Change of MWT work party venue

Due to the continued presence of the Great White Egrets at Llyn Coed y Dinas, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust has decided to postpone the planned work on the ditch, islands and banks until next week. This will give the egrets more time to make the most of their stop off, as well as for everyone to enjoy their presence!

As a consequence, this week's Wednesday Work Party will be at Pwll Penarth, clearing some of the islands and banks there.

Tammy Stretton
Conservation Officer
tammy@montwt.co.uk

Thursdays Gannet

The two very record shots of the Gannet from Llyn Coed y Dinas on Thursday per John Morris.

Glaslyn Hen Harrier

One female quartering South side of lake at 5.45pm.

Llyn Coed y Dinas

At Llyn Coed y Dinas this evening 1 great white egret showing well at far end of pool.  Also present were 5 green sandpipers, 1 common sandpiper, 2 snipe, 3 wigeon, 1 gadwall and 2 chiffchaff.  An unusual visitor, a juvenile gannet, made a couple of circuits of the pool but was chased off by lapwings, last seen heading towards Welshpool.
Viewed by Wynn, Brenda & John Morris

Llyn Coed y Dinas re-opened

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce that Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve is once again open, following the completion of vital maintenance to the hide. More work will be done to the ditch, islands and banks next week, but the reserve will remain open.

Thanks for your patience!

Tammy Stretton,
Conservation Officer
tammy@montwt.co.uk

Pwll Penarth

From the second hide 3 snipe, 2 little grebes, 2 reed warbler, By the weir 3 dippers, 4 grey wagtails and a kingfisher. As I was walking into the first hide I heard a water rail from the pools opposite the hide and as I set up the camera a water rail was seen scurrying from the reeds on the far side and showed briefly in front of the hide.

Pwll Penarth

Pair of Little Grebe on the far side of the pool and a Water Rail heard but not seen.

Hobby

A fly-through Hobby over Red Bank, Welshpool today at 15.00hrs.
As with the reports of others, Meadow Pipits have been moving through this week, and there were also 2 Wheatears close to my house, including one bird which was unphased by my approach to within 6 feet.

I would like to add my thanks to Paul for starting this blog, and to thank ALL contributors. Together we share an enjoyment of our County, and the unselfish sharing of our experiences and observations demonstrate a healthy attitude to our hobby. I'm sure we all wish Mike every success in taking on this role, and that of County Bird Recorder.

Hello, blog & sightings

Hello, I'm Mike Haigh, the new County Bird Recorder.

Many thanks to Paul, I'm sure he'll continue to support me and contribute to Montgomeryshire birds for many years to come. And, thanks to everyone who has already welcomed me into the post.

This Blog is intended for everyone. For those in a rush to go out birding I've inserted a notable sightings list at the top of the blog. I'll update this list as soon as I'm aware of something  'notable'. Blog postings will appear below the sightings list in the usual manner. I encourage people to write blogs on any Montgomeryshire Bird related subject, be it sightings, great days out, interesting observations, garden birds etc. I welcome photos. Obviously those of most interest to other people are photos that show something about the character of a bird or unusual behaviour.

Sightings of notable species can be posted to the blog or sent directly to me at montbird@gmail.com or phone 01691 648746. Please continue to log all your sightings of birds, notable or common, using your preferred method e.g. MWT Bird Survey form, BTO Garden Birdwatch, Birdtrack, paper etc

All the bird sighting records will contribute to the objectives of creating a County Bird Species List and County Bird Report. Hopefully both will be possible in 2014. Over the next few weeks I'll be reviewing the bird data Montgomeryshire already has with Paul and Brayton Holt.

In the meantime, if anyone has any questions or suggestions then please do get in touch.

Mike

Dolydd Hafren

(via Wynn and Brenda) Sightings from 15/09/13

At Dolydd Hafren this morning. Large numbers of Swallows, House Martins and Sand martins passing through. Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Goshawk showing. Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail along river.  1 Reed Warbler still in reeds in front of first hide. 1 juvenile Wheatear seen from metal gate in car park looking towards river.

Kingfisher @ Guilsfield

(via Chris Hurrell) Just spent 24 mins (16.25 - 16.49) watching a kingfisher (think juvenile) from my kitchen window at Swn y Nant, Guilsfield. It moved to 3 different perches over the Guilsfield Brook, which run past my kitchen window, before flying off upstream and disappearing. Did not dive for food.  Seen them before on the Brook but only fleetingly.

A change in county recording...

There is to be a change of county bird recorder for Montgomeryshire. Despite, only taking over the position 2 years ago, my current situation has now changed and I feel that I can no longer carry out what I originally set out to achieve.

Your new county bird recorder will be Mike Haigh. Mike lives in Llanfyllin and has gained an excellent knowledge of Montgomeryshire's birds through his work with the RSPB, BTO and MWT. You might also know Mike through his involvement with the Montgomeryshire Moth and Montgomeryshire Barn Owl Groups where, in both cases, he has developed their websites and generally helped take each Group forwards.

I have no doubt in my mind that Mike is the right man for the job, and I know that it's the best move to take this county forward, and get Montgomeryshire back on the map as county that attracts birders from all over.

Mike has also offered to take over the running this blog. He has already come up with some great ideas to make the blog appealing to all types of birders, which will slowly start to happen in the near future.

Mutes on the Monts Canal

Yesterday Kelvin Jones and I checked most of the Montgomery Canal between Welshpool and Llanymynech for Mute Swan broods. We ringed 15 and missed 3 cygnets. Still a couple of sites to check but for the whole canal from Newtown to Llanymynech I have so far recorded two pairs without cygnets then broods of 2,2,4,4,5,6,6 and 6. If anyone sees a brood of swans on the canal without rings I'd be very glad to hear. Also saw a few Kingfishers and a surprising number of Moorhens.

Chiffchaff @ Pwll Penarth

At least 20 dotted around the reserve this morning. Other birds of note included 1 Blackcap, 30+ Long-tailed Tits and a Kingfisher.
The Wagtails are starting to build up at the sewage works now with 40+ Pied and a handful of Grey.

Garganey @ Leighton

(via Marc Hughes) Juv Garganey on River Severn at Leighton just siuth of Welshpool with 50+ Teal. Kingfisher and Green Sand too.

Raptors

All sightings from Around Clyweddog Dam yesterday. 15+ Buzzards 3 Red Kites where all in a field Gathering worms. 2 Goshawks getting mobbed by Crows. a pair of Great Crested Grebes are down by the fishermen car park.

Green Sandpiper @ Caersws

1 heard calling on the river this evening along with 1 Common Sandpiper and several Snipe.

Goshawk @ Carno

At least 3 seen patrolling the hills around Carno this afternoon, along with 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 maybe 2 Kestrels, 3 Red Kites and several Buzzards. 2 Crossbills were also seen.
Along the river between Clatter and Pontdolgoch there were 6 Dippers, 1 Kingfisher and 6 Grey Wagatils.

Merlin @ Talerddig

Female seen harassing a flock of 100+ Meadow Pipits by the first cattle grid as you head to Llanerfyl, a juvenile Hobby and Kestrel were also seen nearby. Hundreds, if not thousands of Meadow Pipits passing through this valley at the moment!!

Wheatear @ Talerddig

1 Greenland race Weatear seen along the road between Talerddig and Llanerfyl today. Other birds of note included 500+ Meadow Pipits, 80 Chaffinches, 50+ Linnets and 60+ Pied Wagtail (with a few White Wagtails mixed in!).

Barnacle Goose @ Fan

(via Chris Griffiths) 2 on Fan Pool today.

Up for grabs...

Despite setting up this blog several years ago for people to share their bird sightings across the county, it would appear that in some peoples minds I'm not allowed to make suggestion on ways to try and improve it. All I asked was for was a moderation in what was being posted to try and attract a wider audience. Surely this would be better for the blog? I do not recall mentioning any names nor asking for photos and posts to be delete, it was a suggestion made to all contributors! Worse still to be told that I contribute the least (admittedly there have been far fewer post from me recently, but unfortunately I do not live in the county at present and much of my work has taken me abroad for months at a time), is quite a shock!

I would like to offer anyone the opportunity to take over the blog, as I feel despite trying my best to please everyone I am not achieving this! I will continue to contribute to the blog when possible, but will no longer be the administrator,  because the stress of trying to please everyone has out weighed the enjoyment of  trying improve and encourage bird watching in Montgomeryshire.

Use of this blog...

Reluctantly I have had to alter the settings to the blog due to a number of recent unwanted comments. There are still some people who choose to hide behind a computer screen and use the blog to voice their opinions with impunity. So in future, people who comment must declare their ID. Any unwanted comments will be deleted!
I would like to remind all users that the Monty Bird Blog is a forum for sharing sightings of birds, not somewhere to have a dig at any other user, or at the wildlife trust or any other body. If that's what you're here for, you're in the wrong place!

On another note, I'd like to politely remind you that the Monty Bird Blog is not a photographic blog. Indeed the proliferation of photos is having an impact on the way people use the blog (or not as the case may be). A number of people have commented to me that they do not look here any more because they are faced with a block of pictures (often 'repeat' photos) rather than a quick list of interesting sightings. And worse still, some have told me they have not reported a sighting because they didn't have a photo. Who knows what we are missing out on?! Photos are great to enhance a good sighting, and are ideal when trying to ID a bird, but please don't get carried away.

I welcome your comments about these issues - I am simply keen to strike a balance which will encourage good birding and bird reporting for Montgomeryshire.

Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve closure

The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust will be undertaking necessary maintenance work on the hide at Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve from this Friday, 13th September 2013. As there will be scaffolding up and machinery moving around, we have taken the difficult decision to close the reserve for the duration of the works. Consequently, Llyn Coed Y Dinas will be closed from Friday for up to 2 weeks. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by these works and will re-open the reserve as soon as the work is complete.

? Wipit at L. Cyd.

Mark and I found this bird at about 9 am today. Hopefully he will have better shots than this of what I first thought (hopefully) might be a Red-Throated Pipit, but I think the overall colour was too light. There appeared in the field to be a pinkish suffusion on the chest, a prominent eye-stripe, and two obvious wing-bars. Unfortunately the bird was only visible for about 2 minutes, before we lost it.
Would anyone like to support the I. D. of Water Pipit?