Monday 31 March 2014

Cardiff Bay - Bonaparte's Gull

The highlight of this tour was of course a visit to see Gemma in Swansea :-) As she was busy until the early evening, I had to find something to do en-route? Well, with Cardiff Bay and a good chance of Bonaparte's Gull (2 were seen the previous day) it had to be worth a go.....

After a fruitless call and 15 mins wasted at Cardiff yacht club (doh) I crossed the estuary to Cardiff Bay yacht club and found the parking area adjacent to it where local birders had been viewing the bay. It took 30 mins or so but eventually with a couple of local we were on the one and only Bonaparte's Gull remaining :-) Problem was - it was at least 400m away and strictly distant scope views! I could see it was working a line with other Black-headed Gulls not too far from the far bank - accessible via the Barrage - another short drive was indicated.....


There were at least four cranes on the far bank too! :-)


Down to business and here's some representative record shots......

Sorting out the Boney from the Black heads was fairly easy! A much whiter head with contrasting more prominent ear spot plus darker grey upperparts made it stand out....


The neat trailing black edge to the primaries was also clear, even at distance.


Plus the translucent outer primaries....



Putting it all together here - plus the black bill and flesh pink legs!


Whilst most insects were plucked from the water surface - quite a few came from aerial pursuit!






The most difficult aspect to capture was the upperwing pattern - just about managed here...


Against the buildings, an elegant gull indeed!




 With rain starting to fall late afternoon, it was time top wrap up a great two hour session which produced two Little Gulls (adult and 1st winter). Here's the distant adult, nicely flushed pink .....




Not a bad image of another fly over 100m distant :-)


Plus two Med Gulls (2nd and 1st Winter) Here's the 1st winter...



 off to Swansea and a tasty Italian meal :-)

Sunday 30 March 2014

Exmouth - Glaucous Gull

Exmouth was next on my route and assuming I could find the quay - hopefully a confiding 2nd winter Glaucous gull?? Through a myraid of side streets, I made it and against a myraid of 'private parking - we will clamp' stickers, chance my arm on the quay.....

There it was, 10m away from the car on some machinery but.... directly into the sun! After a long wait (and after paying to park!!!) it eventually flew around a couple of times before settling down again. This time on the quay, after some scraps of food......


OMG, heading towards me!


False alarm, after something more tasty than me!




When given the opportunity of flight shot, buildings are not exactly helpful!


But blue sky is!




And water is even better - these were close enough top become frame fillers.....




Underwing shot.


And approaching for some eye contact.....


I'll leave you with one frozen in mid step!


Plus a close up!


Even better was to come with the tide rising, my timing a t the fourth attempt was impeccable - firstly the Water Pipit (flushed by a dog sadly) and then the Slav Grebe within 5 minutes of arrival. It had been quite a day :-)

Broadsands - Cirl Buntings

Courtesy of a plant show and the hospitality of friends, I had a sunny Sunday to make the most of a bit of Devon birding. Bowling Green Marsh had produced a bit of a wader feast the previous evening with a good number of species, notably: Curlew, Black / Bar tailed Godwits, Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin plus a couple of Knot and a Grey Plover. A walk along the Exe at Topsham had not produced Water Pipit or the Slav Grebe and this was to be the same sorry result the following morning......

Exminster Marshes was pretty quiet apart from an explosive Cetti's Warbler which flew across the path in front of me (close to the canal car park). My first Willow Warbler of the year was singing over on the RSPB side.

It was possibly not the ideal time to go for them but I opted for a late morning drive over to Paignton and hopefully Cirl Buntings at Broadsands bay, where the beach huts were painting a pretty picture!


The fields and hedgerows around the overflow car park  have a good number of Cirl's...


.....and if you like them perched on branches, I managed a couple of males



Hard work though and eventually I opted for the easy life, sat down by a beach hut and small flock which had come in for a lunchtime feed :-)

It was a pretty even mix of males and females, a few images of the ladies here.......






Flashing off their grey-brown streaky rumps!




But I was now going to be totally distracted by some really well marked males, edging towards me :-)

Just a few images, I had some 300 to sort through!!


Some relatively pale marked males...


Through to brilliantly coloured....






And as they came closer - a bit of feather detail!




That wonderful combination of great (confiding) birds and awesome light!




I'd long since taken my converter off :-)


I'll spare you too many - here's an arty angle for a change!


Just simply stunning birds......


It was then back to the Topsham to see if the tide was going to produce something?