Aberystwyth today

 Nothing new but 30 turnstones by the pier, 10 ringed plovers on South beach, a rock pipit at castle point and 7 purple sandpipers by the harbour. Good numbers I think. 

Eryl Selly

THE TRISANT WHOOPER SWANS

 

More Whoopers

 A call from Chris Bird after I arrived home to say he'd found four Whooper Swans and six Snipe on Llyn Blaenmelindwr, then nine Wigeon on Nanteos lake on his way home.

Trisant lakes.

 A rare outing with John Davis this afternoon to the Trisant lakes, a former local patch of his.  Two Whooper Swans on Llyn Frongoch, along with two Snipe, two Cormorants, a Grey Heron and a Moorhen.  A local resident told us there were four Whoopers until a few days ago.

On Llyn Rhosrhydd,  a  fem. Goldeneye and a Moorhen and we couldn't see anything on Glandwgan.  We encountered a couple of small parties of Fieldfares on the way back to the car.

Llansantffraed again

 Hoped for another good visit like Monday and wasn't disappointed. Ten sp of wader present. I had already counted 250 Lapwings at Ty Gwyn pools on the way and a further 200 were near the church. Wader highlights; 600 Golden Plovers, 7 Grey Plovers, 20 Redshank and 50 Turnstones. A Dark-bellied Brent Goose (in contrast to 3 PB Brents on Monday) was present and also 6 Little Egrets and a Chough.

Many years ago when it was being established I saw a large flock of Goosanders at Celtic Lakes fishery, near Temple Bar. I have gone back once or twice but they politely refuse to let me walk round as their patrons have paid good money for some solitude apparently. Which is a shame. As I drove past today I noticed a few ducks on the small westernmost pond. I managed to pull up on the side of the main road under a CCTV camera and counted 7 male and 4 female Goosanders. Clearly a location with potential for birds and birders alike. I shall persevere trying to persuade them.

Merlin at Aberystwyth

 Just four Purple Sands in the roost this morning as Helen and I met at Castle Point.  As I was bemoaning the lack of birds offshore five Common Scoters flew north and two Gannets south.  Then a Red- throated Diver went south and as I was following it a Merlin passed through my scope view, heading north. Forgetting the diver  I got onto the Merlin in time to see it turn landward and disappear over the town.

Then a run up to Borth to look at the sea produced only a single R-t Diver and around 130 Common Scoters: almost all males except for a party of 14 females close inshore.

Black Redstart

Following Russell and Ewan's sightings yesterday, I had a wander along Felin-y-mor Road this afternoon (above the harbour in Aber) and was rewarded by nice views of the first-winter male Black Redstart, flitting along the rooftops on the Pendinas side of the road.  Along the Ystwyth at Tanybwlch, a Dipper was singing from the stranded tree trunk in the middle of the river - I'm always surprised by how early in the winter they start to sing. Also a single red-head Goosander here.

Goshawk

 3.30pm 27 November. Blustery. The churchyard at Llandyfriog

I heard a crow cursing and looked up to see a buzzard sized female goshawk flying over the churchyard at 40 feet.

Trish Millson

Winter gull survey announcement

WINTER GULL SURVEY

Surveyors needed for a single gull count in January 2024.

15 sites still require surveyors, 8 of which are *key* sites that will help the BTO monitor gull populations across the UK. This is vital work and we need your help!

To view the site map click here: https://app.bto.org/wings/public/vacant.jsp

For more information please visit https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/winter-gull-survey/taking-part 

Naomi Davis

Goosanders

 2 Goosanders flying down river at llandyfriog at 4pm yesterday.

Trish Millson

Llansantffraed

 On the way I called in at Ty Gwyn pools where there were 300 Lapwings. Huge number, maybe 800, Mallard were on the pools, though I doubt if many, if any, were wild. However, overhead, a single duck circling was a beautiful male Pintail.

Plenty at the coast. Nine sp of wader present included; 400 Golden Plovers, 16 Redshank, another 120 Lapwings and 5 stunning Grey Plovers. Also seen; a Peregrine going for the Starlings and 3 PB Brent Geese on the shore.

Purple Sandpipers

 Still six purps in the roost on the wall at high tide today.  Too wet and windy to hang around looking for anything else.

Crossbills at Cross Inn

Plenty of Crossbills at Cross Inn (Nebo) this morning, but always flighty. Largest flock was 35. Only one Reed Bunting.

Egrets

 Yesterday along North shore at Aberaeron there were 3 Little egrets about 50 Golden plover and 2 Stonechats  North beach car park

David Price.

Shoveler

An unusual find for Chris on Llyn Eiddwen this afternoon in the form of  a male Shoveler; his first there for quite a few years.  Apart from that, just single Little Grebe and Goosander.

Ynyslas

 Another visit to Ynyslas by Chris today at a late afternoon high tide produced 29 Knot, two Grey Plover, six Pintail and a Great Crested Grebe.

Ynyslas

 Yesterday Chris Bird paid a visit to Ynyslas and found 18 Grey Plovers, two dark-bellied Brent Geese and a high count of 180 - 200 Pintail.

Great Egrets

 15.20 19th November in draining field next to A484 shortly before Llechryd. 2 great egrets feeding in company of 3 herons.

Trish Millson

Ian

Dear Ian-wish you would come here and be our postman-not only would we get letters , but a running commentary on all the local birdlife: you're a star!

Driving home from work

 Dulas Valley, Betws Bledrws, near Lampeter

Merlin on the 13th

250 LBB Gulls on the 18th

Hen Harrier

 Ring-tailed Hen Harrier near Llanon, 09.20, Wednesday 15th.

Ian Harrison

Ynyslas

 At high tide this morning 23 Dunlin and three Grey Plovers near the tern posts.  A minimum of 50 Redshank and 20 Curlews were distributed between the Leri Saltmarsh, where there was also a Green Sandpiper,  and Ynys Tachwedd fields, which also held ca30 Lapwings.  Strangely, no Golden Plovers.

Woodcock at Cross Inn

I had good but brief views of two Woodcock in flight at Cross Inn Forest this evening.

Blustery conditions

 Large numbers of birds present at Llanrhystud, but, like Harry, I found it difficult to count things as they were being blown here and there. 

Very approx; 600 BH Gulls, 150 Herring Gulls, 50 Common Gulls, 30 Med Gulls, 20 LBB Gulls. Also about 1500 Starlings. Six sp of wader, 2 Little Egrets and a RT Diver. Star bird was a male Eider which flew south close to shore at about 8.45.

Purple Sandpipers

 High tide roost at Aber now up to six, though not easy to count without getting soaked.

Morfa Bychan and Ynyslas

 Morfa Bychan 10-13th: Waders on the beach included 27 Oystercatchers, 17 Curlews, 11 Turnstones  and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits.  Up to 5 Chough, 2 Raven and Tawny Owl. 51 Gannets in half hour during gales 13th south. Single Razorbill and Guillemot.

Ynyslas 11th Quiet apart from c200 Golden Plover, 100 Lapwing, 6 Redshank and a few Curlews near the boatyard. Great White Egret flew north.

Pete Hackett

Marsh Harrier

 Found a female Marsh Harrier just east of the Cletwr this morning hawking close to the estuary.

Andy James

Aber Prom, Sunday

 As the rain stopped around 8.30 am I ventured on to the prom. There were 2 purple sandpipers on the prom wall, at least 6 ringed plovers on College rocks,with a fly over raven. 3 gannets headed north far out to sea.

Helen Herbert

Dyfi estuary

First stop was Borth this morning, where there was a Great Northern Diver off the clubhouse. Two Knot joined the Sanderling briefly below the brick house, and there were a few distant Gannets.

On the estuary itself, where the Leri joins, a Great Egret, a Greenshank, and a female-type Marsh Harrier (much to the consternation of the Wigeon and Teal). 

At the Clettwr, the usual Dipper by the bridge, a male Marsh Harrier, and two Short-eared Owls, one each side of the river.

Teifi estuary and marshes

 Great time on the Teifi with Mark Norris this morning. Highlights were 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 20+ Redshank, 5 Little Egret, 2 Spotted Redshank and 6 Bar-tailed Godwit on the estuary. Later at the Mallard Hide we had excellent prolonged views of a male Kingfisher also 2 Little Grebe a calling Cetti's Warbler a flyover Snipe and a Water Rail called briefly.

Andy James

Ynys-hir

 A good evening yesterday at Ynys-hir.  Peregrine hunting over the estuary; Barn Owl hunting dashed for cover at the appearance of the Peregrine and a Goshawk in the woodlands on the way to the estuary hide.  And my first ever and a very excited Sam.....Short-eared Owl.  Exciting.  Lots of Kingfisher action to add to the 90  min we were there.

Sam Tolhurst

Quick stops

 Just two Little Grebes at Pant Pool when there are normally half a dozen or more at this time of year. Not a single duck. Found myself wondering if the water quality has somehow declined but probably there are some other reasons. Pont Gogoyan was a little busier; 80 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 60 LB Gulls, 3 Goosanders and a Kingfisher.

Sarnau

 While delivering the post to the funeral directors.....a Peregrine gliding slowly over the coast road.

Congratulations Kev

 Have a look at the stunning photo of a Ring Ouzel by Kev Joynes in this week's BirdGuides Photo of the Week feature.

OK it's out of county but not by much and Kev does venture over the hills to photograph birds in Ceredigion on occasion.

Out and about

 At Ynyslas early pm yesterday were 160 pintail, 1200 wigeon, one whooper swan and a dark-bellied Brent goose.  At sea there were over 20 gannets fishing, and a few distant kittiwakes. At Ynys-hir late pm there was a great white egret, three greenshank, a Merlin, two green sandpiper and a chiffchaff.

Russell  Jones

 

ABERYSTWYTH

  Early afternoon today 28 Gannets flew south during a brief period.

Tanybwlch and Coastal Path

 A wild and windy walk along the coast path beyond Tanybwlch this morning produced a number of interesting records. At least half a dozen chough were around; a kestrel; a pair of raven;  and most notably an adult snow bunting. The bird flew out of some clumpy grass by the path on Allt Wen and away to the north.

There were a few curlew and oystercatcher on Tanybwlch fields plus a kingfisher flying along the river. 

Dave Thomas 

ABERYSTWYTH

 Yesterday just after midday 5 Gannets flew south.

Starlings

 On our frequently done Llannon to Aberaeron walk this time on Sunday 5th we noticed a very large flock of Starlings on the flat coastal fields south of Llannon probably many thousand strong , in fact from a distance my first thought was that the field had been ploughed!!

 Dave Taylor

Llanrhystud

 Good numbers of Turnstones 52 and Redshank 15. Also, a Grey Plover, which may have been the same as on the 30th, a Little Egret and a minimum of 16 Med Gulls.

Tanybwlch Snow Bunting

I wanted to report a Snow Bunting sighting - near the top of Allt-wen (exactly the same spot as two years ago!). I found it at 11:45am and it was still there at 2pm, when I left. Photograph attached.

Snow Bunting

 Michal Dulinski

What a coincidence.  As Michal says, in exactly the same spot, and two years and one day after the first one he found, (different bird, though).  See blog archive post  04/11/2021

Glossy ibises

 A nice surprise whilst walking along the seafront in Aberystwyth today, as I spotted 2 glossy ibises out over the sea heading south towards Aberystwyth. They came in close and passed over castle point, continuing south at 12:46. 

Was pleased to hear that Arfon then picked them up, continuing south over Aberaeron at 13:21, followed by Joshua Pedley seeing them pass New quay and head back out to sea at 13:38! Brilliant!

Red Kite roosts

 "As I have mentioned before there is a red kite roost at Salem, close to where I live. It can hold 50 or more birds and is still occupied well into the breeding season. I had an interesting conversation with Simon Boyes yesterday at the WOS conference. He is the bird recorder for Montgomeryshire and he is not aware of any communal roosts in the county. I can remember a roost near Cwmystwyth in the  early 1980's and Red Liford remembers one nearby in the late 1980's.  I assumed it was a normal activity for kites. But perhaps it isn't? 

So I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any other communal roosts in Ceredigion? If anyone wishes to contact me personally my email address is 

jerry@wild-wales.com.  "

Jerry Moore

Llyn Pendam

 A change of lakes for Chris this afternoon.  On Llyn Pendam he found six Tufted Ducks and a female Goldeneye.  Nothing on Syfydrin or Blaenmelindwr.

Hen Harrier

 A real treat for Chris Bird this afternoon as he watched a pristine male Hen Harrier as it worked its way along the side of Llyn Eiddwen.   At the far end near the ruin it flushed at least 20 Snipe from the rough ground.