Annual trip to south Wales.

We make this trip every year around this time hoping to get 8 or more year ticks,as it turns out Brian & I pick up 10 & Jimmy gets 11, so a good trip all round.
On the way down Jimmy had done some homework & the wetland centre in Newport has a Savi's Warbler there for the last two days so we have to give it a try.
We arrive hours before the gates open, so parked up on the road we head for the lighthouse, the only trouble we take a  2 mile wrong turn following a sign post for the lighthouse when all had to do was go along the main path for about 1/4 mile to locate the bird, this is starting to become a bit of a habit with us lately.
as we get near to where the bird has been showing we hear it singing away so the walk is worth while in the end & a bonus when the bird gives us great views to start our trip of on the right note.

Savi's Warbler

On now to the Deer Park by Skomer Island. Brian wants to go over to the Island but the boat is already sold out for the day, so he has to settle for a boat trip around the Island. Jimmy is feeling a bit dickey so he & I stay behind & scan the Puffins & all the other birds from the park.
Raven is the first bird to drop in to where we perched our self, not needed for a tick but always nice to watch.

Raven

  Next up Chough start to fly round us but as we don't want to walk about to much we don't get any photos of them this year. Fulmar are nesting & give us a good display, Jimmy needed this for a tick so that's a extra one for him.Brian gets back from the boat trip with some cracking Puffin shots.

Brian on the way back at the front of the boat.

After a few hours we book in to our room & then head up to Strumble Head to watch the Manx Shearwater
heading to Skomer to spend the night there, after a slow start they start to pour past in small groups.
A great first day with some good birds seen & the weather really nice. A quick look along the river by Blackpool Mill & we get our first Dipper of the year at the same place as last year, shame that the Mill is now had to shut down will miss the cream teas.
Up bright & early to find it's raining, we are going to Dinas for the morning so a drop of rain we not stop us as this is a must for us when we come to Wales, we all love this place.
Spotted flycatcher & then Pied Flycatcher are the first birds to show as we walk down the boardwalk.
Next we hear Wood Warbler & set about tracing it down, which turns out to be easy as we see a few while here.Now the next bird on the list to find is Common Redstart ,a fellow that had come here to ring so birds tells us that there are not to many about this year, but we do get lucky when we see two or three while here.
Brian gets a Tree Pipit but I miss it, so real pleased when I find one for myself later on as we stroll in the woods.
We drive now out of Dinas & head up to get some really great views as we drive up the Mountain road this is a dead end but well worth doing just to get really fantastic views.
Off now to Gilfach Farm to get some close up views of Redstart & Flycatchers, it is raining quite hard & never stops while at the farm that is a shame as we would have liked to have spent a lot more time watching these cracking birds.

While driving about we get to see great views of a very accommodating Buzzard that is getting an easy meal as the workers are strimming the grass verge & they must be giving the bird clear views of any thing that runs out of cover.