Yesterday morning's walk around the Wern, in Spring sunshine, was made even better by the sight and song of a yellowhammer - these used to be common birds in the area, but apart from small winter flocks in 2012/13 feeding on unharvested wheat, we don't see them any more. This last year there has been no arable so we assumed that would mean no yellowhammers - fingers crossed this one stays and finds both food and a mate.
We also had a chiffchaff singing in the garden for most of the day - we don't ever remember hearing one this early - maybe it's overwintered or could it be an early arrival?
A pair of long-tailed tits are building a nest in our hedge - at first it resembled a chaffinch's nest, but it's now growing taller and the entrance hole is reducing in size and moving upwards - what skill!
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 |
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Heard my first Chiffchaff this week, in Sussex though! Must listen out for them now.
ReplyDeleteMore yellowhammers at Venus Pool near Shrewsbury if you're over that way. It's a very pleasant Shropshire Ornithological trust reserve
ReplyDelete