Clettwr late pm

A late afternoon walk along the Clettwr produced fine views of the male Hen Harrier hunting across the Lodge Farm fields, spooking the Lapwing flocks, a few Golden plovers, Curlew, Snipe and parties of Teal. The harrier then headed off down-estuary towards the sunset. Several pre-roost flocks of starlings - they seemed to be generally heading east towards Ynyshir.
Three Greenshank on the river, and five Fieldfares roosting in a hawthorn bush.

Snow Bunting at Llansantffraed

The snow bunting seen yesterday to the north of Llansantffraed beach was still there this afternoon (Sunday, 31st October).

Andre Morgan

Surf Scoter

Early afternoon, the Surf Scoter was re found further south from where it was yesterday. It was with 18 Common Scoter offshore on a line with the welcome to Borth sign near the Golf club. Unfortunately, the flock spread out and drifted further out soon after it was seen.

Also a Red-throated Diver and a Great-crested Grebe.

cors caron/Nov walk

Stunning juv hen harrier hunting near the ruin N end of the bog, showing really rufous body in the late sun and a very pale tail with strong terminal barring.
150+ mallard flying off south and a flock of around 75 lapwing(exact number when I've checked my photo). Nice to see some numbers of birds. Couldn't find a stonechat tho' 3 bullfinches on ash keys showed well.

14th NOVEMBER WALK
Phil Dennis has kindly agreed to lead a walk in Cross Inn woods to try and locate both the resident crossbills and the shrike. This is his local patch so we have high hopes! See Field trips for details.

Long-tailed tits, Ynyslas

Came across a group of around 50 long-tailed tits in the dunes yesterday.

Surf scoter

Having originally called the bird as an imm. male, on reflection and looking at a number of bird books, I think that it is a female. The size of the nape patch originally threw me but apparently a number of older females show this feature and, as a number of observers have noted, the head markings are typically female. As the sea is much calmer today I will go down there again and hope to get clearer views.

SNOW BUNTING

Kevin McGee had a good session yesterday between Llansantffraed and the lime kilns to the north: a Snow Bunting, 10 Mediterranean Gulls, 100 Curlew, 50 Golden Plover, 50 Turnstone and a Red-throated Diver.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

THe GND seen by Arfon Williams at Cei Bach yesterday may well have been the one seen at Aberystwyth the previous day by Terry Hobson.

Thursday 28th

A flock of about 30 greenfinches on the rose hips tanybwylch and male merlin chasing m pipit on the large field. One great n diver flying south on friday 29th off the harbour.

An Anticipation of Waxwings

Returning from a meeting in Dublin, my sat nav found the waxwings in Bangor. Birdguides said 25 but I counted 33. At one point, away from their berry-laden cotoneaster, they seemed to be flycatching. I looked this up in Birds of the Western Palearctic Interactive and was surprised to find that insects are their main feed in the summer and that they do switch from flies (misquitos and midges) according to whether it is overcast as not, and therefore I suppose that if they come here while it is still mild, they will catch insects. As yet, there are plenty in the east of UK but hardly any in the west as yet. An amusing article headed "Coming to a carpark near you" says that Morrisons took over Safeways to overtake Tesco as the number 1 supermarket for waxwings!

So keep our fingers crossed.

Finches at the garden feeder

It was of interest to see that Mervyn had a single male Brambling amongst the Chaffinches and Greenfinches at his feeders. Today I also noted a lone Brambling at my garden feeder along with a good number of Chaffinches, about 8 Goldfinches but no sign of any any Greenfinches. Also today a male Blackcap appeared in the garden - feeding on the seed capsules of one of their garden favourites - Pheasant Berry.

Surf Scoter

Went down to Ynys Las turn off this pm with Bob to look for the Surf Scoter. We met up with Richard Dobbins and Karen and eventually we had pretty good sitings before the rain dampened our enthusiasm and we set off home. On getting home I was looking thro' the Collins and BWP books and now I'm a bit confused as to the gender of the bird, it appeared to have a pale nape patch thus indicating a male but it definitely showed a distinctive pale patch behind the eye and this would be a female, any comments would be welcome. We also saw several first winter drake Common Scoter showing very yellow upper mandibles, Red-throated Diver and Great-Crested Grebe.

Back at home I was surprised to get a male Brambling with the Chaffinch and Greenfinch flock under the feeders, this follows on from finding what looked like a very flat male Brambling on the roadside outside the house yesterday.

Closure of Breakwater railway path

Just to let Ceredigion birders know that the railway path will be closed from Mon 1 Nov to beginning of April - or end March depending on weather conditions. The decision has been taken due to the regularity of floods over the winter and to avoid disturbance to birds on Breakwater field. I know it's a bit of a pain but it has to be done. At least the boardwalk will be open soon folks

On a birdie note, 1 male brambling under the feeder today - nothing else to report as I've not been out to look

Caroline de Carle

Kite roosts

I believe there may be one in the vicinity of Salem, near Penrhyncoch. I often see birds congregating in the area towards dusk, but although I live nearby I've been too lazy to actually check it out properly!

jerry moore

Starlings

I have it in mind this winter to go over to Mydroilyn/Dihewyd to check out the large Starling roost in that area. Good numbers of birds have been around for a couple of weeks. Maybe a 1000 flew SW overhead as I zipped back from Llandysul to Horeb at about 8am today and during the week many hundreds flew over Denmark Farm at dusk. Both these groups could have come from the roost. A farmer in Ffostrasol later this morning told me that the Starlings arrived early this year and that there were a lot about. A sure sign of a hard winter apparently. Gawd help us! However, I'm sure I heard them say on Autumnwatch the other day that not many Starlings had been seen yet. Perhaps they sneaked across England under cover of darkness disguised as Blue Tits.

Surf scoter

Imm. male surf scoter this morning with common scoter on the sea off Ynyslas turn car-park. Managed to keep it in view until John Davis and Arfon arrived and good views were had by all.

hen harrier and merlin

Merlin over our garden yesterday and ringtail harrier in front of the waiting room/observation point on the boardwalk at Cors Caron. 2 little grebes in the flash.

CLOSURE OF RIVER WALK CORS CARON:
Closed for shooting: 6/22/23/27/NOV
4/18 DEC
8/22JAN 2011
These dates are not always used for shooting but be warned if they are, the Northern railway walk is a waste of time. Birds do relocate on the bog but an alternative walk with great views and a mix of mini habitats is along the cycle track from Ystrad Mynach to Tyn Craig. Good hedgerow trees full of berries at the moment.

Kite Roosts

Rest assured Elfyn, there are a number of well known 'Kite Roosts'in Ceredigion. Some of these have been in use for many years. The roosts tend to be in woodland, both coniferous - especially larch, and deciduous, generally on sloping hillsides with protection from the prevailing winds. As you so rightly say they provide a good opportunity for the reading of Wing Tags - any records should be forwarded to Tony Cross at the Welsh Kite Trust. tonycross@welshkitetrust.org

Kite roost

I believe there is a roost at Llanllyr mansion next to the river Aeron at Talsarn, not far of course from the feeding station up the hill above Trefilan.

High as a Kite!

On the subject of kites and writing from Montgomeryshire again I've had 26 kites 'playing' over my house and across the valley this afternoon this 'phenomenon' usually happens when we get gale force winds as we have experienced this afternoon. The kites have roosted in the trees opposite my home this evening this is a regular occurrence during the winter months but doesn't usually happen until around December time and the roost usually numbers around 15 birds. One year I had a roost of 25 birds and because many were tagged (tag details read through a telescope) I was able to establish from Tony Cross of the Welsh Kite Trust that the birds originated from all over Wales they were from parts of Montgomeryshire, Merionethshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and even one from the East Midlands (Rutland) population! This was a true meeting of the clans! Kites never cease to fascinate me there is no doubt that they cope well with these high winds no wonder the 'toy' kite was named after them whoever designed that must have watched the kite engaging in its superb aerial skills.
Has anyone in Ceredigion knowledge of any similar autumn/winter kite roosts? I doubt there is a similar one in my home county of Montgomeryshire unless I'm informed otherwise!

Re the Kite Flocks

Liz,

Near the top of the hill the house next the phone box. For a nominal fee you can watch the feeding (from a small shed with armchairs!) less than 10m away. It's quite a spectacle so take your camera. The proceeds go to help towards up keep I believe

If you email me (via Bob) I will give you her name and Phone No. to make an appointment.

We get quite a large procession over Felinfach on the way to roost, though I don't know quite where the roost is.

David, Felinfach

Kite flocks

Nearly missed this one, received Tuesday 26th -

There were two flocks of about 35 red kites in total hovering about over the B4337 near Trefilan. Do you know if there's someone feeding them near there? I've never seen so many kites when there's no food involved.

Liz Probert

Late postings

Sorry for the lateness of the postings below, I've been doing a bit of "out of county" grandparenting and birding. Too tired to put them on when we got back yesterday.

Bob Relph

Whooper Swans

Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 27th) there were two whooper swans on Pond yr Oerfa. I haven't seen them today, but I presume they are the ones that Tony Cross saw on
Tuesday and that they won't have gone far, so keep your eyes open!

Elaine Izett

Great Grey Shrike Cross Inn

I don’t know if you’ve had previous sightings this Autumn but perhaps you’d be interested to know that I had a good view of a Great Grey Shrike at Cross Inn Woods this morning (Monday 25th). Not being an expert in these matters I presume it’s the same bird regularly seen last winter. I attach a poor photo taken with my compact - not for publication but simply to confirm that I haven’t made it up! Mike Hopkins

Aberystwyth

Sunday 24th October. On Consti hill, a single Chiffchaff, 1 Chough, 1 Redpoll and 1 Brambling flying north. Also, a Red-throated Diver just off old college rocks.

Ian Lycett

Oystercatcher in trouble

Eight oystercatchers were feeding and sleeping on Tanybwlch beach this Sunday morning. One of them had something attached to its beak. After enlarging the photo, the object looks like an angler's hook. Should we just hope that the oystercatcher will manage to get rid of it by itself? If not, what can be cone to help it?

Laurie Wright

All quiet at Nant yr Arian Friday 22nd

There weren't many birds on the water at Bwlch Nant yr Arian on Thursday
afternoon, at least as far as could be seen from the path: two mallards, two
little grebes, one black-backed gull and a goosander, which obligingly was
swimming close to the main path - a great photo opportunity, or so I
thought. Unwisely, I walked straight down to the water's edge with camera
and tripod, and - you've guessed it! - the goosander flew off to the far
side of the lake. It taught me a lesson: unlike mallards, goosanders are shy
and nervous. The attached photo could have been much better if I had been
more cautious.

Compared to a month or so ago, the kites seemed to come to the food more
promptly and in greater numbers. One albino preferred to feed on the ground,
while the others were flying off with their food.

Laurie Wright

Late news --

Yellow-browed Warbler -- Cors Caron;-
1 Seen on Sunday 24th October, the third record for Ceredigion
(Arfon W)

Teifi -- Patch

Yesterday (Tues) 1 Wheatear.
(Wendy J)

Bits and Bobs

Yesterday 2 adult Whooper Swans on the small pool near Llywernog Silver Mine.

Female Merlin, 4 Chough and a Little Owl on the cliffs south of Morfa Bychan.

Later, at Aberleri, at least 2 Jack Snipe and a Woodcock

Ynys-hir

Despite atrocious weather and rather poor visibility the high-tide at the Breakwater hide this morning produced a good variety of waders with a few more species at Lodge Farm later in the morning. There were over 200 oystercatcher and curlew together with 4 grey plover, 3 knot, 2 little stint, 44 dunlin, 7 bar-tailed godwit, a spotted redshank, 3 greenshank and 28 redshank. On the fields behind the hide were 180 lapwing and 17 snipe and at Lodge Farm 3 ruff, 220 golden plover and a green sandpiper. Other birds included all the barnacle geese (305) feeding on the fields behind the hide, a female hen harrier and a female merlin.

From November 1st the railway path leading to the Breakwater hide at the RSPB Ynys-hir reserve will close and will remain so until the end of March; to access the hide one will have to go via the Ynys Eidiol hide and retrace ones steps. Due to persistent flooding during the winter and increasing numbers of birds feeding on the fields we have taken the decision to close the path to ensure the birds to not get disturbed and to ensure there is no trespass onto the railway if the path floods as happened on a number of occasions last year.

TANYBWLCH

No sign of the Wheatear seen by Harry Pepper yesterday but, by way of consolation, an obliging Snow Bunting.
The same colour-ringed Chough, seen the other day, was foraging in exactly the same spot.
Later, after tea and cakes at Aberaeron, a couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls at Aberarth.

Brynhoffnant

At least 600 Wood Pigeons flew north over the village this morning.

CORS CARON

A rather wintry scene early this morning at the northern end of Cors Caron.
Several Lesser Redpolls about and also Bullfinches, including a party of 10. Enjoyed a close encounter with a ring-tailed Hen Harrier.

Clettwr yesterday afternoon

A brief walk along the Clettwr late yesterday afternoon produced the Little Stint again on the Lodge Farm floods, plus 2 Ruff and 3 Greenshank. A fine male Hen Harrier flew through heading west, flushing several Snipe from the riverside rushes.

Leri - am High Tide

A fine morning - a very cold wind coming down the estuary and a distinct shortage of birds on the saltings - just three Redshank, a Curlew, about twenty Mallard and a few Wigeon. On the upper Leri there were thirty Teal, five Redshank, two Goosanders, fifteen Curlew and a Sanderling.

Glandyfi yesterday

2 common sandpipers feeding on the edge of the river Dyfi at Glandyfi yesterday they were probably on the Gwynedd side but seen from the Ceredigion side! Nice walk at Ynyshir through the wood to the breakwater hide where we got goldcrest, treecreeper and mixed flocks of tits. We had good views of the barnacle geese amongst the usual stuff (are they the Greenland race does anyone know?). We saw a single greenshank on a quick walk along the Clettwr plus a small flock of the golden 'plovies'. Not many raptors about apart from sparrowhawk (Treddol) and buzzard and there was a distinct lack of kites about the place but there were many at Nant-yr-Arian (a hundred plus). Joe Hawthorne told me that someone reckoned there were more than 200 there last Friday at feeding time! Kites must be hungry now we have hit a cold snap. (There is a pretty severe frost here in my part of Montgomeryshire this morning I walked the dog around our field and the leaves on the trees on the rivers edge were raining down on me like confetti - lovely! The dog was a bit confused though but he did love rolling in the frost encrusted grass).
Its reported on the Montgomery bird blog that waxwings are on the move in parts of Britain which means that it could be a 'waxwing year' anyway if any of you see any in the area then please put it on here it is one bird I would burn up some fuel to see again!

Betws Bledrws Sunday

In Cwm Dulas floodwater had attracted 60 Teal and 30 Mallard. A Goosander flew over.
Birds seen above the valley in Long Wood included the following; Treecreeper3, Marsh Tit2, Stock Dove1, Redpoll13, Siskin6, Crossbill2, Redwing20, Fieldfare80, Raven20. A large flock of perhaps 3000 Starlings were gathered tightly in the trees near one of the hill forts quite early in the morning and I wondered whether they had roosted here. I saw a very large flock there almost exactly a year ago too. Another bird that was more evident than usual were Jays. I saw 20 a year ago and 19 today. Again, I was left pondering whether these were all local birds that were simply behaving in a more conspicuous way or whether some at least were part of a small autumnal influx.

Ynyshir and Clettwr

Excellent views of the Barnacle geese at Ynyshir today, scattered across the saltings and on the field behind Breakwater hide (but no sign of 'minima' Canada goose or Whitefronts). Peregrine over, up to 10 Little Egrets on saltings, and 4 Goosanders. A Water rail was calling from the ditch. I was glad of the well-proofed roof of the Breakwater hide as the rain drummed on it; the Wigeon on the estuary in front of me seemed indifferent to the rain. 2 Grey plovers, and 5 RB Mergansers on river beyond.

A walk down the Clettwr this afternoon produced a Kingfisher, a Dipper, 4 Greenshank, and c. 40 Snipe along the rushy far bank. 150 Golden plover were with the Lapwings on the Lodge Farm fields, and 8 Greenland Whitefronts flew across at the back to land in the far fields. A juv Little Stint on the first flood on the right was a nice surprise.

No sign of any winter thrushes at either site today.

TRISANT

A flock of about 250 Fieldfares around my house this morning and a Brambling in the garden this afternoon, attracted by bird seed.

TANYBWLCH

Wheatear, White Wagtail and Chough, early afternoon.

Ynys-hir etc

34 Greenaland white-fronted geese were in front of the Breakwater hide this morning with 138 barnacle geese on the fields behind the hide. Also a ruddy shelduck, a pink-footed goose and a 'minima' type canada goose (the latter three surely escapes). Also a report yesterday of a ring ousel at Artist's Valley seen during survey work by Alan Davies.

Fieldfares

There was a flock of about a hundred fieldfares in a field and the surrounding
hedges near Pond yr Oerfa at two o clock this afternoon.

Elaine Izett

Nant yr Arian

A Nant yr Arian this afternoon the lake held twelve teal, five mallard, two
tufted duck, two little grebe, one goosander female and one moorhen. There
were two jays in the woodland and one GS woodpecker.

Elaine Izett

Llanrhystud/Pont Gogoyan

A walk out to the point at Llanrhystud produced 5 Mediterranean Gulls,single Wheatear, 50 Curlews, 40 Golden Plovers and 5 Wigeon.
At Pont Gogoyan(Llanddewi Brefi) there were 20 Mute Swans inc 6 juvs and a single Green Sandpiper at what has been a regular wintering site for this species for many years.

PINK-FOOTED GEESE

11 of the 17 Pink-footed Geese feeding on a stubble field at Ynyslas this morning. 3 Grey Plovers beside the nearby Leri and a Merlin dashed low over the saltings.

Afon Dyfi

Monday afternoon at Ynyshir (Domen Las hide) as the tide started coming up
the river:

Three Little Grebes looked like ducklings from a distance when they "posed"
for a family group photo with a pair of mallards.
Four goosanders came downstream and preened on the river bend.
One female Goldeneye stayed more or less opposite the hide.
Plus Curlews, Mallards, 3 Oystercatchers and the Canada Geese.

Laurie Wright

Pink Feet

Sixteen Pink-footed Geese on Ynys-Tachwedd this afternoon together with at least 40 Curlew plus other waders - could not be clearly identified in the heavy rain!

Tan y Bwlch

The most interesting sightings from my walk at Tan y Bwlch this morning were
two grey wagtails, at least two jays, gathering acorns as though there was no
tomorrow, and at least one, probably two, pairs of stonechat.

Elaine Izett

Kingfishr, Ringed Plover, Turnstones, Cormorants, Shags....and "learner" Swans

A slightly belated report on a walk that Sid and I had at the end of yesterday morning (Sunday 17 October). It might still be suitable for the blog, and either way we'd be very interested in your, and others', views on the behaviour of the swans. We think that the parents have done well in raising three of their six offspring to full size - the seal which was frequenting the harbour over the summer apparently took one or more of the others.

As we rounded the corner of the Technium, at around 11:40, a Kingfisher flew in - vividly turquoise in the sunlight - and settled halfway down the wall of the "Gap" at Aberystwyth Harbour. A few minutes later it moved to a post in the wall just below Trefechan Bridge, before disappearing up the Rheidol. There were over 30 Cormorants and Shags on Castle Rocks, or in the water around them, with constant landings and takeoffs; a Greater Black-backed Gull remained on the rocks throughout. At Castle Point we saw 15 Ringed Plovers and 8 Turnstones. In between these sightings, we noticed four Mute Swans swimming just off South Beach: one adult, and the three juveniles that have survived from the original brood of 6 seen in and around Aberystwyth Harbour this summer. After a while they swam further out to sea, and then suddenly all took off for a very short flight before landing on the water again. Could the adult have taken the youngsters out to give them more space to attempt their maiden flights??

Helen Ougham and Sid Thomas

Grey Heron

The highlight of an hour spent on Saturday in the Ynys Eidiol hide at
Ynyshir was watching a Grey Heron intently watching the water (and ignoring
a damsel fly which persistently settled on its back) until it caught an eel.
It didn't stay to let us watch it swallow the eel.

Laurie Wright

Llanrhystud beach

Shortly before this afternoon's high tide, along the beach at the point south of the lime kilns; approx 180 golden plover, 1 bar-tailed godwit & 5 turnstones.

Aberystwyth

At Consti hill this morning around 150+ Chaffinch in small flocks with 1 Brambling, 1 Reed bunting, 7 Redwing, 1 Chough, 1 male Kestrel. At Castle point there were 2 Kingfishers, whilst out to sea, 16 Common Scoter flying north and 1 female Goosander moving south. On old college rocks, there was 1 Adult Med Gull and the usual scattering of Ringed plover, Turnstone and Oystercatcher.

Ian Lycett

Ystumtuen Sightings

Recent sightings include:-

On the feeders

Lots of Blue and Great Tits and Chaffinches.

A regular 3 - 5 of Siskin, Gold and Greenfinch

A couple of Robins

Several House Sparrows.

Dunnocks

Blackbirds
Nuthatches
Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

.

Also around:-

Pied Wagtails

Meadow Pipits

Crows

Red Kite

Buzzard

Regular Kestrel on the Henrhiw

I think they bred this year as there were 2 juveniles seen. Good to see that they get around Ystumtuen as per Elaine Izzett's post.

We will also keep an eye out for the Whooper Swans (quite early this year?) and the Teal which we have never seen there either!

Matt and Charly Potter

Maria's Pencil Drawings

Some of you may remember Maria Gill who used to come on our bird walks when she was at university in Aber. Maria has sent me details of the blog she has created to show her pencil drawings of animals, I thought some of you might like to take a look - http://megghyll.blogspot.com

Pond yr Oerfa

Five whooper swans flew over Pond yr Oerfa this morning at about 8o'clock,
heading towards Ystumtuen. They are the first I have seen this year.
On the lake were one little grebe, two herons and five small ducks which were,
I think, teal- they were hard to see in the reeds but I hope to get better
views later.
Also seen on and off for the past week or so in the area was a kestrel. I have
seen it flying by the windmills and over my garden by the Pond yr Oerfa.

Elaine Izett

Added at 11:25 - Yep they are teal- the first I can remember seeing on the pond.

Pinkfeet, Ynyslas

The Pinkfoot flock was on the fields between the Ynyslas road and Aberleri boatyard this afternoon, but only 16 birds present. Feeding on the stubble with them were Golden plover and Lapwings. On the sea at Ynyslas turn: 3 Red-throated divers, 2 Great-crested grebes and about a dozen Common scotor.

Aberystwyth

This morning on Constitution Hill:-
1 Brambling,
7 Chough (5 branching off from what are probably the local pair, and
heading south),
2 Kestrel (1 male, 1 female),
1 male Stonechat,
1 Goldcrest,
84 Shag & 18 Cormorant (on the rocks below cliffs of Consti hill).

This afternoon on Old College rocks:-
19 Shag,
17 Ringed plover,
15 Turnstone,
1 Sanderling,
1 Kingfisher,
1 Peregrine (low over Old College)

Ian Lycett & Rachel Davies

Flushed

Startled myself and a Woodcock next to somebodys post box in Capel Dewi(Llandysul) this morning.

Singing in the brain: the science of birdsong

Dear Bob

Sid and I are two of the organisers of the Aberystwyth branch of "Science Cafe", and we thought that readers of the Ceredigion Birds blog might be interested in this month's meeting:

Aberystwyth Science Cafe (http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=152376131456407&index=1

"Singing in the brain: the science of birdsong" introduced by Rupert Marshall (Aberystwyth University)

Monday 25 October 2010, 19:30

Theatre Bar, Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Helen Ougham and Sid Thomas

WOS Conference

Re the WOS Conference, here's what you can expect -

WELSH ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY /

BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY /

RSPB CYMRU

CONFERENCE

2010

Carno Community Centre, Carno, Powys,

SY17 5LH

Saturday, 6 November 2010

Do come and enjoy the day in the company of fellow bird-watchers in

a friendly atmosphere. Maybe you will win a prize in the raffle.

Conference programme

Wetland birds in Wales

09.30 Registration and coffee

10.00 Welcome by WOS Chair Derek Moore

10.05 Annual General Meeting of the

Welsh Ornithological Society

Chair: Mick Green

10.30 Scene setting Iolo Williams

10.45 Wetland birds in Wales Chas Holt

11.25 Wetland birds in Wales - an Atlas perspective Dawn Balmer

12.05 Newport wetlands Tom Dalrymple

12.35 LUNCH

Chair: Ian Spence

13.45 Malltraeth wetlands Ian Hawkins

14.15 Declines of breeding waders in Wales Patrick Lindley

14.55 Little Ringed Plovers in the Tywi Valley Derek Moore

15.15 Goosanders Carl Mitchell

15.35 TEA

Chair: Alan Williams

16.10 River birds in Wales Steph Tyler

16.30 Images of wetland birds Dee Doody

16.45 Raffle and close of conference Derek Moore

There will be sales tables with goods from: the BTO, Subbuteo

Natural History Books, Birdguides, and Dee Doody (paintings

Welsh Ornithological Society / British Trust for Ornithology / Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Conference

Saturday, 6 November 2010

The conference will be held at Carno Community Centre, Carno, Powys, SY17 5LH. Details of the location of the venue will be sent to you with

the confirmation of your place at the conference. The conference fee is £20 per WOS member (£25 for non-members), inclusive of coffee, lunch

and tea which will only be provided to ticket holders. You will only receive tickets with bookings before the closing date. Your tickets will be sent

with the confirmation of your place. Any non-members who join WOS at the conference will be given a £5 discount on the first year’s

subscription.

Send this form with payment as soon as possible, but no later than Thursday, 28 October 2010, to:

WOS, c/o Ian M Spence, 43 Blackbrook, Sychdyn, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 6LT

Name(s).................................................................................................................................................................I am a member of WOS Yes / No

Please print clearly and include your first name(s) so that we can prepare name badges.

Address .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Email address: ...........................................................................................................................

I enclose a cheque for conference fee £......... (please make your cheque payable to ‘Welsh Ornithological Society’).

We have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for lunch. If you require vegan food, please contact us before the conference

PINK FOOTED GEESE

Bob and I finally caught up with the Pink-footed Geese at Ynyslas this morning. They seem to range between the fields on the east and south side of the Leri. As CB noted yesterday, one is noticeably darker and has a Bean Goose-type bill. Janet Baxter joined us and took some useful photographs but the bird still remains a bit of a mystery.
 A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was seen briefly over Cors Fochno. On one of the fields with the geese were 260 Golden Plovers.

Cwmtudu/Nanternis

This morning heard first few fieldfare,then this afternoon at about 3.00pma a large flock of 300/400 redwing flying east over nanternis

alan .hill

PINK-FOOTED GEESE

Chris Bird was at Ynyslas this afternoon and noted 17 Pink-footed Geese on one of the meadows just upstream of the Leri, beside the Dyfi. One of them appeared somewhat darker and he hoped that someone might get a closer view (just in case a Bean Goose was with them).
Wheatears are still dribbling through with one on the Castle at Aberystwyth later this afternoon for Harry Pepper. At Nanteos lake I saw 9 Wigeon and a pair of Shoveller.
On Tuesday Keven McGee saw a couple of Redwings with 20 or so Song Thrushes at Penrhyncoch and Chris Bird reckoned about 2000 Starlings arrived at Aberystwyth's pier to roost.
On Monday, during one of her regular visits back to Aber., Helen Herbert noted a Black Tern, seen from Castle Point and flying north.

Consti hill

An early morning walk produced a flock of 20 Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, 8 Bullfinch, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Goldcrest. Also 1 Grey Seal just offshore.

Ian Lycett

Osprey sighting

I haven't emailed before but I read the blog regularly and saw that someone has seen an osprey by Aberarth. I saw one, presumably the same one, yesterday at 4.30pmish over the road just south of Llanon and again today just north of Aberarth. I don't know how I didn't crash the car, trying to look at it while driving!

Liz Probert

Pembrokeshire Bird group

Annual Pembrokeshire Bird Conference 20th November 2010

Chevron Refinery are again kindly hosting this years Bird Conference at their site mid way between Pembroke and Angle on behalf of the Pembrokeshire bird group.

The event is also the highlight of our year and a great opportunity to meet old friends as well as new faces who have the same interests as ourselves. All ticket sales go to help support the Wildlife Trust – included are refreshments and lunch. Any raffle prizes you may wish to bring along will be very gratefully accepted. There will also be available copies of the latest Pembrokeshire Bird report and a new publication ‘The Birds of Ceredigion’

If you wish to book a place or for further information please contact Wendy Barnes-Jones at Cilgerran on 01239 621212 or by email at w.barnes-jones@welshwildlife.org or by going directly to the link http://welshwildlife.org/PembrokeshireBirdGroup_en.link which can also be found from the Home page of the Wildlife Trust of South and west Wales web site.

Aberystwyth

3 Bottle-nose Dolphins, one of which was a calf, off Castle Point.
Approx. 23 Chough flew over Constitution Hill at about 13:30 today,
and headed straight toward Tan-y-Bwlch (Rachel Davies)
The Kingfisher was on the Old College rocks, along with 13 Turnstone,
17 Ringed Plover, and 1 adult Med Gull.

Rachel Davies & Ian Lycett

november walk

I am trying to devise a crossbill hunting walk for November and am recce'ing likely woods. I don't want to post details in the field trip section until I'm sure they are likely to be present! They are highly mobile until they find a big crop of cones at the ripe stage so bear with me please until late Oct. Likely location will be mid Cere unless some-one lets me know of a mob elsewhere!

On oat stubble adjacent to Cors Caron: 31 stock doves, over 100 crows and jackdaws, and a similar number of chaffinches with one (prob young male) yellowhammer.

Osprey

A single Osprey seen off Aberarth on Monday 11 October by a reliable friend, Cynan Jones.

Ian Harrison

YNYSLAS and LLANSANTFFRAED

Yesterday morning, 3 dark-bellied Brent Geese at Ynyslas on the high tide and a couple of Wheatears at the Turn car park.
Later at Llansantffraed, 8 Mediterranean Gulls and 23 Turnstones.

Cwmystwyth

A work-related trip to Cwmystwyth this afternoon produced c.30 Redwings amongst a flock of mixed thrushes in hillside rowans. A female Sparrowhawk flew up the road in front of me. Several parties of Meadow Pipits up on the hill still, and a single Snipe flushed from a bog. Three Buzzards were mewing and displaying over the valley in the golden late afternoon sunshine.

2009 CEREDIGION BIRD REPORT

The new Report is available from the Teifi Marshes (Cardigan Wildlife Centre) visitor centre and (from mid-morning tomorrow) RSPB Ynys-hir visitor centre and Ystwyth Bookshop in Aberystwyth. It will also be available at the time of the Bird Group's monthly walks. 

As well as the detailed systematic list of the species encountered in Ceredigion including a county first, the Glossy Ibis, the Report, 84 pages long, contains 29 colour plates, a facinating Ringing Report and articles on Barn Owls, Ring-necked Ducks, Purple Sandpipers, Great White Egret, Black Guillemot and 2 of Ceredigion's lesser known nature reserves. The price remains a modest £6.

Copies of the Report can also be obtained from John Davis, Pant Llidiart, Trisant, Aberystwyth, SY23 4RQ. The cost of £6.85 includes p&p and cheques should be made out to The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

Horned Lark

There was a horned/shorelark on south beach aberyron saturday 9 august, otherwise only a curlew with metal ring and a few med gulls. David price.

Wryneck

Wryneck seen preening and feeding in the base of dead gorse, approx 30 yards along the public footpath on constitution hill (on the
right-hand side of the funicular railway) at 09:20am this morning.
Watched for 20mins, before it flew across the path into a back garden
further up Cliff Terrace. No sign since.
Record photograph attached (taken by Rachel Davies).

Ian Lycett & Rachel Davies

Snow Bunting at Ynyslas

One snow bunting at ynyslas, high tide, sunday morning.

jerry moore

Kingfisher on the Aeron

A single Kingfisher in Aberaeron this morning (10 October) at 09.30 - under the bridge on the road to Lampeter.

On 3 October, comparatively few Curlew on the Aberaeron-Aberaerth stretch (27) and only 6 Oystercatchers (15.00 approx).

Ian Harrison

BARNACLE GEESE

Here are some of the 300 or so Barnacle Geese the Ceredigion Bird Group saw on their monthly walk this morning at Ynys-hir.

Ceredigion Birding Group Field Trip

There was another good turn-out for the Ceredigion Birding Group Field Trip this morning, 13 of us met at Ynys-hir and made our way to the Breakwater Hide in quite blustery conditions. The weather gradually improved though and in the end it was very pleasant. Amongst the birds seen were Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail, Pochard (6), Tufted Duck, Barnacle Geese (c300), Bar-tailed Godwit, Snipe and a lone Kestrel. As Gary and I made our way back to the visitor centre we heard but didn't see a Water Rail.

Snow Bunting at Ynyslas

Snow bunts at Ynys Las today(Saturday 9th), blown in on the easterlies.

Roy Bamford

Immigrants?

We normally gaze into the evening skies at this time of year to spot the immigrant Starlings going to the roost west of us. I spotted the first (earlier than usual, maybe due to the ESE wind) around 50, I suppose there must be more about.

David, Felinfach

Last Swallow over Felinfach

1800 swallow flying resolutely south over Felinfach. Whilst in the Vale of York last week on a mild morning 20-30 all very busy.

Himalayan Balsam - which seems to have a very bad press, please inform people this is an extremely important late nectar yielder for bees right up to the first severe frosts, it also yields large amounts of pollen, essential for bee nutrition generally and vital for the survival of the first young larvae/bees early in the year (Jan onwards). Please disacourage people from destroying it. It is very low on the 'pest' scale and not even remotely comparable to the dreaded Japanese Knotweed. Incidentally if you see any 'ghost' bees, (white all over), they have been at the balsam, triggering a shower of pollen as they enter the flowers, so

REMEMBER THE BEES!

David, Felinfach

Photographic Competition

Richard Crossen has forwarded the following information aimed at all you wildlife photographers out there -

This is a photographic print competition run by the Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran. All entries must be the photographer’s own work. Prints may be of any size, but mounted, with the maximum size of mount being 20” x 16”.

Closing date for receiving entries is Friday 22. October 2010.

The theme is ‘Welsh Nature’ which can be interpreted in any way the photographer wishes: landscape, seascape, nature photography in all its forms. However the photograph must have been taken in Wales during the last year.

Entry fee is £10.00 per person for up to three prints.

Prizes:

1 £500 worth of photography equipment from Celtic Vision, Narberth

2 Binoculars worth £250 and a day trip to Skomer

3 Day trip to Skomer.

For more information and an entry form please go to our website

http://www.welshwildlife.org

and click on News and Events from the top toolbar, then from the left hand side of the page click on Latest Events then Events at the Welsh Wildlife Centre.

Black tern

As noted by Red, the combination of exceptionally high tide and strong E wind made for spectacular but challenging birding conditions at Ynyslas on Saturday morning. Seven of us walked along tide edge to the Leri (meeting Red and Peggy enroute), where a small flock of Mallard were joined by 4 Pintail and 5 Wigeon. The Skylarks flitting about overhead seemed to be literally "hanging around", waiting for the tide to fall enough for them to land on the saltmarsh. Highlight of the morning was a juvenile Black Tern that gave us a graceful flying display as it fed up and down the Leri, dipping down to pick insects off the water surface. The distant Lapwings and Golden Plovers were very flighty, probably spooked by the Peregrine we saw earlier over the Visitor Centre!

As a botanical aside, a colourful range of weedy plants on the spoil along the boatyard lane included an unidentified ragwort, that I later discovered from Arthur Chater's amazing Flora to be Narrow-leaved Ragwort Senecio inaequidens. Apparently these spoil tips are the only site in the county for this South African species, that first turned up here in 1995 and is spreading rapidly. (Did it come in by boat? It looks too scruffy a plant to be a garden escape...)
We also found 3 large Parasol Mushrooms in a nearby field edge, which were later enjoyed for lunch!

Black guillemot

Decided to go up to Ynys Las this morning because of the height of the tide and the expectation of some good birds. There was nowhere to park on the sand at the end so went back and parked alongside the road and walked through the golf course and along the beach. The sea was spectacular - huge waves with white tops - but not many birds out to sea. I stopped to get a stone out of my boot, then got my scope up to look at a group of scoter and a black guillemot flew through. I followed it for a little way before I lost it in the high sea. It's plumage was between summer and winter. Then walked on a little way and found a single snow bunting finding seeds along the tideline near to the lifebuoy. At the point, the tide was right in and with so many surfers in the estuary not many birds were on the sand. But did find a group of 5 waders, made up of dunlin, sanderling, ringed plover, golden plover and knot - one of each. Walked along to the Leri bridge hoping to see where the lapwings and goldies were roosting and found them on the fields alongside the footpath between the Leri boatyard and the Ynys Las road. Came home feeling I'd been 'sand-blasted', but a super day.

Aberaeron-Cei Bach

A lovely walk along the coast path this morning produced a few birds and lots of butterflies inc. several Commas and Small Coppers. A few small flocks of finches (Chaffinches, Linnets and Siskins)
were flying south and I daresay that an early start to the morning might have produced a whole lot more. Two Dippers were in Cwm Dryw?, difficult to read on my old OS map, and a Peregrine was over Cei Bach. Not a single Stonechat seen which seemed a bit odd.

Leri Saltings

A 'luvly' summer afternoon down at Ynyslas today. Along the saltings were five Curlew, a lone Redshank, a Greenland Wheatear, and two Peregrines hunting over the salt-marsh and adjacent fields.

Late postings

Sorry for the delay in posting the following, I'm up here in Argyll birding with Harry Pepper and John Davis. We're having a very dull time with only Golden Eagle, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Goshawk, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Merlin on our raptor list so far.
Perhaps things will get better.........

Barn Swallow - 1 flying through Aberaeron in one of the few brief dry periods this morning (3 October)

Ian Harrison

Swallows

Not seen any round here for a while but one in North Wales on Friday afternoon and several near York on Saturday.

John Woodruff

Ynyslas walk this Saturday

In additional to Bob's October walk at Ynys-hir this Sunday, I'm leading a 'Birds & Biodiversity' walk this Saturday morning (9 Oct) at Ynyslas, as part of the "Walk St David" inter-church initiative running in Ceredigion this week. Start time 10am, meet at beach carpark (assuming there's enough sand to park on - it's a good high tide!). All welcome.

(For further info my tel. no is: 01970 820350)

Pere in the sunshine

The oat stubble below our house and adjacent to Cors Caron is providing food for a couple hundred corvids(an agri-enviro success then, we all know how much crows need help)and the swirling flock caught the eye of a passing peregrine who had a bit of fun chasing through them. Shortly before about a hundred chaffinches flew in high excitement from the field into one of our willows and set up a huge row together with the resident blackbird, wren and tits. Low in the tree sat a tawny looking twice normal size with its puffed feathers glowing richly in the sun.
There is a very interesting article about the relationship between Pere's and racing pigeons in the latest copy of 'Birds In Wales' the journal of the Welsh Ornithological Soc. New website worth looking at and conference coming up in Nov.

Llanrhystud

Some flood water on the fields pulled in 16 Mallard and 6 Wigeon as well as a few hundred BH Gulls and Starlings. 12 Golden Plover and 2 Lapwings were out at the point. About 30 Swallows flew south over the course of an hour or so.

Late leavers

In Capel Dewi, Llandysul today there were still a few lingering hirundines. Of 4 Swallows at Beiligwyn farm some looked like they may have fledged quite recently, possibly nearby. At Blaenpant farm there were still House Martins in the nest with 4 others apparently attending to them.

Otter and crossbills

An otter was frolicking about in the boardwalk pond at Cors Caron yesterday at midday;I haven't seen one for about a year but I gather Karen G saw one in the same place recently so there must be some fish... or was. Later a large(60+) flock of redpolls and siskins were working in the tops of birch trees.
Today up at the Arch in Hafod fantastic views of crossbills (about 20) and lots of vocal accompaniment.
Red Liford heard over-flying redwings at Cwmystwyth a few days ago and they have been seen in Pembs.

WHITE BUZZARD

A 'white' Buzzard was on one of its favouite perches near Ponterwyd. Looking almost pure white front on, it shows lovely pale, mottled plumage from a side view.

YNYSLAS - Leri Rail Bridge

Yesterday, with Meurig,  had a close view of a very large Grass Snake crossing the railway line. Nearby a flock of Starlings, a lone Wheatear and 3 Redshank. A Kingfisher was also to be seen.

Dead Guillemots

Large numbers of dead guillemots have been found on the West coast of Scotland since the weekend of 18-19 Sept., according to a newspaper report dated 21 Sept:
http://www.lennoxherald.co.uk/dunbartonshire-news/tm_objectid=17796748&method=full&siteid=78846-name_page.html
Could the dead guillemots (see photo) which were washed up here at Castle
Point the same weekend, and the three found at Ynyslas be part of the same
problem? Here's what the newspaper report says of the cause:

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency says it is almost certainly the
result of a drop in sand eel stocks. Common guillemots, who lay just one egg
per year and breed across Scotland's coasts, have suffered dramatic losses
in recent years, as stocks of their main prey items in the breeding season
decrease, possibly through over-fishing and warming seas.
John Robins, of Animal Concern, said: "What I think is happening
is that sand eel stocks further north and west are very low and this year's
young birds are moving south looking for food. "There are good stocks of
sprats and fry in the Clyde and there are shoals of unusually small
mackerel, unusually far upriver, unusually late in the year feeding on them
too. "The problem is that by the time the guillemots get here they are
exhausted and dehydrated."

Is it possible that the dead and weak guillemots found here were driven
south by hunger? If so, it will be useful to check any dead birds for rings.

There's more on the shortage of sand eels causing deaths of guillemots on
the east coast in
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=13&listcatid=32&listitemid=1203#cr

Laurie Wright

Wryneck

I’ve been reading on the blog about the wryneck at Llanrhystud, and with increasing disgust at the insensitive and moronic behaviour of certain photographers. I found a sadly dead wryneck on the road just outside New Quay in September 2008, it is now in Cardiff museum – picture attached was kindly sent to me from the museum of the bird after it had come back from the taxidermist!

It was absolutely beautiful and unmarked, I was very lucky to see it at such close quarters but I’d so much rather have seen it alive.

Kath Stevens