John Wilson
@48birder.bsky.social
Keen but aged birder and amateur photographer. Trustee of Glamorgan Bird Club & field trip organiser for same. Ex Ed of East Glamorgan Bird Report.
61 spp seen on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip y'day to a wet Slimbridge WWT. Geese incl big nos. of Barnacles, distant Russian Whitefronts and 2 Snow Geese & 1 Ross's Goose of dubious provenance. Waders incl Little Stint and 13 Ruff. 12 Cranes flying in was a great finale. #birdingWales #ukbirding
December 8, 2025 at 7:27 PM
61 spp seen on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip y'day to a wet Slimbridge WWT. Geese incl big nos. of Barnacles, distant Russian Whitefronts and 2 Snow Geese & 1 Ross's Goose of dubious provenance. Waders incl Little Stint and 13 Ruff. 12 Cranes flying in was a great finale. #birdingWales #ukbirding
Two Black-necked Grebes were on E lake Cosmeston Lakes this morning, found by Graham Smith. They were sheltering from the wind with Tufties, in the lee of the Mile Road. Light was pretty poor but they were nice to see. Last record there was May 2012 - 2 breeding plum birds. #birdingWales #birds
December 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Two Black-necked Grebes were on E lake Cosmeston Lakes this morning, found by Graham Smith. They were sheltering from the wind with Tufties, in the lee of the Mile Road. Light was pretty poor but they were nice to see. Last record there was May 2012 - 2 breeding plum birds. #birdingWales #birds
Today a lone Fieldfare was surprisingly tolerant in a Hawthorn by the W lake viewpoint along the Mile Road. I’m sure this is the same bird that we saw on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip last week, and it has laid claim to that Hawthorn for its berries. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Today a lone Fieldfare was surprisingly tolerant in a Hawthorn by the W lake viewpoint along the Mile Road. I’m sure this is the same bird that we saw on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip last week, and it has laid claim to that Hawthorn for its berries. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
V quiet morning at #Cosmeston. No small bird activity to speak of. Thge lakes had c.120 Tufties, 2 drake Pochard on W lake and c.50 Canada Geese. The Song Thrush photo sas takne om Sunday. It was sitting right above me so the pic is 'as taken'. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 25, 2025 at 8:58 PM
V quiet morning at #Cosmeston. No small bird activity to speak of. Thge lakes had c.120 Tufties, 2 drake Pochard on W lake and c.50 Canada Geese. The Song Thrush photo sas takne om Sunday. It was sitting right above me so the pic is 'as taken'. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 19, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Turnstone [one of eight] and preening Grey Wagtail near the Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay, on Saturday 15th. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Turnstone [one of eight] and preening Grey Wagtail near the Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay, on Saturday 15th. #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
Caught up with the Red-throated Diver off the Cardiff Bay Barrage this morning. Never very close but just close enough on our return walk after coffee for some half decent. cropped pix. #birdingWales #ukbirding
November 1, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Caught up with the Red-throated Diver off the Cardiff Bay Barrage this morning. Never very close but just close enough on our return walk after coffee for some half decent. cropped pix. #birdingWales #ukbirding
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
October 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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
An arboreal Black-headed Gull at Cosmeston this morning. #birdingWales #ukbirding
October 15, 2025 at 6:13 PM
An arboreal Black-headed Gull at Cosmeston this morning. #birdingWales #ukbirding
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
October 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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
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
October 1, 2025 at 6:57 PM
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
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...
September 30, 2025 at 6:07 PM
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...
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
September 26, 2025 at 6:39 PM
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
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
September 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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
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
September 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
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
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
September 22, 2025 at 8:59 AM
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
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
September 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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
Nice to find this Migrant Hawker at rest this morning, by the Mile Road at Cosmeston. #wildlife #dragonflies #cosmeston
August 29, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Nice to find this Migrant Hawker at rest this morning, by the Mile Road at Cosmeston. #wildlife #dragonflies #cosmeston
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
August 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
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
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
August 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
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
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...
July 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
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...
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
July 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM
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
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
July 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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
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
July 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
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
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
#moths #wildlife #cosmeston
June 30, 2025 at 3:48 PM
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
#moths #wildlife #cosmeston