March field trip

Red Liford will be leading the walk on the 17th to see raptors in the Strata Florida area as I am unable to do so.  Full details will be posted soon.

Mydroilin

I thought i would try the starling roost this evening as last time we did not have any luck, this time looked  the same but then they started to arrive as usual but flue staight over the the roost site and just kept going until out of sight but i did get good views of a male hen harrier.
Not to be beaten i followed in the direction they were flying and caught up with them about two miles from the old roost site at 470510,they pre roosted in some large
trees near a farm "Ffynnonrhys" also present buzzard 2 goshawk 2 possible more if i had been a little earlier,but all in all a worth while visit.

 alan hill

To show the two.

Just to prove there are two!

Snow Bunts overshadow Water PIP @ Ynyslas!

We popped in to reaquaint ourselves with the Water Pip today, then went for a stroll round the point: I heard a familiar sound from the Cairngorms 2 weeks back and located a couple of Snow Bunts on the dunes-they were on the very end  by "Ring Plov "island and proceeded to do a tour of the area for at least half an hour , feeding on the tideline by the island lastly.

Mute swans on the lower Rheidol

Further to the item on 25 February, a pair of mute swans nested in both 2011 nd 2012 against the estuary wall in front of the houses at Glanyrafon Terrace, Aberystwyth. In 2011 there were I think three young, but in 2012 only one was successfully reared. I have seen both it, and the parents from which it now seems to be separated, in the last fortnight or so.

Arthur Chater.,

Sightings from Richard Jenkins

Good views of Goshawk today, soaring around in thermals with Red Kites and 3 or 4 buzzard. Along the Rheidol river i saw 3 grey wagtails (terrible name for such a colourful bird), a Jay, 3 Raven, a singing Song Thrush, a group of tufted duck, wigeon, and several pairs of mallard, along with many other common species.

Rich J

Ynyslas Turn Car Park

Despite the shrinking pools at the Ynyslas Turn Car Park, the Water Pipit was still there this morning.

A few more from Last Thurs.

Couldn't squeeze them all in last time ! Ring. P. at pools in Turn car park  , Oyst Cat. playing golf on the ? green, and pair of Stonechats on the puddles grabbing bloodworms like everyone else!

Return of the redpoll(s)

These two seem to be daily visitors, first time we have had them for solong..

David, Felinfach

Peregrine and Lapwing

Yesterday a peregrine falcon was over the top of Coed Dolgoed. Heard a marsh tit and flushed 3 woodcock from inside the wood. At Cors Caron Ystrad Meurig end at dusk; song thrush singing away and another 2 woodcock flying over

Today just north of Tregaron on the B4343, 205 lapwing and a couple of golden plover in a recently manured field next to the road. At Maes Llyn 64 wigeon, 7 tufted (4m), 7 teal. On Cors Caron; willow tit, marsh tit, 20 fieldfare, 4 redwing and a mistle thrush

Andre Marsh

Bontgoch

Along the Bontgoch road from Bow Street, there were large numbers of Common Gull in the fields to the left, plus some up on the hills before you drop down to Bontgoch.

Just below the windfarm, on an old reservoir, there were 11 wigeon, 1 moorhen, a few hundred blck headed gulls and a whooper Swan.

Nice to see so much life on a lake locally!

The very long staying juv whooper swans have left an iced over pond Llywernog, but I expect them back once it thaws out!

Matt Potter

Ynyslas today

The water pipit was still present at the turn car park this afternoon and still showing very well.
Not much else there though - a couple of pied wags and a single ringed plover was all I saw.

Mute swans lower Rheidol

I had almost given up on the swans returning this year but to my delight this morning there were two moving down stream on the fast flow,having to correct their position to deal with the rapids,but never the less a graceful sight to behold.Looking back in my records they were last here December 2010,a family of 2 adults and 2 juveniles. Could they have returned?I'd like to think so.

Lis Collison

More fresh feathers

..........on 'the field'. For the first time in at least 10 years muck has been spread on the field behind the house. Among the various Corvids and Starlings, a pair of Stock Doves, a first for me.
Talking of Starlings, we are on the Midroilyn roost site flight path and it is noticeable how their behaviour is starting to change. They usually fly relatively low over us in the morning in large flocks all going in, generally, the same direction and as the season has progressed they are now pretty high in ragged groups which appear to disperse to all points.


David, Felinfach

Not long to go

No, I haven't seen a whinchat yet but not too long now and I'm hoping that they will return to the Foel opposite my house.  The real reason for this posting though is to see if I have mastered putting photos onto the blog using my new iPad thingy.  So here goes.....

White-fronted Geese

This morning from the train I saw roughly 15 (not sure on the exact number) White-fronted Geese in a field about halfway between the Clettwr and the Leri on the southern side of the train close to the railway line.

Steffi Carter (née Meier)

STARLINGS

Driving back from Pembrokeshire yesterday afternoon I thought I would try to track down the Starling roost near Mydroilyn, totally unknown territory to me. I was able to follow flights of birds along the network of lanes and found that they were heading to a plantation between Gorsgoch and Mydroilyn. I noticed exactly what MW did (see below). 

The numbers of birds was staggering and the impression was of blizzards of Starlings. Chatted to a friendly farmer there who seemed to think that the roost site had recently moved from nearby.

Quite a few Fieldfares in the area and 100 or so Redwings on a meadow at Dihewyd.

Yellowhammers

Whilst doing a winter thrush survey on a farm 2 miles NW of Lampeter a flock of about 150 Chaffinches contained 2 very bright male Yellowhammers and a dozen House Sparrows.
There were also 85 Fieldfares, 9 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush.

Philip Ellis

Matt

Matt,
Yup. that's why I popped a Rock pip in from there! Do you mean you saw us and never gave us  a shout???Disgraceful! See you soon, Kev'n'Sue.

Starlings

We went to see where our local starlings go to roost this evening, near Mydroilyn. The birds gathered in the trees all around the area at first, and when they went to roost they rushed in and dived straight in to the trees. None of the wheeling around I have seen at other sites.
Perhaps it's the predator risk, or weather! There were certainly a couple of buzzards, a sparrowhawk and a superb goshawk there, plus others I expect. Difficult site to get near!
As to a count........many! To be honest an accurate count would be difficult going by how fast and low they came in, many thousand any way.

Velvet Scoter - Ynyslas Turn

There was a Velvet Scoter - an immature male I think - fairly close in with a dozen Common Scoter off Ynyslas Turn at midday today. Also one Red-throated Diver; and the GC Grebes now looking very smart in their breeding plumage.  All the pipits at the car park pool. The Water Pipit was noticeably more flighty than the Rock or Meadow pips, but all being disturbed a lot by the frequent dogs and dog-walkers.

Thanks for the excellent comparison photos Kev.

Following the Slurry at Glynarthen! (Friday afternoon)

As we arrived at the caravan on the plot in Glynarthen yesterday afternoon the reason for the powerful aroma became clear in the shape of the slurry spreader depositing its load onto the field next to us!

It was soon followed by a large flock of gulls (nothing exceptional but a couple of black headed in stunning summer plumage), about 40 rook with numerous carrion crows and jackdaws.

The highlight, however, was a flock of 16 lapwings. They were absolutely stunning – iridescent in the afternoon sun. We’ve not seen any in this location before.

Later, they were joined by a mixed flock of fieldfare and redwing, also beautifully illuminated in the low, late afternoon light.

We have readily forgiven the muck spreader and are even now looking forward to an early revisit!

(PS. Sorry about the late posting but the mobile broadband was sadly inoperable (again!!) yesterday, All this talk of 4G and super-fast broadband is a bit of a sad joke here I’m afraid!! Apologies for the rant!)

Roger Watkins

Thanks Kev

Thanks for the reminder Kev! There was also a rock pipit at the Turn car park on Thursday! There may have been a Kevin and Mrs Kevin in a blue Honda as well!


Matt Potter

YNYSLAS TURN

 I am sure I have never seen a colour-ringed Dunlin until this afternoon when one was at Ynyslas Turn car park. I will send the details to Euring and hopefully get the history of White W60 and put them on the blog.

 For a while it was in close company with a Ringed Plover, Stonechat and Water Pipit.

 I thought I must have been mad hanging around there in the bitter cold (far colder than Norfolk from where I have just come back) until I noticed some vehicles pull up and lads get out, strip off, put on wet-suits and rush down to the sea with surf-boards. That's mad!

Pipits@ Ynyslas turn-Thurs.

The Water Pipit was showing well , as previously mentioned , but if the same as Janet's it is now moulting into summer plumes and looking more ragged. The local pipit family turned out , and I got them all round the car park pool , so here they are to help anyone with ID probs.Include a flight shot of Water Pip to show distinctive white outer tail. Water Pip  first(2 pics), Meadow Pip , Rock Pip and Skylark.

Clettwr and Ynyslas

A dipper flashed past as I arrived at the Clettwr this morning - I got another brief sighting later - and I picked out a kingfisher sat motionless on the river bank.  I disturbed a sparrowhawk about 100 yards from the gate as I walked towards the railway bridge but the perishing cold got even colder the further I went so I turned back and went to Ynyslas.  In the field beside the boatyard there were about 20 golden plover, 40 lapwing and a dozen or so curlew.  And of course, starlings.  There were a few teal and redshank on the river bank and a single ringed plover.

Llanrhystud

2 sanderling and 3 ringed plover along the beach towards the lime kilns, 3 shelduck and 6 wigeon on the water, 35 golden plover on the field behind the point.

Aline

Turn Car Park

The water pipit was showing very well in the pools. I am pretty certain though that there was another there but it flew and I couldn't relocate it! There was a nicely marked meadow pipit there as well for comparing.

Also present were two ringed plover and several skylark plus a pied wagtail and a stonechat.


Matt Potter

Ynyslas turn

Chris Bird had good views of the male long tailed duck in the surf and the water pipit in the car park.

Ynys-hir and Llanon

Birds seen at Ynyshir this afternoon included a Ringtail Hen Harrier from the Saltings hide and a Brambling on the bird feeder. Then a very unexpected sighting  on the way home - a Merlin perched on the Llanon road sign on the north side of the village.

Andre Morgan

Sightings from Owen Watkin

A female Blackcap has been at my feeder  in Llandre (SN 626 870) on a number of occasions during the last two weeks and was joined by a male during the last few days.
A female Blackcap was also seen this morning at Llanrhystud (SN 538 697).

Owen Watkin

Sightings from Richard Jenkins

12+ red throated diver, 20+ common scoter and a great crested grebe off Borth this evening. Reed buntings, and Stone chats on Aberleri fields. Ring tail harrier spotted over the bog by a visiting birder who's name I have unfortunately forgotten. At dusk a strange wailing, reminiscent of a diver was coming from towards Borth.

Also Merlin, Little egret, Grey heron, Red kite, lots of Redshanks and Canada geese and a Kingfisher seen along the Leri, and a pair of Buzzard several hundred Lapwing, Red legged partridge, Fieldfares, Song thrushes, and Mistle thrushes along the Clettwr the other day.

Rich J

Llangybi

A Willow Tit was singing this morning over the road at Maesyderi pool.

Llyn Fanod

Seems to be a gathering ground for goosander, Chris Bird counted 20 yesterday. Other birds present were 2 goldeneye,8 canada geese, 20 wigeon and 20 lapwing.

Post Bach

There were approx 300 Lapwing and 300 Golden Plovers at Post Bach this afternoon.

Nice surprise

Delighted and surprised to see two (pair?) Mistle Thrushes on the field behind the house this morning; first I have seen around us for a while.

David, Felinfach

Lapwing

There were c50 lapwing in a field  at Abermagwr on the road to commins coch(apologies for spelling) this morning18th. Seen from the bus, migrants,sign of cold weather or returning breders?.Also drumming greater spotted woodpecker in Llanddewi brefi.

David Price

Green Woodpecker

Heard a green woodpecker yaffle in and near Lledrod several times through Sunday - anyone else heard or seen it? First time I've heard one in the eleven years I've lived here.

Jasmin Donahaye

Purps

There were four Purple Sandpipers by the wooden jetty in Aber at lunchtime today.
Pete and Jenni H

A few garden birds

A nice day so a walk around the garden with the camera.

Spring??

Surprised to see my first 'Bumblby' queen this morning.

David, Felinfach

Cross Inn, Bramblings

I have just counted 16 bramblings feeding on our lawn with a similar number of chaffinches and 4 goldfinches. They seem to love the birdfood spread on the lawn and take no interest in the feeders.

Cormorant

On my way to Ynyslas this morning I encountered a Cormorant sat in the middle of the road.  It's a good job I slowed down because the bird needed a long runway to get airborne.  I've never seen one in quite such a daft place before.

A Technical Question

Having problems in trying to do postings from an iPad - Has anyone else experienced difficulties? The problem I find is that a title for the blog can be entered but then cannot continue entering the main text? Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong? Thanks.

Frog's Valentine

Frogs having a Valentine's Day Ball in our garden pond - masses of spawn appeared overnight. Amazingly they also started spawning on Valentine's Day last year!!.

Bramblings

Having only had 1 brambling occasionally each winter we have now been blessed with 6 on a daily basis this week. They are staying with a large flock of Chaffinches and 4 Goldfinches making a most colouful addition to the garden.
The Grey Plover and 2 Sanderlings are still down at Llanhystud. I must get down to Llanon to see if the Rose Coloured Starling that John Valentine mentioned is still there.

Allofeeding

Agression and allofeeding at the feeder
Long seed feeders like the one by the café at Bwlch Nant y arian are good places to watch interaction between birds. I took photos last Friday of what I thought at the time were acts of aggression, but when you go through the shots, it's clear that in many cases birds pass food from one to another (allofeeding) - which itself can lead to aggression. I've put 28 photos of aggression (mainly between different species), courtship feeding, and
allofeeding between male Greenfinches on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78182965@N06/8465186010/in/set-72157632739288325/

Laurie Wright

BLACKCAPS

Laurie Wright now has at least 3 Blackcaps visiting the feeders in his Aberystwyth garden; a female and two males (sometimes together) and possibly a third male.

Leri Saltings

A visit to the Leri saltings this morning - as the tide fell back after what was the biggest tide of the year - was somewhat disappointing, as birds were conspicuous by their absence. Just a handful of Wigeon out on the water, seven Redshank and two Shelduck. A few Lapwing  and some Curlew.on the fields. One consolation was a Kestrel back along the Leri near the bridge.

Fastworker

Saturday, I noticed a lot of to-ing and fro-ing into the workshop, turns out the first of this year's robin's nests is on the second shelf down in a box of equally useful 'stuff', they don't waste much time.

David, Felinfach

Mydroilyn Monday 11th

Massive starling roost this evening, seemed to be more than ever + buzzards 6, sparrowhawk 1, red kite 2.

But the highlight was a barn owl sitting on a fence post, the owl had a ring on its left leg.

alan hill

Omniverous Mallards

Many people (like me) have assumed that ducks are vegetarians and live mainly on duckweed.  Those better informed know that they are omnivores and are partial to a bit of meat, as is shown by these two photos taken last Friday at Bwlch Nantyrarian.

Laurie Wright

goosanders

Chris Bird had lots of them on Llyn Fanod yesterday peering through a misty drizzle, 12 females and 6 males. A good county record i imagine.

Report from John Valentine

I had a brief glimpse in the rain today of a rose coloured starling at Llanon.

 

John

Cors Caron

I'm very grateful to Steve Butler from The Gwent Ornithological Society who phoned earlier to tell me about their visit to Cors Caron yesterday.
I wish I had been there to witness a Peregrine with prey, chased first by a Merlin, then a male Hen Harrier which eventually stole the prey from it.  Three Hen Harriers were seen all together, 2 males and 1 female.
The group also saw Willow Tits and Redpolls on the car park feeders, Goshawk, Bullfinch, Snipe, c15 Red Kite, 20-25 Stock Dove, c100 Fieldfare, 400-500 Golden Plover and c1,000 Lapwing.
Thanks for letting me know Steve, glad you enjoyed your visit to Ceredigion.   

Ducks are dablbing..

After the Lapwing visited the damp patch in the middle of the field a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to see a pair of Mallard 'dabbling' amongst the rushes first thing and still at it as I write. Looking forward to some more pleasant surprises.

The robins, which, by their general demeanour and appearance, appear to be the same pair that enjoyed the mealworms last year have paired up and I have come across the female exploring my freshly sorted workshop after nesting there last year. I knew there was a nest in there but never found it until the 'clear up'. It was on the top of some shelves in a carrier bag partially filled with 'useful' oddments of string and rope.

David, Felinfach

BITTERNS

Was out today (Thursday) at Cors Caron with other students from my course doing some birding around the bog.

 

Had some exciting bird and wildlife sightings including possible 2 Bitterns. (Seen one well flying over and into reeds at Observation hide then a brief view of a 2nd bird moving through reeds in front of observation hide this afternoon).

 

Other sightings include 2 Whooper Swan, 2 Goosander (Females), 1 Merlin, 30+ Red Kite, 6 Buzzard, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Snipe, 1 Water Rail, 18 Teal, 1 Jay, 1 Bullfinch were best birds of note throughout the day there.

 

Brendan Sheils

 

(Sorry, posted late by me as I was away for a couple of days.)

MONTHLY FIELD TRIP

10 of us braved the elements, well fairly continual light rain, for a morning walk along the coast path from Llanrhystud towards Llansantffraed and back. 

The highlight was the variety of waders: Curlew, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapwing and a couple of Sanderling, a species not so often seen away from Borth/Ynyslas. Some Red-throated Divers were also seen.

Water Pipit

Result! And not just the rugby.  Caught up with the Water Pipit at Ynyslas today, if you haven't seen it it's well worth a look - a very nicely marked bird.  Other highlights, between the showers, included three 1st W Little Gulls close in passed New Quay Head and, rather unexpectedly,  two Purple Sandpipers feeding with Turnstones on the rocks below the fish factory. (107).

Raptor Fest!

I was at Coed Dolgoed earlier today (Friday 8th) and a sparrowhawk was circling over the wood. 3 marsh tit and a flushed woodcock were the other highlights.

Late afternoon and I was at the northern end of Cors Caron and a male kestrel flew across the track. Also a male hen harrier hunting in the distance. A snipe was flushed from a ditch and 12 stock dove overhead followed by a flock of 700+ starlings. 10 mins later a peregrine flew away carrying what looked like a starling. Also at least 6 buzzards and similar number of red kites seen during the day, what a raptor county Ceredigion is!

Andre Marsh

Ynyslas this afternoon

Wonderful views of a female Hen Harrier at 3:15 at Ynyslas this afternoon followed later by another treat - the Water Pipit is still hanging around.  Rock Pipit, Pied Wag and a pair of Stonechat also put in an appearance.

merlin

There was a merlin on a gate near Pentre Cwrt this afternoon (nearly in Ceredigion).

Merlin

Near my house on the Tynygraig to Swyddffynnon road a male Merlin.

Also large flocks of winter thrushes and starlings in the surrounding fields and some Golden Plover and Lapwing.

Philip Ellis

Ynys Las dune management

When visiting Ynys Las in the winter I rarely go to the Visitor Centre as the toilets are shut and there's no dogbowl out so I have missed the notice concerning the future policy for dune management which is explained in full and nailed on the saloon door...no, I mean near the toilets.
It makes interesting reading and asks for comments.
If you knew this already apologies, but if you didn't....

ps little gulls: Red recently picked up a young little gull on Tan y Blwch,deceased that is. 
ps dippers: he also heard 'my' dipper singing on the stream just south of the Cors Caron car park; last evening a pair shared a perch on a branch in our stream (where they have bred previously) and engaged in mutual dipping!  

New Years Day

Some friends who live on the mountain road between Llanfair Clydogau and Ffarmers, told me today that there was a Short-eared Owl along the county boundary above Clywedog Plantation on Jan 1st, late in the afternoon.

MORE LITTLE GULL SIGHTINGS

4 (incl 1 adult) Little Gulls at South end of Tanybwlch on Wednesday. Very goods views feeding amongst breakers.
Chris Wallbank

(Clearly I was at the wrong spot yesterday, at South Beach seeing nothing!)

Work opportunity

There is a job advert on the "News & Events" page which might be of interest to some of you.

SEA-WATCH from TANYBWLCH

Brendan Sheils was fortunate in seeing a couple of Great Skuas passing, close in,  by this afternoon and a very pale skua resting on the sea. He thought it may have been injured and may have been an Arctic Skua. Also, one Gannet, 2 Common Scoters and 5 Kittewakes.

Llanrhystud Curlews

Hi Pete and Jenni, your Whimbrels would have been Curlews, there's quite a large wintering flock along that bit of coast, over 200 in some years.  Also its a bit early for Whimbrels.  They are migrants, which pass through during the spring and autumn the first of the year don't normally turn up until April.  Llanrhystud's a good place to look for them, but not for a couple of months.

Golden Plovers et al

There were still good numbers of golden plover and lapwing in fields between Pisgah and Post Bach at around noon today; also smaller numbers of fieldfare and redwing. Later, there were three mistle thrushes in the stubble field just south of Llannon. At Llanrhystud, in the field nearest the shore by the caravans, there was a flock of about fifty whimbrel, we think. They flew south before we could be certain. Can anyone confirm ID?

Pete and Jenni Hyatt

Ynyslas Turn Car Park this afternoon

We didn't stay long because the weather was so foul but we did see the Water Pipit at the Turn Car Park again this afternoon. Also Rock and Meadow Pipits, Pied Wag and a lone Ringed Plover.

Water pipit

I don't recall seeing 2 birds but then I was photographing not birdwatching which is always a disadvantage. However, these 2 photos are definitely the same bird taken seconds apart and the supercilium is much more prominent on the second photo, just a different angle and light. The light was poor and shows that although photos can be really useful they can also mislead. In other words Mervyn I don't really know for sure but I don't think so!

Eglwys Fach Bramblings

We had a lie-in and late breakfast this morning, perhaps Mr & Mrs Brambling did too.
At about 8:30 whilst I was drinking my coffee, a female came to my balcony feeder followed a few minutes later by a male. 

Brief visit

.............of about two minutes, what appeared to be a female, Lesser Redpoll on the Nijer. Very assertive, seeing three Siskins off before departing, not seen again.
The Siskins arrived in numbers about 10 days ago.

David, Felinfach

February Field Trip

A reminder that the February field trip is this Saturday, a coastal walk
led by John Davies, all details are on the field trip section of the
blog.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Elaine

Ynslas Water Pipits

Nice photos Janet, are they of the same bird?. Photo 1 (showing the bird from behind) shows a prominent supercillium over the right eye but isn't showing any white outer tail feathers much the same as the bird I saw at Ynys Las TO, while photo 2, side on, the supercillium is much less distinct, like the bird seen by Leri Boatyard, though this was over the right eye as well, when it flew the outer tail showed prominent white feathers. To complicate matters a little further the first bird, at Ynys Las had very fine marks down the flanks, both of these seem to have quite large streaks.

Water pipit, Ynyslas

Water Pipit

There was a Water Pipit - possibly/probably the same one seen by Mervyn a couple of days ago - showing very well at the Turn Car Park this morning.  This year's Ceredigion list is coming on nicely but I'm not sure I will be able to keep up with Russell............

Report from visiting birder - 2nd Feb

19 Common Scoter within 100m of coast between Aberporth and Tresaith. All males apart from 3.

 

 

Martyn Hale (weekend visitor from Somerset)

NEWS FROM DOWN SOUTH

A very big mixed flock of Golden Plover and Lapwing on the high ground between Post bach and Pisgah (SN400514) this morning. There must have been many hundreds, perhaps over a thousand. I often see up to a hundred but never as many as this before. I guess the Golden Plover outnumbered the Lapwing by about 10 to 1.

David Woolley

COUNTY YEAR LIST

Intentionally or otherwise I think Russell has thrown down the gauntiet: 180 species, in one year, in Ceredigion.

That does seem rather a lot, but come on, let's rise to the challenge.

Barn Owl

Lovely siting of A Barn Owl flying from Soar farm Nr Cenarth over the road this evening at 5.15, it appeared to be carrying a small rodent.


Rob Wilson

Starlings

This evening, thanks to Alan and his wife (sorry didn't catch your name) I ended up at the starling roost between Mydroilyn and Gors Goch.  We arrived before the starlings, but not before the buzzards had started to gather - a sign of things to come. After about ten minutes the first starlings began to arrive in small flocks of a few hundred birds.  As the evening progressed the flocks got larger and larger.  I've no idea how many birds were involved in total, certainly tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands.  The massed flocks whizzing around the wood were an amazing site.  Eventually all of the birds disappeared into the conifers to roost - I imagine that every tree must have been jammed packed full of starlings.  Inevitably, such a gathering isn't going to go unnoticed, and as well as the buzzards (10+) there was also a goshawk, merlin, 2 peregrines and a sparrow hawk looking for a late meal. 

Idle chat

Still chuckling about Maurice Chevalier ("Thank Heaven for Little Gulls"). I believe he also observed that, "Little Gulls get bigger every day." But then, surely, they wouldn't be little any more?

Otter at Ynyslas

We took number 1 grandson to Ynyslas this morning and managed to show him an otter.
I've been very lucky with them lately, but of course you can't see them if they don't want to be seen. 

Red-legged Partridge

2 walking in the road,over the bridge in tre'r ddol by the pub this morning about 08.15,did nearly flatten em in the bus,but they moved sharpish!


Keith warner

Displaying Peregrines ?

At work today I saw first one then another Peregrine at Bryngwenith, Henllan. The two birds swooped around each other in spectacular style for a short while and at one point appeared to lock talons. Perhaps they were passing something or at least going through an imitation of doing so? It looked to me that they must be a displaying pair, though it seems to be an unlikely area for Peregrines to be displaying in?

Little Gulls Aberystwyth and late report from last week.

Today, 5 Little Gulls off South Beach at 2:30pm, 2ads, 1- 2nd Winter and two 1st Winters.

Sorry about this late posting but did report this to RSPB Ynys Hir last wed.
A friend and I had a Water Pipit feeding with a Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipits, Stonechats and Reed Buntings on the car park pools at Ynys Las Turn Off last Tuesday 22nd Jan. at about 10am. Afterwards, about 10:30, there was another Water Pipit feeding close to the fencing in the field alongside the track behind Leri Boatyard, this was not the same bird there were slight plumage differences, principally in the supercillium.
Having relocated to Llanrhystud and in awful weather there were three Ruff amongst all the waders in the fields. To round the day off we were in Aberystwyth at 3pm where 5 Purple Sands and a Red-throated Diver were the main attraction

LITTLE GULLS

Helen Herbert noted 2 adults and 2 first winter birds at South Beach, Aberystwyth this morning. Later I was at Clarach and in fine sunshine was able to take a few pics of some of the 5 first winter birds which were foraging over and just beyond the breaking waves.

This one shows how much smaller they are than Black-headed Gulls.

(Photos taken with my little Panasonic Lumix TZ30.)

Postscript: Harry subsequently called in at Clarach where 4 of the birds were still present. He then went to South Beach at Aberystwyth to find 3 adults and 2 first winter birds. So, at least 9 were about.
Earlier Harry had been to Cors Caron and seen a male Hen Harrier and a gathering of 29 Stock Doves.

January 31st

Like Bob, John and others I too had a good last day of January. At Ynyslas the male eider and great northern diver were close to the Leri Mouth and a group of 13 knot and 60 dunlin flew towards the mouth of the estuary. At Aberystwyth I saw two of the adult little gulls at south beach seen by others previously but the bird of the day for me was a yellow-legged gull on the beach opposite the Belle Vue hotel. This was interestingly also a third year though probably different to the one seen by Arfon at Cei bach. A sea-watch at Borth produced little of note. As a lister my target for Ceredigion for 2013 is 180 bird species and am now on 103 so lots of birding to put in yet. I still have not seen a shag in the county this year as well as a few more of the commoner species.

COUNTY BIRD REPORT

I have just posted a couple of copies to people well outside the County and it prompted me to go for a final sales push!

The Report is still available at the Wildlife Trust's Teifi Marshes visitor centre near Cardigan, Ystwyth Bookshop in Aberystwyth and the visitor centre at RSPB Ynys-hir.

I shall bring copies with me to Saturday 9th's  Monthly Birdwatching Walk at Llanrhystud and can post copies to people on receipt of a cheque, payable to the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, for £8 + £1.10 for postage, sent to me at Pant Llidiart, Trisant, Aberystwyth, SY23 4RQ.

(All sales receipts are forwarded to the Wildlife Trust who initially fund the printing of the Report. Any surplus would go towards the next Report. We have no bird club with an Hon. Treasurer, so copies of the Printer's invoices and details of payments to the Trust are available from me and from Russell Jones.)