07 Friday Feb 2020
Grebes were much in evidence today.
As well as these two Great crested grebes, I saw several other pairs, some displaying and, once, a couple of males engaged in a noisy dispute, over a fine nesting spot perhaps.
Making a lot of chattering noise as they swam, two Little grebes also seemed to be searching for potential nest sites amongst the reeds. We might be expecting a mighty storm in the next couple of days but the birds are thinking it’s Springtime.
25 Saturday Jan 2020
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Great Crested Grebe
Today’s seven-mile walk was through thick grey drizzle-like mist and, except for the raucous gulls at the edge of Cosmeston’s east lake (where everyone feeds the birds), the land was hushed and still. Not wanting to get my gear wet, I only got my camera out of my backpack once, for a few shots of this handsome Great crested grebe.
29 Friday Nov 2019
Tags
birding, birdwatching, Black-headed gull, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Bay birds, Chiffchaff, Coot, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, Linnet, Pied wagtail, Turnstone
What a wonderful long walk I had around Cardiff Bay today! Here are some of the birds I spotted along the way.
There were nine Goosanders in total, four in the River Ely where it flows in to the Bay and another five further east, in the Bay proper.
My favourite little Turnstones, again four along the Ely embankment and more near Mermaid Quay.
Linnets, a small flock of six flitting about the grassy slopes of the Barrage.
Pied wagtails – I lost count of these cheery little characters who appeared wherever I wandered.
One of several Great crested grebes that live in the Bay, constantly diving for fish.
I was getting ‘the look’ from this Black-headed gull, in the pond at the wetlands reserve, for not supplying food!
This Coot was also hoping for food.
This Chiffchaff was a surprise – it’s either very late migrating or has decided to over-winter in Britain, as some now do. Interestingly, I saw a Chiffchaff yesterday too, in a different location.
The best possible end to my walk – a Kingfisher peep-peep-peeped in to the pool near Hamadryad Park and perched on a branch over the water.
24 Friday May 2019
Posted in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature
Tags
#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Great Crested Grebe, Great crested grebe chicks, Humbugs
Some days it’s only Nature that keeps me sane – today was one of those days and these gorgeous creatures played a big part in restoring my sanity and making me grin from ear to ear. In case you don’t know, this is a Great crested grebe and its two chicks, which are often referred to as Humbugs because of their resemblance to the black-and-white-striped sweet of that name.
I think this is their Dad who’s carrying them – Mum, a smaller version of Dad, was nearby. The parents take turns protecting their chicks by carrying them on their backs. I’m not sure if that gaping beak is a yawn or a wish to be fed – I suspect the former.
Dad was getting quite upset at this point because a fight between a Coot and a Mallard was coming a little too close for comfort.
Calm restored. Snoozing bookends!
Curiosity! Soon after this, the closest chick ventured out on to the water for a very brief moment before deciding it was much safer and more comfortable on Dad’s back.
12 Tuesday Feb 2019
Posted in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, spring
Tags
birding, birds mating', birdwatching, British birds, Great Crested Grebe, Great crested grebes mating
The scent of Spring was strong in the air today or, at least, all the birds I saw thought so. The Great crested grebes were being particularly amorous. First, though, this female fancied some lunch – just a little snack to keep her energy levels up.
Then she climbed on to the minimal nest that she and her mate had created and got herself ready. The male seemed unsure – perhaps he was shy because I was watching.
After a couple of minutes when nothing had happened, the female stood up, gave herself a little shake and directed some stern squeaks at the male.
He had obviously got the message!
The end made me laugh out loud as he slid unceremoniously over the female’s head in to the water. Let’s hope their efforts were not in vain. I’ll be keeping an eye on them, from a suitable distance.
04 Tuesday Dec 2018
These two Great crested grebes put on a delightful display of synchronised swimming for me at Cardiff Bay Wetlands today, gliding first one way, then the other. I scored them a perfect 10. I almost applauded … but that would’ve scared them off. Gold to the grebes!
12 Monday Nov 2018
Tags
bird fishing, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Bay wetlands, Great Crested Grebe, grebe fishing
It was a lovely late autumn day, with a bit of a nip in the air but gloriously blue skies overhead and still a little heat in the sun. It was the perfect day, in fact, to stand on the boardwalk at Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve and watch this Great crested grebe catching itself breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper, all in the space of just 6 minutes (I can tell from the times on my photographs).
No wonder this successful little fisher-bird was grinning so broadly as it headed into the reeds for a snooze!
18 Saturday Aug 2018
Tags
bird with fish, birding, birdwatching, Black-headed gull, British birds, Great Crested Grebe, grebe with fish, juvenile Great crested grebe
Raw fish might not be everyone’s idea of a tasty lunch but it’s the staple diet for this juvenile Great crested grebe.
And here it comes now …
‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘It’s a slippery sucker.’
‘It’s a bit big, Mum. I’m not sure how to eat this thing.’
‘Ooops, almost dropped it.’
Seeing the young one struggling to down its lunch, a Black-headed gull swoops in to try to steal the fish. Both grebes dive immediately.
‘Where’d they go?’
Seconds later, the gull flies off, Mum and junior both surface, and Mum’s come up with the second course.
This is one contented-looking Great crested grebe!
09 Monday Apr 2018
Tags
birding, birdwatching, Buzzard, Carrion crow, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Magpie, Mute swan, nesting, nesting birds, signs of spring
Just like their makers, nests come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re made of all sorts of materials: twigs and branches, feathers, moss, paper and plastic, mud. They can be seen high in trees and on buildings, hidden secretively away in hedges and behind reeds, or plonked in a hole in a concrete platoon, as I saw some Coots do recently in Cardiff. Some are messy and loosely constructed, others are cosy and snug, still others are miniature works of art.
This is prime bird-nesting season so it’s quite likely you’ll see nests when you’re out walking. Please stay well away and do not disturb parents, eggs or babies. In Britain (and I’m sure in most countries) it is, in fact, an offence under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to ‘intentionally take, damage, destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built’ and to ‘intentionally take or destroy the egg of any wild bird’. (You can read more details here.) And, rest assured, my photos were all taken with a long lens, well away from the birds, so as not to disturb them.
31 Saturday Mar 2018
Posted in birds, nature, walks, wildflowers
Tags
#BeastfromtheEast, Cardiff Bay, Colt's-foot, Ely embankment, Great Crested Grebe, Linnet, Pied wagtail, Redshank, River Ely, Rock pipit, snow in Penarth Marina, Turnstone
A month of superlatives!
4 March The coldest! My first visit of March was in the aftermath of ‘The Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma, a weather combination that brought Cardiff an unseasonal covering of snow, with deep drifts in places. As the east-facing embankment had been subject to the full assault of those storm systems, it was not surprising to see piles of the white stuff still blocking the road alongside Cardiff Bay, and there was a smattering on the embankment itself.
Though I wondered if the storm might have blown in some European strays or other unusual birds, I wasn’t really surprised to find that the very exposed embankment was almost bare of birds. A smattering of perhaps 10 Coots, a couple of Mallards and Mute swans, and two Pied wagtails were almost the only avian wildlife. Even the gulls were sparse.
9 March The contrast between today’s weather and last weekend’s was almost unbelievable: it was 12°C, the sun was shining and it felt positively Spring like. Maybe that’s why the birds were out in force, with five Redshanks – the most I’ve ever seen on the embankment at once, 3 Turnstones – two venturing well up the stones away from the water’s edge, 2 Grey wagtails and 1 Pied.
And just to prove that I don’t only look at the birds, I noticed the Red campion was already in flower and I was most surprised to see a large area of Colt’s-foot flowers. They must be tough to grow in such a stony bank.
14 March A bumper day along the embankment, in light drizzle, which almost put me off going out for a walk. I’m so glad I got off my chuff! There were 3 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 2 Grey wagtails, 3 Pied wagtails, 1 Rock pipit, 4 Linnets, 1 Carrion crow, 4 Feral pigeon and, in the water adjacent, 8 Coots, 5 Great crested grebes, 1 Cormorant, 2 Mallards, and 6 Mute swans. The greatest variety!
20 March This was another day of cold winds, blowing directly across the bay and slamming into the embankment, so the few birds that were around were sheltering further up the river, and there weren’t many to be seen – a single Redshank looking very unhappy, perhaps still recovering from our second bout of snow this Spring, last weekend’s ‘Mini-beast from the East’, plus 3 Turnstones and 2 Grey wags.
24 March I was really heading across the Barrage in search of a Wheatear (more on that here) but figured I’d detour along the embankment path on my way, and I’m so glad I did as there were 10 Turnstones – a large number! – and a solitary Redshank bimbling along the shoreline.
28 March Fourteen (14!) Turnstones on the embankment during this day’s walk (the most I’ve ever seen on one visit), plus 2 Redshanks and a solitary Pied wagtail. What a way to end my monthly walks along this bay-side path!
