On a foggy morning I was ending back to Forest Farm and my second go at the Bittern. On getting in the hide I had great view of this Green Woodpecker and sorry for the poor quality of the photos has the light was very bad. In the five hours I was in the hide it was pretty busy, the kingfisher was showing very well and the Common Snipe were back with five present. I also noticed one of the Jay's had a ring on it's leg also a great tit and has hard as I tried I could not read the letters. I think it's a bad design and should be more like the gulls rings and coloured letter so that you can read them. Also in the hide was a Robin and a Nuthatch and great to share a hide with. The robin was eating meal worms feet from my ear and I could hear him eating. Well after my big sitting I did not see the Bittern again and I could not feel my toes also no fox, but it was great to spend time at Forest Farm and I even saw Mr Bell and I did not notice him in the back of the hide. Next stop was to go up to Llwyn Onn Reservoir and have a look for Mike's Water Pipit but on getting to the spillway finding only 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail and a fly over Cormorant. It was very quiet and at the top of the Reservoir the water level was to high so no birds. So it maybe below the dam or moved on. Next stop I noticed on the Brecon site that the shrike had been seen on the Cwm Cadlan road from the res and in a felled area but no sign and all I got was this nice bit of Velvet Shanks on the way out and the Cadlan was bird less too. Well never mind there alway next time and just great to be out and I had a cracking Rubarb Pie and coffee on the Cadlan and happy days
Standard BTO rings are frustrating, but were never intended to be read with bins or a scope. Around ten years ago, there used to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull hanging around Cardiff central station and on several occasions, I tried to read its BTO ring, without success. The plastic Darvic rings are large and easily read, being designed to be read using bins and scope, but are usually only used for research purposes, as they have a limited life.
Fair point mark and i thought after if it had coloured letter it would be easy for Birds of prey to see it and wouild stand out and i seat there was afraid to go outside to relief myself and as mr bell he was behind me and i did not miss anything in front mr hill
I can support Martin, he was concentrating on what was outside the hide, not inside (apart from the Robin that was virtually right next to him). A stayed an hour or so after Martin left and didn't get the Bittern either - I think it's the curse of Mr Gaze
If you cannot see Martin Bell what chance have you got of seeing the Bittern. !!!
ReplyDeleteGlad my luck with Bitterns had rubbed off on you!
ReplyDeleteStandard BTO rings are frustrating, but were never intended to be read with bins or a scope. Around ten years ago, there used to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull hanging around Cardiff central station and on several occasions, I tried to read its BTO ring, without success.
The plastic Darvic rings are large and easily read, being designed to be read using bins and scope, but are usually only used for research purposes, as they have a limited life.
Good shots.
Fair point mark and i thought after if it had coloured letter it would be easy for Birds of prey to see it and wouild stand out and i seat there was afraid to go outside to relief myself and as mr bell he was behind me and i did not miss anything in front mr hill
ReplyDeleteThe Darvic rings don't have to be coloured. The ones I removed from LB carcasses on Flatholm, in 2002, were all grey, with black numbers.
DeleteI can support Martin, he was concentrating on what was outside the hide, not inside (apart from the Robin that was virtually right next to him). A stayed an hour or so after Martin left and didn't get the Bittern either - I think it's the curse of Mr Gaze
ReplyDeleteand why did they put the door back on the hide as people cannot shut it quiet.
ReplyDeleteWhat curse Mr.Bell i got the Bittern after my seventeenth visit.
ReplyDeleteGod dont say that i been twice and put in about 12 hours in a freezing cold hide with noise toggys or is it dogger mike pmsl .ok now off my chest
ReplyDelete