Well the run of nice weather continues, typical with only a few days left in the UK it looks like summer and some warm fine weather has finally arrived! So we headed to Slimbridge WWT Wetland Centre for the day. Been over twenty years since I was last here (that makes me feel old) and its just as I remembered it. A great place to spend some time taking photos of waterfowl from various parts of the World. Spent some time also at the hides over looking scarpes and parts of the Severn Estuary, but alas could not find any of the Mediterranean gulls that have been recently reported for the South Lake. Did find the Egyptian goose that has been hanging around the area - aparently a wild one, but not convinced! Got a few nice photos during the day, so all in all a nice day out.

Heading to London to stay with my cousin Wendy and her partner Adrian on Sunday afternoon. Looking forward to having a look around the big smoke before heading to Italia on Wednesday!

Pretty cool day in Birmingham (mostly fine even!), up here visiting Phill and Bex, and our friend John Ewen is also over from Italy for a few days. I went birding at Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve, which is a pretty nice little reserve near the middle of the city. The hide looks out over a small pond and there were a few waterbirds there - including tufted duck, Canada goose, a single male pochard that seemed to be trying to woo all the female tufted ducks, and quite a few lapwings (with young chicks). Presented a few photo opportunities, so managed a few half decent shots although the light wasn't great. Failed to find the little ringed plover that had been seen on the pond earlier in the morning. Then headed to Lickey Hills Country Park, just out of the city and a nice patch of forest, heathland and gardens. A few woodland species, including bull finch, jay, green woodpecker, and nuthatch.

In the late afternoon we all headed out to Chaddesley Woods, where Bex is helping several PhD students with projects. Usual woodland species with the highlight being great views of a female tawny owl. Her three chicks had recently fledged, but we were unable to find them. Pretty happy with the quick snaps I got in the fading light. We then headed to 'The Talbot' nearby and had a great pub dinner before heading back to Chaddesley to look for badgers. We all staked out a badgers sett that we knew was in use and after only about 15 minutes we had absolutely stunning views of what appeared to be a young family group. They were jumping all over the place and playing together and it was just awesome to be so close to these very cool animals - the first time I've seen them in the wild. Also managed to find the three tawny owl chicks fledged from the nest we saw earlier in the day, and then heard several other tawny fledglings further down the track. What a great spot.

Is this rain ever going to stop!? Had planned a few hours at Slimbridge Wetland Centre, and although the rain is good for ducks it ain't for people wanting to look at them and take photos. So cancelled that idea and a text from Mike King (aka Gloster Birder) alerting me to a spoonbill at Coombe Hill meadows made the decision an easy one. Headed over that way, got absolutely soaked, but did see the immature spoonbill in front of the Grundon Hide. Thanks Mike! The mute swans were really curious and following this bird continuously for some reason?

Taking advantage of the beautful British weather (yeah right!) we headed across westwards into Wales with good friends Phill and Bex. We were using Mum and Dads campervan, whilst Phill and Bex were camping...I know what I'd rather be sleeping in in this weather!

First stop West Hook Farm right by Martin's Haven where we planned to get the boat across to Skomer the following day. Overcast and patches of sun allowed us to capture the beautiful coastal scenery sometimes, with the gorse and other wild flowers in full bloom - really gorgeous. Yep, even gorse in the right country can be beautiful! We found a pair of chough out on Wooltack Point and I managed to get a couple of ok record shots. Beaut views across at a rather overcast and stormy looking Skomer, and some nice red wine and cheese! A few stonechats, wheatears, and meadow pipits around too.

The next morning we headed across to Skomer in a rather packed small boat, with no wind but pretty thick fog that soon become thicker! We headed up and were briefed by the Assistant Ranger and then headed off around the Island. First stop the buildings in the centre and then a look from the central hide to see if we could find a short-eared owl in the mist. Bex being the tin-bum she is spotted one just as I entered the hide and by the time I got out it the bird had disappeared...of course this was the focus for continual ribbing for the rest of the weekend...

We did manage brief foggy views of the golden oriole that had recently turned up out there, and headed right around the island hoping to catch a view from the cliff tops, alas. Of course it was still a pretty stunning atmosphere with blue bells, red campion, and other wildflowers in full bloom, the island riddled with manx shearwater burrows, and knowing that there were European storm-petrel burrows in the very stone walls we were looking at. As we got around to The Wick - a deep narrow bay with large numbers of puffins breeding in the cliff tops and guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes breeding on the cliffs - the fog started to lift...and the rain set in. However, we managed to still take a few photos and I'm reasonably happy with what I got all things considered.

Back on the mainland we took the NARROW but stunning coastal road up towards St Davids and camped at Nine Wells. Exploration of the Nine Wells valley in the morning in horrendous winds and showers showed a few birds - stonechat, wheatear, buzzard, and usual common woodland things - but nothing spectacular. Not too surprising in the conditions. Quick wander around the nice little town of St Davids - apparently the smallest City in the UK due to the presence of the Cathedral? Anyway, then on along the coast to Fishguard and main port of call for the afternoon the Teifi Marshes. Again the showers and wind kept most things ducking for cover, but we did see a few good things - kingfisher, sedge warbler, and strangely enough water buffalo (!) - but any otters present in the area kept themselves well hidden, as did the 4 or 5 Cetti's warblers we heard but didn't spot.

That night was spent in Aberaeron, where we dined at the apparently famous Habourmasters Inn - good food and nice wine as a celebration for Bex' birthday the following day. The rain obviously thought it appropriate to stop for a few hours, but of course resumed at 0700 the following morning! But we plodded on and headed for Cors Caron - a raised bog area near Tregaron - quite a few red kite, one or two curlew, a reed bunting, several common redpoll and that was about all that was stupid enough to venture out in this weather, except a nice male pied flycatcher (lifer for Bex on her birthday) which perched amongst the oaks. Did hear a cuckoo though....who would have guessed it was Spring!?

Phill and Bex then headed off back towards Birmingham, and we headed off on a tour of Wales' narrowest most scenic roads...I hadn't realised there was a function for that on the TomTom! Anyway we headed down through to Ffarmers and then through some gorgeous oak woodland - with singing male wood warblers, spotted flycatchers, and robins (they thought it was Spring too!) - and on to Llyn Brianne and Rhandirmwyn. Beautiful! Also got a couple of male and a female goosander on one of the rivers. Then stayed the night in Portcawl - back to civilisation (almost).

Beaut sunny day, for sure a better day weatherwise than yesterday! Quick trip to New Fancy View where I heard the first cuckoo of the visit (since we arrived 4 May). Raven in the distance, but best sighting was of EIGHT red kites which circled up and away to the SW. Apparently this is a County record for this species. Some appeared to be moulting and were therefore presumably non-breeders. Also very cool sighting of EIGHT (seems to be the order of the day) ADDERS! Got some crappy photos, but nothing great as they were all sunning themselves on the wrong side of a wire-netting fence.

Then a bit of a drive through some of the nearby forest which is spectacular with the blue bells out in flower at the moment.

Late afternoon did a walk around the Sculpture Trail by the Speech House. Saw three pied flycatchers (first of the trip) and a tree pipit, as well as a tawny owl that was being harassed by blackbirds but kept flying. Quite a few fallow deer around also.