The weekend started early on Friday with a Tawny Owl showing well on my walk to the station to go to work. After work I had a nose around Navigation Park and found 23 Bee Orchids.
Saturday saw me do an hours sea watch of Tutt Head, Mumbles between 06:45 and 07:45. Highlight was a feeding pod of around a dozen Common Dolphins. After coaching, a 90 min visit to try to catch up with Honey Buzzard failed in that respect but I did pick up my first Goshawk of the year - can't believe it's almost July and I'm only getting my first Gos' of the year!
Then off to Goldcliffe, where 3 Med Gulls and 3 Common Gulls were the avian highlights. The Avocets appeared to have had a successful year with a number of juv birds on the estuary. On the insect side a Ruddy darter showed well and a moth tick - Dark Arches - in one of the hides.
My late BBS visit for this year was almost as species poor as the early visit, though numbers, thanks to the juv's, were up. Family parties of Stonechat, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Linnet, Robin, Chiffchaff, Redstart, Blue Tit and Nuthatch all showing well. Raptors, however, were much in evidence with Red Kite (my first BBS record), Buzzard and Sparrowhawk all making it onto the BBS list. A Kestrel and Peregrine were both just outside the recording area.
Saturday saw me do an hours sea watch of Tutt Head, Mumbles between 06:45 and 07:45. Highlight was a feeding pod of around a dozen Common Dolphins. After coaching, a 90 min visit to try to catch up with Honey Buzzard failed in that respect but I did pick up my first Goshawk of the year - can't believe it's almost July and I'm only getting my first Gos' of the year!
Then off to Goldcliffe, where 3 Med Gulls and 3 Common Gulls were the avian highlights. The Avocets appeared to have had a successful year with a number of juv birds on the estuary. On the insect side a Ruddy darter showed well and a moth tick - Dark Arches - in one of the hides.
My late BBS visit for this year was almost as species poor as the early visit, though numbers, thanks to the juv's, were up. Family parties of Stonechat, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Linnet, Robin, Chiffchaff, Redstart, Blue Tit and Nuthatch all showing well. Raptors, however, were much in evidence with Red Kite (my first BBS record), Buzzard and Sparrowhawk all making it onto the BBS list. A Kestrel and Peregrine were both just outside the recording area.
Not getting a Goshawk until now, that's worse than me with the Owls.
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