The Animals wrote a song about Gwent

A dawn raid on Uskmouth produced Tree Pipit, 26 Siskin, 15 Snipe and a couple of Tawny Owls but nothing too exciting. Not long after I returned home this month's British Birds flopped onto the mat, complete with the 2007 rarity report. Gwent really has outdone itself in this one; not a single mention until the, now traditional, annual rejection of the, now traditional, annual 'Baird's Sandpiper at Goldcliff' report. The only ray of sunshine was Nathan's name all over the Hayle Estuary White-billed Diver record, the obvious moral of the story being - get in your car, drive a long way away then, and only then, start looking for rare birds.

Don't know about you, but I'm off to Norfolk.

Onde está o pássaro raro?

Another morning at Uskmouth in an attempt to find Gwent's portion of this week's feast of eastern vagrants. It didn't happen, in fact, it never even felt like it might. If anything, the numbers of migrants were down on last week; only Siskin and Mipit were going over with any great regularity interspersed with the odd Skylark, Pied and Grey Wag, Song Thrush and Redpoll. On the deck a few Blackcap, Chiff and Goldcrest did their level best to keep the interest going but could I find a Yellow-browed, could I bog-roll.

PS. I'm working my Portuguese, the Azores beckon.

He is never wrong

Click on the picture to learn of tomorrow's news today,...

Goldcliff Lagoons

The usual range of waders were present including a Ruff with the most pronounced limp I have ever seen, it may well have been putting it on for effect. Strangely, over the afternoon high tide, the bulk of the waders preferred the back lagoon (complete with adjacent large blue tractor) as opposed to the shallow area near the third platform.

CALM on down

Today's storming of the Senedd went terribly well, about 200 turned up to wear yellow T-shirts and politely voice their concern over the plan to totally bugger the levels with another phenomenally expensive road scheme which, like the Newbury bypass, will fill with traffic at twice the rate the traffic consultants predict. Unfortunately, that part of Crudiff's stagnant lake nearest the Welsh Assembly proved devoid of interesting birds. Presumably this explains the small number of local birders present, I'd hope for a better ornithological turnout next time, if nothing else, you might get to be on BBC Wales for half of one whole British second just like me.


This happened too,...

Me: Hello
Grumpy Policeman with camera: Er,... yes?
Me: Do you mind if I take your picture?
Grumpy Policeman with camera: What for?
Me: The irony
Grumpy Policeman with camera: Eh?
Me: You know 'the irony', you come here to take pictures of people exercising their right to protest, and you end up getting photographed; that, and to fill space on my blog.
Grumpy Policeman with camera: Sounds a bit 'sad' to me
Me: Eh? Sad? This is real life comedy gold
Grumpy Policeman with camera: Well I can't stop you,... but you'll have to do it from down there in the crowd
Me: No, I mean I'll stand there [pointing to spot two metres in front of him] and take your picture
Grumpy Policeman with camera: No,... I ain't posing for you
Me: Oh, well that is disappointing,... and you such a well turned out chap.

At this point, dear reader, I'm afraid I left empty handed and can't show you a photo of the less than laughing policeman; perhaps, when I get a moment, I'll draw you a picture. I hope he took my picture, it would be doubly disappointing if neither of us graced a digital chip today.

PS. When I asked the two Community Officers nearby whether he was always grumpy, they seemed to think he was.

A Nutha

Forgot to mention, yesterday produced a second patch-tick, almost as exciting as the Wryneck,... Nuthatch, a levels mega! It didn't hang around mind, only showing once as it flew straight over my head at the rear of a tit flock. The moment was made even more magical as, whilst passing by, it briefly fanned its tail, showing off its exquisitely patterned rectrices to all and sundry. Enough to make one's waxiest of wax as lyrically lyrical as can be.

Dwip-dwip-dwip.

At long bloody last

Finally, a Wryneck in Gwent and, even better than that sir, on my patch. First found this morning just east of the lighthouse, this afternoon it was covering a fair bit of ground to the west. In between being flushed by cyclists, semi-naked octogenarians (replete with wrinkly old man baps), blackberry pickers, picnic laden dudes, lead-lacking dog-walkers and screaming kids, the bird attempted to feed either side of the path along the sea-wall. The RSPB have turned Uskmouth into a f**king bad joke, quite how they get away with attracting thousands of people down there and yet fail to control (or even monitor) the disturbance is beyond me.


A Wryneck just before being flushed by a fat ignorant bloke, his long-suffering wife, five kids and a yapping dog minus a lead.

Brent Invasion

The Pale-bellied Brent flock was off Uskmouth this evening, 25 birds including at least 15 youngsters. At Goldcliff the waders are still congregating off the third platform providing pretty good views. Just after dark, whilst trying to bag a few wader calls on 'tape' (well compact flash card actually, but anyhoo...), we had a close encounter with one of two Tawny Owls knocking around as it landed on the fence post about five yards in front of the platform.


Five young 'uns and an adult from among the unprecedented (in Gwentish terms) Pale-bellied Brent flock.

Still looking

An evening on the levels produced a few common migrants at Magor Marsh, a good number and variety of passage waders at Goldcliff, and hundreds of Swallows heading west at both sites. No sign of a Great White Egret though, does the bird at Ynys-hir have colour-rings I wonder?

Party time!

Yesterday, we had a 'No Wrynecks, No Worries!' party, it was great. We had fizzy pop, cheese and pineapple chunks on sticks, tortillas and dips, butterfly cakes (two flavours!) and a Smarties cake,... everyone ate until they puked. I'm now looking forward to this autumn's 'No Bluethroats, No Worries!' party, this winter's 'No Little Auks, No Worries!' party and next spring's 'No Golden Orioles/Hoopoes, No Worries!' party (theme yet to be decided). If you would like an invite to future shindigs celebrating Gwent's freedom from sub-rares, or my recipe for butterfly cakes, leave a comment below.