TWO PHALS FOR TWO PALS

 Two rare waders turned up recently at Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs near Cardiff, they were two Phalarope species the Red Necked Phalarope and Grey Phalarope a very rare occurrence indeed. So I managed to twist my birding companion Steve Bools arm to go down there and take a look. The weather was forecast heavy showers but the chance to see two Phalarope species on the same reservoir was to much of a temptation to miss. The Red Necked Phalarope breeds in the extreme north and north west whilst the Grey Phalarope is a rare breeder in Iceland, both bird species winter out at sea. They do sometimes get blown inland by high winds and storms and as we've now moved into Autumn with the migratory birds on the move these must have been blown in on the recent windy wintery conditions we've been having out in the west of the UK.

The Red Necked Phalarope in Spring is a very handsome bird with a dark face, white throat bright red neck and long buff stripes on a dark grey back. In Autumn they change to being white below greyish above with a black mask they also have a needle fine bill. The juveniles have a black cap, black mask and a buff striped blackish back. The birds at the reservoir were juveniles at least two but there might have been more as Steve spotted some with his scope right out in the middle of the water.

red necked phalarope

The Grey Phalarope is also a very handsome bird in it's breeding plumage being orangey red except for the black head, white cheeks and black and buff streaking on the back and wings. Up north in it's breeding grounds it is known as the Red Phalarope for obvious reasons. In winter birds are grey above, white below with a black mask, juveniles are similar but have a more Spangle on their backs. The bill is thicker than that of the Red Necked and in Summer is orangey yellow. 

grey phalarope

Another interesting fact is that in both these Phalarope species the female is much more brightly coloured than the males and does all the courtship displaying and after laying her clutch of eggs will leave the male to look after them and the young while she will look for another partner. 

Also whilst feeding they have the unusual habit of swimming in close circles, it creates a vortex which brings items like insect larvae and crustaceans from the bottom of shallow water to the surface, making them easy to catch with their bills. 

red necked 

grey

Steve digiscoped some great footage of the birds here's the Red Necked first.

And the Grey Phalarope.

We met some lovely people at the reservoir including Roger and Lisa both great birders with Roger being a photographer so we had plenty to chat about while watching and photographing the birds, he also told me what waterproof camera bag to buy instead of the awful plastic bag I was struggling with so "cheers mate".

red necked

grey

We were also lucky enough to see a Common Sandpiper I managed a couple of images and Steve some video.

common sandpiper

common Sandpiper

The reservoir was full of birds besides the Phalaropes and Common Sandpiper we saw a flyover Hobby, Kingfisher, loads of ducks, Swans, Coots and Moorhens and there were absolutely loads of hirundines Swallows, Sand and House Martins feeding on the thousands of insects over the water so a great birding location.

The weather finally turned really bad so we made our way back towards the car both soaked but it was well worth it. We had our customary Coffee and cake in their really lovely canteen to dry off a bit and look back on our great morning two Phalarope species together in the same place and both really close to each other, who could ask for better than that. 

A WRYNECK TURNS UP IN DEVON

My very good birding mate and partner in crime Steve Bool and myself haven't  been on a road trip in a while, so when Steve discovered that a Wryneck had turned up in Devon we both decided to get down there to take a look.

The Wryneck has bred in Scotland in open park like woodland but with hardly any records in recent years it's now considered a rare passage migrant. The Wryneck gets it's name because of the birds ability to twist it's neck around and it's cryptic plumage is like tree bark which can make it look virtually invisible whilst at rest in a tree. Another non interesting fact is that Steve and myself have never seen one so this would be a lifer for both of us. 

This particular bird had already been there for three days so we were feeling a bit  anxious hoping that it would still be there. After setting off at 5am we arrived at an area where the bird had been reported called Turf Locke at about 7.20am. A stunning location with a canal that ran opposite an estuary with mudflats and a beautiful pub. 

There were a few birders already there and when one of them told us it was showing really well on the floor near the pub we were both relieved and excited. Walking to where the birders were gathered we spotted it there it was our first Wryneck it had only taken us 61 years to see one but it was well worth it "what a bird".

our first wryneck

I started taking pictures and Steve set up his scope to get some video footage.

what a bird

Here's one of Steve's video clips of the Wryneck.

                                            

The bird Started moving around the location but still staying fairly close giving me a good chance of getting photographs of the bird on different perches in between it going to the floor to feed.

Here's another of Steve's excellent video clips.

 After spending some time with the Wryneck we decided to take a look at what else was about.

We saw Little Egrets, loads of Black Headed Gulls, a couple of fly by Curlew and this Black tailed Godwit with the Redshank close by.

black tailed godwit

and another

redshank

At the side of the canal in the reeds we could hear Cettis Warblers calling but no picture I'm afraid.

it's me looking for the cettis

We had come here though to see the Wryneck, here's some of the birders that had made the trip to see it (whose that dodgy looking guy at the back?) also below is another one of Steve's clips, another one of my photographs of this stunning bird and a selfie pic of two very happy birders.

birders photographing the wryneck

two very happy birders

A brilliant morning and an experience that we might never have again so we were both glad we made the effort. A massive thank you to Steve for doing the driving and getting us there top man, it was an excellent trip.