April fools....?

A trip with Tony (to the coast again), but this time to to some bird watching as well as ringing!! One of the first birds we heard/saw was a Cuckoo!!

We couldn't believe it, it was the beginning April and one had already turned up, so much for not arriving until May. Maybe this was going to be a great start to a great days birding? It was, the next bird we saw was a Great Grey Shrike, this was going to be some day! After spending a few hours at the Cross Inn Forest we headed to the coast, where our good fortune continued, several Wheatears were present on the cliff tops, one of which was trapped and ringed, but star of the show here was a Black Redstart which wasn't shy at all (there was a very showy Dunnock too).

We then headed up the coast where our first stop was Aberaeron, we were greeted by a very smart flock of Golden Plovers (and a lone Turnstone).

A bit further up the coast we ringed a brood of Dippers, then got to our next location - Llanrhystud. Here we saw good numbers of White Wagtails a handful of Wheatears and second summer Med Gull. On the way home we decided to go the mountain route where the star bird for this leg of the journey was a Merlin which decided to have a pop at a Wheatear right in front of the car!!

Off to the coast again....!

A quick visit to the coast (Aberystwyth) again today, with the main target to try and get some more pics of the Purple Sandpipers, before they head off north for breeding!

I was in luck a couple of them were feeding on the rocks below the old college, so with a bit of careful tip toeintg over the wet rocks I managed a couple of pics before they went and fed a bit furter out!

This Shag in the harbour was also a nice find too!

Also got to ring my first grey herons today, what ugly little b****rs!!

White-fronted Geese @ Dolydd Hafren

Many years ago White-fronted Geese used to build up to as many as 400 strong in the fields along the monts/shrops boarder, nowadays due to increased farming there natural wintering habitats have all but disappeared along with the Geese, so to hear that 3 had turned at one of my now 'local' site, I was keen to go and see them!

When I got to the reserve, the 3 birds were showing distantly but well enough to clearly see what they were.



Other birds of interest included, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatchers, 40+ Curlew, 13 Goosanders, 2 Cormorants, 80+ Fieldfares, and a handful of each Swallow and Sand Martin.