22 Thursday Sep 2022
Posted in birds
As well as the Ringed plovers I blogged about yesterday, my walk along Sully beach produced over 30 Turnstones, my favourite beach birds, pottering along, poking under stones, pulling at piles of seaweed in their never-ending search for tasty invertebrates.
25 Saturday Dec 2021
Posted in birds
As I was walking along the edge of Cardiff Bay, I was mulling over what to feature for the letter T, and there they were, a little group of Turnstones, working their way along the water’s edge, one stopping to wash and preen, most poking to displace small pieces of vegetation for the insects beneath or prodding stones to scare out the tiny sea creatures lurking in their lee. And so my decision was made for me, and I am particularly delighted to share a photo of this particular Turnstone that came waddling right up to the top of the embankment as if to have its portrait taken.
06 Friday Aug 2021
Posted in birds
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay birding, Turnstone, Turnstone breeding plumage, turnstones in Cardiff
That sounds like a movie title, and the journey Turnstones make to their breeding grounds (in northern Europe, Greenland and North America) and back would undoubtedly make a good wildlife documentary. But a filmmaker I am not. I am simply excited to see these beautiful Turnstones have returned to their usual stone-turning antics on the embankment where the River Ely flows in to Cardiff Bay. Many are still sporting the remnants of their bright breeding plumage, which they will gradually moult in the coming weeks.
14 Thursday Jan 2021
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay birds, Ely embankment, Turnstone, turnstones in Cardiff
We can’t let January pass without at least one photo of a Turnstone, or two …
18 Tuesday Aug 2020
Tags
autumn bird migration, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Ely embankment, Turnstone, Turnstone breeding plumage
As well as seeing the Common sandpiper I blogged about yesterday, Friday’s walk along the Ely embankment made me smile for another reason – the Turnstones are back!
Fresh from their breeding season in Greenland and parts of northern Canada, looking very handsome in their darker summer plumage, perhaps still a little weary from those long-haul flights, but they’ve made it.
I love these characterful little birds. Most of the time they might seem a bit dull, plodding purposefully along the tide line, turning over pebbles and seaweed in their never-ending search for insect snacks, or sitting, a little hunched over, snoozing in the sun.
Yet I’ve also seen a large group of them, in a coastal town in southern England, in the midst of a huge storm, when the ferocity of the waves had driven them up off the beach on to an expanse of grass where large puddles had accumulated, behaving like crazy kids, chattering away happily to each other while they ran in and out of the puddles, excited, splashing and flapping their wings, and so obviously having fun.
There were four Turnstones on the embankment on Friday. Maybe they’re locals, or maybe they just stopped over for a rest before heading further south, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing many more of these special birds in the weeks to come.
27 Monday Apr 2020
Tags
birding, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Coot, Ely embankment, Pied wagtail, Rock pipit, Shelduck, starling, Turnstone
I felt the need to see some birds today so headed down to Cardiff Bay for my exercise walk. First up, this pair of Shelducks were working their way around the water’s edge near the Barrage – first I’ve seen since the lockdown began.
This Starling had a beakful of caterpillar and flies so I presume it had hungry mouths to feed somewhere nearby.
At least fourteen Turnstones were picking and poking their way along the stones of the embankment, this one looking very handsome in its breeding colours.
This Coot was busy pulling bits of rubbish into the pile of sticks it has begun shaping into a nest. Its mate was nearby, hauling a branch to weave into the growing structure.
This was the first Rock pipit I’ve seen for a little while. It was busily prospecting for nibbles so perhaps it also has offspring to feed.
Most of the wagtails have moved away to breed but this Pied wagtail looked very handsome amongst the Herb Robert and Red valerian that now covers much of the embankment.
28 Saturday Mar 2020
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Ely embankment, female mallard, Grey wagtail, Redshank, Turnstone
Today’s exercise walk saw me up and out of the house by 7am for a stomp down to Cardiff Bay and the embankment path alongside the River Ely. There was, and still is, a bitterly cold wind blowing, pushing small waves up on to the stones of the embankment so I was surprised to see any birds there at all. But the further up river I went the more sheltered it became and the embankment foragers appeared.
First up was this Redshank, poking about at the water’s edge, its feathers ruffled by the wind gusts.
Next, in a corner where rubbish often accumulates, three Turnstones were poking about amidst the branches and twigs, plastic bottles and other assorted detritus.
Two Mallards came waddling hopefully up the stones while I was watching the Turnstones. Sadly, I didn’t have any seed for them today.
Lucky last, and most colourful, was this bright little button, a Grey wagtail, which was singing a little song to itself as it pottered along.
01 Wednesday Jan 2020
Tags
birding, birdwatching, Black redstart, British birds, Cardiff Bay birding, Goosander, Lesser black-backed gull, Turnstone
And so another year, another decade has kicked off, and I started as I mean to go on, with an 8-mile walk around Cardiff Bay, immersing myself in the local wildlife. I counted 43 species of birds, found 28 species of wildflowers in bloom (more on them tomorrow), and spotted 1 moth. I finally met someone I’ve ‘known’ on Twitter for ages, and bumped into 2 fellow birders. The weather may have been shite (gloomy, partly foggy, partly low cloud, sometimes drizzle) but it was a mighty fine way to jump start a new year.
My good camera didn’t come out often as it doesn’t like the wet and the photos I did take are very grainy due to the poor light, but I’ll include a couple anyway.
This male Goosander was posing nicely – wish I could’ve done him justice
There were 14 Turnstones along the Ely embankment today, 7 of which ventured up on to the pavement – never seen that before. Lingered watching for quite a while …
For those who like lists, the birds were: Robin, Lesser black-backed gull, Feral pigeon, Starling, Great tit, Blackbird, House sparrow, Woodpigeon, Herring gull, Carrion crow, Dunnock, Blue tit, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Cormorant, Coot, Great-crested grebe, Mallard, Goosander, Grey wagtail, Turnstone, Collared dove, Mute swan, Redshank, Tufted duck, Wren, Blackcap, Black redstart, Moorhen, Pied wagtail, Raven, Goldfinch, Song thrush, Little grebe, Linnet, Reed bunting, Cetti’s warbler, Shoveler, Sparrowhawk. Pochard, Grey heron, Meadow pipit, and Jackdaw.
A record shot of the Black redstart
A bit gory, sorry, but a reminder that it’s a ‘bird eat bird’ world out there! Not sure what the victim was
26 Thursday Dec 2019
Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay walk, Cetti's warbler, Common Gull, Great spotted woodpecker, Grey wagtail, Linnet, little grebe, Moorhen, Stonechat, Turnstone
Normal weather service (i.e. wind and rain) has resumed here today but yesterday, Christmas Day, was glorious – blue skies, cold but no wind, so I took myself on a 6-hour 8½-mile walk right around Cardiff Bay. I saw 44 species of bird (and dished out some Christmas seed to a few), and had some nice chats to random strangers. The birding highlights included …
Grey wagtails and my favourite little Turnstones on the Ely embankment
Seven Linnets in a tree
A Moorhen and a Little grebe at Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve
The day’s surprise, a Great spotted woodpecker in trees, also at the wetlands reserve
Two Cetti’s warblers seen (and more heard), plus a lovely male Stonechat
A Common gull puddling for worms with the Black-headed gulls in Hamadryad Park
17 Tuesday Dec 2019
It’s been a few weeks since I bussed to Sully and walked back to Penarth so, when I realised today’s high tide was mid morning, I headed off. And I was lucky.
When I first arrived at the beach there was a large flock of 21 Ringed plovers flying back and forth over the water, and further west a large flock of Oystercatchers hovered right on the water line.
Nearer at hand was a mixed flock of around 35 Turnstones, 13 Ringed plovers and 3 Dunlins, though I couldn’t actually see all the birds at once – they were scuttling back and forth to avoid the rising tide, and frequently disappeared behind small rocks and larger boulders.
Dogs and their owners kept flushing the birds, which meant I didn’t manage any good photos, though their frequent flying did allow me to count them more easily.
earthstar 
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