Dads Great spotted Woodpeckers

 While over in Wales its great to take time on Dads feeders to watch the birds ,you can grab a cup of tea , turn on the TV and watch the world cup while viewing Great spotted Woodpeckers

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

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

Carregg cennen quick visit

Jay

Pied flycatcher

A quick stop at a welsh tea gardens . Myself and one of my daughters had a quick woodland walk, lots of singing birds but not much showing in the heat of the day....but we saw Jay ,Redstart, and caught up with an elusive male Pied flycatcher

Gower wildflower cafe bird feeders

Nuthatch

Great tit

 

 

 

A fine place for a coffee and lunch is the Gower wildflower  centre where good bird feeders attract various  garden birds , plenty of tits and sparrows ,Nuthatch,Chaffinch and Collared doves visit regularly