3 Swifts at midday heading south over Potter's Recycling, and a Hobby over Severn Street, Welshpool.
MONTGOMERYSHIRE BIRDS
... bird news from Montgomeryshire, Wales ...
Notable Recent Sightings
19/06 | Egyptian Goose | 2 ads and 3 juvs at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, a first breeding record for Monts |
05/03 | Kittiwake | Adult found dead in flood debris near Llandinam |
02/02 | Cattle Egret | 1, with 18 Little Egrets at Dolydd Hafren |
15/01 | Brent Goose | 1 imm at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, stayed to 27 Jan |
20/11 | Hawfinch | 7 at Castle Caereinion Church, feeding on yew berries |
07/11 | Snow Bunting | Hafren Forest. Also 1 on 3 Nov at Llyn Gwyddior, WSW of Llangadfan |
03/11 | Velvet Scoter | Lake Vyrnwy, with Common Scoter |
15/10 | Cattle Egret | Dolydd Hafren. Also 1 there on 14 Aug |
04/10 | Whooper Swan | Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, 1 juv. Also 3 ads, Llyn Hir, 13 Oct; 2 Dolydd Hafren, 1 Nov |
30/09 | Jack Snipe | Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, bouncing as it fed |
31/07 | Rose-coloured Starling | Llandyssil, in private garden. A county first! |
21/07 | Marsh Harrier | Cors Dyfi |
25/06 | Quail | Singing male, Glaslyn; also 1 at Old Hall on 17 June |
15/06 | Hawfinch | One male flew into a Guilsfield window and recovered |
09/06 | Long-eared Owl | Fledgling photographed at Cors Dyfi - confirmed breeding. 3 juvs seen |
06/06 | Great Egret | Dolydd Hafren, 2. 1 in breeding condition with black bill. |
12/05 | Whimbrel | Dolydd Hafren. Also a Hobby. |
06/04 | Long-eared Owl | Cors Dyfi: attacking Osprey at nest repeatedly, also 10 April |
06/03 | White Stork | Llanidloes. From Sussex re-introduction project, ring no. GB35 |
05/03 | Osprey | Flying west to east over Welshpool |
01/03 | Hawfinch | 1, seen well but briefly, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, Welshpool |
28/02 | Ring Ouzel | Old Churchstoke |
22/02 | Merlin | Carno Windfarm |
21/02 | Great Egret | 6 together on Caersws floods |
14/02 | Hawfinch | 10 at Ceinws, nr. Machynlleth |
13/02 | Firecrest | Crew Green, in private garden |
19/12 | Short-eared Owl | Llyn Mawr. Up to 10 in early Dec. |
22/10 | Cetti's Warbler | 1 singing, Pwll Penarth. Still there, 9 Nov |
18/10 | Great Egret | 2, Llandinam Gravels, also on 25 Oct |
15/10 | Brambling | Llanfyllin |
13/10 | Merlin | Between Dolanog and Pont Llogel |
12/10 | Merlin | female chasing 150 Redwings, Llandinam |
08/10 | Common Scoter | 1 female type, Lake Vyrnwy |
04/10 | Merlin | Short Cross, Long Mountain, nr. Welshpool |
12/09 | Cetti's Warbler | Pwll Penarth, singing. |
03/06 | Hawfinch | Machynlleth. Female feeding in private garden. |
01/06 | Nightingale | at Dyfi Osprey Project, near Machynlleth |
17/05 | Hoopoe | Caersws/Carno area. Same bird as on 15th? |
15/05 | Hoopoe | near Clywedog |
24/04 | Marsh Harrier | South of Llanfyllin. Over again at 8:13pm. Heading NW. |
05/04 | Marsh Harrier | South of Llanfyllin. Female type, circled over garden 1pm, then headed NW-ish |
29/03 | Firecrest | Ceinws, nr Machynlleth, photo'd in garden |
22/01 | Hawfinch | Llyn Coed y Dinas. On the verge across the road from the car park at lunch time |
21/01 | Whooper Swan | Nr Penybontfawr. 6 calling low over at 0845 heading upstream |
31/12 | Tree Sparrow | Sarn. A least 2 in garden - one also present on 1st |
29/12 | Pintail | Llyn Coed y Dinas. 3 (2M/1F),Water Rail, 10 Goosander (5M,5F), 32 Cormorant |
29/12 | Great White Egret | Newtown. Present am, bottom of bypass (Welshpool side) in field near road |
28/12 | Blackcap | Welshpool. Male feeding in private garden |
28/12 | Whooper Swan | Llyn Coed y Dinas. Single this afternoon |
10/12 | Great Northern Diver | Lake Vyrnwy. Off dam early morning, before circling high and disappearing |
See Sightings Archive for older records |
Friday, August 19, 2022
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Hobby
After seeing a Hobby overhead at Leominster this afternoon, another flew over in Churchstoke, definitely in Monts.
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Great Egret
4 at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas this afternoon + 2 Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron and 6 Cormorant. Not a good day to be a small fish!
Friday, August 12, 2022
Wheatear & Swifts.
A new species for my garden list, - if I'm honest it was over the fence in the field - a Wheatear was at the top of Red Bank, Welshpool, this morning. Juvenile Sparrowhawk took a Chaffinch at the feeder yesterday.
On Friday 29th July, a conservative estimate was 70 Swifts over the area of the Tourist I.C. at 9am, and Lottie recorded the same number the following day over High Street. 2 were over my house on the 7th August, but I have seen none since.
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Snipe at Castle Caereinion
Reflections: thanks to Aneurin Lloyd for this Snipe portrait at a mini-reserve in Castle Caereinion. Last week it (or another Snipe) was on a lawn in the same village.
Thanks also to Ken Clarke, who reports an Osprey visiting Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on 7 August. It flew past a few times and disappeared, following the Severn downstream.
Saturday, August 06, 2022
Flycatchers and Yellowhammers
A Pied Flycatcher yesterday (5 August) by the Gypsy Monument on top of Moel-y-Golfa - in the Breidden Hills near Middletown - was an unusually late record.
I have received breeding records of Spotted Flycatcher recently from Dolforwyn Woods MWT Reserve (2 pairs) and from a garden in Sarn (2 pairs), as well as a presumed migrant at Dolydd Hafren on 5 August. Thanks to Tom Woodington, Paul Roughley, Rupert King and Will Ferguson for these reports.
The latest issue of the MWT magazine features a request for more information about the status of Yellowhammer in the county. As county recorder, I am trying to build up a clearer picture of areas in which Yellowhammers are flourishing, both as a breeding bird and overwintering. David Rowlands has let me know one area with 3-4 pairs throughout the summer: Welshpool Golf Course (on the appropriately named Y Golfa). Thanks David. Do send in more Yellowhammer hotspots to me, either on montbird@gmail.com or a text to 07708-328987.
Tuesday, August 02, 2022
The Ospreys on Dyfi
Not long now before they're off, so we popped up for a final view-pity they didn't want to pose within range , but there we are. We also saw 3 @ Clywedog , but they were even more distant! As per we are ever grateful to Emyr and Janine as they continue their splendid work and of course all the volunteers, especially Alwyn!
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Redshank at L Cyd
Meurig Garbutt took this fine Redshank portrait yesterday at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, where the water level is very low and attractive to visiting waders. Thanks Meurig - it's not a common bird in the county. .
Sunday, July 24, 2022
Birds of prey at Dolydd Hafren
In spite of the rain, it was a good morning for birds of prey at Dolydd Hafren today. As well as the Osprey that has been seen fairly regularly this summer, there were also appearances from a Hobby and a Goshawk. There was a fleeting glimpse of another raptor which was almost certainly a Sparrowhawk and of course there was at least one Common Buzzard present.
The Kingfishers are very busy at the moment as well, so there always seems to be something worth watching!
Monday, July 18, 2022
Two Grebes and Four Waders
Many thanks to Meurig Garbutt for this fine set from Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on 15 July. In order they are Great Crested Grebe feeding young, adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plover, Common and Green Sandpiper. It is good to see that the plovers have bred locally - probably not on the reserve but nearby on gravel by the River Severn. Water levels at the lake are very low: good conditions for wader-watching. Lapwings and Oystercatcher are also regular.