It was indeed a fine crisp winters day today and I too like Bob and Tom gravitated towards Ynyslas but not before I stopped off in a lay-by between Furnace and Treddol to peer into Pant Coch wood to see what was about. On the woodland floor a cock pheasant was surrounded by redwing blackbird and thrush rummaging around in the leaf litter for grubs. In the leafless branches above blue, great and long-tailed tits as well as goldcrest and treecreeper actively searched for the minutiae of insect life. I intended to walk the banks of the clettwr but because the 'shooters' were at large disturbing the equilibrium of life I decided otherwise and continued my journey to Ynyslas. A crow and a blackbird alerted me to the presence of a stoat bounding across a field towards a ditch where I lost sight of it. There were hordes of lapwing and golden plover in the fields between Treddol and Ynyslas and the odd fieldfare too. I did the same as Bob and Tom and drove down to the estuary where I saw the same birds. I've nothing to add only the wigeon which were initially resting on the shore but then took to the water. I spent the afternoon in Aberystwyth searching the college rocks for purple sandpiper but didn't see any. There were shags and cormorant on the rocks and a diver offshore. There were about 8 turnstone on the shore adjacent to the pier. A single black redstart flitted about the rooftops of the old college. I returned in the late afternoon to watch the magnificent starling roost. There was a guy on the beach with a rather fancy looking camera filming the arrival of the masses. Looked like a professional set up but I didn't speak with him. By the time of my departure every ledge, step, stanchion, cable and railing of the pier structure was thronged with an incredible number of chattering starlings. Absolutely fab!
Merry Christmas everyone and good birding in 2010!