A FIRST CIRL FOR STEVE

My very good birding mate Steve Bool has never seen a Cirl Bunting. On one of the birding sites it stated that a very good place to see Cirl Bunting was RSPB Labrador Bay in South Devon. Steve is a courier and had a job down in Newton Abbott and asked me to go with him as he planned to go to the site after he had finished his delivery. So of course another chance to see a Cirl Bunting was to good an opportunity to turn down so off we went.

The Cirl Bunting is really a Mediterranean species with southern Britain being the most northerly part of it's range. It can just about tolerate our Winters but does suffer if the weather does become to extreme.  

Labrador Bay is a cracking little reserve and it's right on the South Devon coastal path. As soon as he had parked his van Cirl Bunting were singing from the trees and bushes right in front of us. Steve was delighted to have bagged his first Cirl Bunting.

labrador bay (steve bools pic)

male cirl bunting

another handsome male

The females showed well to although a little drabber than the males still a pretty bird.

female cirl bunting

Steve also managed to digiscope this Jay with a conker rammed in it's bill.

jay (steve bools pic)

I got a couple of pic's of this female Kestrel that was Sitting in a tree nearby.

female kestrel

But we came to find the Cirl Buntings and what a cracking bird, so glad we made the effort to see them.

cirl bunting calling

A great trip out and so pleased for my mate Steve seeing his first Cirl Bunting. I can't wait for next one.

SWANSEA HOOPOE

 If there's one bird I've always wanted to see it's got to be a Hoopoe. They spend the Summer in central and southern Europe but every year in the Spring and Autumn migration the odd few accidently turn up in the UK . I've either been to busy or I've not been brave enough to drive myself to where they are. So when one turned up in Swansea and my very good birding friend Stephen Bool offered to take us both to go and see it I obviously jumped at the chance.

When we got there we made our way to the Swansea sea front cenotaph where it was last spotted. As we got closer we couldn't believe our eyes there it was in some shrubs and grass right in front of us my first Hoopoe. 

my first hoopoe

It went from around the cenotaph to the trees nearby and then down on the sandbanks where it foraged and fed just feet away from all the birders that had comedown to see it. The Hoopoe was so tame you felt like you could have stroked that beautiful black and white crest it was that close.

Here's a short video clip Steve took through his scope, though he had to stand well back to fit the bird in the frame.

We stayed there for about an hour just watching and photographing this wonderful exotic looking beauty.

A massive thank you to my best mate Steve Bool for driving us down there for what was for me an unforgettable experience what a bird. 
 

OUT AND ABOUT

 Here's some pictures that I've taken from being out and about in my area. They're from my local patch our homestead the Ginny, Pontypool, Cwmtillery and Goldcliff. They were all taken in July/August/September time.

FROM THE GINNY.

Song Thrush

                                                                                                                                             Tree pipit

Male Stonechat

Redstart

Linnet

Juvenile Wheatear

Willow Warbler

Juvenile Green Woodpecker

Buzzard

Meadow Pipit

Juvenile Starling

PONTYPOOL

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher (chick in the nest)

GOLDCLIFF

Sedge Warbler

Male Reed Bunting

CWMTILLERY

Tufted Duck

Little Grebe

Willow Warbler

Juvenile Dipper

And that's it "thank god for that" I hear you cry. It's been a good year so far with a couple of firsts and some good birds seen and photographed. I've been able to get out a lot more and hopefully I can bag myself some more rarer birds for my British list. Thanks for dropping by and I'll catch you soon.