Marsh Tit and a post in the woods

 I was in Wales on family matters, not birding as such.

I asked my father Paul Copner that if we got an hour or so early morning what were the chances of finding a Marsh Tit? I aint seen one since I was about 12 years of ago

I know of a place just on the Gower within 5 miles he says confidently.

By 8am we had rambled our way into a quiet damp feeling woodland till we came to some empty feeders by a logging shed, We sat , and yes I left the bird feed in the car. Dad put his apple core on a post .

A Coal Tit appeared, then within minutes a Marsh Tit.

Nuthatch, Blue Tits and Great Tit also came to the Apple core on the post

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

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.

Mewslade to Tiers Point- Gower,Wales

I had a few hours to myself on friday ,and headed out along the south Gower coast in search of Dartford Warblers that have been resident breeding in this area for about 6 years.The songs of Yellowhammers, loads of Whitethroats,Choughs ,Swifts and a family of Stoats gave my great confidence of finding some Dartfords.. but today it was not to be, perhaps when the Whitethroats leave there would be a better chance in catching a song.
Still it had been over 13 years since I had been here and it is a jewel of a coastline.

Mewslade Valley

Tier Point

Heath spotted Orchid (i think?)

South Gower

Fall Bay looking east

Stoat

Oxwich Nature reserve

Adder

Grass snake

Oxwich nature reserve is a special  mix of habitat from woods to dunes to reed beds and ponds.
We saw Long eared owl fly through the wood being chased by a Jay. An Adder was basking in the sun ,A Green woodpecker was looking for ants, Garden warbler was near the hide , from the hide we heard Cettis and saw Reed warbler, Little grebe and a family of Mute swan`and a Grass snake swam passed.....all before 10 in the morning

Reed warblers and the Cettis `ghost bird

Reed Warbler

Cetti`s warbler

 

Llangenith marsh near to where we were staying was a quiet place.
Plenty of Reed warblers , Sedge warblers and Whitethroat were on show but above all was a song from different areas of the marsh that i believed to be that of Cetti`s warblers... 5 days of listening and following to the calls but these birds remained invisible, sometime within only a few yards away they remain unseen .I love a challenge and never gave up the chance of a sighting,then one suprised me with a loud call,i missed the focus on the camera and it was gone..a ghost bird."gotcha"

Great spotted woodpecker

With a nest hole 5 feet of the ground on the side of the footpath with screaming chicks this Great spotted woodpecker was a easy find and a great start to the day.

A walk to Whitford bird hide, Gower

Whitford bird hide

Tree Pipit

Dunnock

Salt marsh ponnies

A walk out to Whiteford bird hide was nice , wrong time of year really as this is a winter ground for shorebirds and wildfowl.
But we saw Tree pipit which were hard to follow and photo , Wheater , Whimbrel , Ringed plover, Lapwing and Shellduck  were on the saltmarsh.
Woodpigeon, Coal tit,Whitethroat ,Tree pipits ,Blackcap and Grey Squirrel were in the copses and pine forest