For this years New Year's day bash, we decided to stay fairly local. This meant a nice lie in. I picked Phil up just before 7am, and Martin a few minutes later. We headed across Cwm Cadlan into Gawnant, hoping for Woodcock and possibly owls. Unfortunately neither played ball. A quick look onto the top end of Llwyn Onn, produced 3 Little Grebe, 3 Mallard, a single Grey Heron and, for me only a fly past Dipper. Also added to the "heard only" list was a small group of Crossbills.
We then headed to Llangorse, where the lake was filled with waterfowl. Single Great White and Small Egrets were off the point at Llangasti, and a Fly over Greenfinch by the church was an early bonus. It was then time to focus on the waterfowl and it wasn't long before I picked up a drake Scaup. We had been looking for a Scaup, but the recent reports were of a female type, so the male was a surprise.
Passerines were in short supply but we eventually managed to pick up bits and pieces including a nice mixed feeding flock of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll. The hunt for Snipe produced some 6 birds, but no Jack!
A quick visit to the visitor centre produced the regularly wintering Mandarin and the semi-resident Shelduck.
It was then down to Usk to try for the drake Smew. It wasn't showing by the first layby, but pulling up at the next layby it had just been seen. We walked up the road for a bit and eventually managed good views of this dapper duck.
A quick visit to Llangybi produced only distant swans - all appearing to be Mute.
Back to Llwyn Onn, and Grey and Pied Wagtails on the slipway, but no Water Pipit. Up onto Cwm Cadlan, producing our first sighting of Raven, 3 Mistle Thrush and several Fieldfare.
Whilst a number of species didn't play ball, I ended the day on 70 species. Not too bad for a local run around.
We then headed to Llangorse, where the lake was filled with waterfowl. Single Great White and Small Egrets were off the point at Llangasti, and a Fly over Greenfinch by the church was an early bonus. It was then time to focus on the waterfowl and it wasn't long before I picked up a drake Scaup. We had been looking for a Scaup, but the recent reports were of a female type, so the male was a surprise.
Passerines were in short supply but we eventually managed to pick up bits and pieces including a nice mixed feeding flock of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll. The hunt for Snipe produced some 6 birds, but no Jack!
A quick visit to the visitor centre produced the regularly wintering Mandarin and the semi-resident Shelduck.
It was then down to Usk to try for the drake Smew. It wasn't showing by the first layby, but pulling up at the next layby it had just been seen. We walked up the road for a bit and eventually managed good views of this dapper duck.
A quick visit to Llangybi produced only distant swans - all appearing to be Mute.
Back to Llwyn Onn, and Grey and Pied Wagtails on the slipway, but no Water Pipit. Up onto Cwm Cadlan, producing our first sighting of Raven, 3 Mistle Thrush and several Fieldfare.
Whilst a number of species didn't play ball, I ended the day on 70 species. Not too bad for a local run around.
Nice couple of hours out and a good start to the new year and a git we did not pick up the Ferruginous duck that was there when we was ,
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