Friday, January 18, 2013

Boneparte's Gull Ogmore Glamorgan Wales

On the 16th January work sent me to Cardiff, so I did a search for bird news in the area and found this site "The Cardiff Bird Club" http://southwalesbirding.blogspot.co.uk/.
I liked the look of the Boneparte's Gull at Ogmore, a new bird for me and a new area to look at also, so I arranged to meet up with the two user's early, which enabled me to finish my work, giving time to go to Ogmore.

Car Park near Portobello House, first bird seen a Buzzard over head.



Walked down to the rivers edge and started to look for the Boneparte's Gull, lots of Black-headed gulls and Herring gulls, in with them I found a Common gull and a Mediterranean gull. Also a good number of Goldeneye, and smaller numbers of Mallard and Teal. Further upstream I could see 3 Canada geese and a Shelduck. Most of the birds went up, so looking around I found a female Sparrowhawk flying over.
I then walked past the Portobello house and in the garden on and around some feeders were Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Chaffinch & Goldfinch.
View down Stream

On the short grass there was Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow and 2 Ravens.
View upstream looking back at Portobello House

Along the river was Mute Swan, Curlew, Redshank, when I noticed a gull feeding near the far river bank close to a Black-headed gull and it looked differrent, it was the Boneparte's Gull.
Boneparte's Gull feeding near river bank

Boneparte's Gull

I then walked back and up to the bridge that goes to the sewage treatment works, on the river near the bridge 5 Little Grebes, ♂ and 2 ♀ Goosaders,  ♂ and 1♀ Gadwall. In the trees around the sewage treatment works, Magpie, Jackdaw & Rook. On my return to the car park there was a kestrel hovering over the area of longer grass and bramble. I Then stopped of at Ogmore Castle for a look around before heading off home.
Ogmore Castle

Little Egret in field opposite castle


2013 Year List = 75

No comments:

Post a Comment