The Wildlife Oculus
@thewildlifeoculus.bsky.social
I am Blair Jones, birder, photographer, talk presenter, drone pilot and blogger. Gwent Ornithological Society Secretary. BTO Volunteer. Visit my blog at www.thewildlifeoculus.com
Up early this morning up at the Pontypool Folly. The sunrise was magnificent.Sorry that smoke can bee seen looking North from the fires on the mountain above Cwmavon and to the South a fire at an industrial estate in Ponthir. #birdingwales.
July was a very busy month for me so I am catching up this evening on a bit of blogging. I had a great Three Amigos trip a couple of weekends ago. #birdingwales www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/08/sunr...
Sunrise, Sandpipers and Paul’s Great Escape
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Had a lovely day at WWT Slimbridge yesterday. Highlights were Green Sandpipers and Hummingbird-Hawkmoths.
Catching up on some blogging. This post is about my local BTO BBS Survey. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/07/ston... #birdingwales
Stonechats, Swallows and a Seriously Unreliable Alarm Clock
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Goldcliff Lagoons. This morning. It was quiet around high tide. Monk's Lagoon is drying out fast. Main highlight was the Great White Egret flypast #birdingwales
Part 3 of a birding trip to East Yorkshire. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/06/kitt... #birdingwales
Kittiwakes, Bombers and Belly Laughs – The Final Day of the Three Amigos Tour
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Part 2 of a birding trip to East Yorkshire. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/06/the-... #birdingwales
The Curious Leveret and the Sea of Gannets – Yorkshire Adventures Continue
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Part 1 of a birding trip to East Yorkshire. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/06/clif... #birdingwales
Clifftop Giants and Cottage Comforts - The Three Amigos Return to Yorkshire
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Goldcliff Lagoons this morning with Nev Davies. Wood Sandpiper, Common Whitethroat, Black-Tailed Godwit Flock with 2 x Bar-Tailed Godwits and Sedge Warbler. #birdingwales
I had a lovely weekend at Portland Bird Observatory last weekend with @gos-birds.bsky.social . www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/04/the-... #birdingwales
The Bill Boys
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Cuckoo Cuckoo, what a great bird to herald spring has arrived. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/04/a-cu... #birdingwales #gwentbirds
A Cuckoo calling in a tree on the slopes of the Blorenge
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
The clear night skies over the weekend have provided me the opportunity to do some Astro work. Startrails up at the Folly in Pontypool. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/04/on-t...
On the trail of stars up the Folly
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
A couple of pics from this morning. The Black-Tailed Godwits flock (approx 400 birds) were on Monks Lagoon until a Peregrine turned up; they all flew off Westwards towards Uskmouth. Approx. 120 Avocets on Monks, +flocks on Priors + Becs Lagoons, so probably the numbers are around 160. #birdingwales
A reminder that our next talk will be this coming Saturday. All are Welcome. #birdingwales
Gwent Ornithological Society@gos-birds.bsky.social · 5mo agoGOS's next indoor talk will be on Saturday, 4th April 2026. 7.30pm to 9 pm at Goytre Village Hall. This will be a great talk by Steve J Smith about our local Whinchats on the Blorenge. #gwentbirds #birdingwales
Been enjoying the wader flocks at Goldcliff Lagoons. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/03/fant... #birdingwales
Fantastic Flocks
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
Great talk from Alison Morgan at the RSPB Newport Wetland Centre about Great White Egrets on the Avalon Marshes. Really interesting. #birdingwales
Goldcliff is back! After a miserable winter it’s great to see the returning Avocets and Black-Tailed Godwitsq in breeding plumage.
Goldcliff Birding #243 - Avocet, Knot, Black-Tailed Godwit 4K
YouTube video by john l uk
youtu.be
Friday morning at Goldcliff Lagoons was absolutely wader heaven: Knots, Black-Tailed Godwits and Avocets flying around in synchronised aerial formations. #birdingwales #gwentbirds
A reminder: the Gwent Ornithological Society's next talk is tomorrow evening at the RSPB Centre at Newport Wetlands. There will be a second-hand wildlife book sale to raise money for the society. All are welcome. #birdinwaalees #gwentbirds
Goldclfif Lagoons. Highlights White Fronted Geese ( at least 14c) on Priors. My first pic of a Chiffchaff at the reserve this year. Little Grebe on Priors. Avocets were on all three lagoons. A 30c Female Kestrel skirting the borders of the reserve. BTG on Monks. #birdingwales #gwentbirds
Another interesting talk by GOS scheduled concerning our local birds.
Gwent Ornithological Society@gos-birds.bsky.social · 5mo agoGOS's next indoor talk will be on Saturday, 4th April 2026. 7.30pm to 9 pm at Goytre Village Hall. This will be a great talk by Steve J Smith about our local Whinchats on the Blorenge. #gwentbirds #birdingwales
Slimbridge, in February, home to thousands of overwintering birds.
Slimbridge February '26 - Spoonbill, Bewick's, Whooper, Cranes and more 4K
YouTube video by john l uk
youtube.com
It was great to spend a couple of hours birdwatching this morning. www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2026/02/bird... #birdingwales
Birdwatching before the rain at Goldcliff
A photography blog focused on Gwent wildlife and landscapes. Drones, Astro, Dwarf Labs 3 Nikon and Olympus cameras.
thewildlifeoculus.com
My first talk of 2026 is scheduled for next week with the Gwent Photographic Society.
