Llyn Fanod and Aberystwyth

Chris ventured out to his local lakes yesterday.  Nothing on Llyn Eiddwen, but on Llyn Fanod he found three Goosander, three Wigeon and two female Goldeneye, with a Kestrel nearby.
Today he had a Redshank in the harbour and a Med Gull in South Bay.  Disappointing really;  after days of very strong onshore winds you would hope for something a little more unusual.
He then had a good count of eight Moorhens on Nanteos pool, but not a single duck.

Clettwr last Friday

Belated news but I have had no access to a computer: Last Friday on a walk along the Clettwr there was a 2nd calendar year male hen harrier, a kingfisher and at least four water pipits (two near the Railway bridge and two where the track ends). No sign of the Greenland white-fronted geese though.

Aberaeron seawatch

I don't suppose there has been much birding done in Ceredigion this weekend but Andy James braved an hour this morning, during which he had 12 Common Gulls in very poor visibility due to the amount of spray in the air.

Back on the castle again

As I had to go into town this morning I couldn't resist a seawatch, but on arrival even Constitution Hill was hardly visible in the gloomy drizzle.
Luckily it cleared somewhat and soon a Gannet flew south to be followed by the first of 16 Red-throated Divers, again mostly going south.  A few other divers passed during the session, too distant for positive i.d. but one of them looked quite like a Black-throated.
After a while I was joined by the wanderer returned, none other than John Valentine.  As the visibility improved, a couple of the distant smallish gulls came close enough for i.d as Kittiwakes and we both enjoyed a Peregrine perched on the ridge at Consti.
A couple of Common Scoter and a male Red-breasted Merganser to round off then we had a short walk to the Old College where the male Black Redstart was showing nicely.

View north from the castle as the rain cleared (temporarily)

Borth and Ynyslas

Like Bob I too was at the turn car park this morning, though our visits didn't coincide. I had fewer Red-throated Divers, though our two Great Crested Grebes  and ca30 Common Scoter agreed.  I also had another five G C Grebes later off Borth plus two on the estuary.  Best of all, a late Gannet (I am determined to get the last one this year: beat that, Davis).
At Ynyslas,  not a breath of wind and the estuary like a millpond.  Among a party of around 30 Oystercatchers on the saltmarsh at the mouth of the Leri I found a little group of waders comprising three Grey Plover, Three Dunlin and a Knot.  Nearby, five Redshank and 10 Curlew.  Shuffling about on the saltings were ca 90 Linnets and a few Reed Buntings.
Lots of birds on Ynys Tachwedd fields, including 115 Lapwings, 25 Curlews, and six Little Egrets.
Finally, after wondering where they were, a last look over the estuary towards Aberdyfi produced a flock of ca 600 Golden Plover.

Ynys-las

Just back from the Turn Car Park, having spent about 90 minutes watching the sea.

It was very mild, and the sea was flat calm which enabled me to see quite a few birds on it.

There were about 16 or 17 Red-throated divers, 25-30 Common Scoter, 2 Great crested grebe, 7 or 8 Guillemot and 1 fly past Great Northern diver.  A couple of seals popped up, one of them had caught a fish which seemed a bit too big for it.  It surfaced several times with the fish and at one stage a couple of Great black backed gulls dive bombed trying to relieve it if it's meal.  I was also thrilled to see 3 Bottle nosed dolphins which stayed in view for about 20 minutes and put on quite a show.

TRISANT BRAMBLINGS

On the far side of our scattered hamlet to me, Kate and John Spencer have 3 Bramblings (2m and 1f) visiting their garden.

COLOUR-RINGED MEDITERRANEAN GULL

   There are few Med. Gulls around in the winter but Chris noticed one last Wednesday at Aberystwyth with a colour-ring: White RN41.

   It had been ringed prior to fledging on 23/6/13 at a colony to the south east of Paris. Very interestingly, it soon flew north and was seen 15/9/13 at Lochgilphead, Argyll, Scotland.      Early in May 2014 it was seen over a few days in southern Brittany, moving to western Brittany by 23/7/14 where it was next seen 1/3/15.

   On 24/10/15 it was at the Nevern estuary, Newport, Pembrokeshire before moving north to Aberystwyth the following month.

Sightings from Jerry Moore

Peregrine at Craig-y-pistyll, my first sighting there for quite a while.

Copious droppings and pellets of barn owl in an outbuilding at Llawr-y-cwm bach, downstream of Craig-y-pistyll.

A stonechat under the cliff and another about half a mile inland.

 

At Aberystwyth, a large number of the starlings went northwards as if to roost somewhere else on Sunday at dusk. It could have been in the area below the camera obscura, or they could have come back to the pier after dark.

 

Aberystwyth seawatch

A stiff WNW wind tempted me to the castle this morning.  Visibility wasn't too bad as the threatened rain held off for the first hour and didn't get  heavy until after I'd left.
Two Great Northern Divers flying south together was the highlight. Also a total of six Red-throated Divers heading south, three of which dropped onto the sea, conveniently within scope range. I was hoping for a late Gannet and two went past, one of which lingered, plunging into the sea repeatedly. Also, three Common Scoter.  Still six Purple Sandpipers in the roost.

Ynys-hir today

If only I could have been closer...

Little Egret on Llansantffraed Beach

There was a Little Egret feeding in a rock pool at Llansantffraed this morning, an unexpected sight on this part of the coast. Other birds on the beach included Common Gull, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Redshank and Lapwing.

Jays

This is one of the three Jays currently on and around my feeders.

Mydroilyn Starling Roost SN457520

Finally made it to the roost this afternoon, though I wasn't sure exactly where to head. Two forestry blocks, about a mile apart, both looked plausible, but after driving around for a while I parked at the above spot near Rhos Garn Whilgarn which proved to be correct as luck would have it. A couple got there just before me and we watched the action together, which lasted from about 4pm to 5pm. From where we stood we could see birds coming in from SW through S and W through to NW. ie you would imagine that we could see the approach of presumably about half the birds coming to roost. Which was a hell of a lot. Certainly tens of thousands. We guessed 100,000 and I can't imagine it was fewer than 50,000. If the same number were approaching from north and east then a whole lot more besides. 4 Buzzards, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine were in attendance. Highly recommended.

A nice day in the garden

Nothing great, but a nice day in the garden after a miserable week. On the feeders we had 5 species of tit, Blue, Great, Coal, Long tailed and Marsh, along with Greater spotted woodpecker, Nuthatch, Starling (a rare winter visitor to our garden) and Chaffinch. On the ground there were Dunnock, Robin, and Blackbird. Elsewhere in the garden, both Bullfinch and Goldfinch, along with Jay, Woodpigeon, Grey wagtail, Wren and Magpie, overhead Crow and Raven and in the paddock feeding on scraps put out were Buzzard and Red kite. I heard Herring gull but I didn't seen them.
All the tits except the Marsh were also seen around the garden as were Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird.

Ian Burgess

Penrhiwllan

Black Redstarts at Aberystwyth

There were at least two Black Redstarts on the old college building this morning, a handsome male and this female. 

Very flighty though.

Bob Relph

Llyn Pencarreg

44 tufted duck was a good number for me at this site, and at least 14 little grebe. Also present were goosander, teal, wigeon and mallard (75). 1 canada goose and 1 cormorant also present.

Pant Pool

3 Little Egrets present this morning.

Black Redstart

The ringed male Black Redstart was busy fly-catching on the sunny side of the Old College this morning - good to see him back again.

Who Killed Cock Robin?

Whilst trying to do some belated tidying in the garden today accompanied by the resident garden Robin a 'whoosh' behind me caused me to turn rapidly only to see the Robin disappearing in the talons of a Merlin! The cold snap has probably encouraged the merlin down to the lowlands.

Marsh Tit

One was calling in Henllan this morning, not far from where we saw a couple on the group walk earlier in the year.

Sightings from Chris Bird

Today, 14 Med Gulls on College rocks and Purple Sandpipers now increased to six.

Wednesday, 29 Med Gulls included one with a green ring RN41 and a roost of ca130 Pied Wagtails in the trees  on Portland St. next to the White Horse.

 

Re: Hoopoe

Shortly after seeing  the report of Hoopoe on the blog Chris rang and we met up in the car park by the pond in Llanilar, about 2:00pm.
Searched the area without success but it must be worth another look.
This morning, after a birdless visit to Borth and Ynyslas turn I ended up on the Clettwr, where I photographed this Dipper. Also there, a Grey Wagtail at the ford but no sign of whitefronts down the other end.

Hoopoe

As I am tied up in work all day I am posting an e-mail I have just received in case anyone is passing the Llanilar area; Good luck, I will probably be in the Llanilar area first thing tomorrow! : Dear Mr Jones, Just as this sighting was odd and out of season, I just thought about reporting it. The sighting, was of a hoopoe by the River Ystwyth, at Llanilar, Grid ref SN625755. Lovely bird displaying in and out of the willow riverside scrub. regards Stephen Buckley [Aber Kayakers]

water pipit at Llanon

This obliging water pip was on the cobbles at Llanon South carpark until bullied off the spot by the local rock pip.  Heard it call several times and it sounded hoarse or lispy so now I know what to listen out for on the bog.  Not the easiest bird to pin down but fortunately we had the van to use as a hide.
On the way in we saw 2 female goosander on the pond near Penuwch where there are some funny looking statues and 25 lapwing on Llyn Fanod.  As we left a gannet flew over the strandline!  I also saw what looked like a black guillemot fly by but no pic as the photographer was playing with Toffy.

Geese

A search for the Greenland white-fronted geese west of the Clettwr was unproductive this afternoon though there were 6 pale-bellied brent geese at the mouth of the Clettwr (4 juveniles) which later flew towards the Leri mouth. A water pipit was rather nice too. If anyone sees any white-fronted geese in the county I would appreciate a call on 07753 774891 as they are again rather elusive this winter with only two sightings so far.

Great Northern Diver

Scott Squires, a birder I met on the castle this morning as he was leaving, had earlier had a Great Northern Diver and five Med Gulls. Yesterday he had two male Hen Harriers at the south end of Cors Caron.

I managed a Gannet.

Gannet at Aberaeron

I had a good view in this afternoon's strong winds of a Gannet flying low over the waves quite close to the shore at Aberaeron.

Aberystwyth again

I was checking the birds in South Bay this morning when John turned up but we couldn't pick out anything among the usual gulls: ca  120 Black-headed,a few Common and Herring and two Meds.
So it was up onto the castle for a seawatch.
Despite dark and heavy cloud and a fierce south-westerly visibility was reasonable for almost an hour until the rain set in.  During that time we managed 10 Gannets,one of which flew into North Bay and disappeared behind the pier before emerging to continue over College Rocks and past the point.  Also a Common Scoter and a Shelduck, but the strangest sight was a flock of ca 350 Starlings, coming south very low offshore, which turned and headed inland before reaching us.
After John left I tried to continue but the weather closed in and I only managed a couple more Gannets and two very close Curlews.
Purple Sandpipers now up to five.

Suggestions welcome

Im coming home to Borth from uni this weekend and I really wanted to get a few days in of birding. Im just wandering where should I be heading. I understand the strong winds are going to make it a lot harder but Im hoping to see some of my old favourites like shrike and harrier. 

Thank you

Georgina Standing

I sent Georgina a few ideas, but if anyone else has any suggestions, all the better.

Hen Harrier near Llyn Fanod

This morning I saw a male Hen Harrier flying over marshland about a mile to the north of Llyn Fanod. It then flew southwards, crossing the road about 30 yards in front of me, before disappearing from view.

New Quay

You're right, John.  I thought I would try my luck down south, and managed about three hours behind the fish factory.
Seemed like the wrong choice at first, as during the first 35 min I could only manage a few Common Gulls and three Meds.
Then two dark-bellied Brent Geese went past, followed by the first of a grand total of 29 Gannets.  A passage of 27 Kittiwakes, two more Brents, one dark-b, one pale-b, single Common Scoter and Red-throated Diver and that was it.

ANOTHER ABERYSTWYTH SEAWATCH

For half an hour from 8am I noticed 6 Gannets and a Great Northern Diver. The next 30 minutes were quiet except for a female Scaup which passed by, close in and then 3 White-fronted Geese which flew south, skirting Castle Point.

Not a Pepper to be seen: must have been perched elsewhere.
I then noticed that Purple Sandpiper numbers had risen from 3 to 4.
Later there was a Gannet just off South Beach.

Brambling

Chris had a male Brambling near Trefenter today.

Merlin at Ynyslas

This Merlin was sat on the beach at Ynyslas this morning, sheltering from the wind at the edge of the dunes.

 Mike Bailey

Aberaeron seawatch

Andy James had three Gannets during a seawatch at Aberaeron this morning.

Gannet is usually a scarce bird in Ceredigion in November but this month they have been moving through in good numbers.  With strong winds again forecast over the next few days it will be interesting to see how many more we get. 

Being one of those strange people who enjoys staring at the sea through a telescope, I will be out tomorrow morning hoping for something to set the pulse racing.

still raining, still dreaming

Saw a Barn Owl this morning in Llanwnen on my way to work. Later, in the rain, a pair of Marsh Tits were in a garden in Penrhiwllan (Pwllcornel). About 1km from where Ian Burgess reported them the other day in his garden so quite possibly different birds I guess. I've also been seeing thousands of Starlings flying over Talgarreg at dusk as I collect the post in the afternoon. I've never actually got to the roost site. Does anybody know the exact location/grid ref? I thought it could be somewhere to go on the February bird walk. Maybe an afternoon walk finishing there. I'd be happy to lead it as long I know where to go.

Coed Y Bont

Marsh tits, goldcrests and woodcock were our reward for going round Coed Y Bont as fortunately the promised winds didn't arrive.  No siskins or redpolls so I wonder if the bonanza of seed in last year's larch cones has not occurred this year.

Great Northern Divers

John and I decided to have another seawatch from the castle this morning.  It was dull and wet but we managed just over an hour, during which time the visibility deteriorated, but not before we had managed three Gannets, a Common Scoter, and best of all, two Great Northern Divers.  Probably three, but couldn't be sure about the third bird.

TOMORROW AT COED Y BONT

The forecast is so dire that I won't expect you to turn up particularly as I will have to restrict our walk if the winds are strong as there are trees in danger of being tipped over;  if you are very keen then get yourself down to the coast!!

CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A GREAT SKUA

Harry said I should put a number of photos on the blog, some are rather poor but they give an idea of how close the bird was (photographed with my compact Panasonic Lumix) and for the two of us, they are a record of a remarkable minute or two.

 



Borth

After receiving a text from John re 3 bonxies at Aber I took my lunch break at Borth and stared out to sea for forty minutes. Highlights were a bonxie south at 12.20, two great northern divers , 17 gannets and around 60 kittiwakes all heading south. I wish I had gone out earlier or taken some time off but I have already used up all my annual leave so no chance there.

Encounter with a Bonxie

The onshore gale which was forecast brought John and me onto the castle again. Luckily, during the time we were there, 8.10 to 10.10, the heavy showers which were also forecast held off, and we enjoyed long sunny periods.
Gannet was again the most numerous species; we logged 51 which included a good proportion of 2nd year birds. Also, 16 Kittiwakes, of which 11 were in one party, three Mediterranean Gulls, a group of 13 Ringed Plover close in, two Fulmars towards the end and three Great Skuas.
A break from seawatching at 9 o.clock found us chatting and looking towards the Old College. Very luckily as it happened, as it dawned on us that one of the large gulls hanging in the gale above the college was in fact a Bonxie. We watched, fascinated as it came closer, and though it seemed to be heading south over the castle at one point, it came back and soon ended up directly over our heads (and not very far over our heads).
Before long it made its way down to the sea and continued southwards past the point. Luckily John had his camera handy and will post some pictures here later.
The other two Bonxies were picked up at 9.15 and 9.25, heading south offshore in a more conventional manner.

Irish fun for Tony Cross

Have a read of Ruffled Feathers blog (link on this blog) as Tony is over in Wicklow setting up a Dipper colour ringing programme with some interesting results already.  He also had a very interesting encounter with a short eared owl….
BTW his namesake cuckoo has made it to the wintering area in the Congo; there's one Shortie that wishes he'd gone with it!

BIRDWALK CHANGE OF DATE. SATURDAY 14TH NOV

Unfortunately a late change of date from Sunday to Saturday for this week's walk as Coed Y Bont have a work party operating in there on Sunday morning.

So, 9.30am in the carpark, bring a drink and wellies, it definitely will be wet for the second half of the walk.
Coed Y Bont was and is on the OS map: Coed Dolgoed.  On the lane to the Strata Florida abbey just outside Bont village SN737660.  Details in the field trip section to right of this post.

Another Aber seawatch

After checking the Purple Sandpiper roost (still three), I arrived at the shelter on the castle to find John in my spot, leaning against my post. The cheek of it.
Wind fresh from the south-west and visibility pretty good, though it did deteriorate later.
Not a lot out there, but in an hour and a half we managed 13 Gannets, four Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and a Goosander, plus quite a few Common Gulls and the odd Great Black-back.

Dave's comment.

Great to see Dave saying these things: carries much weight coming from someone in his trade ( used to go with him many years back). I've added my bit to the survey too. It's a totally disgusting disgrace , but sadly, just what one expects! Wildlife or money?...no contest.

Scallop Dredging Consultation

About this Scallop dredging consultation .  I operated a commercial vessel out of Aberystwyth for 30+ years taking people out on angling & wildlife trips.  There is no doubt in my mind this method of Scallop fishing is very desrtuctive to the sea bed & should not be allowed to expand in anyway.   To my mind the direct links of dredging affecting Dolphin populations in the very short term is probably open to debate - BUT in the long term it will.  The direct results from trashing the sea bed are upon all species that live on it, especially  Rays.   I saw a dramatic decline in ray catches over only about 15 years- this could also be due to the increase in use of fixed nets as well. So if you 'see' a species in decline you do not help it by wrecking it's home. 
As far as this consultation goes- if you scroll down to the 20 odd questions that they ask you-  the fact IS the questions asked do NOT give any oppurtunity to challenge the premise that Scallop dredging should be allowed.  I refused to answer any of the questions & just put in a comment in the 'other comment' box at the bottom.
Dave Taylor

Posted by Bob Relph

Dredging in Cardigan Bay

I posted a link to a Guardian article by George Monbiot about the Welsh government's plans to allow scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay on my Facebook page this morning. Bob saw and shared it and did now ask me if I could send you the link to the article and ask you to post it on the bird blog in order to make people aware and make them provide their comments to the government's consultation exercise.

Silke

 

Here is the link:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2015/nov/09/allowing-scallop-dredging-in-strictly-protected-dolphin-reserves-is-madness

 

The above link from Silke provides truly depressing reading. I urge everyone to read it.

Gannets, Eiders and Bonxies

Three Purple Sandpipers at roost on the wall this morning.
I can't resist a rough sea and so I was on the castle at 7.50 watching the first of a good passage of Gannets heading into the strong south-westerly. Despite the heavy cloud, with light rain at times and the spray, visibility was better than I expected.
The fine sight of six Eider (three drakes, three ducks) heading north after 10 minutes persuaded me to stay.  The Gannets were mostly moving south in ones and twos, with the occasional group of eight to ten, and among one of these groups I picked out a Great Skua.  About half an hour later another one went through, again accompanying a group of Gannets.
In the end, I only packed in at 10.30 when the rain arrived in force and reduced visibility to such an extent that there was no point carrying on.
Totals: Gannet 89, Eider 6, Bonxie 2, Med Gull 3, Red-throated Diver 1, plus an unidentified large diver which I only saw briefly before it dropped onto the sea and disappeared.

Yesterday at Tregaron

Male hen harrier on north Borth bog again on Saturday.  Today (Sunday) at Tregaron, 2 – 3 willow tit.  Not seen these little fellows for at least five years.  Amazing that they’re still there (I first saw them there in 1982), as never hear or see them anywhere else.  Also redpoll, bullfinch, treecreeper, woodcock.  Tried for the shrike at Cross Inn, but conditions slightly less than sub-optimal this afternoon.  Good weather to bring in a phalarope or sabine’s gull?

Chris Forster-Brown

KINGFISHER

Yesterday afternoon there was a Kingfisher at Cei Bach where the little stream reaches the beach.

Ringed Black Redstart

This afternoon Chris Bird had a ringed male Black Redstart on the Old College in Aberystwyth. Assuming that this is the bird that was ringed here on 5th Dec 2010 by Paul Leafe and Tony Cross, this makes it the oldest known of its species. See inside front cover of the 2014 Ceredigion Bird Report for more detail.
Earlier, Chris had 5 Turnstones, a Greenshank and ca300 Golden Plover at Ynyslas, and on Wednesday 12 Med Gulls in the roost at Aberystwyth.

Field trips for the new year

I am now looking for for field trip leaders for the first few months of
2016. Does anyone think that they can help - perhaps we can plan a visit
to the Borth pillbox and hope that the weather is good enough for us to
actually get to it this time?

If anyone has any ideas please get in touch with me as soon as possible.

Thanks very much

Elaine

Black Redstart and Med Gulls

I decided to have a seawatch from the castle this morning, and on walking up to the shelter was pleased to find a fem/imm Black Redstart.  Probably the same one that Steve Jones had last Saturday.
After an hour my counts were:  Gannet 28, Kittiwake 9, Common Scoter 6 and Med Gull 1.
On College Rocks were 12 Ringed Plover and 7 Turnstones.
After the recent rain I thought Blaendolau playing fields would be worth a look and found a variety of gulls there, i.e. 29 Mediterranean, 24 Common, 2 Lesser Black-backed, 1 Great Black-backed  plus a few Herring and ca 100 Black-headed.

LATE GANNETS

3 Gannets were seen at Aberaeron early this morning by Andy James.

More on estimating chaffinch numbers

Estimating chaffinch numbers (and large gatherings of other small birds) is difficult Ian.

But with larger birds, such as waders, the time honoured method never fails.

Count their legs and divide by two.

Bob Relph

estimating chaffinch numbers

I thought I might need to explain how I came up with the outlandish figure of 10000 migrating through Llanon the other day when I was with Arfon. As we walked across the fields we would stop regularly. The birds were coming on a front that stretched from the beach to the low ridge next to the coast road. Scanning through 180 degrees from left to right we could get a sense of how many were passing. Sometimes we could see about a hundred at a given moment. Say, 100/minute. At other times there were brief lulls and pauses. Say, 100/5 minutes. Assuming migration occurred between 7am-10am then the numbers passing would lay between 3600-18000. 10000 is just a nice round number half way between the two extremes. It was as rough and ready as that really. However, if you watched Autumnwatch last night you might have heard them mention that 9000 were over Bardsey that day. In fact, Liz gave me a link to the observatory earlier in the week.Thanks Liz. Apparently, 9349 migrated overhead. An astonishingly precise figure. They obviously weren't chatting like we were! So maybe 10000 is closer than I would have dared imagine. I understand they also named every single Chaffinch as it passed overhead, a bit like they do with hurricanes and typhoons.

Helen at Castle Point

Today the Swan family, complete with goose, took another trip out to sea until they were hardly visible through bins.  No sign of them in harbour late pm.
Another three swans, possible Whoopers, flew south.  Three Redshank and 17 Ringed Plovers on the rocks.
Two Gannets at sea, plus an earlier one at Borth.  The Purple Sandpiper remains alone.

Welcome back John.

Look forward to some extended literary pieces from you again on the Cere bird blog!

Back in Ceredigion

Yes, true. After 18 months in Jameston, not far from beautiful Manorbier,  we have moved to Cross Inn. Pleased to have real birds on feeder, including coal tits and nuthatch. 

We did not see GGS in Cross Inn forest today but did see a male hen harrier, great spotted woodpecker and a pair of stonechats. 

My favourite Pembrokeshire sighting, in a season when swifts were hardly seen, was a movement  of at least 52 swifts - doubtless some from Ceredigion-   passing through from 1.50 to 2.30 at Gupton Farm (Freshwater West). I wondered what triggers such mass movements and migrations.  

Sightings from Helen Herbert

Helen loves birding at Castle Point and the harbour whenever she visits Aberystwyth.
Yesterday morning she had at least two distant Gannets and a minimum of 14 Ringed Plovers on College Rocks.
Later, a Redshank in the harbour and a Song Thrush (singing), Mistle Thrush, Redwings and Nuthatch in the cemetery.
The Purple Sandpiper still alone by the wooden jetty, and many Starlings going to roost at the pier, as yesterday.

Great Grey Shrike at the Clettwr on Sunday

The following sightings are from Simon Cox.  For some reason his e-mail, sent to me on Sunday 1st November, went into my junk mail folder.  Apologies for the delayed posting.

.I stopped at Cross Inn yesterday for a quick look around, but nothing of note - too early for a shrike i thought. Today, at Clettwr, I nearly didn't look up when I heard a Chaffinch flying over, but was glad I did: it was mobbing a Great Grey Shrike. They flew over the river and disappeared into a bunch of willows behind the bank on the far side. Last Sunday  (25 Oct) there were two White-fronted geese there, with Merlin and Black-tailed Godwit also present.

Simon

Brambling

A Brambling is feeding underneath my feeders as I write.  Perhaps the same individual that visited last week...

More Marsh Tits

Also a pair in the garden at Penrhiwllan, they have been with us on and off since 15th August (returned after disappearing to breed elsewhere). There were 3 goldcrests together in the fruit trees yesterday.

Also a strange thing today, our local buzzard was mobbed by a wagtail, (probably a grey), and the wagtail got the upperhand  and the buzzard departed, only to be mobbed again by 2 crows further down the valley.

Ian Burgess

Re: shrike

Couldn't see if it was ringed, Liz. Fairly distant and I was looking towards the sun, though I did have good flight views as it came nearer.

As long as it stays around, someone should be able to establish if it is ringed.

Marsh Tits

A pair were just off the Llanio/Stags Head road this morning.

Shrike

Harry was it ringed?

Pink-footed Goose on Llyn Fanod

There was a Pink-footed Goose on Llyn Fanod this afternoon (2^nd November), together with 15 Greylag Geese.

Andre Morgan  

Firecrest fest!

THREE Firecrests ringed at the Teifi Marshes Wildlife Trust Reserve this morning. This one, caught by Chris Jones was on the Ceredigion side of the Reserve, the other two were in Pembs.

Return of the shrike

Another gorgeous warm sunny day, ideal shrike viewing conditions I thought as I walked into Cross Inn Forest.
Before long I met another birder coming the other way: Dave Haslam who told me that he had seen  a Great Grey Shrike, around the usual area but elusive and very mobile.
After well over an hour I still hadn't found the bird and was entertaining myself by counting the large number of raptors that were soaring in the sunshine.  About 60, including one group of 35.  I estimated about 70% Red Kites and 30% Buzzards.
I was about to give up, but decided on a last sweep of the area and there was the bird at last. Managed to scope it for about 20 seconds before it flew off.  All's well that ends well, as they say.

green sandpiper

Cors Caron looked sensational in the early sun this morning though the plastic boardwalk was a bit slippy as temps had obviously reached zero in the night after our warmest November day.  Green sand at the flash with 8 teal and a male Harrier.  The wigeon (roughly same number as Harry saw yesterday) flew around calling before deciding to go down on a sunlit pond, Maes Llyn being in shadow and shrouded in mist.  Groups of pipits,finches and reed bunts were arriving in the nearby bushes.
It was a bit strange to see the circling wigeon pass across the bright moon to the west and the rising sun on the east…worth getting up in the morning!

Llyn Eiddwen

Chris's visit to Llyn Eiddwen this afternoon turned up a female Goldeneye, probably the first of the winter and an unusual location for this species.

Also there, a pair of Whooper Swans which flew off in the direction of Tregaron as dusk approached. 

He also had a flock of 48 Lapwings at Llyn Fanod.

Maesllyn

On Maesllyn, 55 Wigeon, 10 Mallard, four Teal and two young Moorhens.
Given the beautiful sunny weather and unseasonably high temperature, I wasn't surprised to find a Red Admiral and Speckled Wood along the old railway.

Finch movements

Interesting reading about   Chaffinch movements - I was on the prom. at Scarborough early this Morning (Sat) and there were groups of Finches (20 ish) passing North to South every few minutes  - quite high so sorry not sure what they were although definitely some Goldfinches by their call .

  Andrew Lewis formerly of Aber.

Birds obviously moving through on both sides of the country.
Following Liz's posting I have just read the Chaffinch account in the Migration Atlas and it is fascinating.

Black Redstart

Shopping in Aberystwyth today I saw a Black Redstart on St Michaels church roof.  It also appeared to like the houses on Laura Place and the end of Great Darkgate Street. It was a female / juv type.

Steve Jones, Llanwrthwl