Wheatear

My first wheatear of the year yesterday (a male) between the lime kilns and Llansantffraed  SN 512681.

Aline Denton

Glandyfi at high tide

Poor visibility but good birding during a 30 minute visit. Highlights:  2 goosander, 1 goldeneye, 6 wigeon, 1 great crested grebe, 12 little egrets, 1 bar tailed godwit and 10 curlew. 1 lesser black backed gull and 18 sand martins  high over the river.

Willow Tits and the railway line

I'm sure a few of us have heard that the feasibility of reopening the rail line north across the county is being looked into. I'm writing not to express a view for/against but just to mention a possible affect should the plan ever come to fruition. I've recently been surveying Willow Tits between Llangybi and Llanio. Of the 6 territories that I found 3 were directly on the old rail line and the other 3 no more than 200m away in the boggy overgrown ground adjoining the route. At Cors Caron we all see Willow Tits along the cycle path/rail line too. I can't help thinking that developing the line would impact heavily on the local population, destroying some breeding habitat and fragmenting/isolating the remaining birds. Though our Willow Tit numbers in Ceredigion may seem low the National Atlas 2007-11 suggests that the abundance of birds in this corner of Ceredigion may still be significant at a UK level.

Tanybwlch Wheatears 2

Following in John's footsteps! 2 male Wheatears down the far end re 14:00 -no sign of the fem. One singing away , so presumably staying put? Also 2 Choughs feeding nearby in the field and a dozen Teal. One Kestrel and 2 Goosanders which I

failed to nail. Best wishes to Chris-lovely to meet-hope all goes well in Dorset.

Cors Caron

Started at Coed y Bont this morning, but soon moved on to Cors Caron.  Still 63 Wigeon and six Tufted Ducks on Maesllyn, then at Pont Einon were three pairs of Mute Swan, 20 Wigeon, two Little Egrets, a pair of displaying Lapwings and my only gull of the day, a Black-headed. Still no summer visitors, though.

Red-Breasted Goose and others

One (presumably an escape) flew south across Cors Caron late this morning. The first wildish one I've seen as far as I can recall. Yesterday, whilst surveying Willow Tits I came across a group of 3 together in the same small tree. Also something I don't recall seeing before. Only one was singing and one of the others was quickly chased away. Perhaps a pair and a spare individual? Other recent sightings; a visitor saw a Barn Owl at Denmark Farm on the 8th and a work colleague saw another on the 18th at Post Bach, on her way to work.

Ynys Feurig hide and Glandyfi

A quick look from Ynys Feurig this morning at high tide. 35 curlew roosting on the flood. 10 lapwings and at least 8 redshank displaying. A pair of gadwall, 95 teal, and small numbers of wigeon.
A merlin was hunting on the saltmarsh opposite  Glandyfi the previous morning, and the female hen harrier at dusk on Monday.

WHEATEARS - TANYBWLCH

   I have been away for a week so I walked to Tanybwlch early this morning and, at last, my first Wheatears, a male and a female (up from Gwbert?).

More Redwings

Last night Chris heard Redwings moving north at about 11pm.  He also has a Chiffchaff singing locally.

Wheatears - Gwbert

A male and female Wheatear were on the Cliff Hotel golf course this morning, first of the year here.
Around the estuary, the Shelduck count has gone up to 46. A drake Red-breasted Merganser was by Swallow Boats, along with a Greenshank and 30 Redshank. The wintering Water Pipit seems to have moved on.