Tregaron Bog railway walk

A walk from the main carpark to just beyond the railway hide this evening produced a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Willow Tits, 7 Garden Warblers, 30 Willow Warblers, a Cuckoo, a male Kestrel, two pairs of Curlew and a pair of Redshank on Maesllyn. Also around 15 Swifts were zipping around Tregaron when I arrived home this evening. Recently I came across 3 singing Sedge Warblers on territory around the pool at SN773564 (east of Llyn Berwyn) felt strange to find them breeding in such an area.

Cwm Brefi

 More birds present than on the 14th. 6 Whinchats in the upper section. 4 Spotted Flycatchers were at widely separated locations between the village and Aberdaudwr. A Cuckoo was in the upper valley with another over the hill on Waun Brynmeiniog. A Wood Warbler was in Pentre Rhew. No Yellowhammers, alas.

Tried for Nightjar last night (until 10.30) at the clearing in Long Wood, but no joy.

Cors Fochno Nightjars

 I had brilliant views of the Nighjars at Cors Fochno last night (30th). On arrival at the Carpark at 9:15pm and while walking anticlockwise around the boardwalk there were short snippets of churring. But the real activity started about 9:45pm, where the view opens out, here the churring became more intense and several birds both male and female gave fantastic close views, a pair even flying right over our heads. As well as churring there was a lot of wing clapping and the frog like calling. I only stayed 20 minutes, the views of the birds were so good and the midges were so bad!

Martin Creasser

Tetrad survey (Llyn y Gwaith/Bryn Coch) above Llanddewi Brefi

Almost entirely forestry clear fell in various stages of regeneration. Cuckoos at Llyn y Gwaith and lower down towards Clywedog. Considerable numbers of Willow Warblers (est. 60 singing males) and Siskins (est. 30 singing males).

Llanrhystud

 There was a pair of Shelduck on the flooded field at Llanrhystud first thing this morning then later on the sea. A Common Gull, 22 Sandering, 17 Ringed Plover, and 8 Dunlin on the beach and two Fulmars flying north.

Martin Creasser

Puffin off New Quay

I took a trip down to New quay yesterday to see the nesting seabirds before I head back home for the summer. Plenty of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and a couple of fulmars along with an unexpected puffin seen from a tour boat. I spotted it in flight amongst the other auks, it flew out to sea in a southernly direction.

Ewan Turner

New Quay, Saturday

 Pair Chough busily collecting food from cow-field on New Quay Head.Some Chough activity east of seawatching hide also. Unsure if same pair.

Female Goosander flew level with Seawatch Shelter towards New Quay along coastObviously excellent numbers of Guillemot, Razorbill and Kittiwake around the nesting cliffs.Many Gannets.Shags.3 Manxies east.Stonechats songflighting. Linnets. Rock Pipits.Pair Bullfinch. Whitethroat singing.

At least 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphin offshore.

Good numbers of House Martin around seafront and small parties of screaming Swift over the beach in the evening.Rookery doing well behind Costcutters.

Phil Baber & Pam Buckle

Cors Caron

 A walk yesterday evening on the railway walk revealed 4 willow warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 blackcap and on Maesllyn Lake there were 1 Coot and 1 Moorhen. On the circular walk there were 5 Meadow Pipits, 6 Reed Buntings, 2 Whinchats and 1 Skylark. . Also an Adder was seen.

Will Davies

Wanderers return

 Swifts finally back today with 4 in Aberbanc, 4 in Penrhiwllan and 6 in Henllan.

Aberystwyth

 Ewan was at Castle Point when I arrived and John joined us later.  Visibility not great but there wasn't much out there anyway, just a few manxies, the odd Gannet and a couple of Fulmars.  Inshore, five Turnstones went south and Ewan picked up a northbound Sanderling and two Grey Herons on his final session on the prom before heading back to England until September.

Llanrhystud

 A flock of 35 sanderling at Llanrhystud this morning. 

Re the Llanrhystud Long-tailed Skua, different to the Llanelli bird as it had a complete, long tail (ref pic by Waine Foster).

Arfon Williams. 

 

Ynyslas

 As on Wednesday, waders were dropping in near the tern posts/Leri mouth on the rising tide this morning before continuing on.  A mixed party of ca30 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, two  Sanderlings and a late Whimbrel.

G N Diver update

Martin tells me the Great Northern Diver was still off Llanrhystud at 10:00am, drifting slowly south. 

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

A GND in non-breeding plumage was feeding off-shore at Llanhystud early this morning.

Nightjars

 Ewan and I went back to Cors Fochno last night for another attempt at Nightjars.  Just after 9:30 the first bird started churring, and from then on we were treated to some of the longest and most frequent churring and calling that I've ever witnessed.  

At least two male and two female birds present; we had a male and two females in the air together at one point and the birds gave us a fantastic aerial display until around 10:00pm when the activity died down somewhat.

Photographs by Ewan Turner.

PS  The midgies were ferocious last night, but one other person was out there braving the swarms; none other than Ina Smith.

Yellowhammer at Ystumtuen

Having read in the Ceredigion Bird report and previous contributions in the blog that Ystumtuen was as good a place as any for Yellowhammers, I thought I'd pay it a visit this morning for the first time. As I drove down towards the village itself I heard one singing and pulled over and there it was at the top of a large Hawthorn Tree. I managed a few record shots before it disappeared. I didn't hear or see another. What a beautiful place Ystumtuen is. Best of the rest, a male Redstart fighting its reflection in a house window and at least 2 Cuckoos calling and one seen flying over.

From there I visited some of the reservoirs north of Ponterwyd. The only notable bird seen was a female Merlin on a roadside post on the way back from Nant-y-moch.

Yellowhammer

Martin Creasser

Swifts

 Regarding Ian's comment about Swifts.  I agree there should be a few around Tregaron by now, and they seem to be very scarce everywhere so far.  However, on a more optimistic note there were four or five over Llanilar this morning, though they were very high.

Ynys-hir

 It was a glorious sunny morning today at Ynys-hir, sedge and garden warbler, whitethroat and blackcap were in fine song. The estuary was busy on the ebbing tide with at least 40 oystercatchers making a commotion, 20 curlew, lapwing displaying and 3 great white egrets stalking their prey.  It was excellent to see an Osprey with fish fly by

 Tom Doidge

Tregaron

Walking out of town on the Cwm Berwyn road there were several Flycatchers to be had without having to go too far; 6 Pied and 3 Spotted. Turning right and heading uphill; there was a Cuckoo in Upper Cwm Carfan and about ten singing/displaying Redpolls in Bryn Du. Though I didn't walk round town, being parked in the car park, I only saw a single Swift, when usually several are present. No Greenfinches either. Up to now I have also not seen any Swifts on my route at work (Henllan/Penrhiwllan/Aberbanc), all of these villages normally have a few.

Ynyslas

 On a rising tide this morning just a few waders dropped in by the tern posts before continuing on towards the point.  The highlight was a Greenshank, along with a Sanderling, three Curlews and a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.

The Llanelli to Llanrhystud Long-tailed Skua

Today this bird was on a golf course in Blackpool, heading in the right direction.

Ll;yn Eiddwen

 Lots of aerial insect eaters this afternoon on Chris's visit to Llyn Eiddwen, with a flock of at least 20 Swifts at one end of the lake and a mixed flock of around 60 Swallows and House Martins at the other end.  Wildfowl represented by four Mallard ducklings, a Gteylag Goose and an escaped Pink-footed Goose.

Sabine's Gull at Borth

 A report from Rachael Davey that yesterday evening she watched the Sabine's Gull close inshore at Borth.  The bird was working its way south in the area of the Surrey chipshop.

The Llanrhystud Long-tailed Skua

It is possible that the bird seen at Llanrhystud on 23rd may have been the one near Llanelli on Machynys golf- course last week. I was in Carmarthenshire and had close views of it on 16th.Lacking most of its long tail it was slightly oiled especially on the under-tail coverts plus a small patch on the left side of its neck.

Last chance to see

 In Aberystwyth this morning about 2 hours after high tide there were still 6 Purple Sandpipers feeding on the edge of the rocks halfway down the wooden jetty.

Purple Sandpiper

Martin Creasser

This equals the latest spring date for these birds to be still present in recent times: the latest date on record being 26th May 1932.

Legless birds.

 Well not strictly legless, but missing feet.

  Jerry Moore has pointed out that when he was photographing the Sabine's Gull yesterday he noticed that the bird was missing a foot.  Coincidentally Martin and I discussed this yesterday as we were seawatching.   Apparently its not that unusual to find birds, particularly seabirds, that have lost feet.  Causes include being entwined in fishing line, malformation or predators.  I seem to remember reading years ago of birds resting on the sea being attacked by predatory fish.

Anyway, here it is------photographed by Jerry Moore.

Sabine.s Gull

Long-tailed Skua at Llanrhystud

 The message below was passed on to me by Ian Harrison. who received it from Cynan Jones.

Extraordinary sighting!

Around Noon today, I saw a Long-tailed Skua on the fields above Llanrhystud beach. Pic attached. Fearless. I had no monocular, and took the snap with my phone.

Absolutely extraordinary to watch it lift, circle, return to the bare field (new planting just emerging) to feed.

Cynan Jones

Glaucous Gull - a couple of record shots

First spotted the Glaucous Gull with about 50 Herring Gulls off Castle Point, about 3pm. The gulls then all moved down to the harbour mouth, then some - including the Glaucous, settled on the small beach below the sailing club. Unfortunately they were soon flushed by people and the Glauc headed back out to sea - past Chris.  Appeared to be a first summer.

Aberystwyth update

Latest news from Chris: There is a very late Purple Sandpiper on the wall.  Earlier he watched an immature Glaucous Gull fly out to sea, after being found by Jon Turner.  Finally, the Sabine's Gull was still patrolling the same area about an hour and a half ago. 

Above Llanddewi Brefi

 Spring is late to arrive on the hills but a sunny walk gave nice male Whinchat, singing Willow Warbler, Buzzing Redpolls and several Buzzards, Red Kites and 2 Kestrels.

Martin Perry

Around Tregaron

 A walk along Blaencaron road towards Penfordd yielded 14 Pied Flycatchers (11 male 3 female), 7 Willow warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Redstarts (1 male and 1 female),1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Treecreepers, 2 Nuthatches, 3 Jays, 4 Buzzards and 7 Red Kites.

Will Davies

Sabine's afternoon update

The Sabine's gull is still present at the southern end of South Beach 2.30pm, feeding along the tide edge just opposite the Ridiculously Rich cabin. Very smart!

It's that gull again

 A couple of shots that Martin took as we were watching the bird this morning.  After checking the records I believe that this is the first May record in Ceredigion of this Arctic species.  

Sabine's Gull - the saga continues.

 Martin Creasser was already seawatching when I arrived on the prom this morning.  We joined forces and went up to the castle shelter.  At 8:10 a Sabine's gull flew north past Castle Point which Martin was on to straight away.  The bird did a tour round the bay and then went back to South Bay, We soon made our way to The Hut, from where we watched the bird dip-feeding close inshore and occasionally settling on the sea.  It appeared to find the area between The Hut and the wooden jetty suitable and was still there when we left at 10:10.

PS  When Martin.put the bird on RBA he noticed that it had already been reported from Aberystwyth.  I guessed that Ewan had been out before us, and so it proved.

Sabine's Gull: -Saturday morning

 Sabine’s gull off Aberystwyth:

At about 6:30 this morning I scanned a flock of gulls just in front of the wooden jetty on south beach. I was very pleased to have spotted an adult Sabine’s gull amongst them, it flew around giving very close views for 5-6 minutes before flying further out to sea and heading north along south beach, landing on the sea a number of times.

Ewan Turner

Sabine's Gull at Aberystwyth

Friday afternoon.  2:30 > 4:30 seawatch in atrocious visibility yielded a very close-in adult Sabines Gull feeding with about 20 mixed large Gulls between the pier and the promenade shelter. Apart from a few White flecks on the head it looked full adult - its tail constantly flexed as it fed Tern-like dipping unlike the other Gulls.

Laurie Allen

Apologies for this only just going on the blog.  I was out birding when this email arrived early this morning.  Must treat myself to a smartphone.

Aberystwyth seawatch

Offshore visibility was poor in this morning's SW gale and heavy rain.  Nothing out of the ordinary but I enjoyed close views of many of the birds which did pass by: i.e. 70 Gannets, 120 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Fulmars and 37 Kittiwakes.  Around 40% of the kitties were 1st summer birds.  Lets see what tomorrow brings.

Llyn Eiddwen

Chris Bird's visit to Llyn Eiddwen yesterday afternoon yielded seven Tufted Ducks (three pairs and a male) and a Great Crested Grebe.

He decided not to go up there today, for some reason. 

Nightjar

 There was a Nightjar calling at Cross Inn Forest last night. It called a few times, 'churred' for a very brief moment and then fell silent.

Martin Creasser

Ewan and I tried Cors Fochno last night, without success.  Still a little early, perhaps?

Crossbill

 I had excellent close views of a female Crossbill yesterday afternoon at Cross Inn forestry. My first sighting this year.

Andy James

Cors Caron

 It was great to see a pair of whinchats today from the circular broadwalk at Cors Caron. They were flitting between perches catching insects and the male was looking particularly striking. There were good numbers of swift overhead, cuckoo calling, a grasshopper warbler reeling and curlew bubbling in the distance.

Tom Doidge

Aberleri to Tre'r-ddol

 I started my morning along the Aberleri track again. As usual I saw lots of Sedge Warblers, but this time a couple of Reed Warblers showed themselves (at last) and the Cetti's showed well again on either corner by the Leri. A Kestrel was also being mobbed by a Lapwing.

Then a walk along the lower Cletwr produced nothing other than three Lapwings in a nearby field very angry at the presence of a Grey Heron. Workmen near the bridge at the river mouth probably disturbing other birds

A short stop at Glandyfi layby produced the usual GW Egret. 

Then homeward bound and another stop at Tre'r-ddol where I was very pleased to see my target, a pair of Red-legged Partridges.

Martin Creasser

Warbleropolis (Cross Inn Forest/Bethania)

 A walk through Cross Inn Forest and along the edge of Gors y Cwn (Dog Bog), plus two shorter walks either side of the water bottling plant across the road.

Singing males;

Willow Warbler 97, Chiffchaff 47, Whitethroat 21, Blackcap 27, Sedge Warbler 1, Tree Pipit 2, Redpoll 12. Six Garden Warblers were all around the bottling plant area. I heard 2 Wood Warblers singing in mature conifers; one in the centre of the forest and one at the very far end. There were some notable absences, but especially Cuckoo. Usually 2-3 about. I hope others have had more luck with this species in this particular area.

A pair of Little Grebes were on a pond in Bethania 576638 and another pair were above Trefilan 552590. However, the surprise of the day was on my way home from Bethania when I spotted 3 Lapwings calling/displaying in fields along Afon Arth at 567623 near a property called Talwrn.

Herring gull nest

 A convenient place to nest if you have to catch the early train from Aberystwyth to London.

Arthur Chater.

Aberystwyth

 There were 10 Turnstones on the rocks at Castle Point this morning, looking resplendent in the sunshine.  Offshore, up to around 40 Gannets feeding and a passage of a few hundred Manx Shearwaters.

On Saturday a Razorbill was on the sea.

Cors Caron

 A walk between showers this morning on Cors Caron railway walk produced 4 male and 3 female Blackcaps, 2 Redstarts, 6 Chiffchaffs, 7 Willow warblers, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Nuthatches, 2 Treecreepers, 3 Wrens, a male and female Bullfinches,.

On Maesllyn lake there was only 2 Coot. On the circular walk there was 2 Reed Buntings and 7 Meadow pipits.

There were a mixture of House Martins and Swallows (circa around 70 in total) in front of the hide on the circular walk.

Will Davies

Nant Clywedog Ganol, above Llanfair Clydogau

 Single Cuckoo, Marsh Tit and Spotted Flycatcher plus 4 Pied Flys and 6 Garden Warblers.

Llyn Mynydd Gorddu

 I was pleased to see a snipe in the wetland at the back of the lake, but apart from two female mallards with two ducklings between them, all the duck had gone awol.

Several little grebes were very active and noisy, and coot and moorhen were seen.

Jerry Moore

Ynys-hir

 Ynys-hir today:

Very pleased to have also seen the Squacco heron at Ynys-hir this morning. It was flushed by the train and hung around in the trees for quite some time. Also seen: lots of Pied Flycatchers, 3 redstarts, great white egret, 2 curlew, one grasshopper warbler and lots of cetti’s, reed and sedge warblers.

Ewan Turner

Llyn Eiddwen

Chris found two Cuckoos at Llyn Eiddwen this afternoon, and an unseasonal male Tufted Duck. 

High tide at Patch

 With the tide full in at Patch there was a nice mixture of smaller birds in the gorse and scrub beyond the caravans. Easy to view were whitethroats, linnets, a pair of bullfinches, a stonechat and my first spotted flycatcher of the year.

John Ramm

Success!

 Bob  and I met up this morning at Ynys-hir for a crack at the Squacco Heron. A few other people in situ so we settled down to wait.  After an hour or so I was swearing never to twitch again, as usual on these occasions when there was a call from Martin,, who had just seen the bird flying across the far end of the field.

Luckily I got  straight on to it, as it settled first on a fence, then in a tree, still in full view.  It was still there when Bob and I left about half an hour later, so everybody got a view. 

I was particularly pleased as I missed the first and only previous Ceredigion record, at Aberleri Fields in 2003.

Photo taken by Martin Creasser this morning.  As Martin says,it's a record shot, but it shows the bird as we saw it..

Cwm Brefi/Pentre Rhew

 Great bird at Yys Hir.

Some notable absences above Llanddewi Brefi earlier. Not seen or heard, but usually present; Cuckoo, Wood Warbler, Greenfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting. Numbers of Swifts(3) over the village and Whinchats(3) up the valley were very low indeed.

Otherwise; Stonechat(6 pairs), Spotted Flycatcher(one in the village and one up the valley), Pied Flycatcher (3), one Grasshopper Warbler, a pair of Kestrels and a pair of Dippers.

Squacco Heron at Ynys-hir

 I just found a Squacco heron at Ynys-hir. It’s skulking in an overgrown ditch, we have put directions at the VC to a viewing area where you can see the ditch. Bird is very elusive though.

Tom Kistruck

Llannon to Aberaeron

A very enjoyable walk on Wednesday produced a close encounter with a suprised Peregrine about 20' away on the cliffs near Morfa Mawr. Spent 10 mins watching a Fulmar trying to land by its mate on the cliffs but without success after about 15 attempts. It looks like there are about 3 pairs nesting there. It was the show of flowers that really made the day with a prelonged good year for violets & Primroses. Bluebells almost at their peak with lots of White Campion , some Red Campion , Ragged Robin & about 30 Orchids together with the brilliant yellow of the Gorse contrasting with the blue sea. A relatively easy walk much improved underfoot by the council working party. The pic was taken by a friend in Penrhyncoch on Wednesday. 

Dave Taylor

ABERYSTWYTH

Yesterday evening there were 15 Turnstones and a Dunlin in the harbour.

Llanerchaeron

 Llanerchaeron estate this morning was a pretty rainy start but this place is beautiful no matter the weather or time of year. 40 bird species recorded-

Song & Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Goldcrest,  Treecreeper, Canad Goose, Mallard, Herring Gull, Coal, Blue & Great Tit, Jay, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Pheasant, Buzzard, Red Kite, Dipper, Chaffinch, Bulllfinch, Siskin, Nuthatch, Common Redstart, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Swallow, Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sedge Warbler, Wheatear(a patch first), Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail & Pied Flycatcher.

Andy James

YNYSLAS

A brief visit at high tide this morning to the Leri side: 32 Whimbrels and 54 Ringed Plovers.

Ynyslas

 It was a fine mostly sunny spring day at Ynyslas this morning with the view inland looking more foreboding. Around the mouth of the Leri there must have been at least 10 whimbrel at high tide, wheatears, sedge warblers and whitethroats. On the beach from the brickhouse there were 4 knot some of which were in fine rufous summer plumage, 2 dunlin and a grey plover.

 Tom Doidge

Above Tregaron (Banc Tan yr Allt/Bryn Du/Cwm Carfan)

Birds seen this morning included; Dipper, Cuckoo, Reed Bunting, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Tree Pipit and numerous Redpolls. No sight or sound of any Greenfinches on that edge of town.

Lesser Whitethroats

 Chris has just contacted me to say that as he was watching a Lesser Whitethroat just up the slope behind Spenser's sheds a few minutes ago, it was then joined by another one.

P.S.        There were still two Purple Sandpipers on the sea wall at high tide this morning. 

Reminder: 2019 Ceredigion Bird Report

 Just a reminder to anyone who hasn't got a copy of the 2019 Ceredigion Bird Report.  It is available as a pdf from the editor, Arfon Williams..It also contains an updated complete list of the birds of Ceredigion, compiled by Russell Jones.

For more information and a link to Arfon's email, see the blog post of 1st January 2021.

Aberystwyth seawatch

 Castle point this morning: 

Hundreds of manxies and large numbers of gannets, some of the manxies came the closest I’ve seen them so far.  Also seen was a red-throated diver heading north, 2 fulmar, 1 purple sandpiper on the rocks below and 14 swifts over Aberystwyth.

Manx Shearwater

Ewan Turner

Returning Cuckoo, who knows?

 A calling Cuckoo interrupted my gardening this afternoon. After giving me the runaround I finally found it sitting on the same stretch of electric wire in the next field to my house where I photographed one last June. Same bird perhaps?

Martin Creasser.

Llyn y Gwaith, above Llanddewi Brefi

 Cuckoo seen flying over the lake this morning.

Ynyslas this morning

Ynyslas this morning - Two drake Eiders and two Little Terns in the estuary mouth. Two Yellow Wagtails on the golf course. 

Decent numbers of warblers around with two Garden Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, 14 Whitethroats, 31 Sedge Warblers (clearly an overnight arrival), a Blackcap, a Gropper and 3 Lesser Redpoll in the dune scrub and various reedy ditches.

40 Whimbrel and a Grey Plover at the tern posts. A few hundred Swallows, 70+ House Martins, 10+ Swifts, 11 Greenland Wheatears & 30 Sanderling seen also. Hundreds of small waders on the beach at the brickhouse but they stood little chance against the dogs charging around.

Yellow Wagtail

Garden Warbler

At least 14 Sedge Warblers in and around this ditch first thing this morning

Wood Warblers

At least 3 Wood Warblers singing in the woods up the Artists’ Valley at noon on Sunday.

Wood Warbler

Jo Orchard

Ynyslas and Glandwr Pools

 A windswept walk at Ynyslas today, taking in the beach, dunes and saltmarsh, then onto Glandwr Pools, and returning via Ynys Tachwedd. 

33 bird species were recorded in total, plus our first Small Heath and Wall butterflies of the year. 

The highlights were our first swift of the year, and what we concluded was a distant Marsh Harrier quartering over Cors Fochno, and dropping into the vegetation. The bird was mid-brown all over (no white rump).  The head appeared to be a similar colour to the body, not noticeably cream -coloured. 

The full list was: reed warbler, sedge warbler, reed bunting, whitethroat, cuckoo, willow warbler, wheatear (group of 6 at the edge of the saltmarsh), curlew, oystercatcher, little egret, linnet, swift, marsh harrier, goldfinch, gannet, ringed plover, dunlin, heron, kestrel, red kite, skylark,  mipit, swallow, starling, and the usual array of blackbird, dunnock, robin, pied wagtail, canada goose, house sparrow, mallard, wood pigeon, and herring gull

Aline Denton, Angie Polkey, Elaine Izett

Aberystwyth

I spent 90 mins at Castle Point this morning and saw hundreds of Gannets and Manxies, some relatively close. A pair of Whimbrel spotted by Simon Cox who joined me for part of the time, a small party of Common Scoter heading north, two Rock Pipits bickering and a Shag.

Martin Creasser

Spotted Flycatcher

 Just happened to glance out of my front window and there in the nearest tree was my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year,  Two days later than in 2019 and last year.

Cors Caron

 A walk today on Cors Caron revealed 1 Hobby, a single Whitethroat, 3 Blackcaps,  2 Redstarts, 8 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, 3 Nuthatches, 1 Garden Warbler, up to 25 Meadow Pipits, 2 Curlew, numerous Red Kites and up to 7 Buzzards. Also present were 14 Black-headed Gulls and 4 Lesser black-backed Gulls.

Will Davies

High tide at Ynyslas

There was a constant stream of Swallows coming down the estuary this morning; up to fifty or so visible at a time.  I was positioned between the tern posts and the Leri mouth, where there were Dunlin and a few Ringed  Plovers and Whimbrel at the top of the tide.  Other waders flew in as the tide receded and I ended up with counts of 280 Dunlin, 41 Ringed Plover, 25 Whimbrel, nine Sanderling and a Turnstone.

Then it was round to the boatyard for a look at Ynys Tachwedd fields, where I was soon joined by Simon Cox.  65 Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers were quite flighty and also on the fields were three Whimbrel, four Shelducks and at least five Wheatears.  Simon found a Curlew near the Whimbrel and a Whinchat, which disappeared before I could get on to it, of course.

Dunlin

Llanrhystud

 Didn't see much this morning at Llanrhystud, two Wheatear and lots of Corvids on the flooded field. Parties of Ringed Plover and Dunlins on the Beach with a Turnstone and a Sanderling amongst them and 8 Whimbrel. Two Whitethroats at the Lime Kilns.

Martin Creasser

Pumlumon, Llanrhystud and Tregaron Bog

 I headed up Pumlumon after work on Friday and while I didn’t see any Dotterel I did have a Hobby on the way up and a Kestrel and Red Grouse on the top. 

 Yesterday afternoon at Llanrhystud highlights were 15 White Wags, 5 Greenland Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 12 Whimbrel, 70 Ringed Plovers, 12 Dunlin and a sanderling.  A Little Grebe on the sea off the point was a bit of a surprise.  Stopped off at Tregaron Bog on the way home and had another Greenland Wheatear and 2 Whimbrel from Pont Einion.

Arfon Williams

Cors Caron

 It was a glorious spring day on Cors Caron yesterday with a full compliment of warblers in fine song. The highlight was a good view of a female/ juv Marsh Harrier seen from the circular broadwalk, close to the bog hide.  Nice to hear curlews bubbling in the distance, not such a common sound nowdays. A cuckoo was very vocal and couple of willow tits were also heard and seen close up.

Tom Doidge

UPLAND VALLEY WALK

It was a bright but extremely cold afternoon yesterday at Cyneiniog. In a very

small area of the valley Jill and I watched singing Redstarts, Tree Pipits, Whinchat and enjoyed a clear view of a singing Garden Warbler. A calling Cuckoo remained out of sight. I took some digi-scope shots of a Whinchat and Tree Pipit, although neither of these birds were very close to us.

Aberleri track

 Had a walk along the Aberleri track today from the coast road at Borth over the railway track and up to the Leri and then back. I saw 12 Sedge Warblers and others heard not seen, there must be back to back territories. Towards the end nr the Leri were two Reed Warblers either side but they wouldn't show at all, a Cetti's however, did poke it's head up briefly before then flying over the track. Other birds, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, and a Peregrine heading inland with purpose.

Martin Creasser

Ringed Plovers

 A pair of Ringed Plover on Aberaeron north beach today 6th May  behaved in a manner that suggested they had a nest nearby. It's  a long time since I have seen signs of nesting behaviour here. Do not hold out much hope of success with the amount of human and canine traffic. Good numbers of Whitethroats and a lone Whimbrel.

David Price.

ABERYSTWYTH

A Common Sandpiper was in the harbour early this morning.

Cwm Groes, Tregaron

 Highlights of a sunny walk up Cwm Groes from Tregaron were 2 nice male Pied Flycatchers, 3 Redstarts and 3 Garden Warblers.

Martin Perry

Cors Caron 6th May

 On a walk around Cors Caron yesterday in the late afternoon I heard a Cuckoo/s calling several times and saw one bird in flight, this and two singing Garden Warblers were firsts for me this year. Other birds included a Whinchat, large numbers of Swifts over the boardwalk scything past at head height and point blank range, amazing! Large numbers of Swallows and Martin's. A full supporting cast of Warblers. Treecreeper, Bullfinches and a female Pied Fly in the trees next to Maesllyn lake. A much better experience than I had this morning at Llanrhystud where birds were thin on the ground as per Harry's earlier post.

Martin Creasser 

AFON YSTWYTH, TRAWSGOED

A Common Sandpiper wasa pleasing sighting beside the river.

NEW QUAY

It was a lovely bright morning but with an almost icy wind at times. To the north some of the uplands looked snow covered. The highlight for Jill and I was a Kestrel. It first appeared, motionless in the air by the cliff-top just yards from us. It put in several appearances and during one of them it suddenly gained speed and flew faster than I have ever seen a Kestrel fly. Its target was a Raven, lazily floating above the cliffs. The falcon repeatedly dived-bombed the huge dark bird which would turn on its back, claws extended upwards in defence. Eventually the Raven retreated from what the Kestrel must have judged its airspace and calm resumed. A constant trickle of Swallows flew north and the auks on the cliff ledges uttered their strange calls while Linnets sang from the gorse covered slopes. Stonechats called anxiously and Choughs flew silently by. Magical.

Round tour

 Places visited today were -

Aberaeron North beach.

Maes-llyn lake & The Boardwalk, Cors Caron.

Pant Pool, Llanddewi-Brefi & the Brefi Valley.

Cross Inn forest.

Ty Gwyn pools Cross Inn.

49 bird species recorded included six warbler species. The highlights were-

Coot, Swallow, House & Sand Martin, Whinchat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart & Swift.

Andy James

Hooded Crow, Ynyslas

A Hooded Crow flew south over the estuary and then over the beach early this morning. 700+ Swallows, 20+ House Martins, 15+ Swifts and 7 Tree Pipits went through north. Yesterday morning at Ynyslas the only bird of note was a breeding plumage Great Northern Diver which flew north offshore.

Llanrhystud

 I thought Llanrhystud might be worth a look this morning, and was proved wrong. Nothing on the flooded field and just 38 Ringed Plovers, eight Dunlin and two Whimbrel on the beach.  Add a couple of Wheatears and that was about it.

Cors Caron

 Cors Caron: yesterday

21 swift passing through, all heading north, 2 whinchat, at least 1 cuckoo calling, 1 sand martin and  2 redshank heard..

Ewan Turner

Lesser Whitethroat, Aberystwyth

A Lesser Whitethroat this evening in the scrub by the river behind the police station. Also a Common Sandpiper there, half a dozen House Martins and c30 swallows over the water.

Pumlumon this morning

 

A couple of shots from Pumlumon this morning, taken by 

Andy James  

I'm guessing there wasn't a lot of birdlife up there.

Swift back

 Well I thought this year with such diabolical weather I wouldn’t see the usual Swift back on time but has been the case over the last four or five years it appeared as if by magic in the same box on May 5th so look out Bob they are on the way!!

Tony Clark

Llanrhystud

 Grim at first. Hail and sleet falling, but waders present, mainly on the ploughed field; 57 Ringed Plover, 12 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, 11 Whimbrel and a Snipe. As the rain eased a/the Lesser Whitethroat began singing at the kilns but remained unseen.

Tan-y-bwlch, Aberystwyth

A little-ringed plover briefly at the far end of Tan-y-bwlch yesterday afternoon, sheltering behind a tussock on the last pool then heading over the beach and out to sea. Also 7 whimbrel on the fields, three goosanders (1M, 2F) on the river.

The far north

 Not quite the Arctic but it felt like it at 0645 whilst peering out of the car window at Upper Borth (I tried the brickhouse earlier but gave up after nanoseconds). Lots of gannets (250 plus) and Manx shearwaters struggling north but the only birds of note was a flock of 16 black-tailed godwits moving very slowly north and a dark-phase arctic skua flying occasionally backwards north.

At RSPB Ynys-hir Tom Kistruck had a passage whinchat and all the lapwing chicks seem to be surviving well despite the weather.

After work, a trip to Ynyslas on an ebbing tide was a good idea at the time and a short walk (almost a sprint with the wind behind me) to the Leri mouth was rewarding with 8 sanderling, 5 knot, a turnstone, 720 dunlin, 108 ringed plover and a spring-speckled curlew sandpiper the highlights along with 3 common tern and a little tern.

As hail began, I started back to the car and what was a quick sprint took a long 25 minutes staggering back against the rather cruel windy sand storm.

And guess what, I enjoyed it all!

Ynyslas

 Ynyslas this morning-

Eight Curlew Sandpiper(non-breeding) and a single Little Tern after being sand blasted for 45 minutes.

Andy James

New Quay

  9 Arctic Terns and a Bonxie were the highlights of an hour spent at New Quay this morning.

Arfon Williams

Great Skua off Aberystwyth

 Great skua flying north, close in along the breaking waves. I watched it for several minutes as it flew slowly against the wind, it passed castle point and continued north. Also seen was 4 dunlin and a few manxies and gannets.

Ewan Turner

Chris Bird sightings

 On Saturday Chris visited a small bog near Blaenplwyf and found a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a Stock Dove..He also told me about three more Cuckoos which have been reported to him: near Llyn Fanod, by Ty Nant water, Bethania and between Llangwyryfon and Lledrod. 

New Quay Head

 Yesterday I was on my regular morning route over the headland. I was pleased to hear a grasshopper warbler calling from the hedgerow by the (new) campsite. This is where I have heard them in previous years. On my return there was a bloke with his wife and son throwing stones over the cliff above the auk colony and the kestrel nest site at Banc Bach y Rhowyn. I shouted at them twice to stop but it resulted in them throwing more stones.  

Viv Evans

Swifts and Coed y Bont update

 5 swifts were screaming around Bont in yesterday morning's sunshine, great to see them back. I am getting some scaffolding erected soon and intend to put up a false soffit/fascia with swift nest boxes (as well as fixing the guttering!).

The nearby Coed y Bont has had the larch extracted, basically removing 50% of the upper woodland. It is a mess. I had moved the 40 nest boxes on to 'other' tree species a few years ago in anticipation. Anyway, I was pleased to hear at least 7 male pied flycatchers singing away when I checked the boxes, and some of the boxes had grass-lined nests ready. I didn't hear any wood warblers, although the site has never provided more than 2 or 3 in the past.

Coed y Bont

 

André Marsh

 

Plynlimon and Tregaron bog

 No luck looking for Dotterel on Plynlimon today but highlights of a quick visit to Tregaron Bog were my first Swift of the year, a Great White Egret and my first two Barnacle Geese for the reserve.

Arfon Williams

Aberaeron Goshawk

This morning, Sunday 2nd May, a loud Mistle Thrush alarm call alerted me to a superb Goshawk travelling low at great speed across the garden with what I assume was  Mistle Thrush fledgling in its talons . Magnificent.

Ian Harrison

Cors Ian

A short visit to Cors Ian this morning.  Highlights were a pair of Redstarts and a calling Cuckoo.  On the way home two Wheatears were in a roadside field and somewhere on Comins Pen-y-banc a Curlew was bubbling.

New garden bird, Aberaeron

 A rather shy and retiring Stock Dove was an addition to my garden lisr on Wed 28th .  See them further up the valley but the first in the garden - it looked longingly at the feeders but was bullied by the Woodpigeons.

Ian Harrison

Llanrhystud

This morning at Llanrhystud I saw three Wheatears, two Pied Wagtails and a nice Whinchat on the fenceline next to the path by the field that floods. On the beach there were the usual Dunlin and Ringed Plover but lower numbers, seven Whimbrel and a Barwit.  At the Lime Kilns, in addition to the usual Whitethroats, there was a nice singing Lesser Whitethroat, s male Bullfinch and a stunning male Stonechat.

Lesser Whitethroat

Martin Creasser 

Long Wood

 Hoping to see Wood Warbler this morning. Usually 6-10 present but last year just the one. Some coniferous habitat near the car park which used to hold birds has been cleared in recent years. However, other mature conifers and beech plantations in the centre which always held birds were quiet again. Happily, when I got to the final section (Coed Olwen, at the Lampeter end) 3 males were singing in unison at very close proximity to one another. A fourth was close to where the forest track meets the old ridgeway track, despite considerable clearance thereabouts. Other birds; 3 Tree Pipits, 5 Pied Flycatchers, 19 Willow Warblers, 22 Blackcaps, 35 Chiffchaffs and 3 Garden Warblers. A Roe Deer was near Hobbs Garden, where also the wooden theatre was rotting and returning from whence it came. I once saw a production of Shakespeare there.

Leri bank

From the Leri on Saturday, a water rail 'grunted' very loudly at me near where the path turns down to the golf course. First I've heard there for a long time.

Dave Thomas 

Cors Caron

 The highlight of a visit to Cors Caron this afternoon was 4 whinchat in a field near the farm. Also Garden Warbler (seen and heard) and Cuckoo, plus  good views of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow warbler, Treecreeper and Reed Bunting. 

Whinchat

Aline Denton

Ynys Tachwedd and the Leri

 Couldn't face the Bank Holiday crowds at Ynyslas this morning, so after a look att Ynys Tachwedd fields  (just 16 Whimbrel), I had a walk along the west bank of the Leri from the railway bridge. On the banks were 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 47 Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers.  Reed and Sedge Warblers sang and somewhere over on Cors Fochno a Cuckoo called persistently.  In among a light passage of Swallows were a couple of Sand Martins and a few House Martins.

Cross Inn Forest

 Stayed closer to home this morning with a short walk at Cross Inn Forest. I saw a nice selection of common species including lots of Siskins and Redpolls in display flights and 5 Redstarts. Pick of the birds for me were 2 Tree Pipits, one singing and displaying in the usual area and a quintessential view of a Crossbill female calling from the top of a conifer.

Crossbill female

Martin Creasser.

Merlin

 On an idyllic Cwmtydu to Penbryn walk along the coast path on Friday we had 2 Merlin sightings both seen within 5 metres of us. The first one travelling fast less than a foot above the path & between Cwmtydu & Llangrannog about 1.5 miles apart. Also loads of the large Jellies in the Bay.

 Dave Taylor

Pumlumon on Thursday

 Three of us trawled the summit of Pumlumon on Thursday for dotterel, with no success. We headed north towards Pumlumon Arwystli but before we got there dropped down northwards into Cwm Gwarin, one of the most remote parts of Wales, surely. There were sure signs that sheep have been removed from this part of the massif, with all the vegetation being very rank and luxuriant, which made walking very difficult in places. A new long wire fence had been erected along the length of the valley, and none of the posts or wire being removed. So much for "guardians of the countryside"! There were countless vole holes, so there would be plenty of food for raptors/owls etc.

 Bird life was scarce; however on Craig y March there was a very large stick nest which could have belonged to the buzzard which floated over. It was then attacked mercilessly by a male kestrel for at least ten minutes. So there must be a kestrel nest on the east side of that valley. (Craig yr Eglwys?). There were a few kites and ravens, plus wheatears and stonechats in places. A ring ouzel was heard from Craig y March and there was a dipper on the river near there. We also came across a merlin on our travels. We were knackered when we got back!

Jerry Moore

Colour-ringed Bar-tailed Godwit

 I received the information below about a ringed bar tailed godwit which a friend and I saw last weekend at Llanrhystud. Tony Cross kindly forwarded the photo to a Dutch ringing group.

Photographs by Jason Burk

Aline Denton

As Aline says, she sent the photos to Tony Cross who found out that the bird was ringed by a Dutch group, who provided a history of previous sightings.  

Thanks to Job ten Horn for the history and an article on Research on Bar-tailed Godwits which he also sent.  I will forward this article to anyone who wants it.

Colour code N5GGRG  Catchdate 14 May 2015

Observations

26 May 2015        Sciermonnikoog, 2e-3c slenk        

9   May  2017        Texel,  Schorren HVP noordkant

4   May 2019        Arneland, mudflats near Nes, Netherlands

24  April 2021       Llanrhystud beach, Ceredigion

Tanybwlch

 Tan-y-bwlch yesterday morning:

1 bar-tailed godwit feeding on the sand and 3 common sandpiper flew from the rocks at the end of the beach. Also 1 wheatear and 1 swallow passed through.

Ewan Turner

Ynyslas again

Ynyslas is too big an area for me to cover in one day, I have to do it in chunks, so yesterday I walked to the beach beyond the dunes at the estuary mouth. There were hundreds of Manxies, dozens of Gannets and I counted 17 Sandwich Terns, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Barwits, dozens of resting Ringed Plover and Dunlin and near to them 3 active Sanderling, my first for this year. As I was watching them I noticed there was quite a size difference between the three.

Sanderling

Martin Creasser.