01 Thursday Jul 2021
This made me laugh out loud. I was watching a young Chiffchaff hunting for insects along a fence and around a signboard.
Being young and not wary yet of humans, the cute wee bird mostly ignored me so I was able to edge closer for some photos.
Then it spotted a spider’s web chock full of tiny creatures, a pix-and-mix for a hungry fledgling.
But it hadn’t twigged to the fact that a wire fence can be slippery and went for a backwards spin as it tried to pluck out the tasty morsels.
28 Monday Jun 2021
Posted in birds
Tags
birding, birds at Forest Farm, birdwatching, British birds, Forest Farm Nature Reserve, Kingfisher
I mentioned in Saturday’s blog that I saw one particularly beautiful bird during my visit to Forest Farm Nature Reserve on Thursday, and this is it, a Kingfisher.
And I was lucky – I saw it twice, visiting the ponds in front of first one bird hide and then the other.
It didn’t linger long at either, announcing its departure with the trade-mark peep, peep, peeping as it flew off with a flash of vibrant turquoise.
22 Tuesday Jun 2021
Posted in birds
Following on from yesterday’s ‘baby’ theme, today we have some baby Moorhens from Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.
I tend to avoid the lake, cafe and car park areas of the park as those are where most of the people congregate but, yesterday, I wanted to check out the dipping pond for dragonflies so walked that way.
Though there were no dragons to be seen, there were three generations of Moorhen, an adult, one of an earlier brood of chicks, and at least six of the latest brood, in all their fluffy feather cuteness.
15 Tuesday Jun 2021
Posted in birds
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Lesser black-backed gull, Lesser black-backed gull chicks, urban gull chicks
As I meander around the local area on my daily walks, I’ve been keeping an eye out for more examples of Lesser black-backed gulls nesting in our urban environment. For the birds, I guess any small flat space on a roof top is the same as a ledge on a cliff face, and they are certainly very good at finding and using those spaces for their nests. Both of today’s examples are from the health care sector, the first on top of a building at Llandough Hospital and the second, with two well-grown chicks, on the rooftop of Nuffield Health Cardiff Bay Hospital.
12 Saturday Jun 2021
Posted in birds
The tree outside my living room window has been alive with birds lately, and I’ve been hugely entertained watching and listening to them all, but my particular favourite has been this very cute Coal tit fledgling.
05 Saturday Jun 2021
Posted in birds
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, Lesser black-backed gull chicks, urban gull chicks
My nearest Lesser black-backed gulls (the ones who’ve featured in many previous blogs, see here and here) were late getting started this year and are still sitting tight.
But, down at the end of the lane, in amongst the chimney pots, another regular pair of Lesser black-backed gulls is once again raising a family.
And, when I passed by yesterday, these three youngsters were cheeping up a storm, especially when mum – or dad – returned to feed them.
22 Saturday May 2021
Posted in birds
Dippers are birds I don’t see very often. They’re primarily birds of fast-flowing rivers and, although there are two rivers, the Ely and the Taff, within walking distance of my home, where they flow in to Cardiff Bay neither river has the boulders or rocks Dippers like to use to launch themselves into the water.
So, it was a delight to hear a Dipper calling in the River Rhymney during Wednesday’s walk in the Welsh valleys and then, on peering down into the river, to see not only an adult bird, which flew off upstream, but also to spot and then watch this adorable fledgling, which was already practising the bobbing motion these birds are known for.
20 Thursday May 2021
These three juvenile Carrion crows were keeping incredibly quiet – in fact, two were mostly snoozing – so it was just good luck that I happened to look up into their tree and spot them.
Their parents were in a neighbouring area of wasteland, foraging for food – a full-time job with three hungry beaks to fill. The juveniles look close to fledging so I’m picking they’ll have moved out by the time I next walk this way.
13 Thursday May 2021
Tags
bird migration, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay birding, Cardiff Bay birds, Dunlin, spring migration
Though I live near the sea, I don’t get to see Dunlin very often as the coastline near me is mostly cliffs and rocks, not the stretches of mud or sand these little waders can easily feed on.
So, it was a real treat during Monday’s walk around Cardiff Bay to see this single Dunlin foraging on the edge of the Barrage.
Flocks of Dunlin, and other waders, pass along our shoreline at this time of year on their way to their breeding grounds and, very occasionally, drop in briefly to feed, as this one was. And to have a good scratch …
After taking several photos, I left the bird in peace to forage further, grateful for the birding treat!
10 Monday May 2021
Tags
baby birds, birding, birdwatching, British birds, cygnets, Mute swan, swan with cygnets, Ugly duckling fairytale
Seeing these gorgeous little balls of fluff made my day! I’d been watching these Mute swans for several weeks, building their nest, then sitting on eggs, so it was a real delight to see the proud parents gently shepherding their newly hatched brood around a local river inlet on Thursday.
earthstar 
You must be logged in to post a comment.