Izzy revisited.

Had a few hours available this afternoon, and with a complete cock up with weather forecasts thought I would give it another go.

With a lot of rain on the menu ( sunshine on and off ) I thought I would have it to myself, which I did more or less. But it just wouldn`t allow me that 10 ft closer!

Isabelline Wheatear.

News of an Izzy Wheatear at Wernfrwyd on the Gower on Saturday afternoon was too good to believe!
I never expected it to stay with a very clear night.
An early morning text from Mark Hipkin saying it was still there, and with the sun shining I just had to go!
 So, Nigel Addicott, Alun Hughes and myself arrived with the bird showing reasonably well, running very quickly from one pile of horse shit to the next pile! I decided that with the bird moving left I would wait at the furthest `pile`, gradually it came closer and closer. This I did twice and the Wheatear responded moving away from the loud crowd of birders assembled.
One or two local birders mouthed off (names witheld) when I left the crowd and stayed to the track, one of the comments I heard was "Look out here we go" simply because I walked a little closer to get a shot which the bird was about 40 yds away! but still on the track.
Hope these guys appreciate the photographs when they next recieve their Bird Report!

Isabelline Shrike.

It must be 20 years since I last saw an Isabelline Shrike so when this beauty arrived at Porth Clais near St. Davids I new sooner or later I would go and see it. With great photos of it on various websites and unable to go on Sunday ,Tuesdays` weather was looking good with overnight rain on monday, very good chance it would still be there.
Rob Mitchell and I arrived early, and after about an hour it showed on tall weeds in the middle of the field but eventually came down to the gate to where we were waiting.

Otters.

Desperate to get out with the camera while we were away in Pembrokeshire over the weekend, I decided on a trip to Cardigan to see a Ring billed Gull which had been around for over a week. Armed with Gull bait, (bread)  it didn`t take long for it to show, though it soon ignored the bread and returned to the mud of the river bank. I gave up and made my way to find the wife who had taken the dog for a walk. Remembering what a friend had told me 20 years ago, " if you want to see Otters the best place is Cardigan, under the bridge" so I  got into position and within a few minutes found a family of  four playing and fishing near the other side of the river.
After about an hour they swam in, climbed the bank, crossed the path and made their way presumably to their Holt.

Amazing and I hope to go back again soon!

Snow Bunting

Decided this morning to pop down to Newton for this Snow Bunting. They are always approachable and with good light you can`t go wrong.
As I arrived I recieved a text message of a Yellow-browed Warbler at Lavernock so found the Bunting and gave it 15 minutes too which it did very little but feed, so here are a few boring shots of it.

The YBW showed only briefly so very little chance of that this coming week!

Glossy Ibis at Watermill, Ogmore.

Dropped in to The Watermill this afternoon but the Ibis was too jumpy and when it flew closer I had the sun in my eyes, still great to see in Glamorgan.

Great Skua

Having spent the weekend in Pembs. I decided to call in to Swansea on the way home  in the hope of seeing this Cracker on the breakwater. With great late afternoon light and the bird as close as you would like, taking fish scraps from fishermen.  Never seen a Bonxie this close, it was even bigger than I thought!