Archive News and Pictures - Llangorse Lake, Glocs, and Worcs. Birding - to 31^st October 2008

2^nd October. A new month and an optimistic twitch trip to try and get a new species. Driving through the dark and the rain at 6am towards Llangorse Lake, things weren't looking too promising but once I'd arrived, donned my wellies and taken up position standing in over a foot of water, I was rewarded with some nice views of a Pectoral Sandpiper which had been spotted on the flooded fields behind the sailing club there over the past two days. There may have been another one there but the other "possible" was certainly much more elusive than the bird photographed. Also present were around 100 Teal, 60+ alba wagtails, 30 or so Siskin, a few Cetti's Warblers and fly pasts from Buzzard, Kingfisher and the R.A.F! Finally a successful pre-work "twitch" for a new life tick!

3^rd October. Another ridiculously early start but that was so I could finish work early and try and get another new species for the site. Two "potentials" were in Gloucestershire so I firstly headed up to Leckhampton Hill where upon arriving I met some fellow birders who immediately pointed out the young male Black Redstart I'd hoped to see. I stayed for over an hour watching it feeding in the derelict farm buildings where it gave some lovely views and good photo opportunities. Once the Northerly wind started to chill me a little too much, I jumped back in the car and headed back down to Frampton-on-Severn where a Black-Necked Grebe had been seen over the past few days. Unfortunately I didn't manage to locate it after doing a complete lap of the Sailing Lake but while chasing after a few flighty Kingfishers I stumbled across a lovely bright yellow Grey Wagtail. Just as I was about to leave, a tit flock passed by and gave me some cracking close views of numerous Long Tailed Tits. It's amazing how quickly I'd forgotten about not seeing that Grebe!

17^th October. Back to quick birding snippets again, I tried again at Frampton-on-Severn but this time with success. I walked for around an hour along the north and west edges of the lake searching for Grebes and only finding a few Little and Great Crested amongst the many Coot and Tufted Duck. Several swift sightings of Kingfisher in flight kept eluding the camera! Eventually as I thought that I wasn't going to see the bird again, I saw the winter plumaged Black-Necked Grebe fishing under the overhanging branches of the trees on the northern bank. After firing a few record shots, I managed to get closer to the bird, using the trees as cover but even then it was fairly obliging. The low bright light was very harsh and from the wrong direction for perfect pictures but I still managed to get a number of reasonable pictures, capturing its upturned bill. Another new one for the website and then it was back in the car and off to work!

18^th October. After good intentions of getting up early and heading off to Kenfig, on drawing the curtains and seeing rain I went back to bed! I was soon heading down the M4 though when reports of two Yellow-Browed Warblers were posted on the Glamorgan site - exactly from when I would have been there! I did manage to hear the "tsu-eee" call and saw movement of the bird through thick vegetation but had to contend myself with pictures of a couple of the dozen or so late Chiffchaff still around. I also saw a male Blackcap and many distant Bullfinch before dropping in on Ogmore and confirming that the reported Red-Necked Phalarope had now unfortunately departed.

24^th October. A sunny afternoon and a long staying scarcity was enough to tempt me after work through the M5 Friday traffic to Upton Warren in Worcestershire. After finding the reserve and locating the hide overlooking the flashes, I was fortunate enough to see what must be a particularly directionally challenged Shore Lark within a few minutes. It kept a fair distance but showed the distinctive yellow and black head markings clearly as I snapped my first few record shots. I then was distracted by a gorgeous Green Sandpiper which held my attention in the perfect autumn light. Another brief appearance by the Sore Lark resulted in a few more pictures and I only saw the bird again in flight as everything was flushed by a Sparrowhawk which whizzed right past the noses of everyone in the hide! Many Teal, Lapwing, Curlew and several Snipe showed well but after waiting a further hour and a half, the Shore Lark didn't move a muscle from its island sanctuary much to the disappointment of the waiting birders. One more species for the camera was a young Great-Crested Grebe on the sailing lake by the car park.