Dartford Warbler .Gower Wales

 I was visiting family and friends during the morning when suddenly I was granted a few hours to my self.

I headed to Cefn Bryn on the Gower, an upland heath with Gorse patches that was up behind a friends home, where I believed I could find Dartford Warbler,  a species that has re established residency in south Wales but still remains one of Wales rarest breeding birds

   I had tried looking in other locations where they have been seen previous over the last few visits home to Wales with no joy.

The !Bryn! was quiet, wet, yet the day had improved. I geared up and took a walk into the horse tracks watching for movement, listening for any calls.

My path opened up and I stopped as I found some impenetrable low fresh Gorse , this time movement caught my eye, and set back  in the thicket a Male Dartford Warbler showed a few times for me as he checked me out.. I adjusted my light angle.

This time I was fortunate to come across a pair holding Territory . Once I was checked out they both moved back deep into the Gorse thicket.

 

female

Dark bellied Brent Geese Crofty Marsh

A nice 400 strong flock of Dark bellied Brent Geese were at the Crofty end of the estuary.

A flocks were further out on the cockle beds but the weather was not helping with views.

1st winter Red Kites Llanridian Marsh

Drifting along the road, fields, woods and marsh of Lllanridian Marsh Gower Wales a count of over 5 1st winter Red Kites were in the air on a dark start to the morning and seemed very successful in finding scraps all over the area.

Grey Plover and Ringed Rockies

 A cold morning had Rock Pipits busy all over Clahane

 I was going through them as one took my eye that seemed a bit paler than the others and it happened to be ringed. I posted it up as to help the ringer [im awful at names] that I met here a few months back that checks my blog.

A Grey Plover was a nice surprise along the shoreline even if they are the world most boring bird ever but  I believe it to be my 1st for Clahane .