Wanted: a headland

Popped in on Sand Point post-work this arvo. It felt like an interesting sylvia would pop out at any moment (probably one beginning with 's' - Subalpine, Sardinian or Spectacled p'raps), of course it didn't happen (just Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs plus Swallows and Sand Martins overhead), but it felt like it might,... which is surely half the battle. Pity Gwent doesn't have a similarly righteous wedge of rock.

[Addendum: forgot to mention, had my first Adder of the year too.]

Identification pitfalls: Aix ducks

Figure 1: Flock of captive galericulata from their native China and close-up of sponsa (origin of specimen unknown).

As can be seen above, whilst superficially similar in female plumages, these two species are best told apart by differences in overall plumage tone, presence/absence of striations at sides of head and neck, extent of 'eye-patch' and eye-stripe, nail colour, shape of flank spotting, colour/glossiness of greater and median coverts, leg and body length and steepness of forehead. Ageing of galericulata best attempted with reference to head pattern and streaking on underparts; with sponsa accurate ageing achieved by cutting in half and counting the rings.

More photographs of the two species can be found by typing "plastic ducks" into Google or on page 103 of your newly arrived Birding World,... er,... shurely shome mishtake!

With thanks to Mr. Bonser (via Mr. Alfrey) for providing a reason to remove the plastic wrapping from my BW this month.

Hawwiers

Another morning at Uskmouth, another dose of migrants. Two Marsh Harriers seemed to be drifting west, both female-type, a largely dark bird skimmed the reeds at 07:00 whilst a paler crowned/forewinged individual was circling off St. Brides/Peterstone at around 08:00. The arrival of one Whitethroat and two Lesser Whitethroat has pretty much rounded off the local warblers; and five Sedge, one Reed Warbler and one Wheatear were the best of the rest.

Be vewy vewy quiet,...

PS. By the way, logged somewhere just short of 40 singing male Cetti's over the last two days.

[Addendum: an hour sky-watching this afternoon produced Peregrine (2 sightings of, presumably, the same bird), Sparrowhawk (1), Buzzard (6+), Raven (1) and a handful of Lesser Black-backed Gulls; had 10 minutes inside-of-eyelid-watching at one point which, surprisingly, produced nothing]

Me, the Cetti's, meself and the toys

The first, delayed, visit of the Cetti's survey today. Quite a few of the wee blighters but, even more exciting (were it ornithologically possible to be more exciting than a Cetti's Warbler), Gropper, Sedge and Reed also put in appearances. Would have got some very nice recordings today were it not for the constant background din of construction activity, aviation, motor vehicles, barking dogs, etc., etc., etc.

PS. Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff are now officially too numerous to count as anything but an impediment to finding something of real interest.

Mostly Jack

A rare team effort at Saltmarsh/Uskmouth this afternoon produced nothing beyond another dose of Chiffchaff. Down Boat Lane, Barney is still present and, this evening, was being buzzed by a dozen Sand Martin and a Swallow.

A good start

Visits to a couple of sites on the sunny side produced a smattering of northbounders. A spanking male Redstart was probably the pick of the bunch with 1 House Martin, 3 Blackcap, 8 Sand Martin and tonnes of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers providing support. There appeared to have been a proper arrival of the phylloscs, they were still concentrated in little flockettes (I like to think they'd just dropped out of the sky together) and feeding like crazy.

Feeding the ducks

Next time some dingbat asks me "What is your favourite bird?" I'm gonna say Red-breasted Goose, if they say "... birds?" (plural) I think I'll stick with the tried and tested "Brown Boobies".

Had a day at Slimbridge today, lots of Chiffchaff all over the shop but highlights were: an Otter in the top of a tree, a nutter and his carrier bag full of sliced white, being asked if I was "Waiting on a sausage" by a waitress (?!), and up-ending my bag of corn into my jacket pocket.

PS. Why are they wasting money on a Crane captive breeding programme? What is it with the 'conservation' bodies and big birds? Some of these reintroduction projects (Crane, Great Bustard, etc.) are totally pointless.

Happy birthday chocolate

As it is Easter and we are all celebrating the day that Jesus' good friend Mr. Cadbury invented chocolate, I thought I'd stick a few pictures of pretty flowers from Andalucia on here as an intimation of peace and goodwill to all (well, I say 'all'; again with due regard to the time of year, perhaps that should have been "... an intimation of peace and goodwill to all bar those I'd rather see crucified).

Sawfly Orchid Ophrys tenthrenidifera

Mirror Orchid Ophrys speculum

Yellow Ophrys Ophrys lutea

By the way, my botany is about as good as a chocolate toothbrush so feel free to correct my identification of the above should you know better.

PS. A quick dash along the sea-wall between Peterstone Church and the golf club produced a couple of Swallows heading inland, a Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs.

Ynys-y-fro migrant magnet

A quick outing produced one House Martin, 3 Willow Warbler, 16 Sand Martin, 10+ Swallow and a Chiffchaff or two at Newport's premier concrete lined wetland this evening. Very few wildfowl now though, presumably the upshot of seried ranks of fisher-folk standing gnome-like around the perimeter and the increasingly towering presence of the development currently being built right on top of what ought to be a County Wildlife Site/Site of Nature Conservation Importance/Site of Importance for Nature Conservation/whatever they call this sort of thing round here. How many such sites has Newport Tinpot Town Council designated by the way?

Post-trip hangover

Spent the morning avoiding the weather and wondering why it is that, despite using Johnson & Johnson "No more tears" shampoo to a point of almost religious devotion, every time I visit the GOS sightings page I still wanna blub. Spent the afternoon oscillating between plotting the untimely demise of every human within a ten mile radius and longing for the sound of a creaking rope. This evening I have been fleshing out a plan for declaring my house and garden an independent super-power (I'm gonna have me a mine field and everything) just need to get it past a popular vote, me and the goldfish see eye-to-eye on this one, I think Jack's on board, not sure of 'She-who-must-be-given-the-impression-she-is-being-obeyed' (do I need a unanimous victory on this one or will a simple majority do?). I may never set foot in Gwent again.

Another full and productive day.

PS. May have OD'ed on Family Guy this evening,... giggidy.