Juvenile Hobby at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas

 

Many thanks to Steve Edwards for this exciting portrait of a juvenile Hobby hunting at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on the evening of September 10. Steve writes 'it circled a number of times until it finally picked off a wagtail.' In plumage juvenile Hobby and Peregrine are very similar, but the small bill and more slender build help to identify this individual. Confusingly, I had seen two Peregrines over the same lake the day before! 

Llyn Coed-y-Dinas: maintenance work

MWT advise that there is likely to be disturbance in front of the hide at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas tomorrow and Wednesday, as volunteer groups get to work raking the grassy bank and doing other tasks. The reserve is open as usual.  

MWT Bird Group programme of indoor meetings, 2025-6

 

Here is the new programme of winter talks, all at 7.30 pm at the Methodist Hall, Welshpool, except the
February talk, which is at the Hanging Gardens, Llanidloes, at 7.30 pm. Entry: £3 including refreshments.
All welcome!           15-Oct-25 Tammy Stretton Wild Montgomeryshire: a tour of MWT Reserves 19-Nov-25 Tony Coatsworth Birding in Brazil - Iguazu Falls & Pantanal 17-Dec-25 Keith Offord Birding by Sound 21-Jan-26 Charlotte Griffiths Cudyll Cymru - Monitoring Raptors in Wales 18-Feb-26 Simon Boyes  Bird Migration - part 1 18-Mar-26 Ric Morris Skeletons of Birds

Water Rail and Green Sandpipers from Llyn Coed-y-Dinas

Many thanks to Steve Edwards for these two photos: two Green Sandpipers at LCyD on 28 Aug, and a fish-eating Water Rail the previous day.  

 

A Paul Davies album

 Here is a recent selection from Paul's camera: 

Oystercatcher feeding on freshwater mussel, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, 8 Aug. 

Green Sandpiper, same date and place. Recently there have been 2 there on the extensive mud in front of the hide. 

Kingfisher juvenile, 10 Aug, same place. The juvenile has a white tip to the bill so that the parents can see the tips as they bring food in - as the nest is pitch black inside. (Thanks to Dave Lister for this fact!)

Dipper, Pwll Penarth, 2 Aug. Great images, Paul, many thanks. 

Swifts in Leighton

Yesterday a group of us visited Great Hope Farm, Leighton at the kind invitation of John and Lesley Cookson. John has placed several home-made Swift boxes (and 3 Swift bricks) on their house, and they plan to put up more. At present they have 15 pairs nesting. John is convinced that there are enough insects for them all, but their decline is due to shortage of nesting space (plus potential hazards on migration). This year many one-year-old non-breeders have been prospecting his boxes in late June and early July. These birds are often called 'bangers' as they do tend to hurl themselves at the boxes. They are especially noisy and form the screaming parties that can sometimes be seen over their farmyard. 

Many thanks to John and Lesley for the inspiring guided tour plus tea and biscuits. Also thanks to Tammy and Lowri from MWT for the initial contact, and to Llanidloes Swift Group for sorting us into groups to visit. Perhaps next July John and Lesley can be persuaded to repeat the invitation! Finally, thanks to Mark Wilson, for this photo of a Swift over Sarn on 12 May. 

 

Swifts in Castle Caereinion

 

Great work by Aneurin Lloyd attracting Swifts to new boxes in Castle Caereinion. There are 5 birds, probably scouting out for next year. Many thanks Neu. Thanks also to Chris Townsend, who reports 50 Swifts flying high over Welshpool on the morning of 19 Jul.
  

Montgomeryshire Bird Report 2024

The Montgomeryshire Bird Report 2024 is now published on this site! Just click on the tab marked 'County Reports' above. Many thanks to all contributors, to Mike Haigh for technical support with publication, and to Dave Lister for the cover photo of a wintry Nuthatch. 

The Ringing Report will be added later in the year when the BTO make their data available.  

Sparrowhawk male in flight

Many thanks to Dave Lister for this capture of a male Sparrowhawk, hunting at Mochdre on 24 June.
 

Pink-footed Goose and Great Spotted Woodpecker portraits

 

Many thanks to Luke Reynolds for this photo of a Pink-foot and a Grey-lag, across the road from Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on 9 June. Pinkfeet are winter migrants and only occasionally recorded in Monts, so to find one in June is unusual. Carole and Colin Jones first reported one (probably the same bird) flying over Welshpool on 29 May. It should be in Iceland or Greenland!

Also, thanks to Dave Lister for this excellent image of Great Spotted Woodpecker male (on right) feeding its fledgling at Mochdre on 13 June.