Spring on its way?

 My first skylark singing of the year,  and a female marsh harrier, near the Glandwr pools this morning. 

Dave Purdon 

Out of bounds

 Started at Ty Gwyn pools hoping to get a better view from somewhere by circumnavigating the site by driving round various lanes but didn't find such a spot. No sign of any geese unfortunately but huge flocks of plovers; 1000 Golden Plovers and 1300 Lapwings very approx.

On my way home I called in at Celtic Lakes, Temple Bar. By driving off the main road and a short way into the entrance track I could get a reasonable view of the two small pools where the Goosanders tend to congregate but still be 400 yards from the site office in case they decided to chase me off ; 18 Goosanders were present.

Tanybwlch

 Eight Ringed Plovers and a Great Crested Grebe at Tanybwlch today .

Thomas Simpson 

Pant pool

 The male Pochard plus 3 Great Egrets were at the pool this morning. Actually 4 Egrets present but one was scrunched up in a conifer and I couldn't identify it. A very close encounter with a pair of Willow Tits at Pont Einon earlier.

Llanfair Clydogau

 A Great Egret was very near to the bridge as we drove over a few minutes ago.

A morning out and about

Regular wintering birds in regular type numbers at Llanon/Llanrhystud; 42 Oystercatchers included the leucistic individual. 3RT Divers were quite close to shore.

The big flocks of Golden Plovers and Lapwings were still in the fields near Ty Gwyn pools but a little further back on the brow of a slope so a bit more difficult to attempt to count. Certainly between 1-2000 birds I would say. I saw 9 PF Geese earlier in the week and one was among 100 Greylags today but others could have been just out of sight.

Late winter build up of Goosanders continuing at Celtic Lakes, Temple Bar. I was able to count 8 as I drove past at 40mph! I have politely asked permission twice before in previous winters to view over the main lake, which is pretty large, and twice been politely thrown out. Hard not to escape the feeling that interesting stuff must turn up there never to be seen.

Hen Harrier

 There was a male Hen Harrier outside  the Ynys Feurig hide at Ynys-hir yesterday. 

Thomas Simpson 

Willow Tits

 A pair were present this morning near the top of Cwm Twrch at 682507. Later at Pont Gogoyan there were 85 Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets, a Dipper and a Sparrowhawk. Yesterday 9 Gadwall were on Maes Llyn pool.

Day out

 Highlights of a drive around

Ynys Las/Leri; Great Egret and GC Grebe

Glandyfi layby; Great Egret, 8 Goldeneye, 3 Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier

fields near Ty Gwyn pools; 800 Golden Plovers, 400 Lapwings, 140 Fieldfares, 9 PF Geese

Pochard

 A male Pochard was present on Maes Llyn pool, Cors Caron at about 9am this morning. As well as Mallard/Teal/Wigeon I also saw pairs of Gadwall, Goosander and Tufted Duck. The female Goosander appeared to be displaying to the male. I couldn't find the Pintail but it began to rain heavily.