Ceredigion Birds

Leri saltings

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hayward) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:01:00 +0000

At high tide this morning a lot of Redshank and Teal along the edge of the saltings. Further out - Widgeon, Mallard, Shelduck and a few Curlew.

Weekend sightings

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:10:00 +0000

A few weekend sightings from Ystumtuen. 4 Whooper Swans flying north overa frozen Llyn Oerfa towards presumably the Pendam area looking for water! A flock of several Bullfinches, 2 Snipe flying out of ditches, and lots of Red Kites.

Matt and Charly Potter

Cross Inn woods

noreply@blogger.com (Phil Dennis) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Male Hen Harrier this morning to the South of the road from Cross Inn to Bethania.

Aberystwyth

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:42:00 +0000

There was just 6 Purple Sandpipers on the sea wall at Aberystwyth at high tide this morning, the Black Redstart was in the same place as yesterday although there was no snow this time.....

Tom Wells

Sandwich Terns

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:26:00 +0000

This afternoon, on my way to the starling roost, i saw two sandwich terns
off south beach/college rocks. They were patrolling up and down the coast
so might hang around. At the roost there was a starling with
creamy-white primaries and a pale tail - maybe one to look out for in the
day to see where our birds feed.

Simon Cox

Birds in the snow

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:47:00 +0000

There was a male Black Redstart feeding in the melting snow at the back of the smaller building of old college early this afternoon, on the otherside were 13 Turnstones, there were 8 Shags in the area as well as a couple of Cormorants

Tom Wells

Starling stars

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:46:00 +0000

With regard to Elfyn's sighting of a cameraman at Aberystwyth on Friday, I had a Iolo Williams, plus supporting cast, there on Thursday......

Jeremy Moore

Me too.........

Bob Relph

Winter Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Elfyn Pugh) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:42:00 +0000

It was indeed a fine crisp winters day today and I too like Bob and Tom gravitated towards Ynyslas but not before I stopped off in a lay-by between Furnace and Treddol to peer into Pant Coch wood to see what was about. On the woodland floor a cock pheasant was surrounded by redwing blackbird and thrush rummaging around in the leaf litter for grubs. In the leafless branches above blue, great and long-tailed tits as well as goldcrest and treecreeper actively searched for the minutiae of insect life. I intended to walk the banks of the clettwr but because the 'shooters' were at large disturbing the equilibrium of life I decided otherwise and continued my journey to Ynyslas. A crow and a blackbird alerted me to the presence of a stoat bounding across a field towards a ditch where I lost sight of it. There were hordes of lapwing and golden plover in the fields between Treddol and Ynyslas and the odd fieldfare too. I did the same as Bob and Tom and drove down to the estuary where I saw the same birds. I've nothing to add only the wigeon which were initially resting on the shore but then took to the water. I spent the afternoon in Aberystwyth searching the college rocks for purple sandpiper but didn't see any. There were shags and cormorant on the rocks and a diver offshore. There were about 8 turnstone on the shore adjacent to the pier. A single black redstart flitted about the rooftops of the old college. I returned in the late afternoon to watch the magnificent starling roost. There was a guy on the beach with a rather fancy looking camera filming the arrival of the masses. Looked like a professional set up but I didn't speak with him. By the time of my departure every ledge, step, stanchion, cable and railing of the pier structure was thronged with an incredible number of chattering starlings. Absolutely fab!

Merry Christmas everyone and good birding in 2010!

Ynyslas & Borth

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Just to add to your sightings on the sea off Ynyslas/Borth this morning as well as the red throated divers i also saw 25 Common Scoters and 6 Great Crested Grebes. In the field next to the caravan park were 460 Golden Plover, 10 Curlew, 7 Lapwing, 5 Dunlin and a couple of Oystercatcher. On the beach in Borth were 4 Sanderling a Redshank and a Dunlin.

Tom Wells

Ynyslas

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

It was a beautiful, crisp, clear morning at Ynyslas so I looked at the sea for a bit longer than I had intended. Flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing flew over as I approached the turn car-park. I didn't count the Red-throated Divers but I estimate there were probably 30 or 40 out there. A probable Black-throated flew past but I couldn't say for sure and a Porpoise put in a brief appearance. Moving on there were two Buzzards feeding on a dead rabbit near the visitor centre with two Red Kites in close attendance and closer to the Leri there were Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Skylarks feeding on the saltings.

Pale Buzz

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:21:00 +0000

I agree Janet-and yes the second one stayed well back in what looks like the same spot.Cheers Kev.

Another pale buzzard, Cwmrheidol

noreply@blogger.com (Janet B) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Saw 2 pale buzzards on a quick trip through Cwmrheidol today. The one I photographed on Sunday was still very approachable - don't know what you think Kev but it looks like the same bird you photographed on Saturday. The second bird is much more wary , these photos were long distance shots across the other side of the valley.

Ynyslas and Clettwr

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hayward) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:14:00 +0000

This morning, on the fields adjacent to the Caravan park at Ynyslas - about 350 Golden Plover, 120 Curlew and 40 Lapwing. On the Leri, 35 Wigeon, 10 Mallard and 3 Redshank. A quick visit to the Clettwr, - one of the resident Dippers, a Little Egret (not of the 'Golden Variety' ) flying around and a lone Redshank. On the fields alongside, 20 or so Lapwing.

disappointments,pleasant surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Ian Morris) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:55:00 +0000

The little Woodland Trust reserve at Llanio is often worth a quick visit for anyone in the area(633559 .there is a laybay on the main road virtually opp. the entrance). Today I saw a Willow Tit,2 Woodcock a small flock of Redpoll and a Treecreeper.
Headed off to nearby Allt Olmarch where we went on an a club trip,last winter I think. However, there were some big keep out signs up and cctv notices etc. Liz, if you're reading this I know you were in contact with the owner(who escorted us on the trip in fact). Are we still allowed in here? I'd be interested to know.
Sat in the car pondering. An amazing, small, white and brown bird suddenly appeared in the lane. For 3 seconds I relished the discovery of Llangybi's first ever Snow Bunting. But it was a Robin.
Thought I'd go for a quick hike round the conifers at the Llangybi end of Long Wood. A brief burst of strangely beautiful notes were those of a Crossbill in song and nearby very high in the canopy of some very tall conifers I could hear a Marsh Tit. Thought I must be mistaken(Coal Tit?) but fortuneately it dropped down in to the bare understorey to allow me to definetly identify it.

TRISANT LAKES

noreply@blogger.com (John A Davis) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:46:00 +0000

This morning the female Ring-necked Duck was still on Llyn Rhosrhydd.

(Directions: WALK for 1/4 of a mile to the lake along a public track which starts at the lane to the north-east of the lake by a cottage called Plynlimon View. Park off the lane, just to the north. View the bird from the track and NOT from the lakeside.)

The duck is rather shy and wary.
4 Whooper Swans still present. Also a female Goldeneye. A drake Mallard took ages to swallow a large frog. 10 noisy Crossbills flew over.
On nearby Llyn Glandwgan, 5 Tufted Ducks and 5 Pochards and on Llyn Frongoch a drake Goldeneye.

Penrhyncoch lakes

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Hayward) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:42:00 +0000

A trip around the Penrhyn lakes this morning - four Mallard on Pendam, 4 Goldeneye on Llyn Syfydrin and 6 Goldeneye on Llyn Rhosgoch.

green sandpiper

noreply@blogger.com (lizsnell) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Flushed from our pond up the hill from Cors Caron a green sandpiper. How many are wintering?

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:25:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:24:00 +0000

Hen Harrier

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:17:00 +0000

A male Hen Harrier quartering the NW sector of Cors Caron flushed 5 Snipe.

Resident Kestrel hovering.

Philip Ellis

Egret on College Rocks

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:16:00 +0000

Rounding off an interesting day on Sat. I happened on this chap fishing : couldn't believe my luck with the late aft. light-pure liquid gold-needless to say I got through a "few" shots!!

BORTH - YNYSLAS

noreply@blogger.com (John A Davis) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:36:00 +0000

This morning Meurig and I saw 94 Red-throated Divers and 65 Common Scoters on a calm sea off Borth. On the rocks at the southern end of the beach were a couple of Purple Sandpipers.
Best of all, close in, to the north of the Turn car park, there was a Black-throated Diver. 5 Sanderling and 26 Ringed Plovers were on the beach there.

Happy Christmas from Kev & Sue Joynes

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Relph) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:24:00 +0000

Leafie

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:09:00 +0000

Dear Liz ,
I am sure " Leafie " will reply , but in case he doesn't notice ,as he spends all night every night out ringing with Tony Cross, he is Paul Leafe , founder of the blog and the most enthusiastic birder in Radnor : although still a young man , he has done more to put us on the map than anyone-as you probably know Radnor and Montgomery are the cinderellas of the bird world, but as you have shown us in Ceredigion the internet is the future and Paul is trying hard to get us there.
Cheers Kev.

Re "our pale phase Buzzes

noreply@blogger.com (Kev Joynes) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:27:00 +0000

First : Well done Janet on those beaut Starling shots and the Buzzz on poles in Rheidol.

Here are a few more : this is an interesting line : I reckon at least 3 , but probably more pale Buzzards are in the area passing on the genes.

On Sat. following the Trisant interlude (coffee next time John), we descended into the Rheidol Vale and sought out the leucistic Buzzards.

Found either a pair ,or siblings mewing at each other in between worming the fields and perching up-they are very similar, but not the one I shot earlier on.

A kite joined in after the worms .

This is one of the Buzzes, t'other was out of shot.