A female
Ring-necked Duck was found on Maesllyn, beside Cors Caron by Arfon Williams on
New Year’s Day but it did not remain even to the next day. Also that day
Chris
Bird found a Great Grey Shrike at the southern end of the reserve, amazingly
the 4th found by Chris in Ceredigion in 12 months. Harry Pepper saw
the elusive Cross Inn forest Great Grey Shrike on 19th.
An Iceland
Gull was seen near Aberaeron on 2nd by Andy James and by Arfon at
the Teifi estuary the next day. A Short-eared Owl at Ynyslas, near the rail
crossing on 17th was a great sighting by Roy Bamford.
A Great
Northern Diver was seen from Aberystwyth on 26th by a visiting
birder from south Wales, Richard Green. A real highlight for many of us is the
juv. Glaucous Gull seen at Aberystwyth since 21st. Late afternoon at
the gull roost gathering by the pier seems a good time to try to see it.
Liz Probert
saw two Snow Buntings at Borth on 19th. One was seen by Arfon at Llanrhystud
on 28th and possibly the same bird has been at Borth since 30th,
initially found by Elaine Izett. The end of the prom opposite the golf club
entrance and just beyond has been the place to try to see it. (Take some bird
seed along to encourage it to stay a while.)
DYFI ESTUARY:
There were
counts by Edward O’Connor of 1000+ Wigeon, 400 Pintail and 54 Grey Plovers and
at Ynyslas, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Sanderling, a Merlin on 4th, and
by Tom Kistruck of 800 Golden Plover and 300 Lapwing on 16th. Five
pale-bellied Brent Geese (2 adults and 3 juvs) and a Hen Harrier were present. At
Ynys-hir, a Green Sandpiper (5th) and two Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers
(17th) were seen.
OTHER LOCATIONS:
Up to 8
Purple Sandpipers and a Black Redstart remained at Aberystwyth where 70 Common
Scoter were seen (28th) and 130 were at Borth (17th). At
Llanrhystud there were 650 Golden Plovers (11th) and a Merlin (8th
and 26th). 12 Red-throated Divers were at New Quay (14th).
At Cors Caron Andy Polkey’s WeBS count produced 220 Wigeon, 250 Lapwing and 50
Snipe on 18th and a Green Sandpiper was seen on 26th. At
least 3 Hen Harriers and 3 Whooper Swans were also there.
A Merlin (18th)
and Scaup (30th) were at Llyn Eiddwen. 4 Whooper Swans were by Nant
yr Arian (3rd – 5th) and six at Llyn Pendam (12th).