Kingfishers begin to disperse

 

Two weeks on from fledging, the Kingfisher young are now already gradually beginning to disperse a little further across the reserve. The occasional visits may still happen if you are patient, but probably by the end of September the sightings will become fewer and fewer.

Unfortunately during the time I was at the PS hide yesterday (Friday), the sun was so strong and high (around the middle of the day) that exposure was a nightmare. The bulk of the time the Kingfisher was facing away from the strong light, therefore being in it`s own shadow, but it`s patch of white plumage along with the length of branch were blowing far too much.

Below par photos, but still good to see that they`re still around.

Tough times for them ahead. Wishing them well.

Osprey near home

 

(COLLAGE FROM ARCHIVE PHOTOS - SEPT 2017)

A number of people have seen Osprey in the area and across the region, from Teifi marshes in the West to Penclacwydd here in the South. Well I missed the Penclacwydd Osprey, as i`ve mentioned on facebook, but always wondered if an Osprey had ever been up the Loughor river towards the marshes where I live close by.

Today, by a stroke of good timing just for once, I saw my first Osprey flying over the estuary and marsh, fish in talons, and being generally bothered by crows. I had no camera, as it was just one of my regular pull-ins when coming back from the village, so binoculars only. However, the distant bird lazily flew in the direction of the end of the village , veering off North until it disappeared from sight.

I think this could well be the first sighting for Llangennech, although I have seen a reference to a possible one back in 1992. It`s certainly my first sighting there though, and so glad to have one not far from home.

Hoping this won`t be the only sighting over the next week or two before they depart South.

A bit of reading

 

I recently finished re-reading Gary Burghoff`s autobiography, which has the curious semi-sarcastic subtitle "That nobody wanted to publish", which becomes evident as the book goes on.

Being a big MASH fan, in which he plays Radar O`Reilly, I felt it worth a second read as first time around I felt it a strange and rather `glass-half-empty` type of book, but having left it some time, the second read wasn`t too inspiring either.

It`s obvious that GB has had a life of mixed fortunes, and his reasons for his ultimate departure from MASH are slightly different for those given over the years by other cast members, etc, but there was no doubt that he was a superb actor. 

His dialogue timing with both Harry Morgan and McLean Stevenson, where he predicts what the other person is about to say, and says it half-a-second before, was done through learning the others` scripts and delivering with perfect timing.

I can kind of see why the book wasn`t picked up by publishers in a rush, but it`s now back in the bookcase - for future reading again no doubt.

I am just starting my copy of the final M*A*S*H feature episode script "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", the programme that at the time had the highest EVER American TV audience, beating the Superbowl. It`s hard to imagine now any TV episode having such an impact nationally, but the ratings at the time of the airing of the programme were greater than that also of the Moon landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

The final episode really focusses on the madness of war, in this case the Korean war, and the final scenes - where the characters all leave for home - still has an impact.

I`m not the fastest reader, as it isn`t that often I sit down (or if I do, that I don`t fall asleep!), but really looking forward to going through this scene by scene. 

The copy I have is one that was given to one of the `dressers` on the crew, and contains notes relevant to dressing continuity written on to the script. The original scripts are held more or less by collectors with deep pockets, but this is still something special to me.

I also have scripts in book-form of the brilliant Dad`s Army, Frasier and the Marx Brothers, all of which I love. Just don`t have the time to sit and read them!

Successfully fledged

 Following on from previous posts, it was good to finally see that the Kingfisher pair have had three young male birds, which all showed well from the Peter Scott hide at WWT Llanelli yesterday. A single male had been seen a day or two before, and all this ties in with that sighting I had last Thursday of the female ready to feed, but away from the nest site.

The new juveniles have their characteristic dull chest, dark feet and white tips to their bills, bobbing on their perches for a long time. 

Initially one turned up, then joined by another 5 mins later, and eventually a third. Great to see, and really relieved that they`ve fledged successfully.

These juveniles will develop their skills over the next few weeks, often seen then `chasing each other`, and will eventually find new areas to explore and fish independently, ready for the autumn and winter ahead.

 

Coming events i`ll be involved soon .......

 

Two bits of WWT-type news that i`ll be involved in:

Firstly, the next Walk with the Warden at WWT Llanelli will be on Saturday 21st September, meeting at 11.30am in the main reception area, going out for around an hour and a half. Hopefully the weather will be kind for us.

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/llanelli/whats-on/events/walk-with-a-warden-september

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Secondly, before that on Wednesday 18th September, from 6pm to 8pm there will be an evening High tide watch at WWT Llanelli, a bookable event with full details here:

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/llanelli/whats-on/events/high-tide-watch-24

Places are limited, to allow plenty of space within the shared hide for the evening.

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*****  Keep an eye on social media and my blog & facebook pages, as there will highly-likely be another special event to be announced and publicised soon! As soon as it`s confirmed, i`ll let you know.

Today`s Walk with the Warden

 

Another good turnout to Walk with the Warden today, which ended up damper than expected (or forecast).

The Walk was lead by our Intern Ed, who is leaving us next week. We wish him all the best for the future, and thank him for all his work while he`s been in Llanelli.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this monthly event.

Kingfisher update

 

I`ve been keeping an eye on this pair since the Spring. 

It`s been a soap opera this year, with two, or possibly three, juveniles from the first brood, but a rather less happy result from the second brood attempt. 

A lot of data has been gathered, and there have been timing and behavioural differences from the last few years.

Now there are a lots of fingers-crossed that their third attempt might end happier, although things are a little uncertain. However, this was the adult female still fishing this week despite activity being quiet, but the position of the fish would indicate it was ready to pass it on a chick (that would swallow head first).

The next couple of weeks are crucial, and just hoping we have a happy ending.

If visiting the Kingfisher screen at WWT, please be conscious of the importance of not making any disturbance.

Thanks

Chilling out at the end of the day

FRASIER 

I`m normally on the go in some shape or form all day, from early in the morning (i`m normally a 4.15am/4.30am riser), until late at night - although "I can`t take" late nights, if you know what I mean.

When I do finally sit down, I quite often turn to watching Frasier again on All4 online, the Channel 4 streaming service. With Frasier being one of my very favourite programmes, and having them all on my DVD box sets, just clicking between all the series and episodes online is so easy, and watching these on a tablet just so handy.

If you haven`t watched Frasier before, do so from the beginning - which sets the scene well. Don`t confuse the old series with the new Frasier reboot series, available on Paramount I think, as it is nothing like the original series - best avoid at all costs.

M*A*S*H

Another of my favourite television programmes is M*A*S*H, about a mobile hospital unit set in the Korea war. Like anything else it has it`s `not so good` episodes, but I normally catch it watching in the kitchen on Great TV from 7pm while i`m cooking a meal, washing up, or generally pottering around. With some great actors like Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr, Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, etc, it`s an excellent comedy drama, with some quite serious moments. 

Frasier and M*A*S*H might be my main "go-to" programmes, but I like many others, including the brilliant Dad`s Army, Michael Palin documentaries, and much more. It`s just finding the time to chill out, put something on, and not to fall asleep during it. 

update - Wed 14th August 2024

 

***** LAST MINUTE UPDATE - 14th AUGUST *****

Have just found out today that WWT Llanelli (where I volunteer) will feature within the ITV Wales programme Coast and Country, going out at 9pm tonight.

Filming took place recently to coincide with the opening of the new bridge towards the Heron`s Wing hide, but you`ll be pleased to hear that I kept a safe distance from all the activity!

Anyway, tune in tonight, or after then it should be available to watch online on ITVX.

Great White Egret

 

It was good to see Great White Egret again at WWT Llanelli last weekend, now becoming more frequent as numbers slowly build up on the Burry inlet / Loughor estuary area. With seven being seen together last month, a Centre record, of which I saw six for the first time, it makes you wonder how many are now around.

In recent years it`s been the same with Spoonbill, where larger groups are now seen, and i`ve had five together on my local marsh a day or two after storms.

The Great White Egret is larger than the Little Egret, as the name suggests, roughly the size of a Grey Heron. It has an all-yellow bill, rather than the Little Egret`s black bill, although this can darken with any breeding birds. The GWE also has dark legs and feet, whereas the Little Egret has "yellow socks" (feet and ankles).

In flight, the GWE also has a more lumbering flight on it`s large broad wings, again similar to a Heron, compared to the slightly quicker Little Egret. 

I`ve had up to three GWEs the same time on my local marsh for a few years now, seemingly doing well on the rich food sources and lack of human disturbance.

Hopefully there will be at least one Great White Egret around on Saturday for the next Walk with the warden at WWT Llanelli.

See you then

August`s Walk with the warden

 

Next Saturday, 17th August, is the next Walk with the Warden at WWT Llanelli, which i`ll be doing with Jim & Diana, plus Ed our Intern - who will be there on his last day!

Come and join us for a walk around the reserve, meeting in the reception area for 11.30am, the walk taking around 90 mins.

Please wear suitable clothing for the day, plus good footwear.

Thanks

Monitoring

 

I`ve spent the last few months, on and off when time`s allowed, monitoring and keeping information on the breeding Kingfisher at WWT - all from a safe distance and under cover.

This year has been a odd one, with some unusual timings and different behaviours from `the norm`. 

It also looks like the second brood might not have fledged successfully, with the adults almost immediately going from feeding to starting the next nest hole, a worry as to whether the young had been predated? Let`s hope that their third attempt, ongoing at the moment, will bring success. 

They did have a least two young, possibly three, fledge from the first brood, so fingers-crossed that any young from attempt number three will fledge successfully soon.

Last year we had the first physical proof of a third successful brood for the first time for the Centre, with a `new` juvenile male photographed the third week in September 2023.

This year the adults started earlier on the first brood, and the timings have all rolled forward in a similar way, so it`s possible that we might see some new birds in the next few weeks.

Here`s hoping.