Too much mist or should that be missed

The Safari hasn't been able to get out much this last week and when we have early doors on Patch 2 there's been a lot of thick low cloud, almost fog, over the sea not far beyond the water's edge so our best sighting has been limited to one Great Crested Grebe out there. Nearer, in fact overhead, was a small blob going north which called a call we didn't recognise, a resonant 'chleuu' a coupe of times...hmm not sure - Lapland Bunting perhaps???

Evenings have been taken up watching Autumnwatch, OK there's a lot of 'filler' in there for us 'more experienced' naturalists but as ever we learnt at least one new thing about our brilliant wildlife each night, some of it new science and some of it just down to the superb technology available these days allowing us to see things previously hidden from view.

Talking of technology we were able to catch up with youngster GL's interview about her amazing camera tapping escapades and what a great ambassador she is for other youngsters to encourage them to get excited by the natural world. And that enthusiasm and passion doesn't seem to have been dampened by the despicable activities of an absolute pillock at her school. Catch her interview while you can.

Everywhere we turn on the interweb at the mo we seem to get the same shocking red hair and smiling face peering out of the screen at us - is there no escape from FW? He too was on Autumnwatch being interviewed about the travels of Harry and his significance in bringing into the limelight the continuing dreadful illegal persecution of Hen Harriers by the Grouse shooting numpties - one must go to jail soon! He's become the 'pin-up' boy for the #weseeyou wildlife crime campaign. Again you've got a moth to watch the interview. We also sot of by accident watched another youngster, this time a little older Lydia Johnson (@EnviroEmpower) who back during Springwatch had the fantastic  idea of asking people to post their wildlife pics on the interweb via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the next 100 days until Autumnwatch and thus she developed #100DaysofNature which proved immensely popular and there were a not insignificant proportion of absolutely superb wildlife pics to enjoy. We managed about 30 - shoulda done better! But then we had the idea of continuing the meme as #100moredaysofnature taking us through the winter months.

Here's our first offering

Elm leaves beginning to show their autumn colours here at Base Camp

We also got wind of a local birder BY, not such a youngster this time but an experienced vis migger and easily as equally passionate as any of the youngsters, there is something special about watching and recording migration 'as it happens' as our Young Un AB witnessed yesterday being part of a crew that counted well over 8500 Fieldfares 1001 Redwings, 1270 Starlings and loads of other assorted birds going over their watch point...and we were stuck in the office all day with not even a sniff of a chance of looking out of the window. Think BY's interview was on the sdame day as GL's but in the lunchtime session of Day 2 Part 1 - there is a little icon to take you to it.

No Fieldfares over Base Camp today although we have to say we didn't look out too much and a spell in the garden was spent bashing noisily with a hammer and a bag of nails so we weren't listening too hard. Redwings were heard ging over at 06.00 when Frank woke us up to be taken out. We tthrew some mouldy bread on the garage roof and that attracted the usual gulls, a few Black Headed Gulls and a gang of Herring Gulls, could really do with a Common Gull, really rare here but hundreds on the playing field along the North Blackpool Pond Trail not half a mile away!

Where to next? Exciting day tomorrow, we're doing a guided walk around the nature reserve and have previously aforementioned interweb sensation FW and family coming but not only him also our new AFON mentoree AH and her family and she's promised to take loads of pics and write a guest blog again - can't wait! Hopefully we'll find loads of fascinating stuff for them all.

In the meantime let us know what's not been flying over your outback.

Couldn't make it four in a row

The Safari wasn't able to get onto Patch 2 until lunchtime. A grey sort of a day with a bit of a wind but nothing excessive apart from the temperature which was well above the seasonal norm. The tide was high and the larger waves were slopping foam ridden spray over the wall. Fair enough we thought we'll give it a go and we're glad we did. As soon as we looked down the scope there was a Little Gull flitting through the troughs and then four more - that'll do nicely!!!

Then the worst thing happened, when we're on limited time the last thing we want (without wanting to appear rude) is someone coming up to chat about nothing much in particular usual with an opening gambit something gormless like "av yer seen any of them there sea-lions?" Not so today the gentleman was reasonably knowledgeable and asking about the best lightweight scopes for his budget but still stopped us having a proper look at what might have been out there. 

However, if he hadn't stopped to chat we would more than likely missed the Kestrel (P2 #77 - getting closer to our target of 90) that flew along the promenade 'behind' us. Well that one took it's time to appear on the list and we're still waiting for Peregrine and Sparrowhawk to make it onto the list.

Not a sniff of a chance of a pic today.

Had a chat to our Extreme Photographer this evening and learned that he wasn't able to get out unfortunately - so no pics for you this week. Click the Pembrokeshire Birds link on the right to keep up to date with hat's been seen down his way.
Have you all seen this symbol?  Copy it and post it all around the place - legally of course/

Let's hope our favourite swan isn't headed down that route - 33% fewer in just 20 years isn't good!  

Where to next? Should be able to get an early morning look in tomorrow and a lunchtime look too with a bit of luck.

In the meantime let us know what nearly got away with sneaking round the back in your outback

It's now three in a row

The Safari was a little perturbed by the windy weather this morning, old achy bones Frank wouldn't want to go out in it so we pottered around in the garage and garden for an hour or so, ending up finishing off a bat box the wood for which had been partially cut to size by our Extreme Photographer a while ago (He should have been out in the wilds of deepest darkest Pembrokeshire today trying out his new 600mm lens...watch this space!).

The weather didn't deteriorate any more and there was no sign of any rain and finding an old mouse nibbled duvet in back of the garage we threw it in the back of the Land Rover for Frank to lie on in the hide and headed off to the nature reserve to meet up with BD (@scyrene)

He was already there by the time we arrived and showed what was thought to be an Alder Leaf Beetle he'd found.

The light this afternoon was 'variable' to say the least, sometimes good, sometimes harsh and sometimes almost dark! There didn't seem to be much about but sit and wait and you never know what might turn up so that's what we did. Frank ended up fast asleep and snoring on his 'new' comfy bed.

There were a good few Coots on the water along with some gulls, mostly Black Headed and Common Gulls with a very cold and wet/ill looking Herring Gull away over on the scrape.

1st winter Black Headed Gull

A large-ish flock of Woodpigeons went westwards over the trees on the far side, a closer look revealed that at least a third of them were Collared Doves, a proper count was interrupted three or four birds in as that one was a small wader. Away over the hospital it flew turning south and then north and at one point looked like it might have thought about turning round and coming back but it didn't. Whatever it was it would have been a new bird on the year's list for here.

Another flock of Woodies came by this one with fewer Collared Doves and no waders. One juvenile Woody landed in front of us for a drink and another flying south along the back of the embankment wasn't one at all but another Jay, annoyingly B was unable to connect with it before it was out of view beyond the nearby branches.

We hoped that a Water Rail might come out of the reed-beds but one never did, a Cetti's Warbler sang briefly a couple of times but didn't show itself.

The ducks looked reet dapper when the sun shone. We had a choice of close Teal and Shovelers with a supporting cast of in-flying Tufted Ducks and Mallards with a pair of Gadwall further out buy the scrape.

Aren't Teal just little stunners - displaying already too when the sun shone on them

OK so it wasn't the most exciting session we've ever had at the nature reserve but as ever there's always something to see and enjoy and you just never know what might drop in or fly through at anytime, so if you don't go and look you deffo won't see.

Where to next? Back on good old Patch 2w tomorrow but not until lunchtime.

In the meantime let us know what flew through unknown in your outback.

Two visits in two days - what's going on?

The Safari noticed there's a new sold sign on this nearby house this morning. It's been on the market and empty for ages but someone has been round keeping an eye on it and tending the mature garden. There's loads of House Sparrows in that shrubbery. Will the new owners keep it or how long will it be before it's ripped out and turned into a car parking area?

This afternoon we had a bit of time to get out to the nature reserve again. On the way we passed the pond near the 'new' hotel and just had to stop!

OK it's a little bit childish but we've always wanted to get this pic, preferably with a Kingfisher but a Heron will do very nicely thank you - isn't wildlife fun!

Once on the path the bright sun catching the red berries made the Hawthorns look like they were on fire - where are the Fieldfares to eat them all, notable by their absence at the moment.

Our  mission was to go and find the Long Eared Owl again to suss out its favourite perches before next weekend, sadly it wasn't were it was yesterday and a thorough search failed to relocate it. Today was a lot quieter birdwise than yesterday, no Greenfinches and only one Redwing. We walked round to the 'other' side meeting PL on the way, he hadn't seen it either today. And now with two us us scanning every visible perch we still had no joy, there's still a lot of greenery on this side. Hopefully the strong winds over the next couple of days will knock most of them off.

We gave up and made our birdless way to the Feeding Station passing yesterday's Shaggy Inkcaps on the way. They hadn't survived, some numpty had stomped on them no doubt thinking cos they're a  'toadstool' they're obviously poisonous and must be destroyed - prats!

There was food at the Feeding Station which had attracted a few of all the usual 'garden' suspects, Great Tits, a Blue Tit, Chaffinches, a Robin and a Dunnock or two. A Goldfinch sang loudy from the top of a nearby tree. 

An old birdtable post now has a small Rowan tree growing out of the top.

All of a sudden the birds did one, the culprit was on the ground not in the air.

Who me? I never scared no boidies...

There wasn't just this one there were two! And one of them has discovered it can fit through the anti-Pheasant defences and get to the seeds

Once again we were time constrained and all too soon it was time to make tracks, a very pleasant hour or so in the sunshine even if we didn't find the Long Eared Owl.

Where to next? Back again tomorrow unless something twitchable has turned up locally, even then we'll probably put in an appearance at some time during the day.

In the meantime let us know who's got where they shouldn't have in your outback.

They're/it's back and a bit of luck

The Safari was able to get to the nature reserve for lunch today and had a wander down the main drag. As soon as we got out of the Land Rover we heard an unseen Skylark going over. 

Might be up for sale sometime soon

Not so unseen and definitely heard were the 35 or so Jackdaws going south. A few Greenfinches dropped in to the scrub to feast on the multitude of berries.

A walk to the Feeding Station gave us the last Bramble flower of the year perched between the shriveled remains of uneaten berries. 

Beneath it was a cluster of growing Shaggy Inkcaps, just right for picking and eating but not these - too close to a million and one passing dogs!

A brief visit to the Viewing Platform gave us a singing Cetti's Warbler and a shrieking Water Rail. Conditions looked good for Otter spotting but we didn't linger long - wonder if there's any still about.

Walking round the main drag we saw a couple of Redwings fly out of the Hawthorn scrub to our left. The further we walked the more we flushed, they were really skittish and wouldn't settle in view for a pic, probably at least 20 in all with a few more Greenfinches in the area too. 

For some unknown reason we went down to the hide, dunno why you can't see out of it just yet - needs more wind and the Starlings to knock the reeds down. We have had news of 5 - 6000 Starlings roosting of late but they won't have been in this part of the reedbed. Well worth the visit though as we sat on the bench and peered out three birds flew from the SE and over the mere, three Jays (MMLNR #89)! They were over us too quickly to get a pic and we dived out the door but at the rear of the hide there is a copse of tall trees which totally obscured our aim, so no joy.

Retracing our steps up the path we stopped at the Long Eared Owl watching spot and looked for said owl...without success, we looked and looked and looked but couldn't find it. On the point of giving up a regular friendly dog walker came past and told us someone had just told him it was there - but where??? We looked and looked again, again without success and then there it was or at least there were it's feet - we spotted the lower half of it in the upper quarter of our field of view. Phew! We'd been looking too low. Close to where it was last year but further back and in a different tree.

Shame the camera focused on the twig a yard or so in front of it...dohhh

Job done! Now let's hope it sticks around and remains 'easy' - there's a bit of an 'event' coming up.

Time to have a quick look to see if the Barn Owl was showing in its box. It wasn't but we did pick up a couple more Cetti's Warblers and Water Rails. A gang of Long Tailed Tits had worked along the hedgerow by the dyke and come to the end and were now 'stuck'; where to next???

Some more Skylarks and a few Meadow Pipits went over and then another Jay - and this one landed but dived into the back of distant Willow bush so again not pic.

Dashing back to the Land Rover we noticed the Woodpigeons feeding on the berries were looking rather dapper in the bright afternoon light.

Where to next? Might well be back for another look tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know what's lurking in the bushes in your outback.

 

Out of fashion?

The Safari was able to get an early morning look at Patch 2 today but little was happening. 11 Cormorants flew along the advancing tide-line going towards the estuary and three more passed much further out. The Common Scoters survived the storm there were plenty of them flying this way and that – who knows why the go where they do. You have to respect and admire those little ducks for sitting it out yesterday – we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again they are seriously tough cookies! A lone Shelduck was the ‘best’ sighting of the post-dawn gloom.

Came across some Gorse in flower in the car park yesterday but it was being blown around something rotten in the hooley so we waited until this morning to get a pic, still a bit breezy but not as silly as yesterday!

There’s an old saying about gorse that kissing will go out of fashion when it stops flowering because if you find a patch of Gorse you can bet your bottom dollar there’ll be at least one flower on it somewhere.

Anyway it’s bright and cheery on an otherwise dull day.

Dreadful visibility and increasingly heavy drizzle at lunchtime so no joy at all on the seabird front.
Where to next? We'll try again tomorrow morning.
In the meantime let us know what turned up in the drizzle in your outback.

It’s a bit windy out there

The Safari was out in the teeth of the gale this morning with winds approaching 70mph. But nothing we’ve haven’t seen before. We say pah in the face of these ex-hurricanes. 

No chance of an early morning look at Patch 2 but we were out braving the weather as soon as we were able at lunchtime. The sea was almost pure white with foam and some of the waves in the distance were scary - absolutely massive!

Visibility wasn’t as bad as we’d feared but holding the scope still was an issue, but not much of an issue as hold our self still – we were being buffeted about like crazy. When we went to the gate to take the pic the wind being funneled up the slade was horrendous easily touching 80mph it was difficult to stand up there never mind stand still.

Our watch point was a fraction calmer but still the odd gust made us sway.

Hopeful for a Leach’s Petrel we watched northwards towards the end of the pier looking down the troughs for as long as we dared. A few Great Black Backed Gulls were cruising almost defying the gale to blow them away from their desired course. A couple of Cormorants flew by, probably going to the estuary to roost now the tide was dropping – how on earth can they feed at sea in those conditions?

Local Black Headed Gulls, Common Gulls and Herring Gulls made up most of the rest apart from a flock of Oystercatchers heading out to sea – why??? And another single battling its way towards the estuary.

All too soon we ran out of time but just in time as a huge squall was about to dump torrential horizontal rain on us when we emerged from under the pulled down hood of our jacket.

Not enough time at all to do it justice today, Leach's Petrels, Sabine's Gull and Long Tailed Skua all seen down the coast aways - pair of gloves wouldn't have gone amiss either.

Where to next? Not sure if we've got a school group tomorrow or if they've shy'd off. 

In the meantime let us know what the white water was up to in your outback.