I re-visited one of my tetrads up in the Cambrians(Camddur valley) this morning and although I saw or heard the usual summer residents(excluding swift and spotted fly) I was dismayed at how quiet it was. Nothing like the numbers of stonechats and meadow pips I recorded over the last 2 years in April/May.
The hard winter is probably to blame and perhaps this is a late start to breeding because surviving birds are not in condition. At home my blueys have been messing about in the camera box but no egg as yet.
On the Camddur lake the little grebe is sitting on a clump of floating veg but is very exposed as the pond plants haven't grown yet to conceal her. Kites,buzzards and ravens overhead and some big fish jumping: hope they are not pike!
A pair of swallows are prospecting the river cliff again and another pair are holding territory by the Nant y Maen phone box which has windows missing. I hope they finish breeding before the box is removed.
I'm sparing you the picture of the burn't crags in Cwm Berwyn and the chap chain-sawing trees in the valley bottom. Yes, it is May but who monitors this sort of thing?