Buzzard Rescue

For a short while this afternoon I was nurse to an injured/distressed Buzzard.
Jacqui found the bird, unable to fly, whilst walking nearby.
I think it is a full adult, apart from not being able to fly it looks in good condition.
Luckily I was able to contact someone who takes in injured wildlife and she took him off me. 
Good luck old boy - or girl!

Aberystwyth and Hafod

Very little at sea yesterday morning, but to make up for it there were 19 Med Gulls on College rocks and a Peregrine on Consti.  What I enjoyed most was the sight of a few Swifts feeding over the town.

 Ian's posts remind me that I vistited Hafod one day last summer and determined to have a look round the area next spring (i.e. this spring).  Being me I never got round to it.  Still, there's always next spring and it must be worth a look in winter.

Coed Bwlchgwallter

I enjoyed going to Hafod so much yesterday that I had to go back this morning. I tried to push myself a bit more into the forestry adjoining the estate to the south and found 4 more Wood Warblers.

21st century birding man

Ventured north for a hike round the "Gentleman's walk" on the Hafod estate. Being in step with fast changing social developments I allowed my wife to accompany me. We'd forgotten just what a wonderful place it is. I counted 9 Crossbills on my way round, all singles. Also 5 Wood Warblers, and I dare say that if we'd come a month ago I might have heard a few more.

at work

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers were at Henllan today. Also 4 Swifts at Glynarthen. I think they nest in the chapel. I see them every year but not 2019, until today, even though I pass through twice each week. Very, very late or maybe just away on feeding trips due to the cool, wet weather previously? Either way, it was great to see them swooping about screaming.

Med Gulls at Aberystwyth

At 6.00pm yesterday there were 55 Med Gulls on College Rocks. Among them were three colour-ringed birds, two green and one white, unfortunately too distant to read.

Chris Bird

Tregaron Bog

Green Sandpiper and Hobby at Tregaron Bog this evening.

Swifts

Just to give an idea of how "swift" these little critters are -
I've spent ages trying to photograph them entering and/or leaving my swift box,
this is the best I've got.  And it was taken with the camera set at 11 frames per second - all three images were taken in less than 1 second.

More Med Gulls

On the rocks by the caravan park to the north of the beach car park at Llanrhystud was a very good count of 78 Mediterranean Gulls, plus at least 95 Black-headed, five Lesser Black-backed and a juv Common. 
A strange thing happened as I was gull-counting.  A party of around 20 Manx Shearwaters flew in towards the rocks, looking almost like a flock of waders about to land. They then veered away, out to sea again then made another couple of similar circuits.
There was hardly another gull anywhere along the coast between there and the cliffs south of Llanon.
Quite a few Painted Ladies around too.

More Willow Tits at Cross Inn Forest and Bethania

Went out this morning seeking further potential sites as part of the national survey, and the RSPB playback device once again yielded several birds (6 at 5 sites). Two were south of the B4577 at 548642 and 552638. Another was at the T junction in the centre of the forest; 563651. A pair and a single were on the northern edge in the Gors/Cnwc/Curlews Haunt area;581658 and 584656. There is more suitable looking habitat at the southeastern corner too which I haven't checked yet (Nant y Garth Isaf/Gors y Cwn). The playback device attracts the attention of other birds too I've noticed. And not just birds. I lured in a friendly cat who followed me around the Curlews Haunt area and a not so friendly dog who chased me away from Gors. My OS Explorer map must be very out of date. A Little Grebe was present just north of the crossroads in Bethania on a quite substantial pool that is not marked on my copy.

Puffins

Couple of Ceredigion Puffin records yesterday via Twitter - one off New Quay and another of Aberporth. While we don't get many records of Puffin in the county I suspect they are fairly regular given the large breeding colonies to the south of us.

Mediterranean Gulls

It's time for the start of the annual Med Gull influx and sure enough Chris found two on the rocks at Aberystwyth this afternoon; an adult summer and a second year bird.
Chris had a look at the Grey Heron nest at Nanteos on Friday and despite restricted views found there were at least two well-grown young in there.

Cross Inn Forest

An enjoyable walk at Cross Inn Forest yesterday afternoon.  Two Spotted Flycatchers (different locations), a male and two female Redstarts, Tree Pipit, three Stonechats, Kestrel, Whitethroat, Linnets, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and good numbers of singing warblers.

Paul Bennett

Crossbills

I had a pair of crossbills today near Llwyn Prysg, the first I have seen around here in about 12 years.

I spent a couple of hours in the Pendam area last Friday on the lookout for nightjars, with no success. But on another night, who knows.

Jerry Moore

Ynys-hir Red-breasted Goose

 My 14 year old son took this picture of a Red-breasted Goose at Ynys-Hir in April.

Melissa Davies

Although an escape, it's a beautiful bird.  Let's hope a wild one turns up round here one day. It's on the Welsh list and not beyond the realms of possibility.

Whinchat at Llanrhystud

Paul B had a very bright male Whinchat just north of the lime kilns at Llanrhystud yesterday morning: an unusual date for a passage bird.

Unusual nest site

John Davis has sent this photograph of a Herring Gull which has built a nest in a very vulnerable place in the centre of Aberystwyth.
This behaviour is not unknown in Herring Gulls; their choice of nesting sites is sometimes eccentric, and, as John says, this bird is still immature.
For obvious reasons, I haven't given details of the location.

Great Northern Diver

A Great Northern Diver flew north off Aberystwyth this morning.

Bethania

Using an RSPB playback device this morning picked up 3 widely spaced Willow Tits, suggesting 3 territories, at the following grid refs.
569628, 565633, 558632.

Green Sandpiper

My first Green Sandpiper of the 'autumn' at Tregaron Bog this evening.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Yesterday Paul told me that last Monday he was out walking near Cilcennin when a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flew into a nearby tree.  A regular dog walking spot where he has never encountered this species before.

Spoonbill at Ynys-hir

Paul Bennett and I visited Ynys-hir this morning and from the  Ynys Feurig hide I was working my way through at least 2000 Canada Geese out on the saltmarsh/sandbanks when I picked out a large white bird among them.  Paul and I and the other occupant agreed that it looked like a Spoonbill, but due to distance and heat haze we were delighted  to see it eventually fly to be 100% certain of the i.d. It didn't fly far, but landed where the heat haze was even worse.
Pick of the other birds was a Tree Pipit on Covert Coch, a Grasshopper Warbler heard by Paul and 16 Goosanders on the river (including seven seen from the Glandyfi layby, where we started).
Also at Glandyfi was a Common Sandpiper.

P.S.  Forgot to mention.  A quick look at the sea at Aberystwyth before setting off revealed a distant feeding flock of  several hundred Manx Shearwaters.

Choughs and chicks

Had a very pleasant walk this morning along the coastal path to the viewpoint just south of New Quay. Lots of Auks and Gulls as expected, a pair of Whitethroat, dozens of Linnets many in family parties, a male Kestrel and a single Chough accompanied by a juvenile seen several times during the walk.

Martin Creasser

British Birds (journal)

I have a few old copies of British Birds looking for a new home.

Vol 88 (1,7,8,9,10), Vol 87 (1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,12), Vol 86 (9,11), Vol 85 (1,2,8,9,10,12), Vol 82 (2,3,4,5,6,8,9,11,12), Vol 80 (6,8), Vol 77 (1,2,6,8,9,10,11), Vol 76 (1,2,3,5).

Please contact naomi.davis25@gmail.com

Naomi Davis

Nightjars

As we seem to be talking nightjars I'll just mention that I had just one from the Cors Fochno boardwalk a couple of nights ago.

I will get up to Pendam soon to see what I can find.

Jerry Moore

Nightjars on Covert coch, Ynys-hir

Highlight of the walk last night was a superb male nightjar on the peat bog, and a couple of grasshopper warblers. This made up for a disappointing 40 minutes in the Ynys Feurig hide where birds were hard to come by - highlights were 2 adult lapwings and 3 redshank. 7 mallard and 4 Canada geese the only wildfowl. The estuary was very quiet -the highlight was 3 curlew, and 2 little egret.
Great to hear about Bob's success with a swift box.

Swifts

A pretty rubish photo, but so far it's the best I've got.  A swift entering one of my boxes yesterday.
They're just so quick - they whiz into the box without even wiping their feet.

At last a Nightjar

I went to Cross Inn forest again last night and after several previous visits when I only heard the Nightjars one finally decided to fly for me albeit a single flypast.

Martin Creasser.

Swifts - beautiful swifts

We've had swift boxes on our house for about 9 years now.  Last year, for the first time one of the boxes was occupied, but I don't think they bred.  This year I'm hoping that after all these years we really do have a breeding pair.  I've been watching regular activity these last few days - indicating that probably there's a bird incubating eggs with regular visits from a mate who's feeding her. 
I've taken quite a few photos, but they're all rubbish.
Wish me luck...

Ynys-hir walk

A dreary start soon turned into a beautiful sunny walk at Ynys-hir this morning. Lots of frantic feeding activity especially Blackcaps and Sedge Warblers. A nice Grasshopper Warbler stayed for a few seconds on a post on the path to the saltings hide. Nice to hear the commoner warblers still singing everywhere,

and to see the Brimstones again while walking without a jacket on.

Martin Creasser

Food for the chicks?

 Earlier today I was driving along Park Avenue in Aberystwyth when a Peregrine flew across the road  in front of me.  It appeared to be maintaining height with some difficulty, no doubt due to the very large prey item clutched in its talons.

Ynyslas

Shortly before high tide this morning a roost of 45 Dunlin and 10 Ringed Plovers had gathered near the tern posts.
On the way there I had a good look at the sea at Borth and found-----one Gannet.

More from C.B.

There were 24 Great Black-backed Gulls on a sandbank at Ynyslas last Friday; the majority sub-adults, and a Stock Dove on a ploughed field at Ynys Tachwedd.
At the local lakes on Sunday afternoon, ca35 Swifts at Llyn Eiddwen and 14 at Llyn Fanod.

Chris Bird

Aberystwyth seawatch

Nothing unusual offshore for the time of year, but plenty of activity nevertheless.  Manx Shearwaters ever present, passing in both directions in good numbers; several hundreds at least.   A minimum of 45 Kittiwakes went south into the fresh wind, as did eight Common Scoter and two Fulmars, one of which had a good look round Constitution Hill before continuing.
Very few Gannets; I only managed half a dozen distant birds then just before I left, three unexpected Black-headed Gulls passed by.
A Grey Seal just off the point popped its head up occasionally.

Yellow Wagtail

I had a brief view of a Yellow Wagtail at Ynys-hir this morning.  Walking from the Saltings Hide, as I reached the railway bridge the bird took off from the large grassy area and disappeared towards Marian Mawr hide.
Apart from that, no other noteworthy birds seen during my 90 minute visit.

Sightings from Chris Bird

It's getting towards the very end of spring wader migration now, so just four Dunlin at the Ynyslas high tide yesterday, though Chris also had brief views of a probable Green Sandpiper flying over the Leri.
A good showing of ca40  Swifts at Llyn Eiddwen on Saturday.

Red-legged Partridge at Cnwch Coch

This afternoon there was a Red-legged Partridge feeding in a field by the road going uphill to Cnwch Coch.

Greenfinch

One was calling this morning in my garden, my first local record for a handful of years, I think.

That pond near Bont-goch

..... which I understand is known locally as Llyn Mynydd-Gorddu..(OS 673859) 

I made another visit this morning and found coot (2 birds seen), moorhen, little grebe, and two pairs tufted duck. 

Also two more stock doves but nearer Salem this time, so probably different birds to those seen recently.

Jerry Moore

More Nightjars

Last night John, Jill and I had an outing to Cors Fochno, where we joined up with Bob. It was encouraging to have the constant presence of Swifts while we were waiting: difficult to count, but up to fifteen at a time.
Then a calling female Nighjar treated us to the first of several fly pasts, followed by a prolonged period of churring by at least one , probably two males.
The other highlight was two Cuckoos; a distant calling bird and one which flew over us and into a nearby tree.  Also, Sedge, Garden and Willow Warbler still singing well into the dusk.

Glandyfi at low tide

Half an hour at low tide this morning. Osprey soaring above me for 10 minutes before drifting off down the estuary. 9 redhead goosander, 2 little egret by Domen las. Redshank pair  with young opposite the lay-bye, and good to see a lot of activity with adults mobbing crows at the estuaries main breeding site on the Meirionnydd saltmarsh. Close views of 2 incubating oystercatcher, including the one on the old boathouse wall by the hide. A shelduck brood, the first I've seen this year. House martins still collecting mud from the Dyfi for the colony on the tower of Glandyfi castle.

Penrhiwllan round-up

It is all but quiet here, filling bird feeders up on a daily basis, so far in the garden we have had the following birds fledge successfully;

blue tit

great tit

robin

dunnock

great spotted woodpecker 

chaffinch

goldfinch

greenfinch (first time for 9 years, 3 juveniles)

blackbird

All the above have had juveniles at or around the feeders

The coal tits and nuthatches are back and fore to the feeders taking food away so I would expect to see their young soon, also the siskins and bullfinches are coming to feed but to date no young, we have at least 4 pairs of siskin  feeding. There are pairs of both song and mistle thrushes in the garden but again no young birds seen.

The crows, jays, magpies and wood pigeons again are always in the garden but again no young showing yet.

For a change this morning a fine male pheasant arrived at one of the feeders, nice to see a different species.

There was a lot of warbler activity earlier on in the year but now very quiet.

Ian Burgess 

Nightjars on Foel Fawr

Neil has conducted nightjar surveys this week on Foel Fawr (part of RSPB Ynys-hir)  2 evenings in a row and has heard 2 males whilst sitting on the bench on the middle path.

Bev Dimmock

Near Bont-goch

There were three stock doves near Bont-goch yesterday.

There were little grebes, coot and some moulting mallard on a pond below Mynydd Gorddu (OS 673859) yesterday. It looks to have more wildlife potential than most north Ceredigion water bodies.;  it is marked as a disused reservoir on the OS map . I wondered if anyone ever popped up there to have a look?

Jerry Moore

Castle Point

Helen and I had an almost birdless seawatch this morning, until a line of 10 Greylag Geese heading north offshore saved the day.

Nightjars

A successful outing to Cross Inn Forest last night.  At least two churring male Nightjars  as a female made several appearances at close range while it was still fairly light.

Wood Warblers

There's a forest track not far from here - about a mile or so south of Eglwys Fach on the eastern side of the A487, where I sometimes take Buster and Dolly.  I don't remember it being a particularly good area for Wood Warblers before, but this year it seems to have attracted quite a few.  This afternoon I heard 5 or 6 during a short stroll there and I saw one adult bashing the life out of a caterpillar it had in its beak.  There were two more calling close by, so I guess they were youngsters begging to be fed.
Willow Warbler and Goldcrest also seen.

Allt Olmarch

Cool, chilly, breezy. How I yearn for those hot February days. This private wood lies half way between Lampeter and Tregaron and is about 1km square in size. Graham, the owner, is always telling me that he has to defend his practice of maintaining it as a coniferous plantation against those who feel that such a place is devoid of wildlife. Birds present this morning inc. 20 singing Blackcaps, 3 Wood Warblers, as well as Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers and Whitethroat, a Crossbill and a calling Willow Tit. The latter appear to have been continuously present at this site since at least 2007.

Cwm Einion and Glandyfi

A quick stop at Glandyfi at low tide yesterday - fairly quiet, other than large groups of Canadas with young. A female goosander, both ospreys at the nest, 3 little egrets. Breeding waders markedly absent with no sign of any lapwing, only 6 redshank on the north side of the river. Oystercatcher nest at Domen las still going strong. No sign of any migrant waders.
The lower part of Cwm Einion just above Furnace excellent, with  good numbers of wood warbler in the broadleaf/conifer mix. Highlight was a  singing spotted flycatcher, 2 crossbills, and lesser redpoll.  We've got 3 pairs of pied flycatcher at Pandy this year.

Swifts

 At least 50 swifts over Llanddewi Brefi  at 10.00 this morning. Probably birds moving in front  of rain.

David Price

Llyn Eiddwen etc.

This afternoon there were 14 Swifts over Llyn Eiddwen and a Cuckoo calling.
Two Nightjars showed well at close range yesterday evening at a site near Joppa.

Chris Bird

Aberystwyth to Ynyslas

During a 40 minute seawatch from the castle this morning, 740 Manx Shearwaters, nine Gannets, four Kittiwakes, two Razorbills and a Fulmar went north.

Strangely enough, not a single manxie in Borth Bay a short time later, just two Common Scoters and two Kittiwakes.

At Ynyslas were 14 Sanderlings and 12 Ringed Plovers on sandbanks in the estuary.

Little Egret in breeding plumage at Ynyslas