The Doldrums

Late June in Gwent is shit, I am now at the stage at which a solitary Whimbrel is noteworthy and a dead mammal is sighting of the day. The Whimbrel was on the foreshore at Uskmouth and the mammal, a Water Shrew, was alongside one of the reedbeds (see pic below, inset showing bristles on edge of feet, an adaptation to aid swimming). Water Shrew is possibly declining in the UK and definitely under-recorded so if you see a large, blackish above/whitish below shrew with bristles at the edge of the feet and along the tail send the record in (a list of mammal recorders is available at www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/recorders.shtml).

Finally

Due to work, sheer bleeding laziness and the World Cup, I haven't added anything to the year-list for about five weeks! Today, Rock Pipit fell, a pair with fledged youngsters out on Denny Island, does this mean the ball is once again rolling? Let's hope so.

PS. Who had the bright idea of county year-listing during a World Cup year? DOH!

Bootiful weather Bernard...

... but buggerall birds. Here's a pic of Goldcliff Pools in the sunshine.

Back to blighty with a bump

Two days back in the county and nothing more than a Spoonbill and a trickle of passage waders to raise the pulse. Last week I couldn't step foot outside Tbilisi without tripping over Corncrakes, Quails, shrikes and buntings; thank God I'm back in a country where the government (enthusiastically aided by the farmers and 'developers') keep all these pesky birds under control.

Definitely not Gwent

Have just returned from another two weeks in the bird-filled Republic of Georgia, probably the best birding in the Western Palearctic. Managed to get to the Lesser Caucasus this time, a new mountain range tick. Unfortunately a rather intense work schedule severely limited the birding opportunities, however, it is impossible to spend any time in the country without seeing something of interest. Topics for discussion this time include: distribution of rubicola, variegata and armenica Stonechats; 'eastern' Black Redstarts and/or Redstart x Black Redstart hybrids; and the status of Laughing Dove in Tbilisi... discuss.

Flippin' un-ber-loody-believable

What an absolutely outrageous FA Cup final, it's official Stevie Gerrard is greatest being ever to have graced this planet.

PS. Also bagged a couple of Wood Warblers this morning before the footy, 144 for the year.

Fourth time lucky

Finally caught up with a Garganey today and it looked like this...

Look who's back...

Spoonbill was added to the year-list today but, of more interest, was the return of one of our Pochard hybrids. This female is of a very similar appearance to the bird recently reported as an "apparent first-winter female Redhead" at Slimbridge. The pics below were taken in dull conditions this evening, resulting in an artificially dark appearance, however, many features, e.g. details of the shape of the facial 'blaze', appear identical to the Slimbridge bird.




And just to prove Spoonbills can be exciting too...

Now the shelducks are at it!

Australian Shelduck x Ruddy Shelduck? Shelduck x Australian Shelduck?? Ruddy Shelduck x Shelduck??? Is there a slice of something else in there? Is it a backcross or a multiple hybrid? This is all too much, if you think you know this, presumed escaped, bird's parentage click on 'comments' and leave a note.

*sigh*

Pied Flicker

Just the one new species today, Pied Flycatcher, a pair nest building at Goytre House Wood.