Cross Inn forest / Bethania

What a fantastic place on a day like today. I normally walk a circuit through the main forest and then check out a couple of places on the other side of the road either side of the bottling plant. Open areas are rapidly being overtaken by scrub in some sections which may be why counts of Sedge Warbler 5, and Grasshopper Warbler nil, were so low. On the other hand Willow Warbler 72, Chiffchaff 26 and Whitethroat 29 were all very common. Other good birds inc. Tree Pipit, Garden Warbler, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Redpoll, single Crossbills and Kestrel and a pair of Willow Tits. There appeared to be 3 male Cuckoos about. To cap it all a large-looking hawk showed briefly (too briefly to identify), darting through tall conifers, pursued by corvids.