Cors Caron - mixed feeding flock

 This morning I saw a small fledgling on the fence on the boardwalk at Cors Caron. It was a Pied Flycatcher. I then saw both adults flying on and off the fence. I could hear other fledglings calling all around and when trying to get on them with bins I found a variety of other birds, a family of Blue Tits, a Great Tit, a Willow Tit, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler all foraging together. I've never seen a fledgling Pied Fly before, interesting to see how well defined the wing pattern is even on what must be its first feathers. Other birds - three Whinchats and two unseen Groppers.

Fledgling Pied Flycatcher

Martin Creasser.

We have Peregrines

 Yesterday morning I went up to have a look at "my" peregrine pair. After about two hours staring at a grassy ledge with a rocky wall behind it, I looked again and saw something different -  a well-grown peregrine chick! I could hear it calling for food from about 250 metres away when the wind dropped, but still didn't see any food being taken in. The female was in attendance but I didn't see the male during the four hours I was there. 

I guess the chick was 4 - 5 weeks old. It was wandering about on the ledge and doing a bit of wing flapping but still appeared to have down on its chest and body while the wings were well-feathered. Very pleased that "my" birds are doing well after some recent uncertainty.

I was under the impression that nesting peregrines were pretty scarce inland these days. I'd be very interested to know if this was the case; if anyone would be able to let me know!

My email address is jerry@wild-wales.com

Jerry Moore

Glandyfi & Ynyslas

 Started at Glandyfi layby this morning where I saw 6 Redshanks, 4 Common Sandpiper, 4 Curlew, 1 Lapwing, 7 Goosanders and 2 Greenfinches over (only my 2nd sighting of Greenfinches in Ceredigion this year). Then onto Ynyslas for the rising tide at the Leri mouth. A group of distant Curlews flew in, a few Oystercatchers and half a dozen Ringed Plovers were all I saw.

Martin Creasser.

Ynys-hir, etc.

 A morning on the reserve, during which I enjoyed the sight of ca15 Swifts feeding low over the saltmarsh  near Marian Mawr, along with a few Swallows  and the odd House and Sand Martin.  A Hare was on the saltings over towards Domen Las and there were four Goosanders on the river.

At Aberystwyth earlier a Common Sandpiper and a 1st summer Med gull were on College rocks.  

A visit to Llanrhystud on Thursday produced seven Med Gulls and a feeding raft of 70 plus Manx Shearwaters.  Then it was on to Llansantffraed where a thick mizzle descended, forcing me to abandon the outing. 

Graham Rees

Agree Harry, he was so helpful and unassuming.  I met him at the Gann when I went to see the semi p sandpiper and didn't realise who it was until afterwards; he had given me a masterclass in small wader id in the nicest possible way!

A group of us were at the Strum lookout before Elfyn's Irish excursion one August long ago and he was there, seated, with an entourage on lookout for him.  His experienced eye could id a flying speck miles out which could be checked by lesser mortals as it came closer and again he would explain what it was about the bird that led to his judgement: brilliant.

Graham Rees

I've just looked at the Pembrokeshire blog and seen the sad news of the  passing of Graham Rees.  Graham will be well known to those of us who have spent any time seawatching at Strumble Head. 

Graham had an unparalleled knowledge of seabird passage at Strumble and one of my most vivid memories of seawatching there concerns his willingness to help those of us less skilled.  He had picked up a passing Wilson's Petrel and did his utmost to get me onto it.  Despite all his efforts I never did see the bird, but that was my failure, not his, and I've been grateful for his help ever since.

Please have a look at Wednesday's post on the Pembrokeshire blog for more about Graham.

Waders at Ynys-hir

 On the Ynys Feurig pool at RSPB Ynys-hir today was a cracking summer-plumaged spotted redshank and a green sandpiper.

Russell Jones

Recent sightings from the north

 Nightjars on Cors Fochno - three birds churring on Sunday night   (10.10 pm >> 10.50 pm.)  including one very showy bird who perched out in the open churring for many minutes. 

Peregrines - a pair present , with a very noisy male, recently at an inland site (although the nest may be in Powys). 

Singing male whinchats seen at two upland sites, one appeared to be searching for a female. Poor boy!

Jerry Moore

Cors Caron Hobby

During a walk yesterday (22nd) evening around the boardwalk at Cors Caron I saw a Hobby hunting low down, a non calling Cuckoo in a dwarf tree which was being mobbed by mipits and a Whinchat.

Also heard three reeling Groppers.

Martin Creasser

Glandyfi

 5  Little Egret,  1 Great White Egret,  6 Grey Heron , 4 Common Sandpiper,  6 Redshank and 1 Greenshank seen this morning from the Glandyfi lay by. 

Andy James

TAN-Y-BWLCH

Early this morning there was a pair of Wheatears and 3 independent young towards the far end. Along the shore was a 1st summer Mediteranean Gull, no doubt the one Harry saw there on 19th.

Tawny Owl

I heard the alarm calls of the Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes in the garden just a short while ago . I went to have a look and found one of the Tawny Owls that roost in the garden out and about early again. They've been out a lot during the day this year and coincidentally I've noticed a huge reduction in the Vole population this year in the garden. I wonder if the two are connected and the reduced number of Voles in my garden is reflected outside the garden bringing them out to hunt earlier than usual..

Martin Creasser

Nantymaen

 On the way to RSPB Dinas yesterday I saw the following on the Ceredigion side of the county boundary.  A Crossbill, 3 Whinchats, 9 Meadow Pipits, 3 Skylarks and a male Merlin by Nantymaen.

Will Davies

Llyn Mynydd Gorddu, etc.

 Llyn Mynydd Gorddu - 2 male and 1 female tufted duck, 2 pairs little grebe, moorhens and mallard. Also the "chipper, chipper" call of a snipe was heard briefly which suggests breeding. Garden Warbler and sedge warbler were both seen and heard there, a few house martins and swallows were hunting over the lake.

Nine swifts over the chapel at Salem.

A probable goshawk was seen in Ceredigion from across the border at the Osprey Observatory last Wednesday. Unfortunately the long-eared owls weren't visible there.

The peregrines I have been keeping my eye seem to have young although on my recent visits I haven't seen food being taken in to them. But it's a time consuming business.

Jerry Moore

Llyn Eiddwen

 A male Tufted Duck was still on Llyn Eiddwen this afternoon and nearby the first Stonechat for quite some time.  Yesterday evening a Cuckoo was calling there.

On Friday an unseen young Goshawk was calling at Nanteos Lake.

Chris Bird

Cors Caron

 A walk on Tregaron bog yesterday afternoon revealed 4 Chiffchaffs, 8 Willow Warblers,  2 Grasshopper Warblers, 3 Curlew, 7 Whinchats, 2 Stonechats, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Bullfinches, 3 Reed Buntings, 5 Mipits, 2 Skylark, 6 Black-headed Gulls and a distant view of a Hobby. Also seen was an Adder.

Will Davies

Aberystwyth annd Tan-y-bwlch

 My first juvenile Black-headed Gull of the summer was on College Rocks this morning, and a Turnstone was at Castle Point.  A  light passage of Manx Shearwaters and the odd Gannet and Kittiwake offshore, plus a Grey Seal.

Tan-y-bwlch was equally quiet; just a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull on the beach. I also had a brief view, before it was flushed, of an alba wagtail which Simon Cox saw recently and thought it was a good candidate for an adult male White Wagtail.  From what I saw of it this morning, I'm inclined to agree,

Hoopoe

A hoopoe has been heard in the village at Ystumtuen over the last week and was seen in the adjacent fields yesterday by John Giddings - exactly a year since he last reported one in the area. 

Ian Scott 

Hobby

 There were two Hobbies showing well, but high up, over the south end of Tregaron Bog this afternoon. Two Grasshopper Warblers also.

Luke Gravett

 

Firecrests in the county

I have recently come across at least two singing Firecrests holding territory within the county, presumably females/nests nearby. The habitat was quite sheltered, open mature conifer woodland. I suspect there will be plenty more in the county (recently found them breeding in Radnorshire too), just a case of finding them. Easiest done by learning the calls and song.

Cors Caron

Last Sunday Jill and I watched a Hobby for 2 prolonged periods from 3 and 5 pm from the southern entrance to the boardwalk.

Marsh Harrier

 Female Marsh Harrier at Tregaron Bog yesterday evening.

Andy James. 

Cors Caron

 I spent a couple hours at Cors Caron this morning and among others saw the following birds:- four Whinchats (three males and one female) along the boardwalk and from the bog hide, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler low down on sedges in the field by the start of the boardwalk. Five Garden Warblers (four singing) and two Spotted Flycatchers on the path to and from the boardwalk.

Martin Creasser

Yellowhammers

 Heard a Yellowhammer singing just outside Ystumtuen this morning. After a while a female appeared for a short time then flew off across the village.

Andy James

Swifts

 Swifts nesting in eaves of first stone building  along drive at Urdd Camp Llangrannog.

Dave Haslam

Dihewyd: Goshawk and Jackdaws

 Late afternoon the local Jackdaws were "high-flighting" en masse above the house. It seems they do this as a social thing, but also to teach their recently fledged young about how to fly expertly.

But this time it was different. There was much commotion. They were flocking nervously around a big Goshawk.

To evade her entourage, the Goshawk plummeted earthwards and swooped under the canopy of the large beeches at the rear of the gardens here. Trailed by part of the Jackdaw flock.

She quickly shot away, only 20 feet above our astonished heads.

At that moment not only could we see every detail of her undersides, we could also see the Jackdaw she had been clutching in her talons all this time. 

She sped away with her caravan of Corvids into the wooded valley below the houses.

The commotion did not die down. She was still somewhere in that area. And the local Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies wanted her out of their patch.

Some ten minutes later she left to the north over the valley. Pursued, very respectfully, by three Crows.

This time there was no Jackdaw slung beneath her.

Phil Baber and Pam Buckle

Cors Caron

A morning on the bog with Paul Bennett and Will Davies. After all, three pairs of eyes and ears are better than one. First, a walk along the railway where Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow and Garden Warblers were in fine voice, a party of Long-tailed Tits were near Maesllyn and four Greylags by the lake.

The boardwalk provided the best birding.  A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling and once we were in the hide Will quickly picked up a Whinchat and a Hobby.  We later watched both birds perched in the same scope view.  A couple of Black-headed Gulls  and a Curlew flew around and on the way back Paul heard a Lapwing then we finished with a very large Adder.

 

Groes Fawr, above Tregaron

 Usual upland birds in small numbers; Whinchat, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Grasshopper Warbler, Cuckoo, but also a good concentration of Wheatears towards the top (14 males in a mile and a bit).

Golden Oriole

 I've just (Friday evening)  heard a golden oriole singing, about half a mile out of Lledrod along the Trefenter road. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I still can't quite believe it. What a sound!

Jasmine Donahaye

Aberporth and Mwnt

 We visited Aberporth and then Mwnt for the first time yesterday. Here's what we saw:

ABERPORTH pm 

Chough. One pair often obvious over beach and bay. Red Kite. 1 "Baywatch" bird checking out the many washed up Jellyfish..Gannet, Manxies & Kittiwakes offshore. House Martin. Good numbers nesting around the clifftop properties. Healthy numbers of clifftop nesting Spuggies. A few Linnet & a nesting Greenfinch pair. Lots of stranded Jellyfish spp.

MWNT evening 

40+ Greylag Geese in V-shape skein high over carpark heading towards New Quay and probably beyond. Heard well before seen. Obviously on the move.

Sand Martin clifftop colony with many active nest burrows. Birds coming and going all the time.

Pair of Buzzard. Light and normal morph. Pale one had caught a Bunny, which it fed on for some time, before handing it over in an "aerial snatchpass" to the normal morph. Which had been waiting sometime for a look in.

Many House Martin around the Sand Martin colony and Swallows prospecting the toilet block (even entering the Ladies rest room!)

Pair Stonechat. Fledging Wrens. Peregrine upsetting the Herring Gull colony.

2 Skylark on road back to Aberporth.

Phil Baber & Pam Buckle

Black Kite?

 Ian Harrison has drawn my attention to the following extract from this week's BirdGuides weekly news.

Other European overshoots included a Black Kite following the Ceredigion coast between Llangrannog and Aberaeron on 3rd June.

I don't usuually publish unattributed sightings, but it would be interesting to know a bit more about this. 

Autumn already?

Just had a calling Green Sandpiper in flight over the flashes at the southern end of Tregaron Bog

Rose-coloured Starling

Rose Coloured Starling in children's playground between castle and St Michaels church at 07:50. Then disappeared over rooftops with Starling flock.

Martin Creasser.

Rose-coloured Starling, Aberystwyth

 Adult Rose-coloured Starling at the moment, feeding with a small starling flock around the big war memorial and ruined castle on Aberystwyth sea front.

Rose-coloured Starling on North Tower

Phil Baber  and Pam Buckle

Osprey and Owls

Nice close views of an Osprey (which appeared to have a blue darvic) fishing in the northern arm of Llyn Brianne at 2pm this afternoon, after successfully catching a trout it flew back down the arm of the reservoir. 

At another upland site a few nights ago, a 'singing' (the series of short, deep hoots) Short-eared Owl and another eared Owl which was probably a Long-eared.

Aberystwyth

The usual Gannets and Manx Shearwaters have been off Aberystwyth during the past few days, but mostly too distant for binocular views this morning, when Helen joined me. In addition,about 10 Kittiwakes, a Fulmar and a little passage of 23 auks, of which the only ones within range were a party of six Razorbills.   Six Canada Geese flew south behind us whereas last Friday 25 went north offshore. 

Choughs

 On a brief visit to Mwnt this morning there was a family of Choughs, one adult feeding three large fledglings on the cliff edge.

Martin Creasser.

More Nightjars

 Four churring Nightjars at Cross Inn forestry yesterday evening. Also had one in flight. Churring started at 21:55.

Andy James

Hobby at Cors Caron

This afternoon, from the boardwalk at Cors Caron, I enjoyed a splendid aerial display by a Hobby.

Long-eared Owls and Nightjars

 Last year in late June Chris Bird found a pair of Long-eared Owls with young at a private site in north Ceredigion and last night he arranged for us to revisit. We had no luck at the original location (though Chris had a brief view of one as we approached.). We were told later that the owls were present but in a different part of the forest.

What we did experience was an  extraordinary performance by a Nightjar.  The bird was churring continuously for several minutes at a time, pausing only to fly to another perch.  He then perched at the top of a dead tree and we watched him belt out a stream of sound until we though it would never end.           As this was going on a female was flying around us, at one point landing on the track just a few yards away.

Around Tregaron

 A walk early afternoon on the Twm Town Trail around Tregaron produced a flock of 20+ Linnets, 4 Reed Buntings, 6 Whinchats, 4 Stonechats, 12 Meadow Pipits, 5 Skylarks, 5 Wrens, 2 GS woodpeckers, 2 Ravens and 1 Bullfinch. Numerous Red Kites and Buzzards were also seen.

Late evening run up to Llyn Berwyn produced 2 Crossbill, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Stonecha and  2 Whinchats  at the Cwm Berwyn Pass. 

Will Davies

Hafod Estate

 There were at least 13 singing Wood Warblers this morning, mostly along the red trail. Didn't hear any Crossbills, which are often present.

Aberaeron

 Aberaeron in the rain. Evening 5 June.

Sandwich Tern 1 down and up coast calling. Manxie Flock of 60+ heading towards Penfro + smaller numbers passing same way. A few Gannet. 1 Fulmar. 5 Oystercatcher. Linnets aplenty. Rock Pipit. Loosely associated gathering of over 50 Carrion Crows further up coast.

Phil Baber and Pam Buckle

Doethie Fawr (Above Ty'n Cornel Hostel)

 Whinchat 13, Stonechat 4, Reed Bunting 4, Grasshopper Warbler 2, Kestrel 1, Cuckoo 2, Grey Wagtail 3. A female Yellowhammer was a real surprise, after many blank years further down the valley.

Woodchat Shrike

 Woodchat shrike still present this morning early from road by Fullbrook Mill.

 Remember this is a private road..

Will Davies

Lesser pecker

 During a brief visit to Cross Inn forestry earlier yesterday I heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming. A year tick and a patch first.

Andy James

Swifts

15 Swifts screaming over Aberaeron a minute ago.

Andy James 

Woodchat still present

 Chris Bird saw the Tregaron Bog Woodchat Shrike at 2pm.  He was able to scope it from the Fullbrook road, which runs along the western edge of the Bog.  The bird is at approx SN675627. Please note there is no public access on to the Bog here.

 Arfon Williams

Cors Fochno last night

It was back to the bog last night, this time with John and Jill.  The Nightjars were still performing in the same area, but unlike on my previous visit lots of Willow Warblers were singing.  A Lesser Redpoll kept us company and a Cuckoo was still singing, though not as persistently as last week.

I got badly bitten by midges, whereas John and Jill sensibly avoided the worst of it by dressing up as a couple of bank robbers. 

Cross Inn Forest

 At least 3 seen and probably 5 Nightjars last night at Cross Inn Forest.

Earlier at a promising site near Llyn Fanod forced out by midges and deep bog, however stonechat, wheatear and grasshopper warbler made up for it.

 Martin Perry

Woodchat Shrike on Tregaron Bog

 Female Woodchat Shrike at Tregaron Bog this evening.  Unfortunately the bird is on part of the reserve with no public access and was found while surveying dragonflies..

Arfon Williams 

Swifts and nightjars

 Doing my BBS square at Tre'r ddol yesterday morning I was pleased to find eight swifts screaming around the village centre, plus another four elsewhere. Swallow numbers seem to be well down though. Am I the only one to have noticed this over the last few years?

On Monday night I braved the midges and went to see/hear the nightjars from the boardwalk on Cors Fochno. At one point three were in view together, and there must have been several more in the same general area. Walking back to the carpark I could hear another one churring far away to the south-east. Things may be be looking up for nightjars!

Jerry Moore

Camddwr/Soar y Mynydd and Cwm Doethie

 For those who are not familiar with these locations, they are high on the hills above Tregaron. I drove along Camddwr, stopping regularly to check places, then did a circular walk from the chapel into Cwm Doethie. I have not seen Yellowhammer or Common Sandpiper here for several years and so it was this morning too. A bird that seemed noticeably more abundant however, was Reed Bunting, with 9 males along Camddwr and 10 males in Cwm Doethie. Also in Camddwr; ( singing males) 8 Stonechats, 7 Whinchats, Cuckoo, Wood Warbler and a Dipper, among others. In Cwm Doethie; (singing males) 6 Stonechats, 16 Whinchats, 11 Tree Pipits and 3 Cuckoos plus a female Goosander.

The highlight of a wonderful morning was. when an unfamiliar song caught my attention, which turned out to be a Ring Ouzel. When I got on to the bird I realised that a female was present also and that they were clearly a breeding pair. I watched for some time as they returned in and out of the site, which I presume contained a nest.

Nightjars on the coastal path

 Walking along the coast path beyond Taliessin last evening (31st May), there was one nightjar, probably two, churring on the southern side of Cors Fochno near Ynys Capel. Nothing to be heard out on the bog itself.

Dave Thomas