4th April. A flying visit to Goldcliff and Uskmouth only produced one salvageable photo in a nice female Pochard. There were a few Avocet at Goldcliff along with a 100 or so Black-Tailed Godwit but not infront of the lens! The following day had a hunt for some migrants around the Taff at Llandaff. Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were around and I also managed to get some nice pictures of Treecreeper, Wren, Jay and finally Starling!
16th April promised a good day weatherwise so a day off work was arranged and the alarm set to head over to Kenfig Pool to see some migrants. The world was full of singing Willow Warblers, which is always a pleasure. My first Whitethroat and Blackcap were some nice photo additions, while the Sedge and Cetti's warblers were more elusive! Down at the pool, two Common Sandpiper and a female Ruff were feeding, the Ruff giving superb views down to 10 meters. Linnet and Dunnock gave great views on the gorse while a pair of Bullfinch finally gave me a quick opportunity!
Following Kenfig, I headed back to Cardiff and the Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs to pay a return visit to the now much more spotty Spotted Sandpiper. Rediculously tame after so much winter twitching attention it was feeding busily in the sunshine. Then it was over to the Gwent Levels and the Uskmouth reserve to see what was in. Alas, the wind had picked up so the birds were low down in the reeds, though I did manage to briefly see two grass snakes. A Kestrel was giving nice views near the wonderful new visitor centre though. I did spend many fruitless minutes waiting for a glance of a Cetti's warbler but they were far too quick for me when they did finally put in a sub-second appearance!. As the clouds rolled in it was off to Goldcliff for the high tide. My first Wheater of the year (into the sun though) was a nice treat but finally seeing Welsh Avocet was the real highlight. A beautiful Willow Warbler in evening light near the car park offset the unproductive hunt for the reported Grasshopper Warbler there. Finally it was home via Lamby lake to see if I could tempt a Cetti's infront of the camera. Of course no luck but I did bag an elusive House Sparrow! Another great day out.
20th April and a cool, grey, breezy morning trip down the road to Lamby lake. Little to report photo wise apart from the Ring-Billed Gull as usual. Much better quality was reserved for the ears with the reeling of a Grasshopper Warbler which remained firmly out of sight but also the Nightingale like sounds of a Lesser Whitethroat and sightings but not pictures of Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting, Bullfinch and the other usual suspects!












