Another beautiful if frosty morning on the bog and a few more birds to see. Pipits much more in evidence and a pair of wheatears in a previously used nest site. Strange to see wheatear and redwing in the same binocular view! A few lapwing called as they flew over and all the birds on the wire fence flew off.....stunning male sparrowhawk drifted past to sit in a tree but no-one was fooled, the pips kept their heads down!
It was a morning for Willow Tits, at least 6 singing males, between the old carpark and Ystrad Meurig, easily seen on their songposts with associated females to chase. Fortunately there are a lot of rotten trees on the bog but some of us wish, when clearance takes place, tree stumps could be left to rot in situ to provide a succession of nesting possibilities for a bird in steep decline in other parts of the country.
The Fflur hide along the railway line replaced an old tower hide when the telegraph pole legs of which had been hollowed out by great spots; I was amused to hear some thunderous drumming coming from that direction and sure enough 'son of hide destroyer' was having a right go at the lovely fresh cedar of the hide!
The bog is worth a visit just to hear the curlews calling and as I saw a snipe on territory perhaps hear some other 'drumming'.