Monday 21 May 2018

Cross Inn Forest/ Bethania

Followed up a visit on the 17th to the forest with an explore this morning south of the B4577. When I first used to come here a decade ago it was very open with up to 20 Sedge Warblers and maybe a couple of Grasshoppers about. This year for the first time I found neither as things rapidly evolve into scrubby woodland. Far fewer Whitethroats too. Last year I counted 27 across the whole site but only 14 this May. Still, exceptionally good for Chiffchaffs/Willow Warblers/Blackcaps/Garden Warblers which were present in large numbers. Last week there seemed to be 3 Cuckoos about. What may be a fourth was present today between Hafod and the bottling plant. Also last week a singing Willow Tit was at the T junction (563651). Today, two more widely separated individuals. A calling bird at (551639) and a preening/singing male at (569629). The latter bird was in an area where I've seen them a few times and where we saw one on a field trip a couple of years ago.