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Every autumn Ring Ouzels appear in mid-Wales on their return passage from their breeding grounds further north. They can appear anywhere but usually they choose an area with a supply of berries that can sustain them for a few days before they carry on their southerly journey to North Africa. They are seen in the main from mid-October through to early November, but they can linger well into November some years if there is a good supply of berries or the weather is favourable.
Birds always appear in the Elan valley in mid-wales, usually around the car parks which is totally out of character with their shy nature. These birds like remote craggy hillsides away from people, but these car parks are where the Rowan berries are – one of their favoured autumn foods. Ring Ouzels basically have the same diet as the Blackbird and are or course a close relative.
As in previous years reports are coming in of Ouzels in the Elan valley car parks this week but there is one major drawback in that area and that is people. There is a huge amount of people visiting the valley to see the scenery and obviously driving in and out of these car parks, however, what is more off putting are the packs of motor cyclists roaring through there - they are a real nuisance. Everybody has a right to visit there that much is obvious, but if you are a nature watcher it can be very frustrating. It is even more frustrating if you are a nature photographer because you can guarantee that just as the Ring Ouzels for example are about to perch in a favourable position a car will pull up and doors will slam and people will start talking loudly and that is the end of that!!
I remember a few years back a few birders/photographers, me included, were tucked right up in the far corner of a car park near to where birds were coming to feed on the rowans. The rest of the car park was virtually empty and we were waiting patiently with lenses hanging out of open windows of the cars waiting for a shot. Suddenly a man drove into the car park and ignored all the empty spaces and unbelievably drove up and stopped right in front of all the vehicles totally blocking the view to the birds. We couldn’t believe somebody could be so unobservant, he had every right of course to park where he pleased and we thought it was all over. His wife, however, who was more observant elbowed him and pointed in our direction the look on his face was a picture in itself as he sheepishly reversed back into the car park.
Ironically these car parks are where you will get the best shots of these birds if you are lucky with the traffic and this is just typical of nature watching. Wildlife rarely does what you want it to and people certainly never do.

Having said this I have had reasonable shots of Ring Ouzels in the spring.



But it is when they are perched in autumn rowans with the red berries and turning leaves that they are for me the most photogenic.



There are one or two quarries locally where Ring Ouzels turn up this time of year, one is a horrible remote disused place with huge hanging growths of cotoneaster drooping down vertical rock faces. I never go there because it can be quite precarious to get a decent shot and it’s just not worth it.
The other is also remote but less awkward and this week a birding friend of ours saw four birds in the ‘better’ quarry. It’s about a half mile walk up to where the birds were seen, feeding again on rowans growing out of a quarry face. Susan and I decided to have a look, and early yesterday morning we drove over there. As we were driving along the main road we could see a large bird in the middle of the road and as we got nearer we could see it was a Tawny Owl.



This happens to these birds early in the morning, it must have been hit by a car, but it didn’t look hurt just stunned, so I carried it into the long grass out of the way and we drove on fairly confident it would be OK.

When we arrived at the quarry we couldn’t see or hear any Ouzels but after about half an hour we heard the tell-tale contact calls - a soft ‘Chuk Chuk’. The birds weren’t going to come really close but that was OK, we just sat on some flat rocks on the quarry floor and watched the birds coming and going and interacting with each other – it was a very nice couple of hours.















After we left the quarry we driving along the main road where we had seen the Tawny Owl and were dismayed to find a man standing at the roadside looking at the bird exactly where we had left it. We stopped and told him what had happened and thankfully he was on the phone to a rescue centre who would take the Owl in. I hope it is going to be OK.

I’ve posted very little on this website during this spring and summer, in fact it’s probably been the least active time since the site started. Spring birding in the Beacons was essentially ruined by ‘Covid19’and ironically as finally the restrictions were lifted the spring was over and it was too late for one of my favourite spring birds, the Cuckoo. I have really missed seeing them this spring, but I must put it into perspective – it could have been far worse!!
I have however, been very busy at home tackling many DIY jobs – I started by fixing a water leak in a chamber that feeds our septic tank, (not a nice job) replacing an old clay soil pipe and concreting a new base. Then I erected a new fence around the property, knocking in new fence posts with a massive sledge hammer and post thumper borrowed from my neighbour. That was hard graft and I take my hat off to those guys who do that for a living! Next I painted the whole of our house from chimney to floor with a mega coat of masonry paint also hard and awkward work. Then I painted all the fences, rails, two garden sheds and a large garden wall. I then went indoors to remove the existing double oven and ceramic hob in our kitchen and fit a new oven and induction hob, which were a slightly different size – so carpentry and electrical work was needed. Finally in an effort to combat the guttering on our house filling up with falling leaves in the autumn I fitted circular brushes to all the guttering and cable tied them in to resist the wind. I hope it does the job because removing leaves from guttering off a ladder is a messy and horrible job.

Finally now I’m free, and in anticipation of some autumn birding. The weather at the moment is very nice indeed and Susan and I went walking this week and finally there are good numbers of Dragonflies on the wing – mainly Migrant Hawkers.



Also nice to see a few Black Darters.



The migrant Hawkers are out in their hundreds down at Llangors Lake, it’s always the same with them this time of year.

We also walked along a track in an upland deciduous wood and were very pleased to hear a Willow Tit calling, a very rare occurrence in the Beacons and indeed nationally these days.

A comparison between Willow and Marsh Tits.

Willow Tit.



Willow Tits usually favour damper areas around young trees.
They usually have a more Matt black cap which extends down to the mantle.
There is also an appearance of a pale wing panel
caused by light fringing of the wing feathers.
They also usually have a larger bib which is less defined than the Marsh Tit.
Their plumage is also warmer and more buff on the flanks.
Call is a very conspicuous nasal Chee Chee Chee

Marsh Tit.



Marsh Tits usually prefer more mature deciduous trees.
They usually have a glossier black cap which is less extensive than
the Willow Tit.
Marsh Tits always have a pale spot on the upper mandible which is never seen
on the Willow Tit - diagnostic!!
Their call always starts with an explosive Pichu.

As we walked along a small path off the main forest track we came across a cluster of attractive Fly Agaric mushrooms - always nice to see.



Care is needed, however, because as is well documented, although attractive these fungi are hallucinogenic and quite poisonous!

It is great to be out again and let’s look forward to a nice autumn with some good photographic opportunities.

I have not posted anything of note on this website throughout these very unpredictable times because earlier on in the spring and summer there have been obvious limitations on personal movement and lately we have been experiencing huge swings in our weather. These weather episodes have consisted of a couple of weeks of stifling heat with daytime temperatures of thirty Celsius, which is too hot for me when at home, and even worse, twenty plus Celsius during the night. Frustratingly, now that the horrible humid spell is over we are experiencing day after day of heavy rain with grey skies and low hanging cloud. During this period we have been out a few times but it is very quiet bird – wise at this time of year anyway and Butterflies and Dragonflies are also disappointingly very few and far between.
On a wild life note when I had a bonfire during the dry spell I noticed something moving in amongst the garden waste and after investigation I could see a big toad – a fine specimen.



I removed it before I set the fire, it’s so easy to kill small animals who are hiding/hibernating in these garden waste areas.

For the last two months there has been a Hare in the fields around our house but it is very wary and when I have disturbed it a few times while walking it has quickly darted into cover. I spooked it from a pea crop last week while walking a fence line but again it scooted away. A few days ago, again walking, I had been watching a Migrant Hawker dragonfly on the edge of a wood.



One of the few this season, and briefly a bit further on a Spotted Flycatcher.



I had casually shot a few frames of both and walked on. I came to the edge of a hedge line and carefully peered around just in case there was something there - standard practise. To my surprise there was the Hare just sat in the grass about fifteen yards away.



Amazingly it seemed to tolerate me, but in fairness I was being very careful. I managed to fire off a few shots with my little Sigma zoom lens before, in a matter seconds, it casually loped away covering a hundred yards in no time at all – amazing! They really are a lovely animal and frustratingly they are often seen in other parts of the country, typically Norfolk but they are uncommon around here.

This spring there is quite an influx of Rose Coloured Starlings in the UK. They appeared in France a few weeks ago and it was predicted, rightly so, that we would see some in this country. They have been seen in various counties in the UK and as far west as the Pembrokeshire islands. I always live in hope but I didn’t expect there to be any seen in the Brecon Beacons because there are not many rarities recorded here. However, on a local blog the day before yesterday there was a report of one a few miles from where I live so yesterday Susan and I went to try and find it but not before checking a few cherry trees where I know Common Starlings and Blackbirds eat this fruit. Sadly there were no birds around these fruit laden trees so we moved on to the reported location mentioned above. Unfortunately this location was right on the very busy A470 road with cars and lorries thundering past every few seconds throughout the time we spent there. The upside was the two people who reported the bird were very pleasant company and were keen and knowledgeable naturalists especially in the butterfly and moth field. We waited some time while only Common Starlings and Blackbirds flew around and the weather fluctuated between bright sunshine and grey cloud with light drizzle, but eventually the Rose Coloured Starling flew in. It landed in a hedge in the field behind the cherry trees that were on the roadside. After a dangerous crossing of the said road, (you really have to be careful there as many vehicles were travelling very quickly and if you tripped over while crossing that road you could be in serious trouble). Frustratingly the bird, as usual, was too distant for a decent shot, but still nevertheless, was a very nice bird to see. After about a minute it flew off again and didn’t return, so after another hour of thundering traffic we called it a day and headed for home and some peace and quiet – Phew!!





Adult male - pink wash and long glossy black crest - very nice bird!!

Birding in the Brecon Beacons is very difficult at the moment because, as in the rest of Wales, we are only allowed to drive around five miles from home. In addition that journey is only supposed to take place to meet a relative or friend. It’s not meant for taking exercise or, in my case to watch wildlife. However, we have driven in excess of that distance but still remained local, because it’s one thing to drive five miles in an urban area where you could in theory meet your relatives quite easily, but many people living in the countryside are substantial distances from their relatives and it is impossible to meet up. I don’t feel guilty therefore about driving more than five miles, because on the ‘two occasions’ that we have done so, we saw no one and only stood outside the vehicle, just for something as basic as a change of scenery. I know in theory we could have broken down but that was quite unlikely in a new vehicle and apart from those two fifteen mile journeys we have absolutely stayed very local, just walking around the fields and country lanes to get some exercise.
As a result I have posted very little on this website during the month of June but the site’s position on the ‘Fat Birder’ website list has not dropped down the rankings at all, which is quite pleasing. I did visit the Llangasty car park at Llangors Lake a few days ago and saw a pair of Great Crested Grebes with youngsters that were quite well grown, but still riding on their mother’s back. I managed a record shot of them by hiding below a fence as they approached a bit nearer, they were still too far away really and the light was really bad, grey and overcast with a light drizzle, but it was still nearer than usual, because normally there would be too many people around to disturb them.





With the weather greatly improved we walked through a local meadow yesterday where there was a huge variety of wild flowers and plants and the corresponding amount of insects. What a lovely sight with hundreds of Meadow Brown butterflies on the wing, interspersed with Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Common Blue. Disappointingly very few Dragonflies are flying, just a few Emperors, Four Spot Chasers and Common Hawker, however, that will improve into July. In terms of moths there were large numbers of Six Spot Burnets flying, these beautiful scarlet red moths are a real pleasure to see.



Looking forward there is hopefully something positive happening in July and that is the predicted removal, if conditions are appropriate, of the aforementioned driving restrictions. This will mean a great deal to people, especially those living in the countryside, as mentioned previously.
Unfortunately the best potential birding is over - those birders hoping for an encounter with the enigmatic Dotterel or the charismatic Cuckoo will have to wait for another spring.
A sobering thought is that at least we will be around to try again next spring……

I am hopeful that the government in Wales will relax some of the restrictions in the announcement on Friday the 29th May. Many people are waiting with baited breath, birdwatchers are straining on the leash! Having said that this ‘Lockdown’ scenario has initiated an increase in local patch birding and that is not a bad thing. Also closet bird watchers have come out of the woodwork, people who obviously watch nature and don’t usually share their observations are now doing so. I certainly hope this continues and a new type of nature reporting will be ongoing. One prime example of this ‘Lockdown’ reporting is the number of Common Whitethroats that have been heard and seen. Either this is a particularly good spring for them or they are always under- reported. Either reason is good news!
Roadside wild flowers are in abundance because of non-existent council mowing and I sincerely hope they don’t have any withdrawal symptoms when the restrictions are lifted! This should be a lesson for them and as a result I hope they realise this obsessive manicuring of the countryside is totally unnecessary.
Susan and I have maintained our walks and are trying to vary the routes in an attempt to alleviate any boredom because although we live out in the country there are only so many local walks you can undertake. Saying this a few days ago we walked up onto a local hillside and as we exited a steep lane onto the open hill we could hear Common Redstarts calling and sure enough a male was perching on the post of a farm gate. The female was also flitting about going back and fore a nest in an old gnarled hawthorn – a typical habitat used as a nesting site for these birds.


Female with food.


Male.
In their natural habitat.

We walked on and about a hundred yards away in an old stone wall of a long-derelict barn there was another pair showing nesting behaviour. Although widespread it’s always nice to see these lovely spring migrants because they can be quite shy and elusive.
The male of the first pair showed little regard for us when we walked past and continued to catch flies and beetles and sing openly – quite unusual behaviour for a Redstart. This started me thinking, because there was another gate to a field opposite to the gate post he was perching on. Therefore, both gates were set back from the track and with the width of the track added to this it gave me room to stay well away from their feeding activities and therefore not risk any disturbance. You can always tell if you are a problem to birds and if so it’s time to move on!! I noticed a small gnarled tree branch lying on the side of the track on our way back down and I inserted it into the old barbed wire fence near to the bird’s favourite fence post just to provide a more aesthetic perch for a photograph. If he took to it then all well and good if not then there was no harm done.
I needed my Canon 600 f4 to achieve any decent shots from this distance and this is the beauty of a big prime f4. It allows you to add on a 1.4 tele converter without causing any noticeable image degradation and when this is mounted on a 1.6 cropped sensor camera it results in a focal length of 1344mm @ f5.6. Unfortunately even though it’s the Mark 2 version of the 600 it’s still heavy going up a steep hill and coupled with a big carbon fibre tripod and a heavy duty gimbal head and a pair of binoculars and my lightweight walk stool, (indispensable), to sit on - results in a weight of 20+ pounds. This is not kit for walking up mountains that is why I bought the Sigma 150-600 contemporary lens –lightweight in comparison!
Susan dropped me off in her car at the entrance to the track on the main road, it’s only about half a mile away from home but both ways that’s a mile with that unnecessary weight on your back. As I made my way up a tarmac road and then the track, which is very uneven, I was relieved to hear and then see the male bird in exactly the same spot and on what was obviously his favourite gate post. He completely ignored me – which was very good news, I quickly set up and sat down on my stool up against the gate opposite, waiting to see if he was going to perch on the piece of gnarled wood I had left there.
I had been there about ten minutes when I could hear the clatter of horses hooves coming up the uneven track and then a single horse and rider appeared, but suddenly when the horse saw me it shied violently, it must have been day dreaming - it threw the woman rider into the air and turned and ran back down the very uneven track. I had deliberately kept quiet as I always do around horses and made no sudden movements, so it was just a freak incident. Nevertheless, I was horrified and fully expected to hear a very bad accident as the woman shouted at the horse to stop. However, because of very good horsemanship she gained control and dismounted. She came back up the track leading the horse this time, which in hindsight would probably be the best option, at least until she reached the open hill. I asked if she and the horse were all right and thankfully there was no harm done. However, she was visibly shaken and understandably so.
With all this commotion the Redstarts had gone into cover and I really thought that was the end of it. However, after a few minutes I could hear the male calling and he duly appeared on his gate post. As he started to adeptly catch flies from the air, he flew onto my perch which allowed me to take a number of shots in various poses and he continued to forage for food in front of me sometimes coming very close with total confidence. I have never had a Redstart behave like that before and it was a real pleasure to experience.










I was there for some time watching them go about their daily routine before I packed up and made my way down to be picked up by Susan.
They really are beautiful little birds.
A very nice but quite eventful morning.

I have been looking for the Zebra jumping spiders that we saw on one of the garden sheds last week but the weather has been too cold for them to come out because these spiders really like warm sunny conditions. Alternatively I started to look inside the particular shed where we had seen them and where there is shelter from the cold wind. After a few days I managed to locate the female up on the shed roof and she happily climbed onto my finger and then into a specimen pot. I brought her inside and let her wander around on a few small props while I tried to photograph her. She is a very accommodating and friendly little spider and she posed in numerous positions allowing me to take some nice shots. After twenty minutes she was returned back to where I found her and she wandered off to do whatever spiders do. We have become quite fond of her and I hope she is around for some time along with the male that we also photographed last week.

About nine months ago I was contacted, via my website, by the compilers of a field guide to the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland. They said they would like to have one of my images of a female Ring Ouzel for the upcoming second edition of this very popular and bestselling book. I agreed because it’s always nice to have your images in print no matter how limited. I emailed the particular image they wanted – this particular image was taken in a very cold spring a few years back when Ring Ouzels were prevented from accessing their breeding grounds higher up because of the said inclement weather.
I thought no more about it and assumed that would be the end of the contact, however, I was pleasantly surprised when a couple of months later I received in the post a ‘Pocket Guide’ of the main book.



I thought it was quite nice of them because although some book authors who request images supply a complimentary copy there are many who don’t. I supplied numerous images, (one used as a full page spread), to a very well known ‘Welsh’ TV presenter's wildlife book a few years ago and received absolutely nothing – but there you go!!
As time progressed I had forgotten about the image I had supplied, but yesterday a delivery van arrived and I took receipt of a parcel - I casually opened it and was very pleasantly surprised to now find a full copy of the above field guide. Having looked through it in detail I can see why it’s a best seller – it is without fear of contradiction the most comprehensive field guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland I have ever seen.



It is full of top notch images of every bird that has been recorded in the UK and Ireland. With more than 3500 actual photographs, detailed information on all the various plumages you are likely to encounter, accurate comparisons of species and simple but very good step by step help with identification.
I own a number of field guides to the birds of Britain and Ireland but this book is a country mile in front of them all.
Neither of the books are hard covered, but I personally prefer that. The ‘Pocket Guide’ retails at £10.00 and the main book retails at £20.00. I have received thirty pounds worth of books for one image supplied and that is very impressive. (Having said that these complimentary copies have in no way influenced my opinion), they are extremely high quality and you will notice that when you pick them up. If you are a birder and are thinking of getting a new top quality field guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland at a very reasonable price, then these publications are the ones for you.

Well I thought it was all over - (to quote commentary from a well known football match), but it wasn't, because now unbelievably I have received in the post another book - A field guide to the birds of Europe.



It is also a top quality affair in the same vein as the previous two! Full of information and top notch plates. I can't believe it really, that's now £50.00 of complimentary books for one image supplied. I am blown away by this, and I can also highly recommend this book, I guarantee you won't be disappointed by any of these publications - superb!!

Now that the weather has warmed up there are a lot more insects to see and we have been on the lookout for subjects for macro photography. We didn’t, however, realise that today would be a ‘special macro‘ day. It was a beautiful warm spring day and I had just finished cutting the grass and was putting the mower away and Susan was potting - up some runner beans in one of the sheds. Suddenly she shouted ‘Jumping Spider’!! I dropped everything and ran to get a specimen pot to try and capture it. These little spiders have been number one on our wanted list since buying a macro lens. They don’t spin webs they jump onto their prey and are very agile indeed. I managed to manoeuvre the spider into a pot and put it somewhere dark while I got the equipment ready. It’s difficult to get the props and backgrounds right for these small subjects and I realise now that good props are everything. I decided to fill the top of an old margarine tub with building sand and then placed it on top of an egg box so I could look straight at the spider. These spider’s posture can frequently be quite erect and they can be very photogenic when they are in this position. While this was going on Susan found another one and I couldn’t quite believe what was happening we had male and female Zebra spiders!!
We were worried that the spiders would live up to their name and jump away but we needn’t have worried because they were very accommodating and after getting used to the props they happily walked around and even rested on my finger and posed in some classic jumping spider positions.
These really are lovely friendly little spiders and it was a pleasure to photograph them.

Both spiders, as with all our subjects, were unharmed and returned to their natural habitat after a short time.


Male.


Female

We have had glorious weather in the Brecon Beacons over the last couple of weeks and it’s a good job given the present horrible situation. At least people who can get out can enjoy some sunshine and warmth. I don’t want to dwell on the subject but it must be a desperate situation to be penned in with little end in sight because it’s just not good for people’s mental wellbeing. Let’s all hope for a breakthrough soon.
We are very fortunate to have access to farmland that is adjacent to our house, this gives us freedom to walk without restriction and it is a massive privilege. Over the last week we have walked on the lower slopes of a local hillside that is on this private land and we have witnessed the arrival of a number of spring migrants, Redstarts, Swallows, House Martins, Tree Pipits, Cuckoo, Willow and Garden Warblers. These are in addition to the Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps that are already in our garden. It is wonderful to hear all this bird song as we walk along and I have been carrying my Sigma 150 - 600 Contemporary lens on my shoulder. We don’t hang about and limit the walk to three miles in total, taking photos basically as we pass through the habitats.
Yesterday we were watching Tree Pipits up in the air and singing their comical song as they then descended to land, typically in a tree. They are quite entertaining to watch and one was consistently landing on a stone wall so I took the opportunity of a shot.
Notice the faint black eye stripe, pale coloured lower mandible, faint streaking to the flanks and belly and short hind claw - all different to Meadow Pipit which these birds can be confused with.



The bird was very confiding and wasn’t bothered in the least as we walked by.

A bit further on in amongst the Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Wren’s singing we could hear Garden Warbler. These birds are probably the least seen and photographed of the common spring warblers because of their shy and secretive behaviour. They are prolific singers, perhaps not as ‘Flutey’ as a Blackcap, a more strident and clipped song, but still very pleasant. I had a brief view yesterday but I was more concentrated today as we passed through the bushes where the bird was singing from. I managed a few shots before it disappeared into cover and it was pleasing to get one or two usable images, nothing too fancy but OK. We don’t get these little warblers in front of the lens very often so it was satisfying.









These birds are fairly nondescript, they have a gentle appearance with no supercillium or eye stripe. However, they do have a conspicuous white eye ring and a grey neck which are good field characteristics. The grey neck can just be seen in the bottom image above.

I’ve been thinking about buying a macro lens for some time and the thought of this awful situation enduring where we are all ‘confined to barracks’, finally tipped the balance. Birding as we know it in the spring is finished that much is obvious, perhaps a few migrants will appear in my garden, Chiffchaff and Blackcap are already singing in the wood below my house where my little nature reserve is and I will be trying to photograph them soon. With the possibility of Dragonfly, Butterfly and Landscape photography also ruled out, Macro photography in my garden is all that’s left. Apart from Susan and I going for a three mile walk every morning, where we basically see no one else, and one car journey a week to get ‘Essential’ supplies, that’s it! I thank God we have a large garden and access to quiet country lanes. My heart goes out to people living in towns and cities who are penned in day after day, it must be so depressing. However, it could obviously be infinitely worse for any of us and I know I am one of the fortunate ones with nothing to complain about and I am so grateful for it believe me. Let’s all hope for a quick turnaround where this virus can be brought under control and the country can get back on an even keel.
I decided to buy Canon as usual, I like lenses that are compatible with my cameras it makes things easier. I bought a Canon EF100 f2.8 L is usm Macro lens – a tried and tested performer. In order to get half decent images of small things in sometimes awkward lighting conditions I also bought a twin macro flash. Natural light is always best but sometimes it’s in short supply and you have to compensate.

Here is an image of an early Grey Moth from yesterday - the first image from this combo.



Lesser Celandine



Sac spider



Wolf spider



Female Black Lace Web Spider



A review of this combination is now available in the Equipment Reviews section of this site.
Also another Portfolio just started - Macro - on front page.

There are five owls that inhabit the UK, they have differing life patterns, some are almost totally nocturnal, some are crepuscular in nature and one can often be seen in broad daylight. The nocturnal owls are obviously more difficult to see and indeed to photograph and they are usually only seen at their roost. The best evidence that owls are present at any location is an accumulation of owl pellets that have been regurgitated to the ground beneath a tree or building.
Owls are much loved by most people, this is probably because they have an almost human-like appearance; in other words they have a face, sometimes looking like a wise old man. However, in some cultures, particularly in third world countries they are seen as harbingers of bad luck or even death and are persecuted accordingly. Speaking personally, I am a big fan of owls, there is just something about them that fascinates me.
Let’s start with the smallest:

Little Owl
This small owl doesn’t look like it could do much damage but if you look closer it has quite a fierce appearance which fits quite well with its character.



This little bird is a fierce hunter and small bird and rodent numbers near to Little Owl populations are much reduced. They will sit out on prominent perches in broad daylight and if you know where they are living – an old ivy covered tree or old building then it’s not too difficult to see them, it’s just a matter of waiting because they can be quite active.



To exemplify their ferocity; Susan and I were driving along a remote track in Cyprus many years ago and we could see a commotion about twenty yards ahead. We stopped to investigate and we could see a fight between a Little Owl and a Blunt Nosed Viper – the deadliest snake in Cyprus. This snake is much feared by Cypriots because its bite can be fatal. However, it held no fear for the Little Owl and after as little as a minute the snake was quickly dispatched and carried away, no doubt to be torn apart and eaten at leisure.

Tawny Owl
Without doubt the most iconic sound any of our owls make – the characteristic background noise of many a good ghost story or horror film. These birds are very nocturnal and are usually seen only near their roosts during daylight hours.



These owls are quite aggressive and can bully other owls in territorial disputes. They are probably the most tied to human habitation and can regularly be heard just after dark in towns and villages. They are lazy hunters and don’t fly great distances to catch their prey. If there is a Tawny Owl present in a wood then there is usually a cacophony of noise from the resident small birds as they try to mob it. This mobbing can be useful for a bird watcher to locate them in a wood. Owlets can also be seen sometimes perching near the nest site as they learn to fly short distances.



I find these owls very attractive with their rufous plumage.



I love to hear their calls around our house in the nights.

Barn Owl
Probably peoples favourite owl, with their heart shaped face and from a distance a white plumage.



These owls suddenly appear, typically on a winter’s afternoon, about an hour before dusk. They fly like an apparition over rough meadows and farm land quartering back and fore in search of prey.



Like all owls they have acute hearing and totally silent flight and these combinations rather than eyesight are used to locate prey. I remember waiting in my portable bird hide one afternoon hoping to see a bird that was regularly hunting a particular area and landing on a favourite perch.



I was just sitting there when this large white shape passed within three feet of me in total silence. I didn’t really expect it to make any noise but to experience that totally silent flight was very memorable. The Barn Owls biggest enemy is wet weather which prevents them from flying because their wings don’t repel water and subsequently become waterlogged.

Short Eared Owl
Essentially a bird of upland moors in spring and summer and coastal marshes in winter. Migrant birds come to the UK in late autumn to spend the winter in the UK and these migrants can swell the numbers of UK Short Eared Owls. If there has been a good vole breeding year where the migrant owls have bred then it’s called a ‘Good Owl Year’ because populations of these owls are linked with good and bad vole years. In good years it’s possible to see double figures of these owls hunting the same coastal marsh.



These owls are the most likely to be confused with Long Eared Owls, but time of day should rule out Long Eared which are very nocturnal. However, I have seen Long Eared Owls out, albeit very infrequently, in daytime. Long Eared don’t always show their ear tufts and can look like a Short Eared at distance. If better views are obtained there are a few marked differences; in flight the Short Eared Owl has long wings with white trailing edges and black tips. They have an abrupt demarcation between a dark head and pale belly, this is very noticeable! They also have very conspicuous piercing yellow eyes surrounded with black shadowing.



Back in the day sea watching on the North Norfolk coast in October we would see migrant Short Eared Owls coming in off the sea – it was always the highlight of the day.

Long Eared Owl.
Without doubt the most difficult Owl of the five to see. They are very nocturnal and can usually only be seen during daylight in their winter roosts. These owls roost communally in winter where a few birds share the same tree or thicket and these roosts can be used for many years. However, even at roost they can still be difficult to locate. Their plumage is very cryptic and they can camouflage very well in a dense thicket or against the trunk of a tree always having a few branches in front of them for cover.





Their call is a deep single hoot which is very far reaching.

The young bird’s call is like a squeaky gate opening.





They like mature woodland adjacent to open country in which they will typically use an old crow’s nest or similar to breed. If seen in flight, (which is unlikely), they are not quite as long winged as a Short Eared Owl. There is no white trailing edge to the wings which also have fine black barring near the wing tips, wings also have a large yellow/buff patch on the base of the outer primaries which accentuates a dark carpal patch. Close views, (unlikely), will show deep orange eyes and vertical black and white lines to the face. These owls can also be seen in October, although rare these days, coming in off the sea, in typically North Norfolk. I remember back in the halcyon days in Norfolk a report of a bird flying in off the sea exhausted and landing on the wing mirror of a parked car to rest before flying off into cover.
It’s not hard to see why Owls are regarded so fondly - their elusive nature and the perceived mystery that surrounds them endears these birds to many people and I am one of the many.

I have been feeding Common Buzzards in a woodland near to where I live for a few weeks but it's been very much hit and miss especially with the appalling weather we have been experiencing. I have hidden my little trail camera on a nearby tree, housed in a wooden box I made to protect it from the wind and rain. The camera is supposed to be waterproof but I wasn't taking any chances. The shelter is just like a nest box with an open front and it works very well as the camera has remained totally dry even in the very worst of weather.
A few Buzzards have been visiting, albeit infrequently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-U9IEQZUcI

And there was a brief visit from a Badger the other night, always nice to see. The Badger is shot in infra red as expected with their nocturnal habits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmA_kGydhOk

The weather forecast next week is better - at last!! so maybe things will pick up on the wildlife front - lets hope!

Yesterday on a cold and blustery day Susan and I visited one of our favourite churches. The church of St Issui situated on a steep and remote hillside in the Grwyne valley in the Black Mountains between Crickhowell and Abergavenny.



The church was originally named Merthyr Issui after Issui a 6th Century hermit who existed in a cell beside a small mountain stream which flows near the hillside on which the church now stands. The name has changed over the years to be called Patricio among others then finally Partrishow as it is today. Issui’s mission in life was basically to offer comfort to weary travellers and to then baptise and convert them to Christianity. Appallingly he was robbed and murdered by a traveller, ironically one of the very people he was trying to offer comfort to. Who knows what happened on that day, his meagre possessions were of little value that much was obvious! Perhaps the culprit took offence at the Hermit’s attempts to convert him – whatever occurred is lost in the mists of time.
Some good however, did become of this tragedy, because his murder attracted pilgrims to the site in the Middle Ages, believing the water held healing powers, and one pilgrim left some gold at the site of the cell in the 11th C to help finance the building of a church. This was originally a simple stone structure but a more substantial church was built at the site in the 14th C. Subsequently the church was sympathetically restored around 1908.
The interior of the church is very pleasant indeed with a simply decorated altar and a magnificent ornately carved wooden screen above it.



On one wall is a very old painting of a skeleton, symbolizing man’s mortality.



The skeleton is depicted with a knife in one hand and an hour glass in the other. In addition it also holds a shovel as a stark reminder of what lies ahead.
To this day people visit the site of the cell and church to feel this history and there is most definitely something about this place that can be deeply thought provoking but also therapeutic. Perhaps it is the remoteness of the location combined with the aforementioned series of events that led to the construction of the church. Who knows why people come, it’s a personal thing. All I do know is that it’s just a nice place to spend some time away from everyday life and I get a feeling of contentment whenever I visit.



Most of these hillside churches suffer from subsidence.



The path leading up to the church.



The church from the boundary wall.



The open bell tower, ravaged by centuries of weather.

I spent a cold and largely unrewarding two hours in the bird hide at Llangors lake yesterday, this lake is near to where I live and is quite convenient for me. The lake reedbeds are totally flooded out after the horrendous rain we have been subjected to over the past weeks. I think that the Bittern I saw back in the autumn that was intending to winter there has unfortunately been displaced by these floods, it’s difficult for a bird like that to spend the winter in those conditions. Similarly the resident Water Rails have been pushed out of their natural habitat in the reed bed and have sought refuge in a small woodland adjacent to the lake. That is also flooded out but there are fallen logs in there that provide somewhere to stand on above the water. It’s tough for all birds but worse for some - Kingfishers suffer particularly badly in the floods and there are two birds fishing near the above mentioned bird hide that have probably been displaced from local rivers. They are surviving thankfully because they are seen from time to time, and I have seen them catching small fish from the flooded lake margins. An Otter has also been seen once or twice near this hide and now is s good time to see one at the lake because they can fish nearer in these conditions. The only bird I saw in my time at the hide was a little Goldcrest searching for food in the reeds, trying to eat seeds from the reed heads. It didn’t stay still for more than five seconds, as is the norm, but I managed to pin it down for a shot. I hope conditions improve for these birds – we don’t need any more rain that is certain!

After another week of thrashing rain and howling winds at last we have some beautiful cold and frosty mornings. The weather is set fair for a few days and it was a pleasure to be out walking yesterday. The day broke with a heavy frost which was most welcome so I filled up the bird feeders around my elevated pool, (see previous blogs), in addition to the other garden feeders. All the water in the garden is frozen so the only available water is in the elevated pool which I melted with a kettle of boiling water. Hopefully the birds will now drink from there allowing me to take a few pics. I’ll give it a couple of days to get the birds feeding regularly and then set up and wait.
As it was such a nice day we decided to go for a drive up to the Elan Valley in mid Wales where it was obvious there would be an abundance of water after the recent weeks.

There are a myriad of crystal clear feeder streams tumbling over moss covered boulders as they navigate their path through coppered hillsides.



There were a few people around but nothing compared to the summer, where quite frankly the heavy motor traffic is intolerable for us. We stopped at various locations on the circular route around the dams and the water cascading over was spectacular.



In the sun it was quite pleasant but standing in any shade was bitterly cold, but still miles better than rain and wind!



We were glad we had brought a thermos flask of coffee and a biscuit, especially when in the afternoon the now watery sun was further diffused behind the winter clouds as the bitter cold enveloped the moorlands above the reservoirs.

Birding has been very difficult in the Brecon Beacons during the autumn of 2019 because of a period of quite appalling weather. From October onwards we have had long spells of very wet weather resulting in flooding in many areas and this has been compounded with heavy grey skies, some days descending into a stygian gloom. At the end of December and into the first week of January the weather perked up a little with a short brighter spell but the weather has again become unsettled and yesterday was a dismal day with heavy drizzle and blustery winds all day.
However, in the middle of the aforementioned ‘Brighter’ spell I paid a couple of visits to a local upland to try and see a traditional Golden Plover roost that is established there. Unfortunately this area is plagued with dog walkers and my first efforts were ruined by a stupid and thoughtless woman letting her dog run straight through the roost of about eighty birds. I was amazed that she couldn’t see the roosting birds that were about thirty yards in front of her and also me standing there with a lens on a tripod, it’s not difficult to make an association that there might just be something there - but she probably didn’t care anyway because their dogs take precedence over everything - I despair at these people, they haven’t got a clue!
On my second attempt the following day it looked much more promising, there were none of the dreaded dog walkers around and more importantly the birds were in the same place - and of course they would be, it’s their roosting spot. A bitterly cold wind swept across the open upland as I walked in a wide arc to get the sun behind me and then I slowly inched closer taking shots every five yards. A few birds started to move around as I got nearer, (this is the sign that all birders and photographers should recognize) – if the birds are becoming restless you are too close! I took my last shots and retraced my steps and the birds settled back down again. If you go too close they will fly and you have disturbed them and made things more difficult in what is already a difficult situation for them, trying to find shelter on a cold winter’s afternoon. I made my way back to the warmth of my vehicle for a cup of coffee and then packed up and left for home with the light fading as the clouds rolled in once more.



Pretty little birds.

Disappointingly, after a brief hiatus, which at the time gave me reason for optimism that the weather was on the turn, it's all gone pear shaped again with high winds and relentless rain. This truly is an appalling spell of weather, it has absolutely ruined the autumn for me photography-wise and in addition it doesn't foster any enthusiasm within me to even go and look for birds. Nearby, Llangors lake is totally waterlogged and any walk taken around the lake is through inches of mud. Nevertheless I have spent five sessions at the bird hide there, about two hours at a time, and my rewards were absolutely nothing! I have given up for the time being, and wait, or more like pray for some cold frosty weather - a fall of snow would be wonderful, just to break this depressing cycle of grey miserable weather, and as I type in my little office the rain is again beating against the window!
I have been spending some time in the bird photography hide in my garden - I'm seeing more birds there, albeit of the common variety, but at least there are birds! I have bought some artificial grass from ebay to cover the frame of my elevated drinking pool because the Blackbirds were continually pulling up the Sphagnum moss I was using. However, even at said pool there is not much happening because the birds can get water anywhere at the moment, but as the winter progresses and hopefully things get colder and water becomes more of a premium there will be more photographic opportunities.
I have not been to North Norfolk this autumn either, the first time for many years, because the weather there was also dreadful. I do miss my trips there and I may resort to having a winter visit because it's the best time to see Barn Owls as they like to hunt in the short daylight hours. There might also be a fall of Waxwings which would really make my mind up - we'll wait and see.


Blue Tit at my elevated drinking pool.

After what can only be described as a period of abysmal weather where there has been day after day of grey skies, mist and heavy rain showers - finally we have a hiatus. It was cold early this morning but with no frost, contrary to the weather forecast. At first light there was a patchy mist with a bright sky breaking through in places which looked very nice – quite ethereal and much better than a clear blue sky, from a photographic point of view. I was on the dam of Talybont Reservoir in the Brecon Beacons just as the morning mist was lifting, the water was very calm, not quite like a mill pond, but close.
These reservoirs can give some nice reflections on mornings like these and as a bonus there was a delicate blue light surrounding the area. I wasted no time setting up my gear because these conditions can disappear in minutes. I attached a circular polarizer to my lens just to take any glare of the water and to emphasize the clouds a little and also a 0.3 graduated filter, (1 stop), because the sky was just a little bit brighter than the water. I switched to manual mode and focussed while viewing the scene using mirror lock-up. If you use the info button you can then also view the histogram displayed on the screen which helps you to balance the light correctly. Using a two second timer I took a few shots with a few different settings and then true to form the blue light began to disappear and the shot was gone – light is so fickle!

Yesterday Susan and I went for a drive down to the Gower peninsular situated just west of Swansea Bay. This area is only just over an hour’s drive away from the Brecon Beacons and it really is an area of outstanding natural beauty, much visited by tourists and locals alike. However, now that all the holiday makers have dissipated, the beaches and headlands are much quieter and there is more chance of a photograph without people.
At the little hamlet of Parkmill there is a small shop and tea rooms called Shepherds and you can park in their parking area outside the shop at a cost of three pounds for the day - this is better than searching around for a place to park. We bought two cheese and onion pasties there, which looked quite tasty and after packing everything into my rucksack we started our walk to Three Cliffs Bay. This bay is very famous and popular and rightly so because it is very beautiful there – but it is best avoided in the summer months if you want any solitude!
When we arrived it felt quite cold but after walking for about half a mile the weather had really warmed up and we both took a layer of clothes off. We didn’t want to walk to the beach because there would be too many people there and it is awkward to take a photograph, so we made our way up onto the hill where the old Pennard Castle stands looking out over the bay.
It was nearly lunchtime by the time we were up on the headland so we sat on a very convenient bench and ate our pasties, which were every bit as good as they looked and washed down with a cup of coffee were very welcome indeed.
We walked on about another half a mile until we were right up on top of a rocky outcrop looking down on the three cliffs which give the bay its name.



I took a couple of photographs and we admired the view for half an hour before retracing our steps back as more and more people started to arrive.
We walked back to the car in about forty minutes and had another coffee and a mince pie there, which was also very nice and we then took a leisurely drive home before the Swansea ‘rush hour‘ started - a very nice day.