Many thanks to John Anderton for these Redstarts, nest-building near Meifod on 23 April, and already at the nest-lining stage. Also to Paul Davies, for these portraits of Blackcap and Dipper at Pwll Penarth MWT Reserve on 24 April. Sharing images such as these is one of the most rewarding aspects of a county bird recorder's role.
MONTGOMERYSHIRE BIRDS
... bird news from Montgomeryshire, Wales ...
Notable Recent Sightings
16/04 | Purple Heron | 1, Cors Dyfi |
05/03 | Firecrest | 1, Lake Vyrnwy |
05/03 | Short-eared Owl | 1, Lake Vyrnwy |
14/01 | Pink-footed Goose | 1, Dolydd Hafren |
03/01 | Waxwing | 20, Meifod; also 5 Welshpool by canal on 01/01. Last: 6 Bwlch-y-Garreg 17/03 |
23/12 | Waxwing | Newtown College, first arrivals 04/12, 47 on 23/12, 67 on 01/01, 30 on 04/02 |
09/12 | Cattle Egret | 1 roosting with 8 Great Egrets and some Little Egrets, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas |
02/12 | Waxwing | 21 Guilsfield, 12 Montgomery, 1 Welshpool, and 1 on 01/12 Llanfyllin |
16/11 | Dotterel | 3, just west of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land |
16/11 | Great Grey Shrike | 1, on edge of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land, last reported 19/01 |
15/11 | Waxwing | 25 or 30, just west of Lake Vyrnwy along the Dinas Mawddwy road |
08/11 | Great Northern Diver | A juvenile was found near Anchor, rescued and released |
30/10 | Black Redstart | 1 in garden at Hendomen, near Montgomery |
06/10 | Hawfinch | 5 in treetops at Powis Castle, by main car-park |
04/10 | Cattle Egret | Dolydd Hafren, a flock of c.30 |
29/09 | Red-flanked Bluetail | Dyfnant Forest: a county first |
23/09 | Manx Shearwater | 1st year bird grounded in Llanfyllin; released at coast |
03/09 | Cattle Egret | 10 at Cors Dyfi, rising to 32 on 05/09 |
01/06 | Turnstone | 1 at Caersws with Little Ringed Plovers |
03/05 | Wood Sandpiper | 1 at Dolydd Hafren |
18/04 | BLACK-WINGED KITE | 1 video-ed at Glan Mule, near Kerry: a likely FIRST for UK |
07/04 | Black Redstart | Female on Carno roof |
07/04 | Little Ringed Plover | Llandinam Gravels |
25/03 | Osprey | Female 5F 'Seren' arrived back at Llyn Clywedog |
25/03 | Pied Flycatcher | An early migrant near Llanfechain |
22/03 | Hen Harrier | Female in flight near Berriew |
15/03 | Sand Martin | 5, Dolydd Hafren |
15/03 | Golden Plover | c.50, Heldre Hill, Long Mountain, nr Welshpool |
05/03 | Whooper Swan | 1, between Caerhowel (Montgomery) and The Gaer, with Mute Swans |
05/03 | Pink-footed Goose | 1, Caersws, with Canada Goose flock |
05/03 | Jack Snipe | 2, Caersws |
05/03 | Hawfinch | 24, Powis Castle, feeding behind orchard |
28/02 | Pink-footed Goose | c.25, flying north over Welshpool |
26/02 | Merlin | 1 male, chasing Meadow Pipit, Long Mountain near Welshpool |
26/02 | Pintail | 3, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, 1 since 14 Feb |
14/02 | Hawfinch | 1, Powis Castle car-park, very vocal |
23/01 | Jack Snipe | 1, Moel-y-Garth near Guilsfield |
17/01 | Brambling | 80, in beeches at Pen-y-Waen near Cefn Coch with Chaffinches |
07/01 | Hawfinch | 2, bathing in puddle, Cwm Lane, Castle Caereinion |
See Sightings Archive for older records |
Friday, April 26, 2024
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Little Owls and Latest Migrant News (up to 24 Apr)
Thanks to Dave Lister for these two Little Owls yesterday near Guilsfield.
Latest migrant news:
Garden Warbler - 18 April, both Llanymynech and Dolydd Hafren
Reed Warbler - 18 April, Dolydd Hafren
Sedge Warbler - 19 April, Dolydd Hafren
Lesser Whitethroat - 22 April, Montgomery
Swift - 24 April, Llanwnog near Caersws
Thanks to Tony Coatsworth, Kevin Gallagher, Tammy Stretton and David Evans for these records.
Updated 24 April.
Centenary Hide, Lake Vyrnwy - 19/04/2024
3 Pied Flycatcher (2 male, 1 female), 1 Pied Flycatcher, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, Siskin, Chaffinch, Mandarin, and Cormorant.
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Purple Heron at Cors Dyfi
News just in from Alwyn Ifans, MWT Engagement Officer at Cors Dyfi: "A Purple Heron took off from the first pool on my way down earlier. He was within 10 yards of me! Flew into the reed bed on the caravan site next door. A Purple Heron was seen here 10-12 years ago."
Also, Alwyn reports that a female Hen Harrier mobbed Telyn (the resident female Osprey) on the ground yesterday.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Redpoll and latest migrant news
Thanks to John Anderton for this portrait of a male Lesser Redpoll at Meifod last week. Lesser Redpoll is the species resident in the UK, while the larger, greyer Mealy Redpoll breeds on the continent but turns up in UK regularly, (but rarely in Wales).
Latest migrant news:
Common Sandpiper - 7 April, Llandinam
Grasshopper Warbler - 13 April, Welshpool
Whinchat - 15 April, both at Dolfor and Lake Vyrnwy
Wood Warbler - 17 April, Lake Vyrnwy RSPB
Whitethroat - 17 April, Lake Vyrnwy RSPB
Thanks to Paul Irving, Tammy Stretton, Paul Leafe, Sam Sharpe and Gethin Elias for these reports.
Updated 17 April
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Pied Fly, Welshpool
Saturday, April 06, 2024
Latest migrant news
Pied Flycatcher - 4 Apr, Llandinam - photo above by Paul Irving
Ring Ouzel - 5 Apr, nr Cefn Coch
House Martin - 5 Apr, Tyr Gwynt Windfarm, near Carno
Yellow Wagtail - 6 Apr, The Gaer, near Caerhowel
Many thanks to Paul Irving (also for the photo), John Formstone and Paul Leafe for these records.
Today I watched 2 Ospreys soaring in gale force winds above Bwlch-y-Gle at the south end of Llyn Clywedog. John Williams reports unringed male and female on the new nest there on 5 Apr. Thanks John.
Monday, April 01, 2024
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Two Ospreys, two nests, two weather events!
Seren, the female just arrived on the original Clywedog nest, in snow, 28 March.
Many thanks to Emyr Evans and John Williams and their teams for the livestreams.