Hen Harrier

 A report from Chris Bird of a fine male Hen Harrier at Llyn Eiddwen this afternoon.

Teifi valley Whooper Swans

I  was out walking my dog in the river meadow near Pentrecagal and I heard a bugling or trumpeting sound coming from Cardigan side of river.

 I looed up, expecting to see a flock of Canada or Greylag geese.  Instead, whooper swans, a group of 4, were flying along the valley towards the coast, calling loudly.

Trish Millson.

Both ends of the Dyfi

At the mouth of the Leri this morning, the first birds I saw were two red-head Red-breasted Mergansers. After some time they were joined by a male. There were five Brent Geese on the water (I think four pale- and one dark-bellied) as well as plenty of Pintail, Wigeon and Teal and a Great-Crested Grebe. The three Greenshank were still present. In the willows, two Chiffchaffs and nine Snipe in the open patches.

At the Glandyfi layby, a group of five Green Sandpipers was a surprise. Also Marsh Harrier and Peregrine, and 30+ Barnacle Geese.

Purple Sandpipers

 I was beginning to think the purps were not returning to Aber this autumn until John's bird yesterday, so I was pleased to find three on the wall this morning 

ABERYSTWYTH

 A single Purple Sandpiper was on the prom wall at high tide this morning. Turnstones can be seen on the prom itself, especially by the pier and this morning one was feeding in the middle of the road infront of the Old College. 

Llyn Eiddwen

 A new bird for Chris on Llyn Eiddwen today; a male Gadwall.  Also on the lake were nine Teal, 34 Mallard and a Grey Heron.

Talybont irregulars

 It was very misty and ethereal in Talybont on Thursday morning first thing with plenty of bird chatter. As an experiment I ran Merlin app in the back garden for a while to see what might be about. 

Besides the expected regular small passerines and thrushes, I was intrigued to read that yellow-legged gull, willow warbler, tree sparrow and pintail were present. 

Strange what a bit of unusual weather can do.

Dave Thomas

A cautionary tale.

The above report made me smile, but there's a valid point to it 

If Dave wasn't an experienced birder he may have believed the nonsense thrown up by Merlin.

The moral is - do not rely on apps.

At the risk of sounding obvious:  buy a field guide, get a copy of your county bird report, learn your local birds, go out with an experienced birder, etc, etc.

Merlin and other apps have their uses, but they can come up with some howlers. 

I could go on, but won't.

Marsh Harrier VOA

 A female / imm. type marsh harrier at the Teifi marshes yesterday had a green leg ring on the left leg with letters VOA on. This apparently denotes that it was ringed in Cheshire / Merseyside.

Jerry Moore

Woodcock

This morning high above Teifi Pools the dog flushed a woodcock from almost under my feet. My first of the winter.

David Campion 

Coed Olmarch

 Heaps of Goldcrests and Coal Tits in the forestry, and despite extensive clearance work 6 Crossbills, one of which was singing a little. Also seen; Woodcock and Sparrowhawk.

Back home in Llangybi, also singing, was a Chiffchaff. A lingering breeder or a bird from further east I couldn't say. By the time I'd grabbed my bins it had fallen silent.