the bay was the highlight of the day.
On to Sunday and a trip down to Goldcliffe, etc. Big numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were very much in evidence with numerous individuals seeming to fly out of virtually every bush. Highlights included 2 Spot' Red's, 2 Greenshanks and 2 Peregrines, with a distant Marsh Harrier seen hunting over the Boat Lane marsh. Uskmouth, was almost birdless, saved by the winter thrushes in the hedgerows.
It was then a visit to Rumney Great Wharf. It's prob about 2 years since I was last there, at what used to be one of my local patches when I lived in Cardiff. Highlights were 2 Jack Snipes, one of which allowed good flight views, as it flew around me. 8 Common Snipe were flushed, - if I had had my wellies, that number would surely be much greater. Two female Peregrines had a bit of a set too, with the mate of one egging them on from a safe distance.
Walking over to Port Enyon, there was little on the sea - no divers, no grebes. A few Guillemots (some already in breeding plumage) and a single Razorbill were founf flying back and fore. A drake Eider in the bay was the highlight of the day.
On to Sunday and a trip down to Goldcliffe, etc. Big numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were very much in evidence with numerous individuals seeming to fly out of virtually every bush. Highlights included 2 Spot' Red's, 2 Greenshanks and 2 Peregrines, with a distant Marsh Harrier seen hunting over the Boat Lane marsh. Uskmouth, was almost birdless, saved by the winter thrushes in the hedgerows.
It was then a visit to Rumney Great Wharf. It's prob about 2 years since I was last there, at what used to be one of my local patches when I lived in Cardiff. Highlights were 2 Jack Snipes, one of which allowed good flight views, as it flew around me. 8 Common Snipe were flushed, - if I had had my wellies, that number would surely be much greater. Two female Peregrines had a bit of a set too, with the mate of one egging them on from a safe distance.
"Boringfinch!" I'm hurt. No wonder it didn't show...
ReplyDeleteThe status of Partridge in Gower (perhaps everywhere?) is that they are being released for shooting. Both Grey's and Red-legged's are being reported from the Overton area with increasing frequency in recent years. It's difficult to know with any certainty where the game birds we are seeing in the wild are coming from, or indeed, how long they've been out in the wild.
Cheers Mark, I know the prob with game birds - we had a release of Pheasants round here a couple of years ago, but haven't seen or heard any since last Spring. And a single Red-legged on upland common land a couple of years ago was certainly a lost release.
ReplyDeleteThe Rosefinch was a good find, and I'm sure its still about, but Juv's/1st winter don't set the pulses racing!
It was a good find, but Juv/1st winter Rosefinches are no lookers