Golf Course Rooks

Whilst on my bayside walk the other day, I stopped off on Blackpill Golf Course to throw down a few crumbs, and was immediately surrounded by a flock of Rooks and Carrion Crows, as well as a couple of Magpies. Rooks are normally very wary in the countryside, but these city slickers were bold enough to come within range of a 200mm lens, so I took the opportunity of a few shots:

The sun even made a brief and rare appearance, which brought out the iridescence in the birds' plumage:

Singleton Hospital can be just about glimpsed in the background of these two shots:

Rooks

Rooks are typically birds of farmland, and I have found them rather wary in the British countryside. However, there is a small population present on the grassy areas along Swansea seafront, particularly the golf course. I don't know where they breed, but the constant presence of people here has led to some of them becoming very approachable. Here are some photos I took on a walk there last Thursday, November 25th:

Finally, two birds perched in silhouette against the setting sun:

Don't overlook the Rook!

Saturday's Bird Shots

A few pictures from a walk along Swansea seafront with my big lens on Saturday last.

This juvenile Wood Pigeon was feeding near the footpath with many others of its species:

Rooks feed on the golf course, and have become quite used to passers by:

This Oystercatcher flew overhead, commuting between its various feeding grounds on the nearby beach and playing fields, as well as the golf course itself:

I talked to a local fellow who told me he had seen six Waxwings feeding in hawthorn trees on the golf course on Thursday. This was in exactly the same place where I had seen three during the 'invasion' of early 2005, so I went for a look. Unfortunately, they were not there now, but I did see some Waxwing-sized birds flying into a berry-bearing shrub across the main road, so I popped over to investigate. The birds I had hoped might be Waxwings were in fact Starlings:

Other birds feasting on these small cherries were a handful of Song Thrushes and Redwings, plus numerous Blackbirds, including this male:

I have set up a few Teasel seedheads in the sand-dunes at the top of the beach, and fill them up with niger seed every few days, hoping to attract Goldfinches. My efforts are beginning to pay off, and I was able to take a few photos in the afternoon sunshine:



My camera's battery now flat, I began walking the mile or two home. With Waxwings seemingly heading this way, I checked any berry-bearing trees and shrubs I saw for any sign of one of my favourite birds. As I turned left into Sketty Park Drive, about 4.15 p.m., I looked across the road to a group of Rowan trees growing on a grass verge, some still with berries. In the top of one of the taller trees was the unmistakable crested silhouette of a single Waxwing. Fantastic! I watched it through binoculars in the dusk light for three or four minutes, during which it barely moved, before rushing home to get another camera with a charged battery and a flashgun. On returning, you guessed it, the Waxwing was nowhere to be seen! Drat! It had probably been there feeding for some while, whilst I was photographing the common, but beautiful, species. Just my luck!

Anyway, I went out again on Sunday looking for Waxwings, but no sign of them, in Sketty Park Drive, or anywhere else.

Here's hoping I get another chance to see and photograph this species this year. If anyone reading this sees any Waxwings in the south Wales area, please let me know!