Author | Lightnews

John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 1d

Couple of imm Kestrels having a bit of a dog fight at Cosmeston Lakes CP this morning in v poor light. Photos are huge crops as they were quite high. Nice to watch tho'. The 1st Kes alighted on the W paddock hedge and was then flushed by the 2nd. I wasn't ready for that! #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 8d

An arboreal Black-headed Gull at Cosmeston this morning. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 10d

Glad it went well. Nice one with the WTE!

John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 12d

This annual slaughter of Dolphins & Pilot Whales takes place in the Faroes annually, as a 'tradition', know as the Grind. They are set to host the 2027 Island Games. Please sign this petition to stop that hosting unless this needless slaughter ends.
c.org/N9kkXvDRjj

We Can Make an Impact.

Oppose the Faroe Islands hosting the 2027 Island Games

c.org

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 17d

Cosmeston a.m. Hobby flew over my head from golf course and landed in tree by E lake [with its back to me!]. Immed chased off by Crow Then saw it later v high over W lake and then E paddock. Rubbish photos but v nice to see. Flight pic is a HUGE crop #birdingWales #ukbirding #cosmeston

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 22d

Recovering from a v nasty fluey cold & cough so v brief slow walk round #Cosmeston this morning. Best was this juv Kestrel hovering over W paddock. There are plenty of Ivy Bees and still good nos. of Migrant Hawkers. The pristine Speckled Wood was near the dipping pond. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 23d

Led a GBC trip to Pembrey Dock, Kidwelly, WWT Llanelli on Sun 28th w 21 folk. 64 species! Grey Phal at Kidwelly was the star among 15 spp of wader overall, including Curlew Sands, Ruff, Spotted Redshank & Greenshank. #birdingWales Full rept & link to list here: glamorganbirds.org.uk/category/tri...

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 27d

My first Clouded Yellow of the autumn at Lavernock NR this morning. I don't rise early enough for vis mig but a small flock of c.10 Siskin flew over as I arrived. Around 40 Goldfinch were feeding in trees by the 1st field. #birdingWales #ukbirding #nature #butterflies

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 27d

At Cosmeston late a.m.. A Migrant Hawker, a good number of Ivy Bees on Ivy flowers, and the hornet mimic hoverfly Volucella zonaria. Not much bird wise - 2 Chiffies nr the dipping pond, 3 circling Buzzards, 1 fem Sparrowhawk and a flyover Grey Heron from the cafe. #birdingWales #wildlife

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · 29d

Cosmeston . A Wheatear was in the upper Dovecote field, there were 4 or 5 Stonechats around the plantation, plus 1 male Blackcap and 2 Reed Bunts. A Grey Wag was in Sully Brook by the Medieval Village. I got some decent flight pix of a Migrant Hawker by the dipping pond. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Sep 22

There were 4 Stonechats in the grazing area at the far end of W paddock, Cosmeton, on Fri 19th. Yesterday, 21st, there were 2 Wheatear on the outer barrage rocks at Cardiff Bay, and a very flighty Common Sandpiper was along the R. Ely embankment by Penarth Marina. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Sep 18

Are there actual pools there now? Shd be after the recent rain!

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Sep 14

Found a few butterflies on Buddlehia last week whilst on a weeks break in N. Wales. Quite like this head-on shot of a Painted Lady. #wildlife #butterflys #insects #photography

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Aug 29

Nice to find this Migrant Hawker at rest this morning, by the Mile Road at Cosmeston. #wildlife #dragonflies #cosmeston

John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Aug 22

At Cosmeston this morning. Couple of shots of a juv Dunnock, and 2 big crops of one of 2 Spotted Flycatchers along the W. paddock hedge. There were 22 Canada Geese on W lake and 8 Tufted Ducks. #birdingWales #UKBirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Aug 21

Four random pix taken at Cosmeston recently. A lone, very small spike of Autumn Ladies Tresses near the play area, my first Volucella zonaria hoverfly this year, in E. paddock, and a smart Speckled Wood. #wildlife #photography

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 27

I led a Glamorgan Bird Club trip to Nash Pt & environs this a.m. There were 11 attendees. 39 spp logged including 2 obliging Chough that posed on the roof of a lighthouse building. Also seen, Red Kite, juv Whitethroats, Stonechat fam groups. Full list here: drive.google.com/file/d/1Gy7r...

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 22

Usual circuit of Cosmeston this morning. 3 nice juvvie birds posed - a nicely marked Green Woodpecker, with its dad in an adjacent tree, juv Little Grebe, close for once by the main bridge, and an ad sized imm Great Crested Grebe. Also there, was an ad Grey Heron in a tree. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 6

Our Common Kingfisher is quite small, although not as small as some of the pygmy kingfishers in e.g. S. America. Others are pretty large such as your Belted KF, Ringed KF in S. America, and lots in Africa.

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 6

Couple of Kingfishers at Cosmeston this morning, in v small bay of E lake by main bridge. Both have black bills so both male or full plumaged juvs? 2 ad males would be unexpected here. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 1

It initially flew into view and I thought Spawk, but then the pointed wings and shallow wingbeats said "cuckoo".

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jul 1

Cosmeston. A surprise Cuckoo posed in a dead tree in the snipe enclosure this morning. A rubbish photo as it was about 75m away. The last one I saw there was Jun 2020 in the same area. More recently there was 1 at Sully in May 2021 and 1 at Lavernock reserve in June 2023. #birdingWales #ukbirding

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jun 30

Nice to see this nectaring in the garden last night - Old Lady (Mormo maura). Phone pic from back now camera. At Cosmeston today a Hummingbird Hawk Moth (No pic).
#moths #wildlife #cosmeston

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jun 22

That's good count! Have hardly seen any by us (halfway down Westbourne Rd). Do you record observations? E.g. Birdtrack? If not, may I record it, noting you as obs?

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John Wilson @48birder.bsky.social · Jun 21

Nice trio of Pyramidal Orchids at a very humid & oppressive Cosmeston this morning. In E paddock. #cosmeston #Orchids #wildlife

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