Well I know the blog has been silent for a while.
Forgot that I hadn't blogged even the birding I had done! We went to see a Spanish Sparrow in Hants and a Dark-eyed Junco in the Forest!
Generally not done a lot of birding - usually I do lots at this time of the year but not this year-
Mainly due to work committments, not very good general health and a Cataract op and recovery!
So my birding mates have seen 170 odd birds this year and I now have reached 120!
Common Yellowthroat has now been seen- get in! We spent a very wet Saturday seeing nowt but common birds plus a stunning male Bullfinch! We went to an equally soggy Forest of Dean. Well dipped I ought to call Saturday - I added 4 birds including Lesser Scaup and Pintail from Slimbridge to the year list.
On Monday found me back in South Wales in the fields as on Saturday but this time..................
A Common Yellowthroat! Get in! First seen in flight then a bounce and hide and finally that crackling yellow (real yellow!) throat! Finally a scope view! After about 10 mins of skulking and a show and more skulking the battery of camera noises finally sent him upwards and to the back of a bush. THat was it! But what a stunner!
So then back to Forest of Dean......and Goshawks! Lovely beautiful Goshawks we had a male....then I spotted a pair ....then the pair moved down the ridge and we had wonderful scopefilled views of a large female and her mate!
Wonderful!
Not so many Ravens today but lots of Buzzards - but they were noticeably absent when the Gos were about! Crossbills! I have seen so many Crossbills this year!
Then I dipped the Dipper again- but more to do with not being able to negotiate the muddy water filled track to go down the last part of the stream....so I contented myself with a nice showy Grey Wagtail the posed for my camera!
Then to Brieley Wood for 4 kinds of Tit, Siskins, Bramblings, Redpolls and Hawfinch!
Nice visit!
Oh and Redwings and Fieldfares!....
so now on 120 for the year but most birds my mates have are ones I ought to get this year eventually!
