Ynyslas this afternoon and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth

A walk around Ynyslas and the Leri this afternoon 4 Velvet Scoters, 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Wigeon and 4 Shags on the sea. 6 Stonechats, a Water Rail, a Cetti's Warbler and c.10 Redshank were along the Leri. A male Merlin and a female Sparrowhawk were around Ynys Tachwedd. As I came home from uni yesterday afternoon I found a Hummingbird Hawk-moth buzzing around the daffodils in the front garden, I've been told it's the earliest record of this species in Ceredigion.

Ynyslas

What a change in the weather as Bob and I joined forces this morning; dull, damp and grey, though it was fairly mild and calm and the rain held off for most of our visit.
We decided to walk the track to the Leri past the boatyard then along to the beach car park.  No sign of Twite, just lots of Reed Buntings, also 12 Stock Doves in the usual field.  A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers among the usual wildfowl.  Pick of the waders were a Greenshank which flew up the estuary and a flock of ca300 Golden Plovers which appeared over Aberdyfi and continued south.
Earlier at the turn car park the four Velvet Scoter were still there, along with ca60 Common sp.

Cors Caron

 Not much here yesterday but a tight group/flock of Curlew flew down the river. New arrivals?. A  Toad chorus was also pleasnt to hear.

 D.Price.
Probably the same group of Curlews that I had at the south end of the bog on Monday.

Great Crested Grebes at Llywernog

I was walking around the lake at Nant yr Arian to feed the kites when I could hear birds making a racket on the neighbouring Llywernog lake, It was a pair of GC Grebes face to face, standing on the water and head turning. They didn't do the running side by side but still great to watch. I hope they can be successful this year.

Andre Marsh

LLANRHYSTUD

    This morning, on the sea and quite far out were 4 Shovellers (2m and 2f). Closer to the shore were 2 Shelducks and 2 Red-throated Divers (Later 4 were offshore at Llanon).

     A Fulmar sped by, low over the water.

Glandyfi in the sunshine

Had an interesting 40 minute stop this morning. 1 common sandpiper and a female goldeneye in superb light. I was hoping for an early migrant but no luck. However there's been a few movements of birds with herring gulls moving through, 44 today, and 18 lapwing, 7 curlew, and 3 snipe. 19 pied wagtails last night. 4 little egrets on the saltmarsh below Domen Las today.
Interesting to hear about the butterfly sightings. I've seen brimstones in the garden in Furnace, on the edge of the forestry in Cwm Einion and at Ynys-hir.

Lampeter Kingfisher

There was a Kingfisher this morning at 11.15 fishing from a dead tree stump on the bank of the river Teifi, seen from the bridge near the Co-op.  Then a bit later a Grey Wagtail on the Lampeter water treatment works.

Martin Creasser

Butterfly sightings

It was re-assuring to see that other people had seen painted ladies as I was beginning to doubt my own eyes...
I also saw a peacock and red admiral yesterday, and a ringtail hen harrier in the hills behind Eglwysfach.

Jerry Moore

singing Chiffchaff

There was a singing Chiffchaff in between Clarach and Borth this afternoon and two Small Tortoiseshells and a Red Admiral in my garden in Borth. Visits to Tanybwlch and Llanrhystud to try and find an early Wheatear were unsuccessful but this very confiding Kestrel was rather nice.

Painted Lady on the summit of Pumlumon

A walk to the summit of Pumlumon Fawr yesterday didn’t produce any birds of note, but a painted lady flew around us for about 10 minutes at the trig point on the summit.

Roger Matthews

Sightings from Chris Bird

On Sunday afternoon five Goldeneye and two pairs of Tufted Ducks were on Llyn Eiddwen and four Goosanders on Llyn Fanod.

A Little Egret was on College Rocks yesterday afternoon.

Chris Bird

NEW QUAY

      On a hot, sunny morning Jill and I noticed that the numbers of Razorbills and Guillemots on the cliff ledges looked very similar to breeding season totals. There were even several Kittewakes on their old nests.

       Near Birds' Rock there was a Painted Lady Butterfly. I note what Jerry Moore wrote about such early sightings but when migrating they are often seen at the coast and so wondered if indeed this one was an early migrant.

     Given that on 17th we were watching a Swallow and Red-rumped Swallow on the Gower (soon joined by another Swallow and a Sand Martin) anything seems possible during this amazing spell of weather.

Singing Chiffchaff

This afternoon while down in Pentrecwrt near Llandysul we heard a Chiffchaff singing.  Also here in Llanddewi Brefi had a Painted Lady in the garden yesterday and a Hummingbird Hawk Moth today.

Is this a result of the lovely weather coming from the south?
Karen Gregory

Butterflies of several species have been around over the past few days: I'm no expert but I assume it must be as a result of the unseasonably warm weather.
The singing Chiffchaff is very early though.

Cors Caron

I was in the hide before Martin this morning, but no sign of the shrike. I did however watch two ringtail Hen Harriers having a skirmish before one of them continued northwards. Just 12 Teal and a Little Egret on the flash and a Comma butterfly along the old railway.
I started at Pont Einon, where there were 10 Curlews and three Snipe, then called at Maesllyn: ca130 Wigeon, eight Teal and a pair of Tufted Ducks.

Butterflies

On a long walk in the Bow Street/Llangorwen areas yesterday I had four butterflies - two small tortoiseshells, one painted lady and one unidentified.  And countless red kites and buzzards circling and displaying in the sun.
P.S.  I see that the painted lady is not known to survive the winter here.  It seems unlikely it would have migrated already, though.

Jerry Moore

The Cors Caron Great Grey Shrike

Great Grey Shrike showing for forty minutes from 11.15 before it dropped out of sight.
Seen ranging back and forth at at at about 11o'clock from the hide.

Martin Creasser

Thrushes on passage

This morning at 07:10 there was a huge number of thrushes passing south east over the cottage.
It was a broad front and the birds were very high, suggesting passage rather than dispersal from roost.

David Price

Aberporth seawatch

A short seawatch this morning from the very convenient beach car park produced at least 3 Red Throated divers, an adult Med Gull, numerous small parties of auks hurrying north and the usual small flock of Scoter.

Velvets etc

There were at least 6 Velvet Scoters off the Ynyslas brickhouse this morning. 4 feeding close in and another group of least 2 (probably more) were more distant and could only be picked out whilst wing flapping/flying. 2 Great Crested Grebes were off the brickhouse also. There were 4 Greenfinches on Aberystwyth Uni campus this morning, 3 Grey Wagtails, a Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and a Painted Lady around Borth 'zoo'

Ynys Feurig hide, Ynys-hir

Spent 40 mins in the hide this morning. What a difference a few days make with a complete exodus of lapwings, the shoveler and many of the teal. The only waders on the flood were 1 curlew and 1 black tailed godwit. Wildfowl: teal 120, wigeon 12, pintail 3, shelduck 4. Low tide on the estuary, the only birds of note were 22 dunlin. A pair of stonechats near Ynys Edwin. No raptors seen.

Glandyfi Lesser spot

Heard a lesser spotted woodpecker calling this afternoon in the parkland behind Glandyfi castle close to the coast path @ SN69529657.
A quick look from the Glandyfi lay-bye:  female hen harrier, 18 lapwing, 1 common sandpiper.

Cwm Einion

On a 5 mile circuit this morning up past Blaeneinion and back across Coronwen. Highlights were 2 crossbills, a woodcock, at least 12 siskin, 2 male stonechats on territory on Coronwen and a single skylark. Raptors were single goshawk, red kite and 3 buzzards.

Inland Shelduck

Two Shelduck on Pant pool10 00 this morning unusual but interesting.

David Price

Aberystwyth prom

An interesting collection of sightings yesterday morning at castle point, most unusual of which was Anglesey Birdman Ken Croft and friend, who stopped for a chat.
Star bird was a passing Great Northern Diver.  Also moving through were two each of Red-throated Diver, Common Scoter and Lesser Black-backed Gull,
Seven Purple Sandpipers flew into the roost as high tide approached and on the sea were two Shags, another Red-throated Diver and a very smart Great Crested Grebe in summer plumage.

Great Grey Shrike at Cors Caron

 Between 1100 and 1130 yesterday a Great grey shrike was on stunted birch on heathland in front of main hide, a Green sandpiper was on the flash. The Great egret was flushed by horses on the river walk and a Willow tit was calling around the car park c150 wigeon on Maes llyn fields.

David Price.

High tide at Llanrhystud

Three Med Gulls on Saturday morning, two with almost full hoods among forty to fifty each of common and blackheaded. A female Merlin. Seven Ringed Plover, one Golden Plover and five Turnstones on rocks just above tideline nr caravan park.

Martin Creasser

Glandyfi & Einion

Brief stop at Glandyfi  lay-bye yesterday afternoon with great views again of a  female hen harrier which was present all the time I was there. Large influx of black headed gulls looked like they were attracted by flying insects up from the saltmarsh with at least 170 birds. A couple of great black backed gulls,a raven and 10 carrion crows on a sheep carcase.
I returned to Glandyfi this afternoon. Highlights: a pair of goosander, a female goldeneye, 1 green and 1 common sandpiper, 10 lapwing, 3 little egrets.
Earlier this morning a pair of kingfishers, 2 stock doves, and a sparrowhawk  at the Einion bridge at Ynys-hir.

High tide at Ynys-hir

I spent a very pleasant hour and a half in the Ynys Feurig hide with Red Liford this morning.  A lovely spring-like day, especially when the sun came out.
Good numbers of waders on the pools included 229 Curlews, 185 Redshank, at least 100 Dunlin, seven Black-tailed and one Bar-tailed Godwit and the usual Spotted Redshank, as well as large numbers of Lapwings. 
Also on the pools were good numbers of Teal, five Shoveler and a few Shelduck,  Pintail and Wigeon, with more on the river. 
Also on the river: eight Red-breasted Mergansers and three Great Crested Grebes, while Red picked out the Red-breasted Goose in a field to the west.
Back at the visitor centre the two pairs of Gadwall were still on the pool below and a Brimstone added another touch of spring.

Ynyslas - high tide

Sightings from the Point at high tide yesterday morning included Sanderling (22), Ringed plover (8), Knot (1), dunlin (14), turnstone (1) plus a few oystercatchers, cormorants and two GBB gulls, and a fly-past by a Little Egret and Mute Swan.

Then onto the salt marsh as the tide was receding: redshank (2), Curlew (2), Shelduck, and around 50 golden plover.

Aline Denton

Ynyslas - low tide

Two hours from mid pm yesterday at low tide around the mouth of the Leri.  c150 roosting Golden Plover some with signs of summer plumage. Reed Buntings, Skylarks and c30 Linnets, male  Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and a very nice male Merlin on a post at Ynys Tachwedd fields.

Martin Creasser

The Teifi Marshes

Reed bed management today....reeds cut and taken away.

.... Barn Owl still showing really well before dusk

Tommy took this at 5pm today, the owl hunting from c415pm

Ynyslas and Borth Bog

Got the feeling there were a few early spring migrants around this afternoon. With 8 Stonechats around Ynys Tachwedd fields, usually only get a couple wintering in the area. There also seemed to be a lot of Reed Buntings around (30+). There were also 5 Fieldfares feeding in amongst a large Starling flock and a flock of c.50 Stock Doves was still feeding in the weedy field. There were also 2 Sparrowhawks in the area. A female Merlin, a superb ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Goldcrests, a Redpoll, 2 Barn Owls and a Water Pipit were on Borth Bog this evening (from the Leri footpath).

I think I will have my first vismig session of the year tomorrow at the point at Ynyslas, as some other UK sites have recorded some movement recently.

Llanon to Llanrhystud

A Fulmar was prospecting the cliffs south of Llanon this morning.  Just up the coast at Llansantffraed were good numbers of waders, though I must have missed some as I couldn't get into the bay because of the high tide.  Final counts were 55 Curlews, 10 Redshank, five Turnstones and 53 Oystercatchers, including the white bird.
Last port of call was the beach car park at Llanrhystud.  Among the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls on the sea I managed to pick out two adult Med Gulls,including one with a full hood.  There could well have been more among the flock of ca600 Black-headed which were wheeling around over the fields.

High tide at Llansantffraed

Glandyfi at low and high tide

Dropped in for half an hour mid pm Wed at low tide.  Highlights : close views of female hen harrier, 1 common sandpiper, 1 grey plover, 2 goldeneye, 2 red kites and a buzzard.
20 mins there this morning at high tide: 2 common sandpiper, 3 goosander and 7 great black backed gulls. No raptors but nice to hear a stock dove from the castle grounds.

Hen Harrier

I had superb views of a  ring-tail Hen Harrier when I visited the Glandyfi lay-by yesterday afternoon at about 4:00.  The light was good and the bird looked spectacular as it quartered the salt marsh.  Nothing else to report though.

Around the Dyfi

The sea was too rough at the turn car park for anything but brief views of small groups of scoter.  Just up the road at Ynys Tachwedd fields a superb male Merlin was perched on a nearby fence post.
The tide was right up to the entrance at Ynyslas, so I saw little except for a small party of Ringed Plover and Dunlin which flew past accompanied by a Turnstone.
 From the Glandyfi layby,  Common Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk and three Barnacle Geese.

Little Egrets

Of some interest, there are currently five little egrets feeding amongst sheep in a ploughed field on the west side of the road just north of Taliesin.  They have been there a few days.  At first, I assumed they would be cattle egret, but definitely little.  Presumably feeding on invertebrates brought up by the ploughing.  I don't recall seeing 'inland' groups like this before, away from water.

Chris Forster Brown

Llyn Eiddwen

Chris Bird's Sunday afternoon visit to the local lakes produced his first Mute Swan on Llyn Eiddwen for several years, as well as the more usual Goldeneye (five) and Tufted Duck (one).

Shoveler

 A drake shoveler was an interesting find on Pant pond yesterday afternoon, also c60 winter plumage adult Black-headed Gulls.

David Price

Another Aber Chiffchaff

There was a Chiffchaff feeding in the budding sallows alongside the railway line this afternoon, as viewed from the windows of the Welsh Govt office in Park Avenue - first spotted and identified by my sharp-eyed colleague Dafydd Parry, from his desk.  Presumably another wintering bird rather than an extremely early migrant.

Ynys Feurig and Ynyslas

Ynys Feurig hide this morning. The highlight was reasonable views of 17 Greenland white-fronted geese and 23 barnacle geese on the grazing marsh. The flood below the hide was the quietest I've seen it this winter - sightings included 140 teal, 7 shoveler, 1 snipe and 90 lapwing. 2 great crested grebes and 2 red breasted mergansers on the river.
Ynyslas late pm. A walk from the vis centre car park to the boatyard- highlights were approx 8 twite on the saltmarsh, 24 linnets and 250 golden plover. No birds of prey today other than buzzzard and red kite, though superb views of a barn owl hunting in Llancynfelyn.

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER

On the 15th a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was drumming on the South
bank of Cwm Wyre. Only my second record from here, a nice confirmation
they're still about.
Keith Burdett

Castle Point

It's supposed to be unseasonably mild but there was a cold wind blowing along the Aberystwyth prom this morning. Just the usual waders around, six Purple Sandpipers and 27 Turnstones.
Helen arrived and in the absence of birds we chatted about football, in particular Swansea's amazing second half comeback on Sunday.  Scanning the sea between chats revealed two Red-throated Divers and two Common Scoter heading south.

Saturday's field trip

A small group of us had a very enjoyable walk through Coed y Bont on Saturday.
There were plenty of signs of spring and a lot of frog spawning activity.
The list of birds found is: blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, buzzard, crow, chaffinch, coal tit, Goldcrest, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, mistle thrush, nuthatch, raven, red kite, redpoll, robin, Siskin, song thrush, Sparrowhawk, starling, tree creeper, wren, and very good views of marsh tit.

Thanks to Red who led the walk.
Elaine Izett

Hen Harrier in the Ystwyth valley

Out and about checking habitat for willow tit yesterday morning near Abermagwr, and was blessed with lovely views of a ringtail hen harrier cruising northward over the fields (SN 682 748).
I've only ever seen them before on estuaries so it was a nice surprise.

Naomi Davis

Ynyslas late afternoon

Male Hen Harrier, female Merlin, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a Greenshank at Ynyslas this afternoon

Llanerchaeron

33 bird species recorded at Llanerchaeron Estate this morning. Highlights were Common Snipe, X2 Dipper, Little Grebe, a flock of around a hundred Linnet, GS Woodpecker and a female Goosander on the river.

Andy James

The Revelation

Popped out this morning to undertake some Willow Tit surveying with the assistance of my trusty companion, the playback device given to me by the RSPB. I started at Waun Garthenor (Llanio), a small Woodland Trust reserve where I have always had good luck finding a bird or two. I stopped three times and each time a pair responded almost immediately, one calling, one singing. The reserve is very open with small rushy fields between areas of waterlogged willows and so it is easy enough to see if birds are moving from a to b. It was clear there must be at least 3 pairs here which I found astonishing and wonderful. A little further up the old railway line towards Llanio another couple of brief stops yielded a fourth pair. Further on still at Pont Llanio it is rather more overgrown and the woodland along the railway cutting mature. I've seen Marsh Tits here but thought I'd try the playback anyway. No response. I was just about to return to the car when a pair of Marsh/Willow Tits appeared. They quickly disappeared in to the dense brambly gorge without calling so I was unable to determine which species it was but possibly Marsh. Hopefully a second visit will clarify the issue. A lovely morning. Feel almost completely recovered from the 6-0 thrashing at the weekend. Only the scars now remain.

Glandyfi and Cwm Einion

 Glandyfi - Spent half an hour in the bright sunshine this afternoon. Highlights were female hen harrier, 1 black tailed godwit, 1 common sandpiper, 2 goldeneye and 3 goosander. A high soaring buzzard the only other raptor. 7 great black backed gulls was a high count for here.
Cwm Einion - yesterday morning there were 11 song thrushes in full song on a 5 km early morning run. Also a very nice male brambling at the garden feeder.

February field trip reminder

The February field trip will take place tomorrow, Saturday 16th, at Coed y Bont, to be led by Red Liford.  Meet at 10am, all welcome.
Further details are on the Field Trips page.

Along the Leri

I had a walk along the river Leri from mid pm yesterday. A nice Barn Owl crossed the river and quartered the reeds heading towards Cors Fochno and then on the way back unexpectedly found a Black Redstart female in a leafless Elder right next to the river on the west bank whilst standing on the footbridge over the Leri next to the railway track.

Martin Creasser

Llyn Eiddwen

This afternoon on Llyn Eiddwen were 14 Goosanders, including three males, two Goldeneye and a Tufted Duck.

Chris Bird

Signs of spring

A lovely mild sunny day and let's hope it lasts.  We'll be looking for early spring migrants soon.  Meanwhile Andy James had a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on a rooftop in Bridge St. Aberystwyth this morning and Dave Thomas tells me that two Greenfinches have been singing sporadically near Talybont church over recent days.
Having listened to the Song Thrush on Radio 4's tweet of the day this morning, half an hour later I was standing at my door listening to (and watching) the real thing in full voice just a few yards away.

Brent Geese at Ynyslas

2 Pale Bellied Brent Geese dropped in briefly on rising tide on Tuesday.

Meurig Garbutt

Ynyslas

The 4 Velvet Scoters were still off the brickhouse this afternoon. There was a Dark-bellied Brent Goose at the tern posts and a male Merlin at Ynys Tachwedd fields

Ynys Feurig hide

Felt like beginning of spring this morning with a couple of skylarks singing. Main flooded area: 130 teal, 9 shoveler, 210 wigeon, 4 shelduck, 30 dunlin,150 lapwing, 1 black tailed godwit and 22 curlew.
A single buzzard the only raptor. 120 teal on the Ynys Edwin flood, 1 stonechat, a total of 7 skylarks, and a single redpoll.

Greenfinches

Four Greenfinches flew into trees in front of the house a few minutes ago.  Numbers round here have declined so much in recent years that this is now a rare treat.

Tanybwlch

I had a quick look at at Tanybwlch beach this morning. Didn’t stay long, there were three Purple Sandpiper and two Rock Pipits on the south side of the stone jetty

Martin Creasser.

Dulas valley, Llangybi

Managed to negotiate access to some places I'd not been before as part of the national Willow Tit survey. Also, armed with playback device from the RSPB, something I've never used before. A site close to my home which has had birds in previous years was silent. However, 1km upstream, I'd scarcely switched on the playback when a pair were on my case. This was a place I'd been to before on several occasions but had not seen Willow Tits at. Other birds seen inc. 2 Woodcock, 4 Snipe, 33 Teal, 4 Herons, 7 Redpoll and a Grey Wagtail.

Sightings from Chris Bird

On Sunday afternoon six Goosanders on Llyn Fanod  included a male, and there were also five fem/imm Goldeneye.  A flock of around 80 Fieldfares were on recently cultivated ground between Llyn Fanod and Llyn Eiddwen.
Yesterday, four Velvet Scoters at the usual spot near Ynyslas turn and 14 Sanderling on the beach.

Raptors

A superb male Merlin hunting over Y Garth in Furnace on Sunday afternoon.  Monday morning an adult male hen harrier soaring around over Foel Fawr.

Dick Squires

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

Great crested grebe off Tanybwlch beach, fishing by the concrete Ystwyth barrier.

Andy Jones

 

(Sent to me yesterday. Chris mentioned to me that he had seen a GC Grebe close in off Aberystwyth recently)

Great White Egret at Lampeter

The Great White Egret was at Lampeter again today, feeding in the sun on the flooded field downstream of the road bridge (Ceredigion side) with a Little Egret. Also a Kingfisher and 11 Mute Swans (5 downstream of the bridge and 6 upstream).

Domen Las Hide (Ynys-hir) late afternoon:
2 goldeneye, 8 goosanders, 1 green sandpiper, 1 black-tailed godwit, 220 lapwing, and a kingfisher. Peregrine, a female hen harrier, and 1 red kite. 19 cormorants had arrived at the roost by the time I left (last light).
Superb male hen harrier soaring around over Foel Fawr at mid day, and a male merlin at the back of Furnace yesterday pm.

Ynyslas/Borth Bog

4 Velvet Scoter off the Ynyslas brickhouse this afternoon. A female Shoveler was at the mouth of the Leri. On Borth Bog there were 3 Barn Owls, a female Merlin, a Water Rail, 3 Cetti's Warblers and a fine Water Pipit feeding along the banks of the Leri.

Tanybwlch

I was expecting more water on the fields this morning after the recent heavy rains; nevertheless there were 28 Teal on the flooded area, plus 12 Curlews and 19 Oystercatchers.

GLANDYFI

  This afternoon: 2 Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a pair of Goosanders and a female Goldeneye, all on the right side of the County line.
   Later at the gull roost on College Rocks, Aberystwyth we noticed an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Wader fest at Ynys Tachwedd

At high tide this morning I went and looked at Ynys Tachwedd fields and I was greeted by a superb gathering of birds. Estimates of the birds present included 1100 Golden Plover, 400 Dunlin, 300 Lapwing, 40 Curlew, 60 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 20 Oystercatchers, 29 Stock Doves, 100 Teal (400+ more in Leri mouth area), 40 Pintail, 50 Mallards, 50 Skylarks and 40 Linnets.

A brief seawatch from the brickhouse produced a flock of 12 Dunlin and 4 adult LBBG's flying north.

Ynys Tachwedd/ Borth Bog

male Merlin, 30 Curlews, 500 Lapwings and 200 Black-headed Gulls at Ynys Tachwedd fields this afternoon. Ringtail Hen Harrier and 2 Barn Owls hunting around Glandwr pool this evening

Glandyfi and Ynys-hir

Glandyfi yesterday late pm. No owls but superb views of a female hen harrier, 1 common sandpiper, 4 goosander and 2 goldeneye.

Ynys Feurig hide again very good this morning Highlights: 1 goosander, 1 red breasted merganser, 7 black-tailed and 1 bar-tailed godwit, 220 teal, 7 shoveler, 4 dunlin, 140 curlew and 400 lapwing. Single sparrowhawk and red kite the only raptors. 4 red legged partridge on the edge of Ynys Edwin.

Dick Squires

Glandyfi yesterday morning

High tide.  Kestrel, merlin and female hen harrier on the Meirionydd saltmarsh - at one time all in view from the scope at the same time.  Other birds included 24 common gulls, 2 goldeneye and a red kite.

Dick Squires

Pendam

Yesterday there were four Goldeneye, including a male, on Llyn Syfydrin.
On the way up to the Pendam lakes a large flock of small birds had been attracted to some garden feeders.  This included at least 30 Siskins, 15 Chaffinches, 15 Goldfinches and two pairs of Greenfinches.

Chris Bird

Auks at Bird's Rock

I was walking past Bird’s Rock two days ago (5^th) and found that the auks were on one of their temporary visits. The razorbills were mainly on the water and the guillemots on the ledges. On a ledge opposite the landward side of Carreg Draenog the guillemots were packed tightly. There were around 50 birds visible with their heads towards the cliff face. The birds nearest the cliff were lying flat beak to tail and packed together like sardines in a tin so that the white under plumage was not visible. Is this normal behaviour?

Viv Evans

Ynys Feurig hide at high tide

Spent a very enjoyable hour there this morning.

Highlights on the  flood in front of the hide 340 teal, 11 shoveler, 5 black tailed godwits, 1 spotted redshank, 75 dunlin On the estuary side 200 dunlin, 1 bar-tailed godwit, 3 red breasted merganser, 2 great crested grebes.

On the grazing marsh 600+ golden plover, c 1000 lapwing and 150 curlew. Everything put up by an amazing flight display by a very playful peregrine. It caused mayhem!

Dick Squires

White-fronted Geese and Firecrest

This morning, near the mouth of the Clettwr, two Peregrine flew by and there were 8 White-fronted Geese, largely obscured from view, in reeds some distance away to the east of the river. I then went to the Glandyfi layby where I saw nothing of particular interest until a Firecrest turned up and put on a splendid display in the trees immediately in front of me.

Print 2

Harry, you're a star-many thanks for that: I can SEE IT now! :-)

Print size

I have some sympathy for Kev's comment about Russel's post.  Sometimes when you copy and paste a piece and post it on the blog the print size can very small, so I have enlarged the Willow Tit appeal to a more normal size.
Having said that, when writing out a piece for the blog, I can't see any reason why we can't stick to the usual default font and size, i.e. this one.

Old fogeys...help!

A plea : thanks John for your readable text-I didn't have to get the magnifying glass!!! However Russell has written something re Willow Tits which is illegible to us pensioners-please spare us a thought old friend!

TURNSTONES

The 38 Turnstones were again along the shore by the pier at Aberystwyth this morning.

King Eider

Very few birds around Ynyslas at high tide this morning.  The highlight was the King Eider, which flew from the direction of the point towards the mouth of the Leri.

Willow tit survey

Hello all,

Following severe declines in much of its range a national willow tit survey is being organised by the RSPB and Welsh Ornithological Society in 2019 and 2020.

Within Wales, Ceredigion is one of the core counties for this species and the survey organisers are asking for volunteers to help carry out surveys in selected tetrads.

A playback method will be used to survey Willow Tits during the pre-breeding season when the birds are territorial, and covering all potentially suitable habitat in the survey tetrad. Based on trial work on Willow Tit responsiveness to playback and detectability, the survey period will be from mid-February to mid-April 2019, with surveying from half-an-hour after dawn until midday. Surveys will be conducted on all suitable habitat within tetrads, using a standardised playback method (transects at 200m intervals, stops every 200m, playback for 2 minutes then a 2 minute wait).

If you would like to take part in this vitally important survey please contact annebrenchley@imsab.myzen.co.uk for a list of available tetrads and for any queries on the survey.

Many thanks

Russell  

RED GROUSE

While walking up the Donkey Path in Aberystwyth this morning I flushed a Red Grouse, probably a refugee from inland snow. which then flew north towards Constitution Hill. 

Len Kersley
(Len sent this to me last Thursday while I was away}

Llyn Eiddwen

On his usual Sunday afternoon visit to Llyn Eiddwen, Chris found 42 Mallard, four Teal, seven Tufted Ducks and five Goldeneye, including an unusual male here.

Short-eared Owl

From the Domen Las hide at Ynys-hir I watched a Short-eared Owl hunting at around 2 o'clock this afternoon.

Martin Creasser

Llanerchaeron and Cross Inn

Marsh Tit at Llanerchaeron then Goshawk and Green Woodpecker at Cross Inn Forest.

Andy James

Weekend birding

Had an afternoon out on Saturday with Jason Burk at Llanrhystud, the Lime Kilns, Llansantffraed and Morfa Farm to Graig Ddu. There was a cold NW wind which didn't help things but managed oystercatcher. curlew, wigeon, redshank, ringed plover, golden plover, lapwing, cormorant, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, blue tit, robin, BH gull, herring gull, GBB gull, rook, carrion crow, skylark, grey wagtail, raven (carrying a small rabbit), red kite, buzzard and the highlight was a pair of peregrines. 

On Sunday I ventured up to Llyn Eiddwen for mallard, tufted duck, teal, goldeneye 4 female and one male), red kite and a stunning ringtail hen harrier to the western shore of the lake.

Shane Jones

Glandyfi, Sunday

Spent 30 mins in the lay by today. 1 green sandpiper, 1 common sandpiper the best birds. Other sightings included 1 goldeneye, 2 red kites, 2 buzzards and 4 mute swans.

Dick Squires

Academic black redstart

I had a glimpse of the male black redstart from the quad of University of Wales Trinity Saint David Lampeter (to give its correct name). Outside a nuthatch repeated four notes.

Cors Caron

Good birding to be had without leaving the car park; singing/calling Willow Tit and fly by Little Egret.

Ynys-hir

Great birding again this morning from Ynys-hir’s Ynys Feurig hide.

The morning began with good close views of a male goshawk soaring directly over the hide  and then, in bright sunshine,  a female hen harrier came in from across the saltings. 7 grey plover and a black tailed godwit, 250 dunlin feeding on the estuary. 3 red kites over the grazing marsh. The main flooded area was frozen hard with only a few lapwing and curlew on the grassland and a few duck trying to land, eg 30 teal and a single shoveler.

On the walk down there were 4 mute swans, 3 red legged partridge on Ynys Edwin bog, and a calling lesser spotted woodpecker directly behind the hotel.

Dick Squires

Urban Woodcock

A Woodcock flying low over the Welsh Govt office carpark in Aberystwyth was a nice surprise at 5.30 this evening. Silhouetted against the last of the evening light, it was heading from the Park Avenue direction towards the rugby ground and Plas Crug.

Ynyslas - Ynys-hir

Today at Ynyslas: offshore, 8 common  scoter. 3 velvet scoter white wing bars showing in flight.

1 great crested grebe, c20  golden plover and a sparrowhawk

Ynys hir 3 barnacle geese. 1 f hen harrier (ring tail).

Nick Hudson

February field trip

Details of the next outing are now on the Field Trips page of the blog.

Glandyfi

Spent half an hour there this morning.

3 buzzards, 2 red kites, 2 GBBG’s, 2 ravens on or around the sheep carcase. Female hen harrier over the saltings. 2 goldeneye, 1 black tailed godwit and a common sandpiper on the river.

Dick Squires

Grey Wag and Black Red

Much to my surprise, a grey wagtail was happily feeding amongst the parked cars on the forecourt of Bow Street Spa this afternoon (Thursday). I've read elsewhere that a Black Redstart was seen yesterday (Weds) on the Lampeter University campus.

Dave Thomas

Afon Cletwr Thursday afternoon

Walked down the Cletwr from Craig y Penrhyn. Began very well with a merlin chasing starlings over Lodge farm. Other birds seen included single kestrel, 3 red kites, 30 golden plover, 450 lapwing. There was  a massive flock of 900 Canada geese on fields close to the railway but no sign of the Greenland white fronts.

I’m still waiting to see a water pipit!

Dick Squires