Notable Recent Sightings

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

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Llyn Coed-y-Dinas

I paid a visit to Llyn Coed-y-Dinas near Welshpool today which is a reserve managed by the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust. What a cracking place this is. The hide is well situated overlooking a decent sized pool. The most obvious bird here is the black-headed gull which breeds here in good numbers and their raucous cries fill the air. I was really impressed with the variety of bird species I saw the water birds alone were enough to please the wildfowl enthusiasts and included species such as shelduck, Canada geese, wigeon, tufted duck, mallard, moorhen, coot and chicks, great crested grebes. Who needs to go to Slimbridge to look at waterfowl! There were lapwings too and a common sandpiper feeding at the water's edge. Cormorants rested on one of the islands in the pool. I watched a stock dove making feeding forays from a nest box affixed to a mature oak. In the reeds directly below the hide I was enthralled by the reed warblers which emitted their rattling song and gathered nest material. These were the best views I have had of this species. I also saw a female reed bunting. The surrounding trees and scrub were alive with the songs of skulking warblers such chiffchaff, blackcap or garden warbler. There were song thrushes and blackbirds too.

I reckon every community in Britain should have a wild area like this on its doorstep such reserves not only provide a haven for birds and other wildlife but allows people to get active in the countryside. It is an indication of what can be achieved by the creation of a man made environment for the benefit of wildlife. When I was in the hide I was joined by a party of jubilant schoolchildren and their teachers who were apologetic for the intrusion and the noise level created by their progeny but I think its great to see kids out and about enjoying the local environment a bit of 'green therapy' can be beneficial and help them understand the natural World. Another thing I liked about this reserve is its accessibility to disabled persons. If you are wheelchair bound then this is a great place to visit. There are large perspex windows in the hide which allows good observation of this watery gem and its attendant bird-life.

After returning home from my journey to Welshpool I noted that my windscreen was plastered with dead insects clearly a sign that there is plenty of food around for our insectivorous birds.

2 comments:

  1. what a lovely piece about Llyn Coed Y Dinas. do you mind if we put this on the Trust website?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Be my guest Katie.

    cheers

    Elfyn

    ReplyDelete