Gwent Birding

A seemingly well-planned sojourn to the Caspian coast appeared to give us a decent chance at bagging Omid, the last western Siberian White Crane.  Unfortunately, we blundered into the tail end o...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2022/03/azerbaijan-25th-february-7th-march-2022.html

Over the weekend I was sent a photograph of the 'Scaup' at Parc Bryn Bach and noticed a few images popping up on social media.  I had my suspicians but wanted to take a look before stating anyth...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2020/12/long-time-no-see.html

Gawd knows how many tit flocks I have sorted through this autumn, haven't found so much as a Firecrest, let alone a Yellow-browed, Pallas' or Dusky Warbler.  An entire autumn birding in Gwent, p...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2020/11/remarkable-bird-beautiful-plumage.html

Park up at Redwick in the dark and yomp to Coldharbour Pill.  Just before dawn the Great Grey Shrike appears from its roost, shows atop various Hawthorn and Blackthorn before slowly making i...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2020/10/nice-bush.html

Found a peanut, Found a peanut, Found a peanut yesterday! Some people saw the peanut before I did.  Some people didn't have the first inkling of an idea that it might be an interesting peanut....

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2020/09/peanuts.html

'PSEEP!' A single, shrill siren call rang around the lower basin. And there, on the exposed mud shone the dazzling supercilium and belly on a chunky monkey of a pipit that had no earthly business...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/12/ynysyfro-delivers-xmas-prezzie.html

So far, my only 'in-the-flesh' view of the Caspian Gull in Bettws. Arrived just in time to see all the gulls take to the air and drift off. I thought the underwing looked too dark (not helped b...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/12/finally-caspian-falls.html

Adult Mediterranean Gull, Lyne Road, Crindau, Newport.

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/12/it-just-keeps-on-coming-back.html

Modern rarity hunting is a funny old game. Find dead bird, pluck feathers from dead bird, put feathers in envelope, post envelope to clever bunnies, cross fingers. I wonder how many, if any, Ar...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/11/i-gave-letter-to-postman-he-put-it-his.html

Saw a Pallid Swift on the patch today,... which was nice.

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/11/pallid-swift.html

Didn't expect this to still be hanging around on my return from the Azores. Nice little Gwent/patch tick c/o M&JP. Phonescoped sun-baked mud with sun-baked mud coloured peep.

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/10/it-waited.html

A few photos of the leucistic Starling at Magor Pill,... Strikingly pale but note the all blackish, relatively long and pointy bill; and lack of contrasting dark wing and tail.  Feed...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-magor-pill-starling.html

The Beast from the East's little brother came to play,... A couple of hours at Goldcliff over high tide produced a half-decent overhead movement, the notable features of which were: three flock...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/03/mini-beast.html

Popped over to Slimbridge to feed the Nenes. Apparently they are vulnerable to extinction and must be filled with grain everyday or they will expire. Also visited each of the cosy little flamingo...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/03/nay-nays-mingos.html

“It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely...” “His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the univ...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-dead.html

Fieldfare and spindrift in the great, white, snowy desolation of my back garden.

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/03/beset-by-hardship.html

Two attempts, one Glaucous Gull, two Spoonbill and a shed load of Med Gulls later,... a vision of perfect grace descended from the ether on a shard of heavenly light.  It's been years since I sa...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/02/larid-revelation.html

First-winter Glaucous Gull, near Sluice Farm. Only my second in Gwent and it's been a wait of over nine years since the first (of which more here ).   Bit of a brute, that had been a p...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/02/northern-bruiser.html

Penduline Tit, Plock Court, Gloucestcestcestcestcestershire, within spitting distance (at least on a windy day) of Horsebere Pool. Proof, were it needed, that ornithological lightening can st...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-tiny-feathered-lightening-bolt.html

I don't know,... horned, horn, horny,... lark, 'bit of a lark', 'larking around',... chuck in the whole 'not in Gwent'/'Gwent is shit' theme and write yourself a couple of captions.   ...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/01/not-gwent.html

Adult European Whitefront on Wentlooge Level, one of a family party of three associating with the Greylag and Canada Goose flock between St. Brides and Peterstone at approximately ST282817 (v...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/01/some-actual-real-not-plastic-geese-in.html

The near mythical ghost Coot of Ynysyfro Reservoirs/Tredegar House lake.  Ynysyfro's unicorn.  Brings a tear to the eye.  In other, not unrelated, news,... Ynysyfro was a bit shit again th...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/01/hey-whitey.html

One of two Jack Snipe seen between Collister and West Pill this morning. I've blogged about it before (click here ) but finding them on the deck is still one of my favourite games. Other wade...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2018/01/grey-skies-grey-water-grey-mud.html

Hanging from the topmost cable of one of the lines of pylons above Uskmouth Lagoons. It appears this 1st-winter Blackwit had managed to get its lower mandible caught between the two intertwined w...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2017/12/look-up.html

An abortive trip to Staines for the 'Horned Lark' ended, after negative news and a slight detour, at Wishmoor Bottom. The Parrot Crossbills performed well enough, even managed a few recordings (a...

http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2017/11/ooge-great-finches.html